I think I'm on a good step in my wanna be a hand tool woodworker ladder to try this. The goal is to make three, and as many as eight, Tangram puzzles by hand. I can get maple from Lowes but after looking around the shop at what I had I changed my mind. I ended up with two wood choices, cherry or poplar. I picked poplar only because I intend to spray paint the puzzles once they are done.… ... read more

Welcome to another installment of Home Improvement. Today we'll be talking about creative uses for concrete siding, and after that we'll have a review of Fat Max tapes. Who will win the 'stand out' war? Our money is on Stanley's new model with a 4" wide tape. We'll conclude today's program with a fascinating review of the 2016 IBC technical committee's proposed rule changes to the building code.--------------------A couple of day's work was swallowed up in fitting the mitered lap… ... read more

My camera work has been on hold for a few years, mostly because of changing location, time, and limitations of the current camera. Before going digital I carried a Leica everywhere and used it to document my life.I finally, I think, have found a Leica replacement in a FujiFlim X-Pro 1. It has been out for a few years, in fact one of the hold ups has been waiting for the replacement X-Pro 2 that has been rumored but never… ... read more

After a couple of weeks, allowing the French polish to harden, the bridge has now been glued on to Roland’s guitar. I’ve said before and make no apologies for saying it again- this stage is the most nerve wracking of them all! After the bottom surface of the bridge has been sanded to fit the contour of the soundboard, you have to mark out where the bridge goes- if, like me, you cut your saddle slot before gluing the bridge… ... read more

First things first … and this is the last | Tom's Workbench: Tom Iovino:That being said, it pains me to make this announcement. Effective today, I will be putting Tom’s Workbench on an indefinite hiatus.Does this mean the site is going away?  No. I will continue to maintain it so you can go back and check out the articles I have written. Does this mean I am going to crawl away into a cave and disappear from the face of… ... read more

  I try to not be seduced by the “Natural Beauty of Wood” thing. When I focus on that, it always goes wrong. I was talking to some spoon carving students about it last week. The way it works against me is that I lose track of the shape I’m after when I’m concentrating on grain patterns, figure in the wood, or color. Color is the most distracting in the spoon carving. Using small saplings, there is… ... read more

READERS PROJECT   I received a letter from Jeff in Oklahoma City last week and wanted to share it with you. Jeff recently made a Frame Saw, following plans from my book, The Unplugged Woodshop. Great job on the saw Jeff- it looks great and I hope you make lots of sawdust with it! all […] The post A Frame Saw IN OKLAHOMA CITY is written by tom appeared first on THE UNPLUGGED WOODSHOP TORONTO. ... read more

Here is another free video on YT for you to catch up on sharpening your own knives quickly and simply. You can use what’s suggested in the video or you can use fingernail files (the longer ones) that work just as well. Often these use diamonds too!!! You can use this method for any knife type which includes pocket knives to carving knives. Enjoy! The post Sharpening knives on YouTube appeared first on Paul Sellers' Blog. ... read more

Most of my lunch time was spent playing with the Tangram puzzle layout. I didn't neglect filling the pie hole, that took longer than normal. In the end I got the food storage bag filled and I figured out how to do the layout. But it was on paper, without a ruler, dividers, or a 45° layout gizmo to help me. The proof of what I thought at lunch I found out tonight in the shop.second piece from last nightI… ... read more

I am nearly done with the tool cupboard now. Carcass made, drawers made, doors made. Nearly Christmas too. I even feel ahead (not really). Then some rest for a few days with family and friends. I like Christmas. Last week I went to Oxford and we went to to see a marvellous production of Christmas carol at the Pegasus. Still thrilled by it just thinking of it. If you are within 50 miles of Oxford, go! You’ll love it too.… ... read more

One of the themes in “The Anarchist’s Design Book” is about how I have turned my back on modern finishes that – even with precautions – are harmful to your health. During the last four years I’ve moved almost exclusively to using shellac, wax, milk paint and soap. I’m no evangelist; if you like precat lacquer and other similar finishes stick with them (for as long as they are legal). I’m simply trying to say: There are alternatives to… ... read more

You need to have an active subscription to view this content. Become An Unplugged Life Member The post Episode 120 – Unboxing the Marcou is written by tom appeared first on THE UNPLUGGED WOODSHOP TORONTO. ... read more

Tweet #TfwwWorkBlogARTICLES FOUND IN THIS ISSUE: PRACTICAL PAPERS ON PLUMBING•BAMBOO FURNITURE: A WRITING-DESK AND TEA-TABLE•HINTS TO USERS OF MILLING CUTTERS•ENAMELLING PRINTS WITHOUT GELATINE OR COLLODION•HOW TO VENTILATE A ROOM•AN ELECTRIC HAMMER•THE ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE, AND HOW TO MAKE IT•THE ART OF STAIRCASING•SWEDISH WEAVING•LABOUR AND CAPITAL MEN•SHOPDisclaimer: Articles in Work describe materials and methods that would not be considered safe or advisable today. We are not responsible for the content of these magazines, and cannot take any responsibility for anyone attempting… ... read more

Yesterday we got news of the latest end-of-year promotion from FestoolFestool is best when you share it with friends. This month we want to reward you with a 10% rebate on your next purchase for telling your friends and colleagues about the value of Festool.Here's how FESTOOL A FRIEND works: A friend of yours, new to Festool, buys a new Festool power tool from an authorized Festool dealer during the month of December 2015. You buy new Festool tools, consumables… ... read more

