Saturday, February 25, 2012

Handmade marking guage

A marking guage is essential for good woodworking and I really like to have my tools be something that fill me with joy since I spend a lot of time with them (or when I'm busy have only a few minutes but would like it to be good). This marking guage started with a shaft from a store bought unit and balooned up to a project that involved making new parts for all the rest.  The lacewood was very soft so I added the brass bearing surfaces to it to keep it in good shape and accurate.  I'm working on version #2 in my head already but for now, this one works quite well.

Handmade woodworking marking guage

Handmade woodworking marking guage

Hand made Mortising Hammer

A few years ago I inherited a box of old tools that had been my Grandfather's when he was alive.  These have a lot of sentimental value for me since as a child, I would pore of his tools and spend time with him in his garden. One of the tools, a handmade jointers mash, had a rotted handle.  I made a new one being careful to preserve the texture of the forged sides of the head. This has replaced all of my other hammers and mallets for driving all my chisels.  It's super comfortable holding just the head or gripping it by the handle for a bigger whack on my japanese mortise chisels.  I've inserted a leather pad between the handled and the base of the head and it makes a remarkable difference in impact transfer to the hand.

Hand made Mortising Hammer

Hand made mortising hammer

Victorian/Art Nouveau inspired woodworking hand saw

Being a woodworker and a steampunk illustrator (amongst other things), I really like to have tools that reflect my personal aesthetic. This saw was designed using a modern Disston blade, ground and altered to fit and flow with the custom tiger maple handle I created. It's crosscut and cuts like a dream with its japanese style teeth and feels marvelous in the hand.  I don't mind the few nicks it gets in it over time as it all becomes history on the wood.

Victorian inspired woodworking hand saw


Victorian inspired woodworking hand saw