The Lost Scrolls of

HANDWORK
An Illustrated Magazine of Practice and Theory
FOR ALL WOODWORKERS, PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
HANDWORK is an amateur woodworking magazine [All Rights reserved.] https://journeymansjournel.wordpress.com

Issue..IV THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 PRICE - USD$5.00

The Rise and Fall of Simonds Handsaw Manufacture

Learn to make a sticking board
with an adjustable fence
Waterproof Hide Glue
Build an Elegant Jewellery Box
The Lost Scrolls of

HANDWORK
ARTICLES
10 Elegant Jewellery Box
Elegant and simple to make

42 The Rise and Fall of Simonds Handsaw Manufacture

One of the best saw manufacturers in the U.S.

56 Waterproof Glue
How to make hide glue waterproof

57 Practical Tests for Varnishes

Simple applications to test their durability

1 https://journeymansjournel.wordpress.com
The Lost Scrolls of

HANDWORK
59 Make a Sticking board
A sticking board with an adjustable fence

75 Moisture Meters
An essential addition to any shop

79 Sharpening Method that Works for Me

A time saving method that will get you back to work fast

82 Longcase Clock
Built by an Italian Clockmaker in 1766

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 2

About Me
My name is Salko Safic, founder of “The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK” magazine. Husband,
father of five, three boys and two girls. I live and work wood in Australia on the Gold Coast
in sunny Queensland and am a third-generation woodworker working wood with hand
tools.
I was first introduced to the craft by my father at seven. He was a toy maker who made
rocking horses, cradles and other childrens’ toys for retail outlets. I worked with him on
weekends and built my first cradle a few weeks later. I hadn’t realised then I had been
bitten by the woodworking bug, and have been infected with the joy of working wood ever
since.
I began making clocks professionally in 1998 and ceased operations in 2017 to spend
more time with my family. This also freed me to explore other areas of the craft. I have a
deep-rooted passion to build 18th century style furniture. This is something I’ve wanted to
do for a very long time, but never had the time to do it.
Somewhere along the way I decided to write about my journey in the craft. It started with
the blog, then keeping a journal for my future generation and now this magazine. I’ve
always felt that there was a need for a magazine that would cater to hand tool enthusiasts
like myself. Since I’ve always worked with hand tools and ran a successful business using
mostly hand tools, I was confident that there would be other like-minded craftsmen who
would appreciate such a magazine. So, I took it upon myself to begin this magazine know-
ing full well just how challenging it would be, especially since my writing skills are not quite
up there with the rest; just ask my editor Matt McGrane how he got those greys.
Many times, I wanted to throw in the towel; the challenge is enormous. But if I did, there’s
currently no one out there willing to shoulder this enormous responsibility due to it not
being “profitable” enough. I feel it’s my moral obligation to keep this magazine alive in
order to reintroduce skill into the hands of those who want it so that those skills can be
passed on to our future generations.
In a nutshell, I’m just a regular guy who is trying to do his part for humanity and the craft I
love so dearly.

3
Editor’s Notes
“The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK” is intended for
the hand tool enthusiast. In these pages I hope to
fill a void in today’s woodworking publications. I
want to share with you the joy of working wood
with hand tools, the ease with which hand tools
can accomplish a task, the wisdom that came from
centuries of working wood and the techniques
that are rapidly being lost to antiquity.
Working wood with hand tools has grown expo-
nentially in the last ten years. More and more peo-
ple are turning towards the handcraft movement
for various personal reasons.
It’s from this movement that this magazine was
born. I hope to deliver many articles of a variety
of projects throughout the years ahead, by way
of contributing authors/artists. It’s my sincerest
wish this magazine will bring out the best in all of
us and introduce to you artisans never seen nor
heard from before, the ones who are tucked away
in their workshops from all the corners of the
world.
This magazine is about our craft, it’s about you and
me, it’s about our unsung heroes of the yester-
years. It’s all about woodworking.
I am constantly on the hunt for contributing au-
thors. If you feel you’re up to the challenge to
write an article for the Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK,
please feel free to shoot me an email. Your gener-
osity and expertise would be greatly appreciated.
As always, dear readers, I welcome your feedback,
comments and questions.
Editor In Chief
Salko Safic
handworkmagazine@gmail.com
Contributing Editor
Matt McGrane
Art Director
Salko Safic
Graphic Artist
Salko Safic
Circulations Officer
Salko Safic
Positions Vacant
Authors Wanted
“The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK” is an am-
ateur woodworking eBook magazine publica-
tion.
This publication may not be reproduced or
sold but the project articles may be used for
commercial use. Project blueprint/working
drawings may not be copied, sold and redis-
tributed through any physical or electronic
means. Any texts, video, sound and artwork
are the property of the respective contributing
authors. They may not be used in any man-
ner including excerpts without the express
written consent of the individual writers. Our
authors control their work at all times. Any
of the content/s found within HANDWORK
have been freely given to be published in
HANDWORK free of charge by the contrib-
uting authors or are public domain. The Lost
Scrolls of HANDWORK eBook Magazine ac-
cepts no responsibility in respect of the con-
tent of any site to which a hypertext link from
this eBook exists. The links are provided with
no warranty, express or implied, as to the in-
formation provided within them.
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 4

TO OUR READERS
In memory of Ed Francis Young. The
Creator, Author and Visionary of Work
“Read you, and let us to our WORK”
2 King Henry VI., i. 4.
ALTHOUGH no apology may be need-
ed for the appearance of WORK, an
explanation of its Why and its Where-
fore-its rasion d’etre, as our friends
across the Channel would put it- is
certainly desirable, and a little space
in this, its first Number, may be use-
fully taken up in showing the causes
that have led up to its introduction; the
persons to whom it chiefly appeals; the
objects at which it aims; the special fea-
tures by which it will be marked; and the
field of operation that it seeks to cover.
First, then, let it be shown why and
wherefore WORK has been called, and
has come, into existence. What, let us
inquire, is the great demand of the time;
for what are most men chiefly asking
and seeking in the present day? To this
question the right reply is by no means
difficult to find. It is, and must be- “Bet-
ter and fuller means of Technical and
Practical Education.”
Never, indeed, it may be said, was the
demand for technical education great-
er than it is at the present time! Never
was it heard more that it is now among
workmen of British nationality! And
why? Simply and solely because of late
years it has become painfully apparent
that by means of increased facilities
for obtaining technical knowledge the
foreign workmen have been stealing a
5
march upon them.
Never, forsooth, at any time has the
necessity for sound technical education
for the workman been so thoroughly
impressed upon the minds of men as
now; and never has it been so eagerly
desired and demanded by all grades
and classes of the people.
At the present moment, there lies in the
pigeon-holes of the British Government
a Bill for the Promotion, Extension, and
Elaboration of Technical Education in
the United Kingdom, which will be dis-
cussed and moulded into law at the ear-
liest opportunity. Our Universities and
great Public Schools are awakening to
the necessity of teaching the hands to
work as well as the brain to think. In
every large town, and in London itself
– the head as well as heart of the Em-
pire – a craving is springing up for the
establishment of technical institutes
and workshops, in which any and every
man, whatever may be his social station
in life, may obtain improved knowledge
of the leading handicrafts that are prac-
ticed by men, or even to learn their very
rudiments, if he so requires.
In these amateur workmen are already
assembling, that they may better know
through practice under trained teach-
ers how to carry out the work they may
have adopted as a hobby; and profes-
sional workmen that they may become
better conversant with the theory that
underlies the work they do; and by this,
and a quickening of their taste and
perception of the beautiful in form and
perfection in execution, gain greatly in
skill, and capacity for carrying out the
work by which they have to live.
And all grades of workmen are alike led
to seek self-improvement, because they banded together. They, verily, are first
have realised the truth of the grand old afield to guide where assistance and
saying – Knowledge is Power. lend a helping hand wherever aid may
be sought.
To meet, then, at a most critical period And this they will ever do in the spirit of
of our national existence, the needs of Solomon’s mingled counsel and com-
workmen belonging to each and both of mand – “Whatsoever thy hand findeth
the two great classes into which work- to do, do it with thy might.”
men are naturally divided – profession- Mention has been made, well-nigh in
als on the one hand, and amateurs on the same breath, of the amateur and
the other – WORK has been brought the professional workman; but are they
into being. That WORK will prove the not more closely akin than superficial
most useful and most complete serial of thinkers are disposed to allow? Are not
its class that has yet been given to the all men amateurs alike? Are not all pro-
world, there is every reason to believe; fessionals? Verily, yes; each and every
and, without doubt, it will be eager- man in his own order. What, indeed,
ly sought after, read, and followed by is the difference between workmen,
those for whose benefit it has been pro- amateur and professional, save that
duced, as the first, the best, the most the latter practices his craft or calling
helpful, and the most reliable practical for gain, and the former loves and cul-
instructor of the times in which we live. tivates an art for his amusement. The
Nay, more than this, it may be regarded distinction is very much like that which
as being verily unique in itself through has been drawn from time immemori-
the comprehensiveness of its scope, for al between those who live to eat and
although efforts may have been made, those who eat to love; and the compar-
prior to this, to help and instruct the am- ison runs far more closely in parallel
ateur, never yet has any attempt been lines than may appear at first sight, for
made to regard all workmen, whether if the professional works to live, does
workers for gain and daily bread or not the amateur in an equal degree live
workers for amusement and recre- to work? Even a professional workman
ation, as one great family possessed of is an amateur in everything else except
common aims ad actuated by common the one particular handicraft by which
interests, who enter the lists of compe- he lives; so that, speaking fractionally,
tition in friendly rivalry alone, to provoke every man, if he be one-fourth profes-
one another to the execution of work of sional, is very likely three-fourths ama-
greater excellence than either the one teur and so may be regarded as being
or the other has yet produced. Each in point of fact more of an amateur after
class has much to learn of the other; all than he is of the professional.
each class can teach the other much.
Time, it is to be up and doing, and, with Said a working man to a writer one
regard to those who write in the pages day, “I look upon myself as an amateur
of WORK, it is to lead and help their in every man’s trade except my own,
fellow-men to better things that they are and as I like to know something about

