A Review

Hey everyone- sorry the posts have been a little slack lately but I've been over the top busy with the book shipping and all of the other outside activities a time and space explorer must deal with through the day to day. I'm working on a new series of posts that'll walk through the building of a dedicated sharpening bench so watch for it later this week.

Here's a review (the first I believe) of Made by Hand by Jim Voos of San Carlos, California. Jim is a former College of the Redwoods student and these are his thoughts-



Tom Fidgen's Made by Hand is a great book to add to your shop. It is useful to both the beginning hand tool woodworker and the experienced furniture maker as well. Let me explain.

For beginners, Tom takes you through the practical reasons for setting up a hand tool shop, the basic set of hand tools you will need to be productive, as well as some of the techniques that you will need to use these new tools.

For the experienced woodworker, it presents the evolution that many of us go thru in our discovery of the craft, from using power tools in a cramped space, to the use of hand tools to add a new dimension to our work. I found many parallels between Tom's experience and my own, although I don't think it has taken Tom the 30 years it's taken me to get there.

The other thing that I found terrific was the photography of the workshop, tools & techniques that one uses in building great furniture. This is coffee table quality photography in a book that you will want to keep with you on your bench.

The best part is saved for last, and that's the projects. These are beautiful examples of projects that you will be excited to build. I was particularly taken by the Cabinetmakers' Tool Chest. This is a nice piece which can hold your "travelin" hand tools, and incorporates some nice ideas to make it even more useful. I won't give away some of the tricks added to this piece, you will have to discover it for yourself.

I don't know if this is Tom's first effort or not, but I hope he continues writing, and gives us a good book we could use to build our own boat using hand tools. This would be another reference I would love to add to my library.

Highly recommended.

Jim Voos

















Jim and Jim at the College of the Redwoods

Lee Valley News

Lee Valley Tools offers a great monthly newsletter that if you currently don't subscribe to, maybe you should consider. It's always packed with how-to style articles and has some pretty cool monthly side bar columns like: From the Collection, From the Archive and my favourite, the What is it? column. This area generally features some interestingly-odd and sometimes pretty clever work shop tools or appliances from the history books. This months newsletter has an article I wrote for them last year showing one method I use for making custom drawer pulls. You can read more about it here: Lee Valley Newsletter

SHIPPING BEGINS....

My book shipment has arrived.

Now, if you'll excuse me...
I must go lick the feather.
Wish me luck!

Boxes for shipping and shipping and shipping...

I was hoping to have the books out by now but a quick call placed to Popular Woodworking Books yesterday confirmed my shipment was sent last week so I'm expecting them today or tomorrow. I appreciate every ones patience with this. It's funny when I read about people on other wood working sites making comments on it after already receiving it. If you pre-ordered it from Pop. Wood and live within the continental USA then you've probably already leafed through it by now-I hope you enjoy it and welcome your comments.
For everyone else who pre-ordered here from me, you should be seeing your signed copies in the next little while. Just a reminder for anyone that hasn't yet sent in their shipping funds for your pre-ordered copy- the sooner I get it the sooner you'll get it!
Besides this endless sea of address confirmation and Paypal buttons I've been busy like a bee on the book boxes and making my final cut lists for the sharpening bench I'm building. I also have two potential commissions and five more articles to write...maybe I should start getting up at 4am. instead of 5!
With that, thanks again for your understanding and patience with the shipping, I hope it'll be worth the wait. If I had a few people here working with me on it I'm sure the turn around times would be faster but hey, that's life in a one-man wood working shop, you get to wear a lot of hats from the design table to the marketing board, the sales desk to the pricing....not to mention the actual techniques and bench time and then back again on-line answering emails and trying to spread the word....working wood- you've gotta love it !

Book Box Winners

My book shipment has arrived in Ohio !! I should receive my copies by the end of the week (with any luck) and will be starting the shipping early next week. I'll be contacting all of my pre-ordered customers this week with shipping prices and details.
I've just randomly selected the three winners of the custom book boxes- thanks again to everyone who has pre-ordered a copy.

The three winners are:

Kevin Kauffunger from Pittsburgh, PA.

Martin LaRoche from Gatineau, Quebec

and finally Eric Schenck from Rochester, NY.

Congratulations guys and thanks again everyone!!
Now I better get going and make those boxes...
Cheers.

Last Chance to Pre-Order

I can't believe tomorrow is the 6th of November already. The main shipment of books should be in Ohio and I'll be receiving my copies asap! I'll be signing them and sending them off in the next two weeks. If you'd still like to pre-order your own signed copy, today and tomorrow is the cut off. You'll still be able to order a signed copy after it's in stores but shipping will unfortunately be more expensive. I've managed to get the shipping costs down to about a third of what it would be if I shipped them all from here in Toronto- this lower shipping rate will be my own time of packaging the books up and driving to the USA ! Again I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has already placed an order and I'm looking forward to hearing some feedback from you. The new site is still far from complete but should be feeling a little better in another week or two. I'll keep you posted on the details and will also be announcing the winners of the 'Book Boxes'
Cheers!

Around the Woodshop

After the Witching Hour

Well another October came and went without so much as a pandemic -my kids and I lurked about seven blocks on Halloween before they started to burn out. Three steps away from a flu bug we called it a night. A crisp Autumn wind was blowing and the leaves seemed to keep time as they danced around our feet.
The wood shop feels like an empty canvass without the mass of the Oak Door present. I've started drawing up some plans for my next project. A Dedicated Sharpening Bench.
The vintage, 'chic-ness' of the side table I grabbed off the street last year on 'yard waste removal day' has finally outstayed it's welcome. I was happy to have it visit these past 14 months or so but it's time for something a little more permanent. I'll let you know when I get started on it- the project is being 'sponsored' by Fine Woodworking.com So it'll be featured over there if you're interested.
Speaking of sites my new site www.theUnpluggedwoodshop.com is coming along- I'll keep you posted when it's done...the blog area is up although the comments aren't yet working...another week and things should be all up and running.
Stay tuned...