Best selling wood projects - The Joys of Old Tools

Best selling wood projects

Following the Lazarus-like re-birth of the old Sorby paring chisel, I would like to follow up with a couple of other gems that have crossed my path in recent weeks.

One of the most useful hand tools in the workshop is the jack plane - usually represented by a cast iron version of Stanleys number 5 bench plane.  These were made in their thousands by numerous manufacturers from Sargent to Record, Millers Falls and Turner, to name a few.

The traditional jack plane has a generous mouth, rugged construction  and a radiused blade to shave off thick shavings.  Once set up, it can quickly dimension timber without dust or noise.

Here is a perfect example of what is highly desirable in a plane of this sort.  Made by Carter Australia, it has a thick casting, solid frog, thick blade and tough hardwood handles.  The picture above shows it as found, before it was cleaned and fettled.

One of the best kept secrets of Australian made hand planes, is the quality of the blades made by Carter. Thicker than the equivalent Stanley blade, and of excellent steel, this blade is a great partner for the plane that will wield it.  Re-ground with a bevel that has a 10 inch radius, and then honed sharp, the blade is ready for work.

Here it has been used to shape a wide chamfer - quicker than setting up and cutting on a table saw.
Too many new number 5 hand planes are not the workhorses that they should be, because they are too expensive and too full of bling.  For this reason they are often treated as the princesses of the workshop, instead of the tradesmen that they are.
Carter handplanes - primadonnas they are not.

The other workhorses of carpentry and cabinetry are hand saws.
Because of the availability of cheap power tools over the last ten years, few woodworkers now reach for a hand saw.  Further to this, there is a general ignorance of handsaws among casual woodworkers, to the point that all handsaws look the same.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Here are two old hand saws that are  similar to those seen frequently on Ebay and at Sunday markets.
The indicators that these are not just any old saws are staring us in the face.  It starts with the handles.
The first is an Atkins Perfection saw - indicated by the embossed handle.  This was the top of the Atkins range of saws and a masterpiece of the sawmakers art.

The second has no branding except Warranted Superior on the medallion.  The handle says it is a quality saw from one of the premier saw makers.  The smooth curves, the lack of flatness in the sides of the handle and the wheat carving on the timber which looks like fruitwood (maybe apple) - all point to a superior product.  This one resembles a Simonds 10-1/2 skew back.

These two saws deserve a fresh opportunity to do what they do best - cut timber in the hand of someone who cares.

The blades are most in need of attention.

These are very hard steel and wont be affected by the abrasive action of a wire brush.

It is a much better choice than sandpaper, which scores the surface of the sawplate.

All of the rust and scale need to be removed so that the saw can pass cleanly through timber without jagging.

Once cleaned and oiled to prevent further rusting, both of these saws need sharpening and setting.

The Atkins is a 7 point cross cut saw, while the Simonds is an 11 point panel saw, filed cross cut as well.

The handles have had a thin coat of boiled linseed oil - to prevent the timber from drying out and cracking.

Both have tapered blades -  something done to the shaping of the best quality hand saws - and of which, manufacturers were most proud.




The Warranted Superior / Simonds Saw has no etch.  The Atkins Perfection saw has a clear etch - still visible after cleaning from under all that crud.
Hand saws generally are the poor cousins of used tools in the market place, as there is such a small demand for them.  Hence they are often sold cheaply.
Woodworkers should jump at the opportunity to snap up these beautiful old masterpieces, before everyone realises how valuable they really are.



Learning to use and care for hand tools is one of lifes great pleasures, and it adds immeasurably to the joy of woodworking.

Happy woodworking to all.
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Best selling wood projects - A Simple Utility Tray Project Part 2

Best selling wood projects

Once the outline of the first of the ends has been defined and cleaned up, the shape can be copied to the other end - and the process repeated to make both matching end pieces.  Dont worry about the tapered sides just yet - well get to them later.

The centre handle, that was glued up from two pieces, has dried - and is ready to be shaped and have the handle hole cut.

I use a drill to give me a starting place, and cut again with the coping saw.

Of course it would be much faster with a powered saw.  A jigsaw or a scroll saw would work, as they can be inserted through the holes.

For the curves across the top, all of these saws will work well - perhaps a bandsaw with a narrow blade, best of all.
Since this project is one that youngsters might be making, Ill stick to hand tools.

The handle shape is my own design, worked out with the pair of compasses shown.

You can design it to be as simple or as fancy as you like.

This shape has turned out quite well and pleases me.  I took the trouble to make a template from it on a piece of scrap MDF.  Ill save this, and use the design again for other projects in the future.

The curves all need finishing, and the harsh edges softened.

I like to use a spokeshave, but sandpaper can also be used - along with rasps and files if you have them.

Time to set out the dadoes - which will be cut into the insides of both ends to house the handles.

To be accurate, the thickness of the centre handle piece needs to be measured first.

I find it easiest to mark the centre line of the ends, and measure half the thickness of the handle on either side of this centre line. This keeps things nicely middled.

These are cut to form the dado in the next step.

My trusty Spear & Jackson does the honours, being careful to cut inside the marked lines.

The left side cut has been completed,  and the second cut on the right is nearly there.

This waste has now got to be removed.  I use a chisel, and to prevent tear out at the ends, I chisel from each end towards the middle.

For this step the workpiece needs to be held firmly in place.

A couple of clamps with scraps for padding work well enough.  These stop the clamps from marking the face of the timber.

The bottom of the dado needs smoothing, and this can be done in a few different ways.

Once again I have chosen a chisel - a long handled paring chisel this time.  A hand router, like a Stanley 71, would work even better than this.

The sides of the dado need trimming as well, so that the handle will be a snug fit.

Side rebate planes are made for this job, and excel at it.

Side rebate planes come in a variety of different designs, and are still produced by several plane manufacturers today.

Mine is a right handed plane, that was made by an unknown craftsman years ago.
It has a rosewood body and a steel skate that houses the blade.

It is an absolute joy to use - my only regret is that I dont have the left handed version to go with it.  This is sometimes needed when the grain runs in the other direction.

The angle at which the handle engages the ends, is one of personal choice.

The picture of the antique tray in the first post, shows a much shallower angle than I would like.

I decided this angle by trial and error, until it struck a line that I liked.

I locked in this angle on the skew bevel, so that it could be used on the other end, and to create the slope on the two end pieces as well.

With all these pieces cut, and the dadoes snugging up to the handle, it was time for a trial fitting.

Not much further to go now.  The two side pieces will be cut to match, and then the bottom will be attached.

These will appear in part 3.

Starting to look pretty nice I think.

Happy woodworking to all .......

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