A voice from the past.

When I was in my first year of design school - we had a massive 20' wide wall covered in cork. Every week, we would pin our work to the wall and critique it. At first, no one said anything - we didn't know each other and were too scared, really. Then we got to know one another and started critiquing... bare knuckle style. It got pretty nasty, and it was apparent that the critiques were motivated more by who stole who’s girlfriend or boyfriend rather than actual design. Thankfully - we got over that pretty quickly and started to learn how to see and then to critique. At the time, I did not really appreciate how valuable this skill was. I call it a skill because I truly believe it is. It is one thing to say “oh I hate that” or “that is ugly,” everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions - but to be able to articulate the “why ”of that opinion is much harder. We learned that style and taste are not the same as good design. There are lots of things out there that I do not care to own, use or interact with - but that does not mean they are not well designed - they just don’t appeal to me. In my opinion - something that is well designed performs its intended function extremely well - and is also visually appealing.

One of my most memorable phone calls with Brian Buckner was about 2 hours long discussing and comparing the effects of two different plane sidewall profiles. We were tossing around words and phrases like “this one looks faster” and “this one looks like a horse with a broken back”. We were looking at the same images and discussing the differences - it was pure design bliss. We were using a design language that we both understood, and while it was, IS over the top - it allowed us to design together despite the 1,000 miles between us.

About 2 months ago - I started a new XSNo.4. This was no ordinary XS - this one would have a Titanium sole and sides. I was talking with a very good friend when Titanium entered the conversation and I have been intrigued ever since. Titanium offers some unique considerations. It is rust proof, light weight, has a great color and just about indestructible. It is also tenacious, does not like to bend, nor does it like to be piened. but... I was interested in at least trying it.

The shell took at least 10 times longer than the same shell made from steel or bronze. It was brutal to say the least. It took an 8' pipe clamp (and 2 hours) to bend the sidewalls into shape.

Now for the infill - and this is where the design side of this comes to play. In my mind - Titanium is a pretty high tech material - and I thought I should continue down that unconventional vein. I pondered a synthetic infill. I talked to a friend who does a lot of machining of various materials and he suggested a product called Delrin. So I looked into it and found a piece of bright white Delrin. I started to get excited - cold Titanium sides and sole, bright white infill... it has to be a stainless steel lever cap! In my mind's eye - it looked awesome.



Working with Delrin sucks. It is messy in a different and more annoying way than Ebony. It is staticky and it stinks. It sticks to files and rasps worse than wood does. Did I mention it is staticky? But I kept going - it would be worth it in the end.



The only joy I experienced working with Delrin is that it planes well.

Piening was a disaster - I was convinced it would fall apart when I took it out of the jig. One of the other great things about Titanium is that if you are piening and hit an edge - that edge breaks off. Surprisingly - the shell stayed together once I took it out of the jig. Hmmm... maybe all is not lost?


So I kept going and installed the infill - using 1/8" Titanium medical grade pins no less:)



Now that I was this far - I just had to see how badly the dovetails worked. To my shock and amazement - there was only one broken corner that did not lap out.

And suddenly - out of nowhere - a little college age voice appeared... “its plastic, its plastic, its plastic”. It was late, I decided to call it a day and sleep on it. The plane sat on the bench for 2 months. Some days the voice was quite and I wanted to finish it - but some days the voice was screaming.

So I waited.

I sent photos to a few people to get their feedback. Everyone understood how it evolved - but they still didn’t like it.

As Berea started getting closer and closer, I realized I had to make a decision and finish the plane. A long phone call with Robin Lee pushed me off the fence.



My friend David Antscherl gave me a wonderful old piece of English boxwood that was left over from one of his exquisite model ships - it seemed like the right infill for the plane (be sure to follow the link - his work is staggering!).


I was excited about the plane again - and as the boxwood went in - it “felt” right.








Here is what I have learned.

