Woodworkers Resource Blog http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/ en Copyright 2015 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:30:39 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Handplane Basics: A Better Way to Use Bench Planes A Review of:

Handplane Basics
A Better Way to Use Bench Planes
                with Christopher Schwarz

This is a video put out by the folks at Popular Woodworking Magazine and Woodworking Magazine (which are actually merging into one magazine with the April 2010 issue.  I, for one, am not happy about this, but I digress).  

If you're new to handplanes or if you, like many, are frustrated with how they perform, or just plane confused (pun intended) with which plane you should use and when, then this video has the information to take your skills to the next level.  

Introduction:

The first part of the DVD starts out by talking about the historical background of bench planes and then quickly breaks bench planes into three categories based on their length and job.

The first group ranges in size from 14" to 20" long.  They go by many names, such as fore planes, jack planes, or roughing planes.  Their primary job was to remove material quickly.

Long planes or jointing planes are next.  They range in size from 22" up to 30" long.  

Small planes, usually called smoothing planes, range in size from 10" and shorter and prepare the wood for finishing.

The rest of the DVD concentrates on one plane from each of these three categories.

Bench Planes:  Types and Anatomy

Next Chris goes through and discusses the anatomy of bench planes so you'll have a better understanding of how to set up each one up to perform the way you want.  He does this for metal bodied planes, wooden planes, and infill planes which is nice, because most of the time the Bailey style plane gets all the attention from magazines and videos.    


Sharpen & Set Up a Plane To Remove Material

I learned a great deal from this section.  One thing I liked was that Chris shows an easier way of shaping the plane iron (using the grinder) than I've ever seen.  This is a good thing, because Chris makes an aggressive curve on the plane irons that are set up to remove material fast; an 8 inch radius.  Chris shows a simply made jig that he uses to draw the 8 inch radius curve onto the plane iron. Something I wish he would have done here was to explain quickly how to draw that curve out on a block of wood like he used in the video.  I'm sure the reason he didn't was to save time, and this is simple enough to find the answer on your own, but it would have been nice to have it all there.

One struggle I've had sharpening plane irons with a curve was getting consistent results.  Chris again, shows a simple way to do this using water stones and an inexpensive jig.  

At this point, I already feel like I got my money's worth from the DVD, which is nice; I mean, the reason we buy "information products" like this DVD is learn new ways to work right?

Set Up a Plane to Straighten the Work.

There are some similarities between setting up a plane to straighten work and setting one up to remove material.  One of the big differences, obviously, is that set up must be more precise for straightening work as opposed to roughly removing material.  Chris shows a way of doing this for a long plane using a wooden shim; simple, but highly effective.  I first saw this taught by Deneb Puchalski of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, and Chris credits David Charlesworth for teaching him this technique.  I love how learning happens from so many different sources in the woodworking community and how blessed we are to have such access to all this information at our fingertips.  Imagine living in the 17th or 18th century?

Sharpening Cambered Irons & Preparing the Wood For Finishing

I use smoothing planes more often than any other plane I own (except for my block planes), so this section had my undivided attention.  I'm always eager to learn new ways of using my smoothing planes to get the best result possible (mostly just to keep me from having to use sandpaper).  

This section convinced me to finally change the pitch angle of my 4 1/2 smoothing plane, and I love the results.  Chris does a good job explaining the differences in pitch and the effects it has on the wood.

How to shape and sharpen plane irons for smoothing planes is next.  Using three styles, he shows how to achieve each one using water stones.  Again, I learned a new process here as well.  Getting a consistent curve was something I was never quite happy with on my smoothing plane irons, but Chris shows a way that is very repeatable.  I plan to use this approach on a new set of Hock blades I recently purchased.

True a Face of a Board

This is where everything comes together.  Chris takes a rough piece of wood and using only handplanes shows how each:  a jack plane, jointer plane, and smoothing plane are used to prepare the piece for use.

True the Edges & Ends

After one surface of the board is complete next comes the work on the edges and ends of the board.  Hand placement and pressure points become much more critical during this step in the process and Chris does a nice job showing how to do this.

Chris goes on to show how to achieve the final width and thickness of the board using the same three handplanes.

