Kari Hultman

I used two boards and left a 3/16" gap between the two for a few reasons: to allow for seasonal movement; so that only two legs had to fit each top piece rather than trying to fit all four (I used through dovetails and through tenons); and so I could take it apart and carry the pieces more easily. I didn't plan to clamp anything in between, but I can remove one of the top pieces very easily if necessary and the bench is still solid. The joinery of the through tenon and through dovetail pins the outer edges of the top boards so that they only expand toward the middle. I was hoping that would happen, but wasn't sure it would. I have no regrets at all.

I will be happy to trade autographs with the world renowned hand tool aficionado and Hand Tool School creator Shannon Rogers.

Lie-Nielsen is hosting a hand tool event at Exotic Lumber in Gaithersburg, MD this Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7. Friday is from 10-6 and Saturday is from 10-5. I read somewhere that Chuck Bender will be there, but I don't see his name on the postcard they sent out.

Oh yeah....I guess I kinda conveniently "forgot" about that.

I tried out this saw (the one from the PopWood article) at the WIA Conference and was surprised that it worked so well because it looks so different. It took a little while to get the hang of it, but it does work well. I do not plan to buy one, however, because I like the look of traditional hand tools.

I agree with Wilbur—don't be surprised if your saw is a little grabby when you first use it. New saws get better after they've chewed on a few boards.

Vic, the idea adds to the perceived value, so it's a good marketing tool. As an advertiser/graphic designer, I would only caution the woodworker to resist going into so much detail that the client's eyes glaze over. Highlight only the most interesting points. Keep it short and interesting.

Sometimes, tasks like that one can go more quickly with just a band saw and plane rather than taking the time to set up and do test cuts on a table saw. If you're doing a large production run, though, the TS is more efficient. But it ain't as much fun, in my opinion.

Josh, I'll second that. It's surprising what can be done with just a few tools. (Sorry, Allen.)

Your cupboard looks great, Josh! I bet that fun to build with just hand tools.

Bobby, here is one way to put a camber on a plane iron. You'll need to hone it on stones afterward, but this will easily give you the initial arc. You can adjust the shape of the arc—subtle or extreme—with this jig: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/video_tricks_in_action_plane_blade_cambering_jig/

If you like antique tools, this is the dealer show you don't want to miss (Friday): http://www.finetoolj.com/brownAuctions/current.html The auction is Saturday, but the dealer show is where you get the best bargains (IMO).

Wilbur, I don't hollow grind my Japanese chisels, so they take a little longer to sharpen (once you've gone through a couple micro bevel sharpenings) than the chisels that I do hollow grind. I use Japanese waterstones.

Jeff, a very good dovetail saw that does not cost a fortune is the one offered by Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=64007&cat=1,42884 You have choices between 14 and 20 tpi. The lower number will cut more aggressively, and the higher number will give you a thinner kerf (for skinny dovetails). Inexpensive chisels are fine, you will just need to sharpen them more often. When you want to invest in better chisels, I recommend Japanese. They take a while longer to sharpen, but they hold an edge for a very long time.

There are some good books out there, such as The Toolbox Book, by Jim Tolpin; and books on tools and workshops, such as Choosing and Using Handtools, by Andy Rae. You can also google "handtool cabinet" and you'll get a bunch of references. Fine Woodworking printed an article years ago which was written by Christian Becksvoort on designing a tool cabinet. Here is the link, but membership is required to download it, if you don't have this issue: http://www.finewoodworking.com/PlansAndProjects/PlansAndProjectsPDF.aspx?id=2764