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 6

all trades besides my own, I hail with hensively written.
pleasure every source from which I can If the reader presses for a more accu-
derive some knowledge of them.” rate definition of the nature of the arti-
cles that will be treated in WORK, let
Every man, indeed, has, or ought to him attempt to sum up in his mind for a
have his hobby whether he be profes- moment the handicraft trades that are
sional or not, and therefore, in seeking most familiar to himself, and endeav-
to administer to the improvement of one our to realise that instruction will be
class and to build up and augment the given on, or notice taken of, every one
knowledge of its members, precisely of them sooner or later. To catalogue
the same thing is done in the interests them would be simply to make a list of
of the other. every kind of constructive and decora-
tive work that is practiced by man. Let
This has been said to show that the us take this as done, and so avoid the
pages of WORK are intended for both waste of time, space, and power that
groups of workmen alike, and to point would be involved in its preparation.
out, on the good old principle that what Number 1 and Part 1 will sufficiently
is sauce for the goose is sauce for the serve as samples of the whole. It is im-
gander, that that which is desirable and possible, manifestly, to touch on every-
useful and desirable for the other. If thing at once, but everything neverthe-
there be any difference at all, it will be less, will be touched on in time.
found to consist chiefly in this – that
the professional workmen require and In general character, WORK will be
desires to gain in comprehension of purely technical and instructive. Noth-
theory, and the amateur conversely, in ing that comes within the region of
practice, and thus each will be brought polemics will be touched on in its pag-
on pari passu to the same goal – per- es, and discussion will be permitted on
fection in execution. such subjects only as are processed of
common interest for all readers.
We must now pass on to consider brief- Wit reference to the special features by
ly the objects of WORK, and the sub- which WORK will be marked, it may be
jects that are to receive treatments in its said that every paper that requires it will
pages. On this it is only necessary to be fully illustrated with sketches, dia-
say that in the papers which will appear grams, or working drawings to scale as
from week to week will be found a clear may be described. This alone will tend
and practical exposition of the modus to render WORK invaluable both to the
operandi to be followed in every art, workman himself and those at whose
craft, or science that bears directly or bidding and for whose benefit he may
indirectly, on handiwork of a construc- work.
tive or decorative character, the direc- New machinery, new tools, new appli-
tions being supplied and comments ances, new arts, new processes, new
made, either in short single papers, or modes of treatments will always find
in series of articles tersely and compre- exposition in its pages, and a special

7
feature will be made of

OUR GUIDE TO GOOD THINGS,

In which notice will be taken of tools,

WOODCENTRAL
machinery, technical works, etc., And
all things useful and novel that manu-
facturers and inventors may produce in
the interest of those who labour with the
hands. Manufacturers and others are
requested to send the Editor timely no-
tice of any new tool, machine, or appli-
ance that they are about to introduce as
a new claimant for public favour.

Welcome to WoodCentral! Since 1998, wood-

workers of all stripes have met here in our
forums and chats to share a wealth of good
information, offbeat humor and a unique cama-
raderie. In that time, we’ve accumulated thou-
sands of woodworking articles, reviews, “shop
shots” and other features, as well as a million
or more archived messages on just about every
woodworking subject. Browse at your leisure,
Safety is the ultimate responsibility of every stay as long as you like, and don’t hesitate to
woodworker; hand tools are safe as long as send us your suggestions and feedback. Wood-
they are used as per manufacturer’s instruc- Central is, and always has been, by and for
tions. Keep all blades sharp, blunt tools are YOU!
dangerous and will result in poor work. Mind
www.woodcentral.com
where you place your hands when using
tools. Never work wood when you’re tired,
medicated or intoxicated, even the smallest
amounts of alcohol can result in poor vision
and judgment. When operating machinery,
read and follow the recommendations of your
machines owner’s manual, using appropriate
guards and safety devices, and maintaining all
your tools properly. Use adequate sight and
hearing protection.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 8

9
Elegant Jewellery box
By Salko Safic
My friend William’s 50th was coming up, and he
was also celebrating his graduation. Huh, gradu-
ate at 50? Yup. He has several degrees and among
them master’s. Now he can add a law degree to
that list.
So, as we all do I “binged” the net for inspiration.
I looked for boxes and a (judge’s) gavel. I wish I
had taken photos of the gavel, next time when I
go around I’ll take it and post it on Instagram. In
any case, I stumbled upon none other than the
Wood Whisperer’s jewellery’s box. He got this de-
sign from someone else while he was still learning
the craft. I thought this was great and settled on
that.
The plans for this project can be downloaded
from the Wood Whisperer’s website Download
Plan. You should download the plan to make it easy
to follow the article Remember the dimensions on
the plan need not be followed to the letter; you can
change the dimensions on the fly and change the en-
tire look of the piece. You can make your box taller,
longer, shorter, wider, whatever you want. The plan
serves as a reference and is not set in stone, but you
can follow if you so wish. The changes I made are
the following: no trough in the underside of the lid,
replaced barrel hinges with brass rods and decreased
the curve on the lid and sides.
I’ve used tulip and black walnut, but you can use
whatever materials you have on hand. Let’s begin.
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 10
 Step 1.
Plane both boards to be flat and true. You can skip one edge that will be
the ends (sides), but plane one edge and two ends.

Step 2.
Rip what will be the ends to your desired measurement or follow the
plans downloaded. Measure and crosscut the ends to final length.
Leave it aside for now as we’ll come back to it later on.

11
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 12
13
Step 3.
Rip and crosscut the base to final width and length. Don’t crosscut the top (lid) to final
length; we will shoot this to a precise length after the ends (sides) are glued to the base. I used
a shooting board:

The term “chute” I believe is British terminology and the word “shoot” was used in its stead
by the Americans. Their philosophy is simple. If you pronounce “chute” as you would “shoot”
why not spell it that way? Make sense and simplifies spelling. You spell as you speak has been
in practice by many European countries for hundreds of years, one country that comes to
mind is former Yugoslavia.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 14

15
As you can see shooting an edge parallel to the opposite edge with dead on accuracy is a lot
simpler with a shooting board than planing free hand.

Step 4.
Refer to the drawings you downloaded to lay out the tenon and side walls (see photo). What’s
left in between the side walls will be excavated out. Initially what you’re left with is an over-
sized groove.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 16

 Saw the
shoulders
and then
chisel out
the waste.

