Dec 282012
 
January TOTM Boggs Flat Spokeshave
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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably at least had thoughts of trying your hand at a woodworking project that breaks away from the square/rectangular form. You may have even gone so far as to buy an old used spokeshave, only to find an ill-fitting replacement blade, or even more likely, a mouth as wide as the Grand Canyon. […]

Dec 202012
 
Morton's Shop: Shaping the Header+Footer
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I created all the joinery while my pieces were flat and square.  That’s some blocky header and footer! So now it’s time to final shape the header and footer before assembly.  I cut the shape on the bandsaw and then started cleaning the convex curves with my Lie-Nielsen #4 1/2 handplane. A little sanding with […]

Dec 182012
 
Morton's Shop: Buttons to Attach the Top
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I like to make “buttons” to attach a floating top to the base of my tables.  The button slips into slots in the legs (or aprons on other tables) and then screws to the underside of the top.  As long as the slot is wider than the button, these allow for the top’s movement relative […]

Dec 172012
 
Woodworking Tips: Paring to a knife line – a trusted and handy technique
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I’ve been in the process of building an electric guitar (a Les Paul copy), for, well, do I have to really tell you how long?? Ok, something like two years! Ok, ok, I said it. All right, let me see if I can get myself back on topic. Currently, I’ve been working to create the cavities where the […]

Dec 142012
 
Tool Sharpening: A Critical Point
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I’ve written a number of blog articles that include sections on sharpening, but in this article I’ll focus on one aspect that can make a huge difference in your results. Even though I’ll talk specifically about this technique for water stones, it is equally important on other sharpening media. When I first started woodworking, I didn’t have a mentor to […]