Matt's Basement Workshop » Blog

The January schwag winners are…

Matt — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:44:03 +0000

Congratulations to our schwag winners! Thanks to everyone who entered this month. While we’ve been a little short on content, we’re never short on great items to giveaway to a few lucky winners each month.

HIGHLAND WOODWORKING WOODSLICER BLADE – 2 Winners each month!
Congrats to – Doug Massey & Jacob Deis

MILESCRAFT Drill90 – 2 Winners this month!
Congrats to – Michael Davis & Kevin Kronewitter

ZEM HEARING PROTECTION.
Congrats to – Michael Borg

Remember, if you weren’t one of the schwag drawing’s lucky winners I’m already starting to take names for the February drawing right now. All the entries have been thrown out and we’re starting fresh. So head on over to the Schwag sign up page to get yourself entered today mattsbasementworkshop.com/giveaway.

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Go visit Andy Miller of the “Boatworks Today” podcast

Matt — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:34:48 +0000

Just like all of you I’m always on the lookout for a good show that will help to inspire or teach me something I can use in the shop. There are quite a few woodworking podcasts available on iTunes and I’m probably subscribed to all of them! The problem is finding time to sit down and watch them all.

The other day I was perusing the list of shows and noticed one I hadn’t seen before. I’m sure it was there all along, I just hadn’t searched for anything new to me in a long time. I’m so glad I decided to take a look!

Over the years I’ve had a few questions come in from listeners about various marine topics. Nothing as major as “how to make a boat” but a number of questions regarding marine grade lumber or finishes. I’ve always had to claim ignorance, but tried to help point them in the right direction so they could find someone who might have a better idea.

Well now I know exactly who to point these people too, Andy Miller of the Boatworks Today podcast. Andy is just the kind of guy you want on your side when it comes to building or restoring all things nautical and even all around woodworking for that matter.

Andy’s introductory video is posted below (I embedded it with his permission from his website). The videos are full of great information and so far have covered more than just boat restoration. In fact, one of my favorite build series so far has been the Xylophone he built for his daughter for Christmas. Although, the Pizza Paddle has definitely made an impression on me…probably more to do with the ending of the video and the calzone it carried to and from the oven…

Don’t just take my word for it, checkout Andy’s introductory video below and then do yourself a favor and head over to iTunes and subscribe today to download the rest of his videos. By subscribing you’re guaranteed not to miss another episode. Of course you could just head over to his website at www.boatworkstoday.com and learn more about Andy and the show.

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Mid-January slowdown

Matt — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:56:03 +0000

No new episode of Matt’s Basement Workshop this week. January has traditionally been a hard month for me to get new content put together. The end of the previous year tends to be a little crazy in the Vanderlist household, so this first month of the new year is when we get caught up or simply rested from the insanity.

New episodes are just around the corner, but in the mean time I invite you to subscribe to my other show Spoken Wood Podcast if you haven’t done so already. If you’re not familiar with it, check it out at www.spokenwoodpodcast.com or just click on the “Spoken Wood Podcast” tab on my homepage.

While I’m asking you to checkout Spoken Wood maybe now would be a good time to ask you to consider leaving a rating or comment about any of my podcast feeds over at iTunes?

It’s been a long time since we’ve been ranked in the top shows in our category and therefore a little out of sight of people who have yet to discover the show. You don’t have to give me a five star rating, but just about any rating will help to draw some attention to the show. And more attention means I’ll feel the pressure to more and better content!

On a completely different note, but about discovering great woodworking content and feedback. Have you seen the new semester of Shannon Roger’s Hand Tool School is about to get underway? Now is a good time to get signed up so you don’t miss a single lesson. Visit the school’s website and get signed up today.

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Winter is no time for a dusty shop!

Matt — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:48:03 +0000

Winter is well underway and now that the threat of being snowed in for a few days is a reality, I start thinking more and more about spending quality time in the shop. Especially considering the furnace is smack dab in the middle of mine, it IS the warmest place in the house

Of course the one obvious problem with a furnace in the middle of your shop is making sure you have adequate dust collection on your tools. Since the tool budget here at Matt’s Basement Workshop is almost nil (let’s get serious, if it wasn’t for Highland Woodworking’s sponsorship I’d probably still be using a steak knife to cut my lumber) rather than stealing tools to show you what’s new and exciting I’m just going to borrow footage from my friends over at ToolSelect.com.

Recently the guys posted a review of the Jet – 708626CK DC-1100CK 1-1/2-Horsepower 1100 CFM Canister Dust Collector. With it’s powerful suction and ease of bag removal for throwing away dust and chips, it’s just the kind of tool you want around to help keep the air clean…in the shop and out.

