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I had an interesting surprise this morning. I measured twice, but with different rules, and the same distance yielded different measurements. This caused some head-scratching. It turns out that...

Surely there are a wide variety of reasons to go fully or partially Neaderthal. For me, the most important are the enforced slower pace, the pleasure of working with my hands, and the feeling that my...

I tried the free digital trial of FWW, but one of the reasons I took up hand tool woodworking was to escape from the computer, which rules my day job, and frankly, their digital portal leaves...

This is amazing. Great pictures, and thanks for sharing.

Thanks, Jim. This is what I was thinking.

I've seen some where it's proud and some where it's flush. I've been told that it should be proud, but have also seen a recommendation that it be sanded down flush. What say you?

I hope that the common cause of rebuilding Notre Dame will help bring the people of France (and beyond) together.

When our own National Cathedral was damaged in the 2011 earthquake, there was...

I am looking for the scoop on the parking lot tool sale that happens in conjunction with the MJD tool auction in Nashua, NH. The next auction is on May 3. I went a few years ago, on the Friday of...

Oops, I thought I did specify but I see I did not. They are the MK II bench chisels. The beaters I have from the tool meet may well be carpenter's chisels, I don't know enough to say. The only one...

Thanks, everyone. This is very useful input.

Herv

Nominally, the Ashley Iles are bench chisels -- I assumed "bench" meant all-purpose. Is it your understanding these should be reserved for paring? I don't plan to chop mortises, but I do plan to...

Up until this point in my hand tool journey I’ve been working with a handful of beater chisels (mostly sockets) from a tool meet, as well as a few plastic handled Stanleys I had lying around. These...

Hi John,

A few years ago I was where you are now. My progress has been slow, mainly due to the fact that gardening tends to trump woodworking, but it's coming along. I'm still in the building...

Wait. I got confused and temporarily equated masonite and mdf. The hardboard I see on the borg sites is mostly about 1/4" thick. I like the price per square foot and the simple installation. I...

Interesting idea. What thickness of masonite do you use?

Thanks for the ideas. This weekend I'll head to the BORG and look at laminate and lino.

My workshop is located in an approximately 200 sq. ft. bedroom that I appropriated from a vacant mother-in-law apartment in our home. It has wide pine flooring that acquired some character during the...

Ouch. One thing I've learned doing this Neander stuff is these tools may not take your hand off all at once like their tailed brethren, but instead take their toll a little at a time. Recently, my...

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I realize it was a very basic question but that's often the kind I have.

Herv

Thanks. I was thinking of a low angle block, but wasn't sure. I've seen a video of Sellers planing a tenon with a smooth plane, but it was just a tiny bit proud. I suppose once I get close with the...

I am building a Sellers-style workbench. The stretchers join to the legs using through tenons. One of my tenons is about 1/8" proud (I'm new at this) and another about half that. The leg face where...

Great advice, thanks. I also have plans in the works to replace all the harmful reactive air in my shop with an inert gas (dried and filtered). I'm down to argon or xenon. Any recommendations?

I appreciate the answers. With respect to the flattening question, that doesn't seem to matter other than I generally empty the tub and add fresh water as part of flattening, so things are likely to...

I have the three Nortons: 1000, 4000, 8000. I keep all three in one of those plastic hospital wash basins, submerged, standing on their sides. I rinse the higher grit stones before using with a...

I bought a Disston No.16 from a reputable online dealer. The blade was advertised as straight, but as received from USPS the blade has a bit of a curve to it. I believe this is not within desirable...