Recent content by --Tom--

A soft faced thorex hammer is a very handy tool for a toolbox. Good for hitting things you don’t want to damage the surface of. Also great for chisels.

This is a really good book for those interested in the history of precision engineering https://royalsociety.org/medals-and-prizes/science-book-prize/books/2018/exactly/

Satin poly sounds more aligned with your described usage.

Here’s a link to the grand unified grit chart If you look at 3m lapping films you’ll find something fine enough

If likely to get wet and you don’t mind the mess removing then waxoyl https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/maintenance-and-outdoor/hardware-and-building-materials-various/rust-treatment-refill-clear-5l-5092941/p/ZT3600755S You could pretty much leave it outside and it’d be protected. Otherwise I’ve...

Why get extra unnecessary sharpening paraphernalia for knives- just use the stone you already have in the workshop. If it works for things that cut wood it’ll surely work for things that cut food. Remember simple is good and other than a stone all sharpening kit is a con.

Dickoron (seen by many as the industry standard) do three grades Classic Micro Polish https://www.dick.de/messer/en/sharpening/dickoron-family Classic and micro are serrated - so act like a file, police is smooth so acts like a burnisher. The internet is full of people who confuse serrated...

How to sharpen a thing?- rub the thing on an abrasive. Can you tell I don’t work for a magazine?

Once cut soak the ends in wood preserver https://www.barrettinepro.co.uk/25/274/barrettine-wood-preservative I’ve used this and 5 years on stuff is still solid https://www.barrettinepro.co.uk/25/274/barrettine-wood-preservative Can also be overpainted, bedec barn paint is good for this. As...

Not sure where in RCT you are but to add to the options another wood yard near cowbridge (round the back from forage farm shop) https://www.milledwoodcompany.co.uk/

Size the mortice based on the chisel you have and once cut then make the tenon to match. Easy to fine tune the tenon, tougher to fiddle with the mortice.

Some hobs output different power ratings dependent on how many amps they’re fed. Friend had one fitted in a holiday let and without running a new line back to the CU the hob would only run at a lower power and took longer. Double check the manual and get the spark to check it’s getting the power...

Look at water jet cutting - if you can make a vector graphic like an SVG there’s a few places that’ll cut and ship to your door. If you’re doing enough to warrant investing in a saw may work out better to just outsource.

So long as the joint is solid careful filing can be used to readjust an out of square square. Light weight squares can also be fashioned from wood. Pretty sure there’s a the woodwright’s shop episode where Roy Underhill makes one

Chisel and a hammer, larger mortices can be easier than small fiddly ones so a good place to start. Check for square regularly and don’t worry if you end up with a slightly deeper mortice than the tennon.