Now to be honest, I hope I don't often have to take a piece of lumber from rough to ready using only handplanes.  It's labor intensive and time consuming compared to using both hand and power tools.  But if you work wood long enough, you'll eventually run into a board that is too gnarly, too wide, too short, - too "something" that using power tools is not an option, or at least, not the best option.  Having the skills to surface the piece by hand is indispensable.

Final Thoughts

Last, Chris talks about bevel-up planes.  Rather than make the DVD longer they include a PDF document on the DVD that discusses these newest entrants into the handplane market.  This is a very nice added feature.

My Final Thoughts on the DVD

I have been using bench planes for several years now but never really started to enjoy using them until I learned to sharpen them properly.  It opened up a whole new world to me and because of that, I continually find new opportunities and circumstances to use handplanes.  This isn't just because I enjoy using them, but also because I find I can get the job done with better results and often times faster than with power tools.  

Even though I've been using bench planes for years and have a good sharpening system that works for me, I took away several pearls from this video (the best being how to get a consistent radius on my irons).  This is one of the reasons I love woodworking, I'm constantly learning new ways to work and improve my skills.  

Bottom line, this video kept my attention, was well organized start to finish, and accomplished the stated goal:  To teach a simple system of what plane to use and when.  Any time I fork out hard earned money on an educational DVD such as this I have one goal in mind:  I want to learn something new that will improve my woodworking skills so I can continually get better.  Mission accomplished.

There's another DVD put out by Lie-Nielsen Toolworks called Coarse, Medium and Fine: Fundamental Woodworking Techniques.  This video was put out several years ago and covers basically the same techniques with a few exceptions.  The only reason I bring this up is to say if you already own this video, I don't think I'd buy Handplane Basics because of the overlap in information.  But if you don't own either, and are interested in taking your skills using  handplanes to the next level, then I highly recommend Handplane Basics:  A Better Way to Use Bench Planes.

Here's a quick trailer of Handplane Basics:



To order your copy or just to learn more information about the video, you can click on the link below:

Handplane Basics:  A Better Way to Use Bench Planes


Craig


]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/handplane-basics-a-better-way-to-use-bench-planes/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/handplane-basics-a-better-way-to-use-bench-planes/ Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:30:39 -0500 Turning Basics for Furniture Makers turning-basicssm.jpgI first got into turning wood about 8 years ago. The reason I bought a lathe was to turn furniture projects such as table legs, columns, knobs, etc. Being a self taught furniture maker, I assumed that I would simply do the same when it came to turning and that I would quickly catch on. WRONG!


It was a slow process in the beginning for me to learn spindle turning. Why? I think it's because turning is difficult to learn simply by reading books (which is how I learned furniture making). When someone asks me the best way to learn to turn wood, I always recommend taking a class from a knowledgeable instructor. If this isn't available to you, the next best thing is a good quality video.


There are a lot of movements that have to be going on at the same time in order to get the results you're looking for when turning wood. The tool, hands, and body all have to work together. This is very difficult to communicate in words and pictures. Video is a much better way because you actually get to see all these movements happen as the turner works.


Steve Shanesy, the publisher of Popular Woodworking has released a video titled, "Turning Basics for Furniture Makers". This is a great video if you're just getting started as a turner and you want to learn how to make common furniture parts such as table legs, columns, feet, etc.


The video begins with Steve turning a chisel handle so you can have an idea of what spindle turning is all about. After watching this you'll have all kinds of questions. Fear not, the rest of the video goes on to answer all those questions.


The next part of the video are on the basic tools needed to do spindle turning and how to keep your tools sharp. Steve then goes through and shows how each turning chisel is held and what kind of operation each one performs.


The meat of the video is in the actual turning of furniture parts. There are sections that show how to turn table legs, a foot for a chest, and a 1700's candle stand column.


The video does a nice job showing exactly how each piece is made. There are plenty of close up shots so you can see exactly how the tool cuts and how the body and hands are controlling the tool. There's even a part that shows you how to make multiple copies of a piece, such as table legs, using a simple full size template.


So if you're just starting out and want to learn basic spindle turning or just need to brush up on your skills, this is an excellent video.


