For those of you who don’t know, Paul Sellers is one of the best known hand tool woodworkers in the world. His knowledge and experience has allowed him to become a well respected figure in the world of woodworking. All the content on this site has been written alongside Paul to ensure we have created…
Getting started in woodworking? These top tips for a beginner show the importance of getting into good habits right from the start of your woodworking journey. 1. Make Sure you Have Sharp Tools This may seem like an obvious one, but having sharp tools will improve your accuracy and make the tools easier to use….
Paul recommends the 10″ (25cm) with 15-17 PPI. There are many different names on the saw plate but only one chief maker. They usually come in different lengths, but the 10″ is the ideal length. Also, small teeth (anything over 17PPI) is just too small and the cut is nowhere near as effective. It also…
Starting a new hobby can be expensive, however with our buying guides, Paul advises you on buying the right tools for your beginners toolbox to help you get started in woodworking. To make the 3 main joints, you will need: Chisels– 1″ and 1/2″(Approximately £15 for 2) Chisel Hammer (£16) Combination Square (£10) Tenon or…
We opened up our postbox for beginners to send in one of their first dovetail to get advice as to why it may not be the standard they had hoped for. One of our members, Jenny, sent in her dovetail in return for feedback from Paul which he critiqued in his YouTube video. We have…
With so much woodworking information out there, it is overwhelming for a beginner to get started. The aim of our site is to help new woodworkers learn the basics and to build skills which will enable you to feel confident enough to move on to more advanced projects in the future. Common Woodworking was made…
Our recent survey found that over 30% of the Common Woodworking audience didn’t have any kind of workbench. To many, this will be the obstacle standing between them and practical woodworking. However it is possible to begin your woodworking journey with nothing but a small collection of tools (see our buying tools guides for more…
In this guide, Paul shows you how to make a sharpening stones holder which can be clamped in the vise for ease of use. For this, you will need: Laying out the Recess Positions Measure ¾” (19mm) in from each edge to create a border, put one of your diamonds stones on this border line…
When buying diamond stones, Paul suggests getting a coarse stone between 120-400 grit (250 is best), a fine stone between 600-1000 (600 is best) and a super-fine between 1200-1500 (1200 is best). Paul recommends the 3” (76mm) x 8” (203mm) diamond stones from EZELAP, this width is so you can comfortably fit the width of…
In this guide Paul will show you how to apply shellac to your project, this can be adapted depending on the project and the coverage you want to achieve. Before applying finish to your project, make sure you have removed any dried glue as this will be visible on your project after the finish is…