WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary….
Boomer Fight Songs: Made in America
byVanderleunonJuly 10, 2020
My old man’s that old man,
Spent his life livin’ off the land,
Dirty hands, and a clean soul.
It breaks his heart seein’ foreign cars,
Filled with fuel that isn’t ours
And wearin’ cotton we didn’t grow
He’s got the red, white, and blue flyin’ high on the farm
Semper Fi tattooed on his left arm
Spend a little more in the store for a tag in the back that says ‘USA’
He won’t buy nothin’ that he can’t fix,
With WD40 and a Craftsman wrench
He ain’t prejudiced, he’s just made in America
He loves his wife and she’s that wife
That decorates on the Fourth of July
But says ‘Every day’s Independence Day’
She’s golden rule, teaches school,
Some folks say it isn’t cool
But she says the Pledge of Allegiance anyway.
He’s got the red, white, and blue flyin’ high on the farm
Semper Fi tattooed on his left arm
Spend a little more in the store for a tag in the back that says ‘USA’
He won’t buy nothin’ that he can’t fix,
With WD40 and a Craftsman wrench
He ain’t prejudiced, he’s just made in America
Born in the Heartland, raised up a family
Of King James and Uncle Sam
He’s got the red, white, and blue flyin’ high on the farm
Semper Fi tattooed on his left arm
Spend a little more in the store for a tag in the back that says ‘USA’
He won’t buy nothin’ that he can’t fix,
With WD40 and a Craftsman wrench
He ain’t prejudiced, he’s just made in America
Made in America
Made in America
Remember when the name “Craftsman” meant something?
I do.
As Chasmatic once noted, “I have screwdrivers older than you”, and I do.
I have lots of Craftsman stuff, most of it more than 30 years old.
The Craftsman 16oz framing hammer laying on my workbench right now was given to me by my dad when I was 16, in 1971, and I still use it all the time. Most of my mechanics tools, wrenches, sockets, etc., are Craftsman – again, more than 30 years old. Craftsman tools used to have a life time warranty. Break one and just take it to the store and exchange it for another no questions asked, except, the sales dood may, for curiosty sake, ask how you broke it. “Whale, I had a 5/8″ rusty bolt on my truck frame cross member that wouldn’t crack loose so I put a 4′ long pipe on it for leverage and danged if the wrench didn’t just snap off clean.” Salesman: “Dam! Hate it when that happens, here’s your new wrench, good luck!”
I had a Craftsman mower for 10 years and never did anything to it cept gas it up. No oil changes (never even checked it), never sharpened the blades, never even blowed it off or sprayed it with the hose. I gave it to my brother and he used it for another 10 years. Don’t know what became of it after that. It might still be cutting grass, with that crank wallowing around in tar.
I bought a Craftsman riding mower in 2002. 21.5hp B&S Intek V-Twin engine. I mowed a thousand acres in the 18 years hence and never a let down. Til recently. The governor blew apart inside the crankcase causing it to run wide open. That’s not good. Right now that 97 lb engine is on my workbench, torn apart and waiting for ordered parts, surrounded by a mountain of Craftsman tools most of them more than 30 years old.
Craftsman tools just feel right in the hand and they are well designed. My 2nd oldest Craftsman tool is a 7-1/4″ circular saw bought around 1973 for some large speaker cabinets I was building to compliment a Marshall amp I had purchased. That saw is still my main work horse and I’ve framed a dozen houses with it. A long time ago I put a 120 tooth plywood blade on it, took off the table and guard, and using it free hand I “carved” a 48″ long model sailboat hull out of a 8″x16″x50″ stick of mahogany. Yeah, I’ve replaced the cord a couple time because swinging them around while spidering around in roof trusses can be tough on them. But I can yank it out right now and cut circles around you with it.
All in all I have been very pleased with Craftsman tools and have nothing bad to say about any of them. But in recent years Sears has went the way of most large companies and they no longer own the Craftsman brand. I don’t keep up with such things but I believe Craftsman is now owned by Stanley, who is owned by somebody else, maybe Porter-Cable, or Milwaukee, I don’t know. I have heard that Craftsman’s quality control has slipped but I can’t say because there are no stores any more around here so I haven’t purchased the brand for about 20 years. Most of my tool buying was in the 70’s and 80’s with only incidental purchases since.
My well used tools fill a building and they have, and are, used almost daily. My son, 25 years younger than me, has little use for tools those that he has are rarely used and kept in a kitchen drawer. The times, they are a changing. He’ll probably inherent my tools soon enough and maybe he’ll start to take interest in them and what they can do. Having the right tools on hand and the knowledge to use them opens a whole world of opportunities to learn how to do new things and save money at the same time, extending your sense of self reliance, and confidence.
