@jamesbisset Sorry to read that you didn’t get a great result. You could try trimming the dowel using a sharp knife, chisel or gouge by starting from the edge and cutting towards the centre. That way you are working away…   Read more»

@jamesbisset It’s on its way!

@jamesbisset I have a stack of lovely 3mm birch ply off cuts from a job that we are currently doing that are perfect for practitioners of the wood burning art! Email me your address and I’ll send your good lady…   Read more»

@jamesbisset It’s going to take sodding ages to cut down trees with something safer than a shovel!! Can’t you read them something really boring or terrible (Jeffrey Archer?) until they just dry up and fall over of their own accord?…   Read more»

@jamesbisset An alternative to years of air drying for a solid body could be polyethylene glycol or PEG. It’s used by wood turners to work with green wood. Make up 30% or 50% solution with water and soak the wood…   Read more»

@jamesbisset Ive tried local horse chestnut for wood turning after it had been split for five years and dried. It wasn’t good to work with having a wide grain. Ive kept some small bits to see if it improves with…   Read more»

Minor complication though, I’m not allowed a chain saw.

@jamesbisset Nice! Why are you not allowed a chainsaw? Says who? 

Cnocbaileidh

@jamesbisset 🤣

@jamesbisset I would glue in a temporary dowel as a starting point then use a brad point or spade drill bit with a point to get a true round hole. Find the centre of the dowel before you glue it…   Read more»

@jamesbisset I like eating teacakes! Where do I fit in?

I think it looks great

And I agree @jamesbisset

@jamesbisset Haha! Good one.

@jamesbisset
For clamping heal or headstock of the neck for carving.

@jamesbisset Woah! just caught up today because I’ve been finishing my workbench and what should I spy, but a 45° cut on the corner of the BaileyBench. I used to have one like that on my folding Black & Decker…   Read more»

And a very modded Epiphone Valve Junior. I had an unmodded one of those a few years back @jamesbisset.  Really shouldn’t have sold that – and I’ll probably end up building something similar if I ever get round to building…   Read more»

Awesome. Do you carve necks with an axe @jamesbisset that’s extremely manly…
seriously I saw a demonstration of a guy doing exactly that at Tonetech’s shop

What was a Gibson master craftsman doing at Tonetech’s shop???

Awesome. Do you carve necks with an axe @jamesbisset that’s extremely manly…
seriously I saw a demonstration of a guy doing exactly that at Tonetech’s shop

I did notice a few disgruntled users in the reviews and someone on Ebay appears to be doing a roaring trade with Katsu trimmer returns. Might just be a case of “right tool for the job” @jamesbisset? Would I try…   Read more»

@jamesbisset Hi James, I’m happy to contribute any loan equipment you may need to give this a go and if you can draw/model the mould then I am more than happy to machine it for you on the CNC router…   Read more»

@jamesbisset
Simple Dremel router base.  It’s not precision engineered like the StewMac one (appears to be), but it’s done the job that I’ve needed it to.

And my eBay special “Katsu” trimmer, which also works just fine for a bargainstatic ~£35.