More First Time Dovetails

Rod from California sent me this picture and made these very nice comments,
I am really excited that your guide has made a very difficult process much less daunting.  I have to admit I was a bit sceptical but all doubts have been brushed aside. My first attempts were cut with a Veritas dovetail saw since I already owned one. Not 100% happy with my results, I ordered the Japanese saw you recommend and I am very impressed with it. Here is a sample of my latest attempt:
Thanks also for all of your YouTube videos demonstrating how cutting dovetails can be achieved by most anyone willing to give it a go! Take care.

Below is the very first dovetails cut by Michael from Melbourne, most impressive! If you can nail it in 3/4" stock then smaller dovetails will be a piece of cake.

Krenov Style Cabinet from Spain.

A good customer from Barcelona sent me these pictures of his latest project. This really was built by hand as German has no machinery in his workshop. It took 200 hours to complete.

The drawers are a piston fit, it's always best if possible to design drawers to be longer than they are wide as this makes it easier to achieve.

A nicely fitted panel and some very clean dovetails. I can see he has left the baseline showing which may offend some, but I'm happy either way especially in an open grained timber such as this white oak.

The legs for the stand have been beautifully shaped in black walnut.

A workshop essential, a non marring dead blow mallet, great for encouraging dovetails to seat.

The HNT Gordon spoke shave in action, a great tools and the best spoke shave on the market for working hard woods.

.........and if you were wondering it's purpose, it's a sewing chest.

Skelton Long Stroke Dovetail Saw

A little while back I order a long stroke dovetail saw from Shane and Jaq Skelton, a couple of days ago it arrived. I pushed the boat out and went for the 'Squires Peters' version, a copy of a saw made in 1760. http://skeltonsaws.co.uk/our-products/

Beautiful packing with some nice touches.........

............and finally the saw revealed, what a beauty!

It has 16 TPI and very little set, ideal for finer dovetails, my only frustration is that being away I have nothing to test it on. The handle is flame beech and the fit and finish of the whole saw are immaculate. Enjoy the pictures.

Wooden Hinge Dovetailed Boxes

Here are some more boxes by Stephen, this time with integral wooden hinges.
I've seen jigs for these type of hinges made by Incra http://www.incrementaltools.com/INCRA_HingeCrafter_Drilling_Guide_p/hingecrafter.htm
and also Rob Cosman http://www.robcosman.com/tools_drilljig.php

Excellent Jewellery Box.

Stephen sent me some pictures of his excellent jewellery box. If you scroll down I've included some of the making shots which may give you some idea of just how time consuming this project was!

This is how Stephen described the project
'Here are a few more photos of my jewellery box. This was the first time I used veneer and it took a long time. The inlay banding were in the style of Steve Latta, even that took weeks.  Thicknessing the ebony lipping by hand was a pain, but a high angle frog and small back bevel worked wonders! (Thanks David Charlesworth).
All in all it came out pretty good and I was very pleased with the clean spline mitre joints cut using your guide.'

First Time Dovetails from the US

Since I've stopped selling direct I get much less customer feedback on my guides, but Steve from the US sent me these pictures of his second and third attempts using the guide. He was very pleased and so he should be!

Beautiful Walnut Desk.

Matt from the UK sent me these pictures of a lovely desk he made from a large (and expensive) walnut slab.
He's just posted a series of three very well done YouTube videos showing the making process which are well worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJD8iaIXYWU

I'm guessing the Makepeace inspired chair is another one of Matt creations, showing some very fine making skills.
The graduated dovetail keys provide a nice accent and stabilise the short crack.

A Nice Little Box

William from the UK sent me this picture of the first box he has made using my spline guide. It's made from recycled antique drawer parts (good to hear)  and is nicely proportioned. The first of many I hope!

Two Legged Work Bench, the Answer!

Thanks very much to Jonas from Denmark who has explained the use of these benches and showed my ignorance. Lervad as a company are still very much alive and kicking both in their native Denmark as well as in the UK http://lervad.co.uk/
They specialise in workbenches for educational use and the two legged bench is designed to be attached, along with others, to a central tool well, which certainly solves the stability problem.

They do a small freestanding bench with three legs, although I think the two legged communal benches make better sense.

Two Legged Work Bench on E Bay!

Yes it's true, a work bench with only two legs! It was made by Lervad and I've seen them in adverts in old woodworking magazines.
I guessed at first it was meant to be attached to a wall but the end  cap prevents that. Who knows how it was meant to be used without falling over or shooting across the floor

Having said all that, it has a great front vice for dovetailing and if you were to extend the width of the top with more beech or add a tool well and build a solid base (with 4 legs!) you would have a nice compact and cheap bench.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/La-Lervad-Model-No-903-Woodworking-Bench-/222236721268?hash=item33be574074:g:nVwAAOSw8oFXyEHV

New Workshop

We've recently sold our house and I felt it was time to take on a workshop away from the home. This gives me more room and I was able to move all my gear in prior to moving house, I don't think we could have coped with both at the same time!

I re-laid my Paf Systems floor tiles, along with some new ones, ready for the big move. These tiles are brilliant, easy to clean, very tough and much kinder to my tools than concrete.
http://www.pafsystem.com/products/interlocking-floor-tiles/

I installed industrial racking to take all my wood and managed to plumb in the cyclone dust extractor. If you are reading this Bern, you need one of these!
This is as far as I managed to get before we decamped to Dorset for 4 weeks. There was a delay on the house we are buying which meant I had to leave the workshop in a real mess, very frustrating.

Mind you I can think of worse places to spend a month away.