Sharpening Jig by James Thompson

I was watching a sharpening video yesterday which proclaimed that you could lock your arm while sharpening and maintain the same angle when you returned to the next grit after changing paper.

I can sort of do this, but truthfully I can't do it perfectly.  I have a really hard time with maintaining my sharpening angle, ...

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I slope, you slope, we all slope gullets… by Matthew Cianci

At some point in your handsaw journey you’ll probably come across the term ”sloped gullets”, and at first you’ll likely be as confused as a drunken sailor about what the heck they are.

So what is a gullet, and why do I want it sloped?

The gullet is the space between the points of saw teeth, and their function is to collect the sawdust that is created by the working edge of each tooth.  And just like these working edges on the teeth, the geometry of the gullets can be manipulated by the file as you sharpen the saw.    Full Story>>

The Moravian Workbench - part 3 by Will Myers

The next step on the bench is the tool tray. 

There is not a lot to it, basically four pieces of wood. I made the tool tray from 1inch yellow pine.

I started with the rim first and cut the three rim pieces 3 ½ in wide.  The back piece is the full length of the bench, the ends are 11in. long.

I used a plow plane to make a 5/16ths wide groove 3/8ths deep on the lower edge of all three pieces.

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Making Pins for Drawboring by James Thompson

After the recent discussion of drawbore pins, I decided to look in my drawer and see what I had to work with.

I found 2 taper punches, one a Craftsman, the other a Stanley.

I had received 3 fine boxwood handles as part of my Galootaclaus gift, so I was good to go.

I used my lathe to bore the holes in the handles so I would get them nice and straight.

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My Level by Scott Grandstaff

People who are only interested in original factory made tools, in new condition, are welcome to skip this story entirely.

There will be nothing for you here and you will probably hate the final product, so save yourself the heartburn.

Some months back I got some old levels.  One day a young guy I know, just walked in and dumped them on me. He was the latest recipient and didn't want them. I didn't argue. 

There were originally 5 of them.  Only one was so bad it had to be stripped for parts.  All were well used.

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Something wonderful… by Matthew Cianci

When I teach classes I tell the students right off the bat that I don’t know everything about saws… far from it.  But I do promise to share everything I have learned.

That said, with the completion this past weekend of the first ‘Build a Backsaw' class at The Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking, I was left with an overwhelming sense of pride and joy.  I cannot describe to you with any justice the emotions I experienced as I watched my three students thoughtfully shape their totes, ...

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Some Builders' Tools - Their Use and Abuse by Fred T. Hodgson

During 1903 and 1904 The National Builder published series of articles by the editor of the magazine, Fred T. Hodgson, under the title "Some Builders' Tools - Their Use and Abuse". 

The April, 1904 issue was dedicated in part to saws, with follow up articles in May and June, 1904.

I found this material very interesting read and worth of republishing here.

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Installing Quadrant Hinges without a Router by P. Michael Henderson

Some time back, I volunteered to do a tutorial on installing quadrant hinges on a box, such as a jewelry box, without using a router. 

I said the next time I built a box, I'd document the installation of the quadrant hinges in a tutorial. But I didn't have any plans to build a small box so it was looking like the tutorial...

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The Moravian Workbench - part 2 by Will Myers

After the base was complete I moved on to the top.

The original bench had a 16 in wide by 2 ½ in thick white oak top. My plan was to glue up a yellow pine top because I didn’t have anything of these dimensions.

In the meantime I ran across an old white oak beam from a dismantled barn built in the 1880’s.  It was kind of rough but it looked like it would work.  The beam was about 13 ½ in by 4 ¼ in when I started. Since the top was not as wide as the original, the tool tray would have to be a little wider.    Full Story>>

Bending Gunstocks by Bob Smalser

It is really not difficult and the method can be used for bending wood in general.

My people were boatbuilders and shipwrights when they weren't farming, and I grew up bending wood.  The only hard part is reading the grain of figured wood so you don't crack the stock on 10 grand worth of Perazzi.

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