Magazine wood working

So after getting the second leg cut out and shapped, I took the scooby snack of working on the top of the horse. This did mean something exciting for me, I got to take the new dado hand saw I made out for a real drive for the first time. teaching myself how to use it was fun, getting it started was the real challenge but once it was going, plowed right down to the bottom. I think the only thing that may have made it easier is if I had set the blade to cut on the push stroke instead of the pull. It seemed more intuitive to use it that way. I wil try it for a few more times before I make the decision to change it around to what is probably the more traditional direction.

Either way it was cool to have success with it. Even using my table saw this is always how Ive liked to cut dados. cut a line down either side and hog out the center with a chisel. Now that my new router plane has arrived cleaning up the bottoms is going to be even easier. (that puppy did arrive this week too, all three cutting blades and the guide fence intact, just have to use a litle elbow grease to clean up the surface rust and sharpen the blades and were completely in buisness)

Coincidence?
I recently volunteered on my sons Grade 2 class visit to the ROM and a funny thing happened.
The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) is a spectacular way to spend a day if you’re ever in Toronto. The big-draw no doubt are the dinosaur displays but for some reason, on this day, the group I had wanted to keep moving past and we ended up making our way through areas I had never been before. When I first moved back to Toronto, a family membership to the ROM was a must and it  quickly paid for itself during that first year. I thought I had seen pretty much all there was to see but on this trip, while trying to keep up with three 7 year old boys, I discovered a new wing full of antique furniture.
The boys and I shared a common interest and our pace slowed as we walked through the seemingly endless galleries of hand crafted furniture. How did I miss this? Maybe it was new?  Starting with ancient forms and Gothic displays we worked our way through history and gazed at literally hundreds of examples of furniture from every imaginable era. Nelson, kept telling his group  “This is what my Daddy does.“  That was worth the price of admission right there! ; )
As we worked our way through the displays I was keeping one eye on the boys and one eye on the pieces so I really didn’t have time to stop and read the information offered for every one. I was more worried about loosing one of my group members and the ROM is a pretty big place. Anyhow, short story longer…I was making my way through and while lots of pieces were interesting, nothing really jumped out at me until I spied this small book shelf. Nothing too fancy but well made with some interesting inlay on top.


As someone who is always sketching furniture ideas I often ask myself what it was that drew me to the piece in the first place. Why did it catch my eye?
I was drawn to this piece more so than any other we had seen. What was it that captured my attention?
Was it the overall proportions?
Was it the wood species?

Was it the two drawers placed at the bottom?
Perhaps it was the inlay work?
I snapped a couple of quick pics with the ‘ol iPhone…



I’ve been designing some inlay and string work on a couple of the pieces in my new book and absolutely loved the style on this piece. It’s funny, out of all the pieces in the galleries made by wood workers from all over the world, through all the ages  of furniture making it was this one that caught my eye.
I wondered where it could have come from and took a moment to actually stop and read the information card.


Halifax, Nova Scotia! What a small world it is… go figure eh?
There must be something in the water.

I was thinking today that Im a pretty busy guy ... I play golf and tennis pretty regularly, I draw for pleasure, I read (and write) a lot, and now that Ive finished my woodshed, Im about to start paddle tennis season and go back to making some pottery ... sheesh. I love it though. One of my longtimest hobbies is spare time functional carpentry. I was a carpenter for seven years before I started making furniture full time in 1980. Its waaaay more relaxing than furnituremaking (1/8" ? close enough ... nail it ... ), and I just like the process of dreaming something up in its space in the landscape, drawing it, and always having it to tinker with when I get the urge. I plan to write more on this later ...
Ive been working on the woodshed below since early April and it started out in my head as something totally simple, a one pitch place to put my firewood for the wood stove we installed last year , like the one below I built in 1975 ... Then, Kit pointed out that it would be the first thing you saw when you drove up ... and then, the design just took off on its own ... Click the pictures to enlarge them ...

Original in 1975 ... Pine handhewn beams (by my brother-in-law and I, broadax and all) Notice the fine mustache and trim figure

Revised sketch in the Greek revival mode to (sort of) match the house and garage .. Gable end ornaments next year...

