What’s The Oldest Tool Or Machine You Still Use On Your Wood Flooring Jobs?

Four weathered construction tools including floor sander, hammer, angle grinder, and compactor with WE Business logo

We asked our readers on the WFB Facebook and Instagram pages to share their favorite white oak installations, and they showed off a great variety of projects.

 


 

 

Seamus Curran

They don’t get used very often anymore (might be a few years now), and they’re mine the second he fully retires, but my dad’s nail pullers were my great-grandfather’s and are over 100 years old.

 


 

Industrial floor sander with blue hose in commercial space during renovation project

Alex Franklin

My CF12 Clarke from 1951.

 


 

 

restorationhardwoodflooring

A Stanley 9 handplane from about 1906.

 


 

 

Josh Brake

I have an old Starret that was my grandfather’s. I would guess it’s close to 80 years old.

 


 

Industrial floor grinder machine with black motor and metal housing in workshop setting

Joe Smith 

A late ’50s Super 8. We rarely use it, but every now and then we get into it.

 


 

 

Mike Guitron

My 23-year-old Orebro 10-inch belt sander. Bought it new, and it still runs like new with meticulous maintenance.

 


 

 

Michael Smith

My 2002 Orebro belt sander.

 


 

 

Frank Foulk

My 1927 Stanley floor hammer with an octagon head.

 


 

Narrow hallway under renovation with wooden flooring, framed walls, and floor sanding equipment

Shawn Hegwood

My 1950s 12-inch Clarke drum sander. I use it for old varnish wax floors. It’s cheap on paper.

 


 

Carpet cleaning extraction tool with black handle and metallic base on wooden floor

Ken Hoffman 

My Stanley No. 82 cabinet scraper—made between 1909–1958.

 


 

Worn electric motor with blue housing and green base mounted on corrugated metal surface in industrial workshop

Daniel Springer 

My red top Super 7 edger nicknamed “Mean Machine” because it eats different than most other Super 7s. It belonged to one of my uncles, who taught my dad how to do floors. Anyone who has run it says it’s set up perfect, but it digs trenches deep and fast. It was the one I learned on. Any B2 or Super 7 I’ve run isn’t even comparable.

 


 

 

Thomas Lane

The rubber mallet my dad bought about 40 years ago.

 


 

 

Erik Livas

My 1993 Hummel.

 


 

 

Jimmy Alexander LLanes

My Randmeister from 1993.

 


 

Vintage chisel with wooden handle on workbench surrounded by workshop tools and equipment

Alexander Vallant 

The Stanley Scraper No. 82 likely dates from before 1942. I use it daily and love it!

 


 

 

David Runyon

Probably me … I wonder how long it’s gonna last; the odometer keeps rolling over, and I’ve lost count of the miles.

 


 

Industrial floor sanding machine polishing wooden flooring in an interior space

Clint Fudge 

This old banger: Big Bertha.

 


 

Casey Ditsworth

My body, mostly. Has a few newer parts though.

 


 

Ron Teljeur

My Porter Cable 16-gauge brad nailer or my Bostitch cleat nailers, both from late 1980s. And then there’s me at 62 ... still fairly functional.  

Follow WFB on Facebook and Instagram to see the next chance to be in the Talking Shop column.

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