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Mesto Waterstone Mister

1 week ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz

For years (maybe a decade) we have used a pressurized plant mister from the home center to keep our waterstones wet. Yes, it’s a luxury compared to the old Windex, but we live on Fancy Street. The brand of mister we can get at our Home Depot is Flo-Master, which is made in China. The first one I bought is still in use. Its tip leaks most of the time. And sometimes it forgets to stop spraying when you release the trigger. But other than that, it’s OK.
Blue Spruce Router Plane

2 weeks ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz |Kale Vogt

Because of Paul “Just Sayin’” Sellers’ love for the Preston/Tyzack form of router plane, the price of vintage versions of the tool have increased ($400 is typical these days), so manufacturers have stepped in to fill the demand. Several years ago, Walke Moore Tools began making a version that closely followed the Preston. But we were never fast enough to snag one, and I haven’t seen any activity on the Walke Moore site for a while.
Lee Valley Glue Pot & Warmer

3 weeks ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Megan Fitzpatrick

Warning: This post is laden with abject feelings of guilt. I recently inherited a piece of antique furniture from my mother – a jelly cupboard that I can’t remember not having in our home when I was growing up. I don’t know if she bought it before I was born, but it was certainly acquired before my earliest memory. Never Sponsored is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Benchcrafted Czeck Edge Awls: My Little Beavers

3 weeks ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz

It’s Benchcrafted Week here at Never Sponsored. If you don’t follow the tool news, Benchcrafted recently acquired Czeck Edge tools and has been redesigning the tools. We decided to purchase a few and see if Benchcrafted had mucked them up (spoiler: they haven’t). I purchased one of their new marking knives and both sizes of the redesigned bird-cage awls. We’re deal with the marking knife in a future He-Said-She-Said review where Megan and I have a knife fight. Today let’s look at the new awls.
Benchcrafted Split-top Roubo

1 month ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Megan Fitzpatrick |Christopher Schwarz

A fair number of people have asked why we bought another bench instead of simply making one – we do, after all, know how to make one. Or 10. The short answer is: We did the math. Factoring in our time and all materials (including the vises, for which we almost always use Benchcrafted products), we could not build one for less than the price of the Benchcrafted Split-top Roubo.
The Best (Two) Tweezers for Woodworkers

1 month ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz

Years ago I had to have surgery on my left hand to remove a walnut splinter that had lodged under a nerve. It was painful and expensive. Because of that, I have become a serious tweezer. I’ve tried everything that was legal, looked promising or was recommended to me. Today, the only thing I use (or recommend) are the pair of Tweezerman tools, which are widely available in drugstores.
Saw Stop Switch - an Update

1 month ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz

After griping about the switch on our Saw Stop, several readers insisted there was a fix to the too-sensitive switch. We simply needed to call Saw Stop, report the problem and they would offer a solution. This switch problem is something I reported years ago, but perhaps things had changed since then. So Megan called them last week. Eventually they asked to talk to me about the switch and describe what the underside of the switch looks like.
Blue Spruce Folding Saddle Square

1 month ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Megan Fitzpatrick

A saddle square is one of those tools you don’t really need, but it is awfully handy to have. It allows you to quickly carry a line around a corner without having to reposition the tool (as you would with an adjustable square). I have a large Veritas saddle square at home (it’s useful for framing), and a small Veritas one in my tool chest at work; we also keep one in the machine room, in the cabinet next to the table saw.
The Switch that Makes me Twitch

1 month ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz

Hands down, the paddle switch on my Saw Stop table saw is the worst switch in woodworking. In theory, it’s a good idea. You pull the paddle out to spin up the blade. Then you push it in to stop the blade. The paddle switch is huge (compared to other machinery switches) so you can turn it off easily with a bump of your leg. In practice, however, the switch is a nightmare for production work. A stiff breeze will turn the switch off in the middle of a cut.
When You Need to Attack the Crack

1 month ago | neversponsored.substack.com | Christopher Schwarz

When I find glue squeeze-out in a tight corner, I’ll try anything to get it out, from a toothbrush to a knife. Last July, my friends at Dictum introduced me to bonsai brushes, and now they are a permanent part of our glue kit. They are stiff – just stiff enough to scrape the glue but not so stiff that they dent pine. The shape of the brush is ideal – like a centurion’s helmet or a curious slug. You can get that curve into a long seam to remove a long line of glue.