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Peter Ross’s blacksmith and whitesmith work is unparalleled. I’d wax prolific here, but instead, I’ll just share with you the entire story I wrote about him for our November 2012 issue, “Controlled Irregularity.”
And, we’ve just released a DVD from Peter – the first in our new Blacksmithing for Woodworkers series – “Forging a Compass.” Peter walks you through the steps – both at the forge and at the bench – for making an 18th-century-style square-head compass (what we (erroneously, according to two Peters – Ross and Follansbee) call “dividers”). All you need is a coal forge, an anvil and a handful of files (you’ve been looking for an excuse to build a small forge in your backyard – right?). And even if a forge isn’t in your future, it’s fascinating to watch the process of turning an iron blank into a beautiful tool. Get your copy of “Forging a Compass” now at ShopWoodworking.
