FAQ
Woodworking questions are easy to answer. These are questions that were compiled from the WoodNet Hand Tools forum.
Pins or tails first?
Tails.
What is the nib at the end of a saw for?
Decoration.
Sandpaper sharpening, oil stones, or waterstones?
Waterstones.
How many chisels are too many?
No such thing as too many chisels.
What is the correct height for a hand tool workbench?
30".
How much is this **** worth?
It doesn’t matter, someone will still say you paid too much for it.
Are the new Woodriver “Bedrock” style Planes a blatant rip off of a Lie-Nielsen?
Yes.
Are the new Stanley SW Planes worth it?
No.
Should I make this tool or buy it?
Buy it, so someone can tell you you spent too much money on it.
Is saw sharpening hard to master?
No.
Baileys or Bedrocks? Which are better?
Bedrocks.
Adjuster?….I don’t need no stinkin’ ADJUSTER!!
You’re right.
Do we boycott Woodcraft because of the Lie-Nielsen fiasco or do we support them?
Boycott, except for the Allentown and New Castle stores, because the folks there are cool. The Libertyville store sucks because they can’t keep sales staff that know what they are doing.
Buy new or vintage?
New.
Holtey planes: Shameful excess or wise investment?
Shameful investment. It is an investment, but you should be ashamed that you didn’t put that money into a mix of small, mid, and large cap funds instead.
Smoothers: Bevel up or bevel down?
Bevel down.
Which hammer should I get?
A big one and a little one.
How should I sharpen my kitchen knife?
Waterstones.
How flat does the bottom of my plane have to be?
Flat enough.
Whatever the most controversial thread was here, I guarantee you it would have gotten snuffed out before it got started over on SMC.
Yes, unless Keith Outten posts in the thread, in which case his posts will survive.
Can I stop sharpening at 3 microns or do I need to go to .005 microns to actually get a sharp edge?
You can stop wherever you want, but it’s better to go to 0.5 microns.
Japanese vs Western whatever (chisels, planes,etc)
Japanese, of course.
New Veritas back saws - ugly or revolutionary?
Neither.
Japanese or western chisels?
Again, Japanese.
If I use romex to ground the PVC dust collection pipe for my Sawstop, does it need to be in conduit?
Yes, to protect it from being severed by the the flying piece of kickback wood.
Ply, MDF, or Solid???
Solid.
What constitutes fine woodworking?
Why are we talking about woodworking? It’s all about the tools.
What bevel angle should my bench chisels be sharpened to? I mostly work with balsa and white oak.
It doesn’t matter, if you are using always excellent Japanese chisels, in which case it’s 30º, with no secondary or microbevel.
Is Ron Herman a collector or a user?
He’s a teacher.
Bashing anything new that costs more than the vintage equivalent
New tools are always worth the price difference.
Should I refurb this plane or not refurb it?
Refurb.
Norm: Savior of the Universe, or Evil Incarnate?
Savior.
Who pays $2K for an infill plane when my $40 bailey can do the same thing?
A $40 Bailey can’t do the same thing.
To microbevel or not to microbevel. That is the question.
No microbevel.
Using solid wood takes more talent than working with plywood or veneer.
Yes, and no, depending on the application.
O-1 vs A2, which gets sharper?
O-1
Is this the Elitest Thread?
No, that is the thread for people who are the most Elit. This is the thread for hand tool dilettantes.
Q: How many SMC administrators does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: *** This thread has been locked. ***
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Hollow grinding Japanese chisels?
No.
Turning a Bailey #4 into a scrub plane?
Not worth while.
Which edge joints better–a #7 or #8?
#7.
Which is more useful–a #3 or a #6?
#3.
Do plastic toolboxes belong in a handtool shop?
No.
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See – that was easy! The hard part is figuring out which of these answers were done without my tongue in my cheek.