I've had this puzzle on my mind for about a week now. I have a few other things ahead of it in the queue but jumping the line doesn't bother me with this. My DVD shelf is 99.99% done with just a few pesky finishing details left to do. And this puzzle is a doable gift for xmas. But before I jump the line with that, I worked on the DVD shelf.got a lot of bleed through around the tapeI… ... read more

Regular commenter on this blog, Burbidge, alerted me to a unique elm and fruitwood side chair at the Victoria & Albert Museum which incorporates several elements normally found in Windsor chairs (fig. 1). Fig. 1. Chunky chinoiserie elm and fruitwood … Continue reading → ... read more

Post 16 in a continuing series....----------------Continuing work on the inverted 'T' support beams, which connect to one another with mitered half laps.After the pieces were cut to length (see the previous post), I laid out the half lap shoulders with a marking gage:The Matsui layout tool is sufficiently precise in its adjustment that I can reliably offset for half of the mechanical pencil line thickness, @ 0.25mm:The pencil lines, since I always check my cut out by measurement, are there… ... read more

While the engineers and metallurgist hash out sharpening PM-V11 steel on a SMC thread, I've an observation on sharpening some other tool steels. I've always liked HC steels for working, mostly because they are easy to sharpen and will give a keen working edge that holds up reasonably well. Life is a trade off in most things, and working edges are one of those thing where if you improve one area some other area ends up in that well known… ... read more

Every year I recommend one tool that is a bit spendier than the rest, and this year it is the Lie-Nielsen Honing Guide. Thomas Lie-Nielsen first showed me the prototypes about eight years ago, and it was a long and involved path for the company to get this tool into production. Like the company’s chisels (which took just about as long), the wait was worth it. So you don’t like […] The post Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 9: Lie-Nielsen… ... read more

In the interest of getting these into more people's hands we arranged for 3 full videos to be posted here so you can see what you are missing.  We'll post the 1st today with the rest to follow.Until Christmas: We now have the the entire set on sale for $149.00!  That's a $50 savings The price will be reflected once you add the set to your cart.  See more details here. While hand tools and hand work in general have taken an… ... read more

Every once in a while life throws up a wonderful opportunity that's just too good to miss. So when Quangsheng told me they had one available development slot left for 2014/15 and invited me to design a product to fill it, I absolutely leapt at the chance.I chose as my starting point, the humble but much loved Record 043 plough plane (US = plow plane), a British designed tool introduced in 1934 and last made in 1978. During that time… ... read more

by Stephen Melhuish I’m often asked at the Tree and Hedging Nursery in Oxfordshire, “What’s actually happening to a tree when the leaves turn colour in autumn?” That’s a great question and one that can be described in many ways. Certainly the colour change captures the imagination of artists, poets, adults and children alike and […] The post Beauty In the Soil is written by tom appeared first on THE UNPLUGGED WOODSHOP TORONTO. ... read more

 Take a look at this video about a Korean potter. It's important. It's not about woodworking, cabinetmaking or anything like that and that's a good thing because you won't be distracted by the tools or the projects. It's a profile of an Korean person, about my age, who decided first to become an artist and then a crafts-person. I don't agree with all of his choices but his narrative is compelling. If you are a furniture maker or carver, professionally… ... read more

Here’s an Asian who rocks, who’s also in the holiday spirit.(Thanks to Dave Bless for the link.) ... read more

This is the final post about the Mid-Century Table build. Let me show you my finishing process. And finally some beauty shots in the right light. I did not want to withhold the last part of this build report. The very last task was the finishing of the table. In order not to risk anything, I have resorted to me familiar method.  Usually I'm using a water-based wax varnish. This ... read more

In this beautifully produced new video you can see for yourself how Clifton Handplanes and Pax Saws are made, one at a time, with care and skill, in Sheffield.Proper hand engineering, machines with knobs and handwheels rather than usb ports, operated by clever men in blue coats with micrometers and feeler gauges sticking out of their pockets.The really good news is that by focusing on quality rather than price, the toolmaking industry in Sheffield is growing back! Craftspeople are increasingly returning… ... read more

Three years ago I wrote this post on diamond sharpening stones here. After 3 years I've formed an opinion on them that some may like and others may not. Although I am no expert on sharpening, I have improved my technique and results noticeably. My shavings are cleaner, more wispy if I need them to be, and the effort to push my tools is perceptibly easier. I can feel and see a difference between a somewhat sharp tool and one that… ... read more

Someone asked me to try the Kunz blade in the Stanley #80. It fits fine and the blade thickness is about the same as Record and Stanley types too. In my view a scraper blade should not be less than 1mm otherwise they tend to flex. If you need to replace a blade consider buying a card scraper set made by Veritas or indeed any card scraper 1mm or thicker. The Veritas set has one scraper 1mm thick that yields… ... read more

During the last few years as I have turned my back on finishes with lots of volatile organic compounds, I’ve begun looking for traditional high-quality finishes that won’t shorten my lifespan. I’ve bought a lot of beeswax from a lot of different sources, from national manufacturers to the individual beekeeper. They all work, but the nicest stuff I’ve found is from Don and Carolyn Williams at donsbarn.com. Don has spent […] The post Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 8: Better… ... read more

Good nails have been used in fine furniture for centuries. But during the last 100 years, nails have earned a bad reputation among furniture makers. That’s because good nails (cut nails and forged Roman-style nails) disappeared and were replaced by wire nails. Wire nails are cheap, don’t need a pilot hole and don’t hold for crap – and that’s the nicest thing I can say about them. You can still […] The post Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 7: Forged… ... read more