You can order your copy here


Watch a short clip from the video

]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/turning-basics-for-furniture-makers/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/turning-basics-for-furniture-makers/ Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:26:46 -0500 LumberJocks Woodworking Winter 2009 Awards
(from the LumberJock's website)

Are you knotty and keeping secrets?

Then it's time to get busy and creative again and compete for some great prizes in our Winter 2009 edition of the LumberJocks Woodworking Awards.


 Part 1 of LJ Woodworking Awards - Winter 2009 series no next part

Are you knotty and keeping secrets?

Then it's time to get busy and creative again and compete for some great prizes in our Winter 2009 edition of the LumberJocks Woodworking Awards.

You are welcome to participate in the following two categories:

A Knot Like No Other - It's creativity time! Don't let that big old knot get you down - incorporate it into a project, highlighting it's beauty or uniqueness. You can knock out the wood (if there is some) and use just the hole or keep the wood intact and include it in your design. It's time to get knotty with your woodworking. Be sure to describe how the knot inspired you.

A Secret Compartment - Sshhh!! It will be just our little secret--where have you hidden that special storage compartment in your woodworking project? Whether you are building a box, a chair, or any other creation, use your design and woodworking skills to add a secret compartment that no one will find unless they know it is there! This project is all about the "secret".

There are several chances to win great prizes from our fantastic sponsors in both categories. And The Best Overall LumberJock will get a special Grand Prize - brand new DeWalt Tracksaw.

I know you're eager to see the complete prize list and read all the details and rules so the last piece of information I'd like to share with you is the entry deadline and that is January 31, 2009 at 3 PM CDT.

Click here to enter the wonderful world of LumberJocks Woodworking Awards Winter 2009.

Have fun and spread the word... Good luck!


]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/lumberjocks-woodworking-winter-2009-awards/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/lumberjocks-woodworking-winter-2009-awards/ Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:50:13 -0500 Brian Boggs on Chair Design I had the opportunity to attend Brian's class on chair design at this year's Woodworking in America Conference in Berea, KY.

Brian Boggs is a rare breed of woodworker. He not only is a world renowned chair maker, but he also is a great teacher and communicator. Those two qualities often times don't go together, but Brian Boggs seemed as comfortable teaching 140 woodworkers in an auditorium as he would one on one.

In the video Brian talks about:

Brian talks about:

Brian talks about:

    * How he got started building chairs

    * How he designs chairs

    * Different joints in chair making

    * Grain orientation

    * Gluing up chairs

    * Designing to fit the human body

    * Proper angles

    * and much more

You can check out our video here.

Leave any questions or comments you have below, we always love to get feedback!]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/brian-boggs-on-chair-design/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/brian-boggs-on-chair-design/ Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:03:28 -0500 Back From the Woodworking in America Conference Here's a list of the classes that I attended:

  • Chair Design: Brian Boggs
  • Dovetailing: Pins vs. Tails: Frank Klausz, Roy Underhill
  • Understanding Sharpening Media: Ron Hock, Joel Moskowitz, Robin Lee
  • Understanding Western Saws: Mike Wenzloff, Joel Moskowitz, Christopher Schwarz
  • Bevel-Up vs. Bevel-Down Planes: Robin Lee, Thomas Lie-Nielsen, Christopher Schwarz
  • Forgotten Workbenches and Workholding: Christopher Schwarz
  • Mortise and Tenon: Three Solid Methods: Frank Klausz, Mike Dunbar, Roy Underhill
  • Scrapers: History, Preparation and Use: Christopher Schwarz
  • Bench Planes: Deneb Puchalski, Ron Hock
  • Saw Sharpening: Mike Wenzloff
Can you see why my head is spinning?!?

And guess what, I captured it all on video! I'll be editing and putting up the video over the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

While I was there somebody ask me what the best part of my time had been. I can honestly say that as much as I enjoyed the classes the absolute best part of my three days in Berea was getting to meet so many enthusiastic woodworkers. The place was absolutely buzzing with excitement the whole time.

I appreciate all the folks who came up and told me they enjoyed my website and the interviews that I've been doing with the instructors over the past few months. Thanks for taking the time to do that, it meant a lot!

