Quangsheng Rebating Block Plane: My Verdict

If not for a minor accident last week [more on that to come!], I’d have been able to deliver my final thoughts on the Quangsheng Rebate Block Plane before now. For the time has come to pass it on to the next participant in the Workshop Heaven Passaround.

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Sash Cramp Racks

For too long, I’ve been in need of a decent system for storing my sash cramps. Although I forgot to photograph this, these clamps were previously stashed upright against the wall, behind the left-hand end of my workbench. Getting one cramp out was bad enough – and the ones I needed were typically always buried behind the others!

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Trouble with Tool Wells

The problem.

Last summer, I built myself a workbench, after several months of design and deliberation. Despite being a vast improvement over the previous design I was using [read: 'struggling with'], I’ve realised there are a couple of areas that don’t work quite as well as I had hoped… Sometimes, you can’t know these things until you’ve actually tried them out! At a later date, I hope to look at repositioning my front vice but, to begin my workbench revision, I’ve been looking at my tool well… Continue Reading…

Anyone for Cookies?

Issue no.16 (February/March) of British Woodworking magazine has just hit shelves. If you haven’t already bought a copy, I’d highly recommend you do so, (if only to read about the drop-leaf table I built at college, last year!). Earlier in this issue, you may have noticed that I recently bought a set of four bench cookies from Rutlands (previously only available from Rockler in the US; also available from Classic Hand Tools*). In addition to what you may have already read in that article, I wanted to take this opportunity to delve in to a bit more detail. Just how useful are these cookies…? Read more…

Quangsheng Rebate Block Plane (Part 1)

For the past week now, I’ve been in possession of a rebate block plane with Chinese origins; branded ‘Quangsheng‘, supplied by Workshop Heaven (identical planes, with no branding, are also available from other UK suppliers). As this is my turn in the latest Workshop Heaven ‘passaround‘ on the UKworkshop forums [another incentive to join!], I don’t get to keep it for long. So, without purchasing a plane of my very own, I can only give my first impressions. Read All About Them…

Abrasive Sheet Storage

For too long, the packs of A4-sized abrasive sheets (usually wet and dry paper) I occasionally buy have been in need of a storage solution. This first photo needs no further explanation, I’m sure! As I’m in between other jobs at the moment; trying to make the most of the materials I have without spending money; I took the time today to complete one job that will certainly have a positive effect on the organisation of my small workshop. Read on…