Dead Blow Mallets
July 31, 2008
I'm a regular on Lumberjocks.com , a cool - neighborhood-style woodworking forum. There's one guy on the forum, Lee Jeesberger, who makes fine wood-crafted furniture, built-ins, cabinets, hand tools - you name it, this guy will make it out of wood. He's even invented a feeding system for sheet products, the Ezee-Feed Infeed/Outfeed System that you may already know about. Anyhow, Lee started a post about crafting Dead Blow Mallets that caught my attention. He said "They’re...
CMT 285.048.10M
July 31, 2008
The next review from the “Battle of the Blades”. The CMT 285.048.10M, 48 tooth combination blade. Read More →
288 Whiteside’s 1/2″ Straight Cutting Bit
July 31, 2008
It's the beginning of a brand new month and I'm fully back from the "vacation". So let's get everything started the right way by beginning with Router Bit of the Month!!! And this month we have something a little extra special. Whiteside's 1/2" Straight Cutting Bit is what I consider to be an essential router bit profile, this is one that should be in everyone's collection no matter what kind of woodworking you do. And considering that I happen to already own one of these,...
Dog Day Afternoons
July 31, 2008
For the first time in my life I truly felt like a father this week.As you know, Gail is gone for at least a couple weeks to San Francisco, so I am alone with Peyton.Although my office is 60 miles from home (thank God for our Diesel Jetta....), Gail only works 1 mile from home. So even though Peyton spends the day in "his room" (please don't let him know the truth that it is a kennel/crate) Gail comes home for lunch and lets him out.Well, with me 60 miles from home during the day, Gail's absence...
Linbide 336 4+1
July 31, 2008
The next review from the “Battle of the Blades”. The Linbide 336 4+1, 50 tooth combination blade. Read More →
The New C.H. Hanson Flip Knife
July 31, 2008
In the hierarchy of favored tools, the utility knife rarely (if ever), comes close to the top of the list. The definition of simplicity, the utility knife is nothing more than a sharp blade in a semi-fancy case. It isn't handsome, unique, or even all that fun to work with. But you might end up throwing all your preconceptions about the lowly utility knife out the window, as the new C.H. Hanson Flip Knife has come onto the scene. Read More →
DIY Carbide Saw Blade Sharpening + 4 Blade Sharpening Services
July 31, 2008
In our recent article on trouble shooting wood burn on a table saw, reader and tech/power tool/DIY blogger Jude asked: “So where can you get a blade sharpened? I’m forever burning lumber and think my setup is pretty squeare.” My first thought was Scott Whiting, who’s an active and respected member of Woodnet. (Here’s Scott Whiting’s blade sharpening rates over at WoodworkersZone) As a Woodnet regular I see him posting a lot and offering great feedback and advice. My...
Preview the new issue of FWW
July 31, 2008
Catch the highlights of the latest issue of Fine Woodworking magazine with editor Asa Christiana. He'll show you a unique side table created by frequent contributor Chris Gochnour. You'll learn how Gochnour also tested some two dozen chisels for this issue's tool test. And you'll see what managing editor Mark Schofield did to find the best way to finish cherry without blotching. Take a closer look. Read More →
Handcarved Star
July 31, 2008
To carve a star, follow the basic principles in lettercarving. For this technique, you only need a straight chisel and a mallet (not even a mallet, if you push hard enough to make your stop cuts). And you'll make life easier on yourself if you create a star where any two points share a common wall—a straight line drawn from point to point. In the illustration above, the dashed lines are low spots, the valleys, where you will make the stop cuts.This star is 1.875" diameter, so I'm using a 20mm...
The Odyssey
July 31, 2008
Yesterday I faced my greatest challenge as a woodworker.I wasn't even in my shop when I realized I was in this spot of bother. I was at my desk at work.It was the space bar that got me.As my right thumb hit the space bar the electrical grid of my body communicated that something was rotten in the state of Thumbsville. Yep....little splinter in my big right thumb.I don't think I visited the shop yesterday morning so somehow a sliver of cherry had spent the night with me, living just under the surface...
