RSS Feed from www.wkFineTools.com

Morrill’s Patent Adjustable Bench Stop by James E. Price

Tue, 29 May 2018 16:14:18 -0600

Beginning unplugged woodworkers often ask me the best kind of bench stop to use and I do not hesitate to recommend a Morrill’s Patent adjustable stop mounted in the wooden jaw of a tail vise and directly aligned with the dog holes in the bench.

For those in this group who have never seen or used this type of stop, this post is for you. There are two types of Charles Morrill’s stop and I prefer the No. 1 which is the model described and illustrated in this post.

It mounts in a mortised hole in the chop of a tail vise and the post can be raised and lowered by loosing a screw in the top surface, moving the post to the desired height, and tightening the screw. The screw activates a cam that bears on the vertical post and locks it firmly at the desired height to hold a workpiece when the tail vise is screwed forward and the workpiece is against a dog in a dog hole in the bench.

Marking Gauge with Unusual Markings by James E. Price

Wed, 16 May 2018 20:03:15 -0600

I have owned this marking gauge for over thirty years and have shown it to tool users and tool collectors to try to understand the calibrations on it.

Collectively we could not solve meaning of the calibrations and numbers. Perhaps someone in this group can. Unfortunately I do not know from what country it came from or when it was made. It is very old and was extensively used by a craftsman who worked wood.

Dutch-inspired Block Plane by Adrian Britt

Sun, 13 May 2018 11:39:24 -0600

Here is a Dutch-inspired block plane I just built. Very easy and lots of fun. I had an extra Lie-Nielsen #102 iron so I designed the plane around it.

I knew it was going to have a traditional wedge so that would be simple. The body, however, required some thought and patience.

Using some David Stanley catalogs as inspiration, I came up with a concept. Based loosely on the Dutch plane, I made mine with a square sole. It provide more heft and the wider iron. It also kept the bronze sole plate easy and straightforward.

Giant Bullnose Plane by Ryan Sparreboom

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 19:16:13 -0600

The collector of infill planes will soon realize that they come in all shapes and sizes. From small chariot planes to large jointer planes, infills run the gamut of size and purpose.

The bullnose rabbet is a type of shoulder plane with a very short sole in front of the mouth. Its primary purpose is to cut stopped rabbets. The short front allows for a small amount of chisel work to define the end of the stopped rabbet. The rabbet plane will remove the rest of the wood.

Usually, a bullnose rabbet is a small plane, approximately 3 ½ to 4 inches long. The user can manipulate the plane with one hand because of its small size and light weight.

Boxwood Low-angle Smoother by Adrian Britt

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 07:59:24 -0600

This Boxwood Low-angle Smoother with a bronze sole and snecked iron was inspired by a plane made by maker Olie Sparks.

First things first, I need to acknowledge the pioneering and game-changing work put into this plane design by Ollie Sparks. His work in making a contemporary version of the plane provided me both inspiration and a firm resolve to attempt this myself. While there are subtle changes in my plane, I tried to recreate the work that he had done before.

This plane proved to be the most challenging build for me yet. It was both very challenging and very instructional. In truth, I had to start and stop this build many times just to take the necessary mental breaks.

Patented Brace Bits with Threaded Tang by James E. Price

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 14:34:55 -0600

Inventors in the 19th Century sought patents for improvements to tools to make them perform better and sometimes, with more precision.

Such is the case of G. L. Holt of Springfield, Mass. who on June 29, 1875 was granted U.S. Patent No. 164,999 for a more precision way to hold bits in a brace.

The Barber Shell Chuck, patented a decade earlier, had seized a big part of the market and was quickly making button and lever chucks obsolete. Holt took the idea of a shell chuck and promoted it to a higher level. He promoted the concept that a bit which could be screwed into a brace chuck would eliminate wobble in boring. His patent called for a threaded brace tang that screwed into a brace chuck but the patent drawing did not illustrate a brace.

Unique Carved Plane by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 9 Apr 2018 07:27:49 -0600

As a rhykenologist (woodworking plane collector), I often seek unusual planes to add to my collection. Elaborately carved or decorated planes are at the top of my list of desirable pieces.

Most often originating from Dutch and a few other Central European regions, these planes can be difficult to find and fetch high prices. When I had the chance to buy this little plane several years ago, I had to grab it.

Planes are utilitarian objects, used for a specific task or to make a living. To some craftsmen, a hand plane was a significant object in their lives. Decorating items of importance with personal symbols or words used to be a common practice.

I call this the "Jimi-Jack" by Adrian Britt

Fri, 6 Apr 2018 08:18:12 -0600

I’ve been admiring (more like copious drooling) the Boxwood/Gabon Ebony Jack plane of Jim Hendricks for the better part of last year. It is such a beautiful plane. Inspired by that project, I thought now is the time to proceed.

I didn’t have any large Ebony, so I’m using some lovely Katalox for the wedge, strike button, and handle. A solid plus is that Katalox is super tough and has interlocked fibers.

The Boxwood is courtesy of Huw Crompton, a friend and fellow woodworker. The boxwood billet is quite nice, but is not straight grained. It twists and curves in all kinds of nasty directions. But it has some outstanding figure. A little strategic epoxy deployed with a syringe injector stabilized the nastiest areas.

Hand Vise/Bitstock Tool by James E. Price

Mon, 2 Apr 2018 22:19:26 -0600

In my post on tool handles/holders I purposefully did not mention a very interesting and useful type that at first glance appears to be a hand vise.

But it is also a bitstock tool that came with a set of tools, including a washer cutter, in a compartment in its handle.

It was made by Miller's Falls and appeared to be popular in the 1920's. It was referred to as "No. 1 Alford's Hand Vise" and catalog illustrations show it and its tools.

But wait, there's more! Several other manufacturers made similar tool holders that fit in a brace and I include photos of them in this post.

Record 311 3-in-1 Shoulder Plane by James E. Price

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 21:45:18 -0600

A tool buddy of mine recently sold me a never-used Record 311 3-in-1 shoulder plane and today I made a simple case for it and tried out its various functions. In my opinion it has four functions.

It can be used as a shoulder plane, a rabbet plane, a bullnose rabbet plane, and a chisel plane. After I had used the plane for various purposes I came to the realization that this plane would make a great tool for a beginner...

Mathieson in March - Part 4 by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:37:48 -0600

This week, in the final installment of “Mathieson in March,” we will look at a few planes made by the Mathieson firm. I will also discuss some of the Mathieson maker marks, and the approximate period during which these marks appeared.

Over the past several weeks, I have introduced and discussed a great deal of the history of the Mathieson Company. We have looked at tools made by John Manners, the Stewarts, David Arthur, John McGlashan, and David Malloch.

I have explained the relationship between these makers and the Mathieson Company, all of whom contributed to Mathieson’s success.

Mathieson in March - Part 3 by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:33:27 -0600

Alex Mathieson and his son Thomas built a successful business over a long period. The foundation of that success was a company started by Alex Mathieson. Over time their expansion was supported by the acquisition of other Scottish planemakers.

One of these businesses, headed by David Malloch and acquired by Mathieson in 1913 has an interesting thread connecting to the first business acquired by Mathieson in 1849 - the James and William Stewart Company.

I mentioned briefly at the end of last week's article that the Stewarts employed David Malloch in their planemaking shop. It appears that Malloch left the Stewarts in 1849 and took over the business of John McGlashan, another Scottish planemaker.

Mathieson in March - Part 2 by Ryan Sparreboom

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:15:16 -0600

Mathieson had taken over Manner's business in 1822 and started his adventure into plane making which would lead to the most successful toolmaking empire in Scotland.

Last week, I introduced some of the early history of Alexander Mathieson through his relationship with late 18th and early 19th-century plane-maker John Manners.

Mathieson’s company expanded slowly in the first half of the 19th century. The Scottish census of 1841 listed Alex Mathieson as a “master plane-maker. By 1851, census records show that he had eight employees, one of whom was his son Thomas Mathieson. Thomas had joined the business and listed as a journeyman plane-maker” since 1841 when he was only 15 years old.

Mathieson in March - Part 1 by Ryan Sparreboom

Sun, 4 Mar 2018 23:01:00 -0700

For March, I will be featuring a series of articles which will pay tribute to the history of Scotland’s greatest tool maker, Alexander Mathieson.

The articles will provide a perspective on the Mathieson legacy timeline, featuring planes not only made by the Mathieson Company itself but by the Scottish makers that contributed to Mathieson's success.

Alexander Mathieson began his plane making business in Glasgow in 1822, by the mid-1800’s he was taking over other prominent plane maker’s businesses such as the Stewart’s in Edinburgh and thus expanding his business around Scotland.

L-N No. 62 Low Angle Jack vs. 10” Robert Towell Miter by Adrian Britt

Fri, 2 Mar 2018 20:50:57 -0700

In truth, this is maybe an apples and oranges comparison. However, I find myself grabbing for each at different times or applications.

Anyone who owns a L-N No. 62 can attest to its precision and versatility. It is clear.

I find my 62 works best in several instances. First, it’s a fantastic jointer on small projects. I can even clamp it upside down in a vice and use it as a mandolin of sorts. Second, it is my “go to” plane to accompany my shooting board. Finally, it is a great smoothing plane on larger projects.

Old Hammers by James E. Price

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 10:06:54 -0700

Last May I purchased at auction a box of miscellaneous tool parts. Upon sorting its contents I found several small late-18th-Century or early 19th-Century hammer heads.

I am in the process of making replacement handles for them using boxwood. I have one, a socketed hammer, near completion. Next, I am going to make a boxwood handle for a strap-headed hammer that was in the lot.

The handle is boxwood and is affixed to the head with a steel pin through the socket. The handle shape was copied from engravings in period pattern books from Sheffield and Birmingham. The exterior of the socket has traces of silver wash on it.

Preston 1354 Smoothing Plane by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 21:13:42 -0700

This particular Preston smoother was introduced sometime before 1901 and was featured in the company’s catalog for that year.

Last week I featured a Preston Patented router plane, the 2500P, and I spoke about the innovation of the Edward Preston and Sons Company. This week we will talk about another unusual Preston plane, the number 1354 infill smoother.
This particular Preston smoother was introduced sometime before 1901 and was featured in the company’s catalog for that year. It was described as an “Iron smoothing plane, iron lever, walnut fittings, and Warranted C.S bright parallel irons.” This example of the plane fits that description but is not marked anywhere on the plane by the Preston makers mark.

Backyard Walnut Grove by James E. Price

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:59:30 -0700

I am a rural unplugged woodworker, having been raised in the Missouri Ozarks and grew up thinking that wood was free. It still is for me and the only wood I buy is boxwood, rosewood, and ebony.

I was impressed by the gigantic walnut trees that someone had planted on our farm every 50 feet around 160 acres and in the cross ...

Preston Patented 2500P Router Plane by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 03:51:23 -0700

The innovations and inventions of the Edward Preston and Sons Company of Birmingham, England are some of the most remarkable in the history of tool making.

Edward Preston began as a plane maker reportedly in 1825 but was first listed in a Birmingham directory in 1833. Over the next 100 years, Preston and his following generations built an impressive legacy of tool making.

By the end of the 19th century, Preston was a leader in innovation in tool making. With no less than 26 individual patents and 37 registered designs, Edward Preston was one of the most enterprising toolmakers and designers in Europe at that time.

Small Bearded Hatchet by James E. Price

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 17:34:24 -0700

One day last Summer I decided to beat the heat and stay in the shade and work on a project involving putting a helve in a small bearded hatchet that I will use in future Ozark traditional woodworking demonstrations.

The Ozark Border was logged off by huge lumber companies in the 1880's and 90's, leaving a wasteland of scorched earth after wildfires consumed thousands of acres of treetops and underbrush. Circa 1900 the ravaged land could be purchased for fifty cents per acre.

Many families came to this land from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Hungary through Ellis Island and started a new life in the wastelands left by The the lumber barons. They brought with them their cultures, languages, music, and tools that were very alien to the Scots-Irish base population.

The Dutch Gerfschaaf by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 04:52:35 -0700

Dutch planes are weird, or should I say “veird”. I’m allowed to say that and poke a little fun, because I’m Dutch.

My last name, quite literally translated from Dutch to English is “Sprucetree”. No wonder I’m into woodworking, I’m named after a tree!

So why are Dutch planes weird?

Well, perhaps unique is a better word. Antique Dutch wooden planes are very recognizable and can be some of the most beautifully decorated planes in any fine collection.

Through Thick and Thin by Jim Hendricks

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 07:30:06 -0700

Old instruments are just gorgeous in my eyes and when they are functional, all the better.

This old thickness gauge is one such example. Unmarked, continental, graduated in millimeters, not only does it work, it is really accurate.

Drawknife with Cow Horn Handles by James E. Price

Thu, 8 Feb 2018 01:33:05 -0700

In a previous posts I showed tools I have that have handles made of corncobs, antler, and other minimally-modified natural materials.

At the Midwest Tool Collectors Association meeting last year I found and acquired yet another such tool. It is a large handforged drawknife with cow horns for handles.

The horns are vertical with the pointed ends up when the tool is in use. It measures slightly over 20 inches in length including the horn handles. An old tool friend asked me what kind of drawknife it is and I replied that it is Viking in origin.

My Favorite Infill Plane by Ryan Sparreboom

Mon, 5 Feb 2018 14:55:03 -0700

This week I would like to feature one of my favorite infill planes and one that I regularly use in my work.

It is a heavy Scottish style smoothing plane.

Now, when I say it’s heavy, I mean it’s HEAVY! Tipping the scales at a hair under 8 lbs (3.6kg). To put that in perspective for you Stanley bench plane lovers, that is just under the heft of a #7 jointer plane, in a 10 ½” long smoother.

What is a... Sporris? by Adrian Britt

Fri, 2 Feb 2018 12:10:24 -0700

I bought two badly misused and abused infill smoothers. They were basically parts planes and priced accordingly. After decades of abuse and even more time neglected, they really needed help.

From the photos, you will see that this plane was a boat anchor. It was completely abused in its previous life. In evaluating the plane, it was obvious that this was going to be a rebuild.

Flooring Raglet Plane by Ryan Sparreboom

Thu, 1 Feb 2018 22:39:31 -0700

I would like to introduce an interesting plane from my collection, made by one of the most prominent Scottish plane makers of all times, Alexander Mathieson.