Another really cool thing that I got to do was to hang out and talk with many of the other bloggers out there on the Net. Folks like Matt Vanderlist, Mitch Roberson, Al Navas, Neil Lamens and Kari Hultman. I encourage you to visit each of these sites for more information about the conference and to get their unique perspective.

]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/back-from-the-woodworking-in-america-conference/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/back-from-the-woodworking-in-america-conference/ Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:17:57 -0500 Interview with Joel Moskowitz Gramercy Tools, makers of premium hand tools such as handsaws, brushes, holdfasts, and much more. He also runs a successful retail business in Brooklyn, NY under the name Tools for Working Wood. However, Joel's first business in the woodworking world came as a virtual woodworking museum called what else but Museum of Woodworking Tools. This site has an incredible amount of information on woodworking tools, and just like any museum, the "displays" are constantly changing.

In our interview we discuss:

  • Joel's interest in the history of tools.
  • His first job out of college designing tools for Black & Decker.
  • How the Museum of Woodworking Tools was developed simply as a demo for another job.
  • Popular Woodworking Magazine has picked several of Gramercy Tool's as "Best New Tools" for the year including their Crosscut Carcase saw as a 2008 winner
  • Joel's collection of woodworking books and catalogs (one the best in the world)!
  • What Joel sees happening in the hand tool market in the next 10 years.
To listen to the interview go here

We'd love to hear back from you.  Leave your questions or comments below.

(I just got back from the Woodworking in America Conference in Berea, KY where Gramercy Tools had a booth.  I ordered a pair of their holdfast and can't wait to get them.  Chris Schwarz says for the money these are the best holdfast out there.   I let you know more when a get mine.)

]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-joel-moskowitz/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-joel-moskowitz/ Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:50:49 -0500 Interview with Dave Jeske Blue Spruce Toolworks was started in 2002 by Dave Jeske. In that short amount of time, Dave has made quite a name for his company, and more importantly, for the tools that he makes.

The first tool that Dave made was a marking knife. This knife is designed specifically for smaller scale precision joinery. This little marking knife was bought by Christopher Schwarz and is now one of his favorite tools. To me, that's high praise. Then in the May/June issue of Fine Woodworking Magazine, the Blue Spruce marking knife was vote "Best Overall" in a line up of 15 other marking knives.

Dave has also expanded his line of tools to include mallets, awls, dovetail chisels, and more.

In our interview with Dave you'll get to hear:

  • How Dave's background in engineering and specifically working with metal helped launch his new career.
  • Why Dave chose a marking knife as his first tool to produce.
  • What lead him to give up his engineering job to become a full-time tool maker.
  • What keeps him motivated to put in the long hours needed to run a successful business (other than his mortgage!)
  • Insight into what it's like to strike out on your own: Things he expected and some things that he didn't.

Dave also talks about a new tool line that he's working on. He's tight lipped about it during the interview, but he hopes to unveil it at this year's Woodworking in America Conference. When I learn about it, you'll be the first to know. Stay tuned!

To listen to the interview go here.

(Just found out at the Woodworking in America Conference that Dave's new tool line is a set of Bench Chisels.  These are just as beautiful as his dovetail chisels with a much thicker blade to withstand the abuse of mallet work.)

We'd love to hear from you.  Leave any questions or comments about our interview with Dave below. 

Craig

]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-dave-jeske/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-dave-jeske/ Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:01:40 -0500 Preventing Burn Marks on Cherry and Maple
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I have a question more than a comment. I read somewhere that you can clean up saw burn marks in cherry using, I thought, mineral spirits. It doesn't work. Do you know of anything that can be used?

Thanks
Ray,

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The only thing that will truly get rid of all the burn marks caused from saw blades (or router bits) is to remove the material either by planing, sanding, or scraping.  I prefer using a smoothing plane if the area is flat and scraping other areas.  Sand paper is a last resort simply because it takes forever to remove enough material.

There is one other way to get rid of burn marks and that's to prevent it from happening.  Burn marks on wood are generally caused by misaligned table saw blades or dull router bits.  Spending some extra time tuning up your table saw and keeping your blades and bits sharp will go a long way in preventing those ugly burns.

