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    Gottshall Block Follow Up

    Gottshall Block Follow Up

    At last weekend's Woodworking in America conference, I talked with several readers about projects I've made for the magazine. As expected, I was asked about my workbench and furniture projects, but  I was surprised about how many people sought me out to discuss the Gottshall Block. It turns out this project inspired many woodworkers, raised Continue reading»

    Gottshall Block-Complete and Ready to Grade

    Gottshall Block-Complete and Ready to Grade

    If there were an award for the most words per board foot in writing about woodworking, I believe that this series of posts about the Gottshall block would win. And if there were an award for the most harassment per board foot, my coworkers would win. At our weekly meeting this morning I announced that Continue reading»

    Coping With Curves

    Coping With Curves

    Time for a show of hands. Have you ever said, "I can't cut curves because I don't have a band saw, a jig saw or an oscillating spindle sander?" If so, here's a solution that involves an unsung hero of the hand-tool world, the coping saw. Coping saws offer a tremendous bang for your buck. Continue reading»

    The Chisel-Hatchet and Scalpel In One

    The Chisel-Hatchet and Scalpel In One

    Here's my theory: if you get good using one tool, learning the next tool you pick up will be easier. Good woodworkers connect a piece of wood on the bench and their brain through their hands and the tools in their hands. Learn how to make that connection and you will easily pick up new Continue reading»

    And Now for the Chisel

    And Now for the Chisel

    Working on this little block has been an interesting experience, and I hope you'll give it a try. Explaining it on the blog has made me think about a lot of basic things that have become habit over the years. The Gottshall block is a hand tool education, and one of the lessons is that Continue reading»

    You Can Really Do That

    You Can Really Do That

    One of the greatest moments in marketing history was the mass adoption of power tools following World War II. Before then, the standard thinking was that just about anyone could pick up a saw and cut a piece of wood. Within 20 years that notion became an eccentricity. If you want to sell anything to Continue reading»

    Better Than a Knife

    Better Than a Knife

    When you work with power tools, machine set up is everything. The quality of your joinery, and your entire project is based on your level of accuracy at that stage. With hand tools, layout is everything. You can't depend on your table saw's fence to make certain that every cut is the same, so how Continue reading»