He started making planes about 1822 in Glasgow and named his business the Saracen Tool Works. The company claimed an “Established date” of 1792, but this is likely traced back to John Manners, whom Mathieson may have worked for in the early years.

Alex Mathieson would later become the most successful tool maker and dealer in Scotland, having bought out many other well-known plane makers. By 1899 Mathieson had shops and retailers in his name expanding into Edinburgh, Dundee, and even Liverpool.

Swedish Braces and Bits by James E. Price

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 03:57:01 -0700

Let’s explore a bit deeper into traditional woodworking tools from a region that has been discussed in a previous post. Today’s post focuses only on Swedish braces and bits.

Years ago I found that tools from other cultures and other times in the past felt very different in my hands and I wanted to know how well they performed at the bench.

Braces and Bits of Sweden and Norway by James E. Price

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 03:56:11 -0700

Lately I have been exploring woodworking tools and their uses in The Baltic States and The Balkans as well as Scandinavia. Woodworking tools evolved differently in those regions compared to Western Europe.

The focus of majority of articles on this website is on Western tools development and use in unplugged woodworking in Great Britain, Canada, and the U.S.A. with some interest in Japanese saws and chisels.

Cellarman's Boring Tool by James E. Price

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 22:14:29 -0600

In today's post I wish to introduce a very specialized brace and a kind of bit that is seldom seen.

The brace is cellarman's boring tool to create a tapered hole in the head of a wine cask for insertion of a wooden or metal tap of like taper.

The brace and its dedicated bit are Austrian in origin. The bit is marked "Wien" for "Vienna". The brace has a two-post cage head with a rather robust wooden pad. The bit is held in the brace chuck by a spring-actuated lever that fits in a notch in the bit's flat tang.

18th Century Mortising Chisels by Richard Arnold

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 04:17:49 -0600

I had a great day out at the David Stanley auction in February and picked up a few interesting items.

One of the dealers had saved these chisels for me as he knew I would appreciate them. The top two are something really special. They have the makers mark of 18th century edge tool maker, Robert Moore of Birmingham.

Thomas Holt - Lewes, East Sussex by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 04:15:06 -0600

This huge ogee is very rare with less than 200 known examples remaining from this provincial maker. The town of Lewes is about one hour's drive south of me and is steeped in history.

The Holt family were wood turners and occupied a tenement in the High Street, now No.12, just scraping a living.

Mother Plane of Christopher Gabriel by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 6 Oct 2017 13:41:54 -0600

At the last Richard Arnold's annual charity event, I was just about to leave when Richard called me back and said he had a little gift for me.

In a room full of hundreds of moulding planes he gave me the most beautiful one of all of them. It was made by Christopher Gabriel, Falmouth and London, 1770-1810.

Gabriel was the very first moulding plane I ever bought, a quid from a bootfair, and as I researched the master, the more I fell in love with this mark. Later I had the honor to see the iconic Seaton Chest and actually got to hold the tools within many of them by Gabriel. I was hooked from that moment on and set out to find copies of the tools from the chest and make my own collection.

Three Planes in the Case by James E. Price

Fri, 6 Oct 2017 13:40:02 -0600

I finished another tool cse today that holds three planes, two bullnosed rabbet planes, and a shoulder plane.

It is a convenient assemblage of planes I will be using in demonstrations.

The shoulder plane is set extremely fine and one rabbet plane is set fine and the other one takes a coarser cut. I also had room to put a little covered cavity in one of the retaining blocks to hold a piece of beeswax for lubricating the plane soles. There is a sliding wedge that retains one rabbet plane and the shoulder plane to lock them in the case. All three planes were used in the making of the mahogany case.

Shoulder Planes - Samples and Comparison by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 6 Oct 2017 13:37:38 -0600

A shoulder plane is a low angle, bevel up fine surgical instrument with a tight mouth.

It differs from a rebate or fillister plane in that they are open mouth, high angle, bevel down hoggers. These planes remove stock fast but not as accurate as shoulder planes. To remove stock to the line, a shoulder plane is better tool. It provides accurate cut and clean and square corners.

For this purpose the iron on a shoulder plane is slightly wider than the mouth so it can get right into the corners of shoulders, rebates and dados.

Tool Handles - part 2 by James E. Price

Fri, 6 Oct 2017 13:35:16 -0600

For those of you who think unplugged woodworking is all about planes, saws and chisels I write this post.

Lots of other interesting and useful tools were in a past craftsman's tool chest.

A type of tool that shows up rather frequently in old tool chests is a tool handle. They must have been important at one time or they would not have been purchased and added to a working tool kit.

18th C. Forkstaff Plane by James Higgs - presented by Richard Arnold

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 03:38:29 -0600

This plane was made in the18th century by James Higgs of Westminster, London.

I have always been struck by the relatively large number of 18th century Forkstaff planes that have survived, but when one considers how many agricultural implements must have been made over the years, it's perhaps not so surprising.

What is a Panel Plane? by Richard Arnold

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:17:04 -0600

Panel plane, panel raiser, panel fielding plane, badger plane, are the most commonly used names for this group, but what do all these names mean, and what these planes were actually designed to do?

It's fair to say that over the years there has been some confusion surrounding a group of planes that have a number of names, but in essence all do a similar job.

I thought it might be interesting to have a closer look at this subject, and try and unravel some of it's mysteries. Let me also say that these are my own thoughts on the matter, and are based on my studies of British wooden planes in my own collection, as well as observation of architectural features in various period houses in the UK. There is nothing to say my conclusions are correct, or bare relevance to planes in other countries.

Building a Bronze, Dovetailed 7-inch Miter Plane by Bill Carter

Sun, 27 Aug 2017 10:03:22 -0600

To build this plane I am using 3/16" bronze throughout.

As you may know, I came up with idea some time ago of exposed cupid bow detail on each dovetail.

For the first time ever I will try to get a row of these exposed cupid bows fairly close together, instead of a bigger distance between each one. To achieve this the pins have got to be much smaller than I would usually do.

Combination-Tool of Samuel J. Johnston by James E. Price

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 07:22:06 -0600

It was the dream of many 19th-Century inventors to design tools that could perform several functions.

On December 4, 1894 Samuel Johnson of Leesburg, Virginia was issued a patent for a transformer brace that could be turned into a wrench and other tools. It was manufactured by The P. Lowentraut Company founded in Newark, New Jersey in 1869.

Reproduction of a 19th Century Rocking Cradle by James E. Price

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 10:36:25 -0600

I did some catch-up work in The National Park Service in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Heritage Shop by almost finishing a reproduction of an original early 19th-Century rocking cradle.

I started this project as a public demonstration and today I moved it much closer to completion. Perfectly clear pine was used to match the original cradle which is free of knots.

It will be held together with square cut nails just like the old cradle. I used period hand tools on the project after starting with power planed boards which I finished with a smooth plane.

Old "Scotty" by James E. Price

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 11:34:52 -0600

One afternoon It was time to reorganize some of my tool kits I take to traditional craft demonstrations for The National Park Service.

In the process of unpacking and repacking chests I found my old buddy, "Scotty", an infill Scottish smoother that came to live in my shop over three decades ago. He's an awesome plane and I wish I could shake the hand of the man who made him because he was quite a master in making overstuffed infills.

19th Century Cased Leather Strop by James E. Price

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 17:42:03 -0600

This post provides a closer look at the 19th Century Cased Leather Strop incase you want to replicate it.

It is made of mahogany and measures 9 inches in overall length. The leather is 7 5/8 x 2 inches and the height, including the lid, is 1-3/4ths inches.

Note that the bottom is cut out in the shape of a Cupid's bow and there is a projection or "foot" on one end with two little steel spikes that dig in and prevent it from slipping while in use. The leather is charged with red Tripoli polishing rouge and remains soft from oil or perhaps tallow.

Building an English Steel Miter Plane – Part II by Adrian Britt

Tue, 8 Aug 2017 01:43:16 -0600

It is now time for me to focus on the infill. I have found after building several infill planes that it is best to make the infill when the plane can still be disassembled.

Before peening, the infill can be reviewed and test fitted from 360-degrees. After final assembly, and for the fit to be perfect, the infill has to be slowly let or “smoked” into the corresponding body pocket.

Identification Icons on Tool Boxes by James E. Price

Thu, 3 Aug 2017 11:23:27 -0600

If you have followed my posts you are aware that I build cases for lots of my tools. I put the icons in recesses so they do not project past the surface of the case end.

Today I made a circular recess to hold an icon consisting of some brass cherubs to celebrate The Victorian Era during which the infill plane was made that will be housed in the case.

Circular recesses in thin wood are hard to make with unplugged tools. An expansive bit will cut a hole in thick wood but the lead screw will go out the other side in thin wood. This post shows how in my unplugged world I create a circular recess.

Building an English Steel Miter Plane - Part I by Adrian Britt

Tue, 1 Aug 2017 20:09:53 -0600

I have been fascinated and enamored by the metal English miter plane for a long time.

However, due to their relative scarcity and significant purchase cost in the U.S., having one or two to use and reflect upon has always eluded me.

After perusing the website of Bill and Sarah Carter and watching his many build blogs and instructional documents, I decided to build one myself.

Decorating Wood with Punch Marks by James E. Price

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 03:00:18 -0600

A subject rarely discussed is a practice of punch decorating wood. I have several tools and pieces of furniture from the mountainous Tyrolean region of western Austria that have punch decorations on them.

As a child I got to see an old German man, Walter Eckstein, using punches on some of the wooden things he made in his shop. Later I was able to obtain two of his wood punches and have used them for years.

Keep in mind that decorated goosewing axes from the Tyrol also bear punch decorations so this practice was not limited to wood only.

My Favorite Workhorse by Richard Arnold

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 03:52:13 -0600

This morning I got to spend a bit of time to give my favorite workhorse a bit of a service.

I use this plane on a daily basis and it works hard for its living.

Not only did it get a good sharpening, I gave it a clean and polish as well. It looked so good I thought I'd take some shots to share. The levercap on this panel plane is marked, Buck, 245 Tottenham Court Road, but my suspicion is that it was made by Stuart Spiers of Ayre.

Restoring Lambeth Paperweight - Norris No. 7 Shoulder Plane by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:00:03 -0600

A friend, Ted Cole, of this parish recently acquired a Norris No.7 shoulder plane minus its iron and wedge, from John Crocker also of this parish.

Apparently it was lately used as a paperweight, which is to be expected of these "West Country types". No respect for us Londoners!!!

A Case for Two Planes by James E. Price

Wed, 26 Jul 2017 02:38:09 -0600

Last night and for a few hours today I worked on making a mahogany case for two planes that have been together for at least a century.

I have owned them for only four days so they are new to my shop. Over a forty-year span I have made hundreds of dovetailed tool cases with sliding lids.

Sliding lids are very effective in keeping moisture and dust from fine tools and are faster to make than lids that require mortised hinges. Since my rule for tool cases states there are no appendages to scratch or dent other cases in a stack on a shelf, a sliding lid effectively satisfies that requirement.

English Boxwood Jointer - part 1 by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 02:25:23 -0600

I don't recall ever seeing a solid English boxwood jointer. You simply don't find dry boxwood that big!

Working with Huw Crompton of this parish we sought a suitable log that was dry but had not checked on the Northern side as is the norm because of reinforcing branches - a rare combination.

Using a variety of fine edges I worked this rough log into sublime block. Now to let it settle while I think on the design. A razee is almost a given but I need to think on the iron first as always with planemaking.

Cutting Perfectly Square End on a Board by James E. Price

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 21:20:33 -0600

I have read of the frustration that members of this group and other groups have cutting 2x4's and 4x4's perfectly square with a hand saw in construction of workbench components.

The method I use is well known and used for centuries and it is the way I was taught by Bruce Debo in the 1960's after he observed my struggles in cutting a perfectly square end on a board.

This method is just as true as a big miter box but requires only four simple tools, a very sharp bench knife, an equally sharp chisel, a square, and a backsaw. If you clean off the saw marks, you will need a low-angle plane too.

Boxing Wooden Planes by Jim Hemdricks

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 13:48:45 -0600

"Boxing" is the technique of using a hard wood in areas where use causes wear on a plane, thus minimizing the wear caused by friction with the wood.

So called because English boxwood was the wood normally used on British planes. But not all boxing uses boxwood.

Here I show two examples - the first using African ebony, the second, lignum vitae.

Solution for Tight Cuts by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 5 Jul 2017 18:27:52 -0600

Up until now I have used my Two Fingers bowsaw for making the cuts for iron wedge pockets and whilst it does the job.

It's a bit difficult to keep upright and straight at the same time particularly when making smaller planes. What I wanted was a low profile and fine Japanese toothed saw.

Well, I finally found one in Japan on Amazon and it arrived today...

Luban 043: Plough Plane & Kerfing Saw by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 3 Jul 2017 05:04:51 -0600

For this test I used (as always) the lowest quality of wood from a rough pallet, whose DNA appears closer to cheese than wood! It's all too easy to use a nice tame sample species. This breed leaves no prisoners, needing sharp edges to give good results without turning into string!

The first test was with the kerfing saw attached. It will go either way, push or pull but I set it to push cut this time. The blade starts easily even on the very difficult end grain.

Some Block Planes by James E. Price

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 15:58:14 -0600

Sometime ago Jim Hendricks pulled out some wonderful block planes for a post on our Unplugged Woodworkers forum on the Facebook and in the comments he urged me to post photos of some of mine. Here they are...

For beginner woodworker's a block plane is plane with a low angle blade with the bevel up. Folklore tells us they are called "block planes" because they were used to level the tops of butcher blocks that became uneven for slicing and cleaving cuts of meat.

Brace with a Twist by Jim Hendricks

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 05:09:51 -0600

I truly believe that the Sheffield Brace Pad is one of the most beautiful ways of making holes.

But few are aware that it can also turn into a turnscrew!

This beautifully made bit is cunningly formed in many ways - not only does it have two sizes of flat tip but in either direction. The form is such that it becomes the shank - a perfect fit for the pad (chuck)!

Cutting Wood Screws by Paul Hamler

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 15:08:40 -0600

This video shows fixtures and devices I have used to cut RH and LH wood threads.

It includes tips on reproducing and repair of damaged wood threads on antique plow planes.

Octagonal Tapered Tool Handle by James E. Price

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 20:03:07 -0600

There have been some posts on this website about making octagonal tapered handles for chisels.

