Maple Trestle Table, Session 9 – Mortises the Slow Way (or Why I’m Buying a Domino XL)

Posted on by Chris Wong

On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working.  That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 9 – Mortises the Slow Way (or Why I’m Buying a Domino XL)

Maple Trestle Table, Session 1 – Flat Boards are Boring

Posted on by Chris Wong

On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working.  That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 1 – Flat Boards are Boring

Maple Slab Table

Posted on by Chris Wong

For a beautiful, smooth finish that requires little maintenance I first brushed on two coats of polyurethane to build the finish.  Then I smoothed the surface with extra-fine steel wool before spraying on three coats of satin polyurethane.  I sprayed the base with five coats of gloss black enamel. Read the details of the Tweet-Along … Continue reading Maple Slab Table

Maple Slab Build, Session 3

Posted on by Chris Wong

Friday night, I went down to the shop because I wanted to build something.  I started with a small slab of Western maple and designed the piece on the fly.  I documented the build live on Twitter and what you see below are the updates from the third session (see what I did in the … Continue reading Maple Slab Build, Session 3

How to Listen to the Wood – Carving, Day 2

Posted on by Chris Wong

Sunday afternoon, I started a project with a board of butternut (I thought it was walnut at first).  The idea was to let the wood dictate the end result.  I documented the process of building and mounting wall brackets live on Twitter and what you see below are the updates from Day 2: Monday (you … Continue reading How to Listen to the Wood – Carving, Day 2

How to Listen to the Wood – Carving, Day 1

Posted on by Chris Wong

Sunday afternoon, I started a project with a board of butternut (I thought it was walnut at first).  The idea was to let the wood dictate the end result.  I documented the process of building and mounting wall brackets live on Twitter and what you see below are the updates from Sunday (the project wasn't … Continue reading How to Listen to the Wood – Carving, Day 1

Small Ash Side Table

Posted on by Chris Wong

At 11:45 am on Saturday, December 17, I decided that I would make a small table as a Christmas gift.  I documented my process live on Twitter and what you see below are the updates.  This was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could see the rate at which I progressed. … Continue reading Small Ash Side Table

Sharpening Should NOT be Difficult or Time-Consuming

Posted on by Chris Wong

It's been said a thousand times that a sharp tool is a safe tool.  Sharp tools require less effort to use and as a result the user has greater control and is less likely to slip and injure themselves or damage something.   A sharp tool also cuts more cleanly, leaving a surface requiring less … Continue reading Sharpening Should NOT be Difficult or Time-Consuming

Recognizing Sharpness

Posted on by Chris Wong

We all know that it is important to have sharp edges when working.  They cut more cleanly and require less force to use, either saving us effort or strain on the motor.  Knowing how to sharpen is certainly an important skill, but just as important is recognizing when a tool requires sharpening. With enough experience, … Continue reading Recognizing Sharpness

Clean Your Blades and Bits!

Posted on by Chris Wong

One thing that I force myself to do is to inspect the various cutting edges in my shop regularly. Because they are constantly subject to wear, their cutting abilities are gradually diminished and eventually, the cut becomes labourious. With power tools, cutters dull as they cut, but another enemy is heat build-up. A fast feed … Continue reading Clean Your Blades and Bits!