Provided that the grain is straight and will snap away from the line, this method is much fast-
er than conventional sawing. Always test well away from the line first to see where the break

17
will occur and if the grain is working with you. Then place the chisel either in the knife line
or slightly away from it and lightly hammer. Later, after you’ve chopped the mortise in the
mating piece, trim the tenon for a snug fit using a router plane.

Then pare the shoulders for a gap free, perfect fit. The knife wall we made earlier will help us
do that by providing a place for the chisel to register. This will leave the edges crisp and clean.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 18

After you’ve finished paring you should have something looking like this.

Step 5.
Now chop the mortise in the end piece. There are two ways to do it; we can bore to a precise
depth and then pare the walls or we can chop it out. I’ve chosen to chop it out for a valid
reason. To bore out the waste, you need to place the bit dead centre of the mortise and the bit
needs to be the precise diameter of the width of the mortise or just under. Both requirements
are not easily met and since I have an OCD for woodworking I have opted out of the boring
method until I can perfect it free hand.
To aid in placing the chisel straight I’ve
knifed a series of lines perpendicular to
the length of the mortise for the chisel to
slip into. The extra time spent knifing in
these lines is worth it.

19
As you can see the marked mortise lines are wider than the mortising chisel. This is due to an
improperly set mortising gauge. If you’re using a pin mortising gauge, set the distance between
the pins by the width of the chisel tip. Mine was set from the lower part of the pins which
resulted in an oversized mortise. Nonetheless, it’s not the end of the world as I’ve chosen a side
of the wall I will butt the chisel up against and did the same on the other mortise so the mat-
ing piece isn’t ramped when inserted.
The mortise floor
looks clean. The
trick is to use
a small router
plane. It doesn’t
matter if the
mortise floor is
marked from
chopping, it will
never be seen. But
I used a router
plane because
I was very anal
about the depth
being ¼”. Hav-
ing said that, the

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 20

accuracy of the mortise depth isn’t important. Chopping 1/16” deeper wouldn’t hurt it at all,
but it’s me and my OCD that everything has to be precise. I guess that’s a must in metal work.
That done, test fit the mating tenon into the mortise and make any adjustments to the tenon
necessary for a snug fit. Your pieces should look like this.

Don’t be overly concerned if you have gaps showing, the middle portion of the base will be
chopped out. It’s just good practice to keep everything gap free, so you're in constant training
of your body and mind.

Step 6.

Now we will work on excavating the base. You’re essentially creating a trough, chute, trench
or oversized dado. Refer to the drawings for measurements if you haven’t already done so and
with your marking gauge mark for the side walls. What’s left in between will need to be re-
moved. Removal by hand is not an easy task, it’s time consuming, but not strenuous or diffi-
cult. To speed up the process, I experimented with a couple of procedures.
i) I free handed a few lines along the board fairly close to each other and sawed along
them. My thought was if the material was thin enough, there would be less resistance and it
could be easily chopped out. I found this to be true.

21
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 22
I was able to remove 1/8” of material in a single pass.
ii) My next experiment was to chop along the wall without having to use a handsaw. That
proved to be useless as it was time consuming.

According to the drawings, the base floor is flush with the tenon. This is ok if you’re working
with machinery, however, with hand tools and the inconsistencies of working by hand it isn’t
advisable. We may be smarter than machines since we invented them, but we are unable to
work to the same tolerances. When we learn to accept that we can stop banging our heads
on why we’re not good enough and begin to enjoy our craft and build something rather than
being as my friend said “arm chair woodworkers”. So, it is advisable not to have the floor base
flush with the tenon but rather leave a small lip by stopping short above the tenon. Once the
chopping is complete, level out the base with a router plane.

23 https://journeymansjournel.wordpress.com
If you have a jack rab-
bet plane, you’re able
to remove more mate-
rial across its width and
obtain a smoother finish
than with a router plane.
Either method takes time,
but both give very nice
results. Then smooth the
base with a scraper, sand-
paper or both if needed.

Step 7.
We will now prepare the
lid. Please note you can
choose to leave this pro-
cess until after the glue
up of the ends or you can
temporarily assemble the
box now and attach some
clamps to hold the ends
in place. Place the lid
against the inside edge of
one end of the box and
take your measurement
off the inside edge of
the other end of the box
by placing a small knife
mark.

I squared the line across

and cut away the waste
close to the line. I inten-
tionally did not shoot to
the knife line and left it a
little long.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 24

You may wonder why not skip this process, glue the ends to the base, let it dry and then fit
the lid to the opening. The answer is we need to drill holes for the hinges and they need to be
100% aligned correctly. I found a much simpler way of doing this with high levels of accura-
cy.

Step 8.
Dry fit the box without applying the clamps so they don’t get in the way. If your box isn’t
self-supporting (loose fit) then use clamps, but work out another way of getting the location
of the hinge hole.

Measure or eye ball the thickness of the lip and use a combination square to lock in that mea-
surement. Now flip the box and place the square on the face side of the end piece and strike
a small mark. Do not repeat the same on the opposite side, because we will sandwich the two
sides together to drill later.

Now install the lid into the opening. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t a perfect fit; just pull back
slightly one end of the box to allow the lid to fit. Referencing your marking gauge from the
bottom of the box, locate the centre of the thickness of the lid and lock your gauge.

25
 Marking the centre of the lid.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 26

From the same reference side, that
being the bottom of the box, mark
on the face side of the end of the box
crossing the mark you made earli-
er. Make sure these marks are small
enough that they can be drilled out,
otherwise they will show and will look
unsightly. With a scratch awl indent a
small prick for your drill bit to rest in.
The knife marks will make locating the
centre a lot easier than pencilled lines.

Flush the bottoms and ends of both box end pieces and lock them in the vice.

27
Place your drill against the mark and drill as accurately as humanly possible right through.

To drill plumb, you can try a variety of ways. When drilling vertically you can place a mirror
in front of you and then correct yourself to be plumb. It’s like having someone stand in front
of you guiding you. You can also use squares placed on either side of the drill or in this case
you can take a square and place it under your drill, lock your arms and drill. Finally, you can
use a ring. Feed the ring over the drill bit and centre it. If you're angling up or down, the ring
will slide in the downhill direction. Drilling and boring holes is a skill that should be mastered
and falls nothing short of any other hand tool skill. Once gained you will realise how little
you need a drill press.
Note: These methods will only ensure plumb in one direction. The mirror method is best
with two mirrors-one in front and one to the side. The ring method only helps with up-down
alignment, not left and right. And only if the workpiece is perfectly vertical.

Practice on scrap first before you

drill into your project.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 28

Step 9.
Let’s turn our attention to shaping the lid. We want a curve and the best way to draw one is
by flexing a rule. I couldn’t take a photo as it took both hands and a rib to hold the rule in
place. I first measured and marked down from the top 1/8” on either side. Then I placed the
rule on the marks, held one end of the rule in place with my ribs and the other with my hand.
With my free hand, I drew the curve. Sounds painful, but it’s not.

Important Note: If you are going to strictly follow the plans provided at the Wood Whisper-
er’s website then you will need to excavate the underside of the lid. Do this now before you
curve the lid. Excavating the lid will allow you to place larger items in the box. For my box,
a pen will be the tallest item in the box, so I left the lid as is. I also felt it would look more
elegant.

With a plane fare the curve. Make an equal number of passes on either side and work towards
the middle. When finished smooth it with sandpaper.

29
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 30
Now we need to curve the
top of the box ends and we
want to replicate the same
curve as we have on the lid.
Assemble your box again,
insert the lid and with a
pencil resting on the lid
draw the curve.

With a coping saw, saw the curve. The teeth should be pointing away from you so you’re cut-
ting on the push stroke as this works well with material thicker than ½” Hold the saw hori-
zontally with both hands and extend your index finger to help you keep horizontal. Saw using
light pressure, do not force the saw.

31
Now shave and smooth the curve to the line. Pay extra attention as you do this because you
can easily plane the curve beyond the lines and be careful not to break out any unsupported
grain. Now glue up your box and leave it to cure overnight.

