The shaving horse, or shavehorse, is a simple machine that is useful when woodworking with hand tools. The shavehorse is a bench with a built-in foot operated clamp. It allows you to quickly clamp and unclamp your work by pressing…
Shaving Horse
Mortise and Tenon
The mortise and tenon joint is central to timber framing. There are many variations of the basic mortise and tenon joint, and in this article we’ll be focusing on the shouldered mortise and tenon. You can think of the shoulder…
How to Sharpen a Chisel with Sandpaper
I like to buy used chisels at antique stores and flea markets. You can get a quality chisel for a few bucks, and with a little elbow grease turn that rusted dull tool into something you can shave with. You…
How to Cut Down a Tree
Bringing down a tree is dangerous work. If you’re not physically fit, don’t attempt it. If you don’t understand the proper techniques, or have never done it before, don’t try it. At a minimum, do your research and ask someone…
Where to Buy Timber Framing Tools
If you’re new to timber framing, you probably don’t have the specialized tools to turn trees into a frame. Most carpenters have drill bits, but not a 2″ t-auger. Most carpenters have small bench chisels for finish carpentry, but not…
How to Sharpen an Axe
Restoring an old axe can be very rewarding. The axe in the picture to the left was discovered in the basement of an old barn in Michigan. ?To restore an axe, you’ll need a few tools and a lot of…