Olde Tool Workshop

Well, it’s that time of the year when a man’s thoughts turn to soft wax. Homemade soft wax is an indispensable component in any traditional woodworking shop. It’s safe, easy to use, and has a lot of applications from coating tools to prevent rust to using it as a milk paint top coat.

I decided to make up a fresh batch today, as I had all the materials according to Lost Art Press’s recipe, which calls for 2 cups of boiled linseed oil, 108 g of food-grade beeswax, and 4 tablespoons of citrus solvent. I added an extra tablespoon of solvent because I wanted my wax just a little bit softer.

Why We Do It: A Reflection on Traditional Hand Tool Woodworking

In a world full of CNC routers, cordless brad nailers, and laser sited chop saws, it might seem odd, even unnecessary, to reach for a hand saw and a chisel. But many of us do. We plane our boards flat with muscle, sweat and intention. We mark our dovetails with knife and gauge. We reach for the familiar weight of a wooden mallet instead of plugging in a router (my most disliked modern power tool).


Bedrock Planes

If you’ve been using standard Stanley bench planes like the No. 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 you might be wondering whether upgrading to a Stanley Bedrock (models 603–607 or others) is worth it. The short answer is: it depends on what you value in your tools. For many experienced woodworkers, the Bedrock series offers a noticeable upgrade in precision, performance, and long-term satisfaction. For others, it may feel like an unnecessary added expense.

Stanley Number 3 Type 5 as it was when purchased

Up until now, this blog has almost exclusively focused on tools either made in the golden era of woodworking or new tools based on tools from that period. Well, today’s blog will be covering something a bit more modern—something new from the 21st century: 3D printing (I know there was 3D printing in the 20th century, but it was only in this century that it became available to home enthusiasts).