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Hi all, I’m looking for a selection of chunks of wood to get me started on my new lathe. I’m not looking for massive bowl blanks, but if anyone has some useful smaller bits to spare that would be great. Chris

I'm looking to buy my first chuck and I'm trying to choose between these two: Vevor: Vevor 5 jaw set Axminster: SK100 Clubman set The SK100 is £94 more expensive (with the current discount) and only comes with a single set of jaws, but has a native 1" 8TPI thread, whereas the Vevor requires...

Does anyone know where I can get a 60mm diameter column for a floor-standing pillar drill?

Hi all, The house I've recently moved into has a newish (~2016) single-story extension. I want to fix some shelves to the inside of the external wall, but I'm a bit puzzled about the construction of the wall and therefore what fixings to use. Having taken a few measurements and drilled some...

I've been reading with interest some of the recent bandsaw posts and I was wondering, starting with a fairly typical hobbyist bandsaw (I have an Axminster HBS250N -- 10" wheels, 370W motor) what are the best upgrades that can be made with reasonable cost/effort? Is it just a case of going full...

Hi all, Considering strength across the grain, are there any rules or guidelines to help determine how thick a board should be? As an example, I want to make a box around A4 size and about 4" in depth, probably in Oak. It is intended to hold a max of around 2kg. How thin can I make the...

The wife has asked me to make an outdoor storage box, with a counter top that looks similar to our existing table, which has a grey textured surface -- it's actually coated glass, but that's beside the point. I am thinking about using some kind of plastic veneer to achieve the effect, but I...

Hi all, We've recently moved house and I'm having some issues with hot water. I'd greatly appreciate any input on the subject. Our heating / hot water system is shown in the photo below. The boiler is configured to run central heating only, with the flow directed through two actuators to...

I’d like a copy of this book if anyone has one they’re willing to sell.

I watch a fair amount of woodworking YouTube videos. In the vast majority of these joints are fitted so that they go together tightly, requiring gentle persuasion from a mallet or clamping pressure. However, I've just watched a Rob Cosman video in which he says that the joint should go...

With respect to permitted developments and building a shed of between 15-30 sqm. floor space within 1m of a boundary, from what I have read this is allowed providing it is constructed of 'substantially non-combustible material'. What does this mean in practical terms? What options are there...

I have three or four 1200x600x18mm sheets of plywood that I would like to glue together to make a thick bench top. The problem is, I don't have anywhere near enough clamps and those that I do have don't have much reach, so there won't be any clamping pressure towards the centre of the sheets...

Hi all, I would like to identify and duplicate the finish shown in the photo below. It's a bit of a weird one, with the grain standing out in a lighter, almost chalky contrast to the matt grey/black finish. I'd be grateful if anyone can give me a clue how it is done. Thanks, Chris

Hi all, The wife has asked me to make a footstool to match our sofa, which has decorative feet as in the photo below. I have two spare feet and require two more to make the stool, but unfortunately they're not available to buy separately. I have neither the tools nor the skills to turn feet...

Hi all, I've just had a conservatory installed, which involved knocking through an external wall. The plasterer is due next week to put down the floor screed to a level that matches the interior floor. I have a problem figuring out how best to make good the gaps, etc. Here is a drawing...

Hi all, I've mounted a router to my MFT surface and have just made these guides, to use as a base for making fences, stops, sleds, featherboards, etc. It's a pretty obvious idea, but I don't recall seeing it anywhere else before, so I thought I'd share it here. As you can see from the images...

There are a couple of useful stickies on buying hardwood and specialist timber yard reviews, but I’d like some general advice on buying pine, particularly from general stores. How would people generally rank the common suppliers (B&Q, Wickes, Covers, Sydenhams, Jewson, any others?) in terms of...

Hi all, I've just bought a new bandsaw, an Axminster HBS250N. I have never used a bandsaw before, so I have no experience by which to judge the setup or finished quality of the saw. Additionally, there are some things which look wrong to me, on which I'd like the opinion of experienced users...

Hi all, I’m about to embark on my first ‘proper’ woodworking project, at the wife’s request: a couple of footstools. We have two spare cushions which I’m planning to use on the top. My question is what is the recommended way to attach the cushion to the wood? Thanks, Chris

Hi all, We have an oak table from Oak Furniture Land. I'm not sure how the table was finished, but we have a pot of brown wax sold with the table that we apply every few months. My wife spilled nail polish remover on it some time ago (not sure if it was acetone based or not), causing some...