A NEW Butt for your Mk5 Sten

[Peter Laidler]

You're having us on Vince........ Looking at some of the projects that you have successfully carried out and completed to a VERY high standard makes me think that you must have an extensive workshop - or some talented engineer friends locally!

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[Brian Dick]

At the price Vincent, just buy a few in case you screw a couple up! They ain't making them anymore.

[Vincent]

Only metal working tools, Peter. A lathe that’s older than me, milling machine, several types of welders, hydraulic press, that sort of stuff. It’s all crammed in the garage. I think my last woodworking project was a pencil box when I was a young boy in boarding school. I took to mechanical things and metalworking much better. They feel natural to me. Working with wood must come naturally to you and I am sure you have a LOT of experience with it. This Mk5 Sten butt you made form a No4 Bantam butt is an example of what’s called “Old School Craftsmanship” here. If I tried it you would be calling me Bubba!

[Peter Laidler]

That made me chuckle Vince. I made a pencil box too during my first woodworking class at boarding school. The woodwork teacher was Mr Riley, from the Riley car family! We were required to take them home at the end of term to show our parents. Mine went straight out of the train window

[Brian Dick]

I'm glad I wasn't drinking coffee or tea when I read that Peter. I'm not sure how much more liquid this keyboard can take!

[Vincent]

The school was my home. I lived there year round. At first I didn’t like it when everyone except one other boy went home for the holidays. Then he went home for Christmas one year and his father killed him. After that I stopped asking if I would be going to see my parents. That's why I still have my lousy pencil box….. and all the report cards I was somehow supposed to give to my parents.

[Peter Laidler]

My dad would have killed me if I'd showed him my pencil box, believe me! The irony is that after leaving school and becoming an apprentice, albeit an Army one, we were effectively still at school for the NEXT 3 years too! Education, learning, exams every term, reports sent to our parents etc etc

[Flying10uk]

I think that you would find that there isn't as much difference as you may think, Vincent, in working in wood. I am a metalworker and engineer by trade and have only ever had 2 years of tuition in woodworking at secondary school. If you can work in steel, brass and copper, for example, you should be able to work with wood. The important things like accurate measuring and measuring important dimensions at least twice before cutting you will already know from working with metal. Wood is just another type of material and there is no great mystery to it. You have the Net to look up "how to do" things which you may not be sure of.

I find a little interlude of some woodwork enjoyable.

[Flying10uk]

Here is the pencil box that I made at school and which I still use.