For more great reviews (and I plan to cross post more of these) visit www.ToolSelect.com today.

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December 2011 Schwag Winners

Matt — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:42:04 +0000

Congratulations to our schwag winners! 2012 is underway and I’m already playing catch-up. But that doesn’t matter if you’re one of our lucky schwag winners from December 2011, because that means something is coming your way. So here they are:

HIGHLAND WOODWORKING WOODSLICER BLADE – 2 Winners each month!
Congrats to – George Keeney & Larry (no last name given)

MICRO JIG ZEROPLAY MITER GUIDE BAR – 2 Winners this month
Congrats to – Dennis Rozak & Chris Fox

ToolSelect.com Tool Bag – 2 Winners
Congrats to – Jim Ferrell & George Brown

MILESCRAFT Drill90 – 2 Winners this month!
Congrats to – Rob Johnston & Christopher Chaffee

ZEM HEARING PROTECTION – 2 Winners this month.
Congrats to – Jesse Toland & Mike Thorstenson

Remember, if you weren’t one of the schwag drawing’s lucky winners I’m already starting to take names for the January drawing right now. All the entries have been thrown out and we’re starting fresh. So head on over to the Schwag sign up page to get yourself entered today mattsbasementworkshop.com/giveaway.

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Last minute giveaway

Matt — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:04:58 +0000

Christmas is officially over in the Vanderlist household and amazingly there was only one return this year. Turns out I paid attention to what the family REALLY wanted vs my usual shopping technique of grab and go on Christmas Eve at the dollar store.

Speaking of people getting what they wanted, the holiday weekend interrupted our weekly www.Toolselect.com Tool Bag drawing. So rather than pretending like it never existed, I’ve drawn last week’s winner this morning.

CONGRATS TO – Chuck Scheib

REMEMBER! We’re giving away one bag a week throughout December and another as part of the regular schwag giveaway.   So if you’re not entered this month, just fill out the schwag entry form by visiting our “Schwag Giveaway Page”.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Did you get gift certificates this year? Use our links to get what you wanted while helping the show.

Last minute woodworking gift ideas

Matt — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:00:11 +0000

Christmas is only a few days away and many of us probably haven’t finished our shopping yet! If you’re coming up short on your gift giving list and have some woodworkers on your list…or maybe your family and friends don’t know what to get you…here’s some last minute gift giving ideas that don’t have to shipped or even wrapped up.

ONLINE EDUCATION

Use code stretchypants get 10% off

Woodworking App from iTunes AppStore

eBooks from iTunes iBookStore

Weekly Toolbag Giveaway with ToolSelect.com

Matt — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:05:53 +0000

Another week, another www.Toolselect.com Tool Bag!. We’re giving away one bag a week throughout December and another as part of the regular schwag giveaway.   So if you’re not entered this month, just fill out the schwag entry form by visiting our “Schwag Giveaway Page”.

THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS – RENE LOPEZ

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They’re back…

Matt — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:13:45 +0000

I was really hoping to avoid it’s return, but it was inevitable. So here it goes…I’m turning the ads back on for ALL of my embedded videos here at the website. I really hoped saying it out loud would make it easier but the fact of the matter is, it doesn’t.

Many of you have expressed your dislike for the advertising that plays before the videos start, but the time has come again to turn them back on. Why?

Unfortunately there’s a number of reasons. But the one that’s finally propelled me to make this decision was some nudging from our hosting service. In a nutshell here’s some background information for you.

Matt’s Basement Workshop will have been around for 6 years at the end of January, 2012. In those 6 years we posted quite a few episodes, many of which are videos.

While I don’t deal in millions of downloads, the several thousand monthly downloads would require a dedicated server and bandwidth which I don’t know how I could pay for.

We have advertisers and sponsors, but that income pretty much pays for postage, occasionally hosing fees for the website and a latte or two. Definitely not enough for me to quit my day job, let alone have my own IT department.

Since year one, all of my videos have been hosted at Blip.tv. It’s a great service for a number of reasons, no. 1 they’re free and no. 2 they’re embeddable video player is one of the easiest to use.

Blip.tv does offer a pro service that’s relatively inexpensive and in return content producers get a few extra perks. I signed up for it years ago because the perks were nice but I also wanted to help support them so I could keep hosting my content there.

Given the pro account costs $8/month and hasn’t increased in all this time it only made sense their business model would eventually include advertising to help pay the bills. The advertising has always been an option content producers can opt out of, but for those who do say yes, it’s typically a 50/50 split of the ad revenue.

I tried it before, you hated it, I removed it (actually I hated it too, they can be very disruptive and usually have nothing to do with woodworking) and quite honestly the amount of money I was receiving wasn’t worth the hassle.

