Technorati Tags: woodwork tools, woodworking tools

The method I have used is even simpler than that shown in the video, and requires only a couple of nails, a loop of string and a pencil. Hammer the nails into a piece of scrap board, so that they are protruding by a 1/2 an inch or more and are a distance apart. Attach the board to the your work piece with some double sided tape (or any other method that won’t damage your workpiece).
Place the loop of string around both the nails, and use the pencil to pull the loop of string out so it remains taut, marking out the shape that is traced as you move the pencil around the two pivot points (the nails), whilst also keeping the string taut. You will find you have marked out a perfect ellipse.

The distance between the nails (like the distance between the dowels in the video) will define the shape of the ellipse – as the nails move closer together, the ellipse will tend towards a circle. Nails further apart will define a longer, narrower ellipse.

By using some basic math (which I have long since forgotten, but could no doubt work out if I sat down for long enough), it is possible to work out the distance that is required between the nails, and the length of string required, in order to mark out ellipses of specific heights/widths.

My technique uses the same concept (as I suppose any ellipse jig would do), of that shown in the video, and is probably quicker to set up (the only woodwork tools required to make the jig is a hammer), but the jig in the video certainly has a degree of elegance and magic about it that is just not acheived by using a couple of nails and a piece of string.

The only thing that does concern me with the jig in the video is the chance of a slight imperfection in the shape at the point that the two slots intersect – it would take a bit of practise to ensure that the dowel slides smoothly through the point of intersection rather than sliding down one of the perpendicular slots. Assuming you were just using the jig to mark out the shape (ie with a pencil), then this would be a minor correction, but if you were using a jig of this type to actually cut out the shape (eg by attaching a router to the end, instead of a pencil), then the results could be a little more disastrous.

Anyhow, check out the video, and if anyone has any other methods or jigs they have used for marking out an ellipse, please let me know! Enjoy your woodwork tools!

Technorati Tags: woodwork tools, woodworking ideas, woodworking jigs, woodworking tips

Admittedly, this was no ordinary collection – the owner of the collection, David Russell, has written a book on the subject of antique tools (Antique Woodworking Tools Their Craftsmanship from Earliest Times to the Twentieth Century). The book primarily focuses on edge tools (such as woodworking planes) and boring tools, and is based on his own collection of fine woodworking tools. Since being published, this book has become recognized as the bible on the subject.

I was initially drawn to this article by the seemingly ridiculous amount of money that was raised at the auction, but having read the article, it is the manner in which David started his collection that has really stuck with me. Whilst there aren’t many similarities between my measly collection of woodwork tools (which may raise $500 if people were feeling generous), and the collection in the article, I can definitely identify with how David first became interested in collecting woodwork tools.

“I had almost an irresistible urge to pick up and handle it whenever I saw it,” David is quoted as saying, speaking of a Norris woodwork plane that his boss at the time owned.

It is this feeling that really rings true with me, as I am sure it does for many avid woodworkers, professional and amateur alike. My first instinct whenever I see a fine woodwork tool, is to reach out and touch it – to feel the finish on the timber, to weigh it in my hands and feel the balance of the tool. This feeling is only multiplied when you actually get to use a fine tool such as a woodwork plane – the feel, and even the sound of a well tuned tool as it cuts through timber is one of the most gratifying things that I can do. So much so, that I have been known to plane a piece of wood down to shavings, just for the sheer pleasure of it (but maybe that is just me?).

So next time you find yourself with an irresistible urge to pick up a quality woodwork tool, and need to convince your better half (or yourself) that it is a wise investment, be sure to point them to this article, and remind them that a relatively small investment in your woodwork tools now could one day turn into a small fortune!!

Technorati Tags: antique woodwork tools, woodworking planes, woodworking tools

Wander into any shop that sells woodwork tools, and you will be struck by the wide variety of prices that are on display, for items which appear to be almost identical. Take the compound miter saw as an example. When looking at compound miter saws, you can pretty much pay as much or as little as you like – from a model something along these lines (Klutch Compound Sliding Miter Saw with Laser Guide – 10in) right up to this Festool (Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw) which sits somewhere near the top of the range. Clearly, comparing these 2 products is about as extreme an example as you can get, but it does serve to highlight the enormous range in prices for woodwork tools that is seen in todays marketplace – all claiming to perform more or less the same function.

So when it comes to woodwork tools, is the cheap version going to cut it (pardon the pun)? Is it worth paying 10 times the price, or are you really just paying for the brand name and better marketing?

