Note: This is crossposted from Crucible Tool.
Dividers work better if the tips match the job you’re doing. For layout chores, such as scribing arcs or setting out your joinery, the dividers’ tips need to match the wood you are using. Sharper tips will prevent the tips from skating on hard woods. And dull tips are needed in soft woods to prevent from marking the work too deeply.
In this video, Raney demonstrates how to make the tips sharper or duller using fine sandpaper stuck to a flat surface (a granite block in this instance). Changing the tips from dull to sharp takes only about two minutes (I timed him). And the results are worth the extra effort.
These techniques work on almost all dividers, not just our Improved Pattern Dividers.
— Christopher Schwarz
Woodworker “baseball” cards now available from LAP. Action photo on the card front with career stats on the back. Collect them all. Roubo, Underhill, Hayward, Klaus, Sellers, and the Abrams rookie card, any many more.
Ugh I’m ashamed to admit I might buy these if they were a real thing. We’d need to add some Windsor skills — Brown, Langsner, Galbert. And definitely some other green woodworking — Alexander, May, Follansbee.
Baseball cards for Schwarz, Miller, Krenov, Frid, should be added to the lineup as well.
Add stickers and/or bubblegum and I’m in!
Thank you for this post. Kind of been pondering other people’s approaches to accomplishing this “simple” upkeep on a “simple” tool.
Wow, some beaver went to work on the apron of that bench.
Great video. Keeping up to date with maintenance of tools is essential
Any one have a date for that picture ?
I do not. It’s a photo from my personal collection.
Can you imagine making all those shavings in a hot workshop in a three piece suit? No wonder he was keen to pose for a photo…
Looking at other pictures I have , He would have had an apron on and Jacket . Whats more suprising is that I allowed a picture with out a hat on , which seems to be quite unusual ?