Ok so not unplugged, but it’s made of wood and shop built by me. It was built about five years ago and is still going strong. I always planned on remaking it using the lessons learned from this build, but it works fine so I never got around to it. I posted the original build […]
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The Marking Knife and how to use it
One of the secrets to accurate work is in marking out your cut lines. I was taught to use a square and a carpenters pencil when I first started. However a marking knife is far more accurate and can also be used to form a cutting guide (or kerf) for the saw. This prevents tear […]
Moulding plane basics
Wooden moulding planes are relatively easy and quick to use. The modern electric router is capable of making the same shapes, however a well tuned wooden moulder can complete the work in the same time as it takes to set the electric router up (and with 1/100th of mess to clean up).You can pick up […]
On Drilling – Center bits
Center bits are very versatile bits for a range of tasks. They are great for accurately removing waste from shallow mortices for locks, hinges and mechanisms that need to be installed in your work piece. They are also perfectly capable of just drilling a large hole of course. Easily sharpened and tuned they cut quickly […]
Holdfast there
Holding your work piece in place whilst you cut, chop or drill it is a critical part of wood working. There are numerous devices out there to assist you. Some are multifunctional others are more like one trick ponies. One of the most useful is the bench holdfast. Whilst essentially a primitive device, it works […]
On Drilling – Egg beaters
The humble but trusty egg beater drill is often eschewed in favour of a power drill, but they are often easier to use on small jobs, so should be an essential piece of kit for a woodworker . They come in many shapes and sizes . These are my most commonly used drills. The top […]
On Drilling – Shell bits
Shell bits are one of the oldest types of bit you will find, they have even been found in Viking era graves. The ones above probably date from the early 1800s as they are designed to fit a hand brace with a tapered square chuck. Shell bits and their more substantial big brother, the spoon […]
On Drilling – Auger bits
Auger bits come in various designs, but they all excel at one thing. Making a clean hole in timber quickly . Here we have three common types: Left – Russell Jennings type auger Center – Irwin type auger Right – Cook type auger The Jennings and Irwin are similar in cutting action and both have […]