Woodworking Digitally is More Convenient, But Not Better

What Do I Mean By "Woodworking Digitally"? First, let me define digital. I don’t exclusively mean the use of measuring tools with LCD screens. I mean the use of any numbers at all, whether Metric or Imperial, decimals or fractions. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary: digital: of, relating to, or using calculation by numerical methods … Continue reading Woodworking Digitally is More Convenient, But Not Better

Stacked Veneer Experiment with a Shocking Lesson

You're probably aware that I like to incorporate a twist in my designs. For some time, I've had this idea to laminate a stack of veneer in a twisted manner, so each subsequent piece of veneer is rotated just a degree or two. I suspected that, due to the difference in appearance between long grain … Continue reading Stacked Veneer Experiment with a Shocking Lesson

The Five Foot Shop

It's been about a year-and-a-half since my shop size got cut in half. It presently occupies a one-car garage and I must say that I'm quite happy with the space. All my machines made the move, including my sliding table saw, 18" bandsaw, jointer, planer, drill press and dust collector, but I did give up my … Continue reading The Five Foot Shop

Mounting Shelves and Pictures on Walls

Since moving into our new house last year, I have hung dozens of pictures and shelves. Okay, maybe not dozens, but very likely a dozen. Every time, the challenges are the same: what is the best location, where are the studs, and is it level? While not immediately obvious, we always do reach a consensus … Continue reading Mounting Shelves and Pictures on Walls

Working Efficiently in a Small Shop

It can be a challenge to work efficiently in a small shop, but I have arranged the equipment in the space of a 1-car garage to allow me to build with components up to five feet in length without having to rearrange. In fact, the only machine that is on wheels is my 13" thickness … Continue reading Working Efficiently in a Small Shop

Results from the 2017 Wall Shelf Build-Off

Well, the ballots have been tallied and that means it's time to award some prizes.  Although there were not as many entries as I had hoped for, the shelves built were well-constructed, innovative, and certainly well made considering the two day time limit. This made it tough for judges to decide which shelf was the … Continue reading Results from the 2017 Wall Shelf Build-Off

New Prize Category: Most Accurate Voter

With a last-minute prize donation from Green Buddy Distributors (distributors of Grex Tools in Canada), there is now one more prize than there are categories. So I'm going to create one new category and shuffle the prizes. The exciting part is that EVERYBODY is eligible to win! The winner of this category will be whoever most … Continue reading New Prize Category: Most Accurate Voter

The Maker, the Buyer, and the User

As a creator (in my case, of designs, artwork, furniture and writing primarily), it is necessary to understand to whom one is accountable. The maker doesn't want it, the buyer doesn't use it, and the user doesn't know they're using it. What is the object? This classic riddle illustrates the difference between three types of … Continue reading The Maker, the Buyer, and the User