During my 25 years in the woodworking business, I’ve seen a lot of toolmakers both big and small disappear suddenly and unexpectedly. In the 1990s, I could not have guessed that Record Tools would self-implode and become a shadow brand of Rubbermaid.
I’m 53, and I hope to have at least another 25 years at the bench. A couple years ago, I started thinking about what I would do if I lost my Tite-Mark marking gauge and if Kevin Drake stopped making them for some reason.
So I immediately ordered a back-up Tite-Mark.
Since then, I’ve slowly acquired doubles of the tools that I would be lost without. It’s not a big list. I know I’ll always be able to get a Starrett 12” combination square or an old Stanley No. 5 at auction or at a tool swap. But if Lie-Nielsen disappeared because a flying saucer stole the factory, I think it would be tough to find replacements. Note that I don’t think of any of these toolmakers as particularly vulnerable to disappearing anytime soon. I just know that if they did disappear, getting a replacement would be difficult.
Here’s the list:
Tite-Mark Cutting Gauge. This tool is an extension of my hand, much like a marking knife. I am so attuned to it that I make micro adjustments almost unconsciously. Don’t accept imitations.
Lie-Nielsen 60-1/2 Block Plane. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: The Lie-Nielsen 60-1/2 is the best block plane I’ve ever used. Full stop. No qualifiers. I’ve worn off all the paint on the top of the sidewalls. I wore out the blade it came with and am well into the second blade.
Lie-Nielsen No. 3 Bench Plane: The No. 3 fits my hand better than the ubiquitous No. 4. I have tuned up my bronze one to the point where I don’t even look at other smoothing planes on the internet or at tool stores.
Veritas Standard Reamer: It’s easy to make a tapered tenon cutter, so I’d hate to lose my standard reamer, which I use on most of my chairs. I have such a good feel for how it cuts that I rarely ever stray from my desired angle. In fact, I have to deliberately go off-angle when I teach others how to correct a hole that has gone astray.
Blue Spruce 16 oz. Mallet: The resin-infused mallet is another one of those tools that feels like I was born with it in my hand. I’m told the round mallet is for carvers, not joinery. Hogwash. This small tool packs an impressive punch and is incredibly durable. Blue Spruce is now owned by Woodpeckers, which is too bad because I like Dave Jeske so much, but it is still an excellent mallet.
Chris Vesper 4” Sliding Bevel: No surprises here. I have Vesper Fever. And the only known cure is to buy all of his tools. I have a full set of the sliding bevels and doubles of the 4” bevel.
You know what comes next: This is not a sponsored post. I bought these tools with my own money. And we don’t do affiliate programs or anything slimebally.
My daughter Katherine is home from college for the weekend and made a big batch of Soft Wax 2.0. It is now up for sale in her etsy.com store. And, as you can see from above, it is endorsed by the almost-never-seen Funky Winkerbean.
If I died tomorrow, Funky would likely get up on his hind legs and immediately propose marriage to Lucy. That is how much he hates me.
This is the finish I use on my chairs. Katherine cooks it up here in the machine room using a waterless process. She then packages it in a tough glass jar with a metal screw-top lid. She applies her hand-designed label to each lid, boxes up the jars and ships them in a durable cardboard mailer. The money she makes from wax helps her make ends meet at college.
Instructions for Soft Wax 2.0
Soft Wax 2.0 is a safe finish for bare wood that is incredibly easy to apply and imparts a beautiful low luster to the wood.
The finish is made by cooking raw, organic linseed oil (from the flax plant) and combining it with cosmetics-grade beeswax and a small amount of a citrus-based solvent. The result is that this finish can be applied without special safety equipment, such as a respirator. The only safety caution is to dry the rags out flat you used to apply before throwing them away. (All linseed oil generates heat as it cures, and there is a small but real chance of the rags catching fire if they are bunched up while wet.)
Soft Wax 2.0 is an ideal finish for pieces that will be touched a lot, such as chairs, turned objects and spoons. The finish does not build a film, so the wood feels like wood – not plastic. Because of this, the wax does not provide a strong barrier against water or alcohol. If you use it on countertops or a kitchen table, you will need to touch it up every once in a while. Simply add a little more Soft Wax to a deteriorated finish and the repair is done – no stripping or additional chemicals needed.