But recently I had a conversation with the hosting service and after some consideration it only makes sense that in order to continue providing free videos for my audience I might need to turn the ads back on so they can afford to continue making improvements on their end.

I hope you can understand this isn’t an easy decision to make. I’ve had advertising offers before for services and items that have nothing to do with woodworking, and as tempting as they were, I didn’t want to burden ourselves with things that aren’t woodworking.

I can say for those of you who really hate the idea of sitting through these ad spots to watch the video. The easiest way to avoid them is to download the episodes to your computer. Downloaded videos, either directly from the website or through a subscription somewhere like iTunes, don’t have the ads that will be playing in the embedded video player.

It costs nothing to subscribe, and they’re available to you as soon as they’re released. If you don’t know how to subscribe or want more information, just email me and I’ll be glad to help.

If there is one upside to this, the small revenue from the ad spots not only pays for the hosting service, but it could also help to pay for a new camera that I’ve been meaning to ask you about helping me to raise money for.

But I’ll save that talk for the beginning of 2012…

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My Toolselect.com debut

Matt — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:30:10 +0000

Not too long ago I wrote a post about Toolselect.com. In it I mentioned what a great service they provide for ANYONE looking for real world reviews about all kinds of tools.

I mentioned how Toolselect.com gives reviewers a tool to take back to their shop or job site or wherever they’ll use it and then have the reviewer not just play with the tool and memorize the manual, but instead have the reviewer really USE the tool in day to day applications.

Once they’re done, they come back in to the studio and share their results.

In that post I also mentioned I would eventually be appearing in an upcoming segment to review a tool I had the chance of putting through the paces.

Well, the time has come, here’s that video. It was a great experience and I hope the review can help someone else with their decision if they’re looking for a similar tool to purchase.

Who know’s? You may see me on the set again sometime!

Visit Toolselect.com and decide for yourself, or don’t…it’s up to you.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Tool Bag Winner This Week is…

Matt — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:48:59 +0000

This week’s winner of a ToolSelect.com tool bag is MICHAEL MORTON, CONGRATULATIONS!

We still have 4 more bags to giveaway this month thanks to the folks at www.Toolselect.com. One bag per week and another as part of the regular schwag giveaway.   To get entered for the drawing, just fill out the schwag entry form by visiting our “Schwag Giveaway Page”. Weekly winners will be announced Saturday mornings.

Good luck to all of you!

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Weekly Toolbag Giveaway with ToolSelect.com

Matt — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:44:08 +0000

All month long I have these great tool bags to giveaway thanks to the folks at www.Toolselect.com. One bag per week and another as part of the regular schwag giveaway.   So if you’re not entered this month, just fill out the schwag entry form by visiting our “Schwag Giveaway Page”.

I plan to draw the names from the schwag entries each Saturday morning this week by 7am Eastern, so if you haven’t done so get over to my website and get your name entered this month.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Tool reviews and so much more

Matt — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:46:49 +0000

When I first started Matt’s Basement Workshop one of the topics I hoped to make a regular part of the show would be tool reviews. Reviews of tools I already owned, tools I wanted to own or tools manufacturers might send me to try out and use on the show.

To one degree or another I’ve done this, but I’ve never been able to do it consistently enough to make it worth the while of tool manufacturers to send me items to review, and as a result it’s not something you the audience could count on to appear regularly.

And let’s be honest! Regardless of WHO is doing the tool review or WHERE the tool review is coming from, there will always be a degree of skepticism about how honest the comments are from the reviewer.

Even when the tool is purchased outright or, as often is the case with this show, swapped for an equal amount of advertising (sometimes they get a better deal than I do) the skepticism remains.

As far as I’ve been concerned with most tool reviews either in print, television or on the web. When it’s the same personalities presenting their opinions each time, at some point I become complacent and stop questioning how their experiences might differ from my own.

It’s not their fault, it’s just my natural tendency to wonder whether they’re really truly presenting facts about the tools in real world applications or just parroting the specs and peppering it with previous results from similar equipment in the past.

By this point you’re probably wondering “What does this have to do with anything?” I don’t know? I’m just expressing my own opinion about tool reviews. Which to me is a great segue to introduce a new web destination for people, like me, who want to learn about new tools but don’t want the same old voices and opinions who write them every time.

Recently I had the chance to work with a new company that in my opinion is making great strides to change the way tool reviews SHOULD be handled from this point out.

Toolselect.com is still in the early days of what I hope will be a long life on the web.

The premise of the site is really simple. They don’t tell you what THEY THINK about a particular tool instead they seek out individuals who have some sort of experience with the tool in real world applications. Then they put the tool in their hands to use on a project and at a later date come back into the studio to tell how it went. No sugar coating, no expectations, nothing but facts about what works and what doesn’t.

