More Shaves and Sad News...

So I think I've finally cracked the spokeshaves........
Took a bunch of them round a friends house so they could have a play with them and I could get some feedback. There was a definite winner, so I've taken that on board. And I've made a new shave, this time from Walnut. It feels good and performs sweetly - so don't be surprised to see them appear on Phillyplanes.co.uk soon.....;)


Sad news - comedian George Carlin recently passed away. George was a huge favourite of mine - many an hour has been passed driving with George gently ranting away in the background. Yes, he was funny, opinionated, rude and had a never ending pile of lists of things that "pissed him off". But underneath that, you knew he was really just reminding us how we are all the same.
I'll miss you, George
Philly

And One More For Luck....

Hi Folks
So I had to make another shave. I don't have a problem - I can stop at any time........honest!! ;)

This one was a dinky model, made from Pau Rosa with a 50mm wide iron and smaller handles. Just to see how it would feel. I also used slightly thicker stock (30mm over 25mm) which helps to add a little extra weight. I like a tool to have a good amount of heft - the oak shave, while I love the colour and feel, is much lighter than the other two. And the latest smaller shave is heavier than the Ovangkol one - go figure!

Been playing around with different brass knob designs, too. Looks a little more refined than my workmanlike earlier efforts. See - I do get better as time goes by ;)

Cheers
Philly

Shave MKII

HI Folks
Been in the workshop again and couldn't resist making another spokeshave. This time I used an off-cut of Ovangkol, a tough African exotic. Smells like farmyard when machining it but is very dense and takes a deep polish.
Used a brass wear strip this time - the Ebony doesn't look like it will be the most durable choice. And instead of using screws set under the blade to adjust the depth of cut like the first shave I tapped the body and used grub screws so I could adjust the depth of cut from the top. You'll notice the brass knobs are somewhat more refined on the MKII model - thanks to Wayne A for the tips and inspiration.In use, the shaves are a real pleasure - the toe is bevelled back a small amount (2 degrees or so) to allow the tool to cut on a flat surface. I was particularly impressed with their performance on end grain - the photo above shows a bevel I made on some mahogany. The bevel is about 10mm wide and is perfectly cut - a real "from the tool" sheen!
Next I want to make some smaller versions. Watch this space!
Cheers
Philly

Saw Point?

HI Folks
Yes, me again!
Went to a car boot sale today - saw a huge amount of rubbish with one gem hidden within. A Disston 70 dovetail saw. Had been cleaned up rather more than I would of liked (scrubbed and sanded to an inch of its life.....) but I was happy to pay the list price.
Got it home and had a closer look - the teeth were somewhat "random". Zero set, and looked like it needed a good jointing. So I took a test cut....
Wow! Cut real nicely. Really :)
I have a few premium dovetail saws so I can tell you it cut as well (if not better) than my L-N's. I was staggered!
So I'm revising my concept of what makes a good sharpening job - maybe identical, level teeth aren't the answer?


Oh...what's that? How much??

A pound ;)

Cheers
Philly

P.s. Apologies about the corny blog titles lately. Must be the humidity...... ;)

A Close Shave?

Hi Folks
Spent some time making a spokeshave, today. A tool I've been meaning to make for ages. Have a look.....
Not bad, eh? English Oak with an Ebony wear strip. Made the iron and brass knobs, too. Surprising how different a wooden shave feels to a metal one. Not just the weight, the balance, and the low angle cutter makes a big difference. Works real sweetly - so I'm fired up to make some more.
Cheers
Philly

Hot Stuff

First up - West Dean Hand Tool Show. It was a great weekend - thanks to everyone who dropped by to make shavings and have a chat. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you in person! A fantastic event, many thanks to Mike Hancock for arranging and running such a successful weekend. I can tell next years event will be even better - don't miss it!!!
Meeting Garrett Hack and Brian Boggs was a real high point for me and it was great to chat with Dened Puchalski from Lie-Nielsen - a knowledgeable guy with the best job in the world ;)
I have some photo's of the event here...

Back to reality, I've been beavering away in the workshop. And man, is it hot! Having a fan blowing away makes life a lot easier in this heat - treat yourself if you don't have one :) I also came across some African Blackwood - very excited over this find! A full 3 inch thick plank, it is amazingly weighty. I've broken it down into manageable pieces and set it aside for later. See the picks for a taster.