With few exceptions, when it comes to woodwork tools, experience has shown me that you generally get what you pay for. Tools are one area in which I have found the old adage “buy cheap, buy twice” to be particularly apt. Too many times I have been sucked into what appears to be a bargain price, only to find myself realising relatively quickly why it was so bargain priced. There are a couple of examples from my personal experiences that immediately spring to mind

The first is something that seems so simple, that is hard to imagine how there can be a substantial difference between the cheapest model and the top of the line – the claw hammer. I can tell you from personal experience that even with this simplest of woodwork tools, it is worth avoiding the cheapest versions if you can afford to. I have a mid-priced claw hammer, but it was only when I was given a cheap claw hammer that I realised how much better my original tool was. The first thing that I noticed about the cheap hammer was that it just wasn’t as well balanced as my original hammer, and I found using it more tiring than my original hammer. The second thing that became apparent after a bit of use was that the metal quality was far inferior. After only a short period of use removing nails, I found that the claw was deformed – clearly the metal of the nails was harder than the metal of the hammer!! So in short, you can still drive a nail in using the hammer, but it is now effectively useless for removing them, and is far less comfortable to use. Metal quality is also a common issue in other types of woodwork tools such as chisels, woodworking planes, screwdrivers etc.

The second example that has stuck in my mind is a cheap cut off saw (also known as a “drop saw” or a “miter saw”) that I purchased. I have an old Dewalt radial arm saw, which I have used for some years now, but recently, while replacing some decking timber it decided to die on me. Since I didn’t want to hold up getting the job done, I decided my best course of action would be to pick up a cheap cut off saw, which I managed to find for about $50. At the time, my logic in buying the cheapest I could find was something along the lines of “how hard can it be to cut a board – surely even the cheapest saw can do that…”, and I also couldn’t afford the time to properly research my options. As I soon found out, even the cheapest of saws can cut a board, but not all of them can do it well.

The decking timber I was laying was hardwood, and almost as soon as I started using the new saw, I discovered that the boards were not butting together as well as they had been. The first thing I adjusted was the fence, and discovered that the 90 degree positive stop wasn’t actually at 90 degrees. Not an uncommon issue, and a relatively simple fix, but the boards still weren’t fitting as well as they had been. It took me a while to realise what was actually going on – as the blade travelled through the hard timber, it was actually deflecting sideways, resulting in a somewhat angled cut. Now fortunately, this was not too much of a problem in this situation, but the result is that I now have a cheap saw that I no longer trust whenever I need accurate cuts, and I definitely wish I had spent a few more dollars and got a saw of reasonable quality.

So how much do you need to spend? In general, my approach is to buy the best tool that I can afford (although there have been exceptions, as demonstrated above). I generally have a good look around on the internet for reviews of any tools that I am looking to purchase, and if I realise that I can’t afford a tool that has decent reviews, I will put off buying it until I can afford it. Taking this approach also makes me think about whether I really need a tool, as often purchasing a new tool will make the job easier, but you can generally get by without it as well – it may just take a little more creativity to achieve the same result with your old fashioned woodwork tools!

Technorati Tags: compound miter saw, hammer, quality, woodwork tools

Sometimes the simplest woodworking ideas can make a huge difference when trying to get the best out of your woodwork tools, so I thought I would share a simple tip that was passed on to me when I was replacing the decking timber on my deck.

As the deck is exposed to the elements, I was using galvanized nails to secure the boards. After driving a number of nails, I found that often as I was hitting the nail, the hammer was starting to slide off the top (to be honest, I didn’t really pick up on the fact that this was happening until I switched to a different hammer, and found it a lot easier to drive the nails. Up until then, I was starting to question my ability, skills and all round co-ordination).

Fortunately, I was talking about this strange phenomenon with a friend of mine who is in the building trade, and he managed to set my mind at ease. Apparently it was not at all related to my skills with a hammer. It seems that when you are using galvanized nails, each time you hit the nail, a small amount of the gal will build up on the face of the hammer. This makes the head of the hammer more likely to slide off the head of the nail as you are driving it in.

Luckily for me, the solution is extremely simple. If you are working with galvanized nails, keep a brick or a piece of coarse sand paper next to you (or some other coarse material). If the gal builds up on the face of the hammer, simply give the hammer a few rubs over the brick, and it will clean the buildup off the face of the hammer, ensuring you can drive your nails home just like a professional!

