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42K views 290 replies 44 participants last post by  DavePolaschek 
#1 ·
Miter Jack

A few months ago, I bought a miter jack, thinking that I would need to be making some 45 degree miters for the upcoming box swap. Since then, I've changed my plans for what I'm going to build (I got better at dovetails, mostly) and might not be doing miters, but figured that I would play with my miter jack a little before I get started on the box construction for the swap. After all, who doesn't enjoy a little procrastination?

For those who aren't familiar, a miter jack is basically a vise with angled jaws. I've read of ones that have both 45 and 60 degree angles, but the one I found on eBay just had 45 and 90. That's probably just as well. I don't plan on making hexagonal boxes. And the 90 will mean I don't have to dig out my shooting board as often.

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This morning, while waiting for oil to dry on another project, I set it up and took it for a spin. I clamped a piece of ½"x6" poplar in the jaws, got out my jack plane (pretty sure the jacks aren't related) and started removing wood.

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It works pretty well. One thing I need to watch out for is some spelching if I don't chamfer the far end, but that mostly gets trimmed away when I get down to level with the jaws. The other is that if I'm not paying attention, I can end up planing off a bit of the miter jack, which might change the angle from a perfect 45°︎ over time. Shouldn't be too tough to avoid though, and I can see where previous owners have dinged up the jaws a little.

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But if I do my part, it looks like creating near-perfect miters is pretty easy. Here are my two test pieces of poplar, just standing up next to each other on the bench. That's a good enough miter that I should be able to make a nice box corner with almost no extra tuning. And while it's basically just another configuration of shooting board, having it be a vise means that I don't need a bunch of extra hands to hold the piece I'm working on.

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Finally, my square says that's 90 degrees. It's just the photograph that looks a little off because of the extreme close-up.

Bob Summerfield wrote a good post on sharpening a saw for use with a miter jack
 

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#53 ·
45 degree jig

Wooden block Wood Trunk Tree Hardwood


I used this shop-made jig while cutting dovetails for 135 degree corners (for making an octagonal box). It's just a piece of 2×4 cut on the diagonal, then glued back together. The piece on the left above slides onto the piece on the right, and then the whole thing goes into a vise to hold the piece you're working on at a 45 degree angle so you can saw on the level while cutting 45 degree angles in things.

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I started using it "head-on" but quickly realized it was useful in other directions too.

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Rectangle Wood Wood stain Plank Hardwood


Not much to it, but as I've discovered over the past year, 90% of hand tool woodworking is figuring out the work-holding. If you can hold the piece you're working on steady, everything else gets a lot easier, and so it was with this jig.

Thanks for looking!
 

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#54 ·
45 degree jig

Wooden block Wood Trunk Tree Hardwood


I used this shop-made jig while cutting dovetails for 135 degree corners (for making an octagonal box). It's just a piece of 2×4 cut on the diagonal, then glued back together. The piece on the left above slides onto the piece on the right, and then the whole thing goes into a vise to hold the piece you're working on at a 45 degree angle so you can saw on the level while cutting 45 degree angles in things.

Brown Wood Rectangle Wood stain Beige


I started using it "head-on" but quickly realized it was useful in other directions too.

Wood Table Flooring Wood stain Floor


Rectangle Wood Wood stain Plank Hardwood


Not much to it, but as I've discovered over the past year, 90% of hand tool woodworking is figuring out the work-holding. If you can hold the piece you're working on steady, everything else gets a lot easier, and so it was with this jig.

Thanks for looking!
Very cleaver, Dave! You are on the money saying, "If you can hold the piece you're working on steady, everything else gets a lot easier." I'm having to come up with some innovated holding jigs myself while I try my hand at carving. Peter Follansbee simply nails his carvings to the bench. I don't think I'm quite ready to do that, yet!
 

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#65 ·
Octagonal Guillotine

While building my box for the swap, I wanted to put some banding around the top of the box. This would mean cutting the ends of the banding at 67.5 degrees (90 - 22.5), and I figured I was unlikely to get that uniform with a saw, so I built a guillotine for cutting that angle. I used a couple scraps from around the shop, a hinge from the hardware store, and the blade from a utility knife.

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The results were good enough that I used them on the top of my box straight off the guillotine.

Rectangle Wood Triangle Flooring Hardwood


It's a useful tool, and now hangs on the wall, waiting for my next octagonal project. If I ever do a hexagonal box, I'll build one for cutting 60 degree angles.
 