It was a pleasant surprise to see one of my planes being used in an article in Good Woodworking magazine this month. And I was mentioned in the letters page - kinda made my day. Thanks Mike!

Just finished making a Travisher for a local chairmaker. I was supplied with an iron that was made by a local blacksmith - sadly it was not up to snuff and fell apart. So I made a "Philly replacement" complete with brass locking wheels and it works real sweet. Might have to make a few more of these - a nice change to planemaking!

Stay out of that sun,
Philly

I'll take the High Road.........

First thing - an apology. The last month has flown by - I've been helping a friend with some shop fitting and been travelling all around the country. We even made it as far north as Glasgow - so you see, I'm not joking ;)

Since Yandles woodwork show the plane side of things has been busy - especially since I introduced a Moving Fillister model. A certain Mr Schwarz has taken a liking to this one and I'm building his as we speak. There's also the chance to win yourself a Philly Plane - see here.

Next big thing is the "Hand Tool Event" at West Dean College on the 31st May/1st June. Its going to be an awesome weekend with high profile woodworkers from all around the globe present. Many thanks to Mike at Classic Hand Tools for arranging this one! I'm beavering away in the workshop at the moment making some handsome planes to take along.

And other news - I hope shortly to be receiving "Philly Planes" name stamps so I can finally give my planes the professional branding they (hopefully!) deserve. Stay tuned for photo's.....

Cheers
Philly

New Planemaker Website

HI Folks
A quick heads-up! Bill Carter, UK planemaker , now has a website. Well worth checking out, Bill makes some beautiful (and very individual!) planes. He uses tenon saw brass backs for some - see his site for details!
Cheers
Philly

Show and Tell

The Yandles Woodworking show has come and gone - and it was a good one!
As my first time on "the other side of the bench" it was quite an eye opener. Hopefully I didn't embarrass myself too much but I am looking forward to my next show (West Dean College at the end of May) when hopefully I shall present a more "knowing" display :)

I was very fortunate to share my bench with Woodworking Guru David Charlesworth - he was a true gent and he helped me get through the weekend a little easier - thanks David! Also, I was ably assisted on the Saturday by Mike Riley and Tony Sutton (of Good Woodworking and UK Workshop fame) The guys were good enough to make piles of shavings, answer questions and do the occasional iron sharpening marathon - many thanks Gents!

So with a few days under my belt to reflect I'm back in the workshop making more planes - I have a few new models in the works that should be ready to show soon. And hopefully I'll get some more guitar progress this weekend.

Cheers
Philly

Strings and Things

Hi Folks
Been making real progress on the guitar project (although the Wife is getting suspicious when I keep disappearing off to the workshop). Finished the soundboard yesterday (that's the top) so I have to move onto the back next, whilst preparing for the toughest part - hot bending the sides. More on that when the time comes.........
Here are two more pics of the Madox hollow plane. The crispness of the construction still amazes me - don't forget, this was made with hand tools! And the stock is still straight as a die - the amount of wooden planes I have looked at that are banana shaped tells me that this guy really new his stuff!
The Yandles Woodworking Show is this weekend - where did the time go!?? I am beavering away in the workshop making stock for the show - hopefully there will be plenty for people to see, as well as a prototype 70 degree supersmoother ;)
Cheers
Philly

Lucky Find

Had a bit of luck today and came across a moulding plane stamped with the "Madox" name. It caught my eye due to the extra length of its stock, being longer than the rest of planes in that pile. It is a hollow plane, size 1, so its pretty narrow. I was pretty excited to inspect it and was most impressed with its sharp construction. And for a plane that is 250 years old (give or take) it is amazing how well preserved it was - guess its small size meant it didn't get used much?

The guitar (codenamed "Weissy") is coming along. I finished thicknessing the top plate tonight and then cut out the recess for the rosette. A pretty hair-raising exercise that went well - a scalpel blade and nail defined the edges (somewhat quieter than a router!!) andI removed the rest using my dinky little L-N router. I'll glue it in tomorrow when my heart slows down......;)

Cheers
Philly

Axe to Grind........