For more information on tuning up your table saw, see our video:

Tuning Up Your Table Saw

Also, use a steady, consistent motion as you push the stock through the saw blade or router bit.  Stopping or even slowing down for even a second will cause some woods like cherry and maple to burn.  

If you're still getting burn marks with sharp router bits, here's some tricks to try.  If the profile you're cutting will permit it, sneak up on the final depth.  For flutes, rabbets, or dadoes, cut about 3/4 of the final depth and then remove the remaining material with the final pass.  When routing edge details, if possible, remove most of the material in one pass, move the fence back slightly, and then finish the cut. The less the bit has to work, the less likely it will be to leave burn marks.

If you have a variable speed router in your router table, try slowing the speed down a little a see if it helps on a scrap piece.  

Another trick to try is to wet the material with a sponge before making the final pass in the scenario above.  I haven't tried this method before, but I've read of others having success with it.

I hope these suggestions help.  If anyone has any other trick or tips about preventing burn marks on wood or suggestions on removing burn marks, leave them in the comments section below.

Craig
]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/preventing-burn-marks-on-cherry-and-maple/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/preventing-burn-marks-on-cherry-and-maple/ Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:32:05 -0500 Review of Cast Iron Router Table Top from Peachtree Woodworking I love going to as many woodworking shows as I can throughout the year. You get to see the latest and greatest from the "big names" which is fun.  But the booths I like the best are the small one product companies and the local retail stores.

One such retail store that I can almost always count on having a booth at shows, in and around the southeast, is Peachtree Woodworking Supply.

One of the things that I like best about Peachtree Woodworking, is that they carry all the tools and equipment that you would expect, but they carry many items that the "big guys" don't.

We recently did a video review of one of those products. A solid cast iron router table top.

You can see the video review here.

The video goes through my experience of installing the router table top as a side extension to my table saw. The video covers most things, but there were a few things that I omitted to save time that I'd like to cover here.

First off, I want to briefly review the installation process, and my findings of the router table top.

Here is my review:

I have rated certain findings with a letter grade below, (A) - (F), with A being a superior rating and so forth.


Cast Iron Router Table Top from Peachtree Woodworking Supply:

Weight: 44 lbs.

lrg_cast_iron_250.jpg

Manufactured: Taiwan

Fit and Finish: (A) No visible defects, machining was good.

Flatness: (A) Table Top was dead flat using a straight edge that is
machined flat to within .003 over the entire length.

Table Size: 1 1/2" x 15" x 27"

Insert: Phenolic insert with two removable rings.

Router Plate Opening: 9 1/4" x 11 3/4" or 9" x 12"

Miter Gauge Slot: 3/8" x 3/4"

Installation: (B+) Everything went smoothly until it came time to install the
fence rails to the router table top. The holes didn't line up for my particular brand fence. If a slot had been machined into the edge of the top instead of just a hole, it could accommodate more fence systems. Not a big deal though, a new hole had to be drilled into the edge of the top. (Instructions did state that this could happen).

Instruction Manual: (A) Good instruction manual, very straight forward.

Dust Collection: (C) Dust collection seems to be a bit of an after thought. The parts supplied work well at pulling dust away, but there wasn't a clear way to attach it to the fence system. Double sided turners tape is what I used although epoxy would probably hold it as well.

Aluminum Fence: (B) The fence I used was 32" with a 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 3 1/4" mouth opening. I found that the aluminum fence needed to be shimmed slightly to get it to exactly 90 degrees. The instructions do state that the aluminum fence is made from a non-machined extrusion and shimming may be required to bring the fence square. For the price of the aluminum fence, I think this is acceptable (see price break down below).

deluxeRouterTableFence.jpg

Uni-T Fence:  (A)  There's a Mini T-Track mounted on the top (2 tracks) and front (1 track) of the fence, which allows for the use of many add on items, such as: featherboards,
stop blocks and more. The UHMW insert fences are replaceable, & sacrificial, so you can make zero clearance cut outs for any router bit.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Should you use your table saw's fence for your router table?

