Offer me a piece of wood and I will accept. Consequently, my side yard contains the following: One holly log, approximately 14" diameter and 5′ long; A large stack of 2" to 3" thick spalted maple; and An assortment of turning blanks. Currently, maple, black walnut and acacia make up my stash. Just recently, I realized that 7' … Continue reading Wood – My Weakness
Blog
The Evolution of Sharpening
When I started woodworking six or seven years ago, all my tools were usually dull. I sharpened them will a mill file. Yes a mill file. I clamped the tool in my metal working vise and went at it. Maybe that was a blessing because I learned to sharpen with a steady hand. Anyhow, the … Continue reading The Evolution of Sharpening
Progress on The Workbench
Well, it's been two months since my last posting. And the bench has come a long way, though there's still a long way to go. I ended up having the Douglas fir resawn in half. Many thanks to my friend and fellow woodworker Doug Ward. I've now laminated the bench top and flattened it. I … Continue reading Progress on The Workbench
No Holds Workbench
Well, it's been a while since I've posted here. I've been so awfully busy lately. I can't even count how many projects I have on the go. And most of them are for clients. But one is for me and only me. I need a new workbench and have been dreaming of one for years. … Continue reading No Holds Workbench
A Weekend That Turned Out Well
I had this past weekend off, and I made the most of it, turning a total of five bowls, all from green wood. I slept in until 10:00am on Saturday. I had a quick breakfast and headed down to the shop. The first bowl was a result of a co-worker giving me a section of … Continue reading A Weekend That Turned Out Well
Heirloom Quality Screwdrivers For Sale
My turned screwdrivers are now for sale. They feature a solid dogwood handle and a polished magnetic bit holder which accepts all 1/4" hex-shank screwdriver bits. The price is $30. To make a screwdriver, I first cut a dogwood blank to size. Then I bore a 1/4" hole to accept the shank of the magnetic … Continue reading Heirloom Quality Screwdrivers For Sale
No Rest For The Weary
It seems that the idea of starting my business this year might just become a reality. While my weekly hours at Lee Valley hover around 40, my shop hours are probably over 20. On days where I work at Lee Valley, I spend little time in the shop as I am often too tired to … Continue reading No Rest For The Weary
Acacia – Block to Bowl
Right now I have a half dozen blocks of green acacia in the garage. I spent a good portion of last Saturday turning a pair of bowls from a single block. I first outlined the shape of the bowl on the block and cut it out on the bandsaw. I screwed the block onto a faceplate … Continue reading Acacia – Block to Bowl
Heirloom Tool Chest – The Planning Stage
Inspired by the handcrafted tool chest on the back of Fine Woodworking's latest issue of tools and shops with french-fitted compartments for frequently used hand tools, I have challenged myself to build one for myself. Before any tool is lifted or wood is selected, I needed to design the chest. And the best way to … Continue reading Heirloom Tool Chest – The Planning Stage
Dogwood Arts and Crafts Table – Complete!
On December 24th at 7:30 pm, I completed the dogwood table. It took 130 hours to complete and was finished with two coats of Deft Exterior Oil. It included two drop-in leaves supported by telescoping arms. I am very pleased with how it turned out (and also that I got it done for Christmas) as … Continue reading Dogwood Arts and Crafts Table – Complete!