HI Folks
I've been beavering away in the workshop trying to get myself together for the upcoming Yandles show. Planes left, right and centre! But I'm trying to steal a few minutes a day to work on a side project (or two!)
A guitar. Now, a lot of you may know I play guitar. I've made a solid body electric (a PRS style) but never tried an acoustic. So I finally ordered a set of plans from Stewart-Macdonald for a Weissenborn style lap steel guitar. An interesting acoustic guitar - it is played sitting down with the guitar flat on its back on your lap.
I've used timbers that I have in stock - sycamore for the top and paduak for the back and sides. All quartersawn and dried in my workshop for about four years. I cut 3.5mm slices on the bandsaw - fun cutting five foot long by 10 inch tall slices! Glad I fitted that new blade.......
I've jointed and bookmatched the top pieces and have glued them up. Just need to get them to final thickness (2.5mm) and then I can start "building"!
Cheers
Philly

Rout and Grind......

Hi Folks
Finally got round to a job that has been outstanding for a long time - incorporating my router table into the side table of my table saw. Getting rid of the old router table has given me back a meter of floor space - well worth the effort. I have fitted my Incra Ultra lite fence using two inserts fixed into the underside of the table - I can remove the fence in a minute using an allen key if I need to make wide cuts on the table saw. Nice thing is this - If I don't need the router table I just wind the router down out of the way, remove the fence and its gone. Every square inch of floor space is precious!
Another exciting improvement - I have finally got hold of a Norton 3X grinding wheel for my bench grinder. Konrad Sauer was raving about this particular grinding wheel on his blog. It took me a while to track one down but wow, what a great wheel. Quick grinding without the fear of burning the steel. I put a little review on my website, here. Looks like my Tormek may be gathering a little dust from now on.......;)

And finally - Yandles Woodworking Show. It's only a few weeks away but I'm getting real excited about this one. I will be having a bench on the Classic Hand Tools stand demonstrating my planes - my first show! And, renowned author and teacher David Charlesworth will be spending some time on my bench! So please, make sure you stop by and say "Hi"!

Cheers
Philly

Photo Fun

Hi Folks
Been spending some time playing with Photoshop this week. It is such a powerful program and really needs time to be spent with it to start understanding it (and getting results!)
I've been playing around with turning photo's into "oil paintings" - have a look at the attached picture to see the results. Pretty smart - and I could never paint as well as this!!
Hope you like,
Philly

Timber....

Hi Folks
Stopped by Yandles Saw Mill on my way home yesterday (yes, it was quite a diversion, but worth it) and was pleased to catch them at the "Just had deliveries in " part of their cycle. I much prefer this to the later part, the "all the good stuff is gone, all we have is this near-firewood until the next delivery" stage.
So I managed to find some of a timber that is very difficult to get hold of, Pau Rosa. It is a striking deep red colour, very dense and perfect for planes. The down side is getting hold of suitable stock. There were eight planks available - four of these were utterly useless. Let me explain - the timber seems to be very difficult to dry without serious checks and splits developing. It is also prone to rot (or insect attack?) from the centre. Take a look at the photo's of my chosen plank - it is three inches thick, 14 inches wide. It has checks running through a good third of the plank. And if you turn the plank over - bang! Look at that rot!! And yes, this plank was the best out the lot :)
But there is a lot of usable material left and it is such a pretty timber. I'm going to break it down into smaller, clear pieces and see what's left.

Remember the guitar photo's I promised? Yes, I know, I am rubbish ;)
I was stringing the Tele ready for its photo shoot when I realised the nut had gone missing. So I am learning how to fit (and cut) a new nut - not easy. Hopefully some photo's will appear soon :)

Cheers
Philly

Coco

Hi Folks
Just finished a plane in Cocobolo, a timber I've been itching (excuse the pun) to try for a long time. It is a "Baby Smoother" and I think it looks pretty good - the Coco is certainly a pretty timber!
But. There's always a but......
What nasty sawdust this timber produces. Evil, clogging, itchy stuff. I've been scratching for days now and felt positively giddy on Monday when most of the finishing was done. Not good - no wonder Cocobolo come out so highly on lists of hazardous timbers.
So take a good look - I probably won't be using Coco again.
Cheers
Philly

The Visitor

HI Folks
I had the pleasure of a visit yesterday from a Gent who must win the award for "Furthest Travelled Visitor". Norberto is from the Phillippines and has travelled to the UK to study at the Maritime Academy in Southampton. As a keen hobby woodworker he came across my site and contacted me to arrange a visit.
He was eager to see the workshop and we spent a few hours swapping stories (and wood - thanks!!). Bert was also kind enough to show me how to sharpen end mills free-hand - very useful!
It was an enjoyable time and a later I realised how fortunate we are to have this wonderful resource we call the Internet. It certainly makes the world a smaller place :)
Cheers
Philly

Technology

HI Folks

Been reading some Douglas Adams stuff today (you know, the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy bloke). He came up with a set of rules that describes our reaction to technologies. Read on......

