Australian Woodsmith

It was a real delight to read and review David Binnington Savage’s wonderful The Intelligent Hand. The book starts with David at the wheel of his beloved Morgan and ends with him standing beside it as he prepares for his last journey. In the book Dav

Moving full sheets of plywood around can be a hassle. One day, while carrying around a sheet, I almost tripped on my kid's skateboard. As unnerving as it was, it sparked an idea. SHEET MOVER. My idea was to harvest the trucks off an old skateboard an

In our next issue we show you what the new Arbortech Precision Carving System (PSC) can do. We also look into another Australian company that is leading the way in luminous powders that you add to your finishes so they glow in the dark! Our tool focu

Accuracy in woodworking is only as good as your measuring and marking tools. And when it comes to those two items, what you use for marking out measurements is the key to better results. When I first started out, I used a “sharp” pencil. Of course, a

Building a handcrafted clock is a popular project for many woodworkers. But if you’ve never made one before, all the choices for movements, dials, hands and other parts can get a little confusing. Over the years, I’ve developed a few tricks for honin

When it comes to workshop safety, most of us think about protecting our eyes, ears and lungs. But safeguarding our hands doesn’t get nearly the same attention. And it should, because woodworking poses a number of risks to your hands beyond the occasi

The seat on the Waterfall stool I built with Evan Dunstone last year (Issue 149) featured 17 rock maple slats cleverly pinned to the frame with bamboo dowels. It was Evan who introduced me to a dowel sizing plate. As you can see above, the sizing pla

If you’re familiar with using a hand-held router, then you know that you typically rout along an edge from left to right. This direction of movement means that you’re routing against the rotation of the bit, which will pull the spinning router bit in

Of all the major woodworking machines, the router table makes the most sense to build for yourself. Not only is it likely to be far less expensive than a commercial version, you can incorporate any number of features. While the add-on features draw a

In Issue 159 we were delighted by Murray Taylor's whimsical approach to carving Art Nouveau alphabets, monograms and ciphers. Murray sliced his characters neatly into softer European timbers with carving knives. When presented with the challenge of c

It’s often difficult to spot where a new commission for work may come from. Sometimes the most enthusiastic admirer of your work at an exhibition is never heard of again, despite an exchange of contact details and several follow-up email/phone calls.

Building a clock is a project on the bucket list of many woodworkers. Quite often, an heirloom like a grandfather clock is one of the first projects they imagine themselves building when they have the time and skill to do so. A HAPPY MEDIUM. The only

Etching is a simple way to add interest to glass or mirrors in your projects. On the wall clock on page 58, for example, I felt like the glass panel in the door needed a little something to enhance the overall look. By etching the pinstriped pattern

When the Editor suggested I should take a look at therming, I knew exactly what I would make. From time to time I am asked if I can make replacement stair spindles that are ‘square turned’. I have often thought I could give therming a go, but general

The citrus scent of organoil is what most people comment on when they visit the workshop. Organoil is an environmentally friendly Australian company that has been supplying woodworkers with premium natural tung nut-based finishes for ages. What marks

Carbatec stocks a range of TopMan marking knives. As you would expect, Japanese Tools Australia has a wider range of knives, ranging from utility Kiridashi all the way to exceptional hand-forged masterpieces. Clock Movement Importers (CMI) in Brisban