In this post I wish to point out that that style of handle can also be used on tanged tools other than chisels. The tool I chose for adding a handle is an old hand vise that I rescued years ago from the bottom of a bucket where it had been in standing water with nails.

English Boxwood and Gabon Ebony Pencil Gauge by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 07:57:26 -0600

Recent projects and tests left me with a few off-cuts of boxwood and ebony and it is a crime to waste it.

I had a quick assessment and decided there was just enough to make a pencil gauge. I've wanted one for ages so this project would be ideal.

Some work inevitably required the use of devils with tails, hamster driven of course, so in line with group rules.

Bistro/Bar Table and Chairs Build - the FINALE by Bill Gerold

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 05:10:00 -0600

I started this project in early May hoping to have it ready by May 25 but that didn't work out.

It took 2 weeks longer than I estimated due to the complexity of the joinery and building all the chairs and seats using hand tools only. But my wife is the best thing that ever happened to me and I wanted ...

Bistro/Bar Table and Chairs Build - part 2 by Bill Gerold

Sat, 17 Jun 2017 21:23:29 -0600

I started gluing the long sections first. When all gluing was done I started putting the small rails on and constructing the chair. I trimmed the glue squeeze out on the first two chairs. Then I stained the first two chairs with Red Mahogany.

Tomorrow I'll stain the last three chairs and make a proto of the chair top. Not a lot of pictures today as it was all a rehash of previous days.

Bistro/Bar Table and Chairs Build - part 1 by Bill Gerold

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:09:01 -0600

Sometime ago my wife had said it would be nice to have an outdoor Bistro/Bar Table and Chair set. Since our 43rd Anniversary is coming up I decided I will surprise her with one.

First I made a proof of concept chair seat which I still am pondering. I was happy with the overall dimensions and look so I am going ahead and building four more and then the table. The whole project will be unplugged.

Unusual Fillister Plane by James E. Price

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:09:25 -0600

A few years ago I found a fillister plane that departs from regular fillister planes that are quite common and usually fetch $30.00 or less depending on maker and condition.

This plane has a rear handle in a razee posture. I had never seen a handled fillister before I found this one in a box of wooden planes missing parts.

Breaking Tradition: The Two-Handed Rasp by Tom Fidgen

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 17:38:08 -0600

After opening my own woodworking school here in Toronto, (The Unplugged Woodshop) we started carrying Liogier rasps in our store.

Developing a working relationship with Noel Liogier, a fourth generation rasp maker in Lyon, France, I decided to reach out and see if he would be interested in developing this new idea I had, and he was happy and eager to help.

Stanley No. 41 Straight Edge Level by Jason Stamper

Fri, 2 Jun 2017 18:43:43 -0600

A few years ago I acquired this lovely little Stanley No. 41 straight edge level.

I actually bought it as more of a curiosity than anything else.

What I found out is that it is actually a handy little level. I have seen this mistakenly called a string level, but it does not work for that purpose at all. It is, however, a very effective straight edge level.

Cypress Wood from The Mississippi Alluvial Valley by James E. Price

Thu, 1 Jun 2017 16:17:24 -0600

This post is for members of this group who are not familiar with bald cypress wood common in The Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

Due to its slow growth is not harvested as much today as it was in the 1890's and in the first three decades of the 20th Century.

It is the State Tree of Louisiana and played a great role in the settlement of The Mississippi Valley where it was used in home construction, outbuildings, furniture, fence posts, coffins, and hundreds of other things.

Mr. Mitchell by James E. Price

Wed, 31 May 2017 04:35:28 -0600

I was tuning some bench planes this morning and looked at different turnscrews for removing cap iron screws.

In a drawer I found an old friend, "Mr. Mitchell", who has been with me for many years and I wish to share him with you.

I can remember that when I bought this tool back in the 1960's that it was the most marvelous design for a screwdriver I had ever seen.

Broken Sheffield Pad Brace by Jim Hendricks

Tue, 30 May 2017 01:50:20 -0600

Some members of this parish may not know, but I operate S.C.O.O.T. - Special Centre for Orphaned Old Tools.

Patients come in - this one in a blinkin' ambulance, blue lights, siren, police escort! I scheduled some theatre time this week but this is an operation time!

Ornate Router by James E. Price

Wed, 24 May 2017 12:48:18 -0600

This is the most ornate hand carved router plane I have ever seen and am pleased to say it is in my collection.

It was carved from rosewood by a very skilled craftsman who incorporated art into an otherwise mundane tool. It has been extensively used so it was not merely a showpiece.

Frame and Panel Construction, part 3: The Real Thing by Jim Harvey

Fri, 19 May 2017 19:05:13 -0600

Parts one and two of this series showed construction of a small frame and panel assembly.

I made a half dozen of those as learning exercises for the final project, rebuilding the entrance to the crawl space in my tri-level home. This may be way over engineered but the old doors are truly ugly, made from thin paneling covered with contact paper, and besides, I wanted to learn how to make raised panels with hand tools.

Most of the techniques I used came from the Woodwright’s Shop episodes mentioned in part 2, this part 3 will document differences needed to complete the larger scale crawl space entrance.

Frame and Panel Construction - a prototype, part 2 by Jim Harvey

Thu, 18 May 2017 16:46:16 -0600

In this section I document my method of constructing a frame. To understand and practice the procedure I’ve made several small framed raised panels and described in a previous section. These will find their way into a box or maybe a lamp sometime in the future.

This procedure builds a frame to house a pre-constructed panel though usually the frame will be built first, made to fit an existing opening, then a panel constructed to fit.

Another goal is to, as much as possible, use only hand tools in the project. A few years ago I acquired a small panel raising plane at an estate sale and it’s time to put it to work. This photo shows some of the tools used in creating a frame.

Frame and Panel Construction- part 1 by Jim Harvey

Wed, 17 May 2017 14:08:22 -0600

Making a cabinet door usually proceeds by constructing the outside frame to fit the target opening, then creating a panel to fit the frame.

I have a number of frames made as practice exercises for a real job closing off the crawl space in my house. These were all based on square blanks cut from a length of 1×8 select pine from Home Depot. I used up all the spare lumber so for this weblog post I glued up some scraps and trimmed to 7 1/4 square.

I have a small panel raising plane. It is unusual in that it has an adjustable fence, there is no nicker and no flat area near the fence, the cut is beveled all the way to the edge of the work. It may have had some other use in the past but it works for panel raising. I have since added brass strips at the main wear points.

Making Simple Bevel Gauge by James E. Price

Tue, 16 May 2017 10:43:54 -0600

I have been wanting to make a wooden bevel gauge and finally tackled that task today.

In a couple of hours I had it to the stage you see in the photos, about 95% completed. All that remains to do is some filing, scraping, and application of a finish. It is made of scrap walnut and didn't cost one cent.

You may recognize the head of the brass bolt that is inletted into one side of the gauge. It is the bolt that holds a porcelain toilet to the floor. In this new life it keeps the bolt from turning when the wing nut is tightened or loosened.

Full-blind Dovetails by P. Michael Henderson

Sun, 14 May 2017 11:00:34 -0600

I've done a number of dovetail tutorials but had ignored the full-blind dovetail (also known as the "double lap") primarily because I don't see a lot of use for it.

But recently, I decided to do a tutorial on this type of dovetail just for completeness. I suppose the reason the full-blind dovetail is not used very much is that you can't see the dovetails - and other types of joinery, perhaps made by power tools, are available.

And if you did want to do a hidden dovetail, the secret miter dovetail gives, in my opinion, a better looking joint since it looks like a miter joint (no end grain showing).

Tool Handles by James E. Price

Tue, 9 May 2017 16:23:45 -0600

A handle is a necessary part of most traditional hand tools.

Handles provide a means by which a human hand with its four fingers and an opposing thumb can grasp a tool and exert force and leverage on a cutting edge. They provide a way to protect metal as in the example of tanged and socketed chisels.

They increase force through inertia created by swinging an axe or adze on a long handle. They allow a comfortable and controlled means to grasp and guide saws and planes.

The Hardware Cabinet - part 3 by Will Myers

Mon, 8 May 2017 15:45:22 -0600

The vertical dividers are the next task on the cabinet and a bit of a trick to get right. The horizontal dividers are only ½” thick pine spanning the 31” width of the cabinet and quiet flimsy until the verticals are installed.

If you remember in the beginning of part 2 when I planed the dados in the case side I had a 2” wide piece in-between the case sides that was dadoed as well.

Mathieson 9B Plough Plane Restoration by Jim Hendricks

Thu, 4 May 2017 12:37:37 -0600

Normally a patient in this condition would be put down but such is the beauty and rarity of this old boy that it was decided to attempt some pretty radical surgery.

The name tag on the toe said: A. Mathieson & Son, Glasgow & Edinburgh and on the heel: No. 9B. 1822-1924 and the mark indicates >1876.

Injuries include: Two broken legs, missing teeth, damaged wedge, two nuts are removed.

So... surgery is going to be immediate and complex. Some procedures being experimental but the prognosis is good and the surgeon will be recording the operation so that, if successful, others may benefit.

Secret Miter Dovetails by P. Michael Henderson

Tue, 2 May 2017 11:21:11 -0600

There are many different varieties of dovetails: through, half-blind, full-blind (AKA double lap), and the secret miter dovetail.

Everyone who has done hand cut dovetails has done the through dovetail and most have done the half-blind. The full-blind dovetail hides the pins and tails and is not used a great deal, probably because it shows some end grain in the completed joint. The secret miter dovetail, the subject of this tutorial, also hides the pins and tails and looks like a miter joint when assembled.

You might ask, "If the pins and tails are hidden, why do a dovetail joint? Why not do some other type of joinery?" The only answer I can give is that all dovetail joints are very strong joints. While you could do a regular miter joint, perhaps with a spline between the two pieces for strength, the secret miter dovetail joint is going to be stronger.

Ripping with Skelton by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 1 May 2017 16:44:48 -0600

After cleaning up the operating theatre and putting the instruments away it was time to take a perfectly dimensioned block and cut it precisely in half along its length!

This is a practical test of both tools in harmony and they worked perfectly! I fitted the kerfing blade into the Luban-043 plough plane and made a kerf on all four sides of the block.

Overzealous "restoration" by Jim Hendricks

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 22:56:06 -0600

Many years ago on a distant UK woodworking forum someone posed a question: "what is the most dangerous thing in a workshop?"

My favorites answer - "a sheet of sandpaper!"

Miter Plane Construction by Richard Arnold

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 12:29:28 -0600

The first plane I ever made was a low angle miter plane. This may seem a bit of an odd choice for a first attempt.

In fact it does have some advantages over a conventional bench plane build. One of the major hurdles to overcome is finding the right materials, but with this build I hope I can show that by doing a bit of recycling it's possible to use some very high quality wood and steel without breaking the bank.

Making a Leather Strop by James E. Price

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 07:54:11 -0600

I have to make a leather strop for my coffin making tool kit that is compatible with tools of circa 1800 so for the main stock I selected a rived red oak board that I split out with a froe 6 years ago so it is seasoned well. I will leave the split marks on the bottom side opposite the leather.

When I was a kid here in the Missouri Ozarks lots of things were made from rived boards. Perhaps you will enjoy this post on how I prepared the thin stock and shaped the handle. I know that lots of you are advanced wood workers and you are probably familiar with the tools and techniques I employ.

Learning Joinery by James E. Price

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:12:49 -0600

This post is a word of encouragement for beginning unplugged woodworkers who are interested in learning joinery.

I started learning the finer aspects of it in the late 1960's and about 15 years later became proficient in it.

The bottom line is no matter how highly rated your tools are, you have a major learning curve ahead of you to be able to cut perfect joints every time in a wide variety of woods.

Miniature Tools by James E. Price

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 13:25:39 -0600

Miniature tools are not toys. They work just like their bigger counterparts but at a much smaller scale.

I have made lots of miniature tools and I have been able to find small ones like the little boxwood spokeshave in the first two photos. I photographed it adjacent to a common English boxwood spokeshave which is 11 3/4ths inches long so you are aware of the scale.

Making a Small Drawknife by Paul Hamler

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 10:58:34 -0600

Paul comes from a family of craftsmen, his father was a carpenter and according to Paul, could work in any craft and fix anything.

As a teen, Paul began a lifelong interest in the game of billiards and developed his craftsmanship by building billiard tables and selling them in order to, what else, acquire more tools.

A Case for a Big English Chariot Plane by James E. Price

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 07:03:37 -0600

I made a case for a big English chariot plane today. If you have followed my posts you have seen various tool cases I have made to house my tools.

I store them on shelves so I can select the tools for a project or pick and choose those I want for a demonstration distant from my shop and pack them in containers for transport.

I selected local Ozark walnut for this case and joined the corners with hand cut dovetails and a captured panel for the bottom. A sliding lid forms the top. In the past I have posted on this page the entire process of joining a case so this post deals only with the last stages of this case starting with installing banded inlay in the sides and one end followed by finishing.

Case for Mathieson Shoulder Plane by James E. Price

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 15:46:02 -0600

It has rained for two days and nights on the Ozark Border and I holed up in my shop and had a great time making yet another plane case.

This one is for a never-used Alex Mathieson shoulder plane. I had refrained from casing it until the time was right and two rainy days gave me time to compose my thoughts and materials to make a case worthy of such a plane.

Besides, the town is an island and all roads out are closed due to flooding. It was a pleasure working at my bench with the shop doors open so I could hear and see the rain fall. There is a caption with each photo.

Two Ripping Saws by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 18:20:41 -0600

Yesterday I ripped an English walnut board using a Skelton "Seaton" rip handsaw and somewhere amongst the discussion we were sidetracked onto framesaws, questioning their use in a modern workshop.

I promised to do this again - one with a framesaw I made and tomorrow, a Japanese 300 rip saw.

Hafted Scrapers by James E. Price

Fri, 7 Apr 2017 14:35:54 -0600

I like scrapers and frequently use them in unplugged woodworking. I usually start with a hafted scraper and end with a scraper plane and card scrapers.

Two of my hafted scrapers are in the photos. I think they are both interesting and that members of this group might want to copy the hafting methods and designs of the handles which are at an angle to the heads which hold the blades.

John Cogdell's Plow Plane by Richard Arnold

Wed, 5 Apr 2017 15:41:26 -0600

This English, plow plane is just oozing with history.

