This is the end of day two of our Foundation Course part 1. It was really a great day for everyone and we have a dovetailed box on each bench waiting for the bottoms to be glued on. Every so often I will get a phone call from someone wanting to book a class where…
We made good progress yesterday and this morning we will learn about the Bailey-Pattern No4 and No 4 1/2 smoothing plane, the smallest of the practical range of planes we call bench planes. Bench planes are used at the woodworker’s bench and they are used in a wide range of woodworking crafts. At one time…
That’s what in the USA they call a certain spot on a baseball bat and in the UK a cricket bat when you strike the ball and there is no shock travelling down the handle. It’s the sweet spot if you will. Centre of percussion (COP) is identified on tools too, especially tools like hammers….
Great day all day! We got straight into the essentials of sharpening first. If you don’t master sharpening you don’t want to start woodworking by hand. The most core essential skill to hand tool woodworking is the ability to sharpen tools surgically sharp and to do it quickly and efficiently. Equally so, you must be able…
Tomorrow I will unlock the workshop door to host our three-day Foundational Course Part I. What can that mean? Well, it means that a handfull of people will stand around my workbench at 9am and we will begin a conversation about our favourite subject which is wood, the tools we work it with and working…
Here is the Thos Ibbotson gouge John restored. It’s an old one and well used but it has cobs of good life in it yet. The handle is sound and will last him for a lifetime and that’s the whole point about these articles. Take a little time, develop some restoration savvy and another tool…
Here is John Winter’s completely restored saw project. He has kept the same basic shape for the saw handle, but further refined the grip to fit his own hand. He has completed both saws and sharpened them as rip-cut saws because they have different sized teeth. It’s a good idea because he can use one…
This 1 1/4″ woodworking gouge has an out canal and is used for carving scalloped work like wooden bowls and spoons. This was made by Thos Ibbotson who was a famous chisel and cutting iron maker from Sheffield England and had a good reputation amongst hand tool makers and hand tool users like myself. Bit rugged to…
Well here we have the ugliest saw you’ve ever seen. See the earlier blog on car boot sale finds. This saw was covered with thick car grease and some kind of white powder. Beneath this hideous exterior lies a good Spear and Jackson from the 60’s series. These clunky looking handles marked the demise of…
Just to colour your day and inspire you. Driving in to work this morning my mind races ahead of my day as it usually does. I think of things created and the effects light plays on shape and colour. This morning the sky’s expanse of bright blue reminds me of how incredible the creative world…