Soft Wax 2.0 is not intended to be used over a film finish (such as lacquer, shellac or varnish). It is best used on bare wood. However, you can apply it over a porous finish, such as milk paint.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS (VERY IMPORTANT): Applying Soft Wax 2.0 is so easy if you follow the simple instructions. On bare wood, apply a thin coat of soft wax using a rag, applicator pad, 3M gray pad or steel wool. Allow the finish to soak in about 15 minutes. Then, with a clean rag or towel, wipe the entire surface until it feels dry. Do not leave any excess finish on the surface. If you do leave some behind, the wood will get gummy and sticky.
The finish will be dry enough to use in a couple hours. After a couple weeks, the oil will be fully cured. After that, you can add a second coat (or not). A second coat will add more sheen and a little more protection to the wood.
Soft Wax 2.0 is made in small batches in Kentucky using a waterless process. Each glass jar contains 8 oz. of soft wax, enough for at least two chairs.
We have been hard at work getting products restocked during a time when many raw materials are hard to find. How bad is it? The company that makes our coffee mugs by hand put it this way:
“We’re running out of clay.”
“Wait. There’s a shortage of… wait…. dirt?”
“Yes.”
So I’m going to say this but once. If there’s something in our store that you want for Christmas, please don’t wait to buy it. We are trying to maintain our stock just like we always have since 2007, but it is rough out there. Here’s some good news: Last week, we had a wave of things arrive at the warehouse. More good news: We have a second wave coming in this week.
Here’s the first wave.
Lost Art Press Handmade Coffee Mugs
Gosh we love these mugs. They’re handmade by an artists’ collective in the Midwest, so each one is just a wee bit different. They are a fantastic value at $35 each. The first run sold out in hours. We re-ordered as many as the collective could handle (before they ran out of dirt), so I wouldn’t tarry on these.
Lost Art Press Caps from Ebbets Field
We hope to stock these hats for a long time. Made in the USA, these hats are cotton and are built to last a long time. If you own a cap from Ebbets then you already know how great they are. If you don’t, I think you’ll be impressed by the build quality and detail. These are the nicest ball caps I’ve ever seen.
Lost Art Press Pencils
Yes, our pencils are back in stock. These pencils are made to our specifications in the USA. They are thicker than normal pencils, have a beefier lead and are perfect for the shop. We put all the money into the wood and lead, and none into a silly eraser. We use these pencils every day at the bench.
Now that it is finally getting cooler, I am looking forward to wearing my moleskin work vest. These are made by Sew Valley here in Cincinnati and we now have stock on all the sizes. Also, we have a few Crucible dividers in stock with another batch arriving this week.
Sorry for all the sales talk. Man, I need a shower now.
During the last few months I have pushed my work back into the realm of the old-style stick chairs that caught my attention in the 1990s. This latest example explores what I love about the early lightweight chairs, which were built with whatever materials (Branches? Curved sticks?) were available.
This chair is built using black cherry from the Ohio River Valley. It is assembled using hide glue, so the joints are reversible should it ever need repairs (in 100 years or so). Like many early chairs, all the components are shaped by hand, and so this chair has a lot of texture.
Editor’s note: When I first encountered this book in the 1990s, I read it reluctantly. I wasn’t much interested in making wooden planes, but I was still in the “I’ll read anything about woodworking” phase. About 10 pages into the book, I was hooked. This isn’t just a book about making planes, this is a book about setting up tools and machines to a very high level so you can do truly excellent work (such as making planes). I read and re-read the book several times, loaned it to friends and eventually wore it out.
When the book went out of print, we were thrilled to bring it back with David’s help. The Lost Art Press hardback edition is made in the United States with pages that are stitched, glued and taped. I seriously doubt you could wear it out. But feel free to try.
David is still an active woodworker (and nice guy) and focuses on violins now. Check out his work here.
These wooden planes are associated closely with James Krenov (who wrote the book’s foreword). We published the definitive biography of Krenov by Brendan Gaffney: “James Krenov: Leave Fingerprints.”
Use sharp 1/2-inch-wide, 4 teeth-per-inch (TPI) wood-cutting blades. Hook-tooth blades cut faster and rougher, and skip-tooth blades cut smoother and more slowly. Skip/hook-tooth blades (sometimes called “furniture bands”) are a hybrid that I prefer, combining adequate speed with a smooth cut (1–13).
