Ashley Iles Mark 2 Chisels on YouTube

This is the latest video to go live. Only one more to go and then I can get back to more normal Blog posts!

Cabinet Makers Squares

The video on my cabinet makers square has just been posted on YouTube.

45 Degree Magnetic Guide on YouTube

Here's the next film on my 45 degree guide.

Sauer and Steiner Hand Planes

I've just posted the latest video showing my wonderful Sauer and Steiner planes in action.

Dovetail Spline Guide on YouTube

Here's the latest YouTube video demonstrating my dovetail spline guide.

Magnetic Honing Guide on YouTube.

The latest video to be posted is on my Magnetic Honing Guide, a great little aid to free hand sharpening.

Upgrades to my Bench Crafted Moxon Vice on YouTube

Here is a video showing a couple of simple, quick and cheap adaptations which have greatly improved the accuracy and performance of my Bench Crafted Moxon vice

HNT Gordon Videos on YouTube.

Here are two more videos just uploaded to YouTube on the beautiful and very practical HNT Gordon spokeshaves and planes, some of which I now stock at very keen prices. Nice ones for Christmas!

Sigma Power Ceramic Waterstones on YouTube.

The second video has been uploaded to YouTube showing this great pair of waterstones in action. If anyone is interested I have plenty in stock.

Infill Plane Maker from Australia

Brian Shugarue contacted me recently to introduce his lovely planes. He is a cabinetmaker and planemaker living in Melbourne Australia.

This is his latest plane, a 'low slung' smoother in Damascus steel.
The style of these planes is similar to the ones I make from wood and they look very comfortable, a nice rounded back and an upward sweeping front bun which gives a great finger and thumb hold.

I couldn't resist slipping this picture in of his very fine looking toolbox.

Here's one of his earlier planes a cute, more traditional squirrel tail block plane.
If you want to see more of Brian's work check out his website http://www.bjsplanesandwoodworking.com/p/main.html
And Blog http://www.bjsplanesandwoodworking.com/2014_10_01_archive.html

New Tool Chest Video on YouTube.

I've just completed a batch of videos for YouTube, the first is a video on the tool chest we will be making at Bridgewater College in July for the New English Workshop http://www.newenglishworkshop.co.uk/
There aren't many places left so if you're thinking of booking don't leave it too long!

Lots of Customer Projects

First up is a Moxon vice made by Michael of Denmark. He asked my advice on glue for the leather (contact adhesive) and then sent a picture of the result, very neat!

Next is Stuart from Australia, a regular contributor. This very nice box is made from rock maple and silky oak for the lid.

He followed my Blog post on box lining with Andrew Crawford and has done a very neat job.
Lots of nice tight dovetails and a discreet pivot hinge lid.

Last up is Simon from Hampshire getting the hang of dovetailing for the first time. This is his second attempt in some pretty thick wood and he has nailed it (not literally!).

Here's a shot of his moxon vice with a pair of lovely lambs tongues. They were cut very close with a Knew Concepts fret saw and then sanded to a finish, very nice.

One of the Best Ever Woodworking Books

In my view this is one of the best woodworking books ever published, right up there with The Soul of a Tree, Fine Art of Cabinetmaking, The Workbench Book and Cabinetmaking the Professional Approach. By choosing the self publishing route this book is much less publicised which is a great shame.

The title is very deceiving as while it does show you in great detail how to make a wooden hand plane, it includes so much more. Working accurately is clearly and simply explained and his training with James Krenov certainly shows through.

Setting up the band saw for straight and square cuts using home made fence.

Accurately trueing bench planes the proper way, one way only with locked wrists.

Simple but highly effective sharpening techniques including the setting up and using a bench grinder to make final hoing quick and easy.

Knife making above, and glueing up using cauls below.

A wonderful cocobolo plane made by David.

Planing techniques are thoroughly shown including accurate work on the shooting board.

And finally sharpening and using a cabinet scraper.
If you live in North America you can get a copy direct from www.davidfink.com or if you are in the UK I have just 8 copies at £19.95 +P&P
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Dovetail Alignment Board from the US.

Here's some shots of a very nicely made dovetail alignment board made by Kendall from California.

Good crisp dovetails and the quarter sawn oak should remain nice and stable.
I've spotted a few posh tools on that bench!

Here's the windowsill where my magnetic guides live, not the greatest of shots with the sun streaming in, but hey what do you expect, it's California!

Wonderful Carved Platter by Nick Barberton

About 18 months ago I spent a day with furniture maker and carver Nick Barberton learning how to carve some of his wonderful patterns. I was really taken by this six sided design but I found this to be the hardest to master. In fact I didn't master it at all!
He uses a curved gouge to create a sequence of straight sided shapes, all nearly identical in perfect rows and diagonals.

The finish is straight from the tool so is very tactile, in fact you can't help touching it!
The wood is rippled olive ash, one of my all time favourites and this this curved platter came from a 2" thick lump 20" square. There was more than a days work shaping the platter on both sides before the carving could begin, and the whole thing took 4 days skilled work to complete.

I bought this one to both admire and be inspired by. I certainly won't be filling it with fruit or the likes, it will be mounted on my office wall. I seem to spend more time in there than my workshop these days!
You can check out more of Nicks work here http://www.nickbarberton.co.uk/gallery_362302.html