Recent content by SimonStevensCanes

I have exhibited the past 3 years. My experience with the stand first year was a total disaster and was corrected in later years. I lose money each year, and I'm always disappointed by the lack of actual makers. I exhibit my sticks, but I also take my custom jigs and machines that I've...

I'm definitely not advising, but it sounds pretty safe to me. That said, I will share an anecdote. I had an office in Manchester some years ago in an old mill with lip service paid to modern electrics, we had a very limited number of sockets available. We ended up running extension leads to...

that's a beautiful bowl, is it walnut? What was your process for the inlay, it looks like you've got some wide bits, and it seems to intrude into the wood grain in places. Is that a result of applying pressure (possibly during sanding?), I assume you didn't melt the silver?

I'm curious about the durability of that chopping board, presumably it'll need re-blackening periodically?

Matt Estlea used a combination of ebonising and Black Rubio Monocoat to get a truly black finish in this video...

if you're just learning now, I definitely don't think you want to be thinking about the next 30 years, maybe 3. You don't know what you like yet. You may think that it's all about bowls, but you may get hooked on small boxes, or Christmas decorations, or spinning tops. Buy something decent...

I bought these from screw fix https://www.screwfix.com/p/magnusson-sawhorse-trestles-860mm-2-pack/590tg. They won't be super strong/stable without support between the legs, and they're a little finicky to deploy but they fold up very small, and I've been very happy with them for the price.

Sheet material, plunge saw and low barrier to entry. Festool popularised it, but the cheaper alternatives achieve the same outcome. Domino specifically is nice, but the alternatives are numerous and easy enough that I wouldn't consider it a requirement.

It looks like there might be enough meat to file the hinges down a bit on either side. 0.5-0.75mm on both sides would allow you to butt the hinge up to the inside edge of the box, leaving it exposed and leave 1-1.5mm wood on the outside edge.

I have some Kiaat, that seems plausible.

Lovely box Tom, what's the wood?

Funny timing on this thread, I had a bit of a revelation yesterday about this subject. I've been really really struggling with confidence and motivation in the workshop for nearly exactly 1 year. I felt it all slip away last September and for the most part it's been completely gone, albeit...

Solitary bees use holes to rear their young in if I understand correctly, or maybe it's just overwintering. Anyway, you'll often find any deep holes have been covered over, or the remnants of a covered over hole that has been eaten out of. That's what the bamboo poles in "bee/insect hotels"...

Finally finished a pair of folding Adirondack chairs. Built using April Wilkerson's plans in English Oak. I built the one on the right first to check the plans. Staggering that a month longer in the British weather would affect that oil finish so much. Needs another coat or 2.

Honestly I got bored and moved on. Actually that's probably not true. I discovered that the 3mm mdf I was using was too weak (so easy to break just by brushing past in the wrong direction) and too light to rely on the weight for security. Picking up something would often result in a small...