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#66 ·
Octagonal Guillotine

While building my box for the swap, I wanted to put some banding around the top of the box. This would mean cutting the ends of the banding at 67.5 degrees (90 - 22.5), and I figured I was unlikely to get that uniform with a saw, so I built a guillotine for cutting that angle. I used a couple scraps from around the shop, a hinge from the hardware store, and the blade from a utility knife.

Wood Rectangle Natural material Flooring Hardwood


Wood Rectangle Wood stain Floor Flooring


The results were good enough that I used them on the top of my box straight off the guillotine.

Rectangle Wood Triangle Flooring Hardwood


It's a useful tool, and now hangs on the wall, waiting for my next octagonal project. If I ever do a hexagonal box, I'll build one for cutting 60 degree angles.
Neat trick. Thanks.
 

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#82 ·
Post drill

I got a post drill a while back. Traded Mos a spare laser engraver and some pictures of dead presidents for it. If you don't know, a post drill is basically a hand-powered drill press, and I've had a few projects where such a thing would be handy, especially since I haven't managed to find a completely straight 3/16 or 4/16 auger bit yet.

Anyway, yesterday morning I headed up to Siwek Lumber bright and early and came home with four "stud grade" 2×6x104" studs. Screwed one of them to the wall of the garage, resting on the sill plate, and with a half-dozen deck screws going into the stud in the wall. Then screwed two more to that, so I have a rectangular post firmly attached to the wall of the shop.

Then I got my neighbor's son to come over and help mark where the holes for the post drill needed to go, and after I drilled two pilot holes, he helped hold it in place while I got the screws in. Once the top two were in, I drilled the holes for the other four and popped in the bolts and it's ready to go.

Wood Gas Machine Auto part Bracket


Wood Art Machine Metal Hardwood


I need to pull out one of the set screws in the handle which is stripped and drill and re-tap that before I do any serious work with it (the handle can bang into the gear behind it when it wobbles), but that should be a relatively quick job.
 

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#83 ·
Post drill

I got a post drill a while back. Traded Mos a spare laser engraver and some pictures of dead presidents for it. If you don't know, a post drill is basically a hand-powered drill press, and I've had a few projects where such a thing would be handy, especially since I haven't managed to find a completely straight 3/16 or 4/16 auger bit yet.

Anyway, yesterday morning I headed up to Siwek Lumber bright and early and came home with four "stud grade" 2×6x104" studs. Screwed one of them to the wall of the garage, resting on the sill plate, and with a half-dozen deck screws going into the stud in the wall. Then screwed two more to that, so I have a rectangular post firmly attached to the wall of the shop.

Then I got my neighbor's son to come over and help mark where the holes for the post drill needed to go, and after I drilled two pilot holes, he helped hold it in place while I got the screws in. Once the top two were in, I drilled the holes for the other four and popped in the bolts and it's ready to go.

Wood Gas Machine Auto part Bracket


Wood Art Machine Metal Hardwood


I need to pull out one of the set screws in the handle which is stripped and drill and re-tap that before I do any serious work with it (the handle can bang into the gear behind it when it wobbles), but that should be a relatively quick job.
When I was very young that was the only drill we had beses a bit and brace. Electricity did not come to our area of western ND until fall of 1953!

So I have used one like that many times. I was going to check if it was still in the old garage about 20 years ago; but the lean of the building and the windy day made it look very dangerous. They did work well and as long as you had sharp bits could drill even heavier steel fairly rapidly too.

I think that you will use it a lot. Good Score!
Tool rescue is a good cause also!
 

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#97 ·
Knife making tools

I've been making stacked birch bark knife handles lately, and found a couple tools that made the process much easier.

Note that the basic tools needed are something to cut the birch bark to size (unless you're buying stacks from Russia, which are a pretty good deal, but a little short to do a complete job), and something to scrape the papery bits and any fungus off the outside of the bark. A card scraper will do just fine for the latter. You'll also need something to put holes in the bark. I use a leather punch. It works pretty good, but about every three or four pieces of bark I need to clear it out, since the bark doesn't fall out the way leather does.

As you're stacking the bark pieces on the handle, you want the holes to be big enough that you're not splitting the bark, but tight enough that the bark stays in place. Near the blade, this means punching three overlapping holes using the middle size on my punch, then two overlapping holes using the middle size on my punch, then finally a single hole using the next smaller size on the punch.

I put a handle on a piece of 7/16" tubing so I wouldn't beat up my mallet when hitting it. It also got a screw-eye so I can hang it up when I'm not using it.

