Author Archives: woodshopcowboy

This Week in the Shop: Spalted Red Oak Nightstand

This week in the shop, my brother-in-law and I completed a simple nightstand featuring an oil & shellac finish, pocket hole construction, tapered legs and proportional design techniques. Check it out!

Tool Primer: Hand Saws for #Woodworking

Every #makerspace or #woodshop needs a hand saw or two, but which one do you need? Check out the different types of saws available in this week’s Tool Primer!

Every tool has a purpose. The Tool Primer Series explores common #makerspace and #woodworking tools. You can check out the entire series here.

Home #Makerspace: The Bench Hook is a Secret Weapon for #Woodworkers

Bench hooks are portable work surfaces used to make basic woodworking tasks, such as crosscutting boards and drilling holes, easier to perform.  As a bonus, they help protect the surface of your woodworking bench from bumps and dings. In the makerspace, bench hooks can be used for numerous tasks and roles (such as a surfaceContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: The Bench Hook is a Secret Weapon for #Woodworkers”

Home #Makerspace: Halloween Pumpkin String Lights #3DPrinting #makered Project

Here’s a great “getting started” 3D printing project for young #MakerEd students. It combines rudimentary circuit knowledge, gross motor skills and safe tool use. It costs about $5 to make (excluding the cost of a 3D printer) and can be modified to fit any holiday, not just Halloween.

Home #Makerspace: Simple Kid’s Game Boards for Young Makers #Woodworking

This week, we made a quick foldable checkerboard inspired by my youngest child’s love of the game. This basic folding design can expanded and modified to play any board game. Just let your imagination run wild!

This project incorporates measuring, marking boards square, using a hand drill and hand saw, and an all natural, no-fuss stain (although it is stinky!). Super quick, super cheap and super easy for young makers between K – 3rd grade.

This Week in the Shop: Stackable Storage Boxes #Woodworking Project

This week, I built a 8 box set of stackable makerspace boxes.  This design can be accomplished using three power tools (router, miter saw and jigsaw) and the design can be adjusted to fit your space and needs.   The dimensions given work for boxes made with 3/4″ plywood.  If you use thicker or thinnerContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: Stackable Storage Boxes #Woodworking Project”

#Makerspace Tour: KID Museum in Bethesda, MD

The KID Museum of Bethesda, MD offers a range of Maker activities through outreach, studio time, open play/build and structured classes.  It’s open for drop-in visits on weekends and reserved for workshops, school trips and scheduled events during weekdays.   We visited for open house Sunday hours recently.  It cost $8 per person and admissionContinue reading “#Makerspace Tour: KID Museum in Bethesda, MD”

Home #Makerspace: Making Geometric Nets with Vinyl Cutter

In this project, young makers use a vinyl cutter to cut and score geometric nets, connecting 2D shapes to 3D prisms, polyhedrons, etc.  They learn to recognize the difference between two and three-dimensions, while also seeing a relationship between the two.  Lastly, this is a great opportunity for fine motor skill practice.  The plastic requiresContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: Making Geometric Nets with Vinyl Cutter”

This Week in the Shop: Wood Hand Planes & Spray Finish

It’s not all kid-projects and makerspaces tours in this space.  I have a little time for personal projects. After sorting my shop in my recent relocation, I cannibalized the irons from some really terrible (and I mean terrible) hand planes.  I’ve reused those planes in three hand planes.  I made two smoothers and one blockContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: Wood Hand Planes & Spray Finish”