I recently finished a 'special" project.........while undertaking a new cutting board design inspired by another woodworker's online video, I finally got around to making a special cheese board for my wife. I've made numerous ones, some in the beautiful "tumbling squares" pattern as well as several others. She has helped with the design details, sourcing and choosing the complementary hardware for each, but every completed project found its way out the door as either a gift to someone special or to our retail marketplace. So as I took on this new design I decided it was time to rectify that situation. Here is a link to the "Slovenian Woodworker" who inspired my new board... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cniYoTxiEek&t=48s After considering his...
There's a window of time here in Georgia in the Spring, a few glorious days when the temperature is perfect, mornings are bright and cool, and the afternoon temperatures linger in the low 70s. We relish this time..... when the pollen assault has subsided, decks and porch furniture have been cleaned and ridded of the pesky allergy inducing substance, and we aren't engulfed in humidity the moment we step outdoors. It's a sweet interlude before late Spring and Summer arrive to remind us that Southern Summers don't play around:) Being a gardener, I love watching established plantings emerge each Spring..... bleeding heart, lantana, hosta etc.........as well as planting new additions. Some I begin in my small greenhouse, while others...
Over the past several days I faced a familiar woodworker's crisis: one of my favorite tools, my lathe, quit working. I had purchased an inexpensive starter lathe awhile back and put out several nice products including pepper grinders, salt shakers and French rolling pins. Now it was time for an upgrade. Woodworkers love their tools and I’m no different. Many, like myself, also love the research involved before our next purchase; then there’s the weighing of price, practicality and performance. This is where my #1 fan comes in. My beautiful wife is not only my best friend but also my greatest encourager. She knows me; she listens to me, and she pays attention. As I was wrestling through my decision...
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...
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...