1: Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.

2: Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.

3: Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.


I think he's got it just about perfect :)

Philly

Maintenance

Hi Folks
As you have probably gathered, I now spend more time in the workshop than I used to. Last week was probably 50 hours, slightly more than the odd evening I used to do. This has a good side (I get to spend more time in the 'shop!!!!!) and a bad side. Let's talk about the bad side........

Maintenance.

There - I've said it.
When time is short it is pretty easy to put off essential workshop maintenance - planer blades a bit blunt? "Ahhhh...leave it 'til next time." And this goes on until the planer is unusable (not that it stops you using it) Grinder need the wheel truing? "Maybe next time - I've only got this blade to do" And before you know it, it takes half a day to true up the Tormek because it is now shaped like a jelly bean.......
So I have been spending precious time carrying out much needed maintenance wherever (and whenever) it is needed. This has elicited quite a few sarky comments from the Wife (i.e. "you spend more time moving your workshop around than you do making things", etc.......) and she is right, it does seem that way. And why?
Because I let things go too far. The old saying "A stitch in time..." is so true. So go on - do yourself (and your workshop) a favour. Keep it in good condition - you'll work quicker, cleaner and to a higher standard. And that's gotta be worth it :)
Have a good week,
Philly

Ally Pally and Home Made Veneer

HI Folks
Went to the Ally Pally Woodworking show yesterday (with Waka as my trusty sidekick!) It's the fourth year in a row I've attended - we had a good time but there's no avoiding the horrible truth. It's getting smaller every year :( I don't know if there is a single reason for the decline in the size of woodworking shows but I do hope they don't die out completely - it is a great day out and a chance to see tools in the flesh, watch skills demonstrated and meet other woodies in person. Support your local woodwork show while its still there!!!
Met up with a few of the chaps from UK Workshop (Hi Paul, Dave!!) as well as Andy King, Phil Davy and Bruce Manning from Good Woodworking magazine. Andy was filing away at hand saws most of the day - hope your eyesight returns, Andy ;) Also had a good chat (and a coffee!) with Ben Plewes, the new editor of The Woodworker magazine. Sounds like he has some exciting new ideas for the mag!

Managed to grab an hour in the workshop today, when the Wife wasn't looking. And finally did something I've been meaning to do for a while - make veneer. I am planning another Krenov style cabinet so thought the best place to start would be the timber. My last cabinet was built from solid timber and, although I have had no problems with the doors warping (thanks to well seasoned quartered stock) I would like to veneer this cabinet with "home grown" veneer. A big plank of spalted beech has been drying away for a few years in the workshop and it was time to see what it held. I cut off a piece 9 1/2 inches wide by 24 inches long, 3 inches thick. And I ripped it down on the bandsaw (with a fresh blade installed) giving 2mm thick slices. It turned out really well and I didn't lose a slice, which was lucky. A fresh blade makes all the difference!
So I need to sit down with the various book matches and see where inspiration takes me.

And for you guitar fans - I'm still tweaking the Tele scratch plate. Pics tomorrow, promise ;)

Cheers
Philly

Strings and things...

Hi Folks
For a change I've been tinkering with my guitars. The Telecaster that I recently refinished is back together and a replacement scratchplate arrived today to add the icing on the cake. Sadly it doesn't fit quite right so you'll have to wait until tomorrow for a "post tweak" picture. She looks really pretty, though. Kinda Tele Keith Richard would be proud of.
Also did a little upgrade on my Strat (yes, there is a Fender theme here!) I fitted a set of "Texas Specials" single coils, the ones in the Stevie Ray Strat. And what a difference a set of pick-ups can make - transformed! If you ever wished your guitar was a little posher sounding don't buy a new one - upgrade!
Made another pair of "Black Beauties" and thought you might like a photo. A friend has recently discovered a treasure trove of Indonesian Rosewood" and I aim to ransack some of it so stay tuned for more rosewood tinted planes soon.
Cheers
Philly

Jointer.....

