The Bullnose plane is not a tool which would be classed as an “essential”, but it is certainly one which is worthy of an honourable mention. Though its best use is as a refining plane for rebates, Paul often reaches for it for a variety of tasks, such as removing internal arrises on drawers and box-type parts. In this video Paul demonstrates the plane’s adaptable functionality. Once set up, the plane can be a joy to use when perfecting work and would be a great addition to any tool collection.
It takes a master woodworker to teach the basics. Watch Paul’s every move in this video. He shows every single detail of cutting this essential woodworking joint. This is one of the three joints that Paul talks about in his woodworking curriculum.
The housing dado is the essential shelving joint. It is the strongest way to suspend a wide horizontal board by passing it into a vertical piece such as a bookshelf. It has many other uses, such as the back of a drawer. Although there are many variations on a theme with this joint mastering the most simple form is the most difficult and important step.
We might easily be disaffectionate to the forebears of woodworking, who so enriched our lives with the most wonderful woodworking ever created, using only their bare hands and tools they made to work with. For a short run of moulded stock, moulding planes can be immediate and quite inexpensive. Many “old-timers” kept them around to replicate old moulds and also to develop modern alternatives with their own proven technology. In this video Paul touches the very tip of the iceberg of what lies beneath the surface that we have just barely scraped.
The drawbore is an ancient and intriguing method of holding joints together without the need for glue. However, it is hard to make this right if you don’t understand how it works. Paul has put together and then sawed in half a drawbored mortise and tenon to show how the peg works and what is needed to achieve the strength and unity of this type of joinery.
Ever wondered how to saw straight? Paul shows in detail how to cut an accurate and straight saw cut. This provides some skills you will need to challenge yourselves to bigger and better projects. Using a handsaw may prove harder than you think but with these tips and tricks, you will be able to saw straight and accurately.
More and more woodworkers now refer to the term Paul coined as knifewall years ago. When Paul first introduced it to his students in the late 1980s the term did not exist. Paul set out to create a single word that not only referred to marking the wood surface, but one that described severing the surface fibres and the creation of a physical knife-cut wall. Knifewall as a term became something woodworkers would saw, plane and chisel their wood to.
In this video Paul critiques a dovetail sent in by Jenny, one of our beginners from Common Woodworking. Not everyone will run into the same problems, however if we can get a sample of the issues people are facing with their first experiences of joinery then we will be able to advise you on how to avoid these problems in the future.
If you are new to joinery and would like feedback from Paul on your dovetails, you can send them in using the link below: https://commonwoodworking.com/send-us…
If you are yet to make your first dovetail joint, visit our beginner friendly step-by-step guide on Common Woodworking: https://commonwoodworking.com/courses…
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Do you need a low bench height to bear down on your work when planing? Or should a sharp plane pull itself to task? See what Paul Sellers thinks.
We posted this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8FLl…) video the day before this one but we had a comment saying that the same would not be possible with the board level. Hopefully this will show that that is not the case.
To find out more about Paul Sellers and the projects he is involved with go to http://paulsellers.com
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The router plane remains one of the most essential tools for hand tool woodworkers. It is used to refine cuts which are either made by chisels, saws or machines, Paul often even uses a router plane as an improvised marking gauge. In this Q&A Paul answers some of your questions regarding this remarkable tool.
Questions:
0:59 What wood do you recommend for making an extension plate for the base of the router plane? How thick should it be?
2:55 Recently the floor of some elements I have chopped have been deeper than my Stanley router reaches. Is there a way to extend the depth reach?
4:14 Having just bought my first router plane I was wondering what basic maintenance should I do to restore it to a good working tool?
5:17 What is the best way to set the height to make sure you don’t plane too deeply?
7:11 Do you recommend attaching a wooden support screwed to the base of the plane?
7:54 My Veritas router plane changes depth during the cut (the shank of the iron slips in the collar). Is there a trick that will prevent this slippage and help ensure an equal depth across the entire surface?
10:11 How does one prevent tear out when routing?
12:11 One thing I’ve noticed by watching your videos is that you only use the router plane to put the finishing touches on tenon cheeks, dados and the like. Was the router plane designed for more than this or is this where the router shines?
15:04 Grain issues? Cutting out a channel/tenon, I often ‘dig in’ (no, not taking big cuts), likely due to grain? You’ve mentioned ‘feeling’ for grain with No4 plane, how do you address this with the router plane?
