Sterling Saddle-Tail® Dovetail Marker and Dovetail Square

Kieran Binnie a fantastic writer, luthier and Woodworker who blogs over at his blog: Over the Wireless showcasing his latest project Policeman’s boot bench. A couple of excerpts from the Blog are below, click here for the entire entry.  Gotta love his quote “Saddle Tail is the Rolls Royce of dovetail markers”

Kieran will be hanging out at my Table at Handworks in Amana this coming May 19-20.  I am super excited to meet Kieran, his wife Rachel and daughter Grace.  We have been friends online and through video conference for a few years now.  Be sure to stop by and say hello!

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Marking out the tails. I like a strong 1:4 slope for my tails, and the Sterling Tool Works Saddle Tail is the Rolls Royce of dovetail markers

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Checking for a flat and true baseline with the Sterling Tool Works Dovetail Square

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Roubo Curves®- Stainless Steel French Curves

Highland Woodworking has posted a great review of Sterling Tool Works Roubo Curves, the large format Stainless steel french curves for artisans that want to bring curves to their work. A big thanks for the reviewer Jeffrey Fleisher for a great tutorial.  Check out Jeff’s site here.

Find the full review at the Highland website here. Here is an excerpt:

Now that we have cleared up what a french curve is, how does it work? If you have a sequence of points that you want to draw a smooth line through, you can use a french curve to draw a series of line segments that will flow through all of the points. As shown in the diagram below, you can select a section of the french curve that best fits the first three points and another segment that fits the next part of the curve. You walk your way along the curve in this manner. You are connecting the curve of one segment into the tangent of the next segment to provide a continuous smooth curve among all the points.

The large size of Sterling’s Roubo Curves lets you draw these smooth curves on full size drawings as well as directly onto your wood pieces. For example, if you were drawing the curves along the lower rail of a low boy, you could draw them in full size with these templates. The following picture shows an example of using Sterling’s Roubo Curves to transfer the shapes from this low boy to a board. You can mark the transition points and then use the various segments of the curves to draw a smooth curve as described earlier.

Again check out the entire review here

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Virtuoso Author Don Williams Blogs about the Sterling Dovetail Square

Don Williams Blogged recently on his website The Barn on White Run about some of his favorite woodworking Squares here.  Many of us tool aficionados know that Don is the author of Virtuoso: The Tool Cabinet and Workbench of Henry O. Study from Lost Art Press.  Don is also an educator, scholar and previous conservator at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, simply put he knows his stuff! 

Don is a key contributor of the english translation of the Works of André-Jacob Roubo’s “l’Art du Menuisier” also available from Lost Art Press. Many tool makers (myself included  and woodworkers look up to Don for his knowledge and imprint on woodworking, I am humbled for his kind words on the Sterling Dovetail Square.  A snippet: “this tool has remained on my bench top ever since I got it.  I have yet to even put it away, it gets used so much!”

Yeah its that handy of a square, thank you for your kind words Don!

To read the whole blog entry click here.

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Sterling Protractor use on Windsor Chairs

Sterling Protractor Windsor

Last Month I had the fantastic experience of taking a Windsor Chair Class with Greg Pennington in Nashville TN.  What made it even more memorable was to take this course with my good friends and fellow Tool Makers Jeff Hamilton and Mark Hicks.  I shared this application of the Sterling Protractor with those that follow me on Instagram but wanted to share here on the Blog as well.

Measuring the stretcher angle of my Windsor legs. Rubber bands span the legs and a aluminum angle runs across the front 2 (or rear 2). Align the rule to the rubber band that is the angle to drill the holes in your stretchers. Do the same on the other side and average the two for your drill angle.  Here is a close up below.

Sterling Protractor 3

Below is a picture of my Windsor writing desk at the end of the course, along with a shot of Jeff, Mark and I with the fruits of our week long class.  We all highly recommend Greg as an instructor and we all can’t wait to go back next year for the Toolmakers retreat 2017! Check out Greg’s site Here.

Windsor Writing Desk Tool Makers Retreat 2016

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Sterling Tool Works Review at “The Daily Skep” Blog

I am sorry to all my followers for the lack of blogs here, I simply am overwhelmed with the day job, family and Sterling Tool Works.  I am not complaining, I am very thankful but I am looking forward to some down time over the next couple of weeks.  Heck I may even get to do some woodworking!

