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I'm with Chris on this. I suspect you won't notice the difference between air-dried and kiln-dried yet (I'm not sure I can!!). For the moment you're probably safer with kiln-dried wood, but I would encourage you to get into the habit of searching for home-grown timber at a local yard because it...

This is interesting. I'm just about to take the same approach in the shed I've set up for micro-woodworking, because of security and because I want to see how much woodwork I can do in a 6x8ft shed. Has anyone used a small surface planer as a rough thicknesser, to do the donkey work before...

That's exactly how to do it, only you can also buy the bolts with countersunk heads and a threaded hole in the slot to take a brass cover. I expect you can buy these from Isaac Lord. You can also get brass 'seats' to go beneath the countersunk head, if that makes any sense. It should be fine...

I'm with you entirely, Jim. When my Dad had a furniture business we had a fantastic, but simple, tablesaw, known then as a dimension saw, for cutting rails to length, largely, before dowel jointing. But then we had a factory with lots of space, and the saw pretty much performed that one job...

I feel like a car manufacturer recalling their latest model for faulty ashtrays. It appears that woodworkers who subscribed by Direct Debit at Stoneleigh in October may not have received the latest issue of British Woodworking. I am trying to get a list of these subscribers from our agency, but...

Anyone who'd like to see British Woodworking should email me at the address below (or send a PM) with their postal address. But I must make an apology. It sounds as if anyone who subscribed at Stoneleigh by Direct Debit hasn't received the latest issue because it takes our subscription agency...

Turning between spindles is pretty safe, I'd say, especially if children are using a roughing gouge to start with. Table lamps are good projects. With a fingernail gouge there isn't even a 'shoulder' to dig in with, and you can cut uphill or downhill. Oval skews are much safer than conventional...

I'm with you, Aidan, except that, so far, all my woodworking injuries have been caused by slipping chisels. I don't say that to sound smug, just that they tend to be less controlled than, say, a bandsaw blade. One of my worst cuts was from trying to get a router cutter blade out of one those...

Action like this does the rest us no good at all. I'm all for taking risks, and helping children to learn by their mistakes, but there are limits. My 10-year-old daughter loves working on my small Delta bandsaw, and has learnt the groundrules about blades and fingers, but I wouldn't dream of...

Thanks for the encouragement and support. It is really heartening to hear of people reading so much of the mag: that was one of the initial aims. I have a hunch that woodworking mags often get skimmed for ideas/techniques/tips/tests, but don't always get read in much detail. I've hoped we can...

Thanks to everyone who came up to say hi at Harrogate. Back home now!!! I was encouraged by the enthusiasm for our new mag, Living Woods. Do email me if you want a free sample. I had an email today from someone saying that the current issue of British Woodworking has some typos and errors. Many...

Ah, Moose, I couldn't have put it better. Thanks. You should be Chancellor! Nick

Now there's an idea, Dom! Bags I the intermediates. Good Woodworking can have the beginners and F&C the advanced. I'll have a word with the appropriate editors/publishers, and we should have it fixed by Monday. And Ratwood, a free mag's on its way!!! Thanks for your email. Nick

Fair point. Finding ways to encourage people to read as many pages of a magazine as possible is one of the critical challenges for an editor. That's always going to be difficult if the readers are deciding what to read or not to read based on the project itself rather than the story behind it or...

If you haven't asked us for a sample copy yet, Marcus, do please do so and we'll send you a free issue. The offer's open to anyone wanting to give British Woodworking a go. I really hope we don't set the bar 'too low' at British Woodworking. I sometimes think it's a pity that woodworking...

You could try the Dean Oak Co-Operative for the walnut. I know they had some not so long ago, and they were saying that there isn't a huge demand for it because so many woodworkers want American black walnut. What a sad state of affairs that is. Bit like magazines really!!!!!! Do email me for a...

You can buy it at Borders, various newsagents, and larger Smiths (but not railways stations and airports). Email me your postcode and I can find a stockist. Cheers Nick

So true, Brian. So true. I hope I've responded appropriately. Nick

I'm with you Moose, regarding light. But still learning!!! We can but try. I guess that's what makes it fun, and the prospect of sparring with Lataxe. I can't say I much like my writing be criticised, but if you stick you head above the parapet you have to expect to be shot at. My thinking is...

Well, Lataxe, that's ok. There's always room for improvement, but fundamentally, I just don't think you're probably a British Woodworking reader. Fortunately plenty are. Just compare Issue 1 and Issue 8 to see how things have progressed. I've said before in this thread that sometimes we are too...