Much of my education in woodworking has been from what I describe as the relentless push to fail. That is, coming up with an objective that pushes the limits of what I can do, what I feel is possible, or what is possible. I came up with the objective to tie a knot in a … Continue reading Tying Knots in Wood
I spend a good deal of time organizing things and processes to facilitate efficiency. This may come in the form of organizing tools in a drawer where I can find them, building or modifying a tool, or designing and speed testing a process. Sometimes, the amount of time that I invest in creating this organization … Continue reading On Being Efficient
When woodworkers think about the scroll saw, they often think of a tool that cuts slowly and is perhaps the power saw with which one is least likely to cut themselves. And, compared to stationary tools like the table saw, bandsaw, and mitre saw, I feel that it is an accurate description Perhaps a hand-held … Continue reading Risk to the User and Workpiece
Last month, we moved to Vancouver Island and I have been busy setting up shop, rebuilding the fence around the back yard and building two new gates with 1000 linear feet of 1x6 red cedar. When ordering supplies, I decided to try the premium-grade Universal Screws by U2 Fasteners. These sell for about $18 for … Continue reading A Practical Test of Premium Fasteners
Sometimes simple things can make a big difference in the quality of your work, and the ease at which that work is performed. One example is sufficient stock support for long material. In the latest issue of Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement, I have an article detailing how I built and adapted a removable outfeed … Continue reading Removable Outfeed Table Article
Reminder: Introductory pricing on live-edge cribbage boards expires Saturday night. I feel that my time is limited and valuable. I am usually trying to get the most impactful tasks done as quickly as possible and ignoring the less pertinent ones. But, sometimes, it is a good idea to take a break from directly trying to … Continue reading Sometimes You Just Need to Stop Working and Get Organized
I always seem to spend more time working on projects than cleaning and tidying in the shop, and the result is usually chaos - stuff everywhere. The best times I have found to clean up and organize are late at night when I can’t do much else, or while waiting for glue or finish to … Continue reading Being Productive While Finish Dries
Stains, dyes, and even most “clear” finishes change the appearance of the surface to which they are applied. (For the clearest finish, a water based urethane or super blonde shellac are among the best choices.) Decorative finishing effects can be applied by using a combination of stains, dyes, paint, or other means. Recently, I had … Continue reading Painting, Staining, Dyeing and Burning Wood
The internet is a great resource, but trying to find inspiration for a design without spending hours can be difficult. I find the most efficient way is to scan through the results of an image search. But a search for “dining table” isn’t likely to be very fruitful. Think carefully and add some key words … Continue reading How I Find Inspiration Online
Cabinetry is not something that I do very often, but when we decided to redo our half-bathroom, I decided to custom-build a cabinet with a live-edge counter top and a shelf to better utilize the oddly-shaped space behind the door. The cabinet was pretty standard, but I didn't have any edge banding. With all the … Continue reading A Built-In Cabinet with Live-Edge Counter Top
Sculptural Woodwork by Chris Wong 