Over the last year or two I’ve gradually accumulated 6 of DMT’s 8″ continuous diamond sharpening stones.  I started with Coarse, Fine, and Extra Fine per Paul Seller’s recommendation with a leather strop plus green compound for a hair-popping edge.  Then curiosity compelled me to get the Extra Extra Coarse, Extra-Coarse, and Extra Extra Fine models.  I… Continue reading DMT Dia-Sharp Stone Roundup

I recently finished a new workbench with a face vise on the left and Veritas Inset Vise off on the right.  Most of my bench work is on the medium-to-small size and I wanted a means to secure those pieces to the bench top without clamps.  Most operations will be things like holding the work for… Continue reading Veritas Inset Vise Review

I’ve had the Lee Valley / Canvas Apron for a month and have been pretty happy with it so far so I thought I’d share my thoughts on it. To test the concept of using a shop apron I had been using a cheapo model from Menard’s but I really disliked the neck loop.  However I… Continue reading Veritas Canvas Apron Review

There’s one advantage to a fixed head lathe; the source of dust and chips is always in the same spot!  Given a dust hood that can cover 10″ you’re set for most projects.  Given a sliding headstock lathe and now your dust collection needs to be a lot more flexible, it will have to travel a few… Continue reading Telescoping Lathe Dust Collection Arm

Over the year that I’ve owned my sliding table saw I’ve really come to appreciate the convenience and safety of having a built-in crosscutting & ripping sled. I just finished a set of tapered legs which on a normal cabinet saw one would use a taper jig to cut.  In this post I’ll show how… Continue reading Repeatable Taper Rip Cuts with a Sliding Table Saw

I needed two more 48″ clamps on my current project and because it’s just a simple carcass I thought I’d give Harbor Freight’s a try.  I already have some Dubuque clamps so I’m able to compare the two. As you can guess, the Harbor Freight clamps are a lot shittier, just look at the sidewall… Continue reading Dubuque Bar Clamps vs. Harbor Freight Bar Clamps

I just got Tormek’s SVD-186, the newest version of their gouge jig.  Having both the SVD-185 and 186 on hand I was able to compare them and weigh in on if it’s worth the $100 upgrade. Some highlights: The wider body would nice if you have really wide gouges but unless you’re doing hand-carving with… Continue reading Tormek SVD-186 Gouge Jig Review and Comparison to the 185

I recently upgraded the wheels on my Rikon slow-speed grinder to a pair of Woodturnerswonders 4-in-1 CBN wheels.  Half of the reason for the purchase was curiosity and the other half was frustration at my Tormek’s constantly glazed-over wheels. I got a pair of 80/220 wheels and am really happy with them.  They grind cool,… Continue reading 4-in-1 CBN Wheel Review