Questions tagged [hand-tools]
Tools used by hand, the work/power is supplied by the tool user.
157
questions
1
vote
2answers
29 views
Is it possible to rip thin strips of wood only using hand tools?
Say from a standard board 1 in x3 in x6 feet cut strips of 1/8 in thickness?
1
vote
1answer
60 views
How to face joint board longer than bench by hand
Project: Bed frame from hard wood (still deciding between cherry, oak, walnut, ash, beech)
Question: What is a good method to face joint a board (approximately 15 cm / 6” wide) by hand with a shorter ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
Preventing poor groove geometry with plow plane?
I'm using a veritas small plow plane and I'm finding my grooves are a bit trapezoid shaped and not square to the reference face and edge:
Material is Sapele. This is a longer piece (~48"). Some ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views
Identifying 2 strange homemade hand saw features
I recently acquired 2 homemade saws, likely early 20th century, with features I can't quite place for function or aesthetic. Any ideas?
18" saw with an odd bevel cut into the top edge of the ...
6
votes
1answer
5k views
Unknown tool from auger bits set
Does anyone recognise the tool on the photos below?
Recently I’ve bought a set of old auger bits on eBay and among them was that tool. I de-rusted it, but have no idea what do use it for :)
4
votes
2answers
187 views
Why does the blade of a sliding T-bevel have a point?
Does anyone have a good reference for the reason a typical wood or metal sliding T-bevel comes to a point?
I've always wondered, and recently this tool came up in a semi-famous YouTube video, which ...
0
votes
2answers
120 views
How to cut long angled cuts without a table saw?
Hey guys, first time poster.
I'm trying to make this simple nightstand using hand tools.
I'm stuck on these angled planks. Is there any way I can cut these very long cuts without electric table saw? I ...
4
votes
1answer
213 views
How do I plane the edge of a board such that it stays square to the face?
I just bought my first plane, an inexpensive Stanley 12-404 clone by Amazon Basics.
I was dialing everything in and planing the edge of a board, eventually getting nice, thin, even shavings.
After I ...
0
votes
0answers
45 views
How bore out a shallow sink into a 2x10"?
I have a set of standing shelves that are built from standard home store 2x10"s. I wanted to repurpose the shelf as a place for my houseplants. When I water the plants, there is a lot of drainage ...
1
vote
1answer
80 views
What is the difference between the jointer blade and the smoothing blade?
In The Anarchist's Tool Chest, Christopher Schwarz recommends buying a #5 bench plane with three irons as a first hand plane: a curved scrub blade, a flat jointer/try blade, and a flat smoothing blade....
2
votes
1answer
258 views
What is a router plane fence designed for?
Recently I bought a veritas router plane and I noticed that they provide an optional fence.
（and with smaller blades）
As I'm new to woodworking, I wonder what the fence is designed for?
It seems one ...
1
vote
3answers
166 views
How do I avoid cutting my fingers on the sides of my chisel when paring?
When paring waste from dovetails with a chisel I often slice up my fingers on the back edge of my chisels.
This forum thread discusses this topic with two recommendations:
Just let your hands develop ...
1
vote
2answers
99 views
How to make a circular base with moulding using hand tools?
For a piece such as this:
How can this be shaped using only hand tools? Normally, a router comes to mind for something like this, or maybe a lathe, and then when you only think of hand tools, I think ...
1
vote
1answer
331 views
What are some proper ways of doing rabbets in plywood using hand tools?
What are some proper ways of doing rabbets in plywood with hand tools? I tried using a plough plane but it tore out the fibers too much.
What other manual options are there?
0
votes
2answers
573 views
Is it possible to use a mortiser bit without a mortiser?
My project requires about 60 precise square holes, 14mm on a side. I don't have a mortiser but a mortiser bit is fairly inexpensive. Is there a way I could use that bit by hand to cut those holes? ...
1
vote
2answers
130 views
Reversed Foldable Carpenter Ruler?
