I have been working on developing a seminar at Lee Valley Tools to make a pair of sawhorses based on the ones I made for my own shop. The idea we came up with was to make one horse using power tools and the other with hand tools. That would give seminar participants good practice … Continue reading Bow Saws
I think I may have outdone myself this year. But as my coworkers pointed out, even though I spent a few days creating this cabinet, my mother spent many months creating me. So I digress.To antique the polished brass hardware, I applied the same dyed shellac and allowed it to partially dry before rubbing most … Continue reading Happy Mother’s Day!
Friday I set out to make a set of saw horses for my workshop. I have two large, heavy, A-frame saw horses that my dad built. I wanted some horses more suited for shop use - nimble and lightweight, yet still sturdy. I felt that this design popularized by the late James Krenov fit the … Continue reading A New Set of Sawhorses
Handles (or totes, as they are called regarding hand planes) are often very personal things. Yet, I don't think that any hand plane makers offer any options as to whether you would like a small, medium, or large tote for your plane. Perhaps that's because the makers figure that the end user will either just … Continue reading New Duds for #4
Wednesday was a reminder that summer is on its way. It was gorgeous outside - sunny and warm. Some might even describe it as hot. Soon, 20-degree weather sunny weather will be the norm. Can't wait for that. The weather fired my imagination and resulted in this box, with a sea-side theme: rolling waves, sun, … Continue reading Life on the Coast
I spend at least 75% of my time in the workshop in my bench room, the rest of my time either in the adjacent machine shop or outside in the yard either turning or power carving. Of the time spend in my bench room, probably 90% of that time is spent in one area about … Continue reading Bench Room Reorganization
I started woodworking around the age of ten, in middle school. I remember doing little projects like building balsa wood (and plastic) models before that as well. Some time in middle school, I started to build my shop. In high school, I landed a job (my first aside from delivering newspapers for holiday relief) at … Continue reading Looking Back
One of the wonderful things about the internet is that it has the ability to connect people from all over the world. Today, I received the following message from someone in New Zealand: Hi Chris I stumbled across your blog. Very interesting and an enjoyable read. I'm about to embark upon renovating rooms in my … Continue reading I’ve Got Mail!
Dave Kilpatrick is the kind of guy who hates to see wood go to waste. So when he heard that six solid-walnut chairs were being tossed out, he offered to take them. His wife must have been thrilled when he brought them home. Anyhow, they ended up in my garage where I let them sit … Continue reading From Chair to Table, Literally
When I work with power tools, I am more production minded - more focused on the result. When I work with hand tools, often in the evenings when everyone else has went to bed, I am working for the fun of it - for the journey. I am working for myself and myself alone. Many … Continue reading Woodworking is Fun!
