You Have Got to Meet Jack

I’m to the point with this workbench that I cannot see the concrete floor any more because of the shavings. I hate that floor, but I am starting to feel a bit like a hamster. Today I took [...]

East Coast Tool Auction this Saturday

Whenever I visit the East Coast, I am jealous of the region’s stock of vintage hand tools. The Midwest just cannot compete — even though Cincinnati and Indianapolis were important [...]

It Takes a Cow

We glued up the benchtop for this Old-style Roubo bench today. Yeah, it looks ratty in the photo above, but the seam is tight. I even put in a little spring joint in the center of the joint , I [...]

Late-night Rendezvous at the Woodpile

Some men seek solace in a bottle. Others in the arms of a woman. For me, when the world starts swirling around the proverbial bidet, I look to construction lumber. Late last night as I was headed [...]

Someone Call a Pitsawyer

The following is unfiltered, mostly unedited and likely unreadable. But this is what I do. Today I launched headfirst into building this Roubo workbench. First up: Dress the legs. Well, the four [...]

Cheater Video: Cutting Tenon Shoulders

A few weeks ago I posted a blog entry about using a flush-cut saw to slice tenon shoulders. I must have written it poorly because several readers requested a video of the process. So here you go. [...]

Video: Other Ways to Rip

For me, ripping boards on low sawhorses is a quick trip to a sore back. It’s a balancing act done while bending over and pushing hard. So I’m always on the lookout for ways to do the [...]

An Education in Moulding

For as long as I can remember I’ve had a helpful chart hanging above my desk that explains 32 common moulding profiles. Whenever I forgot what a “conge” looked like, I could [...]

Dovetails in Real Time

I’m think I’m a decent dovetailer. My joints are tight and I get things done. Heck, I can even teach dovetailing to others when pressed. So why don’t I post a video of how [...]