I hope I don’t get in trouble for stealing this screenshot.
Woodworker, writer, whisky-lover, actor and all-around renaissance man Nick Offerman has a new twice-a-week Substack newsletter, “Donkey Thoughts,” in which he hopes, he writes, to be sometimes useful and “at least relatively amusing.” Having read (nay, devoured) all of Nick’s books; I have no doubt he will succeed on both fronts.
I couldn’t hit “subscribe” fast enough. Because yes, as long as Nick is the “slow-talking…medium-looking white guy in his fifties try to find his figurative ass with both hands,” I very much look forward to reading about it. The text version will be free, he writes, “but if you want to be able to ask questions or see the bonus materials, which may or may not include some minor nudity, or eventually imbibe the scents(!), you’ll need to subscribe. It’s extortion, yes, but at least I’m up front about it.”
The new Speedbor (right) and the old pattern (left). Please let me have my teeth back.
Because we make tools, I hesitate to criticize other toolmakers. Today I am making an exception because the manufacturer is Irwin Industrial Tools, which is owned by Stanley Black & Decker, a company that is worth $28.4 billion (that’s with a “b”).
So no toolmaker is going to go hungry because of this blog entry.
For 18 years I’ve used Irwin Speedbor spade bits in my chairmaking. They are inexpensive, they cut fast, they don’t clog and they are perfectly fine for chairs.
In the 2000s, lots of Irwin’s competitors started making crappier spade bits. They ruined the cutting geometry, didn’t surface-grind the cutting face or they added a screw tip, making them almost worthless for furniture making. But Irwin kept making good bits, and you could get them everywhere.
About two years ago, however, Irwin “improved” its Speedbors by removing the cutting teeth at the rim, replacing them with little chamfers.
These new Speedbors are supposed to last twice as long and cut twice as fast.
My first experience with the new bits was terrible. They cut slow and tended to leave a rough entry and exit hole.
I talked to my supplier at the hardware store about it. She said many of her customers also disliked the new bits and had the same experience I did.
I slapped together a rant about the bits and almost posted it. Then I thought: Maybe I should wait and use the bits some more. Maybe I’m doing something wrong. Maybe the bits can be improved with a little filing. Maybe I just got some bad bits, and the manufacturing will improve in time.
So for the last two years I stuck with the bits. And I can honestly say they still stink. I’m sure Irwin has some science that backs up its claims, but it doesn’t apply to working in hardwoods. Perhaps they did the test in Styrofoam.
I’ve searched for another brand available in the U.S. as a replacement, but I haven’t had much luck. I’ve tried four other brands, and none are as good as the old Speedbors. If you have a recommendation of a spade bit brand you use and adore, please post it in the comments. (Please spare us the “I’ve heard good things about Beaver Bits.” Or “Saul Pellers says spade bits are for punters.”)
Until I find a replacement brand, I’m sharpening my old Speedbor bits. This works great until you file the rim teeth away (I get about three filings before this happens). I’ve also purchased a two-year supply of NOS (new old stock) Speedbor bits from eBay. So I have a couple years to solve this problem.
As anyone who makes chairs will tell you, life is a never-ending search for decent or better bits.
— Christopher Schwarz
A closer look at the geometry of the new Speedbor.
A close look at the geometry of the older Speedbor.
This stick chair is one of a series of “scrapple” chairs I’ve been making during the last month, using up beautiful extra chair parts that have been sitting around for as long as five years.
Because I was constrained by the parts on hand, I had to devise a new chair design that made all these elements work together. I am pleased with the result, both the way it looks and sits. Here are some details about the chair:
The seat is 17-3/8” from the floor and the seat tilts back about 1” from front to back. The back sticks tilt back at 16°. The combination of these numbers creates a chair that is good for both dining and lounging. The chair has strong lumbar support – some people like that and some don’t.
The chair is made from oak (the undercarriage), poplar (the seat), ash (the sticks) and cherry (the arms and comb). All the joints are assembled with hide glue so the chair can easily be repaired many years in the future. The finish is a blue acrylic paint, which is durable and has a nice low sheen.
This chair represents a swing back into using contemporary details, including crisp bevels and a very smooth finish.
If you are interested in purchasing this chair, here are the details.
This chair is being sold via a random drawing. The chair is $1,400 plus domestic shipping. (I’m sorry but the chair cannot be shipped outside the U.S.) If you wish to buy the chair, send an email to lapdrawing@lostartpress.com before 5 p.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, Feb. 9. In the email please use the subject line “Chair Sale” and include your:
First name and last name
U.S. shipping address
Daytime phone number (this is for the trucking quote only)
After all the emails have arrived on Feb. 9, we will pick a winner that evening via a random drawing.
If you are the “winner,” the chair can be picked up at our storefront for free. Or we can ship it to you via common carrier. The crate is included in the price of the chair. Shipping a chair usually costs between $150 and $250, depending on your location.
Don’t let an unfamiliarity with chairmaking keep you building a chair. This Irish-y armchair, with a curved back rest and lightly saddled seat, is a gateway chair into building a full-on Kentucky stick chair (or Welsh stick chair, or Scottish stick chair, or Insertplacenamehere stick chair). And the plan for this chair is free. Click here to download the chapter. No, you don’t have to register, or send us a gland. Click the link and the pdf will be downloaded to your machine.
This chair is among the simpler designs I make. The legs are straight – not tapered. There are no stretchers. There are only nine sticks, and they are made easily with handplanes (a jack and a block plane).
This chair is remarkably comfortable (no, the middle stick does not rub your spine). The curved backrest (cut from solid – not steambent), cradles your shoulders. And though its backward lean looks extreme (wait, am I at the dentist?) that’s an illusion. The chair is very comfortable for reading, watching TV or good conversation.
The only slightly tricky part of the chair is the saddle. You can skip it if you want (few Irish chairs were saddled). But it’s the simplest saddle possible. There’s no pommel. It’s just a flat dish – easy.
Katherine “Soft Wax” Schwarz has spent her free time during the last couple weeks making wax. An insane amount of wax. And she has just put it all up for sale in her etsy store.
As everyone knows, you can’t sell wax without a cute animal photo. Here you see Bean, our three-legged shop cat, who did not want to go along with the program. I hope that despite this, you will consider buying a jar of the wax.
Notes on the finish: 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 the wax are below.
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. Each glass jar contains 8 oz. of soft wax, enough for at least two chairs.