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Every dozen or so pieces of bark, I'll slide the tube over the knife tang, then give it a good whack with the mallet to push everything down tightly. It gets me a tighter stack, which means less fiddling around later.

Partway through building the stack, I'll take a break to thread the end of the knife tang. For the mora 120 knife blanks I will use a 10-32 die, followed by a 8-32 die, and I thread the last 1/4 inch of the tang. That seems to be plenty. I use a stack of a 1/4" washer, followed by a 1/4" copper washer, then a #8 washer, followed by an 8-32 nut.

After I have built the stack, but before I put on the washers and nut, I will press the stack, and bake it for 2 hours at 225F (110C). I use a couple pieces of scrap wood with some all-thread and washers and wing nuts as a press. Baking the bark will soften up any birch pitch in the bark and glue the stack together a little. It'll make for a nicer handle later.

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After I've baked the stack, I can usually put on another six-ten pieces of birch bark before putting on the washers and nut. Once I have the nut tightened down pretty well, I will peen over the end of the knife tang with a ball-peen hammer. Lots of little taps will mushroom the end of the tang and lock everything together.

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Then it's time to shape. I use a bandsaw followed by a belt sander.

Wood Artifact Hardwood Tints and shades Plywood


Hope this helps!
 

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#98 ·
Knife making tools

I've been making stacked birch bark knife handles lately, and found a couple tools that made the process much easier.

Note that the basic tools needed are something to cut the birch bark to size (unless you're buying stacks from Russia, which are a pretty good deal, but a little short to do a complete job), and something to scrape the papery bits and any fungus off the outside of the bark. A card scraper will do just fine for the latter. You'll also need something to put holes in the bark. I use a leather punch. It works pretty good, but about every three or four pieces of bark I need to clear it out, since the bark doesn't fall out the way leather does.

As you're stacking the bark pieces on the handle, you want the holes to be big enough that you're not splitting the bark, but tight enough that the bark stays in place. Near the blade, this means punching three overlapping holes using the middle size on my punch, then two overlapping holes using the middle size on my punch, then finally a single hole using the next smaller size on the punch.

I put a handle on a piece of 7/16" tubing so I wouldn't beat up my mallet when hitting it. It also got a screw-eye so I can hang it up when I'm not using it.

Wood Rectangle Hardwood Wood stain Font


Wood Floor Wood stain Flooring Hardwood


Every dozen or so pieces of bark, I'll slide the tube over the knife tang, then give it a good whack with the mallet to push everything down tightly. It gets me a tighter stack, which means less fiddling around later.

Partway through building the stack, I'll take a break to thread the end of the knife tang. For the mora 120 knife blanks I will use a 10-32 die, followed by a 8-32 die, and I thread the last 1/4 inch of the tang. That seems to be plenty. I use a stack of a 1/4" washer, followed by a 1/4" copper washer, then a #8 washer, followed by an 8-32 nut.

After I have built the stack, but before I put on the washers and nut, I will press the stack, and bake it for 2 hours at 225F (110C). I use a couple pieces of scrap wood with some all-thread and washers and wing nuts as a press. Baking the bark will soften up any birch pitch in the bark and glue the stack together a little. It'll make for a nicer handle later.

Circuit component Wood Cable Electronics accessory Engineering


After I've baked the stack, I can usually put on another six-ten pieces of birch bark before putting on the washers and nut. Once I have the nut tightened down pretty well, I will peen over the end of the knife tang with a ball-peen hammer. Lots of little taps will mushroom the end of the tang and lock everything together.

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Then it's time to shape. I use a bandsaw followed by a belt sander.

Wood Artifact Hardwood Tints and shades Plywood


Hope this helps!
Very clever way to get a tight stack and a solid handle.
 

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#110 ·
The truck kit

After a few times going to the resort, or driving down the road and seeing a piece of tree that might be useful, I decided to set up a small kit of hand tools that I would keep in my pickup so I would always have them with me.

This week, I ended up putting that kit to the test, and added a few things to make it a nearly complete (if minimal) woodworking shop on wheels.

Here's part of it:

Wood Packing materials Plastic wrap Metal Plastic


From top to bottom: a hand screw, because work-holding is the most important thing with hand tools; a pencil; a Big Boy folding branch saw, which is handy for rough cross-cutting; one of the birch-bark handled carving knives I made, with the sheath from MaFe; and a fine (32tpi) gents saw, which is nice for finer cuts.

Not pictured (yet) are a block plane, a hatchet, and a knock-down frame saw.