Critically examine the blade weld. The sides should be smooth and free of lumps. Check that the blade was properly aligned when welded by gauging the back edge of the blade with a six-inch straightedge; it should present a straight line (1–13). Faulty welds are fairly common and seriously undermine the performance of the saw. The blade may bump and shudder each time it contacts the thrust guide. A lump in the weld may prevent the side-mounted guides from being spaced closely enough to support the blade adequately. Keep blades and tires free of gummy deposits and sawdust. Scrub them off with the metal bristles of a file card at the first sign of buildup.
Set the upper and lower saw guides precisely. Arrange them as close as possible to the blade without rubbing it. The side-mounted guides are positioned just behind the gullets (the arcing gaps separating each tooth) of the blade (1–14). The guides on the back of the band saw, the thrust guides, contact the blade as soon as sawing commences.
1–14. Properly adjusted guides on a band saw.
Tensioning the blade correctly dramatically improves the quality of cut. Unplug the saw and remove the upper wheel cover. Tension the blade while slowly rotating the wheel by hand to stretch the blade evenly. Occasionally twang the free section of the blade (the portion unencumbered by guides) and note the increase in pitch. It goes from a rattle to a very low but discernible tone and proceeds to climb in pitch with increases in tension. Best results usually come with the blade tensioned to a clear, musical tone. Spin the wheel a turn or two to see if the blade is tracking in the center of the tire, adjust the blade if necessary, and reinstall the wheel cover.
If the wheels have been trued and crowned and the saw is running smoothly, the tension can be fine-tuned with the saw running. Bring the upper guide post down low to the table to provide maximum protection from the blade. Loosen the upper and lower guides so that they are well away from the blade. Turn on the saw and observe the blade, assisted by bright lighting and a white background. If the tension is correct, the blade will appear sharply in focus with no trace of flutter. The blade looks blurry if it’s vibrating.
Try altering the blade tension in very small increments while the saw is running. Be careful! Keep well away from the blade while making the adjustments and pay attention to where the blade is tracking. As the tension is increased, the blade creeps forward on the tire, and as it is decreased, the blade creeps back. Carefully alter the tracking adjustment while tensioning the blade to keep it in the center of the tire. Scrutinize the blade after each adjustment.
When the flutter is gone, stop the saw, note the position of the pointer on the tension scale (if the saw has one) for future reference, and twang the blade once again to get an idea of the amount of tension on the blade. If the saw is less than an industrial-quality machine, consider relieving the blade tension when it is not in use to save wear on the bearings and castings. As a pertinent aside, remember, when a blade breaks or hops off the wheel, a loud bang ensues from the release of spring tension on the upper wheel (provided by the blade and the spring on the upper wheel assembly). When this happens, cut the power immediately. Then step back and wait for both wheels to coast to a stop.
BAND-SAW CHECKUP Properly trued and crowned tires and a saw free from excessive vibration critically impact the saw’s performance. These points are easy to check, as described below. Corrective measures are not difficult, but go beyond the scope of this book. For more information on tuning band saws, refer to Mark Duginske’s Band Saw Handbook.
Trueness and Crown Every point where the blade contacts the perimeter of the tires must be the same distance from the axis of the wheels. If not, the tire is “out of true” and the blade will undergo changes in tension, resulting in potentially excessive vibration.
“Crown” is the convex arc across the width of the tire. Lacking sufficient crown, the blade will not track properly, wandering on the face of the tire, even hopping off completely.
Checking Tire Trueness Unplug the saw and remove the wheel covers and the blade. Use the guide post, the table, or some other convenient part of the saw to steady a stick, and hold its end about 1/32 inch from the surface of the tire, where the blade would normally ride. Spin the wheel slowly by hand and observe the gap between the tire and stick (1–15). If the width of the gap holds steady, the wheel is true; if it fluctuates, the tire is out of true. Check both tires.
1–15. Checking the circumference of a band-saw tire for trueness.
Checking Tire Crown Place a six-inch ruler on edge, across the width of the tire. Rocking the ruler end to end should reveal a nicely rounded arc. With the ruler centered on the high point of this arc, there should be about 1/16 inch of space between the edges of the tire and the edge of the ruler (1–16).
1–16. Evaluating the amount of tire crown.
VIBRATION Excessive vibration results in rough and wandering cuts. To check for vibration, with the saw running, lay a small wrench near the edge of the table. It should remain there quietly without moving. Any rattling or motion betrays excessive vibration. By systematically isolating portions of the drive system, vibration sources can be isolated and rectified.
