A reminder that tickets are now on sale for John Porritt’s April 6-10 Welsh backstool class. Click here to register.
Registration Now Live for the Welsh Backstool Class
2019 Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 9: Wera Tool-Check PLUS
I always include one tool in our gift guide that is a bit on the pricey side. This year it’s the Wera Tool-Check PLUS set, which is an incredibly well-made and handy set of sockets and drivers that will get you out of many jams.
The tooling is high-quality stuff. But what is really remarkable about the set is the way it is packaged. All the sockets and drivers are in a clever plastic holder. All of the tools fit in a tiny space that can go in the bottom of your tool chest or in a drawer. So when a problem comes up with a machine or a tool, you’ll be ready.
Yes, I have a complete (huge) set of sockets and drivers and 100 other bits of drivery in our machine room. And when we need to take the table saw or planer apart, that’s where I go. But when I need to tighten a bench bolt or encounter a weird Torx screw, I grab the Wera set and get it done and get back to work.
— Christopher Schwarz
Disclaimer: We buy all of our tools. We don’t accept advertising or sponsorships. We are not part of any affiliate program. We don’t make any money if you buy these items. We just like these tools.
2019 Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 8: Crubber
If you want to improve your workbench’s vises in an hour, just add Crubber. These thin sheets of cork and rubber add a good deal of grip to your vise’s jaws, and they also protect the workpiece.
After becoming a Crubber Lover, we began replacing the other options I’ve tried over the years with this great material. On many of our benches we have suede, which has survived fine, and adhesive cork sheets, which have not.
I prefer to use epoxy to stick my Crubber to wood and metal. Other adhesives I’ve tried have creeped a bit. (The Horror of Creeping Crubber – this stuff writes itself.)
It’s not bulletproof – nothing is. I’ve torn out a chunk or two of the stuff on my leg vise. But it does hold well and it takes a good beating.
Two sheets (5” x 9”) are only $9. Available from Benchcrafted.
— Christopher Schwarz
Disclaimer: We buy all of our tools. We don’t accept advertising or sponsorships. We are not part of any affiliate program. We don’t make any money if you buy these items. We just like these tools.
Now in Store: Edwin Skull Chair Poster, Circa 1865
Our limited-edition run of Edwin Skull posters is now available in the store for immediate shipment. These are perfect for the chair nerd in your life (even if that chair nerd is you). Here are the details:
One of the most delightful images I’ve turned up in my research on historical chairs is a broadsheet printed by the Edwin Skull chair company in High Wycombe. The color image features 141 of the chairs offered by the firm, including the “Skull’s Patent Plectaneum Chair,” a famous folding chair.
The Skull firm traces its roots back to Charles Skull (1780–1851), who was a chair japanner in High Wycombe. Two of his sons, Edwin and Walter, started making chairs and because known for making high-quality goods. About 1865, the firm issued this broadsheet to show the wide range of chairs the company made and the awards it had received.
The firm survived into the 1930s but was acquired by rival Furniture Industries Ltd. in 1932. Furniture Industries is now called ercol and operates in the High Wycombe area. As a nod to its heritage, the chairmaking department at ercol is still referred to as “Skulls.”
The Skulls broadsheet has been published in a couple books by Ivan G. Sparkes, including “The English Country Chair” (Spurbooks), but the images were so small that it was difficult to study it in detail.
Where, I wondered, was the original? And could we obtain a copy of it?
Enter our researcher, Suzanne Ellison, who tracked down the original at the Wycombe Museum. After some negotiations, the museum agreed to produce a high-resolution image of the broadsheet that we could use for a limited-edition poster of 500 units.
In exchange for this, we helped pay for the new digital image and will donate a portion of the proceeds of poster sales directly to the Wycombe Museum.
Our Edwin Skulls poster is printed here in Cincinnati on heavy, #120 uncoated stock. The poster measures 13” x 19” and ships in a stiff cardboard tube. The price is $18, which includes domestic shipping.
— Christopher Schwarz
2019 Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 7: Allback Linseed Oil Wax Finish
When we need a simple and non-toxic finish, we reach for Allback, a combination of organic linseed oil and beeswax that is great for many woodworking projects. It’s great for chairs, small cabinets and turned objects. It’s not so great for stuff that sees heavy abuse (kitchen tables, for example).
The finish has the consistency of peanut butter. Apply it to raw wood with a grey 3M pad and rub it into the wood until only a thin film remains. After about 30 minutes, wipe off the excess with a clean cotton rag. It will have a low sheen but a nice, soft feel.
I usually wait a few days (if I can) and then apply a second coat. It will take a little longer to dry, but it will provide a little more sheen and protection.
Yes, you can apply it over film finishes, but it’s not as nice. A finish that has sealed up the wood (such as varnish, shellac or lacquer) will stop the oil in the Allback from curing quickly. In these cases, a soft wax is better as a topcoat because it doesn’t have any linseed oil.
One of the things I really like about it is how easy it is to renew or repair. If the finish gets scuffed or aged, you can wipe a quick coat of Allback on the piece and it is back to new.
Get a small amount of it to try – that will answer all of your questions about it. Then you can decide if it’s a good finish for your shop. (Also, ignore the odd photo on the ordering page. Really – Allback is great stuff.)
— Christopher Schwarz
Disclaimer: We buy all of our tools. We don’t accept advertising or sponsorships. We are not part of any affiliate program. We don’t make any money if you buy these items. We just like these tools.