Toolselect.com doesn’t sell the tools they review, there’s no stockpile in a warehouse somewhere, they receive them from the manufacturer and turn them over to the reviewer. When the reviewer returns to talk about their experience; whether they like it, love it or absolutely loathe it the tool leaves with them.

No strings attached. The reviewer could walk out the door and leave it sitting on the sidewalk if they felt the desire to do so. And that’s where the appeal of this new web destination comes in for me.

Don’t take my word for it, check them out for yourself. Visit Toolselect.com, watch their HD videos on the Toolselect TV webpage or on their YouTube Channel. Browse and compare tools by category or application, or even join their community to talk with all sorts of tool users. There’s so much to checkout on the site that I haven’t made my way through it all yet.

Just so there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind about MY review of Toolselect.com you should know that I met the guys who run the site through a mutual friend. They gave me a tour of the studio, and then, so I could experience the whole review process myself they had me try a couple of tools (actually I expressed interest in the tools before they could even say anything about trying them).

As of when this is being posted, I just finished going into their studio the other night to film my own tool reviews and was blown away by the professionalism of the entire experience. For the record, I really struggled with one of the tools NOT to find a way to justify why someone should consider buying it even though I really didn’t like it.

But as we went through the review, Barnaby (the host of Toolselect TV) didn’t lead me one way or the other for an opinion only facts on the features and what happened when I used it. In the end I felt like I gave an honest review based on facts, not opinions.

I plan to post those reviews here when they come out, and don’t be surprised to see more reviews from Toolselect.com being cross-posted here in the future. They’re receiving more tools specific to woodworking and that’s a great reason to share them with you.

Visit Toolselect.com and decide for yourself, or don’t…it’s up to you.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

291 DVD Review – Hand Tool Techniques Pt.3

Congrats to our schwag winners

Matt — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:17:23 +0000

Congratulations to our schwag winners! It’s been several months since our last schwag drawing and there were a lot of names submitted, but here they are:

HIGHLAND WOODWORKING WOODSLICER BLADE – 2 Winners each month!
Congrats to – Ed Drachenberg & Eric Beckham

MICRO JIG ZEROPLAY MITER GUIDE BAR
Congrats to – M. Haley

MILESCRAFT Drill90 – 2 Winners this month!
Congrats to – Tom Moores & Ralph Houser

ZEM HEARING PROTECTION
Congrats to – Texas Ted

Remember, if you weren’t one of the schwag drawing’s lucky winners I’m already starting to take names for the December drawing right now. All the entries have been thrown out and we’re starting fresh. So head on over to the Schwag sign up page to get yourself entered today mattsbasementworkshop.com/giveaway.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Schwag drawing this week!

Matt — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:14:11 +0000

Only a couple more days left to get your name entered for the long awaited return of the Schwag giveaway here at Matt’s Basement Workshop.

It’s been a while since our last drawing, so we need to work the kinks out of the system. But here goes nothing.

Visit the Schwag signup page between now and midnight of Tuesday (Eastern Time Zone). Click on the SCHWAG button at the top of the homepage at www.mattsbasementworkshop.com or go directly to the SCHWAG page by CLICKING HERE
. Fill out the submission form and consider yourself all set for the drawing on Wednesday morning.

That’s all there is to it. Nothing could be easier. Once the winners’ names are drawn, the list will be wiped clean and the submission process starts all over for the December drawing.

What do you have a chance to win this month? How about the following?

HIGHLAND WOODWORKING WOODSLICER BLADE – 2 Winners each month!

MILESCRAFT Drill90 – 2 Winners this month!

ZEM HEARING PROTECTION

More Schwag items are likely to be added soon, so I wish all of you luck! Hopefully you’ll be hearing from me with a “CONGRATS” in the email subject line.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Holiday Gift links

Matt — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:05:09 +0000

It is now OFFICIALLY THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON and it’s time to take advantage of all those great sales and offers across the Internet. As woodworker’s, family and friends will say things to us like “I never know what to get you” or “where did you say that do-hickie thingy you wanted was at?”

Do them a favor and point them in the following directions. These sites are all woodworker friendly and have great holiday savings. You could maybe even start a wish list so it’s even easier for them to point, click and order just what you’re looking for.

Here’s a few to get you started:

ONLINE EDUCATION

Use code stretchypants get 10% off

WOODWORKING RETAILERS

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

MBW Podcast T-shirts, coffee mugs and more!

PLEASE REMEMBER! Purchases made through links and advertising here help support Matt’s Basement Workshop Podcast. Thanks for your help.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

No related posts.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Matt — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:31:52 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the United States or if you just want to play along and stuff yourself ridiculously with food today.

