Deciding what to get someone is the hard part; wrapping them up is usually easy... unless you're trying to disguise a hockey stick. But don't overlook the creative opportunities available to you in the wrapping process. I've done some pretty crazy wrapping jobs in the past - some just awesome, others tacky but definitely fun. … Continue reading A Unique Way to Wrap Presents
A woodworking shop is full of hazards and we are constantly reminded of that. Magazines and TV shows warn that woodworking itself is inherently dangerous. Power tool manuals have pages of warnings about electrical hazards, sharp edges, and noise and dust created. Many hand tools come with labels or packaging cautioning us to always wear … Continue reading Be Careful of that GENTLY ROUNDED EDGE!
A while ago, I came up with a more efficient way to make a wooden molding plane. There are some compromises, but the tool is very practical, does a good job and quick and easy to make. For this pair of planes with 1" wide blades, I started with material 1-3/8" thick. I used my … Continue reading Making a Pair of Hollows and Rounds
Handles (or totes, as they are called regarding hand planes) are often very personal things. Yet, I don't think that any hand plane makers offer any options as to whether you would like a small, medium, or large tote for your plane. Perhaps that's because the makers figure that the end user will either just … Continue reading New Duds for #4
Wood shavings are cool. They are fun to make. They are fun to play with. That is part of why I enjoy working with handplanes so much. It's not just because of the beautiful, polished surface they leave behind. It's because of the fashion in which they remove wood. I've found that different types of … Continue reading Shavings are Fun!
Hand planes can be divided several ways. One of the more common ways is by length. There are of course block planes, which are the shortest, at around 6-7". Then come smooth planes, which typically measure 9-10". They are followed by jack (fore) planes at 14-15" and finally jointer (try) planes which are about 18-22" … Continue reading The Problem with Hand Planes Today
Well, it's been two months since my last posting. And the bench has come a long way, though there's still a long way to go. I ended up having the Douglas fir resawn in half. Many thanks to my friend and fellow woodworker Doug Ward. I've now laminated the bench top and flattened it. I … Continue reading Progress on The Workbench
