Sanding Tip

HI Folks
Been all go in the Philly Workshop these last few weeks. Another Woodworking show (Yandles), catching up with orders and making two Oak Bookcases. And a few other things besides.....

First up - a tip. If you use power sanders of any type you really need to get yourself a "belt cleaner". I use a 12 inch disc sander for roughing out and they clog fast - as soon as they clog they burn out and become useless. A cleaner removes any clogging in seconds and prolongs the life of the abrasive by ten times, easily. They cost little (I bought the small one form Axminster and it has lasted 18 months) and work well. You can see the remains of the old one on top of the new one - I certainly had my use from it ;)

Next up - the oak bookcases. These were a project for my friend Steve. They were pretty big (2.2m high, 1.5m wide and 400mm deep) and I managed to use pretty much every clamp in the workshop. But the customer was very happy and it was good to do some furniture making.

Cupcake the 'shop cat is getting bigger by the minute. She is also quite comfortable in the workshop now and looks forward to having a nap in there (when she's not rooting out sawdust). Here's a photo of her hard at work ;)Yandles show was a lot of fun (except for the rain!!!!). It was great to meet so many of you in person and fun to see Folks making shavings with my planes. I have some new models in the pipeline so keep your eyes peeled (as well as a new-look website!)

Cheers
Philly

Showtime....

Hi Folks
Time for another woodworking show - Yandles in Martock, Somerset.
I do enjoy Yandles, a twice yearly event. It is held in a working sawmill and has a wonderful atmosphere - huge woodworking machines lurking everywhere, stack after stack of planks air drying in the fields and the smell of tannins in the air. It's not the biggest show but definitely the friendliest.
I'll be there Friday and Saturday - do pop by my bench and say hello!

Back in the workshop I've been busy with the Rosewood again. Just finished a Luthiers Scrub plane - a lovely little plane. The sole is gently curved in both directions (front to back, side to side) which allows you to cut hollow surfaces. If you've ever used a curved spokeshave you've probably found it a bit difficult to keep the tool cutting throughout the cut - this scrub is completely different! It is so simple to use and has a very shallow learning curve. I was so pleased with the way it worked I had to make one for myself, so a baby version in Pau Rosa was born :)

So - better go pack the van ready for Yandles.
See you there?

Philly

Westonbirt Part II

HI Folks
A little more about Westonbirt. On the Sunday we had the pleasure of meeting Bill Carter. Bill makes the most wonderful infills, mostly Miter planes. But with a difference. The majority of his planes are miniatures and he ages the metalwork to give an antique look. These give the planes an wonderful timeless look. He also makes a lot of his plane from recycled tenon saw backs - check out his website for more info. Bill was very happy to talk about how he makes his planes and I was fascinated by his methods. As a bonus, his wife Sarah makes a smashing sponge cake ;) Here's a photo of Bill with fellow planemaker Konrad Sauer.

It was good to see so many members of the UK Workshop forum over the four days. Here are a couple of random pics....not sure about the axe one ;)


There were exhibitors from all around the world and it was great to socialise after hours. Here is a picture of Martin and Tommi from Magma - they are holding a Japanese plane they made during the show. A plane with a difference - not many have a walnut blade ;) Tommi (on the left) was also our star goalkeeper during the "International Soccer Match".

More tomorrow....
Philly

He's Back....

Hi Folks
Westonbirt is over - and what a great event it was too!
Another day or two and I should have recovered (mostly) after a hectic but very enjoyable five days. A highlight for me was the "communal living" aspect - most of the exhibitors camped on-site and our host, Mike Hancock, was kind enough to put on a chef to cater for us. Eating, working and drinking (oh, the drinking!) together made for a unique and very enjoyable experience. It's kind of bizarre to be sat under the stars chatting away with an international selection of woodworking superstars!
The standard of work at the show was very, very high and there was a huge variety of wood related disciplines on show. I'll post some more pictures as the week goes by (and I catch up on some sleep - you forget how good it is to sleep in a bed) And also recount the "International Football Match" that took place on the Saturday night ;)
So - the first picture. Many thanks must go to my "glamorous assistant" Mike Riley, who was kind enough to join me at the show. Couldn't have done it without you ;)
Cheers
Philly

Done!

Hi Folks
Well - that's that. I've finished in the workshop and put the bench in the back of the van ready for the journey to Westonbirt tomorrow. I've just about finished all the planes I was hoping to make and I'm sat at the computer now printing out signs and labels. The rain is falling outside (obviously having a last go before the coming heatwave...........) but I'm not worried. I know its going to be a great weekend :)
I've made a couple of planes from some Indonesian Rosewood I've been hoarding. One is the pretty little smoother I showed off yesterday - the other is a monster Miter plane. She looks just awesome! If anyone is interested they'll be on my bench this coming weekend :)

Shock of the day was the Wife coming out to the workshop with the phone. "It's Konrad", she says. My jaw drops - not Konrad Sauer??
Oh, yes - a quick call before he heads to the airport to make his way over. It was great to have a quick chat (and also to find I'm not the only one feverishly packing bags!) and I'm really looking forward to spending a few days in his company. Did I mention Konrad and I will have our benches set up next to each other (along with Infill maker Bill Carter!) in the Classic Hand Tools marquee?
So make sure you head over to Westonbirt this weekend for the "Festival of the Tree" - you won't be disappointed!
Cheers
Philly

T Minus.......