Step 10.
Shoot the end of the lid for
a nice fit. You don’t want
to feel the end grain on
either side rubbing against
the box ends. You want
the box to open and close
smoothly.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 32

Flush the front and back of the lid with the base. Place clamps on it to keep it from moving.
Check to make sure it didn’t move when you placed the clamps. Now place the box into the
vice and insert the drill bit into the hole that you drilled in the sides and drill to your desired
depth. The depth is dependent on the length of the rod hinge you want to use. I never mea-
sured mine, just eye balled a length that looked right to me. Repeat the same on the other
side.
Insert the brass
rod into the side
of the box until it
bottoms out. Then
mark the rod and
with a hacksaw saw
it off. Repeat the
same on the other
side. Before insert-
ing the rods, sand
the whole box, but
leave the outside
face of the box ends
until after you have
inserted the rods.

33
If you try to raise the lid you will notice it will not open because the rear edges of both the lid
and base are not chamfered. The amount of chamfer needed is about 1/8”. The chamfers do
not need to be flat, you can round them off for a more pleasing visual effect. Chamfer both
edges now, install the rod hinges and open the box and look at the reveal.

When opened the reveal (see photo) should be evenly spaced on both sides. By sandwiching
the box ends for drilling, we were able to achieve that. Had we measured them separately the
chances of a mistake would have increased.

Now file down the rods to be flush with the surface and sand smooth to remove any and all
scratches left by the files.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 34

When using a file, there is no need to apply a lot of downward pressure. You have minimal
control that way and you leave deep scratch patterns. Press lightly, keep horizontal and always
lift the file on the backward stroke, so you don’t blunt the teeth prematurely.

Irrespective of whether files are cheap or not, learn not to be a throwaway society. Depending
on usage your files could last for many years and in most cases your lifetime. So, look after
them and hopefully your grandkids could have the honour of using them after you. After all
grandpa’s tools are sweeter than the most expensive, most elaborate tools on the market.

The construction of the box is now complete. All that’s left to do is apply some finish.

Step 11.
You can use any finish you desire. I chose a hand rubbed finish using Antique Oil. I laid out
everything I needed before beginning.

35
Shake the can for a minute prior to use and pour the contents of the container into a plastic
container. Liberally apply the finish until the box is all covered. Apply more oil over areas that
are being soaked up and leave it to sit for about 5 minutes before buffing it off with a clean
lint free rag. If the box becomes tacky and difficult to buff, wipe over the area with the wet
rag and buff it off with the clean one.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 36

37
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 38
This is what the first coat looks like. Let it sit for 24 hours to cure properly. If it’s humid then
further drying times may be necessary before a second coat can be applied. Apply the second
coat by repeating what you did previously, then let it cure before applying the third and final
coat.
There are many ways that this type of finish can be applied that will give slightly different
results. This is only one method.
My friend William liked the box, but the real lovers were the women folk. They swarmed all
over the box depriving my friend of his gift and I was just waiting for it “Could you make me
one?”, “How much is the box?” Thankfully it was a gift and would be improper to ask.
I do see the appeal in box making. I firstly see the high levels of skill that go into making a
box. The work is small and intricate requiring much finessing, attention to details, cleanliness
in your work and high levels of accuracy. It’s also not cost prohibitive as you only require small
amounts of materials to complete a box. You get a chance to work with various exotic species
that would generally require a second mortgage on your house if you were to build a cabinet
of some sort from it.
Secondly, it’s when the theoretical becomes the practical through the hands-on approach. All
the books you read begin to make sense. You can read about various timbers and their work-
ing properties, but without ever experiencing them by the hands-on approach you will never
truly understand their working and behavioural properties. Queensland Walnut may have the
same appearance as Black Walnut but they are not the same. In fact, Queensland Walnut isn’t
even a true Walnut and cannot be classified as even being in the same family as that of true
Walnuts irrespective of its chosen name. Box making may be small but it’s big on knowledge
and skill.
39
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 40
41
The Rise and Fall of Simonds Hand
Saw Manufacture By Paul Britton
Courtesy of Simonds International
Among American saw manufacturers there
are three names that stand out like canine
anatomy: Disston, Atkins and Simonds, but
the last of these names is less of a household
name, or perhaps that should be workshop
name, in Australia than the first two.
There are at least a couple of reasons for this.
Simonds entered the handsaw market in
1900, which was after Atkins and a longer
time again after Disston. Disston was a mam-
moth size organisation in the early 1900s
with a workforce around 3700 employees.
Simonds wasn’t that far behind and had sever-
al sites employing around 2500 workers. Like
Disston, Simonds had their own steel mill.
Disston must have been exasperated by Si-
monds entry to the hand saw arena as over
the years from 1857 to 1893 Disston had
been aggressively buying out the opposition
with at least fifteen acquisitions, including
many well-known manufacturers such as
Wheeler, Madden and Clemson, Richardson,
Harvey W Peace and Woodrough Mcparlin
to name just a few, and had eliminated much
of their competition. This had been feasi-
ble for Disston because of the Morrill Act
of 1861, which imposed a crippling tax on
imported steel. This was to Disston’s consid-
erable advantage with their own crucible steel
making plant compared to the majority of
their rivals, who had to import their steel.
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 42
Atkins was the exception to this as they im-
ported steel from Sheffield in Great Britain
and continued to flourish.
The second reason Simonds may not be a
familiar name is that they did not have quite
the same distribution network outside of
America that Disston enjoyed.
However, Simonds was similarly placed to
Disston and for the first time exhibited a
complete range of hand saws at the Paris
Exposition in 1900. The first catalogue (that
I have seen) depicting the range was pro-
duced in 1903 and listed 10 models under
the Simonds brand plus another four with an
“A” suffix (e.g., No.7A) which denoted that a
brass guard was incorporated under the han-
dle.
43
An early Crescent Moon and Star No.8 with
a repaired top horn.
By 1912 Simonds had extended their model
line up to around eighteen branded models.
Simonds had a so-called secondary line of
three models (the No.24, was discontinued
by 1910 while the No.25 and No.26 endured
until 1926) and was marketed under the Bay
State name. The Bay State saws in fact cannot
really be considered as secondary lines as they
were the same price as the No.10 saw in the
Simonds brand. Interestingly, they were the
only saws to have birch handles as Simonds
utilised primarily apple for the top models
and beech for the No.10 and No.10 ½ with
very occasionally cherry in the early days for
selected models. Two styles of medallion and
etch were used. This is the earlier version on a
No.24.
And this is the later style on a No.25.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 44

 range, the Pontiac No.50. Pictured is the top
of the budget range, the King Philip No.42.

And to complete the line up a straight back

No.26.
Finally, Simonds produced a budget range
and the lowest priced saw, the Pontiac No.50.
of saws (seven models in 1903)), which had
The Simonds saws and Bay State saws were all
both a model number and a name that re-
taper ground, which was the mark of a bet-
flected the indigenous American Indian pop-
ter-quality product, to afford a narrower kerf
ulation. In 1903 the most expensive Simonds
and superior clearance to avoid binding, while
branded saw, the No.4, was over four times
the budget range saw plates were the same
the price of the cheapest saw from the budget
thickness from tooth line through to the back.
45
The period from 1900 up until the end of
WW1 is generally referred to as the golden
era of handsaws. It was the period of highest
production and the technology had reached a
pinnacle too.
There was little if anything at all that could be
done to improve the product and consistency
had at last also come home to roost. The steel
was as good as it got particularly with regard
to quality control and the handles still had
that flair that so characterised this period, but
the handles became so banal and sometimes (Pic. CM & S Saw + medallion)
just plain ugly in succeeding years. In fact, The catalogue of 1905 shows a change in the
it is quite arguable that shortly after WW1 etch and the medallion refers to Simonds
the quality of hand saws followed a gradual Manufacturing. The early banners were more
but inexorable decline until the middle fifties simplistic than later on and also just a single
after which time it is hardly worth the effort etch has been on the saw plate until 1910.
of commenting.
Simonds must have taken advantage of
this boom. Having started out in 1832 as a
manufacturer of scythes, they at some point
branched out into machine knives, crosscut
saws for logging, bandsaws and circular saws
all prior to 1900. Thus, they had the technol-
ogy and, with their own steel mill, the means
of producing a first-class hand saw product. It
was an age of immodesty, as far as advertising
went, and like Disston, Simonds aggressively
promoted their new product.
It seems that they did this right from the
start. Until 1905 the Simonds brand used a
trademark of a Crescent Moon and Star. This
was featured both on the medallions and in
the etch.

