Posts by «swirt»

• Carpenter’s Toolbox Time Capsule

A year or two ago Roy Underhill had an episode where he looked closely at the contents of a Viking Toolbox replica.  The actual toolbox was uncovered by a farmer back in 1930.  It was an interesting look.   I recently undertook a look at a bit of family history.  My Great Uncle (Henry Budgen 1893-1985) [...]

• Craftsman Dropping Tape Measures

If I have to buy a new unpowered hand-tool (one I can't get vintage) I try, whenever possible, to buy Craftsman.  The quality is usually pretty good and the convenience of being able to use the lifetime warranty at any Sears is worth it.  There are other brands that have lifetime warranties, but none are [...]

• Magnetic Tool Holders for Cutting Tools

Highland Woodworking just had an “ask the staff” question in their recent newsletter regarding how magnetic tool holders affect sharpening.  The staff member presented a reference to a sharpening book that relates that there is a  “process called magnetic fluxing. This process relieves the stress level of the metal through magnetic bombardment and, as a [...]

• Twin Screw Face Vise

I’ve been reading as Christopher Schwarz and Peter Follansbee actively reconstruct the twin screw (double screw) face vise from Moxon’s diagrams.  The most radical bit of thinking is that the vise is not permanently attached to the front of the bench.  It is loose and can be clamped in a variety of positions.  This arrangement [...]

• Woodworker Safety Week: Best practice is a Safety Habit

Thanks to TheWoodWhisperer.com for encouraging us all to re-consider woodworking safety. The elders in a shop, and especially the employers in a shop need to make sure their employees are actively practicing shop safety.  The problem though with “enforced safety” is that it is an afterthought.  Safety has to become a habit and in order [...]

• Old tool life: Drawknife

Somewhere in the past decade I have moved from enjoying new and shiny power tools into relishing quieter tools whose age alone commands respect.  As I spend time using certain tools, I often wonder, who in my heritage would have used this tool when it was new?  When I use my drawknife that bares a [...]

• Four square lumber

Squaring lumber without the use of power tools.  Sounds at first like a fool’s errand.  Sure it is not as fast as using a Jointer and a thickness planer, but you aren’t limited by the widths of these tools, nor are you deafened by their roar.  The process, as long as you are not in [...]

• Sawing Square to What?

Every time I start a “natural timber” project where logs and branches are used without flat surfaces, I end up dealing with issues related to cutting “square” to something that is round or at least round-ish.   They are seldom perfectly round, and rarely straight.  So when cutting them to length or cutting shoulders for a [...]

• Drilling Straight

When you need to drill straight, and by that I mean plumb to the surface … err even more precisely I mean Normal to the surface, the drill press really is the best tool for the job.  And even if the wood can’t be brought to the drill press, a hand drill press can be [...]

• Combination Square Tuning

I like combination squares.  They are handy and I use them all the time.  I know that Starrett combination squares are the hands-down favorite, but I just can’t justify the expense.    I had an inexpensive Swanson that I picked up at Lowes for keeping in my toolbelt for measuring mortise depths and other things while [...]

• Scarf Joints in American Timber Joinery
This is the last in a series of 6 articles by Jack Sobon, author of Timber Frame Construction. We are often amazed at the lengths of timbers found in old American structures. Plates 40 ft. long are common. Fifty-footers are encountered occasionally, and timbers 60 and 70 ft. long are not unheard of. In the [...]

• Roof Joinery in American Timber Joinery
Here is the 5th in a series of articles by Jack Sobon, timber framing book author. In the design of timber-framed buildings, the roof is the dominant element. The structural system necessary to support its expanse greatly influences the total building design. In masonry buildings, the roof structure may be the only timber-framed element. The [...]

• Wall and Brace Joints in American Timber Joinery
This is the fourth in a series of articles by Jack Sobon, author of Timber Frame Construction. More great diagrams of joints and analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. When a timber-framed building was sheathed horizontally, typically with clapboards, the supporting framework provided vertical nailers called studs, spaced according to the type of sheathing applied. [...]

• Sill and Floor Joints in American Timber Joinery
Third in a series of timber framing joint articles by Jack Sobon, author of a great book on timber framing. His diagrams make understanding even complicated joints easy. Personally I find the sill and floor joints to be some of the most interesting. Sadly they are almost always hidden from view once the timber frame [...]

• Tying Joints: Tie at Plate in American Timber Joinery
This is the second in a series of articles written by Jack Sobon, author of Timber Frame Construction: All About Post and Beam Construction. His ability to represent common and not so common joints is outstanding. The tie-at-plate category encompasses the most complex and varied of timber joints, including not only wall, roof and cornice [...]

• Tying Joints in American Timber Joinery
Here is the first in a series of articles written by Jack Sobon, author of one of my favorite timber framing books. The diagrams he uses are incredibly clear and effective at conveying the simplest and most complex timber framing joints. Of all the joints that make up a traditional timbered frame, the most important [...]

• Drawshaving Larger Posts

I’ve done quite a bit of work around here using old cedar logs as posts for deck railing, gates and light posts.  The wood is readily available as the forests near by seem full of old dead cedar trees that couldn’t keep up with the oaks and other giants.  When the cedars died, their roots [...]

• Marking Knife Pheonix

Roughly 20 years ago I came into possession of some chisels from my grandfather. They have all been in service in my collection except one. A 3/4″ Keen Kutter paring chisel that suffered from a broken socket. Nearly half of the socket had cracked off. I looked for ways to repair it, and found none [...]

• New Fangled Saw Bench

In an effort to build myself a set of saw benches and give my 16 month old son a feeling of having his own workbench I started on this project. (Sawbench plans described in previous post) I started out prepping some 2″+ thick Red Pine with my Fore Plane and of course I had a [...]

• Saw Bench (toddler bench)
Lately my son (currently 16 months old) has been enjoying spending time with me in the workshop (he says workbop).  He likes to hammer on stuff and is really enjoying using a toy saw and a toy plane to imitate his dad.  The problem is, my bench is too high and the 5 gallon buckets [...]