Typing the hind leg off a saw horse

So I've hit the 4000 post mark on UK Workshop. Is this a moment for congratulation? Should I bask in the knowledge that my words or, ha hum, wisdom have so readily fallan upon the ears of a grateful populace? Or should I be hiding in a corner and promising to really shut the hell up this time? My instinct is the latter. Hell's teeth, I'm almost 2000 posts clear of the next highest (hiya, T!). For the love of Mike, somebody tell me to be quiet!

Ironically, I've felt compelled to type yet more in order to voice this sentiment. I think it's an illness...

Ahhh, rust.

For the first time in what seems an age I came back from the car boot having actually bought something. Okay, so it's nothing major - a Marples honing guide (with instructions!) - but at least it wasn't a total washout. Also saw a Disston back saw that was virtually worn/rusted away, and for a moment I thought I'd found the Yankee hand drill, who's number escapes me, with the ratchet that I've always wanted. Well I had, but the ratchet mechanism was shot. :~( Oh well, I'm getting closer to one. The nearest I'd got before this morning was a "you should have been here yesterday, we had one of those drills which go forwards and backwards and stuff". Anyway you could say I found two great tools, just about 40 years too late to save them...

I Googled for the honing guide and found an example here. Now either I've just made the buy of the century and can expect a twelve-fold return on my investment, or they're a tiny bit optimistic... But if anyone reading this wants to offer me that much for it, it's a done deal. ;~)

*£$%&! plywood

Jewsons delivered easily the worst, and most expensive, Far Eastern ply I think I've ever had from them. Voids all over the place, patched like a quilt, and splinters out like it's trying to turn me into a pin cushion. Grrrr. Might give Travis Perkins a shot next time. On the plus side I decided to indulge in a few housings, or dados if you must, just so I could play with the router. Ooo, s'good. Looks bulky but doesn't feel like it when in use. The Wealden 1/2" straight did a nice job too, but the "Dakota" clamp guide was rather too tempremental for my taste. A nasty tendency to slip if you're not absolutely on the ball with it, while the old Clamp'n'guide was rock solid. Pretty glad I didn't pay full whack for the Dakotas.

Workshop reorganisation

Don'tcha just love 'em? The desperate scramble to find somewhere to put X while you move Y to A in order to then change Z round with B... All to facilitate being able to work at the bench from all sides. I must be mad. Anyway, progress so far:



Next task is to clean up round the lathe. You can bet I'm really looking forward to that...