Over the years, I have discovered a whole host of useful contacts and suppliers which I would like to pass on to others. I can take no responsibility for the contents of their websites, however.

Books

The books from the early twentieth century that form the bedrock of my knowledge were mostly sourced from Victor Adams in Frome, Somerset (www.vabooks.co.uk). Anyone interested in furniture, woodwork or William Morris should visit his bookshop. Victor also sells some of the books by the Antique Collectors' Club (www.antique-acc.com).

Finishes

A good range of hard to find products is available from www.traditionalfinishes.com. I also find the Kremer (www.kremer-pigmente.de) range of finishing materials to be excellent. They can be obtained through AP Fitzpatrick, 142 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London E1 5QJ, tel. 020 7790 0884. For waxing furniture in the home I find the beeswax furniture cream from Cambridge Traditional Products (www.bees-wax.co.uk) to be very straightforward to use.

Hardware

An impressive range of period fittings are available from Optimum Brass (www.obida.com). Hinges and screws, etc, can be obtained from www.martin.co.uk and www.screwsline.com. You may also find www.realwroughtiron.com useful if you are interested in iron cabinet hardware. Most ironwork today is actually made from mild steel or cast iron which, unlike wrought iron, rust easily.

History

If you are interested in vernacular furniture then you should join the Regional Furniture Society (www.regionalfurnituresociety.com). Try also to visit the Geffrye Museum (www.geffrye-museum.org.uk) when in London. For the history of woodworking tools, there is no better place to look than TATHS, the Tool and Trades History Society (www.taths.org.uk).

Humidity

If you want to measure the relative humidity in your home, a good hygrometer (made with human hair) can be bought from www.met-check.co.uk.

Insurance

Workshop insurance for the lone craftsman can be obtained from Ian Wallace (www.craftinsurance.co.uk) who specialises in craft insurance.

Restoration

A good source of help if your furniture has an accident is the British Antique Furniture Restorers Association (www.bafra.org.uk). They have a national database of restorers and furniture specialists.

Rush and Cane

The Basketmaker's Association (www.basketassoc.org) should be able to put you in contact with a local rush seater or chair caner. I find that high quality rush seats can only be done with freshwater rush.

Timber

Air-dried home grown hardwoods are available from David Simmonds at www.interestingtimbers.co.uk. More colourful wood is available from www.exotichardwoods.co.uk. And if everyone else lets you down, David Wessex won't. See www.wessextimber.co.uk for more details.

Tools, New

Rounding planes for making chair stretchers can be obtained from www.ashemcrafts.com. My favourite woodturning tools were all bought from Ashley Iles (turningtools.co.uk/ashleyiles). Top quality gear can be found in the Dick catalogue (www.dick.biz). I particularly like the resharpenable Japanese saws they sell. Professional saw sharpening files can be obtained from the Japanese Toolshop (toolshop.jp). Lie-Nielsen bench planes (www.lie-nielsen.com) are also recommended, as are the Tasai chisels sold by Harrelson Stanley at www.japanesetools.com.

Tools, Old

A great shop to rummage about in is Ray Iles' Old Tool Store (www.oldtools.idps.co.uk). Many of my best tools were from Ray. Rarer tools can sometimes be bought at tool auctions such as David Stanley (www.davidstanley.com) or Tony Murland (www.antiquetools.co.uk). If you are interested in old tools you should visit www.taths.org.uk.

Upholstery

Traditional upholstery is surprisingly comfortable, very durable and eminently restorable in the long term. Sadly, most of us only know what foam feels like. If you have sagging old seats in need of some renovation then contact the Guild of Traditional Upholsterers (www.gtu.org.uk) or BAFRA (www.bafra.org.uk), whose membership includes upholsterers.

Woodturning

A useful national database of skilled woodturners can be found on the site of the Register of Professional Woodturners, see www.rpturners.co.uk. Robin Wood's site (www.robin-wood.co.uk) is the place to find traditionally made wooden bowls. For artistic turning and high quality gifts, try and visit one of the galleries that stocks work by Julie Heryet (www.julieheryet-woodturner.co.uk).