I just fettled a couple of the newly bought eBay plough planes and wanted to show the steps and progress I made to and on them. The main body of this plane was generally excellent and so too all of the components, but the cutting iron bevels were indeed a sad and sorry bunch with…
On plough planes briefly. Someone mentioned out-of-parallel fences on plough planes. This can be a problem and happens often on old plough planes that were new decades ago but left unused and therefore unchanged but old. I actually haven’t had that happen with the 043 or the 044 but I have had it happen with…
With reference to buying via eBay. One thing that comes with age is the ability to look retrospectively at changes in culture. Someone walking along the street tapping their palm and staring into it didn’t happen anywhere in the world two decades and less ago. I think you might find everyone stopped and staring at…
I think all too often we want a one-size-fits-all tool we can suit to every task without compromise. I confess that’s how I see certain tools, for the main part anyway. Every so often I discover a new tool, use it for a while, even fall in love with it for reasons known and unknown,…
Once again our October Part I Foundation Course has filled and so we will be holding an extra Part I three-day course as an overspill at our New York New Legacy School October 1, 2012. Please sign in early for this workshop to secure your bench space and avoid disappointment. For more information on this special…
Fixing old tri-squares like these is simply more a mixture of metalworking and woodworking, planing and filing and so on, than a trade specific craft. We shouldn’t dismiss these tools because they are a delight to own and to use. This answers a question someone asked about fixing an out of square tri square. I…
The engineer’s combination square Today I begin with talking about my square. I have more than one for practical reasons, but the one I reach for the most is a standard engineer’s combination square. As the name implies, this tools was designed for the high demands of the engineer.You will likely add more types and…
Buying good tools at old prices There are many ways you can buy hand tools and related equipment, new or secondhand, and end up with really good results that will equal the best at a fraction of the cost. My blogs have alluded to this over the past year or two, and here are the…
This email asks two questions and I thought others might benefit. Q: I have an old Stanley #4 that I have cleaned up and been using for a while, however the lateral adjustment is very stiff. I am wondering how I would go about loosing it, or if it is even a problem? Also what…
Q: Paul, I just bought a Disston 14″tenon saw on ebay the teeth are in bad shape i will have to cut new teeth. I was wondering if 12 ppi would work as well as the original 14 ppi. Thanks Paul, I always enjoy your blog, great information. Also building a new bench per your…