Recent content by Sgian Dubh

This box is roughly 130L X 80W X 75H mm. The bottom is glued into a rebate and the lid sits in a groove. The half pins are roughly 2 mm wide at the root (widest point), and sit approximately 5 mm in from the top edge of the lid and the bottom edge of the main box body to accommodate the lid's...

I have to admit that I haven't executed more than maybe five or six such worktop joints with that type of jig so it seems like you've used one much more than me and I'll give way to your experience. Still, I do recall using the plunge and back in technique I described in my earlier post prior to...

I said I was out of this thread, and I did mean it. But I'm jumping back in just this once, Jacob to say that I think you're being a bit mean with that post. You'd made your point more than adequately in earlier posts and there was really no need to come come up with the "Mark Wrong" shot and...

Interesting, and I can see the logic to reduce or eliminate chip out or spelch. There's no doubt in my mind that it works okay, but it's not a method I've ever used for that kind of cut. The technique to prevent chip out which I tend to use is as follows. Take, for example the image in the...

It's an internal cut around a template so the router should be pushed clockwise around the opening with the guide bush held firmly against the template's edge for all the plunges. Therefore, if, for example, you're face on to the end of the slot in that template, start by pushing the router away...

The thing with communal set squares as supplied by FE colleges and similar is that they're generally no more than slightly interesting pieces of wood and metal with neither edge of the blade at a right angle to the stock. As to being taught use of the square I'd guess if you'd been taught to...

Well, that sort of explains it. You were taught what I think of as unusual or unconventional practices. The attached video link pretty much demonstrates what I was taught, still use and have taught to scores of learners over the decades. I could criticise the demonstrator for a bit of sloppiness...

Mark, I appreciate the reply and the kind words, but I think there's been a misunderstanding. I use a set square (some prefer try square) to square lines across a piece of wood by holding the brass face on the inside edge of the stock against a straight edge of the wood and strike a line against...

Can you please explain Jacob's errors for me, Mark? After reading your comment I've double checked what Jacob's written and I can't spot any errors. My use of set squares and any tweaking pretty much mirrors what he's suggested. His tip, for example, about filing the outside edge of the blade...

I don't doubt your experience in finding that the material doesn't seem to be brittle. I'd guess it's possible, perhaps likely, that the processed material you're working with is actually relatively brittle compared to examples of the same wood species that haven't been put through the high heat...

Forgot to answer this earlier, but: For rough sawn stock I calculate the the rough sawn board requirement that will yield the finished dimensions. For example, ten pieces at a finished size of 800 mm X 44 X 18 (31-1/2" X 1- 3/4" X 3/4") will come out of ten pieces of rough timber 36” X 2” X 1”...

It smells burnt because it, of course, is a product of a high heat treatment of timber, commonly pine or fir, but also hardwoods, to impart various characteristics such as colour change, reduced movement in response to changes in moisture content, but the big characteristic is improved...

I know your question has been answered already and similar questions have been asked here before. I'd call what Scotty's doing is creating a rod, and when I lived in the US I learnt what I knew as a rod was called a story stick. It's always seemed simple enough to me, i.e., rod, story stick...

No, your expectations are not too high. You've already emailed the supplier you say, but I hope you included the photographs you showed in your opening post. It would be impossible, in my opinion, for the supplier to claim that what they sent to you was of acceptable quality. I imagine they will...

Something similar to below would work with the moulding intersection either scribed as in the rather rough and ready example below in softwood, or mitred as in the walnut mirror at the bottom. Depending upon the precise layout of the joint and any groove, if included, on the same edge as the...