Australian Woodsmith

Coping saws are poor cousins in the world of saws. They often spend their lives just hanging on a peg or gathering dust in a drawer. In this issue we show how handy coping saws are. The first point in the conversation is to explain what a cope is. In

In our next issue we introduce you to the world of spoilboard bits and how to use them to dress oversize timber. We dive deep into cutting dovetails by hand and share some clever insights from old hands. We take a look at dust extraction and explain

Just because a board has a checked end doesn’t mean it needs to go to waste. An easy way to reinforce an end is by cutting a slot and gluing a biscuit in place. Once the glue dries, trim the biscuit flush with the end of your workpiece. The biscuit p

In Issue 171 we featured Nari Watabe-san and showcased his knife sharpening skills. One thing I noticed while watching Nari correct blade shape and hone it to perfection was his use of an Atoma lapping plate with an integrated handle. Nari would corr

With all the options available, choosing the joinery for a project can feel overwhelming. To be honest, it’s something a lot of woodworkers (myself included) obsess about a little too much. An easy way to narrow your choices is by dividing joinery in

The lowly skirting board is a piece of trim that cleans up the transition between the walls and floors in your house. Even more than its cousin, crown moulding, skirting boards intersect all manner of items as they journey through the room, so you’ll

Two primary approaches to workshop storage dominate project design: closed and open. This concept applies to everything from portable tool boxes to full-on “one-wall workshop” systems. This project falls into the open concept. It follows the idea of

If a feeling of déjà vu rolls over you while pondering this attractive cabinet, it’s okay, there’s a reason for that. In Issue 128 we built a gentleman’s dresser, the matching bed in Issue 147 and in Issue 173, a chest of drawers and a mirror. They a

In the past, a sea chest (or seaman’s chest) was used by sailors to store their personal property such as clothes and toiletries. Now, I don’t know many lucky ducks who get to spend their lives on boats and need a sea chest, but that doesn’t mean you

I’ve been looking forward to this project for a long time. You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of a valet chair before — especially if you work outside the suit and tie world. The idea is to provide a place to stage your next day’s clothes and

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Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) trees, also called Spanish chestnuts, are thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans, probably to provide a source of food. Although rather bitter when raw, the nuts become sweet and floury when cooked a

Most of us would love to save steps in the workshop without sacrificing quality. With glue line rip blades for the table saw, the promise is that you can do exactly that. The manufacturers of these blades claim they make rip cuts so smooth that you c

• 3mm parting tool• 25mm skew chisel• 13mm bowl gouge• 6mm bowl gouge Ashley Iles 6mm bead forming tool Plane or planer to smooth cut surfaces before gluing PVA adhesive Stained sycamore veneer PPE: facemask, respirator/dust mask and extraction The b

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Lignum vitae is an amazing timber. It is not only dense, tough and hard, but also self-lubricating, making it the perfect material for ship bearings. No wonder the slow-growing tree that the timber comes from is now endangered and trade in the timber

Sisal and hemp ropes are the best ropes to make beckets and quoits out of. Polymer ropes tend to unravel too easily and are not as tactile as natural fibres. Self-amalgamating tapes (and 16mm sisal rope) can be found at Bunnings or your local boating