Using Tool Guides | Common Woodworking - Woodworking for Beginners

Paul doesn’t consider these an essential tool, however he understands that some beginners may not feel comfortable starting with freehand sharpening. The honing guide is useful if you want to achieve an exact angle, however there is a bit of leeway when sharpening as chisels can be sharpened anywhere between 25-35° and plane blades can…

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…

When using a card scraper, wrap three fingers around each side and push your thumbs into the opposite side of the scraper to bend the plate. To begin working the wood, lean the scraper forward and press and push through the base of the scraper plate. The more you bend the card and the more…

When using a plough plane, the cutting iron can be set deeper than a smoothing plane as it is narrower and therefore requires much less effort to push into the wood. The cutting iron sometimes go under the wood’s surface fibres and causes them to tear because the side walls at the surface level are…

You can drive the gouge into the wood using a chisel hammer or mallet or use hand and arm pressure only. You can use them to pare cut, depending on the gouge type. The gouge can make shallow or deep cuts depending on the pressure applied, if you are using it to hollow, you would…

To see a video on using the gauge, click here. This can seem like an awkwardly shaped tool, holding the wood with one hand and the stem with the other can aid control. Press lightly but firmly when marking, the pressure should be applied against the registration face, not downwards onto the pins. You don’t…

The sliding bevel is used to mark or check any angle. By sliding the beam from inside the stock you can adjust both components to set the desired angle needed. The lock mechanism holds both components in place and can be a variety of mechanism types. These include wing nut, lever cam, slide lock or…

When using a router plane and removing material to a specific depth, you can use a chisel to remove the bulk of the material then go over it with a router, or you can make incremental depth changes with the router until the final depth is established. Removing the bulk gallery: Use a knife to…

To use a brace, rotate the centre grip and combine hand and arm pressure to push the bit into the wood. The bit has a spiral point that assists to pull the bit into the wood with each rotation you make. The bit is held firmly within the chuck by two jaws. Turning the grip…

When using the #80 scraper, generally known as the cabinet scraper, the first thing you should do is establish a comfortable grip. It is designed so you can hold the handles and press your thumbs into the back of the centre. This applies the most direct force behind the cutting edge. To lower the blade,…

Using Guides

Using a Honing Guide

Using a Sawset

Using a Card Scraper

Using a Plough Plane

Using a Gouge

Using a Combination Gauge

Using a Sliding Bevel

Using a Router Plane

Using a Swing Brace

Using a #80 Scraper