And a site it was just one year ago. Looking through a wired-off rectangle of waste land covered with old rubble from former construction work, I wondered to myself, “Could this ugly land be home to the work we want to progress quickly into the future?” Progress comes at a price and one part of the […]
Read the full post New Site for Vision on Paul Sellers' Blog.
We experimented to find the perfect recipe for this most-requested finish for pine – and it’s as easy as pie. by Glen D. Huey from the Autumn 2007 issue of Woodworking Magazine Pumpkin pine is a developed patina that glows a warm orangy color similar to – you guessed it – a pumpkin. Ask woodworkers what finish they want to replicate when using white pine as their primary wood in […]
The post Carving Out a Pumpkin Pine Finish appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
It’s quite a lovely plane really. Compact and lightweight, feisty in the hand and then dead gutsy. That’s howI feel about all of the #3s really. I love plucking them from my tools from time to time and seeing them flip, turn and twist to task so willingly and immediately in my hands as I […]
Read the full post A Stay-set # 3 Record Bench Plane on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Every step of making this dugout chair has been a little weird. Fastening its seat in place was no different. After cutting the seat to shape using using the help of ticking sticks, I rasped the rim of the seat until I could wedge it inside the trunk and get it level. I usually use a 6” spirit level for this task, but I left it at home. So I […]
The post Dugout Chair: Fastening the Seat appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
One of the first joints I learned to cut during my City & Guilds of London training was the T-bridle, which we used for the leg-to-rail connection on a modern end table, one of the projects that made up the curriculum. Like other variants of the bridle joint, this one is often used for table bases and benches. You can see an especially elegant example of this joint here. The T-bridle […]
The post How to Cut the Rock-Solid T-Bridle Joint appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Ben was one of the six students who took my live-edge Columbus day weekend class at Snow Farm. A newcomer into woodworking, motivated and eager to learn, he asked me to help him design and build a side table for his Boston apartment. Feeling that woodworking is going to be more than just a weekend workshop experience, but rather a long-lasting hobby, he invested in a good quality hand plane […]
The post Live Edge Class at Snow Farm, Massachusetts – Part 2 Ben’s Table appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
It always starts with a design Digital woodworking uses digitally controlled tools in your workshop as an addition to hybrid and handtools. Most often this means owning and operating a CNC and learning to use CAD programs. For many, committing to a CNC is a big step financially, so here are some thoughts on how to get started with digital woodworking. Here’s the thing, you can mine a nice chunk […]
The post Getting Started with Digital Woodworking — Part One appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Continuing our “looking ahead to the holidays” theme for our weekly giveaway, this week’s featured book is “Simple & Stylish Woodworking.” The book provides 20 small-scale woodworking projects that can add a touch of style to any home and make perfect gifts. Projects include wall clocks, mantel clocks, lamps, frames, mirrors and more. Why not use your holiday gift giving as an opportunity to practice a wide range of woodworking techniques […]
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We make the best fly swat! The best fly swats are usually the cheapest looking made from lightweight plastic moulded onto coat-hanger wire for a flexible aerodynamic swish. Have you ever made a plastic fly swat like the ones sold? No,why would you? Now a nice leather version with wood and hand stitching, now that’s […]
Read the full post Fly Swat Making—Watch the Intro Video on Paul Sellers' Blog.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I’m in greater Baltimore for a chairmaking class with Larry Barrett, a student of Jennie Alexander’s (author of the seminal greenwood book “Make a Chair From a Tree”). Yesterday, we took a field trip to downtown Baltimore to visit with Alexander, who gave us a whirlwind tour of how to make one of her chairs. Above, I’m testing out the comfort of one […]
The post Jennie Alexander’s Riving Stump appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Editor’s note: I am resurfacing this article from American Woodworker because I am in the process of turning new handles for my Lie-Nielson and Stanley Sweetheart chisels. Tim Heil presents an interesting take on obtaining the taper for the socket with a folded piece of paper. I’ll share my version on YouTube later this week. – David Lyell Turning Wood: Socket Chisel Handles Here’s a 1-2-3 system for getting a […]
The post Turning Socket Chisel Handles for Lie-Nelson and Stanley Sweatheart Chisels appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
If you’re like me you will realise that often changes you might resist or even reject at first turn out for the better in the long run, in ways you may never have thought even possible. We so want a predictable plan, perhaps even a path that’s risk free, even if the outcome can end […]
Read the full post Changes II —Workbenches and Garage Walls on Paul Sellers' Blog.