A little inspiration from Architectural Digest ... I think Ill pass on the reflecting pool

Early April start, this spring .. Previous posts here and here

As it was this morning .... cleaned up the leftovers last thing yesterday ...

I had this piece of stained glass from my old shop. It was made in 1981 by a friend of ours, Stephen Gormley who has gone on the become an internationally famous glass artist ... Correction. ... a really big deal internationally famous glass artist Check out some of the projects on his website ...

















Steve and Dan  1981, actually ... 

Anyway, we took teh window when we sold the Arlington property and Ive been looking for a place to use it since we left there in 1997 ... Looks good here ..


Back side ... I put a tarp over the back for the winter .. Ill take it down for the air to flow through again next spring
I might if Sam were to get inspired to contribute some serious help, have a new metal shop in me for next summer ... Well see ... It doesnt cost much to imagine what it might be like and I have all winter to sketch ... ..
Here are a couple other small, spare time buildings

Kits garden shed ... this one went on with the back wall unfinished for about 5 years, or maybe even more

Front side from the front porch

The garage and metal shop. Actually, I had a contractor frame and roof the main, two car part, but did the siding and metal shop on the far end as a spare time thing ... That one lasted, I think 3, maybe four years

Back side with the metal shop on the far right and the wood shed just peaking out in front of the house

The sawdust shed ... All for now ... I have to find my treehouse pictures from Arlington....

You may have seen this already, but just in case you missed it: Roy Underhill has launched The Woodwrights School website and it includes online registration for the Winter 2010 classes. It also has some great downloadable plans, including the folding book stand I recently posted about.

Man does that make me hate living in Alaska just now. Well, that and the 5 hours of daylight - come on solstice!

You can check it out here: The Woodwrights School

I am working on hanging the art in the office/living room and just finished a push pin board for the office area. Ill wait to show more photos until I hang the rest of the art - its looking a little lonely as is ...

For now, here is how I did it!


1. Take an old frame (I found my at Goodwill for $10), sand it to remove the glossy finish

2. After wiping down, prime and then spray paint - I wait about 45 minutes between coats (make sure to use several light strokes so the paint doesnt run!)

3. Cut the back piece to fit the frame - I used the back of a large poster board that I had left over from another project

4. Apply cork - I used cork contact paper with a sticky back (you may want to use two layers if your backing wont allow pins in)

5. Wrap fabric, pull tight and staple with a staple gun

6. Secure the cork to the frame (I used nails - make sure they arent too long so they dont go through!)

Cost breakdown:

Frame $10, Cork $10, Fabric $7, Paint $7 = $34

I was back at Goodwill today and found a cork board that would of replaced the backing and cork for $3 :( I guess you cant catch every great deal ...

Im looking forward to hanging the rest of the art - I found a cheap solution for frames that is good for renters ... and anyone who wants frames on the cheap! Check back soon!

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I am taking part in The Terpblogs 10-Day Etsy Extravaganza Giveaway - Make sure to stop by tomorrow (July 12th) for a chance to win a print from my Etsy shop! 

Well, Im about ready to call the workbench done. I counterbored a hole for the good luck coin into one of the mortise wedges and banged it home. I used a Virginia quarter: but of course.

Onward to the next project. I mentioned making a replacement tote for my jointer plane earlier out of the ebony. Ive never done anything like this before; fortunately cameras were rolling:

The first thing was to glue the template down to some plywood. I use plywood because its a little more isotropic than solid wood and therefore its easier to cut along a line that goes in different directions.

Then off to the scroll saw. I think the scroll saw will be the first power tool any future kids use. Its pretty safe--as far as power tools go--and really simple. I originally bought it for cutting wooden gears and was knocking good ones out the same night. The tote template is even easier.



Then I used the marking gauge to mark the middle of the blank for hole-drilling purposes:

I then drilled the holes through which the bolts would go. I didnt photo-document this well because it was mentally and physically intensive and I was more concerned with not screwing it up. It all worked out with a little tuning at the end. Heres my drill press set up with the blank removed:

Then I hit the whole thing with a round-over bit:

Then some rasping, filing, and sanding...

...rub a little oil on it and you have a tote.