Update on saw file availability

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Isaac

Grobet 3-square needle files are back in stock, along with a name change:  Grobet has been rebranded as Glardon. I have been assured that only the name has changed, and that they are still made in the same Swiss factory and to the same quality specifications.

I have been using the Glardon files for a month or two, and can find no discernible difference between them and the old Grobet files, but will continue to monitor their quality.

Bahco 6″ XX-slim are also back in stock. Their 10″ files are still backordered, but are scheduled to be back in stock at the end of the month.

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Some of my latest saws

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Isaac

The color and grain in this piece of apple were particularly striking.

Smith's Key carcase saw with apple handle.

Smith’s Key carcase saw with apple handle.

A closeup of the Smith's Key handle.

A closeup of the Smith’s Key handle.

Another closeup of the Smith's Key handle.

Another closeup of the Smith’s Key handle.

And another closeup of the Smith's Key handle.

And another closeup of the Smith’s Key handle.

And one final closeup of the Smith's Key handle.

And one final closeup of the Smith’s Key handle.

A matched set of sash saws with apple handles. This set is headed to a fellow left-handed woodworker.

A matched set of sash saws with apple handles. This set is headed to a fellow left-handed woodworker.

 

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Quartersawn American beech billets for planes and saw handles

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Isaac

I chanced upon an impressively large American beech plank the other day. This twenty foot long board came from a tree that was nearly 200 years old, was  36″ wide, and just over 2 1/2″ thick.

Needless to say, it went home with me. Not in one piece, mind you, as I have no use for a piece of wood that long, let alone the means of moving and storing it. Since it was destined to be used in smaller pieces, I cut it into 36″ lengths and stuffed it into my car.

Some quick calculations showed that this amount of beech is a many year supply of saw handles for me, so I decided to cut it into plane billets and saw handle blanks and offer it for sale. Depending on demand, this may be a limited time offer; if there is sufficient interest, I will put the time into tracking down and developing a reliable supply.

Quartersawn American beech molding plane billets (and a couple of wedges up on top of the pile).

Quartersawn American beech molding plane billets (and a couple of wedges up on top of the pile).

Quartersawn American beech smooth and jack plane billets.

Quartersawn American beech smooth and jack plane billets.

Quartersawn American beech saw handle blanks for backsaws and handsaws.

Quartersawn American beech saw handle blanks for backsaws and handsaws.

I finally got around to getting my 14" Walker Turner bandsaw running.

I finally got around to getting my 14″ Walker Turner bandsaw running.

Part of the results from a day of resawing. It seemed like a lot more than this when I was in the middle of a pile of sawdust.

Part of the results from a day of resawing. It seemed like a lot more than this when I was in the middle of a pile of sawdust.

 

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A movie worth watching

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Isaac

Have an hour to kill? I can think of few better ways to do so than watching Michel Chalufour and John Karol’s documentary, Ben’s Mill: Making a Sled, a documentary that shows the jack-of-all-trades Ben Thresher at work in his eponymous water-powered mill. While Ben’s work on a water tub and lumber sled would not be characterized as fine woodworking, he works with a grace and efficiency that is the hallmark of a craftsman.

There is a trite saying in woodworking (and no doubt many other crafts) that goes something like this: “The measure of a true craftsman is how well they hide their mistakes.” While there is some truth in that, I believe that mastery is better measured in efficiency and economy. When, through practice and innate talent, all unneeded motion and thought is stripped away, what energy is expended serves only to further the goal at hand. Throughout this movie, Ben’s sense of purpose and economy are unmistakable, making the builds look far easier than they actually are.

While I could go on at great lengths about Ben’s Mill, your time is much better spent watching this movie than reading about it. If you don’t have the time now, bookmark it for later viewing. I think you’ll enjoy it (even if you’ve seen it before).

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Toothed backsaw blades and kits now shipping with leveled (flattened) blades

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Isaac

Spring steel for my saw blades comes to me in coils. After unrolling the coil, some of the curvature remains. Shearing the steel into smaller blanks and punching the teeth adds further distortion. Clever planning can sometimes be used to counteract one stress with another, but the results are unpredictable and unreliable.

For several years, I dealt with these distortions by manually straightening the blades after they were installed in the spine. This can be a tedious and frustrating process, and is one that many beginners struggle with.

Over the years, I investigated several options to make flattening the blades easier and faster. Till now, those leads all proved to be dead ends or too expensive for the small quantities I deal in. Finally, last month I came across a solution, and was able to purchase equipment that allows me to efficiently straighten my blades.

With just a few minutes of work, the vast majority of the distortion is removed from the blade. Some of what is left comes out when the blade is installed in the spine; the remainder is easily dealt with by using the techniques outlined in the link above. Going forward, every backsaw blade will be leveled (flattened) before leaving my shop. 

To cover the time needed to straighten the blade blanks, backsaw blade and kit prices have been increased by $4 – $6. I believe these improved blades and kits remain the best value around, and that the convenience and time savings are well worth the added cost.

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Lie-Nielsen 2015 Open House

Posted on June 27, 2015 by Isaac

Just two weeks to go until the Lie-Nielsen Open House up in Maine…

It doesn’t get much better than this – two summer days in Maine, surrounded by some of the finest hand tools made today, to be capped off by a Roy Underhill presentation on Saturday night.

 

Lie-Nielsen 2015 Open House

Friday & Saturday, July 10-11

9:00 – 5:00 (both days)

264 Stirling Road, Warren, ME 04864

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Rebate saw-plane

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Isaac

I’ve wanted to make one of these since I saw Tom Fidgen’s version of the tool. While making the plane body and the saw blade presented no particular challenges, the fence was problematic.

