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Everyone seems to like the vintage ones, but I much prefer the Quangsheng ones. They are well made with quality materials, and well designed (even if not exactly the most original designs). I especially like the Luban 102 bronze mini block plane. Being bronze it doesn't rust and the size is just...

Youtuber Cosmas Bauer has done some surprising things with a woodworking router, including milling cast iron: While I doubt I'd have the cojones to try milling cast iron like that, I would do and have done minor cuts (e.g. small chamfers) in aluminum using a router. As others have said, you...

Another vote for the Vessel TD-56 set, looks like it's currently £12 on Amazon, was £10 when I bought them. They look like the cheap generic sets of jewellers screwdrivers but are made (well) in Japan with good, well hardened steel tips. I've not had any incidents of the tip slipping in the...

I've been very happy with what a small zeolite-based electric dehumidifier (EcoAir DD1) has been able to accomplish in my workshop. Admittedly the workshop is a garage attached to the house, so doesn't get as cold or damp as a shed or something would.

If you have a Dremel, I've found the genuine chuck (part number 4486) they make to be superb, very low runout, well designed, and smooth running at the high speeds you need for these drill sizes. There are lots of cheap clones though that are rubbish (at least the ones I bought first were) so...

I'll give a shout out to the little Bosch 12V cordless planer (GHO 12V-20). It's about the same size as a no. 4 hand plane, comfortably used in one hand (though you should use both, for safety), with a 56mm wide cut. Like any power plane, it takes some getting used to in terms of technique and...

Anyone know of a good, reasonably priced UK manufacturer that can make solid wood shaker-style cabinet doors to order (to my size/spec), including painting? They're pretty easy to make myself, but also quite boring and repetitive... I'm probably looking for more of a small scale workshop (maybe...

+1 for a dedicated negative rake blade. I use one when cutting extrusion in my mitre saw and it works great.

The Festool TS55 manual ("intended use" section) and supplementary manual (https://www.festoolusa.com/-/media/tts/fcp/festool-usa/downloads/manuals/festool-ts55req-supplemental-manual.pdf page 19) talk about cutting aluminium, so I'd say it's OK. I would definitely use an extractor to catch...

With a DTI running against a piece of silver steel rod (also called drill rod) in the chuck, towards the top of the rod nearer the chuck. I turn the chuck by pulling on the belt, as there is some wobble in the rack and pinion the spindle runs in when not loaded, and that will swamp the...

Actually no – superglue (cyanoacrylate) doesn't give a particularly strong bond between metals, especially if there is even the smallest amount of oil on it (and I've never found a way of cleaning oil out of internal threads...). CA also won't cure properly in an airtight space between tight...

I have a similar model of Axminster drill, and had a similar problem. Without having read the whole thread, it sounds to me like the bore in the spindle is centered (co-axial with the bearings) but not bored straight (i.e. not drilled parallel along the length of the spindle). My Axi-supplied...

Looks like you did a good job on cutting the concrete posts, nice one! As for cutting the (now) trench (rather than T-slot) in the sleeper, I would say your best bet is to cut a number of kerfs to the desired depth, each a few mm from the next, and break out the thin strips remaining with a...

You could look at the Harvey Gyro Air dust separators e.g. G-700, I don't have one but they review well, are fairly compact, and seem well designed. They're $2500 in the US, but unfortunately I think Axminster have a monopoly/exclusive deal for the UK, making it £5000 here (up 35% from last...

Not sure about that table (I just drilled/tapped a generic aluminium plate) but the Triton TRA001 is brilliant for router table use. You can use the adjuster from the top but I find it's often easier (depending on where you've got the fence, any jigs, etc) to just reach under and adjust that way.

OK, thanks everyone, I'll try isopropanol and if that doesn't work then white spirits. Next question – how do you turn the rollers (without running the machine)?

Cheap you mean? Yeah it's cheaper than almost every competitive zero turn mower on the UK market as far as I can see (note: I'm not in the market for one and almost certainly never will be, I'm just referring to it as a point of comparison on electric vs petrol mower efficiency).

You're making a very big assumption there, namely that all the energy is going into useful work. Small engines are very inefficient, and moreover, machines designed around small engines are even more inefficient (the engines produce much more power than is needed and so they often just do things...

Hi, I processed some rather sappy wood and ended up with a bunch of sticky sap smeared all over my Makita 2012NB thicknesser bed, infeed/outfeed, knives, and rollers. It came off the metal parts easily enough with some acetone, but I'm hesitant to use acetone on the rollers (which are some kind...

There is a seller on eBay called The Undercover Workshop (link, homepage) that makes dust covers for various bits of machinery, mostly metalworking (lathes, welders etc) but it looks like they will also custom make covers too. I haven't purchased from them, but I looked at a used lathe which...