I sent this morticing jig to Paul Sellers ...

[Derek Cohen]

... who promptly deleted it from his blog.

My only interest was to offer him and his readers a more efficient version. I guess he wants to sell his version, which consist of several morticing guides to do one purpose.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MorticingGuide.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Peter Schussheim]

I love this idea Derek, thank you for writing about it and sharing. Did you post a link in a comment on his blog which he then deleted?



... who promptly deleted it from his blog.

My only interest was to offer him and his readers a more efficient version. I guess he wants to sell his version, which consist of several morticing guides to do one purpose.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MorticingGuide.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Great guide Derek.

In my book, simpler is almost always better.

jtk

[James Pallas]

Nice little jig Derek. For myself I have to work along the mortise so I can use the chisel for vertical alignment. I just can’t wrap my head around working across. Your jig may work well for a saw guide to cut tenons also.
Jim

[Reed Gray]

Oh no, you gave me food for thought! I have been trying to figure out a method of a side clamp similar to that for steadying my chisels for hand cutting mortices and for paring down sides of things. Have seen all sorts for 45 degree miter cuts and 90 degree cuts, but not one for a short side parallel cut. Excellent! I was thinking of through bolts that would mechanically lock it into a perfectly parallel set up...... This is close.

robo hippy

[Edward Weber]

Here is a different approach to marking out mortises.
You could make a smaller scaled one for furniture sized lumber.
It's not complicated, no moving parts
https://timberframehq.com/layout/

[Chuck Hill]

Thank you Derek, bookmarked to make later. And thank you for all of the stuff on your site, there is a wealth of valuable information there.

[Derek Cohen]

I love this idea Derek, thank you for writing about it and sharing. Did you post a link in a comment on his blog which he then deleted?

Peter, the blog post by Paul included a few jigs he had built, the mortice ones included here (he had several fixed jigs for different thickness stretchers). Because of this, thinking that he was offering them to his readers, I posted my version (via a link to the website page, as here) for him to use as he wished. All posts are vetted by Paul before release. I went back the next day to find my post was removed. A little later I discovered that he was making jigs for sale. I simply cannot fathom someone spending money on a jig which consists of two pieces of wood glued or screwed together.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Nice little jig Derek. For myself I have to work along the mortise so I can use the chisel for vertical alignment. I just can’t wrap my head around working across. Your jig may work well for a saw guide to cut tenons also.
Jim

Jim, the idea for this jig actually came from one I designed for cutting tenons …

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/TenonGuide.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Luis Reyes]

Both jigs look amazing! Thank you for posting, I'll have to try them out!

[Alexander Mahmoud Helmy]

Really nice jigs!
I am currently building a vise a saw set designed for cutting tenon shoulders, I saw it on the last issue of an italian woodworkingmagazine. You can see the tool at the minute 8:30 of this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE5G3snAfpw&t=517s
Apparently it was used by chairmakers, but I found very little about: only an old article on Popular Woodworking magazine and a couple of blog posts. You can also see the tool used in a video date 1912 from Ecole Boulle in Paris, I will post it later since I cannot include 2 videos
I thought it was worth sharing.

[Alexander Mahmoud Helmy]

This is the original video from 1912, minute 5:32 you can see the vise and saw in action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yonkmk7Cf3Y&t=26s

[Joe A Faulkner]

Derek, I like the jig, and chopping over the bench seems essential. Now what I really want to know is, do you use the jig, or at your skill level, are you able to chop mortises square and trunjust as quickly without the jig?

[Derek Cohen]

Joe, I don't use these jigs. I just like solving problems, and sometimes I come across someone's solution, and see a better way.

The tenon sawing jig was a result of Lee Valley sending me a saw fence to test, and I realised it could be developed into something more. I created the jig for them, thinking that it would be a companion for their dovetail jig. They sat on it for about 3 years, before deciding it was not a goer. I then posted the design on my website for others to use. That was about 8 years ago.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/TenonGuide_html_33b0e517.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/TenonGuide_html_29c40e46.jpg

The mortice jig was stimulated by Paul Seller's version. This was on his blog ....

https://paulsellers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_20190404_200748.jpg

https://woodworkingmasterclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Mortise-Tenon-Retake-Picture-1024x576.jpg

It just seemed so excessive and lacking in ultimate imagination, so I came up with the adjustable version ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MorticingGuide_html_211eacaa.jpg


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MorticingGuide_html_37f5fddb.jpg

I want to rebuild mine, with a slightly taller sliding fence. This would be even better to use to pare the sides of mortices, where the waste is removed with a drill. I would use that.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Great work as usual Derek.