I will never use a synthetic again - I enjoy working with wood not plastic. I will not make another coffin plane with Titanium sides again, but... I think there is a place for Titanium in planes. I suspect the college voice will guide me if I pay attention.

Thanks Don McConnell

I have started picking away at the sunroom... finally! We just celebrated our Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend, and I was reminded of the fact that my friend Andy helped me install the windows last Thanksgiving. High time to finish this reno project.

The space below the windows is going to be paneled and one of the elements is a small 3/16" bead being used as a divider. This will be a lot clearer once I post photos of the finished panels - but I needed about 50 linear feet of beading. My honest reaction was to look for a 3/16" beading bit for my router. I had a few errands to run and stopped in at a few places to get one. Surprisingly - I could not find one anywhere. I debated on ordering one - but did not want to wait the few days for it to arrive. Then I remembered something... I had a 3/16" bead molding plane! The next thought was recalling Don McConnell’s marvelous DVD, “Traditional Molding techniques: the basics”.

I need to back up a bit.

I have been using molding planes off and on over the years - but I am by no means an experienced or expert user. Part of this is due the lack of information out there on buying (used ones), tuning them, and then using them. Don’s DVD is an excellent introduction to molding planes and how to use them as they were originally intended. It has excellent information and is broken down into very easy to follow, step by step instructions. For me, the biggest value was just to see someone using them (very successfully I might add!). Being shown “it could be done” was the eye opener I needed, and by the time I was home, I was feeling quite happy I did not find that router bit.

One of the topics that Don touched on was stock selection. He did not dwell on it - but as I was watching the DVD I knew this was something I had not paid enough attention to in the past. I had a few very long and thin quarter sawn pieces of cherry that might be suitable. There was one piece that was 1/2" thick, 5" wide and 7' long. It was already dressed and needed a quick pass through the thickness planer to clean it up and get it to the desired thickness. My hope was the quarter sawn stock would allow me to cut two beads sided by side, bandsaw off the 7/8" strip and then saw it in half to yield two individual beads. If it worked - it would be a very efficient use of stock and time not to mention the fact the color would be very consistent.

The quarter sawn stock worked perfectly, and I was able to take a pass on one side, flip the plane around and do another pass on the other side - essentially planing in circles. The quirks lined up perfectly and the grain was behaving. I took fairly light passes just to be safe, but within a few minutes - I had 2 wonderfully polished beads. I flipped the stock end for end and did the other edge which worked just as well.



Here is a shot of the quick and somewhat unconventional setup... but it worked great. I use my bench drawers as a deadman all the time - the thick piece of cherry is used to offer support and to get the work piece to an optimal working height.



A long view of the setup. Note the Halloween treat:)




A shot of the first 4 double beaded strips.




And a shot of the final eight, 7' strips.

I likely spent more time looking for the router bit than it took me to make these 8 pieces. This was a very pleasurable, quiet task and a wonderful reminder that sometimes old school is still faster and more efficient. Thanks again Don for reminding me of this fact.

Rhymes with Lapel

This past Friday was the first day of the Woodstock wood show. My friend Bill and I usually head down to check it out. One of the best things about this show is you can actually buy wood! I know - imagine that.... being able to buy wood at a woodworking show. The show in general was a little disappointing. There were fewer tool and woodworking vendors and more people selling orange Ubertowels and dipping sauces. But... there was a new wood seller... so all was not lost.

Bill and I walked into the booth to see what he had. Not a lot of wood - but he had some really killer stuff. Some huge wide pine boards (not that either of us could ever remember using pine...not that there's anything wrong with that), clear cherry boards, butternut, walnut, ash, and standing right in front of me was this;



It wasn’t a big piece, but it caught my attention. “Appel?” Hmm... what the.... and then I smiled.

“Hey Bill - come check out this piece of Appel” (pronounced in a way that rhymes with lapel)

Bill walked over with the same inquisitive furrowed brow that I had. He looked at it... and faster than you can say “Red delicious” we both started chuckling.

