A significant part of table design involves the legs and any framework connecting multiple legs to each other, to the table top, and to provide strength. When it comes to the structure of the table, the joints between the legs and other parts of the table are where damage is most likely to occur. Pulling … Continue reading Designing Furniture: Considerations Around Table Legs and Leverage
So, with the top done, my next step was to design a suitable base for it. I went to my computer and started playing with designs. I had an idea for a base that consisted of a pair of rectangular frames and cross members. However, none of the variations that looked good to me. Slim, tapered … Continue reading 21st Century Writing Desk – Designing the Base
In my last Craftsy blog post, I covered techniques to cut perfect mitres. If you've ever made a mitred joint before, you probably discovered that cutting them accurately can be finicky, but assembling them was downright agonizing. However, with a couple of tricks and the right clamping tools on hand, and some practice, assembling mitres … Continue reading How to Perfectly Assemble Mitre Joints
Early on, I regarded mitre joints as difficult and finicky, so I often used other joinery that I could execute more easily (even dovetails) instead. But once I figured out a good process for making mitre joints, I found them to be no more difficult than other joinery, and certainly quicker than dovetails! My latest article … Continue reading Cut Perfect Mitre Joints
No matter how much time I have, there never seems to be enough. For that reason, I make many of my decisions based on efficiency. My decision to use a hand tool or a power tool for a given task is dependent on what I feel is more efficient for the task at hand. In my effort to … Continue reading One-Step Joinery
I developed the crossing joint as a possible solution to how conventional joinery results in a disruption of grain along the rails and/or stiles of a frame and panel door.I cut one sample joint, then did some photo manipulation to see how it would look in a similar situation.First, I looked at the fingers in … Continue reading Crossing Joint as Door Joinery
This joint was inspired by the realization that joinery used in frame and panel doors always results in a visual discontinuation of the vertical component, whereas the horizontal component usually carries through to an adjacent component. Using mortise and tenon, bridle, or cope and stick joinery resulted in one member (usually the stile - the vertical member) cutting off … Continue reading Original Joinery – Crossing Joint
Earlier this month, my friend, Neil Cronk, started an online woodworking event called #HandJoinery. As Neil described it, #HandJoinery is a way to share joinery skills and encourage people to get in their shops and put hand tools to wood while sharing and asking questions. Alongside Neil and I, Wilbur Pan, Shannon Rogers and Adam Maxwell … Continue reading #HandJoinery
Last week, after deciding to apply the cabinet back directly to the rear edge, I spent most of a day rehearsing and mentally preparing myself for the glue-up. In this assembly, I only glued together the cabinet sides, top and bottom. I used 3/4" x 3/4" stickers as cauls to force the finger joints together as … Continue reading Insanity 2: The Back
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
Sculptural Woodwork by Chris Wong 