Articles tagged "hand tools"

Hand tools are no crazier than CrossFit

There is a gym near my house that teaches CrossFit. I first noticed it one summer. In 100° weather, folks were outside doing pull-ups. Scant equipment was visible through the huge overhead doors. I thought it was some kind of low-cost gym.

A membership is over $100 a month, which is not low-cost to me. They have no air conditioning, minimal heat, and minimal equipment. No treadmills or elliptical trainers – just run on the street! It seems pretty intense. The gym is popular and my friends who go there love it. They are as fanatical as galoots.

I used to think hand tool woodworking was eccentric. No more!

Sharpening with a Bible

Page 3 of Richard Foster’s book Life with God says,

The average “Bible consumer,” publishing research tells us, owns nine Bibles and is looking for more. This is mute but powerful testimony to a deep and abiding sense of lack – a sense that we have not really achieved a grasp of the Bible that is adequate to our needs.

I know this longing.

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Woodworking with hand tools is like riding a bike

“Hand tools are too slow.”

I used to believe that.

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Cherry Shaker Bed
cherry queen-sized shaker bed
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Hand Saw Storage

I built this saw till to store my hand saws:

wall saw till
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Children's Workbench
children's workbench
Grinding a Plane Iron with a Belt Sander

This tutorial explains how to grind a plane blade using a Viel Tools S5 Belt Grinder.

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How to test the sharpness of a plane or chisel

Here is how I determine if my plane or chisel edge is sharp. I have a high degree of confidence that this method is accurate and easy to replicate.

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Review: Viel Tools S5 Belt Grinder
viel s5 belt grinder
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Philly Style Jack Plane
Philly style laminated mesquite jack plane
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