Monday 24 August 2020

Very Nice Sjobergs Bench on E Bay now.

 

Browsing E Bay I came across this advert for a Sjobergs bench which looks in excellent condition. It has a  proper face vice which is ideal for dovetailing as well as the best type of end vice. At 5' long it is a good usable size without taking up too much room. It's located in Brighton https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Work-Bench-with-storage-Heavy-Duty-Solid-Wooden-Table-Woodworking-Vice/283988197536?hash=item421f0400a0:g:ZCkAAOSwu7VfQrMH 

Monday 17 August 2020

Article in Latest Furniture and Cabinetmaking Magazine


The latest issue of F&C has just arrived with a very dramatic cover.

Near the back it includes my latest article making a storage box for my matching pair of Skelton dovetail saws.



 

Monday 22 June 2020

More Planes on E Bay


 I'm selling a few more old friends, this lovely mitre plane is by Darryl Hutchinson.
  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153977959067


And a few more by Norris, Spiers, Slater and George Miller.





Thursday 4 June 2020

Chisel Chest from America


Steve from Pennsylvania sent me these shots of a nice dovetailed chisel box he made.
Looks like a couple of lovey sets of Blue Spruce chisels in there.


Monday 25 May 2020

Nice Planes For Sale on E Bay


I have some nice ones on E Bay this week all 99p start, above is a rare Spiers mitre plane and below a lovely George Miller shoulder plane.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPIERS-IMPROVED-MITRE-PLANE/153945599677?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


A rare Gabriel bi metal mitre plane.


The last of my Oliver Sparks planes, a tiny dovetailed instrument makers plane, a work of art.


A superb bog oak mitre plane by Tim Smith.


Monday 4 May 2020

Tools for Sale on E Bay


The lockdown has give me some time to sell some unwanted tools. If you enter the link below you can go and access all listings, using 'see other items'
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OLIVER-SPARKES-INSTRUMENT-MAKERS-PLANE/153917852927?hash=item23d6380cff:g:IO0AAOSwMNhertV~


A new Lie Nielsen No49 tongue and groove plane.


A new Veritas plough plane


A fine Starrett level

Very nice set of E.A.Berg Swedish chisels.


A Veritas skew mouth block plane with fence.


A Kunst Griff scraper shave.
And finally a lovely Oliver Sparks instrument makers plane.


Sunday 12 April 2020

Box for my Skelton Saws


I made myself a box to house two of my Skelton saws, my Gentleman Jaq gents dovetail saw and my Dual Kerf Starter. These saws are used in tandem so it made good sense to put them in one box.


The sides are English cherry and the panels are from the last of the lovely Honduran Rosewood from which the saw handles were made. The lining is pig suede. An article on the making will be appearing in Furniture and Cabinetmaking magazine shortly.


Tuesday 7 April 2020

Canadian Saw Maker


Robert sent me these pictures of a fine dovetail saw he had made by The Great Lakes Tool Works in Ontario Canada. The beautifully finished handle is Cocobolo and apparently it works very well.



Monday 30 March 2020

Olive Ash Stool Finished


Jim sent me these pictures of his olive ash stool made on my course last weekend. It's had three coats of finishing oil which ahs really brought the grain alive.


There were lots of angles and curves in this project which adds interest to the design.



Saturday 28 March 2020

Rack for Dovetail Guides


I've had contact from lots of woodworkers all round the world who have been getting a lot more workshop time this week.
Peter in the US sent me this picture of a little rack he made for his dovetail guides, simple but very practical.

Saturday 14 March 2020

Skelton Gentleman Jaq Dovetail Saw Arrives


I've been very much looking forward to the arrival of my new Gentleman Jaq dovetail saw it didn't disappoint.

It's extremely comfortable and has a really nice weight in the hand. The detailing is amazing, much better than my photography!

This is the last of my Honduran Rosewood which matches my dual kerf starter.
Shane reacted badly to this rosewood, one of the possible hazards of the job.



Wednesday 11 March 2020

Calling for Entrants for the Alan Peters Award 2020 £1,000 first prize!


The Alan Peters award is being organised by Jeremy Broun and is open to any amateur woodworker resident in the UK and over the age of 18. Up to two pieces per person may be entered and they will be judged on the appropriate use of wood, quality of workmanship, functionality and originality of design.
Entries must be submitted by 30th May 2020 (£20 fee per item) with judging being done on 29th June 2020.
First prize £1,000, second prize £500 and third prize £300. For full details please see link below.

https://www.woodomain.com/alanpetersaward

Saturday 22 February 2020

New Skelton Saw


A new saw arrived from Shane Skelton last week which, as usual, is a beauty.


The beautiful Honduras rosewood handle looks and feels great.


It's a very specific saw with a pair of fixed blades and is designed to cut two kerfs which enables perfectly sized dovetail pins to be achieved. The spacing is quite small which is ideal for small to medium sized boxes. A larger pin, say for large chests, can be achieved easily be made by moving the saw along one cut and creating three kerfs.


The idea of a kerf starter is nothing new with various types, both commercial and homemade in use.


Run up against a square (the teeth have no set) it creates two square and evenly spaced kerfs. These are great if cutting dovetails freehand as well as with my magnetic dovetail guides.


Here are the cuts which have gone down about 1 mm.


And here is the result, identically sized pins straight from the saw.