|
|
|
Workshop |
| Most of the machinery in the shed is of the old, heavy cast-iron type. This is largely Australian made and of very good quality. It is worth finding old machines and restoring them, as they are usually quite basic in design but very heavy and strong. As with most industrial machinery they have adjustments to allow for wear, and careful setting up can reward you with a machine that will do far more work every day than what most people use it for in a week or month. This dismantling and rebuilding also teaches you how it should work and fine-tuning your old machine to operate better than a new, lighter version is very rewarding. |
|
| Hand tools can be a bit the same. Most old planes can be resurrected with a few hours work and many old tools are much better quality than new, cheaper versions. They still need to be checked for accuracy and adjusted if necessary.
Any cutting tools, whether hand or machine, should be kept "ridiculously sharp". This involves good quality stones in a few grades, and keeping these stones flat and ready to use.
|
 |
| A good bench is very important for any woodwork. Its top should be strong and kept flat. I like to laminate the tops from hardwood, which is a lot of work but well worth it. This top is periodically hand planed and scraped to keep it flat and to remove any glue spots. My bench is height adjustable and can be set anywhere between 850 - 1250 mm high. This is done with a heavy steel base with internal threaded rods in each leg. When I adjust the height, the top is levelled in both directions to keep it flat and out of wind. Four screwed legs also mean the bench won't wobble if it is moved to a new position and the legs are simply adjusted so they all touch the floor. |
 |
