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BTW, the JNATS are in the cabinet with the "Bear Crossing" sign.

I agree with Rob Luter, "Sharp solves all manner of problems". Your sharpening station may be the most important "tool" in your shop. Mine is just off the end of my work benches and covers the whole...

When it is for my use I let it set in the shop for a month or so but I also live in the desert. Things dry pretty quickly here.

ken

Mark, Welcome to wood, and yes many times my morticses look rougher than I would like. Whatever they seem to work and not look too bad when finished. Maybe it is because I'm more of a "framer" than a...

Be happy to loan you a small Moravian, just need to swing by Tucson on the way to Landis Valley. BTW, helping a friend build one for his daughter soon, it is about a 40 man hour project. Without a BC...

Odd framing, leaf blowers don't build a lot of furniture but are handy for cleanup. Last I looked slow speed grinders were used in both hand tool shops and machine/jig shops. The question is where is...

Ben,

I like the stool, what shape will the seat end up. I like staked furniture both to make and use.

ken

Jonathan,

It is a lot of work, I'm not a natural 'place for everything and everything in its place' kinda guy. I'm more of a 'don't move the tool from where it sits because if you do I'll never...

I forgot to add: I'd love to read your origin stories. How did you start, do you still have some of your first tools?

ken

My woodworking started in the early/mid '70. I acquired my first house in Houston, TX and started to sign over my paycheck to another kinda new company, Home Depot. At the time HD carried a good...

Cameron,

Ain't that the truth :-).

Thanks, it is a good shop to work in, a little small but as I use the machines, other than the band saw, very little it works. I admit to a serious chisel...

Cameron,

Your shop brought a smile, that's how mine looked back in Oct. when we first returned after 4 months in the PNW and had unloaded the motorhome. It is in workable shape just in time to...

Stew,

You make me laugh, you should have seen it a couple of days ago when I was in the middle of a project. I had just finished finding, replacing and sharpening all the project tools when I made...

Warren,

I often think if only LN had gone with a Bailey design, but again sizzle sells and LN is a lot better business man than I ever was. I guess "just like a Stanley but better" isn't much of a...

Eric,

Or even better came out with a new Type 13 Bailey made with care. Wouldn't have sold as well because there ain't no sizzle but there would be a few really happy old fart woodworkers.

ken

Eric,

First, the Bedrock is not a superior design. Back in the day folks could separate the steak from the sizzle and sales of Bailey v. Bedrock showed the superior design. Good marketing but not...

I've made a few changes to my workspace. I'll post a couple or three photos:

Main Bench from over the secondary bench:

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Wall behind main bench:

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Jim,

I have a few Bad Axe saws, they are good saws and really nice eye candy. More than half the time when reaching for a back saw I grab one of the Veritas. But then I'm a little weird, a full...

Aaron,

I've a number of both metal and wood stock shaves, by far the best are from Dave's Shaves http://www.ncworkshops.com/order_form.html . If you want to go cheap WoodRiver makes a good metal...

Jim,

5/16 bench chisels are rare and wonderful to have, perfect for cleaning up many of your mortises. One of the reasons I settled on pre-war Marples is you could still find 'em. I don't know if...

David,

It's hard to write/talk about without getting touchy feely but it takes time to find what blows your skirt. After finding the one true one folks forget others might not feel the same way. A...

Thanks Stew,

The post was mis-titled, it should have read: An example of my favorite bench chisels and two similar makes you can buy new. Don't wait too long on your shop.

Take care,

ken

As posted in another thread my favorite bench chisels are pre-war (square tang v. round tang) Marples with Boxwood Carver's handles. There are two modern makers that make similar chisels, Ashley Iles...

Greg,

Six foot is/maybe a little short to have a leg vise and a sliding tail vise on the same side. With workbenches simple tends to be good, complex can just get in the way of working and have...

The vise change is finished and works a treat, just like in the short video.

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The chop still needs clean up and its top trimmed. There is no hurry on either it works fine as is.

ken