We have more space here than we need at the moment, but only if you don't mind sharing it with nature. Good, sealed working space on the other hand is tight and so we have to be well organised and only keep to hand what is essential. Richard and I were rummaging...
Richard Maguire
Why Small & Sweet
Small Planes Are The Best For Smoothing When writing these articles I hope to provide an insight in to my ways of working. This is never to dictate, and if you read it as though what I do is the right, or the only way to go about things then you could end up...
Smoothing Plane – Buying A Dedicated Plane
In one of the recent videos I was whining on about the jack plane, and how feel that the No 5 is the best all round, multi use bench plane. In another video I've also mentioned my love for a nice small smoothing plane, so I thought it'd be worth going...
New Look Site
I've finally completed the new website design and with a bit of luck you should be seeing it now. It was time for a change to get things up-to-date in regards to viewing on mobiles and smaller screens, on which you should now be finding things easier to view and...
After Hours
I've been spending a lot of time out in the sun this past week or so; setting up a (make shift) vegetable plot and tending to the weeds. Ordinarily I'd be feeling very guilty about doing anything beside work in work hours and I still am a little. But after a pretty...
Simple & Strong Workbench Design
When it comes to workbench design there's a rule to suit us all. Keep it simple, make it strong. Give any woodworker a French bench, an English bench, a trestle and a door fitted out with original Victorian handle bench... As long as they're strong, they all work. The...
Jiggery / Appliances
I've never been a big jigger in my workshop. I'm stumped to find a value for anything more than my simple shooting board/ bench hook combo. And the odd stick. I think the reason is because I've never been precious about my bench top and there's no problem which can't...
Blood In The Workshop
There's rarely anything fun about a woodworking injury, and yet when I make videos about using hand tools I don't feel the need to put up a big disclaimer about keeping safe. I don't feel irresponsible for a lack of this but it is certainly a subject worth writing...
Choosing Your First Hand Plane
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65sVCcvewB0] Which Hand Plane Should I Buy First? That's a question I get asked a lot. If you're getting in to woodworking by hand then I can't recommend the No 5, or equivalent jack plane length of plane...
Hand Plane Guide – With VIDEO
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqA9BL3CJU0] In this video I take a look at the different types of bench planes, and discuss options such as whether to have wooden or metal hand planes, which lengths of plane I prefer for different tasks, and generally...
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Saw Horses – Do You Need A Set?
Saw horses are a clat to get out and I'll only use them if I have to (perhaps I'm lazy). But of course they are extremely useful, and it’s nice to know there’s a couple stashed away ready to grab if needed. Whether you need something cheap and nasty, or a sturdy work...
Which Hand Tools Do I Need To Get Started?
It’s a question that we’re asked weekly, and whilst I’m often babbling on about specific tools, I wanted to use this post to bring together a list of the essential stuff that will get a beginner going. You probably know that I like to use minimal tools throughout my...
The Route To A Profitable Workshop
For most of you time is not money when it comes to your workshop. But I will always stand by my belief that it could be. Small scale furniture making can be a profitable business, and as crazy as it sounds hand tools are the key. Single maker, small workshop, minimal...