At first glance, one of the big conveniences of putting your router table insert into your table saw's extension wing is that you can also use the same fence.  Many folks do just that and make it work.  But my vote is to use a separate fence for the router table.  Here's why:

Making very small adjustments to a table saw fence is difficult, (the exception to this would be the Incra fence) and let's be honest, not usually needed.  Adjustments of 1/32" doesn't  make much difference when you're ripping a board.  However, that same measurement can affect the look of a profile cut with a router bit.

By using a dedicated fence for your router that is adjustable on both ends you can easily make adjustments of 1/32".  Simply lock in one side of the fence and pivot the other end either in or out.  Because the router bit is in the middle, but your adjustments are pivoting only on one end, very small adjustments can be made.

Whether you use an aftermarket fence system like the one above or build your own, you'll soon come to appreciate the advantages of a dedicated router table fence.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Pricing

Cast Iron Router Table Top:  $229.99

Aluminum Fence:  $29.99

Uni-T Fence:  $69.99

Fence Dust Port:  $3.99

Cast Iron Router Table Top with Supreme Fence Package:  $339.99


Overall Scores:

Cast Iron Router Table Top:     (A)

Fence System:                              (B)

Value:                                            (B)

Overall:                                         (B+)


Having changed from a pressed steel extension wing on my contractor saw to this cast iron router table has made a big difference in the vibration level of my table saw.  Plus I'm enjoying the added benefits of the router table being grouped together with my BIG THREE (table saw, jointer, planer).  This is about as close to a European combo machine as you can get without forking out the big money!


You can find the cast iron router table and fence system, as well as many other unique woodworking items at Peachtree Woodworking Supply.]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/review-of-cast-iron-router-table-top/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/review-of-cast-iron-router-table-top/ Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:53:15 -0500 Interview with Clarence Blanchard Clarence Blanchard

Blanchard.jpgClarence is president of Antique & Collectible Tools Inc., the corporation that owns the Fine Tool Journal and Brown Auction Services. Clarence began collecting tools early on in his life which first started because of his interest in woodworking. He quickly learned that he enjoyed collecting tools more than working with them. Clarence worked as a Chemical Engineer for years while his interest in tools steadily grew.

His interest culminated with the purchase of The Fine Tool Journal in 1995. After growing the journal for two years, Clarence then purchased Brown Auction Services in 1997 which is the number one antique tool auction company in the world!

Here's some of the things you'll learn in the interview:

  • What exactly is the Fine Tool Journal?
  • Where do the tools come from that the Fine Tool Journal and Brown Auction Services sales?
  • What are some of the differences between antique tools and some of the hand tools being produced today by high-end manufactures?
  • What goes on at the two large auctions that Brown Auction Services put on each year and what you can expect to find?
  • How much the world record Sandusky center wheel plow plane went for? (This will blow your mind!)
  • How you can find antique tools you're looking for using Clarence's companies.

And of coarse we'll talk about what Clarence will be talking about at the Woodworking in America Conference:

  • Hands-On Clinic: Rehabbing Old Tools
  • Vintage Tools: Their Advantages, Disadvantages and Value

Leave your comments below.]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-clarence-blanchard/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-clarence-blanchard/ Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:46:59 -0500 100 Skills Every Man Should Know: Test Your Knowledge Popular Mechanics website. They ask some random questions to test your DIY skills using a point system. Take the quiz below and see how you fair (and NO Googling during the quiz!)

I scored 1300 out of 1500 points, let me know how you did by leaving your score below and what you thought about the questions asked.

The lead article in this months Popular Mechanics magazine is, "100 Skills Every Man Should Know". Sorry ladies, I didn't come up with the title.

The 100 skills are broken down into 10 categories. Take a look at the skills they came up with and let me know what else you think could have been added to this list and what you would take out as being unworthy.

Just to start things out I'll add a couple of easy ones that I think they left out: Changing the oil in your car under the Automotive category and how to use a compass under the Primitive Skills category.

Let's hear what you came up with!

100 Skills Every Man Should Know]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/essential-diy-skills-quiz/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/essential-diy-skills-quiz/ Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:58:04 -0500 Resurgence of all things do-it-yourself LifeHacker. It's a blog that offers practical advice on getting things done efficiently, something that I'm constantly striving to do.