I wanted to share a recent blog post from a satisfied customer, James son of James.  He is also on Instagram with that same “handle” I enjoy following him.  James, thank you for your kind words, it makes all the effort and lack of sleep worth it!

Check out the Blog HERE.

 

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Announcing the Sterling Tool Works Precision Protractor

Protractor Close

This precision protractor uses an etched ruler as the angle beam providing so much more functionality in a precision protractor. Made of tempered steel, the head is satin chrome plated and the etchings black filled for supreme contrast that is easy on the eyes and increases accuracy.

The protractor comes with a 6″ rule that is tempered steel and has English Metric graduations; English graduations are in 32nd’s and Metric are in mm.

You can add an optional 12″ rule that is tempered steel and has English Metric graduations; English graduations are in 32nd’s and Metric are in mm. This 12″ rule can be very useful when longer layouts are required.

Either rule can slide within the captive nut to extend to what ever length is needed, this makes this protractor infinitely more usable than the fixed arm protractors from other makers.

The precision Protractor will be ready to ship later this November, but is available to order now in our store. Click here

Protractor 12 inch

Protractor on Plane

 

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Sterling Tool Works Depth and Angle Gauge

Depth Gage

The Sterling Depth Gauge is finely manufactured in the USA from 316 Stainless Steel and tool steel, when properly used and taken care of it will provide many years of service.

The Sterling Depth Gauge comes with an English and Metric Rule with graduations of 32nds and mm.  The gauge also comes with a depth rod. The rod can be used when the ruler will not fit in the opening that you are trying to determine its depth. To use the Depth Rod, you must extract the Ruler from the clamp screw slot and then rotate the clamp screw 90 degrees to the hole in the clamp screw. You can then insert the rod.

The Sterling Depth Gauge has many uses, the back side of the head has angle references of 30, 45 and 60 Degrees. to use as a bevel gauge, note that these are approximate and if critical angles are needed you should verify the angle with a high accuracy protractor or other precision angle devise.

The picture below shows two gauges one in each of the two configurations, both the rule and rod come with one head.

Depth Gauge Both Rod and Rule

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Bern Billsberry – Father of the “Nutsaver” for Veritas Skew and Plow Planes

My Friend Kieran Binnie has a great interview with the father of the “Nutsaver”.  The Nutsaver is a strap wrench that allows for proper tightening of the knurled brass screws on Lee Valley/Veritas brand Skew and Plow Planes.

I have been carrying the Nutsaver for North American woodworkers in the Artisan’s Toolchest section of the Sterling Tool Works website.

Check out the interview here.  Great Job Kieran I am looking forward to enjoying a Beer with you and Bern sometime in the future!

Nutsaver Sterling Tool Works

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Mini Test of the Sterling Dovetail Square, Furniture & Cabinetmaking Magazine

Derek Jones the editor of Furniture and Cabinetmaking Magazine in the U.K. wrote a mini test on the Sterling Dovetailing Square in issue#236.  Click here for the full review.

F and C editors roundup DTSQ

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Blue Spruce Tool Works now in the Artisan’s ToolChest!

BST Blog

I have used Blue Spruce Tool Works Mallets and Marking knives for many years, those that have been to a show where I demonstrate how I cut dovetails know I love them. Several customers have asked me when I might come out with a marking knife or a mallet. I told people I don’t think the world needs another marking knife and Dave Jeske has made my favorite mallet for chiseling so they are projects that are not on Sterling Tool Works drawing board!

I am happy to announce that Dave Jeske has agreed to have my favorite Blue Spruce tools available in the Artisan’s Tool Chest here on my website (click here).

The Blue Spruce Small Marking Knife is made from resin infused curly maple.The small marking knife is used for laying out precision joinery such as dovetails. The perfect accompaniment to the Sterling Saddle-Tail Dovetail Marker.

After you layout and cut your Dovetails you will need a nice mallet to help chop out the waste.  My favorite  is the 16oz Blue Spruce Mallet, features resin infused figured Maple head with an African Blackwood handle, with a fancy brass bead at the joint. So well balanced and HIGHLY durable and just beautiful – this is the last mallet you will ever need. $95 Plus Shipping

The blade is 1/32 inch (0.8mm) allowing marking between even the tightest tails. This knife is suitable for most marking tasks in stock up to 3/4 inch thick (20mm). $50 Plus shipping

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