Flat chamfers, uncapped stems, and wooden depth stop all scream 18th century, and so it is. Made at some point before 1776, it's creator was none other than John Cogdell of London.

Dovetailed Case for a Gunmetal Shoulder Plane by James E. Price

Tue, 4 Apr 2017 18:56:23 -0600

Today I am making a dovetailed case for a gunmetal shoulder plane.

The wood I selected is red gum and it was cut from a 2x4 that was left in a cistern loft in my 1893 Queen Anne home. The loft contains a huge metal-lined timbered cistern that filled with rainwater from the roof and provided water to two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a laundry room well into the 20th Century.

The workmen used red gum 2x4's to provide temporary bracing when the cistern was built and, left them stacked against a wall where they stayed until I removed one last week to use in the constructions of a dovetailed box.

Getting Over the Blues by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 3 Apr 2017 18:13:25 -0600

It was a glorious day in Kent this morning. Even ALFIE was keen to bound out to the workshop!!

Ten minutes later we both realized the error we had made - it was freezing! So we both said "sod this for a game of monkeys!", grabbed a bag of carving chisels in need of fettling and a few chemicals and dashed inside to warm up with a lovely coffee to set up shop in the kitchen.

I have mentioned, I simply love the products from the fine American company BIRCHWOOD CASEY, of TRU-OIL, my favorite finish. But I don't think I've talked about their other gun products, so here we go.

Guns are like tools - they're made of steel, exposed to damp conditions and rust if you don't look after them. So my thinking is that if you can go out shooting grouse in the Scottish Highlands with them to no ill effect, then their products should protect chisels in a workshop in Kent.

John Sym's Sash Fillister by Richard Arnold

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 09:59:49 -0600

My latest find is a superb sash fillister by John Sym of Westminster, London, 1753-1803.

The overall color and patina of this plane is just about perfect. There is no substitute for over 200 years of workshop life. It has the uncommon cupids bow escapement.

There are a number of interesting features on this plane. The ball finial for the depth stop is unusual.

Centering Jig by James E. Price

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:58:16 -0600

I went to the local open-air flea market in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on Friday as I have all my life.

It is called, "The Sale Barn" and used to be a place where livestock was sold but the pens, barns, and arena are long gone. Starting before I was born folks brought in their junk and used items to sell out of their trucks and cars.

Friday I saw a nice gunsmithing tool and purchased it for $2.00. I recognized it as a centering jig to locate and drill the screw holes when mounting telescopic sights on rifles. This was made by Williams and currently retails for $100-$130 so I got a major bargain.

Preparing for Winter in November, 2016 by James E. Price

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 08:21:26 -0600

Although the winter is almost over, the following post will be useful for winter coming in 2017.

It was a beautiful day on The Ozark Border. It was November 2016 and the winter was around the corner. I decided this afternoon to inspect and wipe down my shoulder planes and get them ready for winter. Our summer was very humid but I found no rust or tarnish on any of the planes.

I pulled out a couple of rabbet planes as well as my gunmetal long jointer for inspection and I have never built a case for the latter so that will be a project when the snow flies. The planes looked like they did when I last used them, wiped them, and put them in their cases.

Making of an Ebony and Boxwood Square by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 19:36:16 -0600

After making the ebony and boxwood mini jack I had some small off-cuts.

Normally these would be chucked in the scrap box but such is the value of these fine woods that even small pieces need to be made into something. So I set about making my version of the Moxon/Roubo square as depicted in their drawings.

A remarkably easy job you'd think but to get it accurate needs care and attention.

The Hardware Cabinet - part 2 by Will Myers

Sat, 25 Mar 2017 22:54:28 -0600

The original hardware cabinet seems to have been made entirely from old crating and cigar boxes. Most of its various parts have the remains of labels, writing and empty nail holes. So, in other words, it was built from scrap. There are several different species of wood but the great majority is old growth white pine. There are also a few drawer sides made of poplar and cypress.

One positive to building a cabinet like this is that other than the case itself, you can utilize short scrap pieces of wood. The cabinet I am building here is made entirely of white pine. I use white pine a lot and have pretty good scrap pile of short pieces I can’t seem to throw away. One recommendation I would make is that whatever kind of wood you use, choose a softwood. Softwoods can handle nailing without pre drilling for the most part and are much easier to cut dados in. This thing has a bunch of nails and dados!

My Study of Plane Fences Continuing by James E. Price

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:46:38 -0600

Thanks to a bitterly cold day, I got in some good shop time and continued my study of plane fences that can be made for less than $5.00.

Some beginners may want an edge trimming plane but do not want to spend $75-$150 for a Stanley 95 or a Lie Nielson equivalent.

This one I made out of Sepele wood. I also dug around in my vintage hardware stash and found two brass finials to adorn the mahogany jointer fence I made yesterday. Both fences work perfectly in planing edges of boards for joining. Consider making one; you'll like using it.

Joiner Plane Fence on the Budget by James E. Price

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 18:48:12 -0600

I recently wrote a post on detachable fences for jointer planes. All of the examples in the post were manufactured.

Most of them are collectible and rather expensive for a beginning unplugged woodworker on a fixed budget which got me in the mindset to design and make a fence for less than $5.00.

It had to be simple and require no metalworking. It had to be designed so it would stay tightly secured to the plane and be exactly 90 degrees to the sole. The piece of hardware I settled on to accomplish this is an elevator bolt.

Plum Moulding Plane by Richard Arnold

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 17:52:27 -0600

Not all moulding planes are made of Beech.

This early 18th century moulding plane is made of Plum wood. Quite a few early planes turn up made of various fruit woods.

This example also sports a rather unusual wedge shape as well. The round profile is nicely marked out with a compass. It is also another example of a plane with the "IC" mark.

Center Marking Gauges by James E. Price

Tue, 21 Mar 2017 19:56:05 -0600

Thank all of you for your interest in the dovetail gauges I discussed in my post sometime ago.

I looked around my bench for other layout tools that might interest you and settled on center marking gauges that I use frequently to scribe a line or mark a point in the exact center of a board.

These are highly akin to common marking gauges that scribe a line parallel go an edge but these instantly find center and scribe a line parallel to both edges.

Plow Plane Arm Repair by Jim Harvey

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:19:09 -0600

Broken planes is a subject that comes up often in the Facebook Unplugged Woodworking group.

Stripped threads are common on wooden planes that use threaded arms to position a fence. They usually break next to the arm’s foot as that is where the fence is most often needed.

This is my example, it will be my repair experiment. Years ago I demoted it to a kerfing plane by replacing both skates with a blade cut from an old rip saw. I screwed an inch and a half spacer block on the fence to skip over the defective threads, which worked, but is awkward and heavy. I’m going to simply cut out the defective section, which will shorten the range of the plane, but who plows grooves six inches out anyway.

Knight after Knight by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 04:57:08 -0600

This month me and Ron Harper made a deal - a Belgian coticule for a Steve Knight's moving fillister, a left handed one!

A grand deal for both of us and for Her Majesty who managed to squirrel money out of me to let it in the country! Someone should tell the Border control chaps that we have a "special relationship!" Still, I am absolutely thrilled.

Those of you who may not be familiar with KNIGHT TOOLWORKS may think them primitive but Steve was a rare genius, akin to Krenov, caring more for fine functionality and performance than esthetics.

Stanley 386 "Cheater" Fence by James E. Price

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 17:01:42 -0600

My New Year's resolution is to finish some little projects that I started but never finished.

Last November I bought a Stanley 386 cheater fence for jointing because it has screw holes in it for the mounting of a wooden addition to the metal fence.

I selected a piece of scrap Sepele wood and put it with the 386 fence and that is as far as I got. So, I grabbed some time this afternoon and made the wooden face for the fence.

Very Old Chisel by Richard Arnold

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:23:46 -0600

This hexagonal socket chisel was made by the edge tool maker, Samuel Freeth, and probably dates to somewhere between 1680 to 1710.

This type of socket was short lived in England and probably died out when edge tool manufacture moved from the Black Country to Sheffield in the mid 18th century.

English Gunmetal Chariot Plane by James E. Price

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 17:09:06 -0600

This English gunmetal chariot plane with ebony infill recently found a home with me.

The front ebony infill is flush, or overstuffed, on one side but on the other side it is totally inside the body.

I think some previous owner sawed the overstuff off that side but it was done long, long ago. I have used chariot planes like this many years and I see no advantage if having an asymmetrical front bun.

My Favorite Things by James E. Price

Wed, 8 Mar 2017 16:54:18 -0700

Various craftsmen have posted photos of their favorite tools which inspired me to pick some of the tools which are essential in making dovetails.

Without proper gauges the layout chore is difficult as I learned long ago attempting to lay out tails with an adjustable miter square.

Over the years I have purchased and made the gauges in the first four photos. The second photo shows those I have made out of scraps. The one on the upper right in the second photo has an inlay of ebony and deer bone that interlock with dovetails.

The Hardware Cabinet - part 1 by Will Myers

Tue, 7 Mar 2017 09:20:30 -0700

One thing my wife I have both always enjoyed to do together is visit antique shops. I am always on the lookout for old tools and furniture.

I do pick up an occasional tool, but as far as furniture goes, I am more in the market for the inspiration old furniture has to offer than actually wanting to own it.

If I see a piece that interests me the store owners are usually happy to let me take photos and measurements (always ask permission first!). All in all we rarely buy much on these trips, just the occasional interesting trinket or old saw.

Howarth's "Sheffield Pad" Brace by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 11:11:42 -0700

James Howarth is one of my favorite names amongst the Sheffield edge tool businesses. His irons are commonly found in 19th century planes, yet he was far more than that. He produced many tools in the mid 1800s and this beautiful "Sheffield Pad" brace is testament to that.

Listed as "edge tool maker, engraver, die sinkers' tool and cast steel auger maker, saw file and hammer maker" the company was liquidated in 1912.

Hollow Auger by James E. Price

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 14:20:45 -0700

I just got home from the post office with this tool from Martin Donnelly.

When I saw a photo of it on eBay I knew it belonged in my collection because I have collected hollow augers for well over 50 years and have never seen one made from a rabbet plane.

It has a handforged three-post tang so it could be rotated with a brace and a rabbet plane bolted to a block of wood with a hole in it. I will give this wonderfully ingenious tool a gentle cleaning, hone the blade, and determine how well it works.

Thomas Moodey - 18th Century Plough Plane by Richard Arnold

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 11:12:37 -0700

Collecting 18th century ploughs is something of a passion of mine and this is the first example I ever found.

The plane is marked Moodey, and is almost certainly by Thomas Moodey of Birmingham.

It is now thought that the earlier planes marked Moodey, Worcester, were by his father.

However, judging from the wedge shape of this example I would put it at around 1760, which would make it likely to be by Thomas.

This is a Stick Up! by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 13:17:07 -0700

A few tools are considered uniquely British but few are more deserving of this definition than the old "pig sticker" mortise chisel.

Still made in England today, this design hasn't changed much in more than two centuries, proof if it were needed that it was perfect to begin with.

The strength of this style of mortise chisel is pretty obvious - brute force and virtual indestructibility.

Sharpened up with a flat or even slightly convex bevel, these chisel can be pounded to cut and levered hard to remove waste.

Building a Kerfing Plane by Kat Beers-McCormick

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 17:55:08 -0700

I am a woodworker who works 100% without power tools. I needed to make a tool to re-saw thick boards into thinner boards and to make my own banding and veneers.

Tom Fidgen’s kerfing plane was the tool I needed to build. I used the design in Tom’s book, The Unplugged Woodshop, for the plane and added a moveable bridle fence of my own design.

1840’s Plow Plane Tune Up by Jason Stamper

Mon, 13 Feb 2017 17:52:52 -0700

I have had this little 1840’s plow plane for a few years now and it has been a great tool.

A while back I did a whole write up on it that you can see here. This has been a dandy little plane and performed very well over the few years I’ve owned it. However, lately I’ve noticed that if I am cutting a deeper groove a problem arises.

What happens is that the plane begins to bind up, as it gets deeper into the cut. I thought about the problem for a while and finally came up with the solution. The answer is actually quite simple, and one a craftsman of old would have easily understood.

English Joiners' Mallet by James E. Price

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 16:36:25 -0700

I have heard quite a few discussions concerning mallets but I have seen no reference to fine English joiners' mallets.

I guess it is up to me to discuss one. I have used this particular mallet for several years and find it to be just the right one for tapping mortise and tenons together. It weighs about two pounds and behaves for me much like a deadblow mallet, you know, the orange plastic ones with the oil and lead shot in them.

I use it only for assembly of joints and find it ill suited for striking chisels. The way the handle holds the two lignum vitae inserts into the heavy gunmetal casting is intriguing.

Making a Winding Sticks by Jim Hendricks

Tue, 7 Feb 2017 15:49:01 -0700

The trouble with wandering into the mysterious world of real woodworking, aka - making furniture, is that you need a whole bunch of new gizmos to do it properly!

The benefit of being an amateur woodworker i.e. a toolmaker is that you can make these gizmos!

Apparently, to make cabinets you need winding sticks. I often see people peering at them and go "umph" and then whittling a bit more stock off a board!

So I went in search of old Georgian ones. There are two things wrong with this plan. Firstly, most are warped but more importantly, they are so rare that you have to remortgage the house to buy them!

18th Century British Button Pad Stock Braces by Richard Arnold

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 09:39:22 -0700

At a recent East Midlands TATHS meeting we had a discussion about early braces.

The first button pads to appear were made of iron rather than the usual brass examples commonly seen right through the 19th century.

The middle example is marked "Freeth" There are two possible candidates that may have been the maker. Firstly, Benjamin Freeth of Birmingham who is listed in 1770 as being a gimlet and auger maker, or from the same 1770 directory, Samuel and Samson Freeth, Edge tool makers, and factors.

Robert Towell Mitre-The Good..The Bad.. and The Ugly - P. 1 by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 12:11:02 -0700

One great thing about handling loads of infill planes is that you get to recognize quality, even when it's heavily disguised.

I was busy working on e-BORE in the back room today when ALFIE! came rushing in telling me the man from Royal Mail Parcels was at the door! This was really helpful because I didn't hear the knock and he had a very special package for me.

This ugly brute was one such example on eBay UK. Starting at a low price, the auction strangely timed to end at 8am on a Monday and nobody else seemed bothered so I was the only bidder.

