Are hand cranked grinders the toy that we all want to work? Now honestly, I've never had any success with them. I can't make much sense of them as a sharpening tool at all, so perhaps I've never given them a fair trial. I avoid grinders altogether until it comes to that horrible … [Read more...]
Flattening A Big Old Board – The Start Of A Build
Today we've made a start on our Coffee Table build - if you've joined us already then you can Login Here to watch Chapter One. Or find more details HERE I set about this build without a clear direction on what the table would become. I’d had this rough old waney edged oak board … [Read more...]
Second Hand Jointers – Hand Plane Buying Tips
I’m always going on about how much I love a minimal tool kit, but in this post I’m going to rant on a bit, and give you a few pointers if you feel limited by the length of your hand plane. A Number 5, or Jack plane, will comfortably see you through most jobs, but as you get more experienced or … [Read more...]
The Fix For An Out Of Square Mortice & Tenon – VIDEO
References: Build A Hall Table Video Series | SIGN UP to watch the Free Hand Plane Build [Watch the video version above]. If you're cutting a mortice and tenon by hand then it's likely things aren't going to be perfect at the first fitting. If I'm building quickly and I can get away … [Read more...]
Tidy Both Sides – The Pegged Mortice and Tenon
I don't hate much, but I do hate a scruffy looking pegged joint. You know, when the peg doesn't fill the hole. When you've only got the show face to get tidy, it isn't too troublesome, particularly if you follow a few procedures. Where things start to get a bit testing though, is when both sides … [Read more...]
The Scientific Maths Of Sharpening
You’ll find that the cost of your sharpening stones scales with the cost of your tools. More expensive isn’t going to mean better if your stones aren’t compatible with the type of steel you use. If you’re using the types of tools that I recommend, things like the older Stanley’s and low cost … [Read more...]
Ever Considered A Hollow Chisel Morticer?
As noises go, there's nothing much worse than banging. About the only thing that's completed in my life at the moment is my workshop door. I spent far too much money to get it right. We focused on the acoustics to keep out the noisy world when filming, and put in some beautiful reflective glass … [Read more...]
Iron Cambers – Optimising Your Hand Planes
To become efficient in anything I find it's much better to specialise rather than use one size fits all. So how can a minimal hand tool kit become anything other than a set up for getting you started? The answer is in understanding your cutting edge. We can use various cutting angles and … [Read more...]
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 of art will depend on how … [Read more...]
Removing Twist, Or Creating It?
Teaching and woodworking are two very separate skills. That's something I realised when we started making our videos. The big difference is, you can't work on auto pilot while you demonstrate. Everything has to be deliberate, almost exaggerated so it can be replicated by those … [Read more...]
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