A little while back a post was written entitled, "The 'Greater Depression' Can Be a DIY Renaissance".This post got my attention. Now, I don't agree with some of the things talked about in the post, but I wholeheartedly agree with one thing: We are in a DIY Renaissance.

This is a phenomenon that has been growing for years, which is seen by the proliferation of DIY retail stores such as Home Depot, and Lowes in the US, and by the popularity of HGTV and DIY Network on television. But, in my opinion we've not seen anything yet.

With the events that have happened here in the US and around the world over the past two weeks, many are worried (to say the least and for good reason) about the economy. And the first thing most folks do when hard times hit is to 'tighten the belt'.

People that lived through the Great Depression had to do things for themselves out of necessity. They didn't call a plumber when the sink stopped up, they didn't call a carpenter to build a shed, they didn't call an electrician when the light switch had a short. They either fixed these problems themselves or pooled their skills together with neighbors and helped each other out.

The DIY renaissance that has been going on for the past 10 to 20 years has come about because of our prosperity. Many people take pride in doing things for themselves, we derive pleasure from it. With more discretionary income than any time in history, people poured money into their homes.

The coming DIY explosion will will be one of necessity. People simply won't have the extra money to pay others to do the things they can do (or learn to do) for themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I know our economy will bounce back, it always has. I don't think we're all going to end up like Ma and Pa on Little House on the Prairie (although, for some of us, that doesn't sound too bad), but a little self sufficiency is going to be helpful.

The problem is, so many people were never taught self sufficiency. For many, self sufficiency means they know how to use Google to find a plumber online to fix the clog in their sink.

As a group, woodworkers are some of the most self sufficient people I know. It's in our blood. It's one of the reasons we build with our hands. We would rather do-it-ourselves than pay someone to do it for us. But don't be fooled, that is not the norm in my view.

Don't keep all those skills you have locked up inside. Share them with someone you know who can benefit from them whether it's with a neighbor, friend, or your kids.

Life skills aren't taught in our schools for the most part anymore, so it's more important than ever to pass down your knowledge to the next generation. Do you remember when you were young and had more time than money? That time allowed you to play and explore, to figure things out for yourself. Kids today just want to play video games and adults just want to sit in front of the TV and be entertained. Some of that mentality may have to change with the economic changes facing us.

Maybe it's time that we start investing in life skills again as a country and not just the biggest HDTV we can fit into our living rooms. Skills like woodworking, gardening, welding, and DIY in general may end up being very important.

Something to ponder. Let me know what you think.

Craig

P.S. And if you need some help or know of someone who needs help teaching kids woodworking, check out our book, Woodshop 101 for Kids.]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/collapse-of-the-economy-means-a-resurgence-of-all-things-doityourself/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/collapse-of-the-economy-means-a-resurgence-of-all-things-doityourself/ Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:42:02 -0500 How do you use your Vise-Grip? VG-Logo-Final.jpgIf you made a check list of the necessary tools that someone should have on hand for general maintenance, Vise-Grip locking pliers, would be on most people's list. I know that when I was growing up, I HAD to take everything apart to figure out how it worked (not much has changed). One of the tools that I loved using was my Dad's Vise-Grips.

I still have vivid memories of sitting in my parent's driveway, with my bicycle completely disassembled, parts lying all around me, scratching my head trying to figure out how to put the thing back together.

Now, my Dad had a large cabinet that was full of tools, everything you could imagine (which was Heaven for a child like me). But even with all those tools at my disposal, most of the time I found you could get away with a few basic tools to do most jobs. A Philips and flat head screwdriver, three or four wrenches, and Vise-Grip locking pliers.

This stroll down memory lane has a point. The folks at Irwin Industrial Tools, makers of Vise-Grip locking tools, want your stories.

Irwin Industrial Tool's "Tell Us Your IRWIN VISE-GRIP Story" is a promotion whereby consumers are asked to share the different and unique ways they have used VISE-GRIP locking pliers or wrenches to solve various problems either in the workplace or at home.

The grand prize is an IRWIN VISE-GRIP custom-branded chopper valued at $25,000 built by East Coast Custom Cycles.