Enjoy this one day of great food, good company and an excuse to wear stretchy pants (like I need one)!

Remember, turkey makes you sleepy, so don’t stuff your face and operate machinery right away. After eating that 2nd 3rd or 4th plateful, head for a comfy chair or couch and assume the proper position for watching Football (American Football, not Soccer) or napping.

Whatever, where ever and with whoever you find yourself today, I hope you have a reason to be Thankful. I know I do.

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The Canadian Home Workshop Show and Hendrik Varju

Matt — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:19:29 +0000

Because so many of you ask how Hendrik Varju is doing I thought I couldn’t let this opportunity pass by. The annual Canadian Home Workshop Show will be held at the International Centre in Toronto this year from November 25th to 27th.

Hendrik is once again presenting seminars at the show on Nov. 25th and 26th only (Friday and Saturday):

Friday, Nov. 25th
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Hands on Table Saw Safety Training
3:00 to 5:00 p.m.: One-on-One “Ask a Pro” Advice at CHW Circulation Booth

Saturday, Nov. 26th
11:30 to 12:30 p.m.: Hands on Table Saw Safety Training
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Finishing Advice for Home & Woodworking Projects
2:00 to 3:00 p.m.: One-on-One “Ask a Pro” Advice at CHW Circulation Booth

For more information about the Canadian Home Workshop Show visit www.greatoutdoorsdiy.com. For more information on the various presenters and topics on the DIY Stage – CLICK HERE.

And to checkout the “Ask a Pro” Advice schedule – CLICK HERE.

If you stop by the show, tell Hendrik “HI” from Matt.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Related posts:

447 Thanksgiving Special with Hendrik Varju

426 “Starting A Woodworking Business” with Hendrik Varju

Part 2 of Tuning Hand Planes with Hendrik Varju

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 15

Matt — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:00:38 +0000

Benchcrafted makes more than vises and bench equipment. They also make simple tools that simply work. How many tool manufacturers can say that?

One such tool is the Skraper.

A hand held scraper is a great tool for a number of jobs. But the models on the market that first come to mind just don’t seem to cut it like they should. They’re to large to get into tight corners and the blades can dull too quickly when you need them the most. And unlike a card scraper, the leading edge of the Skraper is held at 90 degrees, greatly reducing the chance of grain tearing while removing glue.

Benchcrafted introduced their version of a scraper a few years ago, but it’s well worth taking a look at if you don’t own one.

* Solid carbide bar honed on three sides and ends.
* 8 razor sharp edges capable of taking fine shavings.
* Angled handle gives you more control in tight locations.
* Great for removing glue squeeze out, especially in corners.
* Can be used similar to a card scraper to refine small surfaces.

To learn more about the Benchcrafted Skraper CLICK HERE.

Czeck Edge Hand Tool is known for having some of the most beautiful tools on the market. The color and grains of the wood Bob uses to craft his marking knives, burnishers, dovetail chisels and awls is breathtaking.

While buying one of the Czeck Edge creations is a real treat, being able to make your own is an even bigger treat.

Especially if you have an amazing piece of stock that you just don’t know what else to do with, but don’t want it just sitting around collecting dust and going to waste. If that’s the situation, than one of the many Czeck Edge Hand Tool kits is a good option for you.

Bob has put together a number of kits for the woodworker who wants to make one of his tools at home. Whether it’s a Bird Cage Awl, a Burnisher or a Pattern Pilot marking knife. Bob has a kit waiting for you.

* Includes all blades & rods ground & polished.
* Protective guards to keep tools sharp.
* Bronze ferrules.
* Complete instructions for building each tool.
* Multiple tool kits available also.

To learn more about Czeck Edge Hand Tool Kits CLICK HERE.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Related posts:

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 6

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 13

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 8

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 14

Matt — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:00:47 +0000

FAN-BOY ALERT*** I’m a self-proclaimed Christopher Schwarz fan. I enjoy reading and watching much of what he does in the realm of woodworking. So when I heard he was writing another book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
Well, as of my writing this post, I still have yet to get a copy of the Anarchist’s Tool Chest and read it for myself. Not because I’m being an anarchists to my fan-boy ways, I’m just concerned that based on previous reactions to Chris’ writings I may just change the way I approach woodworking once again. And I’m not ready for that kind of overhaul again…yet.
According to the description of the book on Lee Valley’s website (much more descriptive of the content than even Chris’ own Lost Art Press website) “Casting himself as the “anarchist” of the title, Schwarz challenges the prevailing notion that woodworkers need a vast array of specialized woodworking tools and gadgets. He draws on his years of experience, highlighting his mistakes as much as his successes, to encourage woodworkers to choose and use their tools more thoughtfully…
Written in the relaxed, engaging style Schwartz is known for, the book examines several tool categories in detail: planes, marking and measuring tools, edge tools, saws, sharpening equipment and others. It covers their design and function, how to identify real quality and utility, and which tools you can make yourself…”

* 480 pages, printed and bound in the United States on acid-free 60# paper.
* Hardcover is Smythe sewn and covered in linen.
* Copies sold by Lost Art Press are signed by the author (available elsewhere too).

