Posted December 16, 2018

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The Anarchist’s Gift Guide is a yearly list from Chris Schwarz that puts an end to the question of what Uncle Woodworker wants for Christmas. Each entry recommends items that are simple, inexpensive and that a woodworker will actually use throughout the year.

If you’re not a woodworker but you’ve got one on your holiday shopping list, look no further. We’ve pulled together all of Chris’ posts and put them in order here. If you are a woodworker, subtly slip the words “Anarchist’s Gift Guide” into conversation. Or just print out what you like and put it on the fridge – whatever works.

2018

BORA Tempest Forstner Bits

Tool: Tempest Forstner Bits Shop Now Manufacturer: Bora Tool MSRP: $9.99-$299 The new Tempest Forstner bits from BORA are a set to be reckoned with. These forged bits are made by renowned bit maker FISCH. The precision ground edges are accurate and sharp—perfect for drilling by hand or with a drill press. Drilling in hardwood…

More Things You Can Do with a Sash Clamp

Beyond its prime use as a bar clamp, an inverted T-bar sash clamp can be handy when holding pieces for planing and gouging. Below is an example of how to use this clamp to tie down a branch and gouge its interior to turn it into a long bowl. If you don’t have a tail…

ShopNotes Podcast Episode 194 — A Reflection of Myself and Work Habits

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, John, and Logan are talking about the delights of shop snooping, some tours, milling, and maybe dive into some mythical woodworking tools. Thanks to our episode sponsor, Grizzly Industrial, purveyor of fine woodworking machinery since 1983. Buy Direct and save from www.Grizzly.com Find all of the…

The Clamp You’ve Never Heard of: Sash Clamps

This blog entry will make our UK base readership happy and will bring a smile to the British expats who live in the USA. This week’s story is about sash clamps, a type of clamp that I haven’t seen in American woodworking catalogs or being mentioned by North American content creators. Most American woodworkers are…

ShopNotes Podcast Episode 193 — When I Need a Good, Clean Hole

In this week’s episode for the ShopNote’s Podcast, John, Phil, and Logan respond to some listener comments, questions, and critiques. Special thanks to our show sponsor Titebond – Woodworkers, builders and contractors depend on Titebond to deliver the most consistent, highest-performing products to meet their demands. Check them out here: http://www.titebond.com/ Find all of the…

Dado Blade Showdown – 11 Blades Compared

We set out to compare 11 premium dado blades to help you sort out which might be right for you. Dado blade stacks, comprised of two outer blades and a series of inner chipper blades, may have not changed much in the past 15 years, but recently new features have appeared, promising quicker and easier…

BORA Tempest Forstner Bits

Aging Your Woodworking Projects Gracefully, Part 2

Fictional ‘incidents’ give a piece a believable back story. In Part 1 I gave an overview of creating an aged look for new pieces of furniture, and discussed mechanical wear. The second prevalent type of wear is incidental. “Incidental” means wear that did not result from ordinary use. Incidental wear is what happens to a piece…

Table Saw Tenon Jig

With five pieces of wood and a clamp, you can make vertical cuts safely. Most magazine articles about jigs miss the point entirely. Jigs exist to make work easier, safer and more accurate. They shouldn’t be complicated projects in and of themselves – they should be something simple you can put together quickly so you…

Bowl Blank Guide Disc

Here’s an easy way to cut bowl blanks from half log sections. Cut a round guide disc from 1/4″ thick material the size you want your blank to be, and countersink a hole in the center. First, saw the log in half on your Bandsaw, then screw the guide disc to the flat side of…

Problems in Wood Finishing

Once an inaccuracy gets started, it becomes almost impossible to correct. “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on,” said Winston Churchill (or others, if you believe different attributes). If you are familiar with my teaching and writing about finishing, you know that I have devoted…

Easy-lift Bench Dogs

I really like my round Veritas bench dogs because they’re so versatile and easy to install. The only problem I have with them is raising the less accessible ones when they’re tucked down flush in their holes. My bench is against a wall, which makes it difficult to push the rear-most dogs up from underneath….

2017

2020 Gift Guide

Welcome to the 2020 edition of the Popular Woodworking gift guide! There’s something for everyone, whether they’ve been holed up in the shop for years or are just starting out. The Gift For All Woodworkers: Woodworking Magazine Reprints Buy Now Manufacturer: Popular Woodworking Price: $9.95/issue Woodworking Magazine ran from 2004 to 2009 and featured no fluff,…

2019 Gift Guide

Welcome to the 2019 edition of the Popular Woodworking gift guide! We have products for every creative person on your shopping list, from an $8 pair of safety goggles to a $6500 laser cutter. Want to give your significant other a hint for what you want? “Accidentally” leave this article open on their laptop, having…

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 11: Masons’ & Engravers’ Square

Every year with this gift guide, I recommend one tool that is just a little more expensive than the others but is definitely worth the money. This year it’s the Lee Valley Cast Masons & Engravers’ Square. This is a new item in Lee Valley’s catalog, and the minute I saw it, I ordered one….

