Author Archives: woodshopcowboy

This Week In the Shop: Storage Crate

This Week in the Shop we make a storage crate suitable to store a large pinewood derby track. This crate is simple to build and made out of very cheap materials. As built, this crate costs roughly $75 per crate in plywood and hardware supplies. This project can be attempted by the beginner, but alsoContinue reading “This Week In the Shop: Storage Crate”

Woodshop Cowboy Rides Again at Maker Faire Nova….

Woodshop Cowboy goes to Maker Faire Nova on Mar. 18th at George Mason University at Fairfax, VA.  You can purchase tickets at nova.makerfaire.com.  Enjoy lots and lots of hands-on exhibits, including drones, blacksmithing, 3D Printing, robotics and of course, woodworking! The full list of maker exhibits is pretty overwhelming. I will be building a smallContinue reading “Woodshop Cowboy Rides Again at Maker Faire Nova….”

This Week in the Shop: The Fossil Cabinet

This Week in the Shop we build small cabinet. Cabinet making epitomizes fine woodworking, as it rewards accuracy, consistency, and attention to detail. Cabinets can be found in the workshop, in the kitchen, as furniture, as built-ins. This cabinet build relies on the table saw and the router and showcases the versatility of shellac as a finish.

This Week In the Shop: Open Shelving

Every woodshop, makerspace or garage could use more storage.  If you have an unfinished wall in a shed, garage or basement, this project is for you! This Week in the Shop we build open shelving using simple brackets made from 2x10s with a table saw, power drill/driver and miter saw.   This project easy to build,Continue reading “This Week In the Shop: Open Shelving”

This Week in the Classroom: The FunKey Super #MakerED #STEM Review

This fall I have introduced a new tech platform into my practice.  The FunKey  unlocks tons of potential in a classroom. Do you want a board that reads keystrokes and plays like a MakeyMakey but with at a size and price point for a real classroom? FunKey does that. Do you now need a boardContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: The FunKey Super #MakerED #STEM Review”

This Week In the Shop: The Woodshop Cowboy Workshop & Studio 2017

This Week in the Shop, I will peel the bark off my new digs in Northern Virginia.  Last summer, my family and I relocated to Northern VA to be closer to family and pursue new jobs.  It’s taken a while, but we’ve finally settled into a sort-of-fixer-upper in a great neighborhood. The Woodshop Cowboy ShopContinue reading “This Week In the Shop: The Woodshop Cowboy Workshop & Studio 2017”

This Week in the Classroom: Top Maker Tools in the Middle School Classroom

My semi-regular column This Week in the Classroom is back!  I have accepted a position in a small, mostly rural school district just outside of Northern Virginia.  It’s great to be in the classroom again, bringing project-based learning to new audiences. I am teaching middle schoolers, all levels.  Middle school is a great age toContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Top Maker Tools in the Middle School Classroom”