It is little woodworking ideas like this that are only gained from experience, but they can really set the experienced apart from the beginner. One day, this little tip may come in handy when using your woodwork tools, so file this away in your list of tips and woodworking ideas!!

Technorati Tags: galvanized nails, hammer, woodwork tools, woodworking ideas, woodworking tips

One of the issues that you are sure to run into as you tread down the path of a woodworker is how to hold your workpiece safe and secure while you attack it with your woodwork tools. Clamps are typically not something that jumps to mind when most people think about woodwork tools, and yet some sort of clamping device is required almost every time you pick up a chisel, a woodworking plane or a saw. There are a ton of different clamping devices available, many of which are quite common-place that we are all quite familiar with.

Recently, however, I stumbled across a clamping device that I hadn’t seen before, so I thought I would mention it here, as it seems like such a handy device which is very quick and easy to use.

The “hold down clamp” (also called a “holdfast” or “Hold downs”) is a very simple looking device, and yet is surprisingly effective. The hold down clamp is basically a piece of metal, with a straight stem, and a curved “foot”. The stem provides the holding power on the bench, and the “foot” pushes down on your workpiece, holding it in place. In order to use the hold down clamp, you will need to pre-drill some holes in your bench top – the hole should match the diameter of the stem of the hold down clamp very closely, so that it is a snug fit.

Once the holes are drilled, it is a very simple matter to use the hold down clamp. Simply place the stem into the hole in the bench top, place the curved “foot” of the hold down clamp onto the top of your workpiece (make sure you protect your workpiece by placing a piece of scrap timber between the workpiece and the foot of the hold down clamp). Once the hold down clamp is positioned correctly, take your mallet, and give it a couple of solid taps on the top. This will apply pressure to your workpiece, holding it to the bench, and the friction between the stem of the hold down clamp and the hole it is sitting in will ensure it doesn’t move.

To loosen the hold down clamp, simply tap it with your mallet again, but this time on the side of the stem. This will free the stem from the hole, and the workpiece will be released.

Hold down clamps are generally most effective when used in pairs, and they do come in different sizes.

So if you’ve ever found yourself battling with clamps to hold down your work piece, pick yourself up a pair of hold down clamps – it will transform the way you work!

There are several other types of hold down clamp available, but none seem as simple as this tried and tested method.

Technorati Tags: hold down clamp, woodwork tools, woodworking clamp

In the process of moving house, I was carrying out some last minute repairs, without the benefit of my workbench and woodworking vise, which had already been moved. It was only a small job I had to do which required me to cut an unusual shape out of a small piece of timber, so I pulled out a trusty old coping saw and got stuck in. Unfortunately, as I was just starting a stroke with the saw, the workpiece broke, and instead of my saw stroke cutting smoothly through the piece of timber, I managed to cut about 1/3 of an inch directly into the end of my thumb!

In hindsight, it is clear that there were a couple of things about what I did that pretty much guaranteed that the outcome of this work wasn’t going to be as I had planned.

The first issue was that I was in a hurry, and trying to rush through a job is a surefire way to have an accident, or at least to end up with work that is of substandard quality. The old saying “More haste, less speed” definitely rang true in this case – what should have been a 5 minute job, ended up costing me several hours. It wasn’t just the trip to the doctor to ensure I wasn’t going to die a horrible death, but also the time lost as I found myself hampered by my injured thumb.

Clearly my biggest mistake however, was attempting to work with a small piece of timber that wasn’t properly secured. As a result of the piece not being secured, it was necessary for me to use one hand to hold it, making it almost inevitable that at some stage my hand would be in the wrong place if the blade slipped for any reason.

All in all, I consider myself to be quite lucky to have just ended up with a small scar, and a slight loss of sensation in the end of my thumb. There are too many woodworkers around that have a missing finger, or part of a finger – and I’m sure that most of them would admit that they ended up that way as a result of similar factors to my minor accident.

So next time you pick up your woodwork tools, make sure you have a good think about what you’re about to do, and always make safety your highest priority!

Technorati Tags: woodwork tools, woodworking safety

I am still trying to find enough uses for it so that I can justify purchasing it – let me know if you come up with any uses for this tool that aren’t immediately obvious!

