DW WOODWORKING

So as you know (if you follow me on social media), I have just recently built, yet another Roman workbench! Which is starting to become normal practice, just as much as it is me saying "I think this will be the last one I build". Every time I build a bench, I do get closer to the optimal bench, and preferences are becoming crystal clear! I think the most predominant preference has to be the width. I seem to lean towards 15", it just seems like a nice width, for me to sit on and work on. My oak bench is the narrowest bench I have built, which I really don't like because of the width. That's a real shame, considering I like the length, and it has a shavehorse attachment. I would definitely say, I prefer a longer bench to a shorter bench. To date I have explored 4', 5' and 6', with 6' being my favourite. Don't get me wrong, I have built all manner of furniture on the 4' but, the 6' bench rules simply because, I am able to have...

If you were to mention a woodworking joint, to a non woodworker, they would probably know of a joint/have a picture in there head, and think nothing more than the joint, joins two sections of wood together. Of course this is true however, there is a lot more to a joint, then just joining two sections of wood together. This often gets over looked by people, and they do not understand the mechanics of the joint. Which seems a shame, considering that understanding joints, will help you better choose a good joint, on a structure you may be designing, which will ultimately strengthen that structure. I think a lot of people choose a joint, because they know it to be strong, because someone said so, and without question, not fully understanding why they are using it. Take the good old dovetail in drawer construction. The pin portion will always be on the front of the drawer, because of the nature of a dovetail joint. The pins are like a group of wedges, fitting into wedge like gro...

                     Throughout history, there has always been a need to reach extra height, and in more recent centuries, to reach areas/objects around the home. We have all grabbed a chair, and used it to stand on to reach something, or to perform a task. Whether it's to reach that stash of cookies, or to clean a window etc. So obviously, standing on a chair isn't ideal, depending on upon its style, it can be bulkie and heavy. Standing on it can damage seat material, even without shoes, and if the chair has a solid wood seat (Welsh stick etc.), shoes are a good idea to stop you slipping but, your going to dirty the chair. So  the obvious thing to do, is to get some sort of a dedicated step up.  Today I see a lot of people with commercial step Ladders, you know the one's, aluminium, when you bang them against something, it scares the birds off, over a mile away. That's not to say there not useful but, the ones I've seen i...