My mother used to work in home decoration (in Switzerland we have a dedicated name for this: courtepointière) and she always used her Hultafors CONTACT meter (559-2-10) which differs from my regular ...
4
votes
1answer
206 views
Rasps: how much does handedness matter?
I came on this:
The teeth on Auriou rasps are slightly angled to favor right-handed users. If you are left-handed, please contact us as we can order you left-handed rasp (although we do keep some ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
Angled cuts without miter saw or miter box?
I'm only just starting out on basic woodworking projects as a side hobby, and I don't have many tools. But a bigger problem is that I live in an apartment and don't have the room for a fancy workshop ...
2
votes
2answers
114 views
Can I use glasses-cleaning leather to make a strop?
I am having difficulties finding some scrap piece of leather in order to make myself a strop in order to aid the sharpening process for my plane blades and chisels.
I was thinking to use this kind of ...
2
votes
2answers
282 views
How to add a consistent chamfer across a non-linear edge using hand tools
I am beginning to really like using hand tools as opposed to power tools and I can see a lot of use cases for them.
However I don't understand how can you apply a consistent chamfer on a non-linear ...
4
votes
2answers
160 views
Are there square-taper drill bits larger than 1-1/2" for hand braces?
A project description instructs to bore 1-3/4" through-holes into a benchtop to insert round tenons from legs. ("Herculaneum Workbench", book: Ingenious Mechanicks, Chapter VI, p106, by C. Schwarz)
I ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the purpose of the side handle on a hand (“eggbeater”) drill?
What is the purpose of the side knob (circled in orange) on a hand or "eggbeater" drill? I can't remember ever using this handle for anything.
I'm considering cutting off the side knob so ...
2
votes
1answer
184 views
2
votes
1answer
178 views
Routing With a Dremel [closed]
I'm VERY new to woodworking and don't have a lot of tools. I have a DeWalt Pullsaw, a Dremel, and some various hand tools. I recently got into woodworking because I saw a lot of really cool ...
1
vote
0answers
78 views
Help me identify this Bullnose 75 plane
I have just received this bullnose plane and I'm trying to identify it. I suppose its a record 75 plane, but i'm not sure about that. Someone can help me? Most of record 75 present different caps and ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
How to saw wood without the final splitting?
Except for being more careful, are there any tips or tricks for preventing the final splitting when using a handsaw?
4
votes
2answers
3k views
How to make a mitre cut along the width of a board with hand tools
I'd like to cut a miter along the width of a wide board using hand tools. I've searched online and have not found any resources so maybe I'm using incorrect terminology.
Say I have a board that is 12 ...
1
vote
2answers
189 views
Tips and Ideas for Hand Planing a 11,950 N board keeping it simple
I'm trying to build a dining table out of two pieces of Jatoba wood (Hymenaea courbaril) which has:
Density - 57 lbs/ft3 (910 kg/m3)
Hardness - 2,690 lbf (11,950 N)
info taken from https://...
7
votes
2answers
240 views
What is this hand tool with handles similar to a spokeshave? It has different selectable profiles around the edge of a disc
Can anyone identify this? Woodworking tool?
4
votes
1answer
252 views
Help me identify this hand plane
Can anyone identify this? It's located inside my boyfriend's great great grandfather's wood planer. Thanks!
3
votes
2answers
159 views
Precise 90 degree cuts on small pieces
This is a question about technique. When I cut small pieces of wood (1-2") I struggle to make precise square (90 degree) cuts by hand or handheld tools without a guide. If I just eyeball it I'll often ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
How does Frank Klausz achieve a >90 turn with a turning saw without cleanup when cutting dovetails?
Frank Klausz, in his video titled "Dovetails for Drawers - The European way" takes two minutes to show how he makes his "3-minute dovetails". When cutting the tails, he uses what looks to be a custom ...
4
votes
2answers
73 views
Making table leg slightly longer
After a mistake, I ended up with a table leg that's about 1/16" (1.6mm) shorter than the other ones, on the top. I'm probably going to trim all other legs by a commensurate amount, because that seems ...