Technorati Tags: arbortech minigrinder, power carving, woodwork tools, woodworking power tools

My first attempt at building a stitch and glue kayak (based on the plans in this excellent book, also worth checking out the new edition), although successful (in that I got a boat that actually floated), clearly demonstrated the fact that I have absolutely no experience (or natural skill) in working with fibreglass and epoxy resin. As a result of a number of amateur mistakes, and a general lack of knowledge on how to work with epoxy, I ended up with a boat that I was forced to christen “Old Dribbles”, due to the large number of runs of epoxy that highlight the finish.

I decided it really was time that I cleaned these up, and so I started into it with a few sheets of sandpaper and a sanding block. This didn’t last long…Sanding has never been my favourite pastime and sanding epoxy seemed to amplify my dislike for it, so I started thinking of other ways to attack it. I had tried using my block plane in the past, with some success, but I thought this might be a good opportunity to try out a wood scraper (also sometimes called a card scraper, or a cabinet scraper). The wood scraper is a tool that I have always shied away from, as the process for sharpening seems so laborious and precise.

I happened to have an offcut of stainless steel lying around which already appeared (to an amateur card scraper user such as myself) to have the desirable qualities of a card scraper – the metal is quite hard, and it even already had a bit of a burr which must have been put there when it was guillotined. Not having any idea of how to sharpen it properly, I thought I would give it a go as it was. I must say, I was very impressed. The small burr on the edge of the card scraper was quite efficient at removing the excess epoxy, and yet it still removed small enough quantities that I didn’t feel there was any danger of cutting too deeply into the epoxy, or through the epoxy to the wood.

After my initial success using the card scraper on epoxy, I turned it to another of my least favourite tasks – removing paint from recycled timber. Again, I was very impressed with how effective the scraper was at removing a fine layer such as paint.

After a while experimenting with the card scraper, I could tell that it was losing its edge, and so I turned to my old friend google to get some information on how to sharpen it.

There are any number of sites that will show you how to sharpen a card scraper, and the process can seem quite daunting to a new user, indeed, as I mentioned before, the process of sharpening a card scraper is one of the reasons that I have shied away from using a card scraper in the past.

After checking out this site: http://woodgears.ca/scraper/index.html, I was feeling the same apprehension as I had previously, particularly as it reminded me that I didn’t have a burnishing tool to sharpen my card scraper.

I then stumbled across this site: http://woodtube.ning.com/video/the-easy-way-to-sharpen-a-card which has an excellent video on the rough and ready way to sharpen a card scraper. The method described in this video will not suit everyone, but it was perfect for what I was looking to use the card scraper for at the time, and is so quick and easy that it should be enough to convert anyone who has been hesitant to try a card scraper because they weren’t confident they could sharpen it.

Following my experimentation, I would highly recommend that everyone have a go at using a card scraper – particularly if, like me, you don’t particularly enjoy sanding. Whilst I am still in the beginning stages of appreciation for the card scraper, the results were so impressive that I am already planning on investing more time in this tool so that I can get beyond the rough and ready method of sharpening, and get to the point where I am confident with sharpening it in the traditional method.

Look out for me down at the tool store – you’ll find me checking out burnishing tools…

Technorati Tags: cabinet scraper, card scraper, wood scraper, woodwork tools

As the aim of the jointer is to create, long, flat edges, so the sole of the jointer plane is flat and long – very long! Jointer planes typically have a sole that is from 18in right up to 36in long – quite a hefty looking tool!

While some other planes (such as the jack plane, and even the smoothing plane) may have their blades honed to a slight arch, or the corners rounded, the blade on the jointer would typically be ground square. This ensures that the edges of the boards being jointed have the best chance of being square, ensuring an even, tight fitting join.

When using a jointer on the edge of a board, initially the shavings will probably be quite short, as the long sole of the plane ensures that the blade will only hit the high spots on the edge. As these high spots are lowered, the shavings will become longer and longer, until you get a straight edge, which will give you a shaving the entire length of the board.

The No.8 is a typical metal-bodied jointer, such as this example by Anant however many people do love the traditional wooden-bodied jointer, such as this superb looking wooden bodied jointer. There aren’t many woodworkers around who wouldn’t love to have a beautiful tool like this in their workshop – to me woodwork tools such as this are almost a piece of art – but are better than just art, as are also fully functioning woodworking tools.

The Jack Plane
The Smoothing Plane
The Block Plane
The Block Plane – My latest woodworking tool
Woodworking Tools – The Scrub Plane

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Technorati Tags: hand plane, hand planes, jointer plane, try plane, trying plane, woodwork tools, woodworking tools