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Dust extraction isn’t a very exciting subject but it sure makes the shop more comfortable and a lot safer.

If you’ve ever thought of installing a complete system, rather than rigging up that old vacuum time and again, now would be the time to do it as Woodcraft are offering 25% off a big selection dust extraction fittings including those all important blast gates.

The sale is on until 31st August. For a full list of dust extraction fittings click here.

The title’s a bit of a tongue twister but the wooden watch certainly looks fun to make.

This plan, provided by Woodcraft, is for a 15 inch tall wooden watch to hung on your wall or put on your desktop. The plan has been proved by Wood Magazine so you shouldn’t have any trouble with the quality.

A bit of a laught for yourself or a great gift for someone maybe.

Woodcraft say you can find the name of a clock insert supplier included in the plans but my personal favorite is Clockparts.

I haven’t seen the plans yet myself but with a bit of modification it’s not difficult to see that you could make this in lots of different sizes.

For Woodcraft click here and for Clockparts click here.

I’m a fan of General’s tools. No silly lumps of plastic and gadgets just tough, no nonsense woodworking kit built to do a job and do it well.

The 75-550 M1 radial arm drill press is the latest new tool for woodworkers and offers almost infinitely variable drilling.

The head tilts 0-30 degree left or right and pivots 360. If you can imagie a drilling position, this can do it.

The main column is 2 7/8” steel so it’s very strong. It’s fixed to a cast iron base so it’s stable. If you thought you were short of possible angle settings the 11 3/4” square cast iron table will tilt 45 degrees either way for even more variations!

For safety you’ve got a clear chuck guard and a front mounted kill switch. Drive pulleys are cast iron to reduce vibration and there’s a 7 3/4” table extension included in the price.

Like I said, a woodworking tool to last a lifetime.

Woodcraft stock a range of General International tools. I’m not sure whether the new radial arm drill is available yet but you could drop a note to them via their website.

Slightly off our usual woodwork subject I suppose but I’ve just seen a copy of a new book which will be of interest to anyone thinking of selling their woodwork online.

“Selling Crafts Online” (which is a digital book you can download and read on your PC) is written by Gordon Carew, by all accounts a bit of a marketing and internet whiz who got out of the rat race a few years back to concentrate on his woodworking.

Gordon realized that for many craftsmen and women it was difficult to find good, independent advice if they wanted to sell their work online. It’s something that Gordon knows a lot about and so he’s produced this Fact File.

If you’re just starting out it’s a good read, packed with lots of useful pointers to get you headed in the right direction. I’ve been doing this a while now and it even showed me a thing or two!

It’s not the answer to everything you need to know. I’m not sure any single book could do that. It IS a great introduction to selling crafts online and I highly recommend it. Click here for details.

You might also like to get Gordon’s free newsletter. He sends out regular news of ideas he has or stuff he’s developing to help others sell crafts online. It’s free, so why not? Details here.

Clockparts have yet another special offer - this time they say it’s to celebrate the fourth of July - I hope the offer lasts longer than that though!

The current savings are on some of their popular thermometer and hygrometer fit-ups, 2-3/4 inch and 3-7/8 inch units. These are easy to fit, just make an appropriate sized hole and pop them in. Remarkably you can now get them at up to 90% 0ff!

I’ve been a fan of Clockparts for some time now. Always good prices, regular great offers and the sort of service that’s made them the biggest (and in my opinion the best) in the business.

I suspect the offer will last more than one day but I can’t see and closure date so you probably ought to get over their quick if you’re in the market for thermometers or hygrometers. Click here for the site.

There’s been a lot of pre-release buzz about the new Kapex KS 120 EB Sliding Compound Miter Saw from Festool and now it’s arrived it’s easy to see why. This is some tool!

For a start, despite being a 10″ saw it has the capacity of a 12″ so you’ve got easier portability with no lack of ability.

It’s the first sliding compound mitre saw with variable speed. It has twin rails for greater precision while saving space. It has dual lasers for added accuracy, the FastFix system for quick blade changing… the list goes on.

The bevel angle guides, head adjustment and clamping system are superb. There’s even its own angle transfer device for virtually flawless copying of angles.

The best way to get a flavor of this terrific saw (if you can’t see one in the flesh) is to pop over to the Woodcraft site where they’ve not only got full details but also a nice little video.

Just at the moment Woodcraft also have free shipping for those who order more than $75 of Festool products.

I want one. Oh yes. I definitely want one of those.

Full details here: Kapex KS 120EB Sliding Compound Mitre Saw.

I don’t know if this is the cheapest you’ll find quartz clock movements online but I really doubt you’ll find better at just $2.00 a piece!

They’re quality movements too - made in the USA.

OK, so you’re going to need a few cents more for hands, which are not included, but it’s still a great price. If you can find better, please let me know!

Clockparts summer special offers also include these 2-1/4 inch (72mm) precision quartz clock fit ups which are available at 90% off. Yep, that’s just one tenth of the normal price. I really don’t know how they do it.

As usual these are limited time offers. They haven’t said exactly when that but it’s probably only while stocks of these quartz clock movements last. I’d recommend you get over there quick. Full details here: Clockparts Summer Specials.

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If you’ve been reading my woodwork blog for a while it probably won’t have escaped your attention that I’m a Woodcraft fan.

With good people, great service and regular money-saving deals for woodworkers, why wouldn’t you be?

Latest big deal is this superb Dewalt planer. The Dewalt name needs no explanation - this is real woodworking pro kit. The current price is just $499.99 (after your mail-in rebate) which is way under normal price.

That’s not all though. There are also special offers for woodworkers on saws from Festool, chisels from Sorby, Bessey clamps, loads of other stuff.

Check it all out at Woodcraft now.

Woodworkers looking for power and durability from their tools will probably already know about General International. When a lot of manufacturers seem to be producing woodwork tools that are covered in plastic and starting to look a bit like space ships, General are producing tough tools that just get on with doing the job.

Their latest 14” bench top drill press is no exception and shares the same powerful 1/2 HP motor as the floor-standing version.

In fact it shares pretty much all the quality components that it’s bigger brother has including high load bearings which hold the MT2 spindle and cast iron belt pulleys to dampen out unpleasant vibration.

About the only difference is that height. It’s a convenient size for the smaller wood shop yet can stand it’s own in the corner of a pro shop. At 105 lbs it’s solid but also reasonably portable. A great all rounder.

This and other quality woodworking machinery from General is available online at Woodcraft.

These radio controlled clock movements may not look very impressive, but they’re certainly accurate - to within one second every million years!

The secret is the radio signal that it picks up four times a day, from Fort Collins, Colorado. This signal resets the movement by tiny fractions of a second so your clock is as near right as humanly possible. It will even adjust itself for daylight savings.

This clock movement is maintenance free too - the only thing you’ll ever need to do is add a battery, and each of those should last about a year.

You’d probably expect it to be expensive. A radio controlled clock movement this accurate can’t be cheap, can it? Well in fact it can. While stocks last Clockparts have them for just $8.50 each - and if you buy 5 you get another FREE.

So although they’ll be right for a long time they may not be around for a long time - If you want some you better get over to Clockparts website now!