In 1910 Simonds started to boast that their

saws were made of Simonds Steel and a sec-
ond etch appeared proclaiming the saw was
“Made of Simonds Steel,” which was empha-
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 46
sising the ownership of their own steel mill.

The first Blue Ribbon saws appeared in the

1912 catalogue. These saws were top of the
line and featured the 60 series and 70 series:
A total of eight models now became the Si-
monds flagship range, taking over the posi-
tion previously held by the No.4, No.4 ½ and
the No.5. The first saws up to 1916 had an
impressive enamelled medallion that featured
the price of the saw. So, for example, a 26”
No.62 would have “2.50” on the medallion,
being the cost of the saw. This price was also Following are some examples of the medal-
etched into the saw plate near the second lions. As often as not and after more than
etch “Made of Simonds Steel.” All these Blue one hundred years the enamel has fallen out.
Ribbon saws also had a third etch proclaim- Prices ranged from $3.00 down to $1.60. The
ing that the saw was covered by the broadest first medallion shown here is from a No.71
Simonds guarantee. while the second medallion (missing the
enamel) is from an 18” No.371 panel saw:

47
In 1916 as shown here from the catalogue of that year, in the middle of WW1, the pricing
could, according to Simonds, no longer be guaranteed. As a consequence, the price was not

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 48

etched onto the saw plate and the use of the blue enamelled medallion gave way to the manu-
facturing medallion used on the rest of the range.

The Blue-Ribbon models featured a partial blue etch, which over time frequently has faded to
black, but just occasionally is still visible and three etches in total.

The manufacturing medallion lasted through 1922 when Simonds Manufacturing changed
their company name to Simonds Saw and Steel. From 1923 the medallion read “Simonds Saw
and Steel.”

49

Then abruptly in 1926 Simonds ceased pro-
duction of hand saws. Just like that!
Although the reason stated in this carpenter’s
guide was for the cessation of handsaws in
favour of power saws, there may have been
another more insidious reason altogether and
the electric saw story was just a face saver.
There is a rumour that Simonds was a non-
union company and tradesmen including
carpenters were actively boycotting Simonds
products. This could also be the reason that
even today Simonds will not enter into any
correspondence regarding their history: this is
just a theory of mine for the moment.
At the time of writing, I was aware of nine
catalogues between 1903 and 1923. There are
a number of saws that do not feature in any
of these catalogues, but nevertheless do exist.
The following are some examples: -
Simonds No.51 was a “no set” saw (similar to
Disston’s 120ACME, Disston’s No.77 and At-
kins’ No.52) from the Blue-Ribbon range and
was designed to run exclusively in seasoned
hardwood without set. This was possible be-
cause of the increased taper to the saw plate.
The cut produced a finer kerf allegedly not
requiring sanding or planing before gluing.
The two No.51 saws featured below are differ-
ent in the etch and the number of saw screws.
No.51 saws were also produced after 1916
but with the manufacturing medallion in-
stead of the dollar medallion. The four-screw
version displaying some of the original blue
etchings:
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 50
51
And the five-screw version:

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 52

Both versions maintain that correct filing is
essential with the second saw offering more
information, but neither offers any further
advice on the sharpening process. In the
absence of further instructions, we might
assume this just meant that no set was to be
applied (unlike Disston’s ACME120 which
required a tall tooth and a special safe back
can’t saw file).
Another Blue-Ribbon model was the Si-
monds Junior. It was most likely a panel saw
with a special etch for the adolescent car-
The No.44 farm saw was produced during
penter with a rich dad. Of course, Disston
the very last years of Simonds manufacture. It
and Atkins had similar models (Disston’s
was probably a budget saw (it sold for $2.00
American Boy and Atkins’ Junior Mechanic
which in the early years would have been the
to name a couple), but they were aimed at
cost of an expensive model), although it bore
a lower end of the market. All these “boy’s”
the Simonds name albeit with a Warranted
saws were around 20” to 22” and 9ppi.
Superior medallion. This is possibly a sign of
Simonds attempting a last-ditch grasp of the

53
market.
During the Simonds hand saw era, there were
a number of saws produced by most of the
manufacturers that looked like a hand saw
but were not. The most obvious examples
were the pruning saws for garden use, which
were either thin and curved or resembled a
hand saw. This saw below is in fact a hacksaw.
The giveaway is that it has no set and 14ppi.
12ppi is the finest tooth, hand or panel saw I
have seen.
Hand saws in the early years before 1900
were large tools. A 26” hand saw was 7” wide
at the heel and came to be described as a
regular or full depth saw. This name devel-
oped because of the emergence of the, you’ve
guessed it, the narrower style of saw. Disston
called them “Lightweight” and Atkins re-
ferred to them as “Ship Point.” Simonds just
called them “Narrow.” In a 26” saw they were
about 6” wide at the heel and correspond-
ingly narrower (around 1 3/4”) at the toe. As
time went on only these slimmer saws tend-
ed to be made and the regular size saw had
almost disappeared with the advent of WW2.
The No. 7 ½ was Simonds’ first narrow saw,
but with the introduction of the Blue Rib-
bon range it included four narrow saws: The
Nos. 361, 362, 371 and 372. The prefix “3”
designated the narrow aspect. By the time
the company had changed its name in 1923
the range had been rationalised. Only the
eight Blue Ribbon models, the No.10 and the
No.10 ½ remained in the Simonds brand line
up. My conjecture is that Simonds, although
possibly by now in an impossible downward
spiral as far as sales were concerned, realised
that they did not have a lower priced narrow
saw. The No.10, which had started life as full
depth saw was now a medium width saw, and
the No.10 ½ were regular width models. So,
to cope with popular demand the narrow ver-
sion of the No.10 ½ was born and designated
the rather unwieldy numeric, the No. 310 ½.
It apparently never had the time to make it
into any catalogue before the handsaws were
chopped from the product range altogether.
The etch is visible if you screw up your eyes
like you have just sucked the guts out of a
lemon.
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 54

Finally, I have included three saws for no
other reason than they sport one of the most
iconic handles ever made. It is a copy of Dis-
ston’s famous No.12 handle. Simonds were
not alone in copying the handle as there are
at least ten companies that copied Disston.
However, Simonds outdid everybody else
and used it on their No.4 ½, the No.5 and
the No.61. There are subtle differences in the
55
wheat carving, presumably to ward off con-
travention of the patent but otherwise…
Simonds produced a large range of saws and
other associated goods comparable with any
other saw manufacturer around, including
Disston and Atkins. I have to declare my
prejudice for Simonds, but my belief is that
they are as good as any and better than most.
Editor Salko is another Simonds disciple as
he has a couple of Simonds saws in everyday chromate, when exposed to the light, becomes
use. Knowing my enthusiasm for the brand, insoluble. You can buy the bichromate of any
he asked me to produce this article. Simonds good chemist, or preferably from a dealer in
saws can occasionally be found in Australia, photo engraver's supplies.
but most of my own collection has come For another method of making waterproof
from America. glue, I am indebted to the Revue Industriale.
In my defence, I must also declare small Soak ordinary glue in cold water until it soft-
obsessions with Disston’s Victory saws, At- ens, and remove it before it has lost its prim-
kins’ Four Hundred saws, Wheeler, Madden itive form that is, before it runs into a mass
and Clemson’s Holden pattern saws as well as which is the test of the right degree of absorp-
sundry other saws and the Simonds back saw tion of water. After this, dissolve it in linseed
oil over a slow fire until it comes to the consis-
range.
tency of jelly. This glue can be used for joining
My aim was to have an example of each
any kind of material. In addition to strength
handsaw made by Simonds. I have not quite
and hardness, it has the advantage of resisting
gotten there. About six models still elude me:
the action of water.
two Simonds and four models from the bud- Glue that is both waterproof and fire proof can
get range which I refer to as “The third level.” be made by mixing a handful of quicklime with
four ounces of linseed oil; thoroughly leach
Paul is a saw collector, restorer and the best saw sharp- the mixture. Boil until quite thick, and spread
ener I have come across in the state of Qld.
on tin plates. It will become very hard, but
can be dissolved over a fire, or in a glue cooker
like common glue. Of course, this is not glue
at all but a kind of waterproof cement that is
Waterproof glue extremely tenacious. A very cheap waterproof
glue is made by melting common glue with the
By J. Sr. C. McQUILKIN
smallest quantity of water possible. Add to this
“Manufacturer,” who writes for information by degrees, linseed oil made "drying" by boil-
about waterproof glue, is informed that ordi- ing it with litharge. While the oil is added, the
nary glue may be rendered insoluble by the ingredients must be well stirred, so as to mix
addition of tannic acid, dissolved in a small them thoroughly. Here is another way: Take of
quantity of soft water. The amount can best a very thick solution of glue, 100 parts; linseed
be determined by experiment. To give a fixed oil varnish, 50 parts; and litharge, 10
quantity would be misleading because certain parts. Boil these together for ten minutes, and
glues do not respond to the astringent action of use while hot. The additional ingredients have
the acid as well as others. no effect whatever on the adhesive properties of
In order to render glue insoluble in water even the glue, which is rendered entirely waterproof.
hot water it is only necessary when dissolving There are a few other methods of treating glue
the glue for use to add a little potassium bi- to resist moisture, or the application of water,
chromate to the water, and to expose the glued but there is no glue for wood which must be
part to light. The proportion of potassium bi- kept in contact with water, that is better than
chromate will vary with circumstances; but for that containing bichromate of potash, which
most purposes about one-fiftieth of the amount I call "bichromate glue.” Be sure to allow it to
of glue used will suffice. harden thoroughly before exposing it to water.
In other words, glue containing potassium bi-