I'm moving across the country, and the movers picked up the bulk of my stuff he other day, so I didn't have a shop left. And then I noticed that there was a soft spot on the threshold of my side door. When I poked at it with the knife, there was some pretty serious rot. Apparently a boot-heel had chipped the paint at some point, letting water into the wood, and bad things happened.

So I used he folding saw to rough out a scrap of wood. Used the gents saw and knife to fine-tune it, and the knife to clean up the hole. Once I had a pretty good fit, I glued the patch into place and "clamped" it with a couple drywall screws. Split the patch, because I hadn't drilled a pilot hole, because I don't have a drill (will add one soon). Filled the gaps with wood filler, then used the block plane to match the profiles.

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Three coats of shellac (wiped on with a rag) later, it's ready for paint. I'm happy I had a set of tools in the truck, and I feel better about being able to do useful work without a full shop. It's not the best repair, but with a fresh coat of paint on it, it'll at least keep the problem from getting any worse.

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#111 ·
The truck kit

After a few times going to the resort, or driving down the road and seeing a piece of tree that might be useful, I decided to set up a small kit of hand tools that I would keep in my pickup so I would always have them with me.

This week, I ended up putting that kit to the test, and added a few things to make it a nearly complete (if minimal) woodworking shop on wheels.

Here's part of it:

Wood Packing materials Plastic wrap Metal Plastic


From top to bottom: a hand screw, because work-holding is the most important thing with hand tools; a pencil; a Big Boy folding branch saw, which is handy for rough cross-cutting; one of the birch-bark handled carving knives I made, with the sheath from MaFe; and a fine (32tpi) gents saw, which is nice for finer cuts.

Not pictured (yet) are a block plane, a hatchet, and a knock-down frame saw.

I'm moving across the country, and the movers picked up the bulk of my stuff he other day, so I didn't have a shop left. And then I noticed that there was a soft spot on the threshold of my side door. When I poked at it with the knife, there was some pretty serious rot. Apparently a boot-heel had chipped the paint at some point, letting water into the wood, and bad things happened.

So I used he folding saw to rough out a scrap of wood. Used the gents saw and knife to fine-tune it, and the knife to clean up the hole. Once I had a pretty good fit, I glued the patch into place and "clamped" it with a couple drywall screws. Split the patch, because I hadn't drilled a pilot hole, because I don't have a drill (will add one soon). Filled the gaps with wood filler, then used the block plane to match the profiles.

Wood Amber Vehicle door Automotive exterior Bumper


Three coats of shellac (wiped on with a rag) later, it's ready for paint. I'm happy I had a set of tools in the truck, and I feel better about being able to do useful work without a full shop. It's not the best repair, but with a fresh coat of paint on it, it'll at least keep the problem from getting any worse.

Automotive tire Wood Bumper Vehicle door Table
Dave, that's what duct tape is for. Seriously, you did a good job with what you had. Being concerned not to leave it damaged shows you care.
 

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#123 ·
Bowl horse

I moved earlier this year, and it's going to be next year before I have a shop, so I decided to build a shave-horse / bowl horse as a way to keep busy and be able to do some woodworking.

The first step was building the horse itself. A couple 4×4s, a 2×8, and a couple 2×4s. I bought the fake redwood pressure-treated stuff at Homer Depot because it was the straightest of the various tubas they had. Course it was basically saturated with water, so it's interesting watching it move as it dries out in the desert air here.

Anyway, I sandwiched the front leg between the two 4×4s, with a piece of 2×4 on either side of it. Pounded some 5/8" dowel into 5/8" holes drilled in the wet wood with an auger bit, and as the wood dried, the holes tightened down around the dowels nicely. No glue or fasteners on that joint.

Next was using my branch saw and a chisel to make mortises for the rear legs. I eyeballed the angles. They feel about right. The legs are screwed on with deck screws.

Finally, I shimmed the bench level, and then trimmed the legs a given height from the floor. Ended up taking a couple inches off every leg, but got the bench sitting level. Then I made a seat.

Arthropod Insect Wood Pollinator Floor


Then it was time to build the bowl head. I took a couple pieces of 2×8, and sandwiched pieces of 2×4 vertically between the ends of them, and screwed them together with more deck screws. Then I drilled a hole in each 2×4 just below where it stuck out below the bottom of the bench, and carved a wedge by hand to fit in that hole. With both wedges in place, the bowl head is locked to the horse very securely.