For more information on The Anarchist’s Tool Chest CLICK HERE.

Veritas Small Bevel-Up smooth plane is sure to fill a void in the plane world. Bevel-up planes are quickly becoming a plane users favorite. The low angle of the blade’s bevel can easily make quick work of dealing with end-grains and even some of the trickiest grained wood species.

Comparable in size to a #3 bench plane, this low-angle smoother is 9″ long, 2-5/16″ wide and weighs only 2 lb 12 oz. That smaller and lighter size makes it easier to maneuver and less fatiguing.
And at 1-3/4″ wide, the narrower blade makes cuts easier to push through. Especially when using the plane for tasks such as final finishing of surfaces, end-grain work or shooting miters. In other words, all the benefits of a larger bevel-up smoothing plane, but without all the weight.

* 12° bed angle and a movable toe fully enclosed by the body casting.
* Locking front knob controls the toe to set the mouth opening.
* Norris-type adjuster mechanism combines feed and lateral adjustments.
* Set screws on either side of the blade prevent shifting in use.
* The front knob and rear handle are bubinga.
* Included 25° bevel blade in A2 or O1 steel.
* Optional 38° & 50° bevel blades, as well as a toothed A2 blade.

Image thanks to Lee Valley

For more information on the Veritas Small Bevel-Up Smooth Plane CLICK HERE.

Help support the show – please visit our advertisers

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 13

Matt — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:00:27 +0000

In the realm of sharpening there are two schools of thought. Hand sharpening; using stones (natural vs man-made, oil vs water) and either free-hand honing or using a jig. And then there’s power sharpening; grinders and the like.
How you sharpen, can be as controversial and divisive as politics and religion. There are strong opinions on just about every technique and tool involved. But regardless of where you stand on the subject, one thing is for certain. We as woodworkers want sharp tools!
A well known name on the side of power sharpening is Tormek. A longtime leader in the evolution of wet grinding, Tormek has become the standard others try to achieve.
The Swedish-made Tormek Grinder Sharpening system is unsurpassed for quality, versatility, edge positioning accuracy and repeatability when grinding, sharpening and honing just about every tool in your shop and home. There are optional Tormek Grinder jigs for practically every kind of tool!

* 10″ ceramically made, 220 grit aluminum oxide grindstone wheel.
* Included Stone Grader allows you to grade the stone from 220 grit to 1000 grit in about 30 seconds.
* Honing the tool’s edge occurs on the included Leather Stropping Wheel.
* Kit includes a Square Edge Jig, Pro Anglemaster, Universal Support bar with Micro-adjust, Horizontal Tool Rest
Base, Truing & Dressing Tool TT50, Tormek Handbook & DVD.
* A quiet, yet powerful AC motor spins the stone at a comfortable 90 RPM.
* The wheel remains continuously bathed in water, keeping tool edges cool and free from risk of overheating.
* The rotation rate of the Tormek Grinder avoids slinging water while the water tray captures the grinding dust,
eliminating any air-borne respiratory hazards.
* 7-year Tormek Grinder warranty.

For more information on the Tormek T-7 Grinder CLICK HERE.

BORA Wide Track Clamp Edges are a great tool in any shop. Their clamping strength holds glue ups extremely well, their rigid bodies won’t buckle under the stress of the strong clamping pressure they exert and then you
combine all of that with a straight edge too? What could you add to these to make any better? How about an extra set of clamping pads on the backside?

The BORA Wide Track Clamp Edges were designed with a built in T-slot track system. Not just one, but two. One on each edge of the body. This makes adding jigs and fixtures to the clamp edge easy and provides you with that
extra flexibility in what you can do with them.

To help take advantage of the extra flexibility, BORA created a pair of Auxillary Clamp Pads which utilze the T-slots to essentially give you another set of clamps built into the back of the existing pair. What you choose to do with them is up to you.

* For use with all BORA Clamp Edge Wide Track Tool guides.
* Simple cam-action clamp slides into the T-slots
* Soft-grip clamping pad won’t mar formed material edges
* Adjusts along entire length of Wide Track tool guide surface

For more information on the BORA Auxillary Clamps CLICK HERE.

