Wednesday 28 January 2015

The Wedge and String Method for Hedge Trimming

Cutting a perfectly straight hedge at the top and at the sides can be quite the task. The slightest error and your hedge will go from the perfect cube to a polygon of unknown origin. Today we're going to show you how to ensure these mistakes are kept to an absolute minimum using the wedge and string method.

Wedge and String Method 

  
Step 1. Position 4 wedges of equal length and width at the four corners of where you want the hedge to be. This may be inside the hedge which can be difficult but still doable.
Step 2. Get a length of string and tie it around the wedges at the height you want your hedge to be. Make sure the string is tied tight.
Step 3. Any part of the hedge that falls outside of the string you simply. This will leave you with a hedge exactly the shape you want and all you have to do is follow the lines.

Thursday 15 January 2015

How to use a Saw Bench


There are a lot of people unsure of how to maximise effectiveness from their saw bench. This will help with some general information and some tips for using your saw bench.

General information

There is some confusion over how high a saw bench needs to be. My advice is to make it 20" and it can be cut down a bit at a time to get the best height. You should also be aware that any lower than 18" carries the risk of hitting your shop floor with your tools. The best materials off one to get is clear heavy construction grade lumber. To clarify splayed legs are not necessarily a good sign of stability.

Tips

On a regular saw bench you can shortcut at most 36" and the easiest way to use it and keep the board still is to use your legs as the clamps. Keep the leg opposite your cutting hand on top of the board e.g. (right handed left leg) while keeping your other leg firm against it. I personally prefer the ripping notch to get started and make sure your cutting arm swings over the cut line. For long cuts use the same legs as clamps idea to allow for similar cutting.