Me thinks Paul Sellers is too full of himself to accept an idea from another woodworker.

jtk

[Reed Gray]

Efficiency it intelligent laziness. Wonderful development!

robo hippy

[Graham Haydon]

Neat job Derek. I'm with you on sharing simple tips, jigs etc. The paywalls seem to be raised on lots of things now, basic sharpening etc. Have you got a link to how much he's selling the ply versions you've shown?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Graham

I have no idea what he is asking for his morticing jig. How hard can it be to make?

This was his first blog in 2017 ...

https://paulsellers.com/2017/12/devloping-mortise-alignment-jig/

Another (2019) ...

https://paulsellers.com/2019/04/mortise-guides-at-the-ready/

And the most recent one (where my post was deleted/not published). I don't see prices, but there are other tools boxed for sale...

https://paulsellers.com/2022/10/the-rewards-of-innovation/

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Gary Focht]

I can’t find where Sellers is selling mortising guides. He is selling the router plane kits.

I just made one of his guides and used Formica for the wear sir face. Will try it out this weekend, but a rough test showed it worked well.

I’m contemplating one guide with a couple of shims for the clamping surface to adjust the thickness.

[Jim Koepke]

I have no idea what he is asking for his morticing jig. How hard can it be to make?

This brings up an interesting concept in woodworking. One comment about making "bench accessories" came from someone saying they would rather spend their time in the shop building their projects instead of building fixtures like bench hooks, shooting boards or other shop helpers. Never mind how much time such helpers might save when building their projects.

It seems a lot of teachers of woodworking sell "must have items" as much if not more than they teach.

Maybe on my next project that uses M&T joinery, building a guide will be the first order of business.

Though my last project with a lot of mortise cutting came out pretty good without one:

490509

There were also a few test mortises cut besides these.

jtk

[steven c newman]

The only guide I use....MK II, MOD 4 Eyeballs...
490521
And...this simple little "fixture" that has been around the shop for a few decades....just 3 pieces of scrap wood...and few screws. A clamp to hold the part in place...and just chop away...
490522
Also helps during a dry fit...

[Edward Weber]

I simply cannot fathom someone spending money on a jig which consists of two pieces of wood glued or screwed together.

Regards from Perth

Derek

This is exactly the point I've been trying to make for the last 20 odd years or so.
Why on earth would a "woodworker" buy something so simple?
Reminds me of the first time I saw a set of Kumiko jigs. I thought, those are nice, I wonder how much?. After I picked myself up off the floor, I proceeded to gather everything to make my own set for about one quarter the cost.
Making jigs, guides, fixtures and so on goes hand in hand with woodworking. It's in the DNA so to speak, it's problem-solving. Put simply, it's part of what we do.

More often than not, building your own "what-ever" to your personal preferences works out better in the end. Many times when you buy something, the first thing you end up doing is personalizing it to work for you anyway, so why bother in the first place.

Paul Sellers does run a business but personally, I find that anyone selling these type of items are hurting the craft of woodworking, not helping. Sell your courses or sell the plans, but selling ready-made items like this is not furthering woodworking.

I always think to myself, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”

JMHO

Thank you Derek and everyone else who shares their work freely. It is appreciated, even if I don't comment every time.

[David Hardy]

Hello Derek,
Greetings from Washington.

I’m not sure why you think Paul Sellers is trying to sell his little mortising jig. Nowhere on his site can I find a mention that he has plans to market these simple guides – I think he’d find the idea silly. Those boxed up tools you mentioned are just parts for his router plane model that he was encouraging people to make to save a few bucks. Furthermore, he point blank says one shouldn’t need to purchase this little bundle of parts since they are easily procured.

I know from personal experience that anytime one comments on his blog and includes an external site link the entry is tossed – I don’t think it’s anything personal – just a computer algorithm. It happened to me once when I included an innocuous link about my father, Raymond Hardy, who had been a violin maker in Baltimore: https://pages.jh.edu/jhumag/0404web/sound.html – rather harmless stuff...
Best,
David Hardy

[Mark Rainey]

This brings up an interesting concept in woodworking. One comment about making "bench accessories" came from someone saying they would rather spend their time in the shop building their projects instead of building fixtures like bench hooks, shooting boards or other shop helpers. Never mind how much time such helpers might save when building their projects.

It seems a lot of teachers of woodworking sell "must have items" as much if not more than they teach.

Maybe on my next project that uses M&T joinery, building a guide will be the first order of business.

Though my last project with a lot of mortise cutting came out pretty good without one:

490509

There were also a few test mortises cut besides these.

jtk

Nice work Jim. Most jigs end up impairing skill development. Sort of like the 8 year old wheeling around at a slight tilt - then you see he hasn't removed the training wheels for 3 years.

[David Hardy]

Hello Derek,
Greetings from Washington.

I’m not sure why you think Paul Sellers is trying to sell his little mortising jig. Nowhere on his site can I find a mention that he has plans to market these simple guides – I think he’d find the idea silly. Those boxed up tools you mentioned are just parts for his router plane model that he was encouraging people to make to save a few bucks. Furthermore, he point blank says one shouldn’t need to purchase this little bundle of parts since they are easily procured.

I know from personal experience that anytime one comments on his blog and includes an external site link the entry is tossed – I don’t think it’s anything personal – just a computer algorithm. It happened to me once when I included an innocuous link about my father, Raymond Hardy, who had been a violin maker in Baltimore: https://pages.jh.edu/jhumag/0404web/sound.html – rather harmless stuff...
Best,
David Hardy

[Derek Cohen]

David, this is not the first time this has happened and not just to me. Plus, a web link was not always involved.

I have a love-hate experience with Paul Sellers. His videos on technique are excellent, and I have learned from him. For this reason, I watch his videos when I can. On the other hand, when he begins to philosophize and lecture about lifestyle and worldly values, I recognise that he he into his Salesman mode and talking up lifestyle for followers.

It is ironic that, for someone whose schtick is encourage beginners to use hand tools, that he uses so many jigs … morticing, dovetails, etc. I have also found him to bend the truth on occasions to make a point which demonstrates his mastery. An example is his attitude to BU planes. He compared a LA Jack to his beloved #4, and showed how the LAJ produced tearout repeatedly in pine. After a brief explanation, I asked him what was the cutting angle of the LAJ, and he stated 50 degrees. This is patently untrue - a LAJ with a cutting angle of 50 degrees cannot perform this way. What is more likely is the blade used a factory 25 degrees for a low 37 degree cutting angle. This discussion was subsequently removed from his blog.

Another time he was adamant that the chipbreaker only supported the blade and had nothing to do with controlling tearout. I’m not sure if he has changed his tune since, but he appears to be placing the chipreaker closer to the edge than he did before, Still, he does not discuss this method.

He does not appear to like others questioning his methods. By comparison, the late David Charlesworth, after decades of using a high backbevel for tearout, learned to set a chipbreaker, and changed his approach.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Making jigs, guides, fixtures and so on goes hand in hand with woodworking. It's in the DNA so to speak, it's problem-solving. Put simply, it's part of what we do.

For me, building shop accessories is also a teaching/learning experience. Building a drawer for a shop bench helped me to improve my dovetail joints. Building bench hooks and shooting boards taught me about getting things square. Building winding sticks taught me about making parallel and straight edges on a piece of wood.

jtk

[Graham Haydon]

Thanks Derek.

I tried reading the link, it migh be my phone, but the blog isn't broken up into paragraphs. I might try looking at it on my computer.

I got the gist which seems it's an option if you're a beginner and want some help with preparing joints. Didn't notice any for sale, just a picture of some router kits.

I did get the impression it's his "invention". I have seen English Woodworker use something very similar a while back, I can't be bothered to work out who made it first. I'm sure some home woodworker knocked up something similar before the digital age and thought nothing of it.

I check in there because the content is free but I have found the blog posts in recent years difficult to wade through.

[Derek Cohen]

Not your phone, Graham :) That is the way Paul writes. One long sentence.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

I can't be bothered to work out who made it first. I'm sure some home woodworker knocked up something similar before the digital age and thought nothing of it.

My guess is shortly after the first chisel was made, someone came up with a way to keep it straight in use.

jtk

[James Pallas]

My guess is shortly after the first chisel was made, someone came up with a way to keep it straight in use.

jtk

Some woodworker held a chisel to a block with his fingers. Shared it with his friends. Today it’s called a plane. That woodworker never got royalties for it because many claimed it for themselves.😀
Jim

[Edward Weber]

Some woodworker held a chisel to a block with his fingers. Shared it with his friends. Today it’s called a plane. That woodworker never got royalties for it because many claimed it for themselves.
Jim
I agree with you,
And what we refer to as a plane today is nothing more than a jig that holds the blade securely at the desired angle. It started as a simple jig and, over time, developed into a standard woodworking tool.
Those who think jigs are somehow hindering skill development are incorrect IMO
The development of a jig to make a job easier, more consistent or safer, teaches you more about the task than simply performing it "freehand".

Some caveman or Neanderthal though he would put a rock at the end of a stick, and it would work better, A simple jig to hold a rock is now a hammer.

Jigs often develop into tools, dismissing them or disregarding them as hindering skill or, as some say, cheating, is ridiculous.
JMO

[Mark Rainey]

Jigs often develop into tools, dismissing them or disregarding them as hindering skill or, as some say, cheating, is ridiculous.
JMO

Ed, I respect your opinion. It is a complicated discussion. In my experience, I began mortising with a mortise chisel many years ago. The mortises were not pretty,
but with a little bit of cleanup, the joints fit and they have lasted years. When I increased my time in the shop, I had 50 mortises to chop for a king sized bed. I wacked the mortising chisel with reckless abandon. The piece was placed over the leg of the bench, and I faced it straight on. All the joints came together nicely. I would not be able to use a jig that made me unable to face my piece squarely. I now have confidence that I can mortise without a jig. And in Neanderland that sense of freedom is sweet. But I have used jigs on occasion and they can be valuable. But they can hinder skill development and keep one timid about certain hand tool techniques. JMO

[Graham Haydon]

I seem to recall Kees having photos of some mortice chisels that are narrower at the top. I'm pretty sure my old OBM chisels are bias that way.

Those jigs work well with modern bench chisels though. I might have to try one.

[Jim Koepke]

For me whacking a mortise chisel to make a mortise is easier than drilling and trying to clean out what is left. With the set up Derek has shared, the clean up may be much easier and faster than my past attempts at making a mortise by drilling and cleaning out the waste.

Some shop fixtures are found to be helpful, some are found to be not so helpful.

jtk

[Ben Ellenberger]

I agree with the earlier post - Paul Sellers isn’t selling his jigs, he just shows how to make them.

I’ve made a jig based on his design once or twice when I was getting the hang of chopping mortises. I think it helped me get a sense of chopping square. After a couple of times I switched to chopping without a jig. I’d set the piece on top of the bench so I could sight down it and I would set a square next to it to give myself another reference.

Now I don’t typically set a square up, but if I was making a big door and wanted extra precision I might do so. Who knows, I might even make another jig if it was for something really critical.

One of things I like about hand tool work is that jigs aren’t necessary, but I can understand why people would want them in certain situations.

[Derek Cohen]

I mentioned earlier that I build jigs out of curiosity, and do not use them. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I would like as many as possible to develop the hand skills to go without a jig. What I do not like is when a jig is used without an effort to do so.

Jigs can aid in developing hand skills. Two examples come to mind:

The first is Rob Cosman’s guide for sharpening. This is a triangle of some material (UHMW?) one leans the blade against when working a stone. After a while, the angle becomes familiar.

The second example is my own experience when learning to cut dovetails about 25 years ago. My curse is that I can get spatially challenged. That is, I can get it back-to-front until I have run through it a few times. So I started out with the Veritas dovetail guide (and pull saw). That helped to get to the point where “I got it!”. I sold or gave away the guide and moved on the free hand only.

There are some jigs which are needed regardless of how good one is. An example of this is when paring or planing the mitre for mitred dovetails. Close is not good enough.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tom M King]

I didn't even think about how hard it was to get this almost impossible to find 20' long piece of wood.

[James Pallas]

I didn't even think about how hard it was to get this almost impossible to find 20' long piece of wood.

Workmanship of risk??? :)
Jim

[James Pallas]

I think that some jigs and appliances were invented by experienced journeymen out of frustration in trying to train apprentices in the aftermath of long apprentice programs. The days of training an apprentice slowly until skills were mastered were gone. I didn’t spend 7 years learning. More like 7 weeks. Yet I can still hear that voice calling from an adjoining room “That saw sounds like a flag in a hurricane, straighten your stance”. Or, “You couldn’t chop straight if I put a gunsight on that chisel”. :)
Jim

[Edward Weber]

I mentioned earlier that I build jigs out of curiosity, and do not use them. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I would like as many as possible to develop the hand skills to go without a jig. What I do not like is when a jig is used without an effort to do so.

Derek

I know this will sound harsh, and I don't mean it that way, but that sounds a bit "elitist" to me.

Only if you're striving to better your skills can you use a jig?
You can't use one just to get the job completed to a higher level of quality than you would free hand?
Jigs are not solely crutches for lazy woodworkers, as I mentioned earlier. You seem to advocate only using them until you grow out of them. Not every jig is designed to be used in that way. Yes, overtime you can develop your skills to where some types of jigs are no longer necessary to you, but the truth is, not everyone can or needs to abandon them all together.

Somehow, this perception that doing everything "freehand" is the best or purest way to work wood and any use of jigs is lesser in some way, is simply flawed, it's just a rudimentary method of work.
As I said earlier, even the simplest tools evolved from basic jigs, hammers, chisels, planes and so on. Jigs are how woodworking evolves.
If there were no jigs, there would be no tools.
JMHO

[Derek Cohen]

Edward, I think that you have misunderstood my comment … or I did not explain myself well enough.

I have and use many fixtures and jigs. These are not training wheels: shooting boards, mitre guides for paring, mitre saws .. and there are the powered versions: router table, slider tablesaw, bench grinder ..

Fixtures and jigs are an inevitable part of the workshop. At the same time, I want to develop my hand skills. I do not want to use guides where it is not necessary. This is my personal choice. Not everyone feels this way. Some jigs are good to point you down the road, such as a dovetail guide. Some prefer to stop there. Others move on. It is a big world we live in. I can only share what I do and prefer. I try not to prescribe to others.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Pallas]

I didn’t get the impression that Derek was being “elitist” in what he wrote. He would have no reason to post the jigs he makes for everyone to use. My own thoughts are use jigs if you find them useful. For myself I learned cutting mortises and tenons without jigs. Some were rough at first but fit well. Now they are easy everyday work like sawing to a line. No jigs, no router planes, a little chisel work at most. That goes for many things that guides are made to for. Use them if you like or feel a need. You don’t have to make excuses for doing so either. But I’m no elitist because I don’t use jigs for many operations. I have some pieces and my family have pieces that I made that are 50 years old and doing just fine.
Jim

[steven c newman]

Well, since Paul did not feel the NEED to comment about what he might have thought as merely either Junk Mail, or a Spammer...he simply did the same thing I would have done...and deleted it.

Apparently that thread was all about how Paul does his own Mortise work...and NOT about what others might be using....nor did he ask for such "advise".....

However, the simplest mortise guide..is just a block of wood. Square end, clamp it to the part at the start of the mortise....can be also used at the stop line....or would that be too much like the way the Japanese chop their mortises...

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks so much, Steven. We can always count on you for your words of wisdom.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[steven c newman]

About like a big bucket of ice water, to cool off the "haters", is it not....

Also, means someone else can't claim Paul is using one of their ideas....

[Jim Koepke]

Did someone kick your cat?

Did someone pour a bit of cranky in you coffee this morning?

Someone shared an idea with Paul Sellers to pass on to his followers. It seems Paul Sellers doesn't want his followers to realize there are other ways from others who have knowledge to share.

Most of the great ideas in woodworking are older than our grandfathers. Be it the ruler trick or the #140 trick, they have all likely been used well before any of us were born.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Any Particular Flavour of Cheese?

So, lets get this straight. Someone is upset because someone else did not respond to them.....Did not comment on un-solisited advise they received...and treated the entire thing as just so much Junk mail. Is that about how this started out?

Paul is rather famous for such...if something doesn't match what he is trying to teach, he will delete it. It is after all HIS site..and therefore HIS rules.

Maybe see IF Derek can send his jig to Rex Krueger....maybe he might show some interest?

[Derek Cohen]

Steven, aside from your all-too-frequent sour grapes attitude (smacks of sibling rivalry), my post here was partly a reflection of my being incredulous about Paul Sellers’ behaviour, and partly to offer a gift to the forum. Why incredulous? Because the mortice jig was Paul’s “grandchild”, that is, it was inspired by his original (?) version. My offer to Paul was unconditional. The concept was his to do with as he pleased. As anyone here who has visited my website is aware, I have many, many ideas there for all to use freely.

Incidentally, this arrive in my email today: https://paulsellers.com/2022/11/router-plane-kits-are-available/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-last-newsletter-total-posts-from-paul-sellers-blog_2

Regards from Perth

Derek

[steven c newman]

Now I know WHY I have you on Ignore...

[Jim Koepke]

Now I know WHY I have you on Ignore...

Funny, it doesn't seem to be working. :D

jtk

[steven c newman]

Under a Flood Watch, right now.....from all the crying going on.....:rolleyes:

Yes, I am a bit grouchy....that chest cold I am fighting is making me that way....The LAST thing I feel like listening to is a whinny brat....

I think I will try to head to my own woodshop, today....and see how things go. No fancy jigs, no need for blue tape smudging things up...just a small handsaw, a chisel or 2, and something to whack the chisels with....Need to get my glasses cleaned up, couple of pencils sharpened up, try out a new Marking knife....

I was a Gentleman, once....only by an Act of Congress..one of the sayings I used to call out.."Carry on! I'll be in the area all day."

[Edward Weber]

Steven, aside from your all-too-frequent sour grapes attitude (smacks of sibling rivalry), my post here was partly a reflection of my being incredulous about Paul Sellers’ behaviour, and partly to offer a gift to the forum. Why incredulous? Because the mortice jig was Paul’s “grandchild”, that is, it was inspired by his original (?) version. My offer to Paul was unconditional. The concept was his to do with as he pleased. As anyone here who has visited my website is aware, I have many, many ideas there for all to use freely.

Incidentally, this arrive in my email today: https://paulsellers.com/2022/11/router-plane-kits-are-available/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-last-newsletter-total-posts-from-paul-sellers-blog_2

Regards from Perth

Derek

So you used someone else's idea, then designed your own version as an "improvement", then sent it back to him. How is the response vexing you?

Even with the best intentions, it does not matter if you did indeed "improve" it or not, this will ruffle feathers. The only way this works is if you were asked to do it, which you were not.
I feel you may be being a bit naive.
JMHO

[Keegan Shields]

Under a Flood Watch, right now.....from all the crying going on.....:rolleyes:

Yes, I am a bit grouchy....that chest cold I am fighting is making me that way....The LAST thing I feel like listening to is a whinny brat....

I think I will try to head to my own woodshop, today....and see how things go. No fancy jigs, no need for blue tape smudging things up...


Steven,

I've found that writing unkind posts and engaging in negative interactions increases my own unhappiness...

If a post or topic irks you, ignore it and move on. I think you'll find it refreshing.



Just a helpful tip from a fellow traveler... and thank you for your build threads - your pictures really help illustrate your process.

[William Fretwell]

Watched one of Paul’s videos once, concluded his site was aimed at absolute beginners and never been back.

I remember when people just read Tage Frid’s books and got on with it. I do enjoy good ideas but allow 10 seconds per idea! Not all people are receptive!

Yes we all can all get upset. A platform attendant just tried to supervise me getting on a train! I said I managed a 12 ft stepladder yesterday, I think I can make it! It’s called pretending you have a real job!

[James Pallas]

Each YT presenter has their own shtick. Paul Sellers is a use what you have. Is the best way to cut a mortise with a guide? Is the best way to cut a tenon to cut it fat than trim it with a router plane? Both work. Is the quickest way to cut the mortise with a mortise chisel by eye and then saw the tenon to the line. I think the second way is most probably the way they were done in the past. The same with other tasks. No sense in arguing over it. Just get what you think you can use from any presenter and leave it there.
Jim

[Bruce Page]

I believe this thread has run its course.