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Last year I bought a s/hand lathe with a view to doing some small scale turning. This was partly with the intention of using up accumulated oddments of timber left over from larger projects, and partly for the fun of it. I'd done a small amount of turning 10+ years ago, mostly knobs or handles...

When I bought my TS2010 tablesaw the dealer had an ex-demo model, and offered a deal on the sliding table extension and the table length extension on the outfeed. It was a good deal, but after setting it all up I realised that not only was the whole shebang too big to leave fully assembled in my...

After buying a couple of 240v 30W 3' LED batten lights in October I'm finally getting round to fitting them. A quick-and-dirty test is very promising as far as light levels go, but the interference on my workshop FM radio (e.g. BBCR4) is horrendous. Luckily the test coincided with 'The Archers'...

Having recently acquired a small lathe I'm finding my 16'x8' workshop a bit cramped. If you had to choose between a table saw and a bandsaw which would you choose? I have a planer and thicknesser and all the usual hand tools.

I need a chuck for my small Axminster lathe with 1"x 8tpi headstock thread. An Axminster chuck seems the obvious choice an SK100 or SK88 would do nicely, but when I began looking around the choices began to get a bit bewildering. Rutlands, Charnwood both have offerings, then there's Versachuck...

I've recently acquired an elderly bench top pillar drill. The victim of an abusive relationship, it has lost the drilling depth gauge/bolt. I can thread a piece of rod to suit but I wonder if someone with a similar drill could give me an idea of length please? It's also missing the return spring...

I've done bits and pieces of turning (mostly knobs, handles, legs and spindles for furniture I've made) over the last 50 years, but I sold my Myford ML8 about 13 years ago to help fund another project. I now fancy getting a small lathe to help use some of the small oddments of timber accumulated...

Life has rather got in the way of my woodworking in the last few years, and at 75 I'm not sure there is going to be much more in the way of projects worthy of the name. That said, I've accumulated a small stockpile of offcuts that I can't think of an immediate use for, but can't bear to consign...

Last year I was tasked with (yet another) unpaid commission - making a double-bed in oak for daughter and her beloved. It had to be of knock-down construction, so I used these fasteners from Isaac Lord http://www.isaaclord.co.uk/enlarge.aspx ... 113917.jpg. The fasteners are of good quality and...

I've been looking at replacing my existing lathe and either the Myford ML8 or Union Grad would fit the bill nicely, with the ML8 being the cheaper option. It also has the benefit of having a No 1 MT that will take my existing collection of ironmongery. However, the short-bed or 30" Union Grad...

After years of making do with a bench cobbled together out of scrap 3 x 2, 4 x 2, floorboard, and chipboard I've recently acquired a Sjobergs bench that has a 'proper' woodworkers vices (two). Each vice has a wooden jaw, the usual heavy central screw, and two plain steel bars running parallel to...

A while back there was a lively thread on one of the forums on the marking and cutting of hand-cut dovetails. I'm almost sure that one of the members was putting together an article on this, but I don't seem able to find the article(s) I viewed before. Can anyone kindly confirm or deny that this...

Those of you who read my previous post on this may have noticed the comment from 'dedee' that maybe the top was starting to bow. They were right, and how! It was fine according to a long straightedge when fitted too. Not only has it started to curl from front to back, but is starting to develop...

I've sent a couple of 'pm's in the last couple of days, and although one appears to have been sent succesfully (i.e. it appears in my 'sentbox'), the other which I've had two stabs at seems to be stuck in my outbox. It does contain a couple of photos - could that be why? Any clues please folks??

Thought I'd post a couple of pics of this blanket chest I've just finished making for my daughter from some secondhand mahogany over Christmas - yet another unpaid commission! All solid timber - simple M+T structure, cleats in underside of lid are just dry dovetailed in (one screw on each...

I've had this old backsaw for many years, but have never used it much because it never seemed easy to keep it cutting to the line. Recently I dug it out and took a closer look at it. The blade is slightly bent at the toe end, and also appears to have kink a couple of inches in from the toe. I...

I'm getting towards the end of making a blanket box from mahogany and am now thinking about which finish to use. The timber is of more than one variety by the look of it, with some pieces already reddish-brown and well figured, and others varying through to a light almost pink colour. I've...

In response to my daughter's request for yet MORE storage space, I'm in the process of making a blanket chest out of some recycled timber (mahogany of at least two flavours) that I've had for ages. I've been thinking about hinges for the lid, and I guess these could be either internal or...

Just wondering how any other users get on with this guide. I've recently bought one, and am having major problems sharpening chisels. The problem I have is preventing the chisel from moving in the jig. I have followed the literature carefully, but all too often when the blade is biting well on...

I've just bought some Ashley Iles bevel-edged butt chisels. Not used them yet, only flatted the backs ready for honing, but first impressions are good. Got a couple of questions though.... 1. Jig or freehand honing? I've always bunged my chisels into an old Eclipse jig, as this gave reliable...