Techniques that hold up over time
Detailed notes on joinery, hand planes, chisels, and wood selection — written for people building things in small home workshops across Poland.
Core Topics
What you will find here
Each section focuses on a specific aspect of hand-tool woodworking — from sharpening edges to reading grain direction to planning a workshop space.
Hand Planes
Setting up, tuning, and using bench planes, shoulder planes, and rebate planes. Which plane to reach for, and when.
Joinery
Mortise and tenon, dovetails, box joints, bridle joints — sawing and chiselling accurately without a milling machine.
Chisel Work
Paring, mortising, and chopping. Steel geometry, sharpening angles, and the difference a flat back makes.
Wood Selection
Understanding oak, beech, ash, and pine available at Polish timber yards. Grain orientation, moisture content, and what to avoid.
Workshop Setup
Organising a small workshop in an apartment basement or garage. Benches, tool storage, lighting, and noise control.
Sharpening
Waterstones, oilstones, and stropping. Maintaining a consistent bevel and knowing when an edge has gone past its peak.
Articles
Recent guides
Mastering Hand Planes for Smooth Surfaces
How to set up, tune, and use a bench plane to achieve flat, tear-out-free surfaces on oak and beech.
Dovetail and Mortise-Tenon Joinery Techniques
Step-by-step approach to laying out, sawing, and fitting hand-cut dovetails and mortise-tenon joints.
Setting Up a Home Woodworking Workshop in Poland
Practical notes on space planning, workbench choice, tool storage, and sourcing timber in Poland.
Contact
Questions or corrections?
If you notice an error in any guide, or have a specific question about a technique, reach out directly. Responses typically within two working days.
Email: contact@alderwick.eu
Phone: +48 12 678 90 12
Address: ul. Stolarzy 14, 31-564 Kraków, Poland