I use Japanese-style saws exclusively in my classroom and home shop because I have young makers. I love the quick bite and accuracy of a pull stroke, the low cost and high quality, but mostly, enjoy handing my saw to young apprentices and watch them succeed, no matter what their size, shape or need mightContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: How to Saw (for Young and Beginning #Woodworkers)”
Tag Archives: basic skills
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: Miter Boxes for #Woodworking #Makered
Sometimes, young (and old…) woodworkers can use a little help sawing a board accurately, especially if the board must have a specific angle or length. A miter box helps a woodworker saw a 90 or 45 degree angle into a piece of wood. They are cheap to make, easy to modify and cut accurately. MiterContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: Miter Boxes for #Woodworking #Makered”
This Week in the Shop: New Tools, New Projects
I found these boxes inside a log from a tree felled in my parent’s backyard, in the house my brothers and I grew up in. I’m now in my thirties and my youngest brother is closer to thirty than twenty-five. We’ve grown up, moved out, moved back, gotten married, had kids, and brought our kids back. This holiday season, we’ll be together for a few days and hours. Then, like many families, we’ll scatter to the wind. A few years ago, I stuffed my suitcase with a log instead of presents. This year, I made matching boxes for every person in my immediate family – mom, dad and four sons.
Tool Primer: How to Finish Your Project: Film Finishes
This is the third Tool Primer article on finishing your woodworking project. You can find Part One: Sanding here and Part Two: Penetrating Oils here. In this article I will discuss the film finishes available for woodworking projects at most local big-box hardware stores. The first step is creating a clean, dust-free uniform surface byContinue reading “Tool Primer: How to Finish Your Project: Film Finishes”
This Week In the Shop: Queen-Sized Bed
It has been a while since I’ve shared a completed project from my bench. I haven’t been particularly inactive, just an inactive blogger. Recently, I completed a queen-sized platform bed for my wife and I. I completed the footboard over last winter break, and this summer I took on the headboard. The headboard and rails areContinue reading “This Week In the Shop: Queen-Sized Bed”
This Week in the Shop: A Quiet Place
This project was for my mother. In order to do it though, I had to build a woodworking shop for my father. Interesting how that works out. All told, this project cost under $50. My father’s garage stuff collection netted me tons of scrap wood for the work spaces, paints and some hardware while myContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: A Quiet Place”
This Week in the Shop: A Simple Pin Marking Gauge
To end the year, my students have been making simple marking gauges. My students learned to create a mortise and use hand planes to fit a tenon in this particular project. Here’s how we did it. 1. Cut a 1″ or 3/4″ square oak strip into 8″ lengths. 2. Cut a 2″ length from a maple stripContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: A Simple Pin Marking Gauge”
Community Watch: Build a Bench Is Complete!
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 multipleContinue reading “Community Watch: Build a Bench Is Complete!”
Community Watch: Build a Bench this Memorial Day Weekend!
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 buildContinue reading “Community Watch: Build a Bench this Memorial Day Weekend!”
WSC Designs 