Most of the time on this blog and @woodshopcowboy or WoodshopCowboy on Facebook, I showcase student-centered projects and articles. Sometimes I make projects for my own enjoyment and personal needs in my own personal makerspace/workshop. Here’s a peek behind the curtain.
Tag Archives: make
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: The Simple Cutting Board
They say when it rains, it pours. For the past six months, I’ve inundated myself with cutting boards at every turn, in every one of my woodworking shops. At home, I made cutting boards as Christmas presents. At work, cutting boards as a fundraiser. At TX/RX Labs, I’ve tweaked my intro course to include aContinue reading “This Week In the Shop: The Simple Cutting Board”
This Week in The Classroom: The Simple Coffee Table in Spalted Red Oak
Earlier in the year, the great folks at Canyon Mesquite donated a number of spalted red oak boards to make furniture out of. It took a while, but we finally made some great use of them. Finished with Howard’s Feed-N-Wax. Make it safe & keep the rubber side down this week. Thank you for visitingContinue reading “This Week in The Classroom: The Simple Coffee Table in Spalted Red Oak”
This Week in the Classroom: Build Your Own CO2 Rocket Cars & Launching System
When I look at the popularity of CO2 rocket cars in STEM programs, its ubiquity and age hide a lot of potential for makers and project-based learning opportunities. The biggest drawback, as I see it, is the high cost of entry. Launching systems cost somewhere in the hundreds of dollars, tracks take up teaching spaceContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Build Your Own CO2 Rocket Cars & Launching System”
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”
This Week in the Shop: Ceramic 3-D Printing via Shapeways.com
In the late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s, a number of furniture makers, craftsman and artisans reacted against the massive mechanization and industrialization of (their) modern world to create a type of furniture called Arts & Crafts, Craftsman or Mission style furniture. Gustav Stickley in New York, the Roycroft community and others created furniture,Continue reading “This Week in the Shop: Ceramic 3-D Printing via Shapeways.com”
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!”
This Week in the Shop: The Tool Stand
If you give a woodworker a table saw, he realizes new vistas awakening in his craft. If you give him a table saw, he’d like a sweet router table. If he makes that router table, he’d need a bench to store his other bench-top tools. If he has a stand for his bench-top tools, he’dContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: The Tool Stand”
WSC Designs 