Old Reliable

Do you have a favorite hand tool? I have quite a few I wouldn’t easily part with, and one of them is a Starrett combination square Starrett combination square I purchased about 25 years ago. It’s not that this square has sentimental value for me, although I’ve built many, many projects with it. I could replace it with an exact duplicate tomorrow, so it isn’t even rare. The deeper reason why I love it stems from how incredibly well-made it is, and how I know with absolute certainty that it is accurate. I keep it on a counter near my bench for the duration of every project because I’m reaching for it all the time – from taking measurements and checking blade and bit heights to scribing lines and verifying squareness. When the project is done, I tuck “old reliable” away in a foam-lined drawer. I’ve never dropped it a single time that I can recall, and there’s not a spot of rust on it. It deserves a protected storage place because every time I pull it out, it’s clean, pristine and ready to go to work again. I paid top dollar for it when I bought it, and they’re still expensive today. But this square is worth every penny.

In his book Setting Up Shop, Sandor Nagyszalanczy has this to say about the value of quality tools:

“My basic philosophy is, it’s better to own a few really good tools than an entire shop full of cheapies and clunkers—tools that are inaccurate, require superhuman effort to use, and don’t produce the work you will be proud of. Things you use every day, such as a tape measure, table saw, layout tools, and any tool that must retain precision to be good (square, rulers, calipers) should be the best you can afford.”

I wholeheartedly agree.

Chris Marshall, Woodworker’s Journal

Marking the Joints

In this episode, Ian demonstrates how to use measuring and marking tools to lay out a mortise-and-tenon joint.

Making a Tack Cloth

Here are some simple options for charging a cloth so it removes dust better. You might not really even need a “dedicated” tack cloth.

Contemporary Table

Beautify your home with this Danish Modern-inspired plant stand. Build it from start to finish in one day.

Mitered Jewelry Box

Dazzling figured maple and quality brass hardware combine to form an eye-catching jewelry box that’s fun to build.

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