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 56

 Practical Tests for Varnishes
BY ARTHUR SEYMOUR JENNINGS
Although no absolutely reliable tests can be applied to varnishes to determine their
durability, yet there are certain points about them which will assist materially in that
direction.
The first is colour, and it is always useful to have some very small bottles at hand those
specially made for the purpose are best, and cost very little so as to pour into them a
little of the varnishes under examination, again having a standard in the several grades.
The depth of colour will not tell much, because that will depend upon the grade, and
although it would be a serious defect in a varnish to be applied to white work it would
not be of much moment in some other cases. But there should always be an absence of
turbidity or muddiness. If the varnish is more or less dark it should yet be clear.
There are two practical tests which may be easily applied, and both of them will give an
indication of the presence of rosin, which I venture to assert is always an objectionable
ingredient in varnish, excepting in very small quantities.
It is, however, added principally for the purpose of cheapness and partly to lower the
degree of heat necessary in melting the gum resins, which are the chief ingredient of
most varnishes.
Place a sponge saturated with water on the surface of a coat of varnish and leave it on
overnight. If there is much rosin present the varnish will be found to be white, and
probably more or less wrinkled. If the varnish is a good one, however, there will either
be no white mark at all, or if there is one it will regain its colour when dry.
A pad made of several thicknesses of felt saturated with water is better than the sponge,
as it will touch a larger surface, and a light weight may be placed upon it to hold it in
contact with the surface.
The second test which I recommend is to scrape the dry surface of a coat of varnish
with a sharp penknife. If the varnish is of high grade quality the ribbon scraped off will
be tough and sharp at its edges; if much rosin is present the edges of the scraped por-
tion will be ragged and the film show distinct signs of being brittle. This test is a good
one also for linseed oil.
This question of hardness of varnish is so important that Dir. A. P. Laurie some time
since patented an instrument, the principal of which was simply that of scratching a
dried and varnished surface by means of a steel point.
The apparatus enables accurate readings to be taken, and it has been found that a fine
carriage varnish will withstand a pressure equal to 1,110 grains, fairly good common
varnishes 700, rosin varnishes 200 to 400, and spirit varnishes only a pressure of 100
grains. Thus, we see why it is that the latter are bruised with even a light blow, while
the best carriage varnishes will with stand a considerable force.

57
The smell of varnish gives some information as to its quality, while the time taken to
harden the degree of flowing and working under the brush all yield useful information.
It may be added that it is the opinion of Dir. A. P. Laurie, based upon the experiments
he has conducted with his instrument, that the best oil varnishes do not attain their
maximum hardness until twelve months after they have been applied.
The question of brilliancy of gloss l have not entered into, as this will be sufficiently
obvious in comparing several grades of varnish. It will be best to conduct these experi-
ments in a well-ventilated room heated to a temperature of about sixty degrees. A very
hot room containing moisture-charged air is not suitable, as the conditions are adverse
to the varnish properly drying, and may yield erroneous conclusions.
In conclusion, I should like to remark that there are many more simple tests which
could be made, but they mostly involve the use of heat, or some appliances which are
not at hand.
In writing this paper I have kept steadily in mind the fact that the user is not so much
interested in the chemical constituents of the material that he uses as he is in discover-
ing whether they are genuine, and particularly whether they will do the work for which
they are intended.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 58

 Make a Sticking Board By Salko Safic

According to the Oxford dictionary, the moulding by hand; it can be used when
verb form of “stick” means to push, thrust, ploughing a groove or making a rabbet. I
poke, insert, plunge, dig and probably used mine to make my moulding planes,
many others. In woodworking it means to the entire set of which is not yet complet-
cut a moulding and to do it by hand. The ed.
easiest method is to use a benchtop appli- The “traditional” style sticking board has
ance known as a “sticking board.” one seriously annoying flaw; it has a fixed
A sticking board can be of any length, fence like my old one here.
width and thickness. In its simplest form,
it comprises a flat board and a fixed fence.
A screw or several screws near one end of
the board serve as stops. It can be fixed
to the bench by clamping between dogs,
using holdfasts, or various other methods.
A sticking board doesn’t only serve to cut
59
Rarely have I ever worked a board which was the full width of the sticking board, and
if I did, it never was the exact width. Many times I would use offcuts to fill the empty
space between the board to be worked and the fixed fence. I would do this trying to
make the board flush with the sticking board’s front edge so the fence of my rabbet or
grooving plane can utilise the edge of my workbench. Usually it would be impossible
to make the work piece flush with the edge of the sticking board; instead it would over-
hang. Depending on the thickness of the material being worked, inadvertently tilting
the plane is a common problem and a square rabbet cannot be achieved.
A great solution is to build a new sticking board with an adjustable fence. I cannot take
credit for this as my idea was spawned from watching an episode of The Woodwright’s
Shop. I saw very briefly Roy using one, but unfortunately the camera angle didn’t reveal
much. Nonetheless, it appeared to be a sticking board with an adjustable fence. I start-
ed building on the fly.
Materials
My board is made up of hoarded scraps. Western red cedar for the base and pine for
the fence. I knew one of these years I would find good use for the WRC. The adjust-
able fence rides in tracks that are T slots I bought from Carbatec 10 years ago. The
knobs used to fix the fence in position are part of a box set I also bought 10 years ago
for making jigs. I’ve never found much use for it until now. Note to self: Stop reading
catalogues.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 60

 Handy to have if you’re making a lot
of jigs. I’m not sure if they’re still selling

While a sticking board can be any

length, it has been said that a good
size is about 8’ (2438mm). That is
generally a good size for making
lengths of mouldings, but unfor-
tunately my bench is just under 6’
(1828mm). I made mine from the
length of a scrap I had on hand which happened to be the ideal length for my bench.
The base of my sticking board is: 35 ¾” x 7 1/8” x 1 ½” (908 x 181 x 38mm). The
fence is 35 ¾” x 1 ½” x ¾” (908 x 38 x 19 mm). Optionally, you can install a hook on
the front edge of the base of the sticking board A hook sits against the front edge of the
workbench and stops the sticking board from sliding across the bench, much the same
principle as in shooting boards and bench hooks. But it can also serve as a surface for
the fence of a plane to ride against should you need to plow a groove or cut a rabbet.
I didn’t go out and buy new timber for the hook. Instead I went to a charity shop and
picked up an outdoor table for $4.00. I don’t know what species it is and one of these
days I’ll bother to find out, but it’s heavy and hard yet easy to plane. I’d hate to build a
large cabinet with it; I think I would need a forklift to move it around. The dimensions
are 35 ¾” x 2 ¼” x ¾” (908 x 57 x 19 mm).

Step 1.
If necessary, cut the base to length then plane flat both sides and square one edge. For
the fence, rip 1 ½” (38 mm) from a board, cut it to length and plane it flat and square.

