Every Intro to Woodworking class, I try to take a little time to share some local resources for woodworking and budding woodworkers. Where to buy woodworking specific tools: Woodcraft & Rockler are competing small-business franchises specializing in woodworking equipment … Continue reading Community Watch: Woodworking in Houston
In a few short years, TX/RX has grown from a small collective to one of the largest hackerspaces in TX, if not the US. It holds spring and fall semester classes in all sorts of cool subjects: computer programming, electronics, fabrication, crafts, art, etc. You can see the whole list at http://www.txrxlabs.org/classes. Last Sunday, a group of volunteers came together to build seven workbenches. Check back to see our progress over the next few weeks. If you want to join in the build, or sign up for classes, scoot over to http://www.txrxlabs.org to catch all the news. Make it safe … Continue reading Community Watch: TX/RX Labs’ New Woodshop Build
Some people say that hand-made gifts are the best gifts to receive. Others, like myself, say hand-made gifts are the best to give. Still others, namely fishermen and women, claim teaching a skill may be the best gift of all. … Continue reading Community Watch: Build a Box on Nov. 2 & 3
Of the three or so classes I’ve taught at TX/RX Labs and the twenty to thirty projects I’ve taught at work, the simple bench project remains my favorite. It is an intermediate level project which can be reached by absolute beginners, it’s cheap to build (approximately $15 w/ finish) and it lends itself to multiple machines (tablesaw, bandsaw, drill press) and hand tools. I present the latest and greatest class yet: Special thanks to Pratt for building extra supports for himself and everyone else, shout out to Sean for the intense questions, my teaching assistants, and everyone else in the … Continue reading Community Watch: Build a Bench Is Complete!
Are you in the Houston area? Ever wanted to get started woodworking? Maybe you just enjoy benches as much as I do? Join me for the Wood Workshop at TX/RX Labs on Sat. & Sun. May 25th & 26th (5/25 & 5/26) from 9am-5pm. The Finished Bench I will be walking you through how to build the simple bench project, start to finish. As TX/RX so elegantly put it: Build a simple bench using both hand tools and power tools. A perfect intro to woodworking, we will cover basic tool usage both hand and power along with learning the basics of … Continue reading Community Watch: Build a Bench this Memorial Day Weekend!
Last Saturday I had the chance to introduce ten students to woodworking tools – great bunch! If you are interested in learning how to use power tools and are in the Houston area, why don’t you sign up for a class over at TX/RX Labs? Join me for a second class in June! Make it safe & keep the rubberside down this weekend. Continue reading Community Watch: Intro to Woodworking Tools
For those readers who are looking to get into woodworking and live in the Houston area, consider joining me for Intro to Woodworking Tools on Saturday, April 13, 9am to 12pm at TX/RX Labs. I will be focusing on safety procedures for a number of common hand power tools, the table saw, router, oscillating sander, miter saw and others. Check out the link above for more information! Continue reading Community Watch: Intro To Woodworking Tools
Every year, I celebrate a my student’s success (and my survival) with 250,000 of my closest friends. How do I do that? I take a van filled with students and covered in wood butterflies downtown for a little ride. A little ride in the Houston Art Car Parade. If you are a Houstonian maker, teacher, artist, mover or shaker, you need to fire up the welders, put on the mechanic’s gloves, break out the oil paints and get creative. It’s Art Car season! Entries are open now! Make it safe and keep the rubber-side down. Continue reading Community Watch: Art Car Registration is Open
This weekend I got the opportunity to enjoy a some beautiful weather & check out Houston’s Sustainable Living Fest held at Market Square Park. Houston might be the epicenter of the oil & gas industry, but it has a wonderful green and sustainable environmental underground. There’s a lot of cross-pollination too. For example, the Galveston Bay Foundation raises salt marsh grass in donated space inside a NRG power plant. The City of Houston has a number of big corporations headquartered here and its also funds the Houston ReUse Warehouse. Lots of companies, non-profits and government agencies were represented yesterday. Hope … Continue reading Community Watch: Sustainable Living Fest of Houston, TX
On Jan. 19th, I had the chance to attend and participate in Houston’s first annual Mini-Maker Faire. I brought 8 students, 3 fellow teachers (or maybe Ms. J brought me), a woodworking bench, my traveling chest of hand tools and a whole lot of salvaged pine. Maker Faire brings together families and individuals to celebrate the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset and showcase all kinds of incredible projects. At Maker Faire, you’ll find arts and crafts, science and engineering, food and music, fire and water but what makes this event special is that all these interesting projects and smart, creative people belong … Continue reading Community Watch: Houston Mini-Maker Faire
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