My original intent was to use wooden screws for the fence arms. After looking at what it would take to make the screws and nuts, I began thinking of faster and easier construction methods. I considered several different options, including a rod and collet system, wedged arms, and a bridle fence. While all of these designs make fine planes, I eventually settled on something else that worked out very well for me.

The fence I settled on was simple to make, moves smoothly and easily, locks securely in place, and always remains parallel to the blade. This last point is critical, since the entire length of the saw blade is in the groove it cuts; if the fence is not parallel to the blade, then only one point of the fence can maintain contact with the board being worked.

I have been playing with this saw-plane for a month or two now, and have taken it to a couple of shows; the response there has been very positive. It can be used to cut a kerf around a board before resawing it, to cut narrow grooves, and to cut rabbets (it really shines at cutting these in soft to medium woods).

While the teeth on the blade appear a little odd at first glance, they are just regular triangular teeth whose gullets have been enlarged with a chainsaw file. The enlarged gullets have more room to carry sawdust out of the cut.

If you want to make one of these saw-planes, I now sell the blades. They are available either sharpened or unsharpened. Links to detailed instructions and dimensioned drawings are on the product sale. These plans are available in both left- and right-handed versions, and are free of charge.

Hardware kits for the fence are not yet available, but several sets are being readied for beta testing. Keep an eye on this blog for updates (or subscribe above for email delivery).

Rebate saw-plane.

Rebate saw-plane.

Rebate saw-plane.

Rebate saw-plane.

Rebate saw-plane, side view.

Rebate saw-plane, side view.

Close-up view of the handle. Thanks to George Wilson for the use of his handle design.

Close-up view of the handle. Thanks to George Wilson for the use of his handle design.

Another close-up view of the handle. Thanks to George Wilson for the use of his handle design.

Another close-up view of the handle. Thanks to George Wilson for the use of his handle design.

Rebate saw-plane, front view.

Rebate saw-plane, front view.

Rebate saw-plane.

Rebate saw-plane.

Rebate saw-plane, top view.

Rebate saw-plane, top view.

Rebate saw-plane blade.

Rebate saw-plane blade.

Close-up of the unsharpened teeth.

Close-up of the unsharpened teeth.

Close-up of the sharpened teeth.

Close-up of the sharpened teeth.

Posted in Announcements, Completed saws - gratuitous pictures, Saw design | 8 Comments

Now making Scrawls in premium woods

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Isaac

I recently decided to make a few Scrawls (my carbide marking awls) with handle woods besides the apple, cherry, mahogany, and walnut that I have used til now. I took these to some recent woodworking shows I attended to gauge interest in them. Because of the overwhelmingly positive response, I now offer two new premium wood options online.

Both bloodwood and Gabon ebony are dense woods with fine grain that finishes beautifully. Because of this, I sand the handles to a high grit, then buff with Carnauba wax. The Carnauba wax enhances the smooth, cool feel of the dense wood, and will improve with age and handling. For these woods, I believe this finish is superior to the Tru-Oil that I use on my standard handles.

The new premium wood Scrawls cost $45; standard wood handles are still $35. All are made to the same exacting standards, with woods and materials of the highest quality.

Gabon ebony and stainless steel Scrawl.

Gabon ebony and stainless steel Scrawl.

Gabon ebony and bronze Scrawl.

Gabon ebony and bronze Scrawl.

Bloodwood and stainless steel Scrawl.

Bloodwood and stainless steel Scrawl.

Bloodwood and stainless steel Scrawl.

Bloodwood and stainless steel Scrawl.

Bloodwood and stainless steel Scrawl.

Bloodwood and stainless steel Scrawl.

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A pair of saws with Thuya burl handles

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Isaac

When a customer first contacted me about making a pair of saws with Thuya burl for their handles, I pled total ignorance of the wood. After a brief discussion and a bit of research, I agreed to try it out. Not that it was a hard decision; I like to work new woods, and the figure of the Thuya burl was incredible.

When I received the Thuya, I was so captivated by the hundreds of little eyes that I did not remark upon the resinous nature of the wood. Indeed, I was chiefly concerned that the burl would tear and chip when going through my planer. That concern was quickly forgotten when smoke began billowing out of the planer, accompanied by the wonderful and pungent scent of cedar. Apparently, the 4,000 rpm cutterhead produced sufficient heat to release the volatile oils I had earlier overlooked in the wood. The Thuya burl came out the other side with no tearout, so all ended well.

The rest of the build was fairly uneventful, although slow at times. The oily wood had a bad tendency to clog my rasps, files, and sandpaper. Every dozen strokes was followed by a break to brush and clear the teeth (if anyone has a better strategy for dealing with clogging problems like this, please do share it here).

The finish on these handles is a coat of shellac followed by buffing with carnauba wax. Given the very oily nature of this wood, I don’t think there are a lot of other options for finishing.

Twelve inch carcase saw. Thuya burl handle.

Twelve inch carcase saw. Thuya burl handle.

Twelve inch carcase saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of front side.

Twelve inch carcase saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of front side.

Twelve inch carcase saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of back side.

Twelve inch carcase saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of back side.

Ten inch dovetail saw. Thuya burl handle.

Ten inch dovetail saw. Thuya burl handle.

Ten inch dovetail saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of front side.

Ten inch dovetail saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of front side.

Ten inch dovetail saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of back side.

Ten inch dovetail saw. Thuya burl handle, closeup of back side.

Posted in Completed saws - gratuitous pictures | 6 Comments

Not dead yet…

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Isaac

I haven’t had much time to work on the blog lately. Between working on orders and attending LN Hand Tool Events, time to write has been scarce.

I have also been up to my eyeballs in work as I try to prepare myself for the Handworks Show this weekend. I have a few more tools to make and pack before leaving tomorrow morning for Amana. If you’re going, stop by the Furniture Shop and say hello.

Posted in Announcements | 4 Comments