Early Access Video: Make a toy sword
Added 2019-01-05 18:25:37 +0000 UTCFriends:
I made a toy sword for my nephew over the holidays. I would have loved to get the video out before Christmas, but that just didn't happen. I'm lucky I got the actual thing made in time, let alone the video. I swear the wrapping paper almost stuck to it, the finish was so new.
Saturday! Saturday!
--Rex
Comments
I mean, that goes without saying. Couldn't have done too much damage. I made a kid!
Rex Krueger
2019-01-11 18:05:16 +0000 UTCNever hit myself in the teeth. Other, more delicate palces where smacked though.
Jim Williams
2019-01-11 14:57:40 +0000 UTCWow! What a complete answer! Thanks for taking the time. I'm fascinated by woodworking in other countries. I often get the feeling that Americans are spoiled with our easy access to old tools and huge forests full of timber. We also have a TON of old buildings that can be harvested for reclaimed wood. On the other hand, you may have tons of woods that we consider "exotic." I've heard that in Central America, they build bridges out of Purpleheart and they think we're idiots for paying big money for it. I'll check out your links for sure.
Rex Krueger
2019-01-10 13:01:06 +0000 UTCI'm no experienced woodworker but here's my take on things. I buy most tools and supplies from Builders Warehouse a big box store that is fairly well distributed throughout the country. They are actually part of the Walmart group. My local branch has a good selection of handheld power tools from cheap to premium ranges from seven or eight brands, Bosch, Ryobi, Makita, DeWalt, Black and Decker being some. They also have a selection of big power tools like table and mitre saws but more low to mid-range, nothing really premium. Hand tools available there are cheaper ones rather than more expensive ones. While they will have a few different saws, clamps, chisels, etc. to choose from they won't always have planes, When they do they are generic brandsprobably out of China. I believe some branches in certain parts of the country might stock Stanley planes. They don't stock much wood and have only a smallish selection of pine and meranti in standardised PAR (planed all round) lengths and dimensions, as well as laminated pine panels. Unlike the solid pine these come in much wider sections so are suited for projects like desks, cupboards or shelves. They stock plywood but I have never needed to buy anything thicker than 3 or 5mm. I've seen sheets of 19 or 21mm ply but don't know what the quality is like. Their website is <a href="https://www.builders.co.za/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.builders.co.za/</a> should you want to check it out. I also shop at a local independent store Apple Tool & Gas who stock better quality and more specialised tools. See their site at <a href="https://applehardware.co.za/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://applehardware.co.za/</a> to get an idea of the range of tools they sell. I have a Lumber City (<a href="http://www.lumbercity.co.za)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.lumbercity.co.za)</a> branch nearby that stock more woods but seem to also be limited to sheet goods, pine and meranti. There is also ITM Timber Merchants (<a href="https://itmwood.co.za)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://itmwood.co.za)</a> nearby that stock wider ranges of woods. These last three are all within 1 kilometre of my house, so when I start to become more advanced in woodworkiong I'm sure to make use of them. A bit further afield (40 to 50km) are Rare Woods SA (<a href="https://www.rarewoods.co.za/)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.rarewoods.co.za/)</a> and Country Woods (<a href="http://www.countrywoods.co.za/)," rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.countrywoods.co.za/),</a> neither of whom I've visited but from their sites seem to stock pretty much any hardwood I might want to get my hands on. I'm sure there must be others in the general area if I look hard enough. For specialist woodworking tools (almost all imported) there are stores like Tools4Wood (<a href="https://www.tools4wood.co.za)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.tools4wood.co.za)</a> mainly an online seller with a storefront in a distant part of the country and Hardware Centre (<a href="http://www.hardwarecentre.co.za/)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.hardwarecentre.co.za/)</a> with two storefronts, one in this general area and the other in a distant part of the country. I feel like I'm rambling so I'll leave you to digest this. Shout if there are any more spcific questions I can answer. But before I go, I know of one YouTube channel from a local woodworker that you might want to check out at Woodshop Junkies (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzHueSosfT92NUVmhrz7Hjw)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzHueSosfT92NUVmhrz7Hjw)</a> or his website <a href="https://woodworkjunkie.com/." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://woodworkjunkie.com/.</a> Builders Warehouse also has a channel called BuildersFan (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1bEwPTpGJHrz-YACC81r9A)" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1bEwPTpGJHrz-YACC81r9A)</a> that has the odd woodwork project video along with tool promos and general home improvement project videos.
Steve Crane
2019-01-09 22:26:06 +0000 UTCI'm delighted that you liked it! It's really a miracle that I still have all my teeth. The things I made as a kid. They were dangerous...and rarely in the way I intended.
Rex Krueger
2019-01-08 01:18:54 +0000 UTCI laughed so hard at the self flagellation with nunchucks in the noggin. We had just talked about this the other day in my office (full of Marines and retired Marines) as a necessary rite of passage for any young man or boy. This is a great design and fun to watch.
Travis Reese
2019-01-08 01:16:19 +0000 UTCThat's HUGE! $18 is a good deal. Also, I'd love to hear more about woodworking in South Africa. What are the woods? Can you get tools? Is there community?
Rex Krueger
2019-01-06 11:54:42 +0000 UTCNice video. As I commented on YouTube, it's a vast improvement on the usual kid made sword of two bits of wood nailed together. BTW, I got lucky yesterday. Made my usual periodic visit to Cash Converters (a national franchise chain of used goods stores that pretty much wiped out all the little individual pawn shops throughout South Africa). Found a Stanley Bailey No 5 in somewhat dirty and rusty condition but nothing visibly broken and the adjusting bits seem to work fine. Got it for R249 (~ $18 US) so with some cleanup and restoring I should finally have a good plane, instead of just the one with the terrible adjustment mechanism I've mentioned before.
Steve Crane
2019-01-06 09:09:56 +0000 UTC
