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If you haven't already done so it would be a good idea to declog the stone first (presuming this is an oilstone, carborundum or similar). I've done this very successfuly by gently simmering the stone in a bath of water, in an old roasting tin, with some detergent added. Washing powder and...

That was quite frightening really! I remember doing a training course when I wasn't long out of school and I volunteered to assist one of the instructors in ripping up some sheets of MDF into small drawing boards. The instructor was minus a finger, only mid way through the cutting process did...

I've successfully used both WBP ply and shuttering grade ply for various shelving and storage solutions in my small workshop. Shuttering grade ply is very variable in quality (although it is cheap) and voids are inevitable. WBP is far better although quality can be variable too. Biscuits...

I remember my dad buying one of these paper briquette making machines in the late 70s or early 80s. As children we would tear up the piles of newspaper and soak it in buckets of water, ready for compaction and air drying. My recollections are pretty similiar to those already expressed here-...

This is the best approach I reckon, I've used thin hardboard (or 3mm MDF) for this purpose, finished off with plenty of cotton rags and white spirit.

I store some of my more valuable tools in a metal cabinet, but the shelves are lined with ply. I use camellia oil and silica dessicant to keep rust at bay.

A bit boring and uninspiring I know, but you could laminate the wood and make either chopping boards (or as I have done with oak and iroko offcuts) or mallets!

Interesting feedback guys.....I suppose I'm lucky that I can (just about) afford to buy the premium plane if I want it, but that said, given I'm not retired and have very little free time I don't get much (least not enough anyway)chance to use the nice kit I do have. SWMBO is buying me a nice...

I was doing a tidy up in the shop yesterday morning and I came across a cheapie Anant 60 1/2 block plane that I'd bought a couple of years ago, with the intention of "tuning it up" to get the most out of it. The block plane has never been used other. I also (foolishly) bought an Anant No. 3...

I don't know much about pillar drills (I've only got a cheapie Clark press myself) but this I do know: your dad is right, there is a special tool for removing pulleys- its called a hub puller and any mechanic should have a set.

A very simple and quick way to lay a timber floor would be to fix 2x1" battens to your conc. floor at 400mm c/cs using Gripfil" or similar construction/ panel adhesive. Then overlay this with flooring grade chipboard or WBP if your budget stretches to that, screwed down with drywall screws (the...

Agreed, this was the first book I bought, nearly ten years ago. Once you've digested that the world's your oyster!

Don't make the mistake I made years ago and start rushing out to buy power tools; since then I've returned to hand tools in earnest. Any of the tools already recommended would be on my list, ditto the comment regarding sharpening and methods. However a good starting point would be a Norton...

Gas grade tape (yellow) in colour is good stuff I reckon. As already suggested I don't think you should be using a compound on those joints and I wouldn't rate the Boss Supergreen anyway. If I'm using compound on regular plumbing I use an American paste called LACO which is PTFE based.

I'm not familiar with that plane but I have carried out a similiar repair on a different tool where a pin was missing. I used a nail of a matching diameter, cut to length, with a small bevel filed on each end. I degreased the hole before gluing the pin in with superglue. The pin was a tight...

I was referring to the orientation of the retaining pins, as Mr C points out. I don't like the two part chip breaker, I don't think it "works" when you use waterstones as your sharpening system.

This "improvement" is so simple (and obvious) I'm not sure it's worth suggesting, but anyway here goes: I have a Clifton no. 4 1/2 which was my first quality plane buy a number of years ago. I don't often adjust the frog but when doing so I was always careful to ensure that the retaining pins...

Cheers Neil, you are a friendly bunch here!

Thanks for the feedback folks, I had some fun earlier this morning taking some test shavings off some oak offcuts I had lying around. Now I've got to go tell my dear wife that I've had a reply from the author of 3 of my more favoured craft books! :D

Hi I'm very much a newbie, this is my first post, although I have been an avid reader of all the intersting info on this site for a year or more. I've just taken delivery of my latest parcel of goodies from Axminster; included in the latest "haul" was a low angle jack from LN, No. 62. (I used...