17th century Cooper's Plane by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 21:58:05 -0700

I mentioned this cooper's plane before but could not find anything about it.

David Russell collection to the rescue, as is often the case...
Caption from Russell's fine book "Antique Woodworking Tools" shows and explains it clearly.

And here is my plane... exactly the same. Definitely oak... Holm oak... have to look that up!

Stan Shaw, a Sheffield Pocket-knife Maker by Geoffrey Tweedale

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 14:51:23 -0700

In early December 2016, I dropped in on an old friend – Stan Shaw – at Kelham Island Industrial Museum in Sheffield.

I’ve known him for about 30 years, which is about the span of his career as an independent pocket-knife maker. However, his working life as a cutler goes back much further than that, as a premier craftsman at some of Sheffield’s leading firms. He began in the trade 75 years ago and has been making high-quality knives ever since.

An Interesting Electrical Power Plant - The Iron Age, Vol.55, June 13, 1895, (New York: David Williams, Publisher and Proprietor).

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:05:44 -0700

The Simonds Mfg. Company of Fitchburg, Mass., were among the first of the manufacturers in New England to realize the immense advantages to be derived from the electrical distribution of power, particularly where water power, otherwise unavailable, could be utilized to furnish the initial energy.

Wanoosnoc Brook, which has a flow of about 2000 cubic feet per minute, and which has a rapid descent through a gorge some 3 miles from the city of Fitchburg, furnished to the Simonds Company a ready means of substituting water power for that of steam in their works.

Multitool for Bit Braces by James E. Price

Thu, 8 Dec 2016 20:47:43 -0700

It is one of the rarest tools that can be affixed in the chuck of a brace.

Today I share a bitstock tool from my collection. Once affixed in a brace the user has a choice of six tools that can be deployed forward and used.

Choices are a center bit, a quill bit, a turnscrew bit, a square reamer, a countersink bit, and a spoon bit. A patent is associated with this cluster of bitstock tools. It was issued to Alexander and John Clarke on March 18, 1890 and assigned Patent Number 423,513.

18th Century Dovetail Saw, Unknown Maker by Mari Subritzky

Wed, 7 Dec 2016 19:46:11 -0700

My friend, Mari Subritzky from Melbourne, AU, send me pictures and short description on a saw she recently found. She writes:

"I suspect that it could be a very early saw, so I'm very interested to hear others' views on the age or possible origin of the saw.

It's 8" long, a tapered brass back that is very rounded on the top, the tiny handle is only 5/8" thick, the saw plate is 15thou thick, 13.5ppi & a rip profile. What I find attractive about this saw is the double horn cut outs at the top & bottom of the handle, I've seen a few early saws but I haven't seen that shape on a handle before.

Breaking the Mould - Building Unconventional Try Plane, Inspired by Three Centuries of British Plane Making by Richard Arnold

Sat, 3 Dec 2016 09:43:18 -0700

The classic 22” beech try plane has not altered in form much since the middle of the 18th century.

Having recently finished making a version of an early 18th century jack plane, I decided it might be nice to make a try plane to partner it.

Rather than sticking to the tried and tested formula I have set out to address some of the issues I had with the design, and drawing inspiration from a number of planes in my own collection, endeavored to come up with a fresh approach to this planes build.

Repair of a Complex, Standing Fillister by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 2 Dec 2016 05:52:11 -0700

I love planes by the "MOONS" as their workshop was around the corner from where I first worked... also many moons ago!!

This beautifully plane was made by by Thos. or John Moon sometime during 1795 - 1828 time period. Their shop was located at 145 St. Martins Lane, London.

The plane has a skewed iron and wedged nicker along with a screwed brass depth stop. The feature that really attracted me to this example was the "boxing". In this case it isn't just boxwood. Ebony is also added to a fillet on the corner. Unfortunately, the whole rear section of ebony was missing.

Box for Two English Smoothers by James E. Price

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 06:47:05 -0700

If you have followed my posts you have seen photos of several cases I have made to protect fine tools both on my shop shelf and for transport my woodworking demonstrations at National Park Service cultural events. Most of the cases I have made hold a single tool or an assortment of small related tools.

Yesterday I decided to containerize two handmade English smoothers that I frequently use. Thoughts of design have been in my head for months. Through careful planning I was able to fit the two smoothers into a case only 10 inches by 10 inches.

Remarkable Record of William H. Hart of the Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn.

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 06:45:57 -0700

Having for sixty consecutive years been honored with election to an executive office of the Stanley Works in New Britain and a good share of that time holding two important such capacities at once, William H. Hart, eighty years old, resigned as president on February 16 at the annual meeting of the stockholders.
He accepted a newly created office of chairman of the board of directors.

George P. Hart, son of William H. Hart, was elected to fill the presidency made vacant by his father’s resignation.

E. Allen Moore, his son-in law, was made vice-president. Another son of Chairman Hart, Walter H. Hart, was elected to the newly created position of assistant secretary.

The Making of the Cast Iron Carpenters’ Plane at the Stanley Rule & Level Company - The Iron Age, Vol. 62

Sat, 26 Nov 2016 08:05:59 -0700

Few in the trade, and perhaps none out of it, appreciate fully the time, care, skill and peculiar refinement displayed in the manufacture of the highest grade iron body carpenters’ plane.

A mere statement of the steps essential to the production of this tool would be a revelation to 99 per cent of those who handled it.

A book would be required to describe fully all the processes through which the raw materials pass. A lump of cast iron and a plate of steel are united in a product which is absolutely reliable and absolutely accurate in every way.

Unusual 18th Century Rebate Plane by Richard Arnold

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 11:28:27 -0700

When the 3rd addition of British Plane Makers was published the maker of this unusual plane was still something of a mystery.

S. Tomkinson mark was presumed to be from the Birmingham area due to the unusual form of the stamp, but we now know that the true identity of this maker is Samuel Tomkinson of London.

Replacing a Wedge on 18th Century Plane

Sat, 12 Nov 2016 09:42:24 -0700

I recently won a mystery 18th century bead moulding plane on eBay UK for a tenner.

The wedge have long been replaced by a broken old oak mock up and I need to make a replacement for it.

I bought this moulding plane for the magnificent owner's mark TST.

Wheeler's Patented Countersink by James E. Price

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:08:50 -0600

Following my last post on the D. F. Barber countersink, Michael Dulong commented he has a Wheeler's Patent countersink with an 1870 patent date imprinted on it.

This post provides more detail on Wheeler's Patent countersinks. It is not hard to find this countersink. The hard part is finding the depth gauge that attaches to it.

Asa Wheeler of Battleborough patented the countersink on April 12, 1870 and it was issued Patent number 101,796. The following year, 1871, Wheeler patented the depth gauge for his countersink. It was issued Patent Number 116,901, issued on July 11, 1871. The first photo shows representative specimens I pulled from my collection.

Barber's Ingenious Countersink by James E. Price

Sat, 29 Oct 2016 15:50:52 -0600

One of the rarest and most ingenious countersinks was patented on August 3, 1880 by Daniel F. Barber.

It is a transformer tool and is the only tool I am aware of that not only cuts a countersink but also serves as a dowel pointer. Look and the photos and I think you will agree that Barber was a mechanical genius.

And, by the way, he is the same mechanical genius who patented the shell chuck that is on 95% of the braces you find.

Rebuilding Gabriel Moving Fillister, part 2 by Jim Jim Hendricks

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 18:36:02 -0600

I whittled some English boxwood down to start making the replacement depth stop but overnight I decided to use beech instead.

Chatting with Ollie Sparks and Richard Arnold about the form it should take and they suggested a few examples. One was very close and I decided to do a good prototype to see if it will work.

The second thought I had was that an English boxwood depth stop, though nice, would be non-stock and may look just wrong. So... here is the process for making one in beech.

Rebuilding Gabriel Moving Fillister, part 1 by Jim Jim Hendricks

Tue, 18 Oct 2016 21:19:25 -0600

At the David Stanley auction on Saturday, a friend of mine Richard Arnold and Andy Brown aka Andy "Tools 'n Tat" presented me with a rather sorry plane.

He said: "This is for you Jim, a present... firstly because it's a Gabriel and I know you love Gabriels but mostly because I know you'd love to bring it back to life!"

Yah RIGHT!! Andy!!I

I will be doing this slowly and document each part in case there are any other eegits out there tempted to do the same!

English Corner or Miter Clamps, Part 2 by James E. Price

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:41:19 -0600

Thanks for all the interest in the Preston corner or miter clamp which was the subject of my previous article.

I was inspired to show you similar English corner clamps that I have used several years.

Unlike American corner clamps that have two threaded shafts that exert force at 90 degrees one to the other, English clamps have but one screw that approaches the corner at a right angle.

I have selected clamps that illustrate the range in sizes and the way force is exerted on the wooden workpieces. All of these clamps work well and are very robust. Now that you know what an English corner clamp looks like, you can be on the lookout for one.

Early Tenon Saw - Iron Back, 14-5/8 inch long, 13 PPI, Closed Handle, Crosscut profile by Tony Waldis

Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:09:38 -0600

This is an iron back tenon saw by Beardshaw and Son which shows signs of having been shortened from the toe.

The blade is 14 and 5/8 inches long with a depth at the toe of 3 and 1/4 inches and at the heel of 3 and 3/8 inches. The average thickness of the blade is 0.030 inch. The teeth are 10 PPI crosscut profile with a rake of about 15 degrees and fleam of 15 degrees.

The closed London Pattern handle is fixed by three iron rivets, one of which seems to have had a brass washer added as a repair. It is not clear whether the rivets are original but the holes look to be angle countersunk rather than having been drilled for split nuts and screws.

English Corner or Miter Clamps by James E. Price

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 12:32:31 -0600

For those of you who are not familiar with what English corner or miter clamps look like, this post is for you.

We are all familiar with the ubiquitous Craftsmen corner clamps that can be found in yard sales here in the U.S. They are not the greatest quality and are often found broken or with the slide bars bent.

Over the years I have fallen in love with English corner clamps which are quite different and perform extremely well. Yesterday at a tool show I purchased a Preston corner clamp to add to my clamps.

Building a Complex Moulding Plane, part 1 by Amy H. McAuley

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:16:01 -0600

When I first started building planes I really had no idea what I was doing.

In my mind the most logical place to start with it was to look at the types of planes I needed to build for my work.

The planes that I use most often are sprung sash planes. These are side escapement types that run at an angle instead of vertically.

So when I built my first plane I used the only sprung sash plane I owned as my template and made all the angles to match. The plane worked and functioned as I had wanted. I consulted with a couple of books, namely John Whelan’s book Making Traditional Wooden Planes and felt pretty comfortable building this one type of plane after half a dozen or so.

J. Taylor & Son - Patented Combination Saw, 24 inch.

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 10:33:33 -0600

In early 1870s Taylor Brothers announced several new features for various types of saws, including "long" crosscut saws, circular saws and hand saws. One of these designs was a Patented Combination Saw.

The idea of a Combination Saw was not new. It was originally designed and patented in United States by Jackson Gorham in 1856 (patent No. 14,863) and improved by Hiram Smith in 1858 (patent no. 20,313). Both patents were assigned to Henry Disston and saws based on these patents were produced for many years.

However, the design was never patented in United Kingdom and saws were never produced by English sawmakers until Taylor Brothers took on the task.

Design of an Early 18th Century Jack Plane by Richard Arnold

Thu, 6 Oct 2016 18:35:50 -0600

For a number of years now I have been playing around with the design of an early 18th century jack plane.

I have drawn inspiration from the planes illustrated on the John Jennion trade card as these are the only clue as to what form they may have taken.

This is because as yet no one has managed to find an original example.

My Various Shoot Boards by James E. Price

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:23:53 -0600

I wanted to show you some other shoot boards I use in my work. I have used shooting boards since the mid-1970's, particularly in making small boxes. I have one long shooting board for full-sized miter planes and two smaller scale ones. The big one is 36 inches in length and made of willow oak.

This is the shooting board setup that I most frequently use. It will allow the shooting of both 90's and right and left 45's. In order to shoot a left 45 on moldings I have to use a plane other than the one in the photo.

New Bench for Saw Sharpening and more, part 2 by Mike Hagemyer

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 16:38:16 -0600

Here are the vise components all cleaned up and painted. I have also got the bench top nearly done. The vise housing is pocketed into the top and fastened. In order to not compromise the main purpose for this bench, I decided to stick with my original thinking and put the vise in the middle.

The work will be centered at the front with all my sharpening tools behind, in easy reach. I still need to build a lower shelf and the tool tray but first I will finish up the vise and add an apron to the front of the bench top. With that done I will be able to actually use the bench and vise to help make the rest of the components.

Tooling Up for Next Project by Amy Harrington McAuley

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 09:30:27 -0600

One of my big yearlong projects this year is the restoration of North Head Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Park, Ilwaco WA.

The lighthouse was constructed in 1897. Carl Leick was the architect of this lighthouse along with 24 other structures in the Northwest. As the mouth of the Columbia River is treacherous in the best of weather, mariners where complaining that the earlier built light at the mouth was insufficient for ships coming out of the North.

The following 2 pictures are of the lighthouse in its current state. The restoration currently underway is a multi-phased project that will go on for a couple of years.

Recreating a Robert Wooding's Panel Raiser by Richard Arnold

Sat, 17 Sep 2016 05:35:09 -0600

Collecting old tools is something I’m sure we all enjoy, but for myself, I’m always fascinated by how they may have been used, and also how well they performed.

Many old tools can be restored and be used, but sometimes they are ether to badly damaged, or of such historical importance that it would be inappropriate to use them.

This panel plane by Robert Wooding is a good example. It is a very early specimen of this maker's work.

Christopher Gabriel - London, GB: Sash Saw - Brass Back, 13.75 inch long, 9 PPI by Rob Brophy

Tue, 6 Sep 2016 07:46:34 -0600

The first saw with GABRIEL stamp mark ever reported was found in Canada a decade or so ago by Rob Brophy.

Now we can see this saw that came from the business of Christopher Gabriel, a plane maker and dealer in carpenters’ tools, 1770-1822, London, GB.

Christopher Gabriel and his business became well known through the research of William Goodman and subsequent publication of a book by Jane and Mark Rees, “Christopher Gabriel and the Tool Trade in 18th Century London.” It is also well known that the saws in Seaton chest came from the shop of Christopher Gabriel.

