Workshop made grinding tool rest.

Workshop made grinding tool rest.

Posted by on Nov 16, 2016 in Articles, Blog, Newsletter articles | 2 Comments

Often the tool rests on grinders are inadequate for the job, some alternative is required. If most of your grinding is around the standard angle of 25 degrees its a fairly simple job to make a good rigid rest in the workshop.

Skelton dovetail saw review

Skelton dovetail saw review

Posted by on Jun 24, 2015 in Articles, Published Articles | No Comments

This review appeared in Furniture and Cabinet Maker number 231. The Skelton saw is certainly a fine piece of kit.

Jig for Routing the Waste Between Dovetail Pins.

Jig for Routing the Waste Between Dovetail Pins.

Posted by on Jun 22, 2015 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

If you have a number of dovetail joints to cut, in a set of drawers for a kitchen perhaps, hand cutting can become tedious.

This jig helps with the job of removing the waste between the pins.

How to Plane Timber to Dimension Safely and Efficiently on a Planer/Thicknesser .

How to Plane Timber to Dimension Safely and Efficiently on a Planer/Thicknesser .

Posted by on Jun 22, 2015 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

This was originally planned as a handout for my students but I thought it may also useful as an article, as many people are unsure about safety efficient working practices when they first use the planer thicknesser. The toolbar has options to zoom and download the PDF. If you like what you’ve read or know […]

A beginners guide to router bits.

A beginners guide to router bits.

Posted by on Jun 3, 2015 in Newsletter articles | No Comments

An introduction to the various router cutters available with some tips on care and maintenance.

Review of Hammer A3-31 Silent Power planer thicknesser.

Review of Hammer A3-31 Silent Power planer thicknesser.

Posted by on Jun 3, 2015 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

In a previous article I reviewed the standard A3-31, I have now upgraded this to the Silent Power version. In this article I assess the performance of the new spiral cutter block from Felder/Hammer.

Router table accessories

Router table accessories

Posted by on Nov 6, 2014 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

In a previous video I described how to make a router table and fence this article shows how to make some holding and safety accessories. My table and fence do not have channeling to hold accessories , but this is not a problem if you use the system I use here.

How to get a clean cut with the router.

How to get a clean cut with the router.

Posted by on Aug 13, 2014 in Newsletter articles | No Comments

There are various factors that can affect the quality of cut from a router, both hand held and in the router table. It often quite frustrating to find that whatever you do the cut is never as good as you would like. Hopefully this article will give a few pointers.

Cutting small dovetails on the band saw.

Cutting small dovetails on the band saw.

Posted by on Aug 13, 2014 in Newsletter articles | One Comment

In another article I described a jig to cut very large dovetails on the band saw. However the band saw is also useful when you have a lot of smaller dovetails to cut perhaps for a batch of drawers.

In this short article I describe a time saving technique for doing this.

The Campaign for slow dovetails – How to Cut Lap Dovetails

The Campaign for slow dovetails – How to Cut Lap Dovetails

Posted by on Aug 11, 2014 in Newsletter articles | 2 Comments

This second article in my “Campaign for Slow Dovetails” series deals with cutting lap dovetails.

It’s developed from the handout for my Basic skills part III course which teaches both through and lap dovetails.

Restoration of Georgian Marquetry side table.

Restoration of Georgian Marquetry side table.

Posted by on Mar 9, 2014 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

Although most of my work is making contemporary furniture and teaching I occasionally do some restoration. I thought I would share with you the work I did recently on this fine Georgian ripple sycamore and satinwood marquetry side table. The emphasis was on “conservation rather than restoration” as it would have been a pity to […]

How to cut BIG dovetails on the band saw.

How to cut BIG dovetails on the band saw.

Posted by on Mar 8, 2014 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

Cutting dovetails in large section timber is tricky, it’s very difficult to cut accurately over such large areas,so, much as I love hand cut dovetails sometimes you have to resort to the machine.

My favourite machine for this is the band saw. In this article I show how to make and use a jig for cutting band saw dovetails.

The Campaign for Slow Dovetails.

The Campaign for Slow Dovetails.

Posted by on Feb 23, 2014 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

In this article I will show how to cut and fit nice snug dovetails, the emphasis being on the quality of the joint rather than speed.

Review of Quangsheng No. 5 bedrock jack plane

Posted by on Nov 8, 2013 in Newsletter articles | No Comments

In recent years Quangsheng planes from China have been providing an economic alternative to the more up market offerings from Lie Neilsen and Clifton. In this article I find out whether the cheaper alternative is worth considering. The toolbar has options to zoom and download the PDF. If you like what you’ve read or know […]

Veneering basics

Posted by on Oct 25, 2013 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

Being able to veneer greatly extends the makers repertoire, making it possible to tackle a wider range of designs. Here I explain some basic veneering techniques. The toolbar has options to zoom and download the PDF. If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread the word by using the […]

A low cost sharpening system

Posted by on Oct 24, 2013 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

An review of the sharpening media available and a description of an economical way of getting really sharp tools.

Why face side and face edge

Posted by on Oct 24, 2013 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

A short article explaining why face side and face edge markings are so important.

Review of Mirka Ceros 650cv

Posted by on Oct 2, 2013 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

A really good random orbital sander can save you a lot of time. Here I review the Ceros ROS which we use in the workshop. The toolbar has options to zoom and download the PDF. If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread the word by using the buttons […]

How to saw straight

Posted by on Oct 2, 2013 in Articles, Newsletter articles | No Comments

An apparently simple operation but actually quite tricky. Here are some tips on how to saw straight and square. The toolbar has options to zoom and download the PDF.   If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread the word by using the buttons belowThankyou, Chris. 

Review of Hammer A3 31 planer thicknesser

Posted by on Oct 2, 2013 in Articles, Newsletter articles | One Comment

When I set up my workshop in Ilkley I swapped to single phase supply and needed a new P/T I chose the Hammer A3 31 here’s a review of it’s performance. The toolbar has options to zoom and download the PDF. If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread […]