Making an Awl and a Marking Knife

Leif — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:53:59 -0400

Two of the most basic tools in a joiner’s toolbox are the lowly awl and marking knife - yet they are often two of the poorest tools, too. I know - I've been suffering with a pair of cheap hardware store awls for years - they are truly useless for marking, though. Thick and heavy, and don't hold a point worth squat. My main marking knife has been a utility knife, too - a poor substitute. Yet these are some of the most important tools to have for fine joinery. I decided it was time for an upgrade...

Experimenting with Etching Artwork onto Steel

Leif — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:31:46 -0400

One of the marks of a quality saw, at least back in the day, was the presence of an etched logo on the blade. These etches were more than the laser-printed logos of today that practically wipe off the first time you use the saw - the etch was an acid process that actually ate into the metal, leaving the logo behind, etched right into the metal.

I have long searched for a economical way to etch a logo into the sides of my saw blades, and here's what I've found - here's my take on one of those logos:

Poor Boy Split Nuts

Leif — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:26:09 -0400

The screws and nuts that hold a saw handle onto its blade are getting to be either hard to find, or are exceedingly expensive. The standard issue nuts from the hardware store are simple plated steel, and are not consistent in length in my experience. The brass split nuts are available, but are limited in supply and quite expensive at about $5 each plus shipping at the time of this writing. I thought to myself that I could make them almost as well using a few simple tools found in most woodworking shops - and then I would be able to claim that the saws I

The Backsaw Project

Leif — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:51:49 -0400

This is a project I've been contemplating for a long time, and finally was pushed over the edge when someone told me that it wasn't feasible for a home shop. "It requires a machine shop to be able to pull it off, and a sharpening service to cut the teeth...". I thought to myself, no way -I've done teeth without any fancy machine, and the old time saw makers of the 1800's surely didn't have all access to a machine shop, much less a modern one. I had to prove to myself that I could do it, and am thrilled that I can tell you here that I was successful - and that if you want to make your own back saw, I will be the last one to say you can't.

Because of multiple requests, I've created a 61 page, 2.1 Mb PDF of this entire article, available here.

A Handled Wooden Bench Plane

Leif — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:33:23 -0400

I learned a lot from building my first plane - a more traditionally made coffin smoother - and wanted to continue that education. That plane was merely a prototype... made specifically to see what it takes to make one. Now, it's time to try the real thing. A word of warning - I'm going to be documenting (read - writing mind-boggling amounts of B.S.

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Making Chisel Handles

Leif — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:08:53 -0400

I was asked recently why re-handling old chisels involves so much black magic - and the truth is, I don't know if there is any magic involved... I've never found it too difficult, unless the quality of the chisel was poor. A friend asked if I could document how I make them, so here it is...

The Tools

I use a lathe - though there are others who make handles without one, I find using a lathe simpler for me. But it isn't like I have taken out any large sums of money to finance a turning addiction. I'm not into turning bowls, or anything fancy, but a lathe comes in handy for a lot of things including finials, spindles, bed post, and yes, tool handles. But I didn't want to spend any large amount on the things, so what I've got is a Harbor Freight lathe that I bought for $180:

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Making Stair and Compass Saws from an Old Saw

Leif — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:46:22 -0400

Recycling an old handsaw into 4 new ones:

Building a Traditional Coffin Smoother

Leif — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:43:42 -0400

Building a Coffin Smoother using traditional methods...

I go through the steps I took in building this:

Follow the links below:

A pair of planemaker's floats

Leif — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 21:08:54 -0400

I've always loved wood molding planes. Ever since I was a kid, I saw these things and immediately thought "those must be owned by somebody who is a real craftsman". Well, now I'm older and own a few planes myself (so much for the 'real craftsman' part of that fantasy) I've wanted to get a set of woodies together. I've had some luck in finding some hollows and rounds, but often these things are in poor shape. Living in Idaho, one doesn't find these too often at any local flea market, and besides, a complete set in good shape isn't cheap when you do find them - and I am a very cheap guy. What if fill in the missing planes from my set by building them myself? That's cheaper, right? Riiight...

Note - Lie Nielsen now sells both planemakers' and joiners' floats - if you are going to be making a number of planes for yourself the price is quite reasonable... (woo-hoo!)

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Patternmaker's Saw and a Refurbished D-8

Leif — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 20:54:26 -0400

The small saw in the middle of the picture is my version of a Disston Patternmaker's saw:

The lower is a 9" long dovetail saw I made with new .020" thick spring steel - beech handle, sharpened to 15 PPI rip.

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Tool Making

Making an Awl and a Marking Knife

Experimenting with Etching Artwork onto Steel

Poor Boy Split Nuts

The Backsaw Project

A Handled Wooden Bench Plane

Making Chisel Handles

Making Stair and Compass Saws from an Old Saw

Building a Traditional Coffin Smoother

Building a Coffin Smoother using traditional methods...

A pair of planemaker's floats

Patternmaker's Saw and a Refurbished D-8