Had a busy week making planes - lots of planes :) Just finished a jointer for a customer who already has five of my planes - 24 inches long, razee style in Goncalo Alves. Kingwood strike button to add a little bling and a 6mm iron. Also made two more "Black Beauties" in Santos Rosewood - such a beautiful timber. And I'm working on the metal parts for my first moving Fillester - pics soon!
Anyway, the reason for listing some of this weeks delights is to quickly sidestep the lack of progress on the "Inphil" thumb plane. I've milled out the mouth and chosen a nice piece of rosewood for the woody bits but that's as far as I've got. And I need to make the parts for the adjuster. Seems like I have a metalwork day ahead of me!
Cheers
Philly

The Hunt....

Hi Folks
As you know, we woodies are constantly on the lookout for good sources of timber. Preferably ones that no-one else knows about...... ;)
Waka and I visited a new saw mill today near Andover, Goulden Hardwoods. Only a small mill, but some interesting timber. And a lot of fun turning over piles of boards to see what we could find. The owner, Paul, was very helpful and the prices very pleasant. If you are anywhere near it is certainly worth calling by!
I came away with some quartered Beech (some 5 inch thick!!) and some beautiful 3 inch English Walnut. And a small piece of Apple - sadly a little spongy, but we'll see.
Now I just need to wait a while for the timber to dry down to a suitable level. The waiting game......;)
Cheers
Philly

Dovetails.....

I’ve been playing around with dovetails – in metal this time. Since I’ve been spending lots of time in the workshop I thought I would sneak the odd minute here and there for some fun. I tried a couple of test runs and they turned out well so thought I’d attempt something larger. And here we go – a thumb plane. I’ve just cleaned the dovetails up after peening and it looks pretty good – it’s amazing how they appear from the bruised and bulbous mass of hammered metal.

Now – don’t get excited. I’m not turning into an Infill maker – filing out dovetails is really tedious. But it has been a good exercise. And you can never have too many skills ;)

Tomorrow, Waka and I are visiting a new sawmill. I’m quite excited about this – sounds like they may have some very interesting timber. I’ll report back tomorrow with the facts!

Cheers

Philly

Update.....

HI Folks

First up - apologies for the double - video posting yesterday. Had trouble getting Blogger to respond but it seems it caught up later- I've removed the offending post.

Remember the Hand Tool Event at West Dean College I mentioned a couple of months ago?
Well there are some updated details on Classic Hand Tools web site - sounds like it will be an excellent event! Put it in your diary now!!

Cheers
Philly

Video and a Tele

Hi Folks
Finished another little video - this one is making a raised panel with one of my planes.
Here's the vid.....



Also, in shock "not plane related" news, I've been re-finishing a guitar of mine. It is a Fender Telecaster that I've had for years - it has a horrible butterscotch finish that was one part plastic, one part toffee. You could just about make out there was wood under the finish - but only just. One day I chipped the varnish off the corner and it revealed some delightful grain figuring. So I continued to pick away at the varnish until it was bare - and it was beautiful!
So I have now sanded the finish completely off and replaced it with an oil finish. The figure is spectacular! I have just got to re-assemble the guitar and I'll take some more photo's.
Cheers
Philly

Black Beauty

So, as promised, here she is!
And what a pretty plane - I really want to keep this one :)
Santos Rosewood, 60 degree pitch, super tight mouth. I hope the new owner takes good care of her ;)
Cheers
Philly

And One More...

Had a busy couple of days making "you-know-whats" and one thing that stuck in my mind was how repetition makes you quicker. Repeating the same operations makes things quicker, more accurate and with less chance of making a mistake. Of course, there comes a point where the brain starts drifting off so I try and keep mixing things up to keep the concentration. I find having three jobs on the go at a time works!
Almost completed a smoother in Santos Rosewood. And boy, it really looks GOOD! Going to be hard packing this one off out the door - it looks really handsome. I have a little more finishing to do and I'll post some completed pictures tomorrow.
Spent some "quality" time sharpening a float today - not the most fun thing to do but worth it for the shocking difference a sharp tool makes. And to add insult to injury I needed to re-grind the primary bevel on my Veritas LAJ today - needed a whole lot of grinding. And that's how I noticed the Tormek needed the wheel truing. Sharpening and shop maintenance never goes away........ :)
Cheers
Philly

Fame At Last??

