How to use a cabinet scraper.
Shows the method and technique for using the cabinet/card scraper.
How to detect grain and work with it
How do I know the direction of wood grain?
Watch the video to see different ways to determine grain direction and how to work with the grain.
Figure in wood explained
What is the difference between figure and grain in wood. What creates the figure that makes wood such an attractive medium? What is sapwood and heartwood? How do medullary rays form the amazing patterns in quarter sawn wood.
Watch the video where I answer these and other questions on wood figure.
How to veneer a quartered burr panel
#5 in the series: ‘Notes for the home woodworker’.
Learn to veneer a quartered burr panel. Patch the veneer and joint using a shooting board.
Find out why a mirror is a very handy tool.
Why face side and face edges are so important in woodwork
#4 in the series: ‘Notes for the home woodworker’.
One of the most important learning points for good and great woodwork.
Establishing good face side and face edges and sound notation are vital to good work, here I explain why.
What to look for when buying second hand woodwork planes
#3 in the series: ‘Notes for the home woodworker’.
Guide to buying a good woodwork plane on Ebay or elsewhere and avoid the turkeys.
All about the Bailey pattern woodworking plane – taking apart and reassembly
#2 in the series ‘Notes for the home woodworker’
Understanding how a woodwork plane (my favourite hand tool) really works will help you to set your planes up correctly and use the right plane in the right way to get the best results in your home woodworking.
Woodwork toolkit for the beginner
#1 in the series: ‘Notes for the home woodworker’.
Video describing the recommended woodwork hand tool kit for the beginner wanting to go beyond DIY.
This is the first video in my new video series ‘Notes for the home woodworker’ which is aimed at the beginner and less experienced woodworker.
How to cut a mortice and tenon by hand.
Here’s a half hour video on how to set out and cut a mortice and tenon using just hand tools.
Honing – how to get a really sharp edge in under 30 seconds. (The short version).
This is a shortened version of my “Honing – How to get a really sharp edge in under 30 seconds” video which I must admit is quite long. If you want detail on honing media and the principles of sharpening the long version is for you, if your attention is short then this is probably better.
How to make your extractor bags reuseable
Modern vacuum bags are very expensive, especially the reuseable ones which can be over £100. Here’s how to save money by converting disposable bags into reuseable.
How to cut lap dovetails – The Art of Slow Dovetailing II
Cutting lap dovetails is similar to cutting through dovetails. The difference is that you can’t cut all the way through when cutting the pins. Instead they have to be chopped out with a chisel. Here I show how to mark out and cut a set of lapped dovetails as may be used on a drawer front.
How to cut through dovetails – An Introduction to Slow Dovetailing
You often see videos on youtube of people cutting dovetails very quickly, very impressive but not very instructional. In this video I give a step by step guide on marking out and cutting through dovetails.
How to flatten the back of a chisel or plane iron.
To work properly a chisel must have a perfectly flat back. This also applies to plane blades to some degree. Very few new chisels are ready to use straight from the box, the back need flattening (known as lapping) and machining marks from manufacture need to be removed. Second hand chisels and plane irons usually […]
How to flatten water and oil stones
In another video I show how to flatten the back of plane irons and chisels. All the work of flattening is wasted if your stones aren’t flat, as a dip in a stone will be transferred to the blade back when honing. In this video I show the technique for stone flattening. Of course this […]
How to get a really sharp chisel in under 30 seconds.
Sharp tools are the basis of the craft and sharpening technique is a frequent topic of argument among woodworkers. I believe sharpening should be done as quickly as possible so you can get back to working wood. It is also better for your tools as you will see in this video. If you like […]
How to make a router table cabinet.
If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread the word by using the buttons belowThankyou, Chris.
How to build a router table and fence
These two videos show how I went about making a router table using a piece of kitchen worktop and an aluminium insert from Axminster Power Tool Centre and then went on to make an accurate adjustable fence for the table. If you do not have a router table I would recommend either buying or making […]
Tip – How to remove a router collet
Most half inch collet routers have interchangeable collets, the problem is that removing the collet from the retaining nut can be a problem. This tip solves that problem and also saves the unused collet in a safe place. If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread the word by […]
Tip – Magnetic cramp heads
Cramping up can be a right pain when you are working on your own. This little invention can help. If you like what you’ve read or know someone who would,please help me spread the word by using the buttons belowThankyou, Chris.