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Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 12

Matt — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:00:15 +0000

Building jigs and fixtures is a genre of woodworking all it’s own. Building them for a workbench is a specialty within that genre. And building them so they work is an art more than a science.

Lee Valley’s Bench Anchors helps to make that art form a little bit easier for everyone to enjoy.

I recently featured a pair of Bench Anchors in my Benchcrafted Moxon Vise video that I used to attach it to my workbench without having to grab extra clamps or a tail vise.

Strong and easy to use, they can be quickly incorporated into just about any workbench jig design and idea you’ve thought about, but weren’t sure if you’d need clamps that could get in the way to hold them in place.

* Fits in a 3/4″ diameter hole (same size as the Veritas bench pups).
* Can be attached vertically, horizontally or almost any angle you desire.
* All-steel construction
* Can be used in through holes 5/8″ – 1-1/4″ deep (depending on material).
* Accepts common 1/2″-13 threaded bolts to secure jigs.

Image thanks to Lee Valley

For more information on Bench Anchors CLICK HERE.

Dovetail saws are an important tool for anyone serious about cutting their own dovetail joints by hand, and the right saw can make all the difference.

At the heart of it, dovetail saws are a specialized rip saw. Unlike other backsaws the dovetail is a little bit smaller and easier to handle, and by easier I mean quick.

When sawing dovetails, you don’t want to spend a lot of time sawing. You want to get in, saw straight, get out and finish the rest of your cuts. Because when you’re done, you still have to chop out all the waste.

Lie-Nielsen already makes two well known dovetail saws, their traditional dovetail saw and their progressive pitch version. Now they’re introducing a new version, the Thin Plate Dovetail Saw.

Same great saw, now thinner!

* Made with a .015″ saw plate vs .020″ saw plate.
* 15 ppi rip cut teeth with .003″ set.
* Cuts EXTREMELY fast and precisely.
* Curly Maple handle.

Image thanks to LN Tools

For more information on the Thin Plate Dovetail Saw CLICK HERE.

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Woodworking in America 2011 Highlights

Matt — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 01:19:14 +0000

Woodworking in America 2011 has come and gone and I’ve started my inevitable downward spiral of despair. Not because of the quality of the event, it fills a woodworking void like nothing else, but instead because of the loss the comradery the conference brings to me. How’s that? Comradery at WIA? Yes!

Of all the things I’ve experienced in the past four years, it’s that sense of belonging, that sense of being surrounded by people who really understand and get why I’m so passionate about woodworking. BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO!

If anything, I’ve found the conference for me has become more about THAT comradery and reunion with friends than the classes themselves. If you attended this year or in the past, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Just like when I was a freshman in college I scheduled all my classes and my plans around the notion that it’s all about the lectures. I knew where I had to be first thing in the morning and how much time to allow myself for breakfast and maybe a nice carmel macchiato at the starbucks attached to the conference center.

Friday morning’s plans included time to get registered, because I’d be arriving too late Thursday night. And on Thursday night, maybe I’d have a beer or two with some of my blogger friends, but we wouldn’t stay out late because after all we had classes first thing in the morning and they probably had multi-colored highlighted schedules just like mine.

And this would go on for the entire weekend. I planned that we’d high-five in the hallways, maybe oh and ah at the tools in the marketplace and gossip about something funny or enlightening one of the presenters said in class. All academic with maybe a whimsy of hilarity from time to time.

(Insert sound of needle scratching across a record) Yeah almost none of that happened! Here’s the truth of the weekend. Woodworking in America is the place I go to meet up with friends I’ve made online and at previous WIAs. It’s loud, it’s boisterous and above all it’s one of the best times of my life.

The fact I get to stand around with fellow woodworkers who know the lingo, understand why I get that little twinkle in my eye as I talk about the time I achieved the perfect sharp edge on a chisel. People who can’t wait to sit in a class and hear about why this style of furniture came to be vs another style or why a tool chest bests a tool cabinet.

That sense of comradery and understanding makes the long journey worth it every year. But with that euphoric high, comes a devastating low. On that last day when we shake hands, come in for those man hugs and have to say good-bye. We all stand there putting on a brave face and pretend like things will go back to normal when we get home.

As a seasoned veteran of the WIA I can tell you this, you’re never the same. New friendships forged in the fires of the marketplace, the wins and loses of the hand tool olympics or learning that one golden nugget in the lectures from the likes of Saint Roy or Graham Blackburn or who ever inspired you, will stick with you for days, weeks and months to come.

A piece of advice for my fellow WIA 2011 attendees, embrace these first few days of mourning. It’ll make returning next year unlike any homecoming you’ve ever experienced.

Even if it’s only for a day in the marketplace you’ll spot one of your new friends in the aisle, you’ll take a few minutes to get caught up and share stories of what you’ve been building since the last time you talked, and in no time it’ll be like you never left. Trust me, I know!

