Include or Exclude?

Power carving is unlike working with hand tools because you can remove wood without regard for grain direction or knots.  To me, this is liberating as I can focus on form. As I work, I constantly ask myself, "Do I want to save this section or obliterate it?  My sculpting approach is to simply remove … Continue reading Include or Exclude?

Maple Trestle Table, Session 2 – Playing with Slabs

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 2 – Playing with Slabs

Maple Trestle Table, Session 1 – Flat Boards are Boring

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

Feels Like Summertime

Yes, I realize that the temperature is hovering around 5 degrees, there's still snow on the ground, and the sun doesn't come out much. But what I mean by summertime is that I can spend my day out in the yard doing my darnedest to cover the ground with sawdust and wood chips. I started … Continue reading Feels Like Summertime

100 lbs of Douglas Fir

Last week while walking home, I passed a house with what looked to be half a dozen sections of a fallen Douglas Fir tree trunk.  Each was roughly 24" in diameter and 10" thick.  I introduced myself to the fellow trimming branches in the front yard and asked him about the wood.  He confirmed that it was indeed … Continue reading 100 lbs of Douglas Fir