Update 7.31.08 - Sorry for lack of episodes this week
July 31, 2008
Splintered Board Listeners/Readers, I’m so sorry for the absence of episodes this week. In the past two weeks I promised you 2 episodes for this week – a What I learned This Week episode, and an episode on the results of the Opinion Poll from a week and a half ago. This week has been exhausting for me, and even though I recorded the WILTW episode, I don’t think I put forth much effort in it and I just can’t will myself to pollute your MP3 players with it. I still haven’t...
Episode 114 - Ask the Masters - New Member Shout Out!
July 31, 2008
Tommy and Al welcome some of the new members to the forum who have posted their extraordinary work. The forum has a truly international group with members residing as far away as New Zealand. Read More →
Episode 115 - Forum Project #2 - Step Stool: Cutting the Tails
July 31, 2008
Tommy is joined by his girlfriend, Rachel, to cut the front pin lines with a table saw. When she finishes and is cleaning up her work, Tommy brutally critiques his own work. Read More →
Episode 116 - Forum Project #2 - Step Stool: Show and Tell
July 31, 2008
Tommy, Rachel and Eli present and discuss their completed Shaker step stool projects. And with that, project number three, a beautiful blanket chest, is introduced! Read More →
Zip Sander Review
July 30, 2008
Hey there ~ I finally got the chance to use this cool little Zip Sander to clean up the floor moldings before replacing them after our hardwood install. I have to tell you, it was a real treat for my tired hands after installing the hardwood floors. The first thing I liked when I took it out of the package was the foam grip. Any of you who have used sanding blocks before can relate to this. It's a nice soft but firm, high-density foam handle which makes it more comfortable than a sanding block....
Freud LP30M
July 30, 2008
The next review from the “Battle of the Blades”. The Freud LP30M, 40 tooth combination blade. Read More →
A Community of Believers
July 30, 2008
One of the glorious things about being a woodworker today is our ability to be served by the Internet. Through this amazing channel of funneled electrons, we can blog and Twitter and post websites full of our projects and join together with others in songs of praise over the latest Veritas or Lie-Nielsen acquisition, or remind one another to be wary of the dangers of spinning carbide tips. Recently I read a blog posted by Christopher Schwarz on the Woodworking Magazine reviewing a brand new Veritas...
Dr. Powertool, or, how I stopped worrying and learned to love handtools
July 30, 2008
Hi, I'm Brad and I'm a Normite.... that's right, like all of you I am a powertool driven, bought a biscuit joiner, have a dedicated mortiser, have 4 routers Normite. But I'm recovering, over the last few years I've been converted to quality hand tools.I've been watching The New Yankee Workshop every Saturday morning for years. I guess you could say that its replaced my Saturday morning cartoons. Over time I grew to have serious shop envy. I wanted a big shop with a huge tablesaw, a stationary...
C.H. Hanson’s new pencil is super.
July 30, 2008
The one tool that everyone needs. From building multimillion dollar hotels, to do it yourself home repairs, we all need it... the pencil.So what makes a pencil a Super Pencil ? It must have super powers of course. The Super Pencil looks very similar to your average carpen [...] Read More →
Woodpeckers Router Lift
July 30, 2008
The original gold anodised Woodpeckers Router Lift was always something to aspire to - costing somewhere between the cost of a good router and a Festool one (no I have no idea how much the Festool one is - they are always unrivaled on the size of the pricetag!) Now Woodpeckers have bought out Version 2 Machined out of a solid aluminium block, with a toolless microadjustment (that’s the large wheel front right) it looks pretty impressive. I have a couple of niggling concerns - the brake still...
