The most important part of any project is probably the initial stock preparation: without proper preparation no other part of the project can happen, it’s as simple as that. When it comes to preparation you have three options: buy PAR timber, which is relatively expensive; buy rough sawn timber and process it using machines; or break out the hand planes and do it yourself. My preference is for the latter because it’s cheaper, safer…
John Brown died in his sleep on the morning of 1st June 2008. John Brown was a maker of Welsh stick chairs, as well as a teacher and author. His book on Windsor chairs is, I believe, out of print although it is to be found here and there for stratospheric sums of money.
The internet is a wonderful place – all of life is there if you look hard enough. In the Eighties I used it for keeping in touch with the local chapter of the motorcycle club to which I belonged. These days, as a responsible grown-up (though the wife might argue that point), I use it for research, for keeping in contact with like-minded people (there are a few, honest!) and for finding inspiration: a wealth of ideas and information is…
Israeli-born luthier Boaz Elkayam was once asked by Victorinox to build a guitar using only a Swiss army knife. It was a publicity stunt, of course, but when you consider that traditional Mexican luthiers build guitars using few tools other than the long, curved carving knife that they call a cuchillo, it doesn’t seem like such a tall order.
Unguided edge tool: from wasting to delicate shaping, the draw knife can be made a jack of many trades
There must have been a time when every woodworker had a draw knife in his toolbox. It’s the only way to account for the vast number available today in secondhand tool shops and on eBay; my friend even found one buried in a field recently, and after being cleaned up, he was able to press it back into service. If you…