The First Iron Casting in America by Albert Spies, Cassier's Magazine, 1894

Sun, 4 Sep 2016 19:29:29 -0600

Among the riches of mineral wealth and the products of the metallurgical arts in the Mining Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition, in Chicago [1893], there was not anything which attracted more serious interest on the part of those acquainted with the founding of metals, than a modest glass case in the gallery of the building, containing a tiny iron kettle, of about one quart capacity, swinging on a miniature crane.

The cause of this attraction was not due to any peculiarity of design or material, or skill in workmanship, but to the fact that the kettle was well authenticated as the first casting made in America and the precursor of the vast iron industry of the country.

The kettle was cast at the Saugus Iron Works at Lynn, Mass., in 1642, probably in the autumn, and was given to Thomas Hudson, as the consideration for sixty acres of land, comprising a portion of the iron works property.

Spear & Jackson’s Improved Pattern Silver Steel Handsaw - Work magazine, 1889

Fri, 2 Sep 2016 14:00:36 -0600

This excellent saw, described in Messrs. Spear & Jackson's price list as No. 1887 - a number which, perhaps, it will be well to quote in giving orders – is in every respect a nice tool to look at and a capital tool to handle and work with.

An old professional to whom I showed it, one of the best handreilers in the United Kingdom, fairly smiled with pleasure as he took the specimen saw sent to me into his hands, and examined it from handle to point with the utmost interest.

"Yes, that's something like a saw," he said, as he handed it back to me with a lingering touch, and then asked the price, us though he would have liked to have made it his own.

Henry Brown - Birmingham, GB: Reeding Plane by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 2 Sep 2016 13:59:16 -0600

It would seem that even back in Georgian times there was snobbery. Henry opened his workshop in 1797 in Fazey St. Birmingham in the Midlands of England - the "provinces" as they were known.

So why then is this gorgeous reeding plane marked "LONDON"? Goodman in BPM3 suggests that they may have been for export, as one such plane was found in Australia.

Personally, I reckon he was just a snob and it was far more prestigious to say they were made in London, as provincial plane making was very much in its infancy, with only seven commercial makers in the city compared with over twenty in the capital.

Goodell-Pratt Company Complete Catalog No. 8, 1907

Fri, 2 Sep 2016 13:57:43 -0600

This Catalog contains more than fifty NEW tools in addition to those shown in our last edition; the extent of this addition to our line can only be understood by a careful study of the 208 pages which go to make up this little volume.

WARRANTY

Every article of our manufacture is warranted against imperfections of material, or defects in workmanship, and when so defective will be repaired or replaced without charge, but under no consideration will we assume the responsibility for breakage or for regular wear and tear, neither do we hold ourselves responsible where purchasers of our tools or machines take them to pieces and in reassembling fail to put the parts in proper place.

Tool Blocks for Storage by James E. Price

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 04:30:13 -0600

t seems like I have lots of little specialty tools that I often reach for and in order to keep them organized and within easy reach, I keep them in tool blocks mounted on my shop wall.

The design of my tool blocks did not come from me but from a primitive lamp or candle shelf on the wall of an old log cabin here in the Missouri Ozarks.

Christopher Gabriel, London, GB: Tenon Saw - Iron Back, 13.5 inch long 7 PPI by Anthony Waldis

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 11:05:19 -0600

It is very rare occasion to see a saw from early 19th century. It is even bigger surprise to see a saw that came from the business of Christopher Gabriel, a plane maker and dealer in carpenters’ tools, 1770-1822, London, GB.

Christopher Gabriel and his business became well known through the research of William Goodman and subsequent publication of a book by Jane and Mark Rees, “Christopher Gabriel and the Tool Trade in 18th Century London.

According to sources, C. Gabriel did not make saws in his business. As a dealer, he purchased saws and other metal tools from outside suppliers and marked them with his name. This saw is one of only two known examples marked by C. Gabriel. WK

Boxing Mr. Cox, part 2 by Jim Hendricks

Sat, 20 Aug 2016 09:51:18 -0600

In this second part of my article on the replacement of old worn boxing on an 18th Century 1/2" bead moulding plane, I shall be showing how the boxing slices are refined to match the old profile.

But first we need to make a scratch stock. Let's do it ...

First, I found a piece of spring steel... in this case an old and blunt disposable Japanese saw blade. Never throw old blades away... they make excellent scratch blades and cabinet scrapers!

I "blued" it with spray engineer's "blue", but a permanent marker works just as well...

Boxing Mr. Cox, part 1 by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 08:13:40 -0600

Some weeks ago Douglas Claytor showed me a half inch bead moulding plane by John Cox, Deritend, Birmingham, 1770-1843.

Clearly, this plane has been making beads since then, judging by the astounding boxing wear! The front has worn all the way down to the profile base and this will render it very difficult to engage at the start of the cut.

How To Sharpen a Router Plane Blade by Jim Harvey

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 10:42:36 -0600

I have a couple of Stanley 71 router planes.

The cutters are difficult to sharpen because the bevel is blocked by the shaft that connects the foot with the plane.

Last weekend, at a Midwest Tool Collectors show, I acquired a Stanley 271 which is similar to the 71 but only about a third of the size.

New Life for an Old Knife and More by Mike Hagemyer

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 17:35:52 -0600

Here is a recent junk store find that I hope will restore to a usable tool.

It is for sure a bit rusty right now but it has a nice shape with plenty of blade left. In this state it looks unmarked and old. It is obviously hand forged with no frills.

The handle tangs are squared and tapered. They extend through the handle caps and are peened neatly over the thin metal caps. The handles are a little loose but still in fairly good shape.

Two Small Precision Planes by James E. Price

Sat, 23 Jul 2016 02:49:28 -0600

I don't have a story to go with these planes other than I made them six years ago.

I needed some precision planes, bigger than violin thumb planes but smaller than most manufactured planes, so I came up with designs for planes at the scale I needed.

Two Small Planes by James E. Price

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 14:04:27 -0600

These photos show two planes I made at the same time I made the planes in my last post.

The top one is actually a little jointer plane that I use to make perfect edges on little boards for tool cases. I find that it works for me better than a Stanley block plane which is much bigger.

Spear & Jackson, Ltd. - Catalogue of Saws and Tools, 1923

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 12:17:38 -0600

Research and Tool Making

Spear & Jackson claim to be the only firm specializing in saws and tools in the United Kingdom who have an up-to-date Research Department, and devote large sums yearly to experiments and tests.

This Department includes chemical, microscopic, and testing laboratories, and is equipped with every modern appliance required for this work.

Many thousand chemical analyses, and also thousands of tests for hardness, temper, and physical properties, are made every year.

Atkins Silver Steel Saws - Saw Sense - E. C. Atkins & Co., Inc., ca. 1930

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 05:30:48 -0600

THE SAW - The Most Important Tool in the Carpenter’s Kit

In order to do the best work with the least exertion, your saw must be made of the proper material and scientifically constructed.

Atkins Silver Steel Saws have marked an epoch in the history of the saw. They are not only made of the very best material, but are constructed on new, exclusive scientific principles which are instantly appreciated by the buyer of the tools.

Handbook on Saws - Henry Disston & Sons, Inc., 1912

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 15:50:15 -0600

This is downloadable catalog from 1912.

The numerous requests for information, particularly concerning Handsaws, various Tools and Files, etc., from those not interested in the larger Saws, Band and Circular, and Tools for the Saw Mill, led us to publish this portion of our regular Handbook.

The articles describing the making of the goods are essentially short, for to cite each individual operation would require many pages. Only the most important processes, therefore, are referred to; though, of course, the numerous intermediate steps also have an important bearing on the workmanship and efficiency of the finished tool.

Scythe Making at Abbeydale by Geoffrey Tweedale

Sat, 16 Jul 2016 05:23:18 -0600

If one wants to discover the roots of Sheffield’s tool industry, then – paradoxically – it is best to ignore inner city Sheffield and instead head for the countryside.

Around Sheffield is some of the country’s most beautiful scenery: a hilly and wooded landscape, riven by numerous streams and dotted with picturesque old buildings.

It seems distant from any industrial past, yet this was where Sheffield’s tool (and cutlery) industry began. The hills and valleys are riddled with scores of weirs, dams, and forges – witness to an era when water wheels for grinding lined the river banks.

In the 19th century, they made Sheffield the most important scythe and sickle making region in the country (indeed in the world).

Spear & Jackson, Ltd. - Catalogue of Saws and Tools, 1930.

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 22:54:34 -0600

Hand Saws for All Uses

Spear & Jackson are always seeking means to improve their Saws, and their latest innovation in the process of Saw manufacture is the special tempering now applied to all Spear & Jackson's high grade Saws.

This new process of tempering enables them to guarantee that all Saws so treated are uniform in temper and possess greater wear-resisting properties than any other make. We know of instances where our Saws are still doing as good work as ever for the grandsons of the original purchasers.

It should always be remembered that the Saws bearing Spear & Jackson's well-known trademarks are made from the firm's own special Saw Steel, and that each and every stage in the manufacture is carried out by the firm in its own workshops.

Early 1850s Backsaw with Triple-Cove Handle by H. Disston

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 10:01:06 -0600

Majority of saws with triple-cove handle found today are known as an early creations of Henry Disston.

Most were manufactured in late 1840's and early 1850s. This particular saw is even more valuable to collectors. It has a double-eagle stamp on the spine.

These saws are rather rare and not many have survived. They always dictate high prices. This particular saw was sold on eBay.com in July 2016 for $551.15.

Lignum Vitae Planes by James E. Price

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 04:36:50 -0600

Recently I purchased a Lignum vitae handled smooth plane to use with two others I had found a decade apart.

I have never understood why such quality planes do not demand a high price on the old tool market. A month ago I paid $10.00 for the handled smoother at auction with about 60 tool dealers and collectors present. I paid less than that for each of the other ones.

Saws - Hardware Edition catalog - E. C. Atkins & Co., Inc., 1906

Fri, 8 Jul 2016 19:42:46 -0600

We have the pleasure to submit herewith our Illustrated Catalogue, containing the complete line of saws, tools and specialties of our manufacture, with revised price lists, which supersede all previous lists.

We have made no radical changes in our general line, but have added quite a number of specialties to our list and invite your careful examination of the following pages wherein you will find comprehensive illustrations and descriptions of our complete production of Saws, Saw Tools and Specialties embracing the finest quality and most salable goods of the kind on the market.

Straightening bent, kinked and bowed handsaws by Mike Hagemyer

Thu, 7 Jul 2016 19:45:40 -0600

In the course of recovering old handsaws I have run onto many that have suffered bending damage of different degrees and some that I should have avoided but didn’t.

Today I will usually walk away from a saw that is badly bent up unless the price is awful low or the saw is special. However, I have to admit, for me it’s difficult to pass up some saws no matter what.

Tusk Tenons… How Strong Are They? by Will Myers

Sat, 2 Jul 2016 21:59:12 -0600

One of the questions most often asked about the Moravian workbench I wrote about a few years back, concerns the tusk tenons (aka keyed tenons) that are the backbone of the design.

The tusk tenons on the bench I built over four years ago have performed flawlessly. That bench is still the one I use primarily, it travels with me to classes and on other trips, assembled and taken apart scores of times.

Nevertheless, the keyed tenon seem to have a not so great reputation in the woodworking community. I think that this bad reputation comes not so much from the older forms of the joint, but from later times, more specifically arts and crafts furniture.

Mathieson Shoulder Plane by James E. Price

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:57:39 -0600

I recently attended a Great Planes Trading Company Auction in St. Peter's, Missouri and purchased the only two infill planes in the sale which included at least 400 planes.

The photos are of an Alex Mathieson shoulder plane that was advertised as being in new condition. I totally agree with that catalog description. It appears to have never been honed and used and has the finest throat have ever seen on any shoulder plane.

Gabon Ebony and English Boxwood Razee Jack-part 2 by Jim Hendricks

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 10:24:36 -0600

Having tuned the iron pocket, bed, and wedge I now had to cut a sliding dovetail for the handle. I am terrified... yes I sure am.

One slip now and a week and a lot of money down the tubes. A test dovetail was made using a test handle in apple. The only problem...I had no dimensioned apple... only a log!

The Controlled Split by Mike Hagemyer

Sun, 19 Jun 2016 21:42:10 -0600

Recently a friend was clearing a fence line on his farm and asked if I could use some fire wood.

No, I answered but what kind of wood would it be? Red oak was the reply. Is it clean wood or dead branches, I asked? He stated the tree had been hit by lightning but there was a pretty good size trunk.

Stanley 146 Match Plane by James E. Price

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 17:51:48 -0600

I have looked for quite some time for a 3/8th-inch Stanley 146 match plane at a reasonable price I have looked for quite some time for a 3/8th-inch Stanley 146 match plane at a reasonable price and one came my way recently at The Great Planes Trading Company antique tool auction in St. Peter's, Missouri.

I will probably do some match work with it but what I really wanted it for is for making sliding lids for small tool boxes. I figured out that I could use the grooving function on both margins of a lid and then plane one fin of the groove away to create the projections.

Gabon Ebony and English Boxwood Razee Jack-part 1 by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 10:45:16 -0600

Having discovered a good source of this fine rare wood, I decided to make a series of woodies.

I had thought to make a wedge-mouth mitre but in discussions with Ollie Sparks we both think this species too brittle to cope with a 20° bed... the rear mouth will almost certainly chip out.

The Simonds Saws & Knives Catalog - Simonds Manufacturing Co., 1912

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 11:36:11 -0600

In 1900 The Simonds Mfg. Co. presents hand saws for the first time at the International Universal Exposition in Paris.

In December of 1900 the company began operation of crucible steel plant in Chicago, adjacent to the long saws factory built in 1892.

Fitchburg factory was enlarged with addition dedicated to hand saws manufacturing.

The last of the good old Miter Boxes by Mike Hagemyer

Wed, 8 Jun 2016 19:54:20 -0600

Make it cheap, make it fast, make it loud and make it blow dust all over the place.

That seems to be the trend that started some years ago and has spiraled out of control. It is refreshing to see some folks reverting back to good old ways. This story is about another of my favorite good old tools, the Miter Box with matched saw.

Kerfing "Plane" MK.1, part 2 by Jim Hendricks

Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:09:29 -0600

Cutting the blade slot, fitting the saw nuts and blade and testing.