Couple weeks ago I mentioned the dead possum under the deck. I used that Craftsman circular saw to free-hand cut one of the boards, the Craftsman crowbar to pry a deckboard up, and Craftsman screw extractors to get the 3″ deck screws out. Yeah, I likes me some Craftsman tools, and I use em a lot. I imagine most men in the US with a stable brain, a solid backbone, and a working set of ballz do too.
Snakepit KansasJuly 11, 2020, 6:11 AM
My Dad had a similar theme with Craftsman tools as Ghost. I have accumulated a good set over time myself, and most are the Craftsman brand. When I was a young teen my Dad started getting me small tool sets of my own. A birthday equaled a set of box end wrenches. Christmas was 1/2 in drive & socket set. Etc. My Dad’s Craftsman radial arm saw sits silent now, but for over 50 years it cut boards to make all kinds of furniture, shelves and trim. I have an old Craftsman table saw that serves me well. I dropped and broke the fence some years ago and made my own out of a 2×6 a few pieces of other wood and four heavy duty pieces of all-thread and large nuts I can finger tighten. I recently introduced my son to my tool chest while working on lawn mowers to support his summer lawn care money making scheme. Always wipe down the tools when finished and put them back EXACTLY where you retrieved them from. Soon enough I will start getting him his own small sets of tools.
MhfJuly 11, 2020, 1:15 PM
Damn you 2, ive been working on my fathers Craftsman Radial Arm saw all week. With some craftsman tools too. Some things dont change
ghostsniperJuly 11, 2020, 6:55 PM
OK you guys, you pushed my button.
The very first power tool my dad ever let me use, with his immediate and direct attention, was his 50’s era Rockwell radial arm saw. He said it was the safest saw in the world. I used it a lot until I moved out.
Anyway, about 10 years ago I decided I wanted a Craftsman radial arm saw but didn’t want to lay out the long coin for a new one, so I started checking out ads on Craigslist and they routinely went for, from $50 to $600 depending. I wanted the digital one, with the little screen on the front of the arm. Just punch in the numbers and the blade moved to the desired position, angle, depth, everything. I found one about 30 miles away in good shape with the upgraded Craftsman table with storage for $300, and I got on it like stink on a monkey. We went back n forth and I got it for $250.
I did a basic test drive at the sellers place and it seemed OK. When I got it home I did a thorough going over and found some issues. The computer drive that controlled all of the alignment stuff was in error and the unit itself was inside the main motor housing. The motor has to be yanked out of the trunion/gimble system and that wasn’t easy. Then I found out the computer itself was no longer made and the ones available were in the $300 range and even if that was replaced there was no guarantee every thing would work right. I went ahead and tore the whole machine down and discovered a design flaw in the main arm support in the rear that would not allow the arm to lock in a stationary position. This fucking saw would not cut 2 straight cuts in a row no matter what I did to it. It was flawed from the factory. FUK! I hate getting ripped. I’m into this thing for $250 and it was a complete waste. DAM!
I entered the model number into google and cruised around a bit then I discovered that there were other issues with this saw. There was a nationwide recall on them and the terms were that if I sent the saw motor to them at their expense they would send me $250. So that is what I did. Money wise I came out even steven and learned some stuff to boot. Seems the most treasured radial arm saws are from the 50’s and 60’s and rarely will you find them reasonably priced. My luck will be in that I find one in good shape that I can afford when I’m 80 and too old to use it…..
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
Remember when the name “Craftsman” meant something?
I do.
As Chasmatic once noted, “I have screwdrivers older than you”, and I do.
I have lots of Craftsman stuff, most of it more than 30 years old.
The Craftsman 16oz framing hammer laying on my workbench right now was given to me by my dad when I was 16, in 1971, and I still use it all the time. Most of my mechanics tools, wrenches, sockets, etc., are Craftsman – again, more than 30 years old. Craftsman tools used to have a life time warranty. Break one and just take it to the store and exchange it for another no questions asked, except, the sales dood may, for curiosty sake, ask how you broke it. “Whale, I had a 5/8″ rusty bolt on my truck frame cross member that wouldn’t crack loose so I put a 4′ long pipe on it for leverage and danged if the wrench didn’t just snap off clean.” Salesman: “Dam! Hate it when that happens, here’s your new wrench, good luck!”
I had a Craftsman mower for 10 years and never did anything to it cept gas it up. No oil changes (never even checked it), never sharpened the blades, never even blowed it off or sprayed it with the hose. I gave it to my brother and he used it for another 10 years. Don’t know what became of it after that. It might still be cutting grass, with that crank wallowing around in tar.
I bought a Craftsman riding mower in 2002. 21.5hp B&S Intek V-Twin engine. I mowed a thousand acres in the 18 years hence and never a let down. Til recently. The governor blew apart inside the crankcase causing it to run wide open. That’s not good. Right now that 97 lb engine is on my workbench, torn apart and waiting for ordered parts, surrounded by a mountain of Craftsman tools most of them more than 30 years old.
