Above is the full video of our Q&A about Dutch tool chests. WARNING: I made a couple double-entendres during Megan’s demo portion of the video. Apologies – I thought this was Chest Chat™.
– Christopher Schwarz
Author: Lost Art Press
Publisher of woodworking books and videos specializing in hand tool techniques.
Anarchist Gift Guide Day 10: Beall Digital Inclinometer
When you start exploring the world that exists outside of 90°, it helps to have a couple tools to help you navigate the journey. One of those tools is a sliding bevel. The other nice one is a “tilt box” or “digital inclinometer.”
These little boxes allow you to set your machinery to a precise tilt angle (most people use it on the table saw’s blade). The magnet on the bottom of the tool grabs the steel saw blade. Then you tilt the blade until you hit the right angle.
But I use these tilt boxes in other ways. When I want to investigate a chair in the wild, I pack a camera, a tape measure and this tilt box. I can zero it to the floor to get the rake and splay of the legs. And I can zero it to the seat to get the angles of the spindles/sticks/backrest etc. It is a miracle tool for investigating chairs in antique stores or museums.
Oh, I almost forgot. The Beall version also has a “hold” button, which allows you to hold the last measurement on the screen. It’s great for people who forget little things – such as a handy “hold” button….
A couple people have complained that these devices are not accurate. I’ve confirmed mine 10 ways from Sunday against my drawings, my sliding bevel and my finished pieces. I suspect the user error is not holding the tilt box on the true front elevation or true profile.
The other complaint that I hear about these gizmos is that they eat batteries. To that I say: I suppose? I’ve used mine almost every week for two years, and I have replaced the batteries once. That seems like some slow digestion to me.
I like the Beall version because it has a rugged metal case. There are other versions out there, but I can’t speak for them. We had a bunch of these tools at our old shop at Popular Woodworking Magazine, but they always had dead batteries or dead electronics. The Beall has been a real survivor.
— Christopher Schwarz
Read other entries from The Anarchist’s Gift Guide here.
Anarchist Gift Guide Day 9: Helix Angle and Circle Maker
Call me Roman, but I use a lot of circles and arcs in my work. And while I have a bunch of compasses, they aren’t great for the small stuff – like a 1/8″-diameter circle. I also have some plastic circle templates, but they aren’t easy to center on my drawings.
Enter the Helix Angle and Circle Maker (here’s the Amazon link; I prefer to buy from Dick Blick). It’s about $5 to $6 and is a fantastic little tool for making all manner of circles. For the really small circles – 1/8″ to 1″ diameter – the Helix has traditional holes in the clear part of the tool.
For bigger circles – 1″ up to 2″ – the Helix really shines. You place the centerpoint of the tool on your work. Then you choose a hole for the radius you desire – they are graduated in 1/16s. Then you inscribe the outside of the circle by spinning the clear disc in the middle of the tool. (It works like an old Spirograph, but more boring.)
The Helix also does some other cool tricks. It allows you to measure the radius of a circle easily, which is handy. And it works as a traditional protractor – the degrees are marked on the colored plastic ring.
I’m sure it does other tricks as well, though I have yet to find its bottle opener.
Yes, it’s a piece of plastic from China. But you can use its powers for good by building wooden furniture that lasts forever. (Ya know, using the tools of your oppressors and all.)
— Christopher Schwarz
Read other entries from The Anarchist’s Gift Guide here.
Anarchist Gift Guide Day 8: Wisdom Supply Co. Binder
I’m no hippie, but I’ve never liked waste. It offends me to throw away something because it can’t be repaired. But that’s the norm in our society.
Take three-ring binders, for example. We use binders all the time to keep manuscripts organized as they move through the publishing process. But I also use binders to keep my furniture designs organized. With a three-hold punch, I can arrange all my drawings, supply lists, sketches and notes in one place where I can reference them again.
Sadly, plastic binders are terrible. The plastic hinges wear out, and the covers become separated from the mechanism that holds the papers. You can fix it with duct tape, but that is usually a temporary solution.
Enter Wisdom Supply Co., a small company that focuses on eliminating waste with office supplies. They sell a binder “kit” that allows you to replace the parts that wear out. And you can easily recycle the worn-out bits.
Basically, the binder arrives disassembled. You screw the 1” binder mechanism to the exterior boards with post screws – a three-minute job. You also get some tabbed dividers and a pocket folder. The cardboard cover is made from recycled materials and can be recycled when it wears out. You can then buy a replacement cover for less than $6.
And that is how all things should work – cars, tools, furniture, appliances.
Wisdom Supply also sells folders and planners that work on the same principle. I haven’t used them, but I hope to soon. As I love to both fold and plan. Ask anyone.
— Christopher Schwarz
Read other entries from The Anarchist’s Gift Guide here.
Use a Laser for Compound-angle Drilling
Several readers asked how to use a laser for drilling compound angles in chairmaking after I posted my love letter to green lasers.
Here it is with some important caveats:
- Yes, you can use two lasers like Greg Pennington does. If you have two lasers, go for it. I have only one.
- I use lasers as a teaching tool or when I am drilling weirdo angles that are unfamiliar to me. Once you get the feel for drilling routine mortises you might set the laser aside. You might not. Either way is fine by me and the portion of humanity that is kind and decent.
- Yes, alternately you can use a mirror. Or a spotter who holds a stick or a bar clamp or straightedge. Or the Force.
So here’s the deal: When you drill an angle – any angle – you can easily see whether you are tilted too far left or right. It’s difficult, however, to see if you are tilted too far forward or backward. The laser acts as a spotter to guide you forward or backward.
To do this, position the laser 90° to where you are standing. Shoot the laser so its line intersects both mortise holes in a chair (or tilt it to the desired angle, such as 81°). Now stand in position to drill the hole. Tilt your drill left or right until you are lined up with both mortises.
Then tilt the drill forward or back until the laser line shoots up the middle of the drill bit. Drill – and keep the laser line centered on the shaft of the bit. After you drill through the arm, position the lead screw of the bit on the mortise location on the seat. Again, line up the laser. Use your fingers to keep the bit centered in the mortise in the arm. Drill the mortise in the seat.
Move on to the next hole, moving the laser so it is always 90° to your drilling position.
And that’s it.
— Christopher Schwarz
