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Preparing a Holdfast to hold fast

During a Hand Tool Chat over at WoodCentral a few weeks ago the topic of clamping was discussed and holdfasts came up in the conversation.  We were talking about a proper sized hole and the desired...

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What would Leonardo do?

A friend and I recently visited a local ‘new’ museum ‘The Leonardo’ in Salt Lake; it is based in the old library building when the Salt Lake City Library moved to its new location.  The web site was...

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Testing Woolen fabric for French Polish Pad, Fad, or Rubber

I recently read of a traditional technique for preparing a rubber, pad, or fad for French polishing, and this technique differs from others I have researched.  I switched from cotton balls as a pad...

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Traditional Veneer Hammer in Wrought Iron

I have always used what I considered the American pattern veneer hammer made of wood with perhaps a brass blade, but generally hardwood such as boxwood or lignum vitae.  The one on the right is my...

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I don’t fix furniture.

Years ago when I first started out as an apprentice cabinetmaker, I was talking to a librarian whom I use to work for at a local library.  I was an AV assistant when I worked there but did learn the...

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VOTE: North American Woodworking Hall of Fame

Where do you think it should be located?  And don’t you think it is about time one existed?  Other activities pat themselves on the back, why shouldn’t we? There are many fine craftsmen and women that...

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Michael Thonet Child’s Arm Chair with caned seat

This is only the second old Thonet chair I have ever seen and I am not sure of the age of this chair, but I think it might be an early one.  It belongs to a friend and it was given to him by his mother...

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Hand Carved Mirror Frame/Looking Glass – Restoration

A friend picked this up in Oregon, he didn’t buy it the first time he was there, but when his wife traveled to Oregon, he had her go find it, which she did with much trouble.  For some reason he...

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High School Wood Shop Project ca 1941-1944 – Restoration

A small restoration project came through a referral from a friend.  The table was built by the clients father in High School sometime between 1941 and 1944, it is built from birch, stained walnut, hide...

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Traditional Molinillo / Chocolate Pot Stirring Stick

I got an order from the Tinsmith over at Hot Dip Tin for a couple of chocolate pot stirring sticks or molinillos for his chocolate pots.  I looked at many designs mostly from Mexico but did see a few...

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Traditional tanged spokeshave blade, Special Sale

  Traditional Tanged Spokeshave Blade I have a number of traditional tanged spokeshave blades [large] from Master Blacksmith Mark Schramm for sale at a special reduced price of $25.00, regularly...

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Shepherds’ Compleat Early Nineteenth Century Woodworker – First Review

This is the first book review of my first book that was originally published in hardbound in 1981.  This review appeared in Smithsonian Magazine April 1982.     I found this while doing research at...

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Experimental Archaeology

  And I don’t even need a degree to call myself an Experimental Archaeologist.  I have even done some Experiential Archeology, but I won’t get into that now.  I even think I am going to add...

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Boxwood and Slate

My Christmas gifts arrived This year my family changed from the usual gift exchange in the spirit of giving to a you can steal someone else’s gift in the spirit of taking.  My objections were overruled...

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Basswood stick glue brush

  A friend lent me an old book that had a section on Hide Glue that he thought I might be interested.  I read the part about making a glue brush from a piece of basswood.  I thought they meant the...

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Charcoal Iron & Steel

Just read an interesting section in Material Culture of the Wooden Age, [1981] edited by Brooke Hindle, the article is entitled ‘Charcoal Iron: The Coal Mines of the Forest’ by Richard H....

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Double Leaf Hinge made from a wrought iron barrel band

It is rare that one finds this particular style of hinge on a piece of furniture made from between 1847 to 1850, as the double leaf hinge usually dates from the late 18th century to the early 19th...

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The Importance of Charcoal in American History

The significance of charcoal cannot be over stated, it was one of the most critical resources in the history of American commerce.  Not only for making the finest iron and steel; the blacksmith’s used...

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Wit & Humour from the 1860′s

Stephen

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Pivot Hinge made from the under-rib of a muzzle loading rifle.

I didn’t have my gnomon, that is a Mini-Mag flashlight Here is another documented example of what lengths cabinetmaker’s had to go to make furniture on the frontier of Utah in the mid nineteenth...

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