Craftsman tools just feel right in the hand and they are well designed. My 2nd oldest Craftsman tool is a 7-1/4″ circular saw bought around 1973 for some large speaker cabinets I was building to compliment a Marshall amp I had purchased. That saw is still my main work horse and I’ve framed a dozen houses with it. A long time ago I put a 120 tooth plywood blade on it, took off the table and guard, and using it free hand I “carved” a 48″ long model sailboat hull out of a 8″x16″x50″ stick of mahogany. Yeah, I’ve replaced the cord a couple time because swinging them around while spidering around in roof trusses can be tough on them. But I can yank it out right now and cut circles around you with it.
All in all I have been very pleased with Craftsman tools and have nothing bad to say about any of them. But in recent years Sears has went the way of most large companies and they no longer own the Craftsman brand. I don’t keep up with such things but I believe Craftsman is now owned by Stanley, who is owned by somebody else, maybe Porter-Cable, or Milwaukee, I don’t know. I have heard that Craftsman’s quality control has slipped but I can’t say because there are no stores any more around here so I haven’t purchased the brand for about 20 years. Most of my tool buying was in the 70’s and 80’s with only incidental purchases since.
My well used tools fill a building and they have, and are, used almost daily. My son, 25 years younger than me, has little use for tools those that he has are rarely used and kept in a kitchen drawer. The times, they are a changing. He’ll probably inherent my tools soon enough and maybe he’ll start to take interest in them and what they can do. Having the right tools on hand and the knowledge to use them opens a whole world of opportunities to learn how to do new things and save money at the same time, extending your sense of self reliance, and confidence.
Couple weeks ago I mentioned the dead possum under the deck. I used that Craftsman circular saw to free-hand cut one of the boards, the Craftsman crowbar to pry a deckboard up, and Craftsman screw extractors to get the 3″ deck screws out. Yeah, I likes me some Craftsman tools, and I use em a lot. I imagine most men in the US with a stable brain, a solid backbone, and a working set of ballz do too.
My Dad had a similar theme with Craftsman tools as Ghost. I have accumulated a good set over time myself, and most are the Craftsman brand. When I was a young teen my Dad started getting me small tool sets of my own. A birthday equaled a set of box end wrenches. Christmas was 1/2 in drive & socket set. Etc. My Dad’s Craftsman radial arm saw sits silent now, but for over 50 years it cut boards to make all kinds of furniture, shelves and trim. I have an old Craftsman table saw that serves me well. I dropped and broke the fence some years ago and made my own out of a 2×6 a few pieces of other wood and four heavy duty pieces of all-thread and large nuts I can finger tighten. I recently introduced my son to my tool chest while working on lawn mowers to support his summer lawn care money making scheme. Always wipe down the tools when finished and put them back EXACTLY where you retrieved them from. Soon enough I will start getting him his own small sets of tools.
Damn you 2, ive been working on my fathers Craftsman Radial Arm saw all week. With some craftsman tools too. Some things dont change
OK you guys, you pushed my button.
The very first power tool my dad ever let me use, with his immediate and direct attention, was his 50’s era Rockwell radial arm saw. He said it was the safest saw in the world. I used it a lot until I moved out.
Anyway, about 10 years ago I decided I wanted a Craftsman radial arm saw but didn’t want to lay out the long coin for a new one, so I started checking out ads on Craigslist and they routinely went for, from $50 to $600 depending. I wanted the digital one, with the little screen on the front of the arm. Just punch in the numbers and the blade moved to the desired position, angle, depth, everything. I found one about 30 miles away in good shape with the upgraded Craftsman table with storage for $300, and I got on it like stink on a monkey. We went back n forth and I got it for $250.
I did a basic test drive at the sellers place and it seemed OK. When I got it home I did a thorough going over and found some issues. The computer drive that controlled all of the alignment stuff was in error and the unit itself was inside the main motor housing. The motor has to be yanked out of the trunion/gimble system and that wasn’t easy. Then I found out the computer itself was no longer made and the ones available were in the $300 range and even if that was replaced there was no guarantee every thing would work right. I went ahead and tore the whole machine down and discovered a design flaw in the main arm support in the rear that would not allow the arm to lock in a stationary position. This fucking saw would not cut 2 straight cuts in a row no matter what I did to it. It was flawed from the factory. FUK! I hate getting ripped. I’m into this thing for $250 and it was a complete waste. DAM!
I entered the model number into google and cruised around a bit then I discovered that there were other issues with this saw. There was a nationwide recall on them and the terms were that if I sent the saw motor to them at their expense they would send me $250. So that is what I did. Money wise I came out even steven and learned some stuff to boot. Seems the most treasured radial arm saws are from the 50’s and 60’s and rarely will you find them reasonably priced. My luck will be in that I find one in good shape that I can afford when I’m 80 and too old to use it…..