In order to cut the correct kerf I used a thin kerf Japanese saw, a replacement blade for this saw being used in the kerfing saw.

used saw nuts from Workshop Heaven to clamp the blade in the slot. Once done, I attached a temporary fence using a small cramp. The results were perfect!

Kerfing "Plane" MK.1, part 1 by Jim Hendricks

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:46:37 -0600

I mentioned how handy it would be to have a kerfing plane (saw) ala Tom Fidgen and I really wanted to use it solely for cutting veneers, so the fixed fence one would be good.

But I want to play with fences, brass rods, turning wheels, and ebony and boxwood. Doing this one first allows it to be a prototype for the handles, testing of the Japanese blade and generally practicing.

Cumberland Gap National Park Event, Part 3 by James E. Price

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 16:03:36 -0600

We were busy in The Heritage Shop at Ozark Scenic Riverways with my students making boxes for tools and supplies out of rived red oak boards.

The boxes are based on one I made a year ago with very primitive tools. They are laced together at the corners with leather or artificial sinew.

Today I got way down the road on making a box with a partition in the middle. Square nails of two sizes will be stored in this box and they will be used in the construction of wooden coffins.

Saw Tooth Shaping and Sharpening Process by Mike Hagemyer

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 01:17:39 -0600

Rather than trying to steer you through the structured monotony of learning the process I think it will be more fun for you and me to document a few complete restorations.

By the time I am done you will have experienced all the basics and more. I will try and reduce the strain by using many pictures and a little less preaching.

As we move along please be conscious of the order of things and forgive me for a little redundancy. It will be for a reason.

Cumberland Gap National Park Event, Part 2 by James E. Price

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 01:16:04 -0600

This post is a continuation of the one I did on making a leather strop (The Cumberland Gap) for putting that final polished edge on chisels, plane irons, drawknives, spokeshaves, and even axes. I made this one for a coffin making toolkit I will be using in a National Park Service demonstration at Cumberland Gap.

Understanding Handsaw Geometry and Terms by Mike Hagemyer

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 10:13:53 -0600

Though much has been written on this subject I feel there is room for more.

At the risk of redundancy hopefully I can clear some of the confusion. Also when I speak of certain features I want you to be able to come back here for reference when required. For clarity I will use specific names for certain features plus pictures and sketches that identify them.

Saw tooth geometry involves three major angles that must be understood; rake, fleam and slope.

Beardshaw & Son Brass Back Tenon Saw - 12 inch long & 12 PPI rip profile with 5 degrees of rake.

Mon, 7 Mar 2016 07:17:51 -0700

The Beardshaw & Son was one of the largest and long-lived company involved in production of various edge tools, including saws. They were early exporters of saws to US and Canada and many of these saws can still be found on American continent.

The medallion on this saw suggest that it was made specifically for export to US. However, the seller of this saw is my friend, Mari Subritzky from Melbourne, and it is a mystery how this saw landed in Australia. But than, Mari has many tools with mysterious history and you can see them on eBay.

This is an early tenon saw that I especially like.

Handsaw Rescue by Mike Hagemyer

Thu, 3 Mar 2016 16:48:44 -0700

Did I ever mention how much I hate aspiring artists who think they are being original by painting on a saw plate?

Now this doesn’t bother me quite so much if it is just a rusty old no name saw. However, it’s all too often that I run into a really nice century or so old Disston that could easily be put back to work.

This is the story of one such saw I recently rescued. That’s right; I hate painted saws so much that I usually buy them just so I can destroy the so called art. Truthfully, I only buy them if I want the saw.

Making Tapered Octagonal Tool Handles the Traditional Way by James E. Price

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 06:01:12 -0700

In about a month and a half I will be doing a frontier coffin making demonstration at Cumberland Gap National Park and will be using original tools that were in use at the time Daniel Boone and others guided thousands of settlers westward through The Gap.

The target dates are circa 1785-1815. I have some 18th Century chisels with original handles but I do not want to use them so I am putting handles on some that are not quite so historically significant.

I selected a William Butcher chisel and will make a tapered octagonal handle for it. It is a decade or two later than 1815 but will look enough like an earlier chisel that it will pass as one. I selected a piece of dense dogwood for the new handle. It is so dense that it almost looks like boxwood.

Small Layout Tools by James E. Price

Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:22:57 -0700

I make lots of small things and small layout tools are necessary.

I soon found out that big slitting gauges, panel marking gauges, and squares just wouldn't work so I made some miniature tools which have worked well for me.

The first photo shows three of the tools I made and have used for about 20 years. There is a nickel in the photo for scale.

Boring Hole With Fire by James E. Price

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 10:03:46 -0700

For eons mankind has made holes through wood with burning awls or augers.

I seldom see any current woodworkers using this method to make perfectly round or square holes in wooden workpieces.

When I was but a youngster burning augers were common here in the Missouri Ozarks and were often used by blacksmith's to make bolt holes in wooden wagon parts. But their use was not limited to smiths because I remember a man named Punk Murray sitting by a small fire in his yard burning holes in wood with a burning awl.

R. Hoe & Co. - New York Printing Machine, Press, and Saw Works - The United States Magazine, Vol. 1, March 1854, (New York: I. M. Emerson & Co.)

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:10:52 -0700

You are most likely thinking that this time I am going too far with a guy who designed printers. But there is another side of Robert Hoe and his enterprise. He became one of the most important sawmaker in late 1820s and 1830s. His shop produced circular saws from cast steel provided by Sanderson Brothers, Sheffield. There are a few examples of hand saws made by Hoe as well, but this was only very small part of his saw production.

I will show a sample of his dovetail saw at the end of the article.

Taylor Brothers German Steel 26" rip saw by Mari Subritzky

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 17:05:10 -0700

I thought that I would share a recent find with you.

A Taylor Brothers 26" rip saw, stamped with "German Steel" & Taylor Brothers in the center of the blade. Toward the handle it has the serpentine "Made for Use" stamp.

The unusual thing on this saw is that it has a secondary die stamp on the reverse back side of the blade just off center, "Blyth Brothers Sole Importers".

This saw was found in Melbourne Australia, it's a curious thing, sole importers to Melbourne, or some OTHER place... ?

At the Sign of the Three Plains by Jim Hendricka

Mon, 7 Dec 2015 14:00:53 -0700

From the first day I opened the wonderful book by Bill Goodman: “British Planemakers from 1700” at the first page, I was struck by the trade card of JOHN JENNION, 1732-57. The wonderful “cartouche” depicting the tools they sold started me on a long and interesting journey of discovery of the fine British wooden plane the tool that built an Empire!

In this, the first of a series of articles about key players in the making of these historical gems, I shall start at the beginning. Well, it’s the beginning for now, but discoveries are always coming to light, .pushing back the boundaries of time before 1700 and it excites me to think of what is yet to be discovered.

I intend to follow the history of each maker, in detail where I have an example of their wares and in passing when I don’t. There are a number of roots to famous makers and this one starts, not with John Jennion at all but a few steps further back with his master, Robert Wooding and his master before him Thomas Granford.

Patent Bracket-saw Frame by Henry L. Pratt

Wed, 2 Dec 2015 12:35:57 -0700

In 1878 catalog Millers Falls offered two Patented Bracket Saw Frames. One was made in wood and was offered in two varieties; Rosewood and Birch. Wood was highly polished.

The frames were produced in two sizes of frame clearance: 12 and 14 inches. The prices varied and depended of wood used for construction. Rosewood frame was more expensive, at $15.00 per dozen. The birch frame was a little cheaper - at $12.00 per dozen.

The frames were produced up to 1903 and appear in the Millers Falls Catalog "B", 1903.

The Early Manufacture of Saws in this Country - Iron Age, 1890

Mon, 30 Nov 2015 12:51:08 -0700

There are probably but one or two men now living who are familiar with the history of the manufacture of Saws in this country.

One of these is Emanuel Andrews, of E. Andrews & Son, Williamsport, Pa., who has in his possession the first Sawmaker‘s anvil brought to America.

It has been used and owned by an Andrews for more than 80 years, and was brought from London by William Andrews, an uncle of the present owner, in 1819.

Emanuel Andrews came to this country with his father, Benjamin Andrews in 1833, and located in New York City, where he conducted a shop for repairing saws.

HENRY DISSTON, PHILADA , 1840s Handsaw

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 17:30:03 -0700

This saw appeared on eBay in January, 2015. Unfortunately, I didn't make a note on sale price but I know it was high and beyond my pay grade.

Medallion is the obvious item that pops in everybody's eye right away. I have never seen medallion like this, neither anybody I know in this business.

The handle is also one of a kind and I am tempted to say that this is one of these handles made by hand in his shop.

The blade is 26-1/2 inch long. Nib is present and it looks like it has been hand-filed. The teeth are filed crosscut with rather shallow set.

Henry Slater, London, 1868 - 1887 by Jim Hendricks

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 12:42:40 -0700

Henry and son Benjamin were prolific cast iron bodied infill makers cast iron bodied infill makers under their own name and as a supplier to other makers, dealers and even the woodworkers to finish projects themselves.

I recently showed the difference in styles through their period of production, concluding with the very fine "TYZACK" bronze lever cap example with Thomas NORRIS iron.

Today I received what I believe to be my oldest example. Yes, another patient in need of some repair to the wedge but basically sound and deeply patinated.

The Making of a Ball Bearing Ratchet Bit Brace - Iron Age, 1899

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:44:53 -0700

The ordinary bit brace of the carpenter consisted principally of a rod bent so as to form a crank provided with a rest at one end and a socket at the other end for the reception of the tool, and it might be a handle on the crank.

In these early tools little or no attempt was made toward refining the implement. It was a rough device intended for rough work, and both in its manufacture and in its employment nothing was expected in the way of accuracy or finish. If it would hold the tools and possessed sufficient strength for the work in hand, no more was expected of it.

If the rest end chanced to be in align with the tool end so much the better, but it these two parts were not in alignment it did not attract notice.

If the tools held in the brace wobbled more or less it might create dissatisfaction on the part of its owner in certain work, but that same owner did not expect any better tool in early days.

Building a Razee Jack Plane - Part 1 by Joe Laviolette‎

Sun, 1 Nov 2015 21:14:58 -0700

Some of the tools I use in my woodworking I build myself. I especially like to build my planes.

Although I built several of them already, I always enjoy every new project.

In this article I will show how I build a Razee style Jack Plane. My plan calls for 14 inches plane with a single, 2 inches wide iron.

I start with selection of the material.

The Tool That Made the Tools by Geoffrey Tweedale

Fri, 23 Oct 2015 13:35:28 -0600

What was the most significant and widely used tool in nineteenth-century Sheffield?

The answer is not immediately obvious.
After surveying publications on the history of tools and exploring the world of tool-collecting buffs, one might imagine that woodworking tools (saws, planes, and joiners’ braces) were of prime importance. If not those, then perhaps another category of edge tools, such as shears or scythes, were paramount. Or maybe engineers’ tools – spanners, wrenches, hammers, and drills – took first place.

The answer might surprise. As far back as 1787 – when a Sheffield directory provided the first reasonably detailed breakdown of trades by category – file making had become the primary tool trade.

Jimi and Alfie Go Back in Time!

Fri, 16 Oct 2015 11:42:43 -0600

He's back... The Doctor's back!

Today ALFIE came rushing back from the garden to tell me Doctor Who had parked his blinkin' TARDIS in the cabbage patch again!

The second time in a year!

He was kind enough to take us shopping to the middle of the 20th century to be precise.

We only had a few bob in old money, so an expensive tool was out. But in a little shop behind the brewery in Maidstone we found a little William Marples wooden coffin smoother... so we bought it.

It was time for tea and crumpets so we had to come back but we did bring the plane into the workshop to share with you all!

Smoke Prints - Documenting Planemaker Marks by Amy Harrington McAuley‎

Wed, 7 Oct 2015 08:46:21 -0600

Recently I was looking at the Goodman's appendix (British Planemakers from 1700) and ran across a small chapter about smoke prints and how helpful they can be in looking at maker stamps and user marks. So I set out on today's adventure.

We did have a fine tea strainer in the house but I was FORBIDDEN to use it. So I took a small walk to our local spice shop and picked up a cheap strainer. At home I tore it apart and fashioned a handle that I could hold with my bum hand.

Following the instructions in Goodman I was pretty pleased with how they came out.

I was a little bit concerned about burning or harming the wood but it seemed to do nothing at all. I figured if Jane Rees uses this method it would do no harm. I think it will be a good way to catalog my planes for research and insurance purposes.

Read on...

Say HI to the Royal Yacht "Britannia" - Restoring Stanley No. 27 Transitional Plane

Tue, 6 Oct 2015 13:44:33 -0600

Like her namesake, this one was due for the scrapheap.

But as she sailed into this Kentish harbor, she was put in dry dock assessed by Able Seaman ALFIE! as being restorable. And so we set about repairs.

This is one untouched example of this fine No.27. And I love the age. I am sure this must be one of the early ones. It has issues... but so would you after over 100 years!

MF Langdon Miter Box, Model 16-1/2 by John M. Johnston

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 12:54:20 -0600

About ten years ago I acquired a small mitre box that I have now learned is a Millers Falls Langdon Model 16 1/2 with its original Disston 16" x 2" saw blade (see the catalog page).

Because the saw now measures 1-3/4" below the spine, it no longer cuts below the bottom plates. I added a sacrificial board and adjusted the height of the saw guides and used it that way for years.

Today I disassembled the box, cleaned with detergent and a stiff brush, and steel wool.

X 5 Metal Plane - Union Manufacturing Co. Photos provided by Paul McGee, Perth, AU

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 12:50:20 -0600

The Union Manufacturing Co. catalog, published in 1905, introduced new metal plane design - the X Series.

It distinguished itself with a locking vertical post mechanism for adjusting the depth of cut.

1905 Catalog Description: In presenting this new adjustment, we are confident that we have the best that has yet been designed by any Plane manufacturer. While it is somewhat of a departure from the accepted ideas of Plane adjustment, it is the result of careful study of the requirements of users of tools, and is in every point an improvement over the old.

Harvey W. Peace & Co., - Backsaw No. 50 with Brass Back and Open Handle

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 14:32:04 -0600

This saw appeared on eBay in September, 2015. It was sold at the price of - "best Offer", but originally priced at $625.00. I did not submit that winning offer. Photos below are from that auction.