I’ll be sharing more of my experiences on shows coming soon, but in the mean time I invite you to visit my blogging friends who have already started to share their own. Enjoy!

The Village Carpenter

Popular Woodworking Editors’ Blog

Acornhouse Workshop

Tom’s Workbench

Renaissance Woodworker

Uppercut Woodworks

Logan Cabinet Shoppe

Penultimate Woodshop

Taylor Garage

Giant Cypress

Digital Woodworker

Mark Giles’ Woodworking Adventures

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 11

Matt — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:00:57 +0000

Build a Continuous Arm Windsor Chair with Peter Galbert at Highland Woodworking -
Master Chairmaker Peter Galbert returns to Atlanta for a 7 day hands-on class. The Continuous Arm Windsor Chair is an icon of American furniture, and was an innovation in the development of the Windsor style and technology.

Peter has taught at select woodworking schools around the country and teaches at his workshop in New England, where he builds chairs full time. His work integrates the best of time-honored techniques and demonstrates a deep understanding of materials and methods.

What should you expect from this class? “Build a Continuous Arm Windsor Chair with Peter Galbert” covers all the building action required to take the project from tree to completed chair.

* Splitting parts from a log, shaving, bending and joining them into their hand carved seat.
* Learn about topics including sharpening, wood technology and design.
* Peter demystifies the angles and curves that go into making a successful chair while demonstrating how hand tools are the most effective
way to build an heirloom chair.
* You’ll need to bring your own tools, so please check the tool list at Highland Woodworking for details.
* You’ll also need a Shaving Horse, which are available for rent if you don’t own one. Please be sure to reserve one when you register for
the class.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Regardless of whether you can make it to Peter’s class or not, one innovative tool you can pick up that appears to be able to make your shop time a lot more productive and accurate is the Galbert Caliper.

* This “woodturner’s tape rule” makes sizing the
diameter of a spindle easier than ever before.
* Takes a direct reading caliper to accurately displays
the diameter of a workpiece from 1/2″ up to 2-3/4″,
to the nearest 32nd, while the workpiece is being turned.
* Stainless steel, glass reinforced nylon & clear polycarbonate.

To learn more about this ingenious little tool

CLICK HERE.

Mid-week tool sneak peek no. 10

Matt — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:00:52 +0000

Ever since Lost Art Press re-introduced Joseph Moxon’s 17th c. book “The Art of Joinery.” to the masses we’ve had the fortune of re-discovering tools and fixtures that have somehow been forgotten. Why these items were forgotten is beyond me.

One of the shop fixtures that’s been re-introduced to modern woodworkers is Moxon’s “double screw vise” . A simple vise that sits atop a work surface and elevates jobs, that are easily performed by the woodworker, to a height that takes stress of the craftsman’s back and just makes the task that much easier to see what you’re doing.

While the vise is simple in construction, having vise equipment that works easily and accurately is vital. Who else, but the guys at Benchcrafted would you turn to for making moving parts you know you can count on?

Well, the guys came through and the result is amazing! Benchcrafted’s Moxon Vise kit includes all the hardware you need to make this invaluable shop fixture.

Specifications for this kit include:

* Hard maple jaws, 1 3/4″ thick. Overall height: 5 1/2″
* Two 5″ cast iron handwheels, sand-mold finish. 3/4″x 8 tpi acme tapped
* Two 8″ precision rolled carbon steel acme screws and four nuts 3/4″x 8 tpi
* Movable jaw lined with suede
* Maximum capacity: 2 1/4″+ between jaws, just over 24″ between screws
* Made entirely in the U.S.A.

Image thanks to Benchcrafted

The Moxon vise is also available as hardware only if you to make your own customized version. Complete measured drawings and instructions are available at Benchcrafted.com.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Speaking of Joseph Moxon’s “The Art of Joinery”, if you haven’t picked up your own copy or were just curious what all the talk was about regarding it. Head over to Lost Art Press to check it out.

While unfortunately the printed version is all sold out currently (as of when I’m writing this that is) you can still get a downloadable digital edition that includes additional text, images, revisions and corrections.

This 147-page electronic book is in pdf format, so you can read it with Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader program. You can search the entire text by keyword. And you can jump to any of the sections in the book using embedded bookmarks.

It’s the complete text from the current printing plus:
* New information we’ve learned since 2007, including details on Moxon’s workbench.
* New images from the same time period. Including five tool illustrations adapted from Randle Holme’s “Academy of Armory” (1688).
* The 1703 text from “The Art of Joinery” in a very close original form.

While it’s not the print version this one is well worth the download, every bit as useful and insightful.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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