When using a sawset, start at one end of the saw and work your way down, setting each alternate tooth so you don’t lose track of your pattern (ripcut/crosscut) and end up setting the teeth in the wrong direction. Set every other tooth one way, then turn the saw end for end and repeat the…
Paul recommends buying a secondhand sawset as they are cheaper and rarely wear out, these are readily found on eBay and also in secondhand outlets such as flea markets and car boot sales. When buying a secondhand sawset, check there is a spring in between the sawset handles before purchasing. Avoid Eclipse plastic handled sawsets…
Note: This exercise will help you to remove large amounts of material using the stop cut method. It requires accurate reading of the grain and a sharp chisel. For this exercise, you will need: 1. Cut a template from a piece of paper and transfer the shape onto your wood (Paul uses a more permanent…
Note: This exercise will get you familiar with the parts of the plane and where they go. To see the video on putting the plane together, click here. You will need: Bench Plane Bailey-pattern #4 Flat head screwdriver Start by dismantling the plane, take any removable pieces apart, including all the screws but not the…
For this, you will need: Further Reading To read more on this we recommend the following from Paul’s blog: Making Your Own Strops Restoring Woodworking Gouges Buffing Compound for Chisels and Plane Irons Questions Answered: Strops On Strops and More
The day has finally arrived to launch Common Woodworking! Over the last year we have been working to create content which will guide and encourage beginners to get into woodworking, regardless of their level of skill. Our tool guides provide the basic knowledge which will enable you to start or continue your woodworking journey. Some…
Note: This angled cuts exercise will allow you to practice controlling the saw and the direction of cut. Equipment needed: Wood Pencil Dovetail Template or Sliding Bevel and Square Tenon Saw or Dovetail Saw To view a video showing the sawing technique, click here. Marking out using a dovetail template Use a dovetail template to…
Setting Up Before you use your router plane, it is important to check that the leading edge of the cutting iron, the fore edge, is parallel with the actual sole of the plane as it may need to be corrected, flattened and polished before use (Paul sometimes refers to this process as initialising). This process…
Sharpening Draw file along the 2 long edges by pushing the file away from you, small steel spirals should appear from the edges as a result of the filing. Place each long edge against the diamond sharpening plate keeping it vertically aligned and push and pull it 10 times making your way through all the…
Setting Up When buying second hand, the plough plane may be sticky with grease or rusty, this can be cleaned using a wire brush and abrasive paper. Your plough plane may also arrive in multiple parts, start by lubricating the stems with oil to ensure they go into the fence and body easily. Sometimes the…