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I bought a 1 1/2 inch chisel from an old tool shop in Ealing. It has a WD stamp on the back (War Department), and a date stamp of 1888. It’s cast steel, holds an edge and sharp enough to shave with. Twenty pounds.

Hello Bloc75, you’ve had some excellent advice there, and I would agree with everyone and everything. The only real concern that I can offer, is what timber are you using? I would recommend a fine grained hardwood, beech is ideal. If you’re trying to use a softwood, such as construction spruce...

Hello Jacob, I’ve had two hips replaced, and my right knee. The first was my right hip that I had done aged 54 in Birmingham, the other two were done were here in France. In France I had epidural injections, which I found incredibly painful. The knee required 9 injections. Recovery from the knee...

Elu was bought by Black and Decker, and DeWalt made the ‘new’ Elu’s. I’m not totally convinced they maintained the quality, though.

I have a blue lab’ coat. Actually, it was supplied to me when I was working as a Woodwork teacher. It’s OK, but the pockets fill up with wood chips, and I find the pockets lacking. I habitually carry a Stanley knife, a vernier gauge, a 3metre tape and a rubber. Breast pocket has a 6 inch steel...

Accurides work well for me.

Hello Rog, I built a verandah about 9 years ago. I can maybe give you some info on how I did it. My construction was largely 6 x 6 also. Two 4 metre sides using cill plates and wall plates and curved braces, all mortice and tenon construction. The tie beams form the principle rafters. Tie beams...

I would favour walnut.

I’ve been happy with blades from Wealden tool.

Greetings Oh Sage Ones, I’m hoping that there will be an expert out there who can help me out on this. My saw is a 1959 vintage, and currently has a few shortfalls. The rise and fall lock isn’t working very well. If the locking knob is turned sufficiently hard to ‘nearly’ lock, to release it...

Hello Britman. It needs to be something pretty tough to withstand all that splashing. I think you’re going to need something like epoxy. Try West System. Good luck. Austin

Greetings, Oh Sage Ones, I’m going to have a go at a ‘sculpted’ rocking chair, with help from Charles Brock. He mentions using rasps and riffler files - neither of which are familiar to me. Can anyone recommend, or suggest what I should be looking for, please? Regards Austin

Hello Pete, I’ve found a copy of the book by Sam Maloof, it should be here before New Year. Many thanks. Austin

Hi, this is a coffee table that I made. It’s oak, using offcuts from some window frames that I made. Unfortunately, the oak had not finished shrinking, so some small gaps have appeared. I didn’t make the steel stand, that was a local engineering company (300 euros!).!

Thanks guys. I made a Windsor chair with James Mursell, using an adze (and other, mostly, hand tools). I really enjoyed his course, btw.

Greetings Oh Sage Ones, I’ve bought a set of plans, book and DVD’s to have a go at making a Sam Maloof type rocking chair. The instructions came from Charles Brock, a professional chair maker. I have a couple of questions, firstly he uses a Festool to grind the shapes onto the components. I...

I think you’ll find that jet washing will clean off a lot of the dirt, and it’s the dirt that’s black, not the oak. I agree with most of the answers you’ve had on this, and definitely agree with the advice to leave it untreated. I think you may have problems with it moving. I don’t know how long...

A few years ago I ran a woodwork course for a few friends, no charge, and I introduced them to a number of tools. One evening, one of the guys walked over to the sliding compound mitre saw, placed his wood on the table, started the saw with his right hand, then held down the right hand end of...

Ni Nice table Paul. Aren’t the feather boards on the wrong way around? Austin

I would recommend using paraffin, not oil.