I saw the guy in the overalls and plaid shirt and asked him how much his “Appel” was. He walked over half smiling and just said;

“Yeah - I know... but how often do you have to spell apple anymore?”

“$3 a board foot” was his next answer - which I am sure he low-balled just to try and make up for it. Still giggling, Bill and I sorted through the small stack and I ended up with 6 pretty sweet smelling boards. And even if he said $10 bd/ft, I would have bought the board with Appel on it just to have it. In his defense, he was a really nice guy and did have some spectacular stock.



It is not very often I run into apple in any form, let alone the rare appel variety, as sawn lumber. And it is quite wonderful stuff - 5/4 thick, 6"-7" wide and 6' long. Here is the little pile on the balcony.



And a close up shot of some of the grain. Thankfully - it has not been kiln dried. I should also confess that I have no idea what I will do with this little pile of wood - it seems to be a terminal affliction I have - collecting wood.

Actually - 30 seconds before Bill pulled up that morning - another friend stopped in with truckload of temptation. Not that I “needed” any of this either - but how can you refuse veneer grade, quarter sawn Douglas fir?



27 boards later...



This stuff is pretty amazing. It is 5/8' to 3/4" thick, 10" - 16" wide and about 6' long.

And while I am confessing... may as well mention this too...



Our neighbours have been doing some extensive renovations to their house, and one of the casualties was a very large pear tree. There were four 3' to 5' logs from the tree. I took them to a local sawmill and was able to get a pretty decent little pile of wood from it.



The color and texture is amazing. There are a few fantastic wide boards in the 12" range, some 8/4 stock and the rest is 4/4. And yeah - no idea what this will be used for either.

My Dad always joked with me - “you should have built a bigger shop!” Given the Sauer genetics of hoarding and pack-rat tendencies - I am starting to think he might be right.

One file to rule them all - and in the Ebony dust bind them.

Over the last 8 days, I have fit the front buns and rear infills of 7 coffin smoothers. Two XSNo.4ss's, three No.4ss's and two A5ss's. Six of these planes have Ebony infills. Needless to say - my hands are disturbingly filthy. The fitting process goes something like this;

1). Waste out the bulk of the infill using saws (thanks again Mike!).



The above shoulder cut that defines the overstuffing still feels “dangerous” - even after 100+ times.

2). With the bulk removed - I turn to files, rasps and chisels to further refine the shape.

3). Once the footprint is close - I add in my 1/2" wide, by 3-3/4" long shoulder rebate plane to get the fit of the shoulder to mate perfectly with the sidewall. There is still some refining of the footprint involved - but at this stage it is a bit of a dance between fitting the footprint and the height of the shoulders of the overstuffing.



The above photo is one of many tests of the fit between the overstuffing and the sidewalls. The thing that makes coffin shaped planes a bit tricky is there is very little wiggle room with regards to the fit. On a parallel sided plane, the infill can be slid in from either end. With a coffin plane on the other hand - it needs to drop down from the top.

Take an A5. The handle is already shaped, the bed angle is established, the slot for the adjuster is cut and the section of wood that connects the top of the handle to the bed is already defined. There is really not much of an allowance to move the infill forward or back before any of these aspects will be fatally compromised. Anyway - it requires all of my wits being present to do this task.

Back on topic. Until now - the rasp and file stage took the longest. I was typically using about 6 different files and rasps for this stage, but it was never quite perfect. One of the issues was finding a tool that would remove material quickly, but do so in a very clean manner. Generally - this is not done with rasps. I love rasps - but the cutting action leaves deep V shaped grooves as opposed to a file which leaves a more level surface. Rasps are great for stock removal - but it is sometimes difficult to accurately gauge the depth of the bottom of the V shaped cut. When fitting infills +/- .003" can be the difference between the perfect fit and disaster. So I turned to files because the surface was more level. The trouble with files - they are much slower and tend to clog up much more quickly - especially when used on exotic woods.

Enter this file made by Toshio Fukazawa.