I screwed a couple chunks of 2×4 to the back of the bowl head. This forms the stationary part of the clamping mechanism. I'll probably tweak the shape later, but the deck screws come out pretty easy, too.

Then I made the clamp. It's a 2×4, shaved down a little so it will fit freely between the sides. I made a platform for the bottom of it by cutting a 2×4 mortise into a piece of 2×8 and putting in a 9/16 hole. A half-inch carriage bolt slides through to hold the platform on. Then I set the clamp in place and drilled a hole through everything so it could pivot. When I determined that my hole was the right height, I added a couple more holes so I can work on different sized parts.

Brown Wood Rectangle Brick Wood stain


Plant Water Wood Road surface Street furniture


Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Plywood
 

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#124 ·
Bowl horse

I moved earlier this year, and it's going to be next year before I have a shop, so I decided to build a shave-horse / bowl horse as a way to keep busy and be able to do some woodworking.

The first step was building the horse itself. A couple 4×4s, a 2×8, and a couple 2×4s. I bought the fake redwood pressure-treated stuff at Homer Depot because it was the straightest of the various tubas they had. Course it was basically saturated with water, so it's interesting watching it move as it dries out in the desert air here.

Anyway, I sandwiched the front leg between the two 4×4s, with a piece of 2×4 on either side of it. Pounded some 5/8" dowel into 5/8" holes drilled in the wet wood with an auger bit, and as the wood dried, the holes tightened down around the dowels nicely. No glue or fasteners on that joint.

Next was using my branch saw and a chisel to make mortises for the rear legs. I eyeballed the angles. They feel about right. The legs are screwed on with deck screws.

Finally, I shimmed the bench level, and then trimmed the legs a given height from the floor. Ended up taking a couple inches off every leg, but got the bench sitting level. Then I made a seat.

Arthropod Insect Wood Pollinator Floor


Then it was time to build the bowl head. I took a couple pieces of 2×8, and sandwiched pieces of 2×4 vertically between the ends of them, and screwed them together with more deck screws. Then I drilled a hole in each 2×4 just below where it stuck out below the bottom of the bench, and carved a wedge by hand to fit in that hole. With both wedges in place, the bowl head is locked to the horse very securely.

I screwed a couple chunks of 2×4 to the back of the bowl head. This forms the stationary part of the clamping mechanism. I'll probably tweak the shape later, but the deck screws come out pretty easy, too.

Then I made the clamp. It's a 2×4, shaved down a little so it will fit freely between the sides. I made a platform for the bottom of it by cutting a 2×4 mortise into a piece of 2×8 and putting in a 9/16 hole. A half-inch carriage bolt slides through to hold the platform on. Then I set the clamp in place and drilled a hole through everything so it could pivot. When I determined that my hole was the right height, I added a couple more holes so I can work on different sized parts.

Brown Wood Rectangle Brick Wood stain


Plant Water Wood Road surface Street furniture


Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Plywood
Excellent Job Dave!
 

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#147 ·
Scrub plane made from a maroon #3 Stanley

Found a guy on eBay who's got a bunch of maroon #3 Stanley planes he's selling for $37.50 each. They were $31 a year and a half ago when I bought one to try it out. At the time, I flattened the sole, decided it was a cheap plane and if I wanted to improve it, I'd probably need to buy a Hock plane blade at minimum.

Today I decided I was going to repurpose it as a scrub plane. I pulled the blade and walked over to the grinder. I freehand ground something between a 4" and 6" radius on the end of the blade. Between ten or fifteen minutes elapsed. It's not exactly circular, maybe more parabolic from the look of it. Then I spent ten or fifteen minutes sharpening the blade on my coarse sharpening stone and called it good.

I adjusted the frog back a little to open up the mouth on the plane, and popped the blade back in the plane. Took it to the fir 6×6 I'm turning into a post for my post drill, and it does a pretty good job. For a shaving between 1/2 and 5/8 inch (yes, I'm only using between a half and a third of the blade, but it's easy work this way), it's around 1/16 thick, which is how I have my other scrub plane adjusted. It's small enough that I can take off shavings like that for almost an hour before I need to take a break, and on the post, that translated to knocking one of the corners of the post down by 1/4 inch, tapering to nothing at the other end of the 8' long 6×6.

Not bad for about $30 and less than an hour's time. And a lot cheaper than buying a Lie-Nielsen 40½ scrub plane for $175. Well, unless my time is worth more than $140/hour.

