by Elia Bizzarri | Aug 23, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 2 Comments
DRILL BITS: POSITIVE TOOLS FOR MAKING NEGATIVE SPACES Buying (what to look for in old drill bits and new ones) Choosing the right bit for the job Sharpening Augers, Spoon Bits, Center Bits, etc. Making Bradpoints from Twist Bits Q&A Session Saturday, August...
by Elia Bizzarri | Aug 6, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 7 Comments
My first online class about drawknives was quite a success last weekend. Fifty-eight people registered for the class and Roy Underhill showed up with lots of equipment and proceeded to film the entire class for me. We had lots of good questions. One question that came...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 20, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, Classes | 26 Comments
P.S. If you are getting this via a e-mail account that doesn't show photos, the first image contains the post text - you can view it on my blog
by Elia Bizzarri | Jun 30, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 7 Comments
The last few months have been a time of innovation for me. I've been working on a new tool to produce - a handled scraper for cleaning up chair seats. Right now I'm trying to bend the handles out of walnut, which isn't real easy. I've also been...
by Seth Elliott | Jun 11, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 3 Comments
Elia recently invited me to contribute to his blog. By way of introduction, I’ve been working with Elia since 2017—primarily as resident toolmaker. Prior to that I had a career as a baker and pastry chef, but my shift to woodworking had earlier inklings. After college...
by Elia Bizzarri | May 3, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 0 Comments
For your entertainment and edification, here are some more British Pathe woodworking videos. If you watch one, watch the tennis rackets - it's a pretty neat look at a mechanized shop that was still using a froe and drawknife. Turners making chess pieces in Hungry in...
by Elia Bizzarri | Apr 15, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, Spoon Bits | 7 Comments
How do you get a spoon bit to keep from wandering? What's the best way to prevent tear-out with a spoon bit? We are all victims of a post-industrial mindset and we all ask these questions. But these questions miss the point. Lets look at some photos...
by Elia Bizzarri | Mar 21, 2020 | Steam Box | 2 Comments
Do you really need a steam box? Boiling parts in water serves the same purpose as steaming and requires a simpler set-up with fewer heat-loss issues. ‘Chairmaking in High Wycombe’ references boiling of chair bows and I have bent table legs, shaker boxes and hay forks...
by Elia Bizzarri | Mar 1, 2020 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 4 Comments
I visited with Curtis Buchanan last week, building Velda's chairs and going over his new plans for the Velda's chair. On the way to his TN home, I dropped off Tomi's Birdcage Side Chair. Here's a story about her chair: Last week, I was at the lathe turning...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 2, 2018 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, Classes, How-To | 4 Comments
I recently posted about drill bit varieties for chairmaking and got a number of comments about Wood Owl bits. I had never used them, but someone kindly sent me a couple to try. Here's what I found: There is no such thing as a perfect bit. Designing a drill bit is a...
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