It is a rare saw. I never seen Harvey W. Peace saw with open handle and brass back. The seller also stated that "I've only seen one open tote Peace saw with the Vulcan imprint in my 17 years of saw collecting and it was a steel back. Harvey Peace saws are seldom seen with a brass back but combined with an open tote and the spine imprint is a rarity."

The saw measures 10 inches, which would qualify it as a dovetail saw. The brass back appears to be massive. It is a "folded" brass bar with beveled edges. The handle appears to be apple wood.

The Mystery of the 5300 Years Old Box by Jim Hendricks

Sat, 5 Sep 2015 11:47:09 -0600

When we think of tsunami we usually think of the Far East but 5300 years ago, if the stories are to be believed, a huge tsunami swept across a tropical North Sea and hit the east coast of England.

What is now Norfolk was decimated and a huge forest of English oaks were flattened in a blink of an eye. The trees thus felled were instantly buried below the bog and starved of oxygen and so did not decay as other plant life would.

Five millennia later, irate Fenland farmers caught their ploughs in these mighty oaks exposed by centuries of farming. Initially, they burnt the offending obstructions by the ton until the immense value of this wood was realized and they were harvested for the gorgeous timber it yielded.

Modifying a Stanley 151 Spokeshave by Will Myers

Sun, 30 Aug 2015 09:09:30 -0600

On a recent project I realized I needed a better spokeshave for concave surfaces.

The one I have been using is a small wooden bodied shave that works well but is hard to get it to cut fine enough for close work.

I have several Stanley 151 and 152 shaves and really like the screw adjustment mechanism for the cutting iron on these. It allows you to set them for a very fine cut which is nice, especially in end grain situations.

Building a Twist-Lock Marking Gauge by Jim Hendricks

Fri, 21 Aug 2015 11:44:43 -0600

Recently I received a beautiful old rosewood twist-lock marking gauge.

I thought that this would make a superb tool to build. Something simple, yet deceptively clever.

First we will discuss stock selection, show how the original was measured and how these dimensions are transferred to the raw stock.

Making a Basic Jewelry Box - by P. Michael Henderson

Thu, 13 Aug 2015 02:12:39 -0600

Boxes are a good woodworking project. They are good learning projects, requiring design, accuracy, and joinery - and they don't take a lot of wood. In fact, you can often use off-cuts from other projects.

And they make good gifts for family members.

There are many, many ways to make a box, limited only by your imagination. For this tutorial, I had to choose one style, and since it's a beginner's box, I chose a fairly simple design. But, as you will see, even a simple box has a lot of steps.

Dovetail Joints - Manufacturer and Builder, 1865

Wed, 5 Aug 2015 08:09:11 -0600

The strongest and most permanent joint made in carpentry and cabinet-making, where pieces of wood are fastened together at right angles, is the dovetail.

When made in some of its most approved and perfected forms, it is equal in neatness and artistic finish to the miter joint. The miter is a comparatively neater method of joining wood at an angle, but the dovetail possesses the greatest possible strength.

It is generally employed in articles made of thin materials, such, for instance, as drawers, boxes, chests, etc. If we examine a dovetailed box, we observe that it consists of six pieces, or sides, four of which arc interlaced, or dovetailed together at the corners, forming a rigid frame-work. This is shown in Fig. 1.

Brace Yourselves! - Building a Reproduction of 19th Century English Brace

Tue, 28 Jul 2015 05:11:14 -0600

I finally can do something with that walnut! For ages now I have had a nice lump of English walnut sitting in the workshop.

t was a gift from my mate Douglas and I've wanted to do something special with it. So today I finally got off my backside and out into the summer sunshine with my best mate ALFIE...

I have a number of 19th century examples, all with something needing doing to them!

One has lost its bit release button... one has a repaired crack... and the worst but prettiest.. has been in and out if ICU over many decades and in a sorry state indeed! So, I thought I'd make a KT Tools one.

Getting the Most from the Millers Falls MF 1 “Cigar Shave”

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 12:37:45 -0600

The Millers Falls 'cigar' shave is probably one of my favorite tools but it used to drive me bonkers!

Sharpened and set right, it's one of the most versatile tools ever and can do things absolutely no other can. It shaves very tight radius internal curves...yet runs true on the flat... turning to external curves with ease.

But, and it's a huge BUT, most are left on the shelf unused because they are either not razor sharp or the user can't get the setting right or both.

In this article I will show how to sharpen the strange cutter, then when that variable is removed, how to set it to cut efficiently and with ease.

A Woodworker’s Rose (brace) by Jason Stamper

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:55:34 -0600

Several years ago I bought a lot of 5 bit braces on eBay.

I think I paid around $30 for 5 of them, and it seems the rust scared off the other bidders.

In any event, I was thrilled with what I ended up with. I got a cheap Stanley (which I have long since traded off), an early all iron Fray, a small odd blacksmith made one, a rare Holt brace, and possibly my favorite a rare Rose (Millers Falls) brace.

Most of these braces needed serious cleaning, and several were missing parts. However, nothing was cracked or un-fixable, so I was thrilled. In this article I am going to focus on the Rose brace, but I will do a few follow up articles on the others.

Skills of the Sheffield Hand Forger by Geoffrey Tweedale

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 20:23:33 -0600

This sepia photograph of a Sheffield hand forger – apparently at the leading pocket-knife firm of George Wostenholm & Son – is undated. But it is certainly pre-1914 and may be even earlier (perhaps from the 1890s). The photo is mounted on a small card and measures only about 10cm square. Nevertheless, one can see clearly into the forger’s workshop with its open hearth, array of tongs, forging block, and anvil. The forger himself holds a hammer with a wooden handle that has been worn to shape by years of use.

The posed stance, with the forger seeming to gaze wistfully through the unglazed window, only tells part of the story. Forgers at work never stood still or sat down. They were too busy working the bellows, moving blades in and out of the fire, and repeatedly hammering and manipulating them.

Hand forging was strenuous – indeed, it was one of the most arduous jobs in the Sheffield trades – though many forgers seem to have thrived on the work.

Atkins Passes Half Century Mark - Barrel and Box, 1915

Sun, 7 Jun 2015 13:49:49 -0600

It is certainly an enviable record when an institution can boast of having been established over half a century.

September 17 was an epoch-making period in the history of E. C. Atkins & Co., of Indianapolis, Ind., maker of the celebrated silver steel saws, as that date marked the fifty-eight anniversary of the founding of that institution, one of the oldest and largest industries in Indiana.

A story of the growth of the company will doubtless prove interesting to the readers of the Barrel and Box.

W. M. & C. - The Standard No. 999 by Daryl Weir

Sun, 31 May 2015 15:57:41 -0600

The Standard, No. 999 is one of the nicer saws produced by the Monhagen Saw Works.

The 1895 catalog of National Saw Co. describes it as "Extra Refined Spring Steel with Polished and Carved Apple Handle, Five Improved Screws."

I've handled many saws from most of the major American manufacturers over the years that I've been refurbishing. This has given me an opportunity to evaluate their overall general quality and especially the quality of steel used for making the saw plates. I've also sharpened over a thousand saws, which has further provided me with an insight into quality of the plate material and quality of workmanship employed in processing of this most important part of a saw.

Special Plane by James E. Price

Sun, 31 May 2015 04:03:24 -0600

Did you ever use a plane that felt like you were wearing it like a glove?

This old plane is so unusual that I simply must share it with you.

I have owned this plane for four years but I first saw it forty-eight years ago right after a friend of mine, Bruce Debo of Devils Elbow Missouri, bought it in an area of central Missouri that was homeland to early German settlers. Bruce was an Ozark coffin maker and every time I visited his shop I admired this old plane.

The Magic of Seaton's Chest by Jim Hendricks

Sat, 23 May 2015 22:17:18 -0600

I tried so hard to sleep last night... knowing today would be a special day... but try as I might... excitement prevailed, and I dozed lightly, pondering the moment.

Soon I would be honored to be close to a treasure very few are privileged to experience. Not only viewing the tool world's greatest treasure, but touching and examining each and every tool... to live history.

The chest is normally kept behind glass in its own room in Rochester's Guildhall Museum, a short 20 minute drive from my house in northwest Kent, some 30 miles southeast of London.

Sparks No. 70 by Douglas Coates

Tue, 19 May 2015 15:41:38 -0600

For a small island we have more than our share of the best plane-makers here in the UK.

Karl Holtey, Bill Carter, Phil Edwards and others have set a World-class standard but it is exciting to see a new maker appearing. It’s also very pleasing to find that demand for premium hand-made tools is strong.

Oliver Sparks is still young in years but he radiates a passion for the craft that is backed by rigorous research and thorough knowledge. His planes exude that elusive ‘master’s touch’. He will go far quite quickly, no doubt about it.

Classic English Mortise Chisel - The "Pig Sticker" by Jim Hendricks

Sat, 9 May 2015 05:16:56 -0600

For years I have been attracted to tools that were uniquely British...the infills...the wooden moulding planes and perhaps the most unique...the "delicately" named "pig sticker".

This type of mortise chisel shouts "mean and nasty" and its bark truly is as sharp as its bite!!

Recently... the English mortise chisel, to give it its correct name, has been the focus of new interest... due in no small part to the folks at Tools For Working Wood and the great toolmaker Ray Iles... so I have placed a link at the bottom for anyone interested in further reading.

Making Files by Hand at Kearney & Foot - American Machinist, 1880

Tue, 5 May 2015 23:12:14 -0600

The process of making files by hand-cutting, though carried on from the time files were first used, is imperfectly understood by the great body of mechanics, in its present improved state.

We have recently given some special attention to the subject, and will endeavor to describe the process as carried on in what we believe to be the largest factory producing exclusively hand-cut files in this country.

When purchased, the steel is taken to the store room, which contains twenty-five tons and upwards. From the store room it is taken to the forging shop, where it is cut to the required lengths for forging. Each length is then piled away by itself.

Hand Plane Basics - part 3 - Sharpening by Bill Rittner

Sun, 3 May 2015 21:02:11 -0600

Well, to date we have found an inexpensive vintage plane. We disassembled it, learned what the parts are, cleaned and de-rusted it, and made any necessary repairs. The next step to putting this plane back to work is to sharpen the iron/blade and fit the capiron.

No matter how pretty your tool looks if it’s cutting edge is not sharp it will never work properly. Sharpening is the key to making any cutting tool work as it was designed to. Whenever you encounter a problem cutting with a tool the first thing you should do is to sharpen it.

If you have been around hand woodworking tools for any time you know that there are as many methods of sharpening as there are hand tool woodworkers. The key to an enjoyable hand tool experience is picking a sharpening method that best suits your budget and needs and sticking with it until you become proficient.

The time wasted trying all the latest, greatest methods and equipment is better spent mastering the method you started with. Leave the atomic powered laser sharpener on the tool suppliers shelf, at least until you have mastered the system you began with. Then, and only then will you have the knowledge and experience to know what to look for in order to make your sharpening system even more efficient.

Selecting and Using Files by James F. Hobart, 1885

Thu, 30 Apr 2015 13:50:23 -0600

How many machinists know a good file when they see it?

I don't believe one in fifty can take a pile of files and pick out the best one.

The average man will pick up two or three, turn them over, squint along the corners, pick out the straightest one and call it as "good as any." They don't seem to have any idea that a file may be soft, or fire-cracked, or burned.

If they were choosing a cold chisel, they would look out for all these things, but "a file is a file" so long as it has teeth and tang.

Saving the Stewart by Jim Hendricks

Thu, 23 Apr 2015 21:27:06 -0600

I just received this in the post, eBAY as usual, and cheap as chips.

The seller even emailed me afterwards to check that I had seen the chip out of the horn!

Well... that's the least of the problems sir!

As you can see the handle is completely broken in a number of places and "repaired" in one. That last "repair" is the most difficult part of the restoration.

I am keeping as much original as possible and over the next few weeks I shall be posting some of the tips and wrinkles I've picked up over the years so that others may feel confident to restore a treasure back to working condition.

Stanley No. 45 Case I Made in 1975 by James E. Price

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 12:21:43 -0600

This plane has special memories for me and it is one of the first planes I cased right after I learned how to cut dovetails by hand.

I didn't have much choice of seasoned wood back then so an old farmer gave me some willow oak boards that he had in the loft of his barn and fashioned this box from them.

The box was made to hold the 45 with the long rods in it and to store the cased cutters at one end.

The plane is held firmly in place with a bridle and rod ends are inserted in holes in a bracket on the back wall of the box. This has been very effective in keeping the plane fully restrained inside the case.

Marvels of Modern Tool Making - Saws by Bernard L. Johnson, 1912

Thu, 9 Apr 2015 06:43:37 -0600

“I understand, Mr. Editor, you are now something of a saw maker,” the Boss Carpenter observed as he slid into the visitor’s chair and helped himself to a pipe full of our tobacco.

“Well no, we'd hardly want to claim that," we rejoined, “To become a saw maker - a modern saw maker you understand - has taken some 5,000 years. We do know a good saw though, when we get hold of one; and you better believe we have a greater admiration and respect for these faithful tools now, after seeing exactly how they are made, than we ever had before.

“You know we have always been a crank on good tools, and especially saws. We have been uncommonly interested in these, probably because of their ancient and honorable origin. In a few minutes you will hear something about some old and curious saws, and will see then the sentiment that clings around every high grade carpenters’ saw today for us literary fellows. You are so hard headed and practical probably a saw is just a saw to you, and so long as it does its work that's all you care.”

Bench Lighting - Workshop Appliances by Cecil Rogers

Mon, 6 Apr 2015 17:11:50 -0600

We all know that natural light is the best light to use.

A workbench snuggled up to a huge, north facing window would present the best light throughout the day.

The Old Brace & Bit - an Exercise in Creative Writing by Jason Stamper

Sat, 4 Apr 2015 05:49:17 -0600

Indulge me for a moment if you will dear reader, for I would like to tell you about an old friend. This friend came from Sheffield, England nearly two centuries ago.

This friend, born in the 1830’s, serves as real window into the past, and a reminder of simpler times. Even with its tremendous age it has never let me down, and I shall be quite surprised if it ever does.

Who is this friend you ask. Why it is a wooden brace of the type used to turn various boring bits. And although I do not use it every day, when I do it is a great joy to use.