Wood Rectangle Font Flooring Wood stain


Musical instrument Plane Wood Bumper Hood


Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Auto part Hardwood
 

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#148 ·
Scrub plane made from a maroon #3 Stanley

Found a guy on eBay who's got a bunch of maroon #3 Stanley planes he's selling for $37.50 each. They were $31 a year and a half ago when I bought one to try it out. At the time, I flattened the sole, decided it was a cheap plane and if I wanted to improve it, I'd probably need to buy a Hock plane blade at minimum.

Today I decided I was going to repurpose it as a scrub plane. I pulled the blade and walked over to the grinder. I freehand ground something between a 4" and 6" radius on the end of the blade. Between ten or fifteen minutes elapsed. It's not exactly circular, maybe more parabolic from the look of it. Then I spent ten or fifteen minutes sharpening the blade on my coarse sharpening stone and called it good.

I adjusted the frog back a little to open up the mouth on the plane, and popped the blade back in the plane. Took it to the fir 6×6 I'm turning into a post for my post drill, and it does a pretty good job. For a shaving between 1/2 and 5/8 inch (yes, I'm only using between a half and a third of the blade, but it's easy work this way), it's around 1/16 thick, which is how I have my other scrub plane adjusted. It's small enough that I can take off shavings like that for almost an hour before I need to take a break, and on the post, that translated to knocking one of the corners of the post down by 1/4 inch, tapering to nothing at the other end of the 8' long 6×6.

Not bad for about $30 and less than an hour's time. And a lot cheaper than buying a Lie-Nielsen 40½ scrub plane for $175. Well, unless my time is worth more than $140/hour.

Wood Rectangle Font Flooring Wood stain


Musical instrument Plane Wood Bumper Hood


Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Auto part Hardwood
Looks like you definitely got your money's worth on this, could even say it was a steal for that price. Nice tool transformation.
 

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#152 ·
Fixed 3/8" marking gauge

Simple, but for every bookcase I build, I need to cut a dozen 3/8" wide & deep rabbets. Which means marking two dozen lines 3/8" from the edge of a board.

I was initially using my fixed fence kerfing plane, but then I broke that by knocking it off my bench, which gave me an opportunity to rethink things.

Since I've been practicing turning things with my lathe, I've got a bunch of round things. I took one of them, put a fence on it (another scrap) and then put a brass brad through it 3/8" from the fence.

Wood Trunk Rectangle Hardwood Landscape


Now I've got a marking gauge that won't get accidentally set to some other distance, and it fits in my pocket, rather than sitting on the bench where I might damage it. And since I resaw a lot of 3/4" boards into two pieces, I'll probably continue needing a 3/8" marking gauge enough to keep it around.
 

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#153 ·
Fixed 3/8" marking gauge

Simple, but for every bookcase I build, I need to cut a dozen 3/8" wide & deep rabbets. Which means marking two dozen lines 3/8" from the edge of a board.

I was initially using my fixed fence kerfing plane, but then I broke that by knocking it off my bench, which gave me an opportunity to rethink things.

Since I've been practicing turning things with my lathe, I've got a bunch of round things. I took one of them, put a fence on it (another scrap) and then put a brass brad through it 3/8" from the fence.

Wood Trunk Rectangle Hardwood Landscape


Now I've got a marking gauge that won't get accidentally set to some other distance, and it fits in my pocket, rather than sitting on the bench where I might damage it. And since I resaw a lot of 3/4" boards into two pieces, I'll probably continue needing a 3/8" marking gauge enough to keep it around.
Nice, Dave!
 

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#164 ·
Quick mortar & pestle

I wanted to do some kolrosing (or kohlrosing) on my baby bow saw but the coffee grounds I got from my sweetie were far too coarse. So I whipped up this quick mortar and pestle from a piece of ash and a pine board. The pine board is awfully soft for a mortar, but it did the trick today. The pestle works pretty well, and I expect the end grain to get awfully brown since I'll only be using it to grind coffee grounds to powder.

Wood Sculpture Hat Art Artifact


Wood Bivalve Trunk Shell Circle


It's pretty handy having a lathe around to knock out other tools like these when I need them.
 

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#165 ·
Quick mortar & pestle

I wanted to do some kolrosing (or kohlrosing) on my baby bow saw but the coffee grounds I got from my sweetie were far too coarse. So I whipped up this quick mortar and pestle from a piece of ash and a pine board. The pine board is awfully soft for a mortar, but it did the trick today. The pestle works pretty well, and I expect the end grain to get awfully brown since I'll only be using it to grind coffee grounds to powder.

