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I used a wire brush first to get rid of the grit and dust, but surely belt sanding is the only way to get rid of surface dirt without blunting tools? I sanded outside, I don't have dust extraction in my shed, and when planing the first few shavings on the dirtier wood produced dirty dust and a...

Yes, that would be logical. That's not how I want to do it though. The wood would be pricey and not great quality. I'd rather spend the money on a tool I could use again - or not at all. I just belt sanded some of them down, actually I think it may have had the effect I'm after. It got rid of...

This is a really good idea. It's not actually one of those small workmates, it's a sturdier frame. I've removed the jaws and added a solid flat wood top with a small record vice on it. I can clamp a bit of wood to the top to butt onto the end of my shed. The Stanley is well set up and sharp, I...

Thanks for the link, exactly what I was looking for.

To be clear, I don't have any major problems with my plane, my existing work surface or vice or my technique. I do have all the tools people have suggested and have straightened some successfully. I am just slow because I'm new to this and because I don't have much time. So I want to know if...

Thanks all. I'm using a Stanley no. 5 and I am at the stage where I know what I am doing with it, more or less, working it out ad I go along. I'm new to woodworking but not completely new I suppose! I have a large workmate style frame that I've put a worktop and small vice on, it works well...

Hi, total noob here. I have a lot of birch (I think) 1 metre posts about 70x70mm. I'm trying to make a Paul Sellers style workbench, and I need to get them square and straight. I've made a start with my jack plane, but I've realised how long it's going to take this way. Would anyone...

I've had a go at one of those crates for shipping stone. The wood is very red and pretty hard. No idea what it is, but I crave more of it. Unfortunately I concluded that it was too firmly put together to bother with. Lots of clenched nails and staples, the heads sheared off when I tried to get...

"Hold the baby dear, I'm just going out to the shed to sniff the pallets..." Yeah, it smells nice, not piney, but I don't know how to describe it. I'm likely to be back with other similar requests. I've come across some very hard, very red wood, and some lighter hard wood too.

Why does it having bark mean it's likely to be a UK one? I think you're right due to a lack of a stamp on it, but what does bark have to do with it?

Thanks for the replies everyone. I am very much a noob at this too. I know what trees look like on the outside pretty well but not inside. Lack of funds means I am exclusively using reclaimed and palletwood. It's surprising what a wide variety of woods you can find, and more hardwood than I...

Hi, I'm making a work bench out of these pallet wood bearers. I assumed that they were spruce, but now I think they could be birch, can anyone confirm from the photo? If so, I'm pretty chuffed to have found a free source of hardwood! Thanks, Jez