Good chairs stay together forever if the chair maker understands what wood does.They know it will move, and use this to their advantage.Bone dry legs going into a slightly wetter seat. The seat drys over time, the legs take on a tad of moisture and everything stays tight.A good … [Read more...]
Dead Expensive Dovetail Saws…
... and why you need one.Most of you will know that the vast majority of my tools are what I would call good quality 'workman like' tools.I have a few modern posh things, but they're not in daily use. It's nothing against them, but my old friends are like comfy old work boots. They let in … [Read more...]
Efficiency In Marking
I've said it many times (though I'm sure I'm on the wrong page).I believe that hand tools are the most efficient set up for the individual maker.And not just the hobbiest. If you're building one-off pieces for clients then hand tools are still where it's at. Most that would disagree lack … [Read more...]
Workshop Floor From Scaffold Boards
I came in to furniture making as a very young man. Basically I started at the bottom of the food chain.As a result I didn’t get to start with perfect.My workshops have been a constant slow evolution.There have been many, from sheds to simply outside, right up to industrial units. As … [Read more...]
Scruffy Dovetails – Richard Rants (Video)
This is a short extract from our Hall Table Build.For the context - read below.I was in the process of cutting tenons, and at this point deliberately aiming at a joint that was too tight. We would then show the process of truing the fit.Not to sound obnoxious, but I came in … [Read more...]
Hazard A Guess – Evolve Your Skills
If you've seen anything from us then you'll know it's not exactly text book stuff.Our approach comes from a heap of passed down knowledge finely blended with many hours of doing at the bench.Then there's the dash of weirdness that my mind adds in.I like to understand stuff. How it works. … [Read more...]
Sharpening Narrow Chisels (the Problem & Solution)
A video version of this post has been added to our sharpening series. All 'Get Sharp' customers can LOGIN to watch now. Or You can Learn More about the Series here. We've all done it.Turned a smashing chisel into a left-handed skew.Getting a 90 degree edge on narrow chisels can be … [Read more...]
Build A Hall Table – Online Video Series
Our latest video series is the build of a traditional Hall Table For Full Details & To Purchase CLICK HERE As you'll expect, we build the whole piece with basic hand tools. The focus with this project is learning how to build by hand efficiently.If you're just starting out with … [Read more...]
Tools That Need No Box
I don't know if this is just me.Whenever I have a jolly good tidy up, I find there's the same old handful of tools, and odds and sods that I don't bother to put away.This is because if I put them away, I'd get them straight back out... again.Off the top of my head, these are things like … [Read more...]
The Best Woodworking Marking Knife
All my tools are fairly rough and basic.I've never had much bother finding tools that work, although two things have always troubled me.The first; finding drill bits that don't rag out the work in slow hand powered drills.And finding a good woodworking marking knife.The drill bit … [Read more...]