I needed to cut stopped grooves on a round surface – and while I could have cut them on the stock while it was square, then proceed to turn it on the lathe, I didn’t want to worry about catching my turning gouge on a groove and causing tearing out (or worse). So, after considering (then rejecting) some kind of router jig, I figured out a way to use my […]
The post Cut Flat Dados on a Round Surface: Tricks of the Trade appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Here’s a question that comes up often. What is the best way to apply a stain or finish? To begin with, all stains and finishes can be applied with one of three finishing tools: rag, brush (including paint pad, roller, etc.) or spray gun. Each is easy to use. Even a spray gun is no more difficult to use than a router. There are at least five key differences among […]
The post Wipe, Brush or Spray: Pros and Cons of Finishing Tools appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
This week, Popular Woodworking Magazine is short two employees as Megan Fitzpatrick and Brendan Gaffney have joined me on a chair class in Maryland. We’re building a version of the Jennie Alexander chair from “Make a Chair From a Tree” with Larry Barrett – one of Jennie’s students and friends. If you think that taking a class is easy for an experienced woodworking magazine editor, think again. No matter how […]
The post Yes, Megan and Brendan are Alive appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
As Christopher Schwarz posted on his blog, Brendan Gaffney and I are in Maryland for a chair class with Larry Barrett (along with Chris, Narayan Nayar and Sean Thomas); Larry is teaching us to make chairs a la Jennie Alexander’s in “Make a Chair from a Tree” (with some minor variations). Today, we split out the back posts from red oak (and some punishing black oak…with which I ended up) […]
The post Steam-bending Oak in the Kitchen appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
The November 2017 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine features a reproduction of a sideboard made in 1903 by the English furniture manufacturing company Harris Lebus. I built this sideboard based on drawings I’d made in 2007 from measurements of an original owned by some acquaintances. Having had a chance to visit that same original sideboard recently, I thought readers would be interested in gaining further insights and seeing details of […]
The post Further Insights into Harris Lebus Sideboard appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
For the next five days I’m in Maryland with four other friends to build a Jennie Alexander chair from Larry Barrett, a student and long-time friend of Alexander. Larry makes a chair that is 90 percent similar to Jennie’s iconic chair from her book “Make a Chair From a Tree.” Some of the details of Larry’s chair are a little different than Jennie’s – especially the front rung that is […]
The post Post & Rung & Jennie Alexander appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
My turning ability is bound by my lathe – it has a maximum diameter capacity of 16”. That means all my accessory tools, such as my hollowing system and 50cc 20” chainsaw, were acquired because they are designed around those size limitations. The largest bowls I make with these constraints are in the 14-15” range. For years I used fallen trees with a 20” diameter as raw material. By the […]
The post Focus on Turning Design by Working From Larger Logs appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Today I talk about some finish samples I made up as well as many other topics from the chat room.
Notes coming soon.
The post Cup O’ Finish – Friday Live! appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
On Columbus day weekend I taught a live-edge furniture class at Snow Farm, a reputable New England based craft school located in the picturesque Berkshire mountains of Western Massachusetts. My six students faced a challenging task, to design and build furniture that presents a strong live-edge character, and to do so just in two and a half days of work. The weather was mostly nice and the food was […]
The post Live Edge Class at Snow Farm, Massachusetts – Part 1 appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
“IKEA—Democratisation of design”???? What? Yup! a couple of newspaper writers (maybe more, knowing British journalism) reported the same thing in a short space of time, both hailing IKEA as a ‘democratising’ force revolutionising people’s perspectives on furniture design. Both articles were interesting in the way some articles can be, you know, not contributing much to […]
Read the full post IKEA—30 Years of What? on Paul Sellers' Blog.
I’m a big proponent of wearing a respirator in the shop. Dust collection systems are never perfect so it’s important to protect our lungs whenever it’s feasible. There are lots of respirators on the market but I have always used 3M. There are two common models I usually see: the 7500 Series and the 6500QL Series. The only difference I can discern between the two (other than the fact that they have different valves) is the fact that the 6500QL Series has a quick release latch that allows you to drop the mask for a quick conversation or a sip of coffee without completely removing the device. As a result, the 6500QL Series is my preferred model. Both models accept the same filters and cartridges. Incidentally, if you’re having trouble deciding what size to buy, I can give you one data point by letting you know I wear a Large.
There are three things you need to do to keep your respirator in tip-top shape.
How often you replace your filters really depends on usage. Mine are replaced roughly every six months or when I begin smelling things I’m not supposed to smell, such as finish fumes or dust odor. I’m not sure how much it helps, but I often keep my organic vapor cartridges in a ziplock bag between uses. I guess I’m hoping that keeps the activated charcoal fresh for a longer period of time.
Below are some helpful links to replacement filters. Keep in mind, when you buy the mask you can usually but it in a kit that comes with the organic filters and the particulate pre-filter that goes in front of it.
The inside of your mask can get pretty gross. The mask takes on oil from your skin and is constantly exposed to hot moist breath. When you’re not using the mask, it collects airborne dust as well. I recommend washing your mask and valves at least once a month using warm soapy water. I like to use a soft bottle brush (leftover from my baby bottle-washing days) to get into all of the nooks and crannies.
Many folks can go many years before having to replace valves. I was actually surprised to see how bad mine were. I’m not so worried about the discoloration as I am about the wavy shape. Because that mask spent most of its life in the hot dry Arizona desert, I’