Wood Sculpture Hat Art Artifact


Wood Bivalve Trunk Shell Circle


It's pretty handy having a lathe around to knock out other tools like these when I need them.
Nice one, need a tool - make it. That's true craftsmanship.
 

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#171 ·
Ixion eggbeater drill

Got an Ixion eggbeater drill. It was in slightly rough shape, with everything working, but some surface rust, and the original finish mostly chipped off. Also, the wooden handle on the crank was gone, and the metal shaft was nasty with rust.

Hand tool Wood Household hardware Tool Auto part


Wood Hat Art Sculpture Metal


So I gave it a good bath in citrus degreaser, then cleaned it up. Turned a new handle on the lathe, and used an 8d wire nail as a new shaft for the handle. Primed the metal that originally had enamel on it, then gave it four coats of shiny new enamel, and a little oil on the moving parts. I figure the bright yellow finish (instead of the original black) will help me find it on my messy bench. The main gear appears to have been red from the factory.

Wheel Garden tool Hand tool Automotive tire Gas


Ixion was, near as I can tell, a small manufacturer in Hamburg between the wars. And an manufacturer of bigger fancier machines more recently.

Font Rectangle Poster Parallel Circle


This will probably have a countersink bit in it almost full time.
 

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#172 ·
Ixion eggbeater drill

Got an Ixion eggbeater drill. It was in slightly rough shape, with everything working, but some surface rust, and the original finish mostly chipped off. Also, the wooden handle on the crank was gone, and the metal shaft was nasty with rust.

Hand tool Wood Household hardware Tool Auto part


Wood Hat Art Sculpture Metal


So I gave it a good bath in citrus degreaser, then cleaned it up. Turned a new handle on the lathe, and used an 8d wire nail as a new shaft for the handle. Primed the metal that originally had enamel on it, then gave it four coats of shiny new enamel, and a little oil on the moving parts. I figure the bright yellow finish (instead of the original black) will help me find it on my messy bench. The main gear appears to have been red from the factory.

Wheel Garden tool Hand tool Automotive tire Gas


Ixion was, near as I can tell, a small manufacturer in Hamburg between the wars. And an manufacturer of bigger fancier machines more recently.

Font Rectangle Poster Parallel Circle


This will probably have a countersink bit in it almost full time.
Now that's a first class restoration
 

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#196 ·
Stanley #77 Dowel Maker

A while ago I got a dowel maker. Got it up and running this morning, and made a video of making a 1/4 inch beech dowel.

Automotive tire Rim Gear Bicycle part Machine



Edited to add: a photo of the instruction sheet:

Motor vehicle Newspaper Font Automotive design Automotive tire


I have cutters for 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 inch, which I think will cover me pretty well. Anything larger than that, I can make on the lathe. And if I should need one of the odd sixteenths, I can chuck the dowel up in a drill and sand it down until it's the right size.
 

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#197 ·
Stanley #77 Dowel Maker

A while ago I got a dowel maker. Got it up and running this morning, and made a video of making a 1/4 inch beech dowel.

Automotive tire Rim Gear Bicycle part Machine



Edited to add: a photo of the instruction sheet:

Motor vehicle Newspaper Font Automotive design Automotive tire


I have cutters for 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 inch, which I think will cover me pretty well. Anything larger than that, I can make on the lathe. And if I should need one of the odd sixteenths, I can chuck the dowel up in a drill and sand it down until it's the right size.
That is a slick device will be very helpful.
 

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#233 ·
Fast Phone Holder

I've been wanting to film videos in the shop (not too much, but people seem to like them…) but never had enough hands. I took two pieces of scrap pine, and a couple wood screws, and made this. It did the job pretty well.

Rectangle Wood Gadget Communication Device Wood stain


Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Table


I just clamp it in one of my vises, or screw it to the bench, adjust the aim, then snap my camera into the case and film. Easy-peasy!
 

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#234 ·
Fast Phone Holder

I've been wanting to film videos in the shop (not too much, but people seem to like them…) but never had enough hands. I took two pieces of scrap pine, and a couple wood screws, and made this. It did the job pretty well.

Rectangle Wood Gadget Communication Device Wood stain


Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Table


I just clamp it in one of my vises, or screw it to the bench, adjust the aim, then snap my camera into the case and film. Easy-peasy!
Dave that looks like a good simple way to do it. I know whenever I try to video something it seems like it's a different approach every time to set it up.
 

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#243 ·
Mini marking square

Building drawer boxes, I'm working on small dovetails on relatively thin stock. I don't need a big square for marking lines, and given how cluttered my bench is at the moment, a small square seemed like a good thing to have.