61
Step 2.
Make a couple of dadoes in the base for the T slotted tracks. Measure in 4” from both
ends and make a knife line.

Holding your square still on the knifed line, butt the track against your square and
mark the opposite end. You now have the exact width of the required dado.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 62

Holding your square still
on the knifed line, butt
the track against your
square and mark the op-
posite end. You now have
the exact width of the
required dado.

Repeat chopping the sec-

ond half and finish lev-
elling the bottom of the
dado with a router plane
set to the thickness of the
track and test the fit.
You want the tracks level with the surface. You don’t want the track proud of the base’s
surface because it would interfere with the board being worked.

Step 4
Insert the T slot track into one of the dados and flush one end with the edge of the
base. At the other edge of the base scribe a line on the T slot track. Saw to the line us-
ing a hack saw.

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Clean up the edge with a file and repeat for the second dado. These Bahco files I bought
from England really leave a beautiful surface and remain sharp. Admittedly though, I
don’t use them very often, but I have used in the past the modern-day Nicholson files
and they were very disappointing indeed. I wouldn’t recommend you buy them.

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To glue the tracks in place I used Loctite
AA 330. The glue comes with an activa-
tor and can be bought separately if need
be. This is an ultimate glue for gluing
metal to wood, The instructions are easy
to follow. Spread glue on one surface
and spray the activator on the mating
piece. I didn’t need to use clamps be-
cause the fit was good and tight; adding
clamps wouldn’t have made a difference.
Don’t be in a hurry to buy the Loctite,
as it is expensive. Fish glue from Lee
Valley will work just as well. I’m using
the AA 330 glue until it’s expended; I
bought it so I might as well use it.

65
I left it to dry overnight even though I could have resumed work within 30-60mins.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 66

Step 5
Install the hook. Remember this is optional so skip this part if you don’t want the hook.
I cut the piece to length allowing a little extra for flushing the ends to the base. I used
my own homemade version of liquid hide glue and clamped it overnight. To save time
you should clamp this at the same time you install the tracks but I would highly recom-
mend you don’t install the tracks until you’ve installed the hook and checked for square.
This way you can plane the top square without fear of hitting the metal tracks. Don’t
ask me how I know this.

Once the glue has cured, plane the top edge flush with the top surface of the base and
check the front face of the hook for square with the base. This is critical; there is no
compromising here. The reason is, when you’re planing a rabbet using a fenced rabbet
plane (for example), it’s the face of the hook that the plane’s fence will register against.
If that’s out of square then your rabbet will also be out of square.

67
Pre-drill some holes and reinforce the hook with screws.

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Tidy the ends of the hook with your block plane

Step 6
Now for the adjustable
fence. Place the fence on
the base and flush up the
ends by feel. Hold the
fence immobile, locate
and mark both ends of
each slot onto the bottom
side of your fence.

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What we want is to trans-
fer the exact location and
width of the slots to the
fence. Then we can locate
the dead centre of the
tracks and bore our holes
in the fence precisely to
meet up with the tracks.
This is more precise than
using measurements.

I use a brace and 29/64”

brad point bit to bore the
holes. The eggbeater drill
isn’t ideal as it requires
more torque to bore the
hole.

Accuracy this time round

isn’t all that necessary,
but having said that, it is
good practice to bore and
drill accurately. It takes a
long time to acquire skill,
but without constant
practice it takes no time
to lose it.

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The construction side of it is now complete. You can install the knobs and begin us-
ing it straight away. If you are going to use it, don’t forget to install a screw on one end
which will serve as a stop.
I chose to finish my sticking board with one coat of BLO and left it to dry for three
days. Do not put any paste wax on it. You want your work to grip and not to slip and
slide all over the place.

I have chosen to omit from the article the type, length and quantity of screws used as
a stop. Reason being, as there is no strict rule to use the measurements I have supplied
and in particular to the thickness of materials, I could not justify adding those partic-
ulars as your build will not be identical to mine. You may use thinner, shorter, longer,
wider or narrower stock and the length and number of screws I used will not pertain to
what you may need in your build.
On another note my editor Matt McGrane has pulled me up on an important point
that didn’t cross my mind. He wrote to me and I quote:
“I have a screw-arm plough plane and the arms extend a few inches on the side of the
plane towards the adjustable fence. With a narrow fence, the plane’s arms can hit the
fence’s knob, which interferes with the operation. The solution might be to use a lower
knob or simply a nut.”
He is right. This would be an issue with all plough planes whether antique or new. You
can avoid this potential problem by using Matt’s suggestion of using a hex nut or use
a wider adjustable fence. Having said that, the only time this will become an issue is if

71
your stock is ¾” or less and you had to bring the fence all the way forward to the hook.
I believe this occasion would be a rarity and if it did occur then simply use the above
solution as a temporary fix.

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73
Hmm
Now why didn’t I
think of that?

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 74

 Moisture MetersBy Salko Safic
Moisture meters measure the percentage of
moisture or water in wood. Woodworkers
use them to determine whether or not the
timber is too wet or too dry to be used for
furniture making. If the timber is too dry,
glue bond failure may occur and if too
wet again you may face the same problem.
Using a moisture meter irrespective of
whether you’re a hobbyist or professional
is essential.
I admit that up until recently I haven’t
owned a moisture meter and have to a
certain degree worked wood successfully
without one, but I emphasise the phrase
“to a certain degree”. Not every timber
75
I worked was without its problems of
cups, warps and bows. Not every timber
I planed remained flat the next day. Had
I used a moisture meter prior to working
that wood I at least would have been in-
formed of its moisture content (MC) and
would have decided then and there wheth-
er or not this timber is workable. How-
ever, not always is the MC the culprit, as
I mentioned in the kiln drying article on
the blog. If the timber isn’t dried correct-
ly, it can form stress and regardless of its
moisture content you may face hard times
working with it.
Pinned versus Pinless
A pinned style includes two pins that are proud on top of the meter. These two pins are
inserted into the timber either face or, more commonly end grain to take a reading. A
small electrical current is passed between the points, and the amount of resistance is
correlated to a moisture content. Moisture is a good electrical conductor so the wetter
the wood the less resistance there is to the current. The accuracy of a pinned version is
affected by the variances in the naturally occurring chemical composition of wood spe-
cies, but isn’t as affected by the difference in density from one species to another.
A pinless version penetrates deep into the wood using an electromagnetic wave through
the area under the sensor pad. This creates an electromagnetic field which the meter
correlates to a moisture content. The real beauty of a pinless version is it’s non-destruc-
tive, which means there are no holes bored into your timber and it scans a much larger
area than the pinned version.
The debate regarding the accuracy of the two versions has been ongoing for years with
only ever one outcome, pointing favourably towards the pinned version until recently.
With technological advancements, the pinless style has been shown to be just as accu-
rate with the added benefit of being non-destructive. However, it always boils down to
the quality of the device and there are many manufacturers out there producing both
versions that range in price from $30 to $1000.
All companies, regardless of version will make claims that their meter is the best in
terms of accuracy. Knowledge through research will make you better informed as to the
accuracy of their claims.

So how do we know which manufacturer to choose? Well lucky enough for you I have
done this research over many months and am providing a link for you www.mois-
turemeter.com where you can see for yourselves which brand is better than others.
These tests were conducted by experts and the methods they used are described on the
website. I urge you to thoroughly go through all the brands tested so you can make a
truly informed, unbiased decision. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees even though
the leaves are the same colour.
After extensive research of many, many brands I have opted to go with a Wagner MMC
220.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 76

With this meter, you also receive a clip-on carry case. Yes, this meter is fragile - you
cannot exert more than 2-pounds pressure and a drop from 4 feet or more will result in
damage to the unit, requiring that it be sent back for re calibration. I thought I’d point
that out straight off the bat. Other than that, according to independent moisture meter
experts it’s accurate and measures moisture in the wood and not on the surface of the
wood. It measures softwoods and hardwoods including tropical species. In the manual
you receive, there is a list of specific gravity for most commonly used timbers. If your
timber isn’t listed they also provide a link where you can find this information.
In summary a moisture meter is a must have for any serious woodworker. If you’re
building once or twice a year and you purchase timber from a trusted source then it
would be a complete waste of your money to own one because, by the time you get
around to building your project your wood would have significantly dried and acclimat-
ed to your shop’s environment.
77
On the other hand, if you’re buying timber from privateers and not so reputable busi-
nesses (and I could name a few) then it would make good sense to bring one with you.
Not everybody’s honest and not everybody’s claim of their stock being dry is true. So,
having a meter for your own peace of mind is money well spent in my books.

