I swore on a stack of “Mechanicks Exercises” that I’d stop writing about coping saws. It’s not healthy, and I know that. But at Woodworking in America last weekend in Pasadena, Calif., I ran into Lee Marshall from Knew Concepts. He was holding a big red saw that was too big to be a fretsaw. … Read more
While I have a blister on my right hand from wielding a saw and mallet (alternately, of course) for five hours, I’m delighted to report that I now have the shell for my “Anarchist’s Tool Chest” dovetailed and in clamps. Yes, five hours of dovetailing for one 38″ x 21-7/8″ shell. And while Christopher Schwarz … Read more
First, thanks to all of you who entered – I had a hard time deciding on a winner. In the end, I guess I’ll have to chalk up the winning entry to my sometimes-sophomoric sense of humor. And without further ado: Congratulations to Ronald_T, for his winning limerick: I once tried to chisel a mortise, … Read more
While packing my tools to teach a toolbox class in Germany, I knew two things: 1. The students had to cut a lot of dovetails in 7/8”-thick material. 2. Coping saws are uncommon on the Continent. So I packed an extra coping saw blade in my luggage, which turned out to be either a stupid … Read more
And you thought yesterday’s posts about Estonian workholding was obscure? Bah, that was amateur hour. Let’s talk about the Charles Fenner Patent frame saw, a fairly rare bird among collectors. Usually “rare” means “didn’t work or sell too well.” But the Fenner is so wild that I had to try one out. The thing has … Read more