For more information and to enter the contest, go to:

www.irwin.com/vise-grip]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/how-do-you-use-your-visegrip/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/how-do-you-use-your-visegrip/ Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:29:12 -0500 Interview with Robin Lee Robin Lee

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If you're on any of the woodworking forums around the Internet and asked a question to the group about Lee Valley Tools, or Veritas Tools,, you undoubtedly received a direct response from the President of the company, Robin Lee. And if you've ever bought any tools from the company (and if you haven't, you're doing yourself a disservice) you'll get that same down home friendly service. This is no surprise coming from a company whose philosophy on customer service is to "treat each customer like they're your friend".


Lee Valley has bee making some of the best woodworking, hardware, and garden tools in the business for the past 30 years.


Rob may be President of a large corporation but that doesn't mean that he just sits behind a big desk pushing paper. In fact Rob holds several patents on woodworking tools and is very active in new tool development.


Here are some of the topics that we covered during our interview:

  • The first product that Lee Valley shipped (hint: It's not a woodworking tool).
  • Why the customer base in woodworking differs from any other business out there (this one will make you proud to be a woodworker).
  • What does Rob Lee do in his spare time?
  • What's the best part of running Lee Valley Tools? (Hint: It has something to do with being the equivalent of a rock star!)
  • What all goes into new product development?
  • Ever wondered what the name Veritas means and why it was choosen?
  • And much, much more!
And of coarse we talk about what Rob will be talking about at this year's Woodworking in America Conference:

  • Modern Tools: Tolerances and Myths
  • How Modern Tools are Designed and Made
  • Bevel-Up vs. Bevel-Down Planes
  • Infill Roundtable: Construction, Mechanics and Use


To hear our interview with Rob Lee go Here

Please leave your questions or comments below.]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-robin-lee/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/interview-with-robin-lee/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:56:03 -0500 Getting Started in Woodworking every conceivable subject concerning woodworking.  But the one  
question I am asked more than any other in one form or another is  
this:  How do I get started in woodworking?

Just the other day I received an email from a lady named Jeanne.  She  
was bitten by the woodworking bug and went out and bought a bunch  
of woodworking equipment.  Being a self proclaimed "newbie", she  
quickly became overwhelmed.  So much so that her new  
purchases were still in their boxes, unopened, 6 months  
later!

Sadly, this is not uncommon for our hobby.  People get caught up in  
the excitement of starting a new hobby.  They go out and buy a lot of  
expensive tools, thinking they will be cranking out furniture by the  
weekend only to find out they don't know where to begin.

Another common thing that happens to folks starting out in this hobby  
is what I call, "the paralysis of analysis".   Many think that they  
must know how to do everything before they ever touch a piece of wood  
or a tool.  The trouble with this approach is that you will never learn all there is to know about this craft, and you will never learn how to do things simply by reading, listening, or watching others do it.  You  
must jump in at some point and get your feet wet.

Over the next several weeks I'm going to be introducing several new  
articles and videos on, "Getting Started in Woodworking" with the  
intent of helping those of you just starting out in this craft.

Now, I know you may not be in the "beginner" group with your  
woodworking skills.  In fact, you may have several decades of  
experience in this craft.  If so, that's awesome!  Share some of that  
knowledge.

Think back to when you were first starting out in woodworking.  What  
were some of the biggest things that held you back?  What did you  
struggle with the most?  What were some of the things that helped you more than anything in learning this craft?  Leave your comments below to help others just starting out.

If you're new to the craft, tell me where you need the most help.   
What are your biggest struggles?  Where are the largest gaps in  
your knowledge base?  What are you most interested in learning?  Leave  
your comments below.

I'll be putting the questions and comments that you leave to come up  
with a series of articles and videos that will help those just  
starting out in this craft.

And don't worry if you're not a beginner, I'll be putting out other  
content as well.  The getting started stuff will be interspersed with  
intermediate and advanced woodworking content.  Once I have enough  
content on the Getting Started stuff, I'll break it off to it's own  
section on the website so people just getting started will have a  
place to go.

So, help get this new section started by leaving your comments below.]]> http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/getting-started-in-woodworking/ http://www.woodworkersresource.com/blog/getting-started-in-woodworking/ Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:47:57 -0500