Making The Best Out Of A Cheap Situation

As home hobbyists and weekend woodworkers, we often do not have access to an immense amount of funds to fund this often non-profit-yielding passion we have. This is why we often have to look at alternative ways to make some of the tools we wish we could spend 

thousands of rands buying. Just like we showed some examples of alternative ways to utilize your power tools in the MacGyver series, today, we will be looking at some smart and affordable ways you can own some of the hand tools you have been drooling over.

Make Your Own Marking Gauge

Most of us would agree that an adjustable fence gauge is an essential layout tool for fine woodworking. Of course, you could do most tasks with other tools, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of a gauge for marking dovetail depths, tenon shoulders and molding reveals.

Typically gauges are divided into two categories: cutting and marking. Cutting gauges generally have a knife-like cutter that works brilliantly across the grain but tends to wander off course when going parallel. A marking gauge usually sports a pencil-like point that marks well along the grain but badly scratches wood across the grain. Most folks wind up with one of each type of purchase a metal, wheeled gauge. The type machinists use. They do a decent job at both tasks.

Make Your Own Carpenters Square

Making a Carpenters Square is an incredibly simple project, even though it requires a high amount of precision. When first starting off in woodworking, often, some of the best projects are tools for your shop. A Try Square is one of the simplest tools that can be used for the rest of your life. Along the way, we will learn how to make a bridle joint and how to adjust the Try Square as it will move over time.

Make Your Spokeshave 

A spokeshave is a fantastic tool to play with and a surprisingly easy tool to make. There are only two parts to a traditional spokeshave, the iron, and the body. You can find the irons on Gumtree or Bidorbuy from time to time or at your local antique store if you know what you are looking for or you can buy threaded irons