18:05 The main issue I have when using a router is that the shavings end up between the sole of the plane and my workpiece. These shavings scar the wood of my workpiece. How to prevent this? Or is this to do with the router plane itself?
21:40 Is the router plane effective for making a groove with the width of the iron or a rebate, as you do with the plough plane?
23:55 Is it important to get a router plane with the micro adjustment height wheel for that extra precision, or will a model without the adjustment wheel do the job just fine?
26:02 Are there specific times when you would reach for a router plane over a plough plane (and vice versa) when either could seemingly be used?
27:49 Diamond point vs square blade
28:46 How to prepare the wood for the sole?
The featured Paul Sellers book is available to order from anywhere in the world. Click the link to find out more: https://paulsellers.com/paul-sellers-…
One of our most highly demanded videos is how to sharpen a router plane. Whether you have a new or second hand router plane, Paul Sellers’ sharpening method ensures you get the best performance from your router plane.
The completion of any project should always be exciting but when it’s your workbench there is something really special and unique about it. In this episode Paul uses methods for installing and fitting the bench vise which he has developed to guarantee a rock solid fit. The vise is, of course, your third hand. You do not want one ounce of movement in it. The jaw liners too must match the vise and the workbench for solidity. It’s all lifetime stuff for living woodworkers with style.
The spokeshave is a far more important tool than we might understand so we’d like to make it more understandable for you. Paul considers the spokeshave to be one of the most undervalued and underestimated tools and one he cannot imagine his own woodworking life without. We’ve had many questions over the years about spokeshaves and thought it would be a good idea to follow on from the coping saw Q&A with a whole Q&A dedicated to this amazingly versatile hand tool.
Questions:
0:37 Which is the most versatile spokeshave? Which one will accomplish more tasks than the others, and which ones are your favourites?
1:36 When would I use a curved bottom spokeshave as opposed to a flat bottom?
5:13 What would be a good beginners spokeshave?
6:15 If you were going to own two spokeshaves, what would they be?
7:14 I have a Millers Falls No. 1 cigar spokeshave and find it almost impossible to get a shaving from. Do you have input on adjusting and also sharpening the blade?
7:44 Is your blade sharpened straight across, or does it have a slight crown side to side, like some smoothing planes?
8:33 I have my spokeshave bevels at 30 degrees, would 25 degrees be better?
10:10 [How do you] sharpen wooden spokeshaves? The blades seem so different from the cast handle spokeshaves which have blades like small planes.
11:42 When do you push vs. pull the tool?
13:20 How do you prevent chatter that is a result of the small surface area on the base of the spokeshave?
15:22 Are there any issues with having the spokeshave set for a lighter shave on end and a heavier shave on the other end?
16:36 How do I get an extremely fine cut when shaping curves
17:46 Is there a modification or adjustment to keep chips getting jammed under the blade.
20:11 How do I keep the spokeshave sole parallel to the flat surface or at the correct angle to the curved surface to get consistent shavings? It looks like I have to apply some force to tilt it a bit forward but my hands don’t feel when it is in the correct position.
22:11 I noticed you perform straight planing with the spokeshave over wood wider than the blade itself, and get super thin shavings. Can you explain how you set the spokeshave for this?
23:56 I recently bought a wooden spokeshave and often find the blade works itself loose after a few passes, i close the mouth of the plane as much as possible but still find after a few passes it opens up and needs adjusting again.
25:40 Why are there two blade adjustment screws?
26:24 Are new cheap generic spokeshaves restorable? If not, what makes them unusable? I regret getting one of these, but it was also crazy cheap, so this information would help me understand what to look for in good ones.
27:35 I have a couple of wooden spokeshaves that I have trouble getting to work. The soles of these spokeshaves are quite worn out, so the mouth is very wide. I can’t seem to get thin shavings. I haven’t found any that don’t have this so can’t figure out if this is down to my technique or the tool. My question is: how can you tell when the sole of a wooden spokeshave needs fixing and how do you set the blade properly to get thin shavings?
30:31 Is the blade inserted bevel up or down?
32:03 The Stanley spokeshave I purchased online is a bit “rough” to say the least. Does one need to “prepare” it like with a handplane (flattening the sole and such)?
For exercises that will work on your control of the flat-bottomed spokeshave and establish good patterns for continuously reading the grain visit: https://commonwoodworking.com/spokesh…
