Discover a nearly extinct tool that can help you work faster and more accurately. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 32-34 From the April 2005 issue #147 Buy this issue now As preposterous as the notion seems, the historical record suggests cabinetmakers working in dim shops with hand tools were able to produce fine furniture with great … Read more
An experiment uncovers cutting edges of the past. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 34-36 From the November 2006 issue #158 Buy this issue now “How did they sharpen their tools back then?” I’ve asked this question myself and I have been asked the question, and I’ve never felt comfortable with any answer. We know that 18th-century … Read more
Pitch, rake, fleam and set all contribute to the performance of your tool. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 28-30 From the October 2006 issue #157 Buy this issue now A recent review of dovetail saws in a competing magazine discussed the attributes of different saws as if their characteristics were mystically endowed by their manufacturers. I’m … Read more
Here’s a clue: Only two faces need be 90°. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 32-35 From the August 2006 issue #156 Buy this issue now Furniture makers in the 18th century used shop-made wooden try squares. Though subject to wear and seasonal movement, these squares produced some of the world’s finest woodwork. We’ve learned time and … Read more
Documentary sources teach us about traditional woodworking. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 32-35 From the June 2006 issue #155 Buy this issue now In my shop, tradition fills in where experience and education are lacking. So, I find it helpful to learn as much as I can about traditional woodworking. Studying 18th-century furniture is a great … Read more
Start your woodworking education right. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 30-33 From the April 2006 issue #154 Buy this issue now What’s the best sort of workbench to build? What hand tools should I buy first? How many coats of polyurethane are needed to stop a board from cupping? Arts & Mysteries readers e-mail me these … Read more
Perfection doesn’t exist. But you can come close. By Adam Cherubini Pages: 34-37 From the February 2006 issue #153 Buy this issue now One of the first things any beginning woodworker must do is set up a workshop. Like so many other things a novice woodworker must do, the preparation of a workshop shapes the … Read more