HI Folks
Was very excited to see one of my planes reviewed on the Popular Woodworking Blog by Chris Schwarz. He is also reviewing the Mini Panel Raiser plane in the next (Feb 2008) issue of the magazine.
I was expecting to see the review appear but it was still a big shock to see it. Thanks Chris!
Cheers
Philly

2008 - A New Year

First of all - Happy New Year to all you Folks out there reading this! Its amazing how quickly time flies by, so.....

First up - Operation Norris. Remember the rusty old Norris I was going to restore? Well, to kickstart the year I have made some progress. Sadly, the rosewood I put aside for the infills was half an inch too short for the tote. After much head scratching I had to use something else - so Bubinga it is. I have made the replacement tote and two side sections and I'm shaping the front bun at the moment. Once the woodwork is done I can concentrate on the metalwork side of things. The adjuster mechanism will be a challenge, but hey, its a new year!

I am finally going to start building the new porch for the house, too. I had a new path and step built to the front of the house and the bad weather has put me behind with construction. I have loads of gorgeous European Oak sat in the workshop ready to be broken down. Stay tuned.

I've also had some great plane ideas over the holidays and shall be turning them into reality in the coming weeks. Can't beat Xmas t.v. to get the old brain daydreaming....... ;)

Cheers
Philly

GAS Alert

I was digging through a pile of old woodworking magazines today and came across the very first on I bought when I took up woodwork. Surprised me how many years I've been doing this (although not THAT many!)
And as I flicked through a few pages I noticed a familiar theme for hobby woodworkers. One that I have noticed on a few woodwork blogs I keep an eye on. And that is the old cry "when I have enough tools and a dream workshop I will start producing stuff".
When I took up woodwork it was to make my own furniture - custom sized to fit my home, built to a higher standard than the rubbish we see in shops and made for less money. And it is way to easy to become distracted from that original goal and become a "tool head". You know, if only I had (insert latest tool release here) I could make that table we want. And we are all guilty of this.
Be honest - how many tools do you REALLY need to make a worthy project? Take a moment to take stock - do you really need 6 routers and 9 smoothing planes........... ;)
It is too easy to be distracted - get in that workshop, sharpen a few tools and MAKE something.
Now pass me that Axminster catalogue......... ;)
Philly

Merry Christmas

Arghhh!! My worst Blogging month ever!
December has been a crazy month - I've been rushing around like a fool all month and time has just disappeared. I've got lots of ideas flying around my head and look forward to a few days off to get my feet back on the ground so I can get back on track.
Some new plane designs are on the books as well as my latest model.
I've even had some good furniture ideas - I miss making furniture and will be getting stuck in for 2008. And Project Norris needs some time spent on it, too!
But now is the time to relax, have a glass of your favourite tipple and spend time with the family.
Merry Christmas to you all!
Philly

Where is he?

Thanks to those who have enquired of my health - yes, I am healthy and very much alive ;)
Actually, we've been to Euro Disney on holiday. And survived.......
And then came straight down with a cold. I'm just about over it but it has made for a pretty miserable week.

So - my little review of the Veritas small Plough is out there for anyone who dares to read it. A nice plane, as metal planes go ;)

Just started using a new batch of Beech. Real nice - dense, clean and straight. Pics soon.......
Cheers
Philly

Tool of the Month

One tool that has had a lot of use is my Lie-Nielsen one inch chisel. I've had a set of L-N chisels for a few years and like them a lot. But the largest was 3/4 inch wide - when they released a 1inch model an order was placed immediately!
When it turned up I was quite surprised by the difference in build compared to my existing set - it was huge! Massive, in fact. It seemed strange that there should be such a jump in weight but, I was impressed. Such a flawlessly made tool - I ordered the Cocobolo handle, too :)
Over the months I seem to reach for this chisel more and more. The weight gives it real authority when cutting and I tend to use it on jobs when a smaller chisel might be more useful. I just love it.

Other stuff - my review of the Veritas plough plane is a little delayed due to plane making deadlines. Hopefully I'll get it posted on the weekend.

