This Thursday, I am teaching a seminar called Understanding Wood Grain. In this seminar, I discuss various methods of reading the grain and demonstrate how to use this knowledge to work wood efficiently. For the hands-on component, I guide students through a variety of situations and explore a multitude of practical techniques using a bench … Continue reading Fundamentals: Understanding Wood Grain and Using a Chisel
I have put Insanity 2 on hold to work on some small boxes of a design I came up with many years ago. The double-ended box relies on a pair of sliding dovetails perpendicular to each other to open. While functional, it is also a lot of fun to handle - similar to twiddling your … Continue reading Fun with Sliding Dovetails
I attribute my success to my relentless push to try to fail. Insanity 2 is about trying to design something which I cannot create. Since my last blog update on Insanity 2, I laminated two curved sides and a curved bottom. Then I was faced with the task of joining them together. Although the four … Continue reading Insanity 2: The Carcase
Last night on #Woodchat, we had a look at Insanity 2 and discussed options for the back of the cabinet and shelves. The discussion started at 13:21 and ran until 46:20. I learned that my cohost, Matt Gradwohl, was equally insane. Together, we decided that our viewers may have also been insane for following along (unless they happened … Continue reading #Woodchat is Going Insane
I have been looking for a material which can be used to develop scaled-down furniture designs. I wanted something tangible that I could handle and manipulate. I wanted something that could be used to easily create a scale model of furniture that I could hold in my hand and easily make modifications. Many options for … Continue reading Armature Wire as a Modelling Tool
Last week, I put three sheets of 1/8" Baltic birch plywood between two forms I made to create the top of the cabinet for the doors. Although the glue-up seemed to go smoothly, I couldn't be sure of the success until I removed it from the form. I let the bent lamination set for two … Continue reading Insanity 2: The Top
When I set out to design something, I sometimes find it helpful to make a list of requirements. If designing a chair, my list might look like this: the seat must be at an appropriate height and shaped or upholstered for comfort; the chair must bear the weight of the user; it should have a … Continue reading Designing from Scratch
When working on a project as involving as Insanity 2, I find it difficult to detach myself from the project at the end of the day. As a result, I just stare into space, unable to really focus on or enjoy anything. I make for terrible company. If I want to continue doing this type … Continue reading Insanity 2: The Price of Pushing the Limits
A couple of months ago, a local couple approached me looking for a characterful table top for a metal base they were having made. I invited them to visit my shop and they picked out this slab of elm. I flattened the top side of the slab and filled the voids with resin. I inlaid … Continue reading Elm Table Top
As you saw in my last post, I had created two doors with curved frames for Insanity 2. The curved edges eliminated most of the conventional options of attaching doors to a cabinet, so I sat down with my sketch book to come up with other ways. Here are the sketches that I drew. Their … Continue reading Insanity 2: Doors