This was unlike anything I had seen before. The teeth one side were completely unfamiliar. They were not like a rasp or a file... but rather a bit of a blend of the two. They had peaks on them that was rasp like - but they were still flat-ish like a file.



The other side was a little more familiar - like a fairly aggressive single cut file. Another nice feature was both edges were safe - and very well done.

I have had this file for several months now, and when I got it home (it was a gift from a very good friend), there was a rear infill and front bun for a No.4 to fit. I decided to quickly try the unhandled file - just to see what it would do. I was blown away. The toothed side removed wood so fast - I could hardly believe it - but what really got me, was how smooth the surface was. I tried another pass - just to make sure. Same thing - rapid stock removal with a super clean surface. I could hardly contain my excitement. I took of my jacket and kept going. What would have taken 6 rasps and files I was doing with a single tool at twice the speed. Once it was shaped, I flipped over the file and tried the other side. This side was very different. It too cut very quickly, but left an almost polished surface. There was absolutely no clean up after this side. I had both infills fit in record time.

Back to these 7 coffin smoothers. All 7 of them were fit using this single file in conjunction with my Wenzloff saw and small shoulder plane. This process has become much quicker, more accurate and consistent - thanks to this last missing tool being added. The only thing left is to find out where to get a few more of them.

A backyard loss & a surprising new saw

When we first moved to our house in Kitchener - the backyard was quite overgrown. It was clear to us that it had not been maintained for some time. We cleared out 75% of the overgrown shrubs and crooked small trees just so we could see what we were dealing with. There was a very large, Norway maple in the middle of the yard, which had clearly been neglected. One side had been butchered, resulting in the main crotch of the tree holding quite a bit of moisture. A few bold plants had even taken root! We knew it was only a matter of time before things started falling - and last summer we lost a very large branch. I was at Westonbirt in England at the time.

With the current trend towards harsh weather - Jill and I were nervously biting our nails watching from the windows with each thunderstorm.

It was time for the tree to come down.



On August 22nd - the chainsaws arrived and the tree was reduced to a pile of firewood length logs. And even more curious - it came down as I was arriving on the grounds of Westonbirt this year. I returned home to a very sunny backyard. There is an old adage that involves lemons and lemonaid... and in that spirit - this tree removal was a good thing. I grew up with a large vegetable garden in the yard - and I have always hoped our kids would be able to experience this as well. Now we can. There is a great sunny spot along a fence that will be perfect.

Some of the limbs were not cut into firewood lengths yet, and as a bit of a lark, I went into the shop to retrieve a recent purchase - a large Japanese saw. I wasn't expecting much to be honest - but boy was I wrong (and in hindsight - I should have known better!).



This is a crosscut timber saw which I am pretty sure is called a Temagori. One of the first things I noticed was the graduated teeth were frightfully sharp and the balance of the saw was very different. It was really heavy in the toe - but as soon as I placed it on the log - it all made sense.
I started the kerf with the smaller teeth (towards the handle). In this position - the weight at the toe held the saw down. All I did was pull - and as the speed quickened - the larger teeth kicked into high gear and removed a tremendous amount of wood. Because of the angle of the handle - the teeth are forced down just by the act of pulling. I did not apply and downward pressure at all. The second stroke was just like the first - but even easier because the kerf was already started. Binding appeared to be a non-issue. I also found myself feeling for the straightest pull - and once I was focusing on that - the saw did all the work. It was effortless to use really - no downward pressure required - the weight of the saw did the cutting. It is a marvel of engineering. So I just started cutting stuff - as Jill peered from the window just shaking her head.



Here are the markings on the blade.



One of the great things about the saw is the teeth are so large, that the complex geometry is very clear.

Oh, and we have already scheduled a new maple tree to be planted in early October. It will be in a new location - so that is shades the house and our patio table in the summer.

And the tree did get the last laugh in the end. Not only were there huge sections of very curly maple - there was quite a bit of birds eye as well. 14" drawer fronts anyone?

Wesonbirt 2008 - still the perfect woodworking show.

