A few new tools ...

[Derek Cohen]

... as I prepare for the next furniture build.

I collected some rather nice fiddleback Jarrah from The Timber Bloke for the hall table (for my niece) that is now starting. (It has some nice challenges, but that is all for later) ...



The workshop becomes a dogs breakfast when I get underway, although I tidy up as much as I can. So I take time between builds to clean up, repair anything that needs to be done, and build a few items that have been percolating in my imagination. 

There was a recent posting of a new Moxon dovetail vise ...



More recently, I finally added a bench stop to the end of the bench ...



This has the cork rubber ("crubber", as BenchCrafted refer to it) lining used on the Moxon and legvise. It had excellent non-slip properties (seek it out from outlets that sell gaskets)...



I love it! This stop works so well for face planing.

As many know, I have been field testing pre-production tools for Lee Valley/Veritas for many years. Some of the prototype tools are replaced later with production tools, and I am sometimes left with useable but unsaleable tools. A number of years ago it was bench chisels. It occurred to me that I could turn a 1/4" O1 chisel (which had a few bites in the sides) into a fishtail chisel for half blind dovetails. All that was needed was a hand grinder and some patience. The wood was stained ebony ...



This are so useful when clearing the waste (Rob Lee assures me that fishtail chisels are to be produced by Veritas at some time - their design, not mine). The offset angle is 6:1, which will work with the socket angles I prefer.

A few years ago I made a birds cage awl from carbide for starting screw or drill holes. The square grind here is 25 degrees for the primary bevel and it has a 35 degree micro secondary bevel for durability. The handle is shaped for down force ...



It occurred to me that I could convert very easily a screwdriver into a scratch awl. I wanted this one for marking holes more precisely. 

We've probably all made screwdrivers like these. This one was made some years ago ... 



Take a damaged screwdriver insert, insert it into a cordless drill and spin it against a disk sander until it forms a point (at about 20 degrees) ...



Time now to focus on the hall table ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Greg Jones]

Nice tip on making a scratch awl insert-I’m going to make one myself today!

You will like that bench stop. I added one to my bench around 10 years ago, and I put non-slip tread tape from the Borg on the face, works great.

[Bill Lyman]

Derek: Interesting and educational, as always. 
Bill

[Greg Jones]

Scratch awl bit completed-thanks again Derek for the idea.

[bandit571]

What was that line....
 

   

"meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss..."

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Greg

That looks more like a bird cage awl than a scratch awl. The angle at the pointy end is faceted, and steep. If you want a scratch awl, then spin it on a drill, and aim for a much lower low angle. The lower angle will penetrate more easily.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[cputnam]

Derek, thought provoking and entertaining as always. I always appreciate well exposed and focused images, well lit too.

Thank you

[Greg Jones]

Hi Greg

That looks more like a bird cage awl than a scratch awl. The angle at the pointy end is faceted, and steep. If you want a scratch awl, then spin it on a drill, and aim for a much lower low angle. The lower angle will penetrate more easily.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Must have been the afternoon light, as it’s not faceted and it’s about as low an angle as I would want.

[Derek Cohen]

That looks good, Greg!

Regards from Perth

Derek