So Many Projects, So Little Time...
I built a tool box as a Hand Tool School project this year. Quite a few members had requested it and I decided to take it one step beyond something just to carry tools and add in a sturdy bench top and some work holding. What I ended up with is a sort of mobile [...] Read more »
I mentioned in my last post how I put off finishing because it takes over my shop while the finish is drying. This is also why I don’t use oil finishes as much because the drying time is so long. However as I am building up coats of Arm-R-Seal on my Walnut table I am [...] Read more »
It is a running joke on WoodTalk that I never put finish on anything. That’s not entirely true, but I do tend to put it off a lot. The reason is that my shop is useless once I have applied a coat of finish. I can’t work on anything as the dust will end up [...] Read more »
When the time comes to smooth plane your project to prepare it for finish, the best thing you can do is turn out the lights. Isolate your light source to a single point and you can really highlight any imperfections before the finish does it for you. Of course don’t forget your finger tips, they [...] Read more »
Clockwise from upper left: Walnut, Maple, Amboyna, Grenadillo, Marblewood, and Walnut[/caption]As woodworkers we are blessed with an overwhelmingly diverse and beautiful palette of woods to work. Pick a color or texture and there is a wood somewhere in the world that will scratch that itch. I have been lucky to have an opportunity to work [...] Read more »
I remember when I was first bitten by the woodworking bug. I was obsessed and devoured anything I could get my hands on. Having always been a bit of an academic (AKA nerd) no topic was off limits and I wanted to know everything. Every book I read or VHS tape I watched (yes I [...] Read more »
I’m going to call this episode “the old fogey” episode because I spend a lot of time complaining about a sore back and aching joints. However if you want to be working in the shop instead of sitting on the porch yelling at the neighborhood kids then there are some things to consider about how [...] Read more »
Not that YOU ever make gappy dovetails…but from time to time it happens. The key is not to sweat it because patching them is easy and invisible. This video shows you how for those time when you chop to the wrong line and “swiss cheese” is the best way to describe your dovetails. Google+ Profile Read more »
I usually answer this question with, “naw, I’d rather build furniture and support the tool makers”. Something about making tools doesn’t appeal to me. It’s probably derived from fear that my skills aren’t up to par. As my friend Marc says, “hand tool guy straight won’t cut it”. I justify this with the fact that [...] Read more »
There are many ways to cut a dado using hand tools. In this episode I use a dado saw or stair saw to demonstrate one of those ways to hand cut dados. CME Handworks has made a nice version of the stair saw. I really like the brass fortification at the bottom as every vintage [...] Read more »
