The Brute Gets A Smooth Ride: Linear Motion.

With the boreal winds barreling down our backs and snow endlessly falling, deep winter can be an excellent time to work on development projects. The distractions are few and one might as well hunker down in the shop.

Deep snow

This winter’s project has just been completed. The No-Rock Runway from last year has evolved, in the case of Ron Brese’s Brute, to incorporate linear motion hardware. The smooth ride and solid feel are, well, hard to describe. I find myself sneaking shavings on it when there’s really work to do elsewhere. Here are some photos of the prototype.

R S Linear Motion Prototype 4

RS Guides

R S Linear Motion Prototype 6

R S Linear Motion Prototype 5

Many thanks to Dick Brownell for his outstanding machining and ideas in helping to make this work. Collaborating with him is fun and very educational.

This coming weekend Vogt Toolworks will have a booth at the Northeastern Woodworkers Association 23rd Annual Fine Woodworking Showcase, along with Bob Van Dyke from Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking, Matt Bickford with his molding planes, and demonstrations in drawer making by Rob Porcaro.

Ron Brese at WIA 2

It was at the 2009 Showcase that I met Ron and his son Daniel. A dining table of mine was in the exhibit, and as I walked down the aisles of vendors the friendly smiles of the Breses drew me over to chat. It took several moments to take in what they were offering. After seeing Ron demonstrate planning a board with an infill plane on a small traveling workbench with incredible hardware by his friend Jameel, I was dumbstruck. There was a new world of hand tool woodworking out there! A year later he took my first model Super Chute to a Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event in Atlanta and that got the ball rolling for me.

Come to the Showcase March 29th and 30th to take the Brute for a glide.

RS Cushioned Stop

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