I had the good fortune to attend the Festival of the Tree again this August, and like last year - was not disappointed. The format was the same - camping on the grounds of the Westonbirt Arbouretum, large scale sculptures in a picturesque setting and very fine food prepared by “cheffie” (pictured below drying some tea-towels).



One of the most enjoyable things about traveling is the incredible people - and this year's adventure was no exception. There were many familiar faces to catch up with and just as many new ones. We were set up in the Classic Hand Tools marquee again - situated off to the side of the display area. But judging from the well worn pathways inside - we were certainly not out of sight.



There was a new demonstrator at the show this year - and for all intents and purposes - he stole the show. Steve Woodley specializes in supplying hand hewn timbers for restoration work and provided four days of inspirational demonstration.



He was supplied with 3 oak logs and over the course of the 4 days, managed to square up two of them. I found myself stopping to watch every time I walked by - with several additional deliberate trips to watch his progress. I was struck with the simplicity of the process - and the incredible skill and precision required to execute it properly. Steve taught me two very important lessons about axes. First - he taught me how to sharpen them - and yes - they should look like the backs of your plane irons. Secondly - a mediocre axe is not worth the struggle. He had at least 8 axes with him - all made by Gransfors. These are available in the UK from Classic Handtools or in North America through Lee Valley. Not only is he highly skilled - he is a fantastic guy. His brother lives less than an hour from my house and I am hoping to figure out a way to get him over to this side of the pond. I am working on it Steve.



It was great to see Jolyon Reynolds again this year - he was set up around the corner from Steve. Between the two of them - they had an amazing demonstration.



Mark Hancock and his charming wife Karen were at the show again and were a crucial part of the good natured fun and frolic in the classic handtools compound. There were only a few “safe” seconds for me to capture the above photo before Mark shifted his gouge and showered me with shavings. Typical : )



I was thrilled to see my good friend Michel Auriou again - it had been far too long since our last visit. I always enjoy Michel's insight into toolmaking, steel and business. The best piece of news was that Auriou is back in business. Hopefully some more left handed rasps will be in my future...



David Charlesworth and Pat stopped in on Saturday - it was great to see them again. They were set up beside me which gave us a chance to catch up a bit and talk shop. Here we are discussing one of Bill Carters planes (nice segue, eh?)



That same day - Bill and Sarah Carter arrived. It is always a thrill to see them. Bill had over a dozen planes with him - from wee little 1/2" boxwood smoothers, to an incredible 28-1/2" jointer. Bill was kept very busy with a steady stream of admirers and Sarah kept the three of us content with coffee and homemade cake.



If I had the money - this pair of mitre planes would have come home with me.



Another fine planemaker stopped in for a visit - Christopher Martyn. I met Christopher at last years show and was very impressed with his instrument planes. Some of his planes were featured in Fine Woodworkings 2007/2008 Tools & Shops issue.



My friend Tony stopped in to try a few planes - here he is testing out a No.4 smoother.



I also met Mike Riley and had a great visit with Phil Edwards. The Romanesque fellow is Alex Primmer - he works for Classic Handtools.

It is amazing how much changes in a year. Last year, Phil was contemplating making a few planes - and this year he had his own line of tools and was conducting a brisk business. A few days before I left for England, Phil sent me an email asking if there was anything he could bring along to help reduce my luggage. It was an extremely thoughtful offer and as it turned out - I did use many of his things over the course of the event. My deepest thanks Phil for taking good care of me during the show. I hope I can return the favour in Berea.



Mark Bennett was a new demonstrator at the show and I have to say I was quite impressed. He is a very kind, soft spoken fellow and we found ourselves discussing the finer points of plane design, our respective wood stashes (I suspect his will knock my socks off when I see it) and design in general. I thoroughly enjoyed his company. He was also a wealth of knowledge and passed on several great insights. One of the more interesting one was tree warts. I have to admit I was a little skeptical until he showed me one. He handed me a holly wart. He said they are very tight burls and cuts them into disks and uses them for inlay work. So I now have a Holly wart to add to my growing pile of timber.


