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Matt Bickford is a Connecticut based woodworker who produces a remarkable line of wooden rabbet and molding planes. Matt was happy to explain how to use these planes to produce either simple edge decoration or sophisticated molding design. The principle is to remove most of the material with a rabbet plane, to create a step-like profile on the edge, and then to plane down the steps with a dedicated plane that has a curved blade. At the end of the process we are left with a nice molding in the shape of an ogee, a curve, a dome or a combination of these geometries.
Ben, from Gramercy Tools, a Brooklyn based tool maker and distributer, helped visitors tinker with with the line of tools that Gramercy designs. Their booth was the noisiest of all booths as they invited visitors to try their fantastic new hammer. Next to the hammer they kept a bag from their line of old-fashioned nails so that visitors could drive these lovely specimens into a piece of scrap wood. I love these nails and will definitely purchase some. I worship the hammers and wish I could afford to buy one at this time. Gramercy also displayed saws, holdfasts, saw sharpening clamps and a new line of handmade stainless steel rasps.
Our tool event also included a Maryland-based distributor of exotic and hard-to-find domestic lumber. Exotic Lumber, Inc carries everything you need to make the most unique and outstanding pieces of furniture – from exotic to rare domestic and fantastic burl blocks. Personally, I recommend using domestic (ideally local) lumber, but certified lumber from South America, Africa or Asia, and imported lumber which we know for sure comes from managed forests are “Kosher” too.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
