The American Peasant Substack
Why Ethanol + Water is Amazing in the Shop
How does a seemingly magic mix of ethanol and water work to soften wood? We turned to a professional chemist to find out.
(Free for everyone)
A Cheaper Way to Soften Wood
After reading the post referenced above, a few people mentioned that
isopropyl alcohol, which costs less than pure grain alcohol, would likely work as well – so we tried it. (But it is fun to see the look on the clerk's face when you approach the counter with four gallons of Everclear.)
(Free for everyone)
Earlywood: Why I Adore My Machines
Chris doesn't write almost exclusively about handwork because he works almost exclusively with hand tools – we use plenty of plugged-in helpers in the Lost Art Press shop. But machines aren't always the best approach.
(Free for everyone)
If You Hate the Price of Wood…
Wood is cheap – no, really. Think about what it takes to bring it from tree form to the lumberyard for your inspection, then do the calculations. But if cheap isn't cheap enough for you, sometimes it's free.
(For paid subscribers, with a free preview)
The Anarchist's Apprentice Substack
Chair No. 3: Put a Pig on It
Katherine may have found her signature chair flourish – and it involves fat animals.
(Free for everyone)
Ze German Way for Rasping
Christopher shows how a comment from a German friend changed his rasping life.
(Free for everyone)
Never Sponsored Substack
'Old Wood' Siccative
A way to make your linseed oil finishes dry faster – without adding heavy-metal driers.
(Free for everyone)