Fun & games

The show was not just work - there was tremendous play as well. I sometimes feel guilty about it - and there were two instances where I found myself beautifully derailed.

The first instance was finding a small Boxwood branch sitting on the burn pile (yes, they were burning boxwood!). I have a wonderful Japanese hammer head by Masayuki that is in need of a handle. I have been referencing So's site to learn how to handle a hammer. I cannot find any Gumi - but this piece of English boxwood should be a nice substitute. Philly caught me cleaning up the piece of boxwood for the trip home.



The other derailment was Mark and I cleaning up a large piece of boxwood (with an Auriou rasp of course).



Philly and Mike Riley planting some vile shavings.



Chris Pye being majestic even when he is trying not to be. Chris was set up about 30 feet away but I was able to watch him transform a rather non-descript bit of wood into a very fanciful beast. I only wish I was able to pay closer attention - I know he has a lot to teach and I have a lot to learn.

I also had great visits with John Lloyd and Rob Cosman but did not manage to find them when I was collecting photos.




And last but certainly not least... a rather tuckered member of the International football team who was sadly defeated at the third annual “Billy Hancock Birthday showdown”. The Brits won 3/0. Mark shared a very funny comment on the last day. He was telling a few of us how surreal it was to be the keeper for the British team and seeing all these faces he recognizes from magazine head shots rushing at him. The quote went something like this... “and there was Rob Cosman - with the ball... rushing towards me. Bloody hell!”

I would also like to express my thanks to Mike Hancock, his lovely wife Mary, and their kids Alex and Billy. The Classic Handtool marquee is not the focus of Westonbirt - but it has become a very important part of it - and clearly inspires people to work with wood. Mike has done an outstanding job, and has proven that a vision of something different and a little creativity can make something very special happen. Congratulations Mike.

That green mallet

Over the last several months, quite a few people have noticed and asked about the “green mallet” in the background of many of my photos. Here is the story...

I have never used or owned a proper mallet and when my friend Andrew Dix heard this - his wheels quietly started spinning. A few months later a package arrived.



Everything about this simple looking tool made sense to me and more importantly - every detail had been carefully planned out... nothing was accidental. The shape of the head was elegant, but also performs its function perfectly. The slight taper put a bit more weight at the top - where maximum force can be applied while striking. The handle is shaped in a way that your hand holds the mallet in a balanced position.




But the above photo is what really did it for me. This tells me the person who made this tool is aware of function first, but the aesthetic is just as important. Andrew took the time to rotate the endgrain of the handle so it lined up with the endgrain of the Verrawood head. And the Padauk wedge bisects it perfectly. This may seem like an insignificant detail - but this is the sign of a toolmaker who is passionate, thoughtful and knows when to add a “touch”.

I have been using this mallet daily ever since it arrived, and I have not a single complaint or comment to improve on it. There is a lovely dark band around the head where it has struck the ends of many of my Imai chisels. Aside from the discoloration - there is no damage. I suspect Riley and Lucas will be using a pristine mallet when I am long gone.

Very shortly after this mallet arrived, I contacted Andrew to (strongly) suggest that he consider making these available to the public. He was at first a little surprised and reluctant - but every time someone sent me a note to ask about the mallet, I contacted Andrew to let him know of the interest. I am thrilled that he has gathered appropriate materials and is now prepared to take on a few commissions.

The base mallet has a Verrawood head and either Cocobolo or East Indian Rosewood handle (any wedge material) . The price for this mallet is $250 US. He also has a good supply of African Blackwood, Kingwood, Ebony, Palisander Rosewood, Brazilian Tulipwood, Bois de Rose and Zircote as alternative handle material. The mallets can range from 16oz. to 24oz.

Andrew Dix can be reached by phone (804)678-9246 or email; dixja@vcu.edu

If anyone is interested - an offcut from your plane would make a wonderful wedge in one of Andrews mallets.