Craftsman Style Coffee Table - Part 5
July 30, 2008
I got a bit more done on the Craftsman Style Coffee Table that I have been puttering with on and off for the past few months. I was able to get the mortise and tenon completed for the bottom shelf. As well, I got the ‘buttons’ made and skirt mortised which will be used to secure the table top to the base. I first made a full width tenon on the shelf and then divided it into three. The plan is to only glue the center tenon thereby allowing the others to ‘float’. This, I hope,...
Whitewolf Patterns
July 30, 2008
Native American portraits have always been popular. So I was excited to see a number of great Native American patterns designed by Darryn (aka Whitewolf) from The Wolf's Den. The patterns are hosted by myphotoalbum.com. Unfortunately, myphotoalbum.com's free service only provides low resolution pictures. But Darryn is happy to send you a high resolution copy of any pattern you wish. Just shoot him an email with your request. His email is located on his profile. You can find his profile link...
Dovetail Box - Reflections and Lessons Learned
July 30, 2008
Way back in January, I said that I wanted to make something before building my workbench, and I said (here comes a direct quote), “What better project for my beginner skills than a simple dovetail box?” Yes. I said the words “simple”, “box” and “beginner” in the same sentence. How little I knew. So here are some reflections on my 6-month journey into box making, and some lessons learned: Find something you do well, and build your confidence off of...
Episode 113 - Bombe Secretary - Lower Drawer Layout
July 30, 2008
Tommy reviews how the drawer fits together and will be shaped into an elegant curve. He then goes to work on it with a band saw and a lot of hand-scraping and sanding. Read More →
Making Rails
July 30, 2008
OK. We've got the major joinery cut on all the posts. We're not done yet with the posts, but at this point, I began working on the rails & central stile of the very front, since I had all of the wood for these parts sitting around after milling them up before we went to Hershey. I started by cutting these parts to width & length from the stock I had prepared. I cut these to the dimensions from my drawing, since their lengths would determine the final dimensions of the pulpit from font to...
Linbide 360
July 29, 2008
The next review from the “Battle of the Blades”. The Linbide 360, 100 tooth crosscut blade. Read More →
Nomenclature
July 29, 2008
Saws Making, like many other industries has it's own jargon, which as far as I am aware has been sparsely documented over the years, so in order to provide a consistent framework for discussion and research, I am presenting here a starting point, to which others can refer so that we can all agree on what that thing, you know the bump just above the whatsit, what's that called again! If you have a different name for something listed here let me know about it. The subject of nomenclature is fraught...
Toologics on DIY Network’s Blog Cabin!!
July 29, 2008
THIS IS SO COOL! DIY NETWORK'S BLOG CABIN ANSWERED OUR TOOLOGICS QUESTIONS! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW! FYI ~ DIY Network’s Blog Cabin is the first ever interactive home-building television series, putting bloggers in control of the design and construction of a waterfront vacation home. Blog Cabin is returning for its second season SOON ~ watch it on the DIY Network starting August 14th ! Beginning in January of 2008, DIY Network.com invited visitors to vote each day on various...
Table of Blade Measurements
July 29, 2008
I have added a page to the Battle of the Blades review which gives a table of all the blade measurements side-by-side. Table of Blade Measurements There were a few unusual measurements that came out of it, but all in all, it is the performance of the blade that really counts. Other than perhaps carbide thickness, which gives an indication of how much resharpening the blade can take. One item that offered some correlation between the measurement and the cut quality was blade runout. There were a...
Gotta Get One More Fix!!!
July 29, 2008
So I lied, I had to get one more posting in before vacation. Remember a few posts ago when I was whining about different manufacturers requiring different bushing for their pen kits. I showed a picture of a prepared pen blank ready to turn. That blank was a piece of Buckeye Burl. I have heard people rave about this stuff for years but never got my hands on it. I couldn’t resist so I stopped at Woodcraft and picked up the proper bushings for the Euro Pencil kit and tonight at 11:30 I was...
