Sagging Shelves

Recently we visited dear friends in England and while we were whiling away a very pleasant afternoon I happen to notice their book shelf was sagging quite considerably. Read more…

When is Right Left & Left Right

With most objects that are specifically right-handed and difficult to use left-handed one can usually buy a left handed version (except chain saws, but that’s another story).  Scissors, golf clubs and rifles all have a left-handed version. You would think that...

Are You Aware?

I thought it might be of interest to share some woodworking trivia.  Then again it might be of no interest, but here goes. Are You Aware: That the first spirit level was invented in 1660 by Thevenove In France. It was called a Spirit Level because he used wine in...

Three Days In July

One Saturday late in July 2014 I called up a friend and fellow woodworker John and asked if he was doing anything. I told him I was heading to Avoca NY, about 2 hour drive west.  While Avoca is in the heart idyllic country, it is no tourists destination, but people...

Woodworking Humour – How NOT to Hammer a Nail

For Christmas I was given a set of Audel’s Carpenter’s & Builder’s Guide Vol. 1-4 1923 and have been working my way through them. Vol. 1 covers planes to chisels to saws to drills to measuring tools Vol. 2 covers builders math and drawing and...

Wood Information

I have recently been working with Locus (I think it’s Black Locus Robinia pseudoacacia), it is hard and I mean really hard – in fact it is 1700 on the Janka hardness scale. Teak is a mere 1070 and White Oak 1350. It can grow to 100′ and has a...