Category Archives: workshop
Carving Tools
You rarely hear me banging on about tools, but Christopher Storb posted this excellent article about some London carving tools and their history on his blog yesterday. Jack Plane
Stretching the Truth
I recently bought a new dressmaker’s tape measure to accurately determine the dimensions of a multifariously curved item of furniture that I have designs on. It appears that some nations have as much trouble grasping the antiquated imperial system of … Continue reading
Picture This XXXII
“Yes…I’ll have a pound of glue please, and one of your finest four-foot long, 3-1/2″ wide London-pattern in-cannel gouges.” Lot 166 in Christie’s Out of The Ordinary Sale (South Kensington, London, on the 3rd of September, 2014) is this rather … Continue reading
Ringing in the New Year
There are still a couple of brass founders in existence that reproduce faithful seventeenth- and eighteenth-century style furniture brasses for discerning furniture makers and restorers. Their voluminous and diverse inventories are to be commended. Iron nails, locks and whitesmiths’ goods, … Continue reading
Preparing Groundwork for Veneering
I have been asked recently what tool I use to prepare groundwork for veneering. It is generally good practice to tooth glue faces for improved adhesion of veneer and mouldings etc. (when using horse sauce), but I am hesitant to … Continue reading
Keeping the Home Fires Burning
The approaching antipodean winter puts me in mind of my old workshops in the South West of England. The premises were old, converted farm buildings, constructed from mellow Hamstone (a local yellow Jurassic limestone), which were pleasantly cool in summer, … Continue reading
Making Mouldings from Scratch
Making mouldings doesn’t really require a write-up does it? You simply drag out a two horse power, electron-burning, two-handled aluminium and plastic behemoth, install the appropriate sized/shaped router bit, don a pair of safety glasses and ear muffs and begin … Continue reading
Coming Under Fire
I assume some (possibly internet-fired) discussion must have occurred recently regarding my apparent destruction of valuable antiques (as posted in Keeping the Home Fires Burning). What ever the occasion or venue, it prompted a number of readers to discharge a few … Continue reading
Going Cordless
A while ago, I purchased a DeWalt random orbital sander on-line. It had a power cord like a length of mangled rebar. Even in the 40° C (104° F) heat of summer, the cord was so stiff that it interfered … Continue reading
Pegs and 'Tails 