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 78

 Sharpening Method that Works for Me
by Salko Safic
I've been debating in my mind whether or not to write an article on sharpening at all.
With so many articles written about the subject, you would think there's not much to
cover. Apparently, there is still much confusion, as I see that so many questions are still
being asked. Everyone has their take on the subject and they all have their version of
achieving that final destination we all eventually achieve. Whether we go down the path
instructors suggest or devise our own methods, in the end we all achieve the same objec-
tive and that's “sharp.”

As boring and confusing as this topic has become, it's nevertheless the most crucial
topics in woodworking. It doesn't matter how skillful you may be in carving or hand
planing, if your tools are blunt they're just hunks of useless overpriced metal in your tool
box. You might as well become a tool collector.

So, what is causing all this confusion? Why is sharpening a simple plane iron for most
people so tedious? The answer that I’m about to reveal to you is quite simple, though
I’ve never heard it spoken, seen it in video or read it on the Internet.
I'm fully aware that it will not sit well with many toolmakers and I'm not one of those
whose mission in life is to destroy the toolmaking business. When I decided to start this
magazine, I resolved within myself to be open, honest and unbiased showing neither
preference nor favouritism towards any particular craftsman or tool maker. I will never
allow this magazine to be influenced by paying advertisers; they will be judged or praised
on their merits like any other business and leave the final decision making to you the
consumer.
In relation to sharpening I won't preach to you what you should do; if your methods are
working for you and you’re happy with them, then stop reading and move on as this isn't
for you. If your current methods are not working for you then possibly my method will
work.

The dilemma that most people face with sharpening is not that we can’t get the razor
edge. We can all achieve that through any sharpening medium we use. The issue is, why
does it take so bloody long to sharpen a plane iron? The simple answer is the thickness
of the iron. Modern day A2 irons are thick, a lot thicker than the standard Stanley thin
irons. To sharpen a thin iron by hand can be done within a few minutes. The speed at
which you can sharpen a thin iron does not stem or result from freehand sharpening.
Freehand sharpening does not speed up the sharpening process as some people are led to
believe.
The relatively shorter time it takes to sharpen a thin iron derives from the small amount
of metal that needs to be removed. Modern thick irons have more metal that needs to be

79
removed, therefore greatly increasing the sharpening time to get a burr on the back. It
has nothing to do with what type of metal it is, whether it's O1, A2 or Veritas’ PM-V11.
My antique wooden jointer, which is almost past its use-by date, has a standard O1 thick
iron, and takes just as long to sharpen as it does my A2 thick plane irons.
There is however a small difference between the irons and each has its pros and cons
which I will briefly explain. The benefit of an A2 iron is that it will hold an edge longer
than O1, but an O1 iron will sharpen to a keener edge. The PM-V11 will hold an edge
longer than either A2 or O1. While both the PM-V11 and the A2 can hold an edge lon-
ger than the O1, it doesn't make their edges tougher. The PM-V11 and the A2 edges are
brittle; they're prone to fracture if the bevel angle is less than 30 degrees. This isn't the
case with O1.

Now consider thin irons vs thick irons. The advantage of a thin iron over a thick iron is
your ability to quickly change a bevel angle on the fly to suit the work at hand. If you've
ever tried doing that with a thick iron like I have, you'll probably never do it again, be-
cause it's so painfully slow and tedious. It's better to buy multiple irons and have them
set at various bevel angles than waste an entire day and your stones switching between
different bevel angles on a single thick iron. Toolmakers say their reason for the switch is
that thick irons eliminate chatter. Chatter is believed to be caused by thin irons flexing
at the beginning of the cut and then vibrating. This was first discovered by Leonard Bai-
ley when he introduced thin irons to his planes. To eradicate this problem, he added a
hump to the chipbreaker which you see in all Stanley planes. Personally, I believe chatter
is not related to the thickness of the iron. Rather, I think it's user-induced by applying
too much on the knob (inadvertently lifting the tote) or too little pressure on the knob
at the beginning of the cut or by having the plane set up improperly. The bottom line is,
thin and thick irons both work, but thick irons are not as versatile as it takes much lon-
ger to change the bevel angle."
In most cases, and if forced to use a percentage, I would have to say 99% of the time, a
thin iron will work chatter-free in all softwoods and all but the hardest hardwoods. For
those hardest woods, you will find an A2 thick iron will outperform a thin iron. Chatter
in both thick and thin irons is a rarity, almost unheard of, rarely seen and more closely
related to a myth like the Lochness monster.

Now that we know the causes you're anxious to find out the cure. As the majority of my
planes are thick ironed this method works for me.

Firstly, don't use oil stones on thick irons, you will be frustrated at how slowly they cut.
Don't start with a 1000 grit waterstone either as it too is frustratingly slow. Instead start
with 120 grit wet’n’dry sandpaper. In no time you will get a burr, then progress to 220
or 240 grit to take out the scratches left by the previous grit. Next move on to a 1000
grit waterstone, then 4000, then 8000 and finish off on the strop. I've mentioned wa-

The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 80

terstones and not diamond stones as I only have one course diamond stone and I use
that to flatten my water stones. I have used a diamond stone a few times in the past and
found it to cut just as fast as the course grit sandpaper. As for the finer grit diamond
stones, I've never owned them and cannot comment on them. I would recommend us-
ing a honing guide of some sort to maintain consistency of the bevel. While it's possible
to freehand sharpen it's not possible to maintain a perfectly consistent angle. If I do oc-
casionally opt to freehand sharpen I will intentionally raise the iron to get a burr quickly,
which means I'm now creating a secondary bevel. A secondary bevel is just as the name
implies; a second bevel added to a primary bevel. You raise the iron about 2 degrees to
create a very small secondary bevel. This leads to the question of why you would do that.
The logic behind it is that it significantly speeds up your sharpening. You may get six to
seven sharpenings before this bevel gets too large, at which time you would then need to
reestablish your primary bevel and establish a new secondary bevel.
Well that sounds like a lot of work and you may wonder why couldn't you just leave it as
is and create a third bevel? You certainly could do that but eventually your bevel would
get so steep that you would create a scraper. Steep angles are great when planing highly
figured woods, but it also makes the plane harder to push and the blade dulls quicker as
well.

This now leads to one final question. Are secondary bevels necessary at all? If you’re
using a thin iron then its fine either way. However, for a thick iron without resorting to
a grinder, sharpening just a primary bevel is far too time consuming. It’s just not worth
the effort.

My sharpening method is unconventional. I admit to that fact. Many may see it as a

waste of time to take all those extra steps, but so is standing there for half an hour wear-
ing out my 1000 grit waterstone, my fingers, and my patience. I work through the grits
on the same principle you would when sanding. You wouldn't jump from 120 grit
sandpaper to a 400 grit and expect to take out those scratches left by the previous grit.
Instead you would progress through the grits making those scratches finer and finer until
the surface is ready for finish.
This method I employ is only for thick plane irons and not for chisels. Chisels are
narrow and my 220 grit waterstone creates a burr very quickly, after which I progress
through the rest of my stones.

My method works for me, it's the fastest method I know without having to resort to us-
ing a grinder or a Tormek. What degree of sharpness you may get using the convention-
al method after the stropping I get prior to stropping. The strop further refines the edge
taking it to an even higher level. Give it a go; it may work for you.

81
The Lost Scrolls of HANDWORK 82
 Longcase Clock
Maker: Clockmaker: Mario Gambelli (Italian, active 1766)
Date: 1766
Culture: Italian, Bologna
Medium: Case: partly gilded walnut and pine with later additions of various woods;
Dial: brass; Movement: brass and steel
Dimensions: Overall: 96 1/2 × 23 × 15 3/4 in. (245.1 × 58.4 × 40 cm)
Classification: Horology
Credit Line: Gift of Madame Lilliana Teruzzi, 1971

83
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