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The tale, as all great mystery’s are, is shrouded in legend. I was given a table top, which was a surprise. 36 square feet of Tasmanian Blackwood. The underside recorded a history of the ‘carpenters’ who had worked on the timber, since 188 –(xxxx). It was; and still remains, a most lovely ‘lump’...

Spare the rod. Thought this may be the best place to ask what is probably a dopey question; however. A mate brought me a cutter from a Stanley hand router, he’d found it in a box somewhere. it is a mess; plenty of meat left – but – the angle (on the top edge) is at about 60˚ (+) and it needs to...

I rather think I’ve committed a heinous crime; but, ‘tis a matter for the jury now. A while back (a good while back) I used a honing guide to correct an out of square blade from a Stanley #4, it was a mess. Anyway - distracted by a telephone conversation, I forgot to ‘tweek’ the end to the...

A delight, shared. Whimsy; or, I’m getting soft as age creeps in; but I thought enough of a ‘delight’ today to warrant sharing it with some folk who may understand it. In my humble workshop I have what I call the healing shelf. On this shelf live those items which require mending, fettling or...

Not too many years ago I built a ½ size bench to fit a small work space, fitted a 52 ½ and used it. I had intended it to eventually become a sharpening bench; but I got used to working on it as it suited my needs. Anyway – I made the frame from ‘skip’ recovered 4x2 (near enough) the top and...

I rather (past tense) enjoyed Sellars – the practical teacher of basic carpentry skills. I confess I learned some good stuff watching his video and reading his posts etc. Brilliant stuff for the newcomer – basic chisel sharpening – plane tuning – scrub planes – even home-made routers, beading...

Bench heights. I fully realise it is a very personal thing; however, back in the day, when men turned up to work in a ‘workshop’ – was there a prescription for ‘bench height’? A standard, if you like or was it just accept the bench you were allocated and make the best of it? The very first...

Against the good sense instilled by Grandpappa; and, for my sins, I bought it. I seemed somehow ‘indecent’ to walk away from the call. Anyway, for weel or woe; I own it. Two days worth of time and effort – until about 4 pm – the old girl took her first shavings. Wow – I’d set the thing on a bit...

My humble workshop relies, mostly, on ‘natural’ light. I was trying to finish up a job (lots of ‘dovetails) and ‘fiddley’ toward the end of daylight; turned on the lights. No blooming help at all, in fact, the cut guides on dark timber (Jarrah) became invisible. Dragged out a ‘spot-light’...

Recently gifted a Stanley 220 block plane; seems to be in good nick. I fettled it and ‘sharpened’ the blade, all the usual stuff, but I can’t seem to get it working ‘proper’, or stop the chatter. The blade is truly ‘sharp’, there’s nothing wobbling or floating about, it takes shavings with the...

Never, not ever, used one. I see them for sale and, to be honest, some of the ‘wooden’ versions are beautiful things. I have no practical use for one, but they keep drawing me back to look again and again. I would certainly like to at least try to make one, to do this I’d need to buy one – a...

Half a year back I had to tackle some hardwood joists (unknown variety) in a cellar; dark and awkward. No way to get in there with a power saw and the sulky glint of old iron could be seen lurking, waiting for a blade to wreck. So, I bought a S&J ‘Predator’ for AU$ 30 and believed I could stand...

Not certain if this is even the right spot to mention such, but it does concern ‘hand-tools’, use of at least. A good mate dropped in; I’d had just finished laying out a ‘toy box’ for a child; a simple enough thing; the usual with dovetails a bottom and a lid, not fancy but functional. Anyway...

1) Burnishing rod – do I really need one? I have for a while now managed to get good results from my scrapers (recycled saw blades) using Grandads system – file – oil stone then, the haft of a quality screwdriver. But I note some guru’s touting ‘burnishing rods’ as the only way to get a good...

Probably old hat to some and too easy for others but, I have a problem for which I would value any advice offered. Coping saws – no matter how careful I am, or; the care I take – I never seem to end up with a result that needs no ‘work’ done afterwards – often serious amounts. In my defence I...