Prodigal Ponderings — carpenter blog RSS



Spring Cleaning: What's New from The Prodigal Carpenter

  For the last week or so the Carpenter has been busy “spring cleaning” and reorganizing his shop. Seems anytime we’re really busy ,even our best efforts fall short in keeping things neat and organized…….lots of sawing, planing, sanding, turning, and gluing has taken place and the evidence was all over the place:) Micah had little interest in helping.... he preferred to lay in the accumulated sawdust outside the shop. The good news is that the “mess” was a result of a number of new products added to our line………. So we thought we’d share them with you here.   We added Penblocks at the recommendation of a friend who is a pen lover. She clued us in on how true...

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Made to Worship

During my recent Bible study, in the midst of the Old Testament book of Judges,  I was reminded of  a central aspect of how God created us all.  Whether believers or not, all of us were made to worship. While most relate worship to a religious practice, the reality goes far beyond that.  As a matter of fact one of the definitions Webster offers is this:  extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem. In my past, my worship was given to any number of self-serving pursuits that ultimately left me unfulfilled. Here’s an example: several years ago I was fortunate enough to share in season tickets for my favorite hockey team.  Looking back, this was just one...

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End Grain Cutting Board Finishes

We finish our cutting boards in one of two ways; using food grade mineral oil is our most common finish however on occasion we will finish a board with Salad Bowl Finish (aka SBF). Before explaining the differences in the finish we’d first like to identify the similarities: Both finishes are food safe Both finishes will protect the wood surface without detracting from the natural healing and anti-bacterial properties of end grain boards. Both finishes are applied over several days with multiple coats Both surfaces will in fact require periodic maintenance Now the differences.  Mineral oil is applied to saturate the wood from one side through the board to the other whereas SBF provides a harder layer of finish that doesn't penetrate...

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Handcrafted Kitchen Utensil Rack

During a recent visit to our retail market space we were talking to one of the managers who has been very supportive of our work. One of the particular items she pointed out was the long display rack I created and on which we hang our  handcrafted kitchen utensils such as wood spoons, spatulas and pot strainers for outdoor markets or retail display.   She asked if we could make a similar “scaled down” version for a limited space kitchen.  My wife and I began to look at options for those who want access to their favorite utensils without having to dig in a drawer or pull one out of a crowded bin.   Our design was fairly simple but took into consideration...

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Around My Shop--The Crosscut Sled

  Before continuing with the other tools in my shop I wanted to add a few comments in regards to my table saw; specifically sleds and jigs. A great way to practice and hone your table saw skills is to create sleds & jigs that will save you time and help you with more precise cuts.  Since my table saw is relatively small it came with a rather inferior miter gauge which I improved by simply adding a longer piece of MDF to the gauge. I’ve also built a sacrificial fence and a couple of jointer sleds that have saved me time and money in “squaring up” my rough wood.      Although all sleds will get their use and help...

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