. . . no one should be without. And it was you who said it, not me! But I somehow can’t help but agree. In ages past the things craftsmen did as a rule were written down but were passed down through the ages. We are still gaining from what was developed as an art…

I cycle along the cycle paths surrounding town, houses one side, fields the other. Each contradicts the other for a few miles – fast cars towards me on my left and pedestrians on my right. In a year or two the fields I have known will soon be a thousand new houses. I take a…

A few weeks ago I posted a blog on the pieces I had made over the last two years. So other woodworkers, you know, the professional ones, the ones who say you cannot make a living working with your hands using hand tools and just a bandsaw, could see what can be done if you…

There are not many craft and woodworking shows I visit that surprise me with gifted makers. By that, I don’t mean gimmicky presenters with a gift for quickspeak but more the ordinary artisans who actually capably make with skilled hands and deft fingers in different crafts. At the Henley Country Craft Show at Stonor last…

My vertical vise-held, end-grain planing guide for planing the ends of wood dead square with ease works better than a shooting board especially if you have lots to do. Why do I say that? Because I have used a regular shooting board for almost six decades and at best they are really quite awkward, hog…

I’ve learned that woodworking is much more than merely working wood or just, well, processing it: that’s for a percentage of people that is. More those who enjoy touching working the material I suppose. You know, taking material from a tree and making something substantive from it and recognising its background in its growing vibrancy…

I can’t explain it. I don’t need to but I’d like to if it was of value and if I could do it justice. When I make I want me to do it. Currently, I like doing many things. I’m not much of a passenger and I’m not a spectator. I don’t play any kind…

Part 1 I often think that woodworking by hand delivers results that surprise those extolling the virtues of machine methods and the accuracy machines deliver. I doubt that the accuracy I achieve is as good as they might think, but my end result is for me most likely what I want rather than that which…

Let me get one thing out of the way first. Some will say why not just use a shooting board? I’m not interested in this argument but I outline my reasons a couple of paras down. This guide will knock your socks off, no messin’. Most end-grain planing is square ended for me, and I’m…

I’m driving to work but taking a five mile detour to get my haircut and a couple of necessary errands to pick up a mirror plate for the project and look at wood. I try to combine trips all the more these days, conscious of the need to save all kinds of things. I always…