Hi Folks
The workshop has been going flat out preparing for the "Festival of the Tree" at Westonbirt. I'm packing the van and hitting the road in the morning, so today is the last day for me finish off bits and pieces and any last minute tasks.
Again, I've been fortunate to have my workshop helper (let's call him "Mr. X" for now....) giving me a hand. I can tell he's enjoying it because he was moaning he didn't have his own workshop apron - one Tormek apron later and he's a happy bunny! Of course, that doesn't stop him repeatedly dropping hot pieces of metal into a jam jar of water, but I promised I wouldn't mention that ;)
With the Ipod rocking away in the background we've produced some lovely planes in the last few weeks. A Rosewood smoother and Miter plane are two of my favourites, and we've been making a selection of the new "Philly Shaves" in walnut, oak, maple, Gonc and Rosewood. They look fantastic - arty photographs to follow!
So - I should get back in the workshop. Time is ticking away....
Cheers
Philly

Skew Miter

HI Folks
Just finished a plane I haven't made for a while - a skew mouth miter plane.
This one is for a customer in the States and is made from Goncalo Alves. It features a 6mm thick iron, 50mm wide and has a 38 degree bed with a 20 degree skew.
The skewed bed is a lot of extra work (and the math a real brain-ache!) but the plane performs really well and the skew is a real feature on the shooting board.
Cheers
Philly

More Workshop Intruders...

Hi Folks
Yes, the weekend saw two more visitors to the 'shop. First, Cupcake was brought in to let her explore the workshop and start getting used to being in there. She loved it! Shavings were a bit hit with her (and I just happen to have plenty to spare) and the new smells and nooks and crannies to explore were just wonderful. Needless to say, no power tools were used while she was around but she was unconcerned when I did a bit of cleaning with the shop-vac. A good start.

So when she heard the cat was in the workshop out comes my daughter, Sophie. She's six years old now, and doesn't spend as much time in the shop with me as she used to. Too busy, you see.......;)
But with the kitten roaming the 'shop Sophie was quite happy to get stuck in to a bit of sanding - as long as she could giggle at the kittens antics.

The Westonbirt "Festival of the Tree" event is only two weeks away (less, actually!) so I am rather busy preparing myself for that, as well as keeping on top of plane orders. We have a big batch of spokeshaves almost complete in a wide choice of timbers as well as some special little coffin smoothers in Rosewood. More pics soon.......

Cheers
Philly

Intruder!

Hi Folks

Yesterday I had a friend of mine helping out in the workshop. And what a new experience that was!
As woodworkers we usually practise our hobby on our own, quietly (or not) working away in solitude. And to suddenly have to share that space with a second person is an unusual but pleasant shock. Thankfully, I had arranged for Steve to prepare some blanks for me while I worked on some planes. He also carried out some much needed adjustment of the drill press. Well, I didn't ask him to fiddle with the drill press but he just couldn't leave it alone ;)

Here are some tips for sharing your workshop. Make sure you have lots of spare pencils, engineers squares and cordless drills. And keep supplying hot drinks on a regular basis. This will keep your new "workshop buddy" happy and productive :)

Thanks again, Steve!

Philly

Review...

HI Folks
Was pleased to turn on the computer this morning and find this review......
Glad you liked the plane, Chris!
I better get back in the workshop, then :)
Cheers
Philly

Finally - The Philly Shave

Hi Folks
At last I can reveal the final version of my recent spoke shave journey. The obviously named, "Philly Shave".
This one is winging its way to the first customer and is made from some lovely Indonesian Rosewood. Complete with brass wear strip and locking knobs it looks quite special. The cutter can be adjusted from the top to set the depth of cut and then locked off with the brass knobs - a good system. Finish is a coat of boiled linseed oil followed by many coats of shellac - a finish which really shows off the Rosewood to its best.
There are more details on my website, here.

Cupcake the Kitten is settling in nicely at home. She's not old enough to go outside yet but is making herself quite comfortable around the house. A favourite trick is jumping on the keyboard whilst you are typing (so apologies if the spellllllingggggg iiiiis baaadd) but it's good to see how naturally she has fitted into life here. Our last cat lasted was well into her twenties - you forget just how much energy kittens have!
Anyway - have to go. Someone wants to play with her favourite mouse........ ;)
Philly

Brass Knobs

HI Folks
There was a recent thread on the UK Workshop Forum about obtaining knurled brass knobs for tool making projects (or just to upgrade tools with horrible plastic knobs). I was surprised to find that they are not commercially available - even after a long Google session.
So I have decided to step up and offer my own range of knurled brass knobs - there is more information here....
To start with I am offering four standard sizes - these sizes have been decided upon after measuring the knobs on most of my planes. Obviously if you have a specific size or shape in mind just drop me an email.
Cheers
Philly

Top Cat

HI Folks
There's a new recruit on the block. Welcome, please, my new "Shop Cat".
She's called "Cupcake" and she's 10 weeks old. Obviously she has a lot of Health and Safety stuff to learn but hopefully she will become a regular helper in the workshop.
If only to chase spiders ;)
Cheers
Philly

A Little Twist..

Hi Folks
I've been playing with rebate/shoulder plane designs a lot lately. These tools are pretty straightforward in their design brief and it's difficult to come up with a "new" idea.
One weak area (in my opinion) of wooden rebate planes is the wedge - the wedge mortise doesn't give a huge amount of surface area, and is far away from, the cutting edge. I'm not a big fan of back irons so wanted to try some other method of providing support at the sharp end.
So I modified a rebate plane I was making in the traditional style (a monster inch and a half wide one!) with a screw cap. And it works very nicely - the metalwork adds additional helpful weight to the plane as a bonus!
I have a few changes to make and I'll move on to MK II soon.
Stay tuned...
Philly

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