There is a gym near my house that teaches CrossFit. I first noticed it one summer. In 100° weather, folks were outside doing pull-ups. Scant equipment was visible through the huge overhead doors. I thought it was some kind of low-cost gym.

A membership is over $100 a month, which is not low-cost to me. They have no air conditioning, minimal heat, and minimal equipment. No treadmills or elliptical trainers – just run on the street! It seems pretty intense. The gym is popular and my friends who go there love it. They are as fanatical as galoots.

I used to think hand tool woodworking was eccentric. No more!

Page 3 of Richard Foster’s book Life with God says,

The average “Bible consumer,” publishing research tells us, owns nine Bibles and is looking for more. This is mute but powerful testimony to a deep and abiding sense of lack – a sense that we have not really achieved a grasp of the Bible that is adequate to our needs.

I know this longing.

“Hand tools are too slow.”

I used to believe that.

I built this saw till to store my hand saws:

This tutorial explains how to grind a plane blade using a Viel Tools S5 Belt Grinder.

Here is how I determine if my plane or chisel edge is sharp. I have a high degree of confidence that this method is accurate and easy to replicate.