5
votes
3answers
804 views
Are mortises with angled walls cut the same way as square mortises (handtools)?
What are the usual steps to carve out a non-90degree mortise that will be married to a sliding wedge/key? Should the wedge be cut first?
When chiseling a usual mortise, plumb can be used as the ...
9
votes
2answers
517 views
How to handplane many boards to the same dimensions
I am dimensioning aprons for a table with handtools, and trying to correct the four boards to have the same equal thickness over their entire length. I'm trying to minimize problems with uneven ...
4
votes
1answer
198 views
How to make a larger rabbet by hand?
I'm looking to make a larger rabbet into an 6' 4x4 similar to the below picture - but I don't have a circular saw.
Or would it be better to simply attach a 2x4 or 1x4 to the main piece?
5
votes
1answer
139 views
What kind of plane is this?
I just bought a wooden plane but I am new to hand planes and couldn't identify it.
It seems to not fit in any category known to me (shoulder plane, bullnose plane, chamfering plane etc.)
...
Later ...
2
votes
1answer
235 views
How can I salvage the ura on my japanese plane blade?
I bought a Japanese plane a few years ago, and didn't really spend a lot of time researching before I started using and sharpening it. Now that I have a little more time for woodworking again, I ...
4
votes
1answer
448 views
Is this plane salvageable?
I got a hand plane from my grandfather's old tools, though it sat in a garage for several years with no care. It's quite rusted, and it looks like it may be rather heavily pitted on one side of the ...
2
votes
1answer
59 views
Handsaws for very small flooring project
Is there one excellent-quality handsaw that does both crosscuts and rip cuts, and, if not, what two handsaws should I buy? The task is to install either an engineered wood, or possibly hardwood, ...
-4
votes
1answer
91 views
What is the best tool for leveling boards? [closed]
Good day!
A new batch of boards came from the sawmill, but they were in defective. It is necessary to straighten. In general, this situation is very often happening at my work. I used the Dewalt ...
4
votes
1answer
184 views
How to repair breakout at the intersection of two through-mortises (inside the joint)?
I'm making the joint for the leg shown in the following diagram, using handtools. There are two intersecting through-mortises. A tall one (for the apron running topleft-bottomright in the picture), ...
5
votes
1answer
737 views
How to make bottom face of beefy table leg flat and square with sides
I would like to make a table leg's bottom face flat and square with the sides, using handtools.
I have drawn my knife line around the four faces for my desired length, and then proceeded to handsaw ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
Can I use a 12” granite block for fettling a #5 plane?
I have used a 12”x9” granite block to fettle the #4 I use bit recently acquired a #5 that belonged to my great uncle. It looks good, and I’m looking forward to cleaning it up, but I assume that I need ...
1
vote
1answer
115 views
What is this vintage tool?
I am trying to find out what this vintage tool is called and how it works?
What is the tool for? It was found in coworker's dad basement when he was cleaning up the basement.
2
votes
2answers
106 views
I have 3 carving tools and do not know what they are used for
Unknown carving tools, wood handles looks like carbon steel blade
1
vote
3answers
296 views
What could I use instead of a froe when cleaving?
I really want a froe. They are hard to find in my area and when they do exist they are expensive.
If I want to cleave a log, e.g. ash, what other options could I consider? I could use axe heads but ...
2
votes
2answers
78 views
Good wooden handle to hung an axe?
I was grinding and sanding this wooden handle for a day or two lately and I nearly finished it, but I noticed, that I filed off a bit too much at the part, where the axe head goes on. I just took a ...
2
votes
1answer
989 views
Resources for wooden furniture projects without glue, nails or screws
I am looking for resources (mostly books) on how to build wooden furniture without glue, nails or screws (preferably with only hand tools). I would like to learn the techniques involved in this as ...
2
votes
2answers
238 views
Substituting Walnut for Hickory in a bow saw
I'm planning on building a version of the Gramercy Tools bow saw. According to their research, Hickory is a good substitute for the European Beech wood classically used in such saws, since it is both ...