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 10: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands

If were being honest, woodworking would be a lot more difficult in the winter months without O’Keeffe’s Working Hands. I have a container of this at my workbench and by my computer. It is the only thing that keeps my fingers moving smoothly over my tools and the keyboard. I know there are a lot…

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 9: Clamptite Tool

I love wooden tool handles. Their only downside is they break and need to be repaired or replaced. If you prefer to repair your tool handles, the inexpensive Clamptite tool is your best friend. The Clamptite is a bit difficult to explain to people who haven’t used it. Basically, it is a device that can…

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 8: Drawer Tape

If you build traditional drawers without metal slides, then “drawer tape” is something you should probably become acquainted with. Sometimes sold under the brand Nylo-Tape, this stuff is great for fixing drawers or any other sliding assembly that has become worn from use. My tool chest, for example, has three sliding tills that get moved…

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 5: Rosin

I’m a bit ashamed of how long it took me to buy an inexpensive block of rosin and put it in my tool chest. Rosin, also called calophony, is derived from pine sap and increases friction on anything you rub it upon. That means that your slippery bench dogs or planing stop will suddenly stand…

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 4: Rivierre Nails

The wire nails at the home center stink for making furniture. Don’t even think of them as nails. They are more like greased straws than they are fasteners. Once you try Rivierre forged nails, I think you’ll develop a deep respect for the nail that has Roman DNA. Nails built this country. At one point…

Anarchist’s 2017 Gift Guide, Day 3: No-Kill ‘Mutton’ Tallow

Hand-tool woodworkers love mutton tallow as a lubricant for saws, auger bits and the soles of our handplanes. A smidge of the stuff will make your tool slide easier – and your shop will smell like lambchops. But because of animal-rights concerns, mutton tallow is shunned by some woodworkers. (They already shun paraffin because it…

2016

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

Anarchist’s 2016 Gift Guide, Day 10: Blue Spruce Try Square

At the conclusion of every gift guide, I like to offer a tool that is a bit expensive but will change the way you work or – at the least – wildly exceed your expectations. This year, it’s the Blue Spruce Try Square. When I first saw photos of the square on the Internet, the…

Anarchist’s 2016 Gift Guide, Day 9: ‘Good Clean Fun’

The following statement contains 99 percent corn, but the remaining 1 percent is what gets me moving in the morning. The greatest woodworking gift isn’t a tool or a shop accessory. It’s watching someone else fall in love with the craft based on something you’ve done. If there’s someone in your life who might be…

Anarchist’s 2016 Gift Guide, Day 8: A Trusco Toolbox

I have worked out of an 18th-century-style tool chest since 1997 or so, but I still love a good metal toolbox. They are great for moving tools to a jobsite or storing a dedicated set of wrenches or a socket set. The plastic or sheet-metal toolboxes at home centers do nothing for me. The plastic…

Anarchist’s 2016 Gift Guide, Day 6: WoodOwl Auger Bits

Jameel “Jamal-Alabama” Abraham of Benchcrafted introduced me to these bits, and I still need to repay the favor with beer and/or bratwurst. These bits are the cat’s meow, knees and pyjamas. Made in Japan, the WoodOwls cut through tough, wet, thick wood like it almost isn’t there. When you drill a lot of holes through…

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

Anarchist’s 2016 Gift Guide, Day 4: MWTCA membership

I am not a joiner. Well, I am a joiner in that I join pieces of wood. But I don’t join clubs. I dislike clubs. But despite this, I love being a member of the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association (MWTCA). It’s a bunch of the nicest old dudes and women in the world who collect…

Anarchist’s 2016 Gift Guide, Day 3: Humidity Monitor

A lot of woodworking problems can be avoided simply by monitoring the relative humidity in your shop with a simple and inexpensive hygrometer. In most areas of the United States, the target relative humidity for inside buildings is 35 to 45 percent, though that will vary if you live in a desert or a swamp….

2015

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 10: Abranet

I do almost no power sanding. But I do use abrasives in my work. And the only abrasive I use is Abranet. I hesitate to call it “sandpaper” because it is absolutely nothing like sandpaper. There’s no paper – it’s a woven mesh. And the abrasive is nothing like sand. But it lasts forever, doesn’t…

Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 9: Lie-Nielsen Honing Guide

Every year I recommend one tool that is a bit spendier than the rest, and this year it is the Lie-Nielsen Honing Guide. Thomas Lie-Nielsen first showed me the prototypes about eight years ago, and it was a long and involved path for the company to get this tool into production. Like the company’s chisels…

Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 8: Better Beeswax

During the last few years as I have turned my back on finishes with lots of volatile organic compounds, I’ve begun looking for traditional high-quality finishes that won’t shorten my lifespan. I’ve bought a lot of beeswax from a lot of different sources, from national manufacturers to the individual beekeeper. They all work, but the…

Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 7: Forged Roman-style Nails

Good nails have been used in fine furniture for centuries. But during the last 100 years, nails have earned a bad reputation among furniture makers. That’s because good nails (cut nails and forged Roman-style nails) disappeared and were replaced by wire nails. Wire nails are cheap, don’t need a pilot hole and don’t hold for…

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 4: B’laster Dry Lube

If you use only hand tools, this isn’t going to interest you much. If you use machines, read carefully. Lubrication makes a huge difference when you work alone. Moving heavy slabs across a jointer, table saw or through a planer can be difficult if you are on your own. For me, the difference between sore…

Anarchist’s 2015 Gift Guide, Day 3: Starrett No. 92 Compass

I promise this is not an all-Starrett Christmas. Truth is (I hate to say) the last few things I’ve bought new from Starrett have been disappointing (especially a small pair of dividers). This tool, however, has not been a disappointment. Quite the opposite. For years I struggled with compasses in the shop. They were not…

2014

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

The 2014 Anarchist’s Gift Guide: Day 8

Like last year, I am ending this gift guide with a tool that is a little expensive but will change your work to the core. (Last year is was an EasyWood Full-Size Rougher turning tool.) This year it is the best mortising gauge ever made: the Veritas Dual Marking Gauge. Anyone who has worked with…

The 2014 Anarchist’s Gift Guide: Day 7

You do not need a complete set of 11 chisels from the 1/8” up to the monster 2”-wide chisel. Sure, the part of you that also collects Hummel figurines really wants a complete set, but most of the chisel sizes will go unused – even if you are an active woodworker. Your work and your…

The 2014 Anarchist’s Gift Guide: Day 6

I have owned several plant sprayers since Harrelson Stanley of Shapton USA introduced them to me in 2003 as a great way to keep your waterstones wet. Of all the sprayers I’ve used, this sub-$10 one from Home Depot or Lowe’s is by far the best. It’s sold under the “Project Source” label and is…

The 2014 Anarchist’s Gift Guide: Day 5

It is not always the screw’s fault. Yes, home-center wood screws are too soft. Some off-shore screw manufacturers use substandard materials and manufacturing processes. But sometimes it’s your screwdriver that’s at fault (or the, cough, screwer). Many modern screwdrivers are too soft or poorly ground. It’s enough to make you reach for a nail gun…

The 2014 Anarchist’s Gift Guide: Day 4

Woe is the poor glue scraper. There are no toolmakers crafting these tools with rosewood handles and German silver accents. No annoying forum threads that debate the merits of the different handle angles and blade widths. The glue scraper is the squirrel exhibit at the zoo. Once you get a Benchcrafted Skraper, however, the heavens…

The 2014 Anarchist’s Gift Guide: Day 3

If you read this blog regularly, you should be sick of this suggestion: Buy Pégas coping saw blades. Hoard them. I do – and I’m not generally a hoarder. I have about 150 stashed away in case Pegas doubles the price or stops making them this well. I don’t have evidence that either event will…

2013

2020 Gift Guide

2019 Gift Guide

The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 8

As a furniture-maker, turning was always an uphill battle for me. Every turning tool requires a different touch and a different sharpening approach. The problem was that I never practiced enough to keep my skills up. So every time I picked up a skew, I was a baby turner again. A few years ago I…

The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 7

The last two items on my list are for woodworkers who have been very good this year. They are a bit more expensive than the other items on my list, but they are excellent tools. Of those last two items, the first is the Saddle-Tail from Sterling Tool Works, a one-man toolmaking company in Maryland….

The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 6

I cannot give you the gift of better eyesight in the shop because, oh, wait, I actually can. Speaking as someone who has had pitiful eyesight since first grade, I have always looked for ways to improve my marking tools. Without a doubt, the one tool that has improved my game more than any other…

The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 5

OK, I’m going to sound like I have a “man crush” on Joel Moskowitz with this blog entry. But when I think about the simplest inventions in my lifetime that have changed my work, the Gramercy holdfast is pretty much at the top of my list. For just $35 you can get a pair of…

The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 4

My first experience using shellac in the mid-1990s was a disaster. The stuff wouldn’t dry. And when it did finally, kinda dry it was a gummy mess. So I stuck to pre-cat lacquer and other film finishes. However, since then, I’ve gotten my hands on some very good, fresh and pure shellac from Tools for…

The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 3

We woodworkers work hard to put stuff together. But we suck eggs when it comes to taking things apart. Every woodworker – no matter how skilled – needs an “iron crow.” It’s a thin-bladed pry bar that can actually get inside of cabinets and lever parts apart. I used to have one made from an…

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