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Through ones would be easy enough with a suitable small round moulding plane, but that's not possible with stopped flutes. I think I'd be tempted to mark out, remove the bulk of the waste with suitable carving gouges, then clean up most of the length with a scratch stock to even things up...

Chris, have a watch of this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojeul33vXL4 - it explains the basics. There are quite a few printed reference books and videos, and they all have minor variations of approach, but the general idea is as follows; 1) Plane up the face side, using first a jack plane...

Also known as pinch dogs - and they are still commercially available! C S Osbourne make some quite posh looking ones, and there are more work-a-day patterns about, too. Some years ago, Bristol Design offered a range of sizes. I'm sure a bit of assiduous rummaging in the by-ways of tool and...

I've no answer, but maybe a couple of thoughts might add to the thread. Firstly, the mark is unlike the general run of Sheffield trademarks, which mostly have a full name rather than initials (eg 'I Sorby' which is a fairly common mark originally registered by John Sorby some time around 1800...

Have a hunt for 'lip and spur' drills. Those should really be about the same as brad point drills, but in practice some seem to have more pronounced centre points and edge cutting lips than others. I've had mine for years; some came from Tilgear, some were freebies from magazine covers, but all...

A cabinet scraper or two are handy tools to have around for final finishing. I'm inclined to the view that a few moments scraping is more productive than spending hours fiddling to find the exact cap-iron setting that a particular piece of wood will respond to. By all means get the deep...

I couldn't quite believe that, so goggled 'waterstone oil'. Sure enough, up comes this link - http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworkin ... +dk7212kit I'm a little bothered about the description. It seems that one of the things this waterstone and oil can do is - quote - "Remove knicks". Hope...

That's a fine job! I know it's not really a woodworking activity, but I find filing a very satisfying activity, especially when the patience you need to 'creep up on' a nice fit between two parts pays off. As for hand router fences, I can't recall ever using one. One feature the metal pattern...

Thanks chaps - I've just lost an hour browzing all that! Comparing early 1900s technology with today's, it's truly amazing what was achieved with very basic tools and equipment, and a LOT of muscle power and sheer skill. ------ By the way, for those concerned with the steel in their tools, Mr...

I'm with Andy - Melco are well known in automotive circles for their tubular box spanners, a sort of simpler version of a socket. During the years after WW2, there was a bit of experimentation going on with automotive and engineering fitting tools. My Dad had a set of Britool sockets given to...

Yes indeed - Musicman set out the standard METALLURGICAL preparation for examination. The clue is in what he wrote - "The way a metallurgist would...". The WORKSHOP tests wouldn't involve etching. Good workshop tests include rubbing a file down the bevel to see if some parts are hard and some...

Adidat's nailed it. It's a core-box. It would be filled with an oil-bound sand which, after release from the wooden core-box, would be baked to harden it, then the cores placed into the sand mould for the item being cast (looks like a small needle valve or non-return valve) to provide the...

I wasn't scoffing. I was speaking from bitter experience. Anybody is, of course, entitled to spend their own money exactly as they see fit. However, advice offered on the basis of experience comes absolutely free of charge, and may save somebody's hard-earned for better acquisitions!

Quote - "A cheap pillar drill is better than no pillar drill if you need one " That is HIGHLY debateable. Having used both cheap pillar drills and good ones (and industrial drilling machines), I regard cheap pillar drills as little more than scrap waiting to happen. If you don't mind holes that...

Very interesting thread, with some thoughtful and insightful comments. Just a short note about 'ingots'. We tend to think of ingots as huge lumps weighing tons - indeed, in modern bulk steel production, they are. However, in the crucible cast steel process, an ingot was limited in size to about...

On the subject of spades and shovels, here's a 'how it's made' showing the forging of solid spades, and the making and fitting of YD handles. This is by Bulldog Tools of Wigan - sadly, I think they've now moved production to India. Ho hum. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN6cFnpzQKo

Stockton Heath Forge, also known as Caldwells, was located in the village of Stockton Heath, which is just south of Warrington. They were a long established firm who supplied government departments, railways and the like with shovels, picks, crow-bars, hammers and similar. At some point in the...

New ones seem to start out quite glossy, but more vintage ones mostly seem to have either lost their original gloss, or never had it in the first place. Just my two pen'orth, but it's a tool, and function trumps worrying about other people's opinion on finish for me. I'd be inclined to finish...

Just be aware that the larger the space, the more 'stuff' tends to accumulate. Discipline is forced on you in a smaller space, not so much in a larger. If you do take it on, be clear about what you want to achieve, and ruthless in sticking to it. Otherwise you'll end up working in a...

Robot lawnmowers? I thought there were two basic types, known as 'sheep' and 'goats'. Unfortunately, nobody has yet found a way to programme them not to eat flowers, shrubs and trees as well as excess grass, which perhaps explains why they haven't caught on everywhere. Very effective in the...