Visit La Belle Note

Above is a Binding Groove Cutter or perhaps a Gramil exquisitely crafted and photographed by Christophe Mineau.

Christophe Mineau is a kindred soul and an amazing craftsman who is nine years younger than I am and a hundred years ahead of me in craftsmanship! His musical instruments are a delight, his tools a wonder […]

Making a Nut Float

The problem with making tools, is that eventually you have all the tools you really need. I have met this problem and figured out how to conquer it! Simply manufacture the need! In this case I have decided to make a mandolin.

This requires a bunch of new tools! Since I want to learn luthery, […]

Testing For Lead

In my pursuit of toolmaking, I don’t want others to come to harm. I use a lot of odd bits and bobs to make things with. Brass and bronze have a special appeal. The problem is that these items can be full of lead. Leaded brass is easy to work and polishes up with ease.

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Making Tools with HSS Blanks

    For under $5 you can obtain a set of HSS blanks from Harbor Freight. Do this at a store, I have been so amazingly and expensively burned by online shopping with HF that I will never ever do that again. The stores however are great as long as your are careful what you […]

How to Make an Octagonal Handle, Shell Auger and Straight Drilling Guide

I will warn you, this walk-through is a big one! The results, however, will let a woodworker without a lathe or mad shaping skills to have a reasonably high chance of turning a small chunk of wood into a lovely handle that can be held with comfort and pride!

I have been researching and experimenting […]