I took a scrap of sycamore and planed it so the sides were flat and parallel.

Then I cut a slightly oversized dado in one of the pieces, glued a cross piece in, pegged it with a piece of bamboo skewer, and made sure it was actually square.

Table Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood


Brown Rectangle Wood Beige Tints and shades


Wood Textile Rectangle Beige Hardwood


Rectangle Textile Wood Beige Tints and shades


Looks close enough for my needs. I'll clean it up and give it a coat of oil at some point, but for now, I'm back to marking and cutting dovetails.

Edited to add:

With some shaping to make it more comfortable in the hand, and a couple coats of oil, it's looking pretty good to me.

Brown Rectangle Wood Floor Wood stain
 

Attachments

#244 ·
Mini marking square

Building drawer boxes, I'm working on small dovetails on relatively thin stock. I don't need a big square for marking lines, and given how cluttered my bench is at the moment, a small square seemed like a good thing to have.

I took a scrap of sycamore and planed it so the sides were flat and parallel.

Then I cut a slightly oversized dado in one of the pieces, glued a cross piece in, pegged it with a piece of bamboo skewer, and made sure it was actually square.

Table Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood


Brown Rectangle Wood Beige Tints and shades


Wood Textile Rectangle Beige Hardwood


Rectangle Textile Wood Beige Tints and shades


Looks close enough for my needs. I'll clean it up and give it a coat of oil at some point, but for now, I'm back to marking and cutting dovetails.

Edited to add:

With some shaping to make it more comfortable in the hand, and a couple coats of oil, it's looking pretty good to me.

Brown Rectangle Wood Floor Wood stain
you could have at least used a prettier hunk of lumber : )
 

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#256 ·
Hand cranked grinder

A few days ago Tony, the Gr8Hunter sent me a Keystone Iron City hand-cranked grinder he had scored. It was pretty rusty (but just surface rust - no pitting I could see) and would barely turn, so I completely disassembled it, soaked everything in Evaporust, chased the threads on all the nuts and bolts with taps and dies, applied a coat of linseed oil to the wooden handle, then reassembled everything, oiled the moving parts, and gave it a test drive. It worked great, but there was a deep (maybe 1/16 inch) groove worn in the wheel from something, so I trued that up and took out the gouge. Now I've got a nice grinder I can use for things I don't want to grind on the 3600 rpm electric grinders.

I thought about repainting it, but it works fine, and I think I'd rather be using it than fussing with repainting it.

Gas Motor vehicle Auto part Bicycle part Propeller


Photograph Product Font Line Snapshot
 

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#257 ·
Hand cranked grinder

A few days ago Tony, the Gr8Hunter sent me a Keystone Iron City hand-cranked grinder he had scored. It was pretty rusty (but just surface rust - no pitting I could see) and would barely turn, so I completely disassembled it, soaked everything in Evaporust, chased the threads on all the nuts and bolts with taps and dies, applied a coat of linseed oil to the wooden handle, then reassembled everything, oiled the moving parts, and gave it a test drive. It worked great, but there was a deep (maybe 1/16 inch) groove worn in the wheel from something, so I trued that up and took out the gouge. Now I've got a nice grinder I can use for things I don't want to grind on the 3600 rpm electric grinders.

I thought about repainting it, but it works fine, and I think I'd rather be using it than fussing with repainting it.

Gas Motor vehicle Auto part Bicycle part Propeller


Photograph Product Font Line Snapshot
Nice restoration, this will be great for grinding irons without overheating. I agree with the no paint decision, it's functional as is.
 

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#284 ·
Fixing loose ferrules

Moving to Santa Fe, I've discovered that a lot of the handles on my wooden-handled tools have loosened up as the wood has dried out. Or in the case of things with ferrules, the ferrules will fall off because the wood shrunk.

There's a simple fix for the latter problem. I just punch a dimple in the ferrule using my Starrett automatic center punch and all is well.

Wood Gas Metal Household hardware Gun accessory
 

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#285 ·
Fixing loose ferrules

Moving to Santa Fe, I've discovered that a lot of the handles on my wooden-handled tools have loosened up as the wood has dried out. Or in the case of things with ferrules, the ferrules will fall off because the wood shrunk.

There's a simple fix for the latter problem. I just punch a dimple in the ferrule using my Starrett automatic center punch and all is well.

Wood Gas Metal Household hardware Gun accessory
a quick easy fix - pretty handy tool
 

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