As I mentioned in the last post, I solved the mortiser problem when I found misaligned halves of the fence on the machine. The photo below, second from the left, shows the results I am able to get now, after installing a wooden sub-fence that gets around the alignment issue with Edges #1 and #2.
As I now finally focused on the actual build of the Krenov-inspired cabinet, I started what I normally do between projects. Some clean-up was definitely required, or I would keep tripping on things on the floor, in the aisle, on the workbench, on the outfeed table, etc. And, of course, I had to do some tool sharpening, to make sure I can get nicely defined, sharp edges on various parts of the cabinet.
| This is my favorite honing guide-it is available at Amazon, and through toolsforworkingwood.com. I use it to help me keep the proper tool angle on the diamond stone and later, on the abrasive paper, using the Scary Sharp technique. While not perfect, it is inexpensive (well under 20 bucks), and allows me to quickly put a sharp edge on chisels and plane blades. |
I used to shudder at the idea of having to make something sharp – but no more. I am not as efficient as others might be at sharpening, but I can get a sharp edge quickly and reliably to make me happy. Of course, the Wolverine grinding jig is not too far away from the bench, and I will use it to square a plane blade, and then follow with the Scary Sharp treatment.
I chuckled at myself this morning, when I received via e-mail the January 23, 2008 Popular Woodworking weekly Newsletter, from Glen D. Huey. The third item in this issue was “Honing Guides – Which One is Right For You?”; it contained a link to a PDF file to the entire article – one of the guides pictured was the model I own. The PDF file is available only to newsletter subscribers. The excerpt caught my attention immediately, as it contained a photo of the four honing guides evaluated by Christopher Schwarz in the magazine’s February 2008 issue, pages 70-74. On page 75 appears a rebuttal from Joel Moskowitz the owner of toolsforworkingwood.com, on “Why You Don’t Need a Honing Guide”. Both articles, the one by Chris Schwarz, and the rebuttal by Joel, are required reading if you, like me, are not the best free-hand tool sharpener in the world. As you expect, Chris was on the money with his comments that the honing guide I use is not the best, but it is cheap; he does a good job pointing out the positive and the negative points for each guide.
In the following photos I show some of what I did today.
- Photos 1 and 4: My regular Scary Sharp setup
- Photo 2: I show off the nice, square fir of the tenon and mortise joint on a prototype door, with the nice shadow line I was aiming to get.
- Photo 3: Trying out my ancient shoulder/rabbet plane on the shoulder of a stile of the recently-made prototype door.
OK, I am no longer tripping over stuff, and (some) hand tools are sharp. Maybe I can start on the cabinet, right after I pick up granddaughter #4; her three older sisters will go skiing this morning. I will be posting the ups and downs, ins and outs, so stand by.
Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4
