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Thanks Richard on all counts, but the beeswax trick, yes I could do that. I will say this again - thank you for doing these... AND just how precious the quality forges are these days, those that understand what we do and what forges did for makers a hundred years or so ago. There are very very...

Thanks all - I had a look BB - the coarse thread will be excellent indeed, I just cannot face the time and effort of making the tap, and would need to investigate if the Myford can cut such coarse pitches. If I was serious about these things ('Moxon' vices) I'd maybe get a toolroom to make the...

Hi Skills - I'd say the finish on the hooks is straight from the forge - they come out a sort of charcoal. It looks exactly like Richard's holdfasts and seems very corrosion resistant. If Richard is around he will know more...? I suspect over time the hooks may mark the oak rails a bit, but it's...

Very nice indeed I think. The design and proportions, the careful choice of grains and placement, the way the relief details all work together... I'd guess you have a rather decent design eye.

Worth a butchers'... all done now and installed. Richard's hooks looking truly excellent. I always aim to be very fussy over the details and surely these hand-forged hooks add a little bit of hand-made? Here is the whole thing c/w chopping block in beech but I did cheat a bit for reasons of...

Eric, I would like to see that (those two never fail to impress) - how might I find it? Particularly I want to see what they do to cut the threads. The Axi set is rather fine pitch for a vice - the big specialist wood screws for vices (often 2"+ stock dia) are far coarser pitch and therefore way...

sorry slow back on this. It's a big cheat KK, just a thread cutting set from Axi, about £40 I recall. I got the biggest they do 1 1/2 inch. If you were closer I'd happily lend it out. Cover post and borrow it if you fancy. The only other stuff you need is some offcut hardwoods, and a bit of...

Richard - I had a look before and it looked a 45 degree, but a careful measure now - 42.5 degrees. Not come across that before - were infills made 'approximately'? - or is this slightly lower angle not unusual. I had honed secondary at 33 degrees, so still good clearance behind the edge. The 33...

I'm a big fan of wood-burners generally, but I do recommend you look at any second-hand stoves rather than a new entry-level pot-belly - they tend to be a bit light-weight, thinner steels etc. And also rather poor air control. These stoves excel when they are well made, heavy castings etc, and...

My personal honest answer Cheshire... no, not really. The key is 'well set-up'. At the far end (beyond my reach) the Holteys, Sauer & Steiners, Bill Carters and others are probably outstanding planes (so I have read). But a well set-up Bailey is still a great everyday user I feel (and readily...

Seems odd that I have been planing for very many years, but never owned one single infill plane. Santa (Sputnik Jim in red strides) set me right back in December. It sat in the workshop and, frankly, got dusty. Then yesterday I had a sharpening session and decided to set-to on the infill blade...

Hi all, thanks for the nice comments. re the cherry, basically I knew from the off it would be painted... went to get poplar but the mill had a stash of v cheap cherry boards so I chose that. It's English and old (milled in '96) but had some wild grain in there so wastage was a bit more than...

Hello all, and thanks BB for doing the smart thing and flipping the image! Yes Andy, I do plan to mark a few of my older tools (planes mainly). I'm not a collector as we all know. I also have used it on a couple of items recently, always hidden away to be discovered or not in later years...

I am now the proud owner of a fine Chalco stamp, which Jim (Sputnik Jim these days) kindly got as a gift for me. I'll try and stick to the stamp, but a bit of background may be handy. Here's the stamp, stunningly made: It was actually a kind of thank you. Deep in the winter, snow all over the...

Sorry been away! Busy y'know. Just finished a mobile unit for a kitchen. Reclaimed marble top re-sized to 920 x 460. Carcase is cherry, painted indeed (client insistence) - F&B Lichen eggshell. The interesting bits were the drawers, which open from either side so run right through. I used...

understood. Further testing, gone over to teak oil (I have some very blond stuff) as the linseed was going a bit dark. Happy with the wiped-on poly though. Got 2 of the 4 tops glued up now (made up of 3 boards each 200 x 42mm) with continuous tenons along (grooves and 3.6mm ply tongues). They...

Thanks Jim. I tested the poly thinned with turps (around 65/35) on a scrap piece of the oak. I had given it a wipe with thinned linseed first just to get some colour into it. I like the way the build is minimal but it really locks the fibres down and with fine steel wool between coats the finish...

Can I re-activate this thread?... I have some solid oak worktops need finishing and I have used various finishes in the past but keen to explore possible alternatives. I find Rustins Danish Oil takes a bit long to harden off and I am not convinced it is the best finish in kitchens. I have used...

An amazing short film of David A Smith of Torquay, making the glass sign-work which became the album art for John Mayer's 'Born & Raised' http://vimeo.com/60647216 The opening is good (the old-style Columbia label etc) but if you want to skip Mr Mayer go about 4'30" in... although he is...

very nice chisels Jim, a good find (again). I trust the one on the left, that's a highlight? I noticed when polishing the backs they have a very slight hollow starting about 1" back from the edge, making polishing far easier.