Recent content by Agowood

Depends on the age. If they are a dark reddish colour and are old they could well be pitch pine as they were made from the same wood as balance beams which until the late 1060's was the favoured choice.

Shield products are designed to remove rust without attacking the base metal and I have used the derusting solution to remove rust from a die before without any detriment to the cutting action. In my experience acids must be avoided as they will dull the cutting edge very quickly and can cause...

Having taught in schools for 40 years the most common problem I encountered was that the fixed jaw of the vice had cracked. Even when removed from the bench cracks are difficult to spot so I used to use chalk powder (from a chalk line) and rub this over the casting - any cracks soon become...

You could try using a heat gun or hair dryer to make it soft enough to wipe most away with kitchen roll. Careful with this, most wax finishes will soak deeper into the wood when heat is applied.

On the version I had in my school workshop that I used for over 30 years there was a hole in the outboard bearing cover for a 6mm diameter(?) rod to go in and slot into a hole in the pulley for just this purpose. You should not use washers behind the face plates but a small smear of copper...

London tap and die company stock taps and dies for all UNC and UNF threads and their service has always been exemplary.

Had a similar problem with a portable hand held 240V electric planer that has infrequent use. I found that the only solution to stop the problem coming back was to use an old kitchen knife as a scraper and to then wipe down with Iso-propyl alcohol using cotton rags. (Don't be tempted to use...

Ihave had a Charnwood 8” x 5” benchtop planer thicknesser for over twelve years and apart from replacing the drivebelt it has given excellent service as a heavy diy user. I have used it from its full capacity right down to thin strips only 2 to 3 mm in thickness on both soft and hardwoods. Only...

I can recommend Ashley Iles bowl gouges that you can buy direct with or without handles. I have three that have done over fifteen years each and they hold their edges very well.

Another sawmill to try is Yandles at Martock. I have been using them for years both on a personal level and professionally for school projects. They are really helpful and fairly priced with a wide range of timbers, both native and exotics, in a very wide range of sizes - I can lose myself in...

As you are located in Devon a trip to Yandles at Martock in Somerset would be worth your time. Lots of other items in their shop as well. Happy hunting.

Hi there, I have owned the same version from new as yours for some 12 years and mine has a 1" v 8tpi thread. The overall thread diameter on mine reads 0.942" on my micrometer so as suggested earlier the thread crests on yours may have been rounded off even more than on mine. Really robust and...