Cheers
Philly

Exciting News....

Hi Folks
Just heard about an exciting hand tool event planned for next Summer.
The venue is West Dean College in Sussex, which looks like a wonderful venue. Confirmed guests so far are Garrett Hack (of "The Handplane Book" fame) and chair maker extraordinaire Brian Boggs - I'm told there will be many more high profile woodworking stars attending, too. As soon as these are confirmed I'll post an update.
The dates are 31st of May and 1st of June 2008 and the event is being sponsored by Classic Hand Tools.

More info when I get get it,
Philly

And more Plough....

Hi Folks
Been spending a little time playing with the new Veritas plough. I'll do a full review soon but thought you might like to hear my first impressions.
When I saw the first photo's on the web of this tool I wasn't too impressed. Veritas are well known for making tools that perform with excellence, but with "looks" a little further down the list of priorities. But in the flesh the plane is prettier, and the sheer high quality of its engineering is impressive.
The main difference between this and a classic metal plough is the method of locking the fence - instead of thumbscrews to lock it down this one has a collet system (rather like the chuck on a drill) that securely grips the fence rods. The precision of this method is impressive - it also keeps the fence parallel to the body. An excellent idea, and well implemented.
I'll come back to the plough later in the week - stay tuned!

Been making a smoother out of some Greenheart - my first time using this timber. It is very dense (I believe it sinks in water!!) and is going to make an excellent plane. Pictures on the way!

Have a good week,
Philly

Ploughing On

Been pretty busy making planes this week (I know - no surprise!) Made a few shoulder planes (see picture above) with brass soles - can't beat that brass/wood combo for good looks!

Had a delivery from Brimarc too - the new Veritas Plough Plane. Had a quick play with it - a review will be forthcoming. Thought I should get the rest of the ploughs out for comparison - prepare yourselves for a "Plough-fest".

A trip to Yandles yielded some nice 3 inch beech - mostly quartered, too! Had to search though many, many planks to find it but it was worth it. They had lots of Pau Rosa too, which I fancied - sadly it was full of shakes, sap and termite. Maybe next time......;)
I've uncovered the address of another timber yard fairly local to me - if it turns out to be any good I'll let you know the details.
Have a good weeks,
Philly

Hail The King!

Had a small gathering at Martin Kings workshop, deep in darkest Dorset. For those who don't know Martin let me just say this - You may think you have a few more tools than you need. Martin will make your workshop look naked ;)
Also present were Waka and Rob "Woodbloke" to round out the morning. Rob was bringing his "Supershiny"tm Record T5 that you may have seen on UK Workshop? And very shiny it was too! Nice one, Rob.
We spent some time opening boxes of tools, delving through humongous amounts of everything, the fruits of Martins busy car boot sale and Auction hunting. And there was pretty much anything you could imagine - my favourite was a beautiful sweetheart #2 Stanley -nice!
Martin's long-suffering tool widow kindly supplied bacon sarnies and plenty of tea's -thanks again!
I came away with a piece of Greenheart from Martins timber stash - keep your eyes peeled for a plane of said timber coming soon.
Cheers
Philly

You Can Never Have Too Many.....

Hi Folks
As a woodworker I tend to accumulate stuff. You know - tools, timber, tools. The odd scar ;)
And sometimes I get a little guilty and worry that the "Collector Police" might be getting ready to make a visit. So I take stock and see if there's anything that, maybe, I could get rid of. Thin things down a little and shove on Ebay.
But I never do. And I'm glad I don't, because every now and again those duplicate tools are exactly what you need for a job.
Remember the Scraper Chisels I mentioned a few blogs ago? I have 1/4 and 3/4 sizes. And they have been so useful. But yesterday I needed a 1/8 wide version - what could I do?? Ahh...get one of my spare 1/8 chisels (I have three) and grind away. Problem solved, work can continue and I don't have to go buy another tool.
And my conscience is soothed for another day. Reminds me of something a certain person says - "Not a collector - just a woodworker with a wide choice of tools"
Now, about those multiple #5's..............;)

Timber is a somewhat important item - without it woodwork just seems to be lacking something ;) And my stocks are getting low- I can actually see an area of floor in the workshop. So a trip to Yandles is called for - anyone going to the open days next week?

Cheers
Philly