Traditional Methods
The traditional method for grinding a bevel on edge tools uses a mechanical grinder. This is the method typically described in historical woodworking books that explain the the methods of craftsman making furniture and joinery for a living.
Here are some extracts from the literature published in the 18th, 19th and 20th century...
Traditional Methods
The traditional method for grinding a bevel on edge tools uses a mechanical grinder. This is the method typically described in historical woodworking...
bench planes
Sharpening! A quick trawl of the internet reveals a bewildering array of opinions on this topic, and if you look a bit further afield you will find entire books covering the same. But don't be deterred: the basics can be understood and learned with a relatively modest investment in time and do not...
Sharpening! A quick trawl of the internet reveals a bewildering array of opinions on this topic, and if you look a bit further afield you...
bench planes
If you buy a new plane from Lie Neilsen, Veritas or some other high-end maker then you can rest assured it has been manufactured to very high tolerances and therefore won’t need any work (and if it isn’t you can always return it and ask for a replacement). However, in the event you...
If you buy a new plane from Lie Neilsen, Veritas or some other high-end maker then you can rest assured it has been manufactured to...
bench planes
Given the main purpose of bench planes is to smooth and flatten wood it is unsurprising that the sole of the plane should be flat, but views differ on exactly how flat it needs to make them work optimally.
Flatness standards
To understand why flatness is important we can consider the mechanics of the plane:...
Given the main purpose of bench planes is to smooth and flatten wood it is unsurprising that the sole of the plane should be flat,...
bench planes
The cap iron is the part of a bench plane that is held on top of the cutting iron with a shallow bolt. These two parts are then secured to the frog by pressure from the lever cap.
In old books, planes with this arrangement are often referred to as double irons for reasons that...
The cap iron is the part of a bench plane that is held on top of the cutting iron with a shallow bolt. These two...
bench planes
Here is what I learned about setting up and sharpening bench planes.
If you participate in any woodworking internet forums at some point you will stumble upon a debate about the best way set them up and sharpen the blade for use.
Sadly these debates are often marred by ill humour and repetitive argument.
There...
Here is what I learned about setting up and sharpening bench planes.
If you participate in any woodworking internet forums at some point you will...
bench planes
This post describes how to refurbish a bench plane.
To show what can be done with even the most unpromising looking specimen, here is the worst example I purchased:
…it was made at some point between WWII and the mid-1950s and, as you can see from the photo of it dismantled, it has been painted...
This post describes how to refurbish a bench plane.
To show what can be done with even the most unpromising looking specimen, here is the...
bench planes
As we already found out there are no very old Record bench planes – production started in 1931 – and there are lots of them about, so ebay descriptions of “antique” Record bench planes are something of a misnomer. While the older models might reasonably be referred to as vintage, in the sense of something from the...
As we already found out there are no very old Record bench planes – production started in 1931 – and there are lots of them about, so...
bench planes
Old Record bench planes show up on ebay on an almost daily basis and are frequently described by optimistic sellers as “Vintage”, but how old are they really?
To answer the question I have looked at the circumstances that prompted Record to start producing hand planes and in a subsequent post I will look at...
Old Record bench planes show up on ebay on an almost daily basis and are frequently described by optimistic sellers as “Vintage”, but how old...
bench planes
As I mentioned earlier, my foray into buying used bench planes on ebay is inspired by Paul Sellars, a British woodworker who talks eloquently about the value still to be found in old hand-planes and other tools. He puts his money where his mouth is too, by routinely using an old Stanley 04 he bought...
As I mentioned earlier, my foray into buying used bench planes on ebay is inspired by Paul Sellars, a British woodworker who talks eloquently about...
bench planes
The plan was to acquire hand tools as I needed them and since I had to remove about 5 mm from the top of my bench vice jaws which, per the instructions from the vice manufacturer, I had left slightly proud of the top so they could be planed flush after installation, the starting point...
The plan was to acquire hand tools as I needed them and since I had to remove about 5 mm from the top of my...
bench planes
Everyone is on a “journey” these days, and now I am too – my journey into woodworking has begun.
I remember very little about the craft lessons I took at school, although I vaguely recall doing a term of wood working and a term of metalworking – I suppose about 30 hours of training in total. Not...
Everyone is on a “journey” these days, and now I am too – my journey into woodworking has begun.
I remember very little about the craft...
saw bench
I made some shelving and an open sided bookcase type affair.
This was an opportunity to try out a very extravagant purchase – a festool domino. The tool has an oscillating cutter that creates a recess for variously sized beech tenons (“dominos”) that can be used to create an accurate woodworking joint without any skill whatsoever....
I made some shelving and an open sided bookcase type affair.
This was an opportunity to try out a very extravagant purchase – a festool domino....
workshop storage
You may recall that I have set up my dust collection in such a way as there is no path for static electricity to make its way safely to ground.
If you have been following my obsessional warblings about static electricity you will also know that and this spells certain doom. Here is my solution:...
You may recall that I have set up my dust collection in such a way as there is no path for static electricity to make...
workshop dust collection
Here is a review of the Festool CTL SYS from the perspective of the small workshop user.
Until a couple of weeks ago we had a Sebo hoover in the house but in a stroke of good fortune it broke down. I made a half-hearted attempt to fix it and then persuaded my wife that...
Here is a review of the Festool CTL SYS from the perspective of the small workshop user.
Until a couple of weeks ago we had...
workshop dust collection
Some Festool vacuum owners had issues with the original Ultimate Dust Deputy (UDD), apparently because it caused a static build up that discharged through the vac damaging its motherboard in the process. Do you need to be concerned about the same thing happening to your vac?
Static electricity and the original Dust Deputy
You can...
Some Festool vacuum owners had issues with the original Ultimate Dust Deputy (UDD), apparently because it caused a static build up that discharged through the...
workshop dust collection
