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We're doing a piece in the next issue about fitting a holdfast if you don't have a collar. It also raises the holdfast, which seems to make it more versatile. Nick

We tested the Veritas Jack Rebate Plane in the most recent issue. It costs more than £300 with the new iron. It is fabulous, but I just don't see what sort of woodworker could justify the cost. As someone mentioned, it is too complicated, and in my opinion too light, to replace a Jack like a...

Only when you're screwing into long grain, not into end-grain. The screws may hold initially but are likely to lose their grip with time. Nick

I'm nervous about loose joinery in external work. Get any moisture in there and both halves of the joint are compromised. We ought to do some tests. Nick

Have you seen books on cigar box guitars? We did feature about them in last issue. Would love to see photo of yours. Nick

Sorry. Somebody said something about British magazines. I get all defensive when we're compared to US mags. Nick

Sorry, you didn't what?

We tested respirators at Good Woodworking many years ago. Tobias Kaye, the wood turner, did a fair bit of research then. More recently Chas Jones did a small group test of them in the Oct/Nov 2008 issue of British Woodworking. You can buy a back issue at www.pocketmags.co.uk for iPad etc... It...

I'd use triangular section lengths of batten inside the corners as glue blocks if you've got room, though cladding the original makes sense too.

Looks great. Wish I'd had one to make my first cigar box guitar earlier this year. Nick

Sounds like a great plan. How much space inside the box is there or will it be very tight? I'm wondering if there would be room for glue blocks inside the corners? I agree that 12mm birch ply would be ideal, but could be thinner. Nick

I bet an Erbauer router is fine most of the time. Chop saws are the sort of machine you want to spend loads on (like a Kapex), for accurate jointing, or relatively little, like an Erbauer or Einhell, for rough cutting to length. Nick

I may be alone, but I hate mitre saws and chop saws, whatever the brand. They all tend to be noisy and dusty, and take up an entire wall. So I'd buy the cheapest possible, fit an expensive blade and hope for the best! Which isn't very helpful advice, but it's Sunday night and Top Gear beckons...

Thinking about it, the jigsaw is one tool that's worth not buying cheap. As Steve says, cheap ones vibrate and have poor shoes. I bought an expensive Metabo 25 years ago and it's still going strong, though I love Makita's 10.8v cordless. It may not be powerful enough for you though. Nick

Noise is really important, for the neighbours, for your ears, and because it disrupts concentration. I think it is more important on a planer than a thicknesser, because using a planer requires more skill and thought. Nick

I used to like the Racal model. It was lighter than most. I think mine had a hose to a belt-mounted unit. It was easier to get on and off than those with motors in the headgear, and quieter.

I'm a bit of don't like messing with tables and a bit don't like wasting time. And I learnt my woodworking in a factory, so perhaps I've been genetically modified into a Process Related Auto Technologue (PRAT). Nick

My complaint isn't so much about time, though that is a consideration, as not liking to touch the bed of a machine once it is set up properly. Nick

I have a Trend, which is fine if you like that sort of thing, but I've found them all to be too heavy and ruin my woodworking. I prefer a twin filter rubber 3M mask and ear defenders with visor attached. Top-heaviness, difficulties raising the visor quickly and problems with ear defenders are...

My Delta bench top thicknesser has quick-change blades and changing takes a few minutes. If you have the space and budget, I couldn't recommend having two machines enough. Benchtop thicknessers are relatively inexpensive, and the planer can be relatively crude, and probably second-hand. Nick