A couple of years ago while working on a chair, I found myself needing to lay out the position of the seat slats on the centre rail, which was basically a cross-lap joint. Normally, I'd use my marking knife for this operation, but due to the thickness of the components, my marking knife wasn't able … Continue reading Making a Long-Blade Marking Knife
A number of months ago, a fellow brought me a boxful of old tools and said that he just wanted them to go to good homes where they would be appreciated. In the box were these three saw sets. (A) Stanley Pistol Grip Saw Set Despite the worn paint, this saw set works smoothly and … Continue reading Overflow, Part XVIII
On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working. That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 7 – Installing Battens and Flattening the Underside
My LAST POST showed what the hand plane looked like out of the box. This post shows what the plane was able to do. While setting up the plane, I took note of the slop in the lateral- and depth-adjusters. The depth adjuster had 3/4 of a turn of slop and the lateral adjuster had a … Continue reading WoodRiver #5 V3 Bench Plane Review – In Use
SAW SET FOR WESTERN SAWS WITH 4-12 TPI I have two identical saw sets and this one is a little grungier. It still works fine. To use the saw set, loosen the lock knob, rotate the round anvil until the number representing the TPI of the saw is at the top and tighten the knob. … Continue reading Overflow, Part IV
It's been said a thousand times that a sharp tool is a safe tool. Sharp tools require less effort to use and as a result the user has greater control and is less likely to slip and injure themselves or damage something. A sharp tool also cuts more cleanly, leaving a surface requiring less … Continue reading Sharpening Should NOT be Difficult or Time-Consuming
We all know that it is important to have sharp edges when working. They cut more cleanly and require less force to use, either saving us effort or strain on the motor. Knowing how to sharpen is certainly an important skill, but just as important is recognizing when a tool requires sharpening. With enough experience, … Continue reading Recognizing Sharpness
One thing that I force myself to do is to inspect the various cutting edges in my shop regularly. Because they are constantly subject to wear, their cutting abilities are gradually diminished and eventually, the cut becomes labourious. With power tools, cutters dull as they cut, but another enemy is heat build-up. A fast feed … Continue reading Clean Your Blades and Bits!
Of all the techniques related to woodworking, this sharpening a card scraper tends to generate the most interest. This is my method: Remove the old burr if necessary by rubbing the face of the scraper on a stone. I use my diamond stone as not to scar my water stones. Clamp the scraper in a … Continue reading Sharpening a Card Scraper
When I started woodworking six or seven years ago, all my tools were usually dull. I sharpened them will a mill file. Yes a mill file. I clamped the tool in my metal working vise and went at it. Maybe that was a blessing because I learned to sharpen with a steady hand. Anyhow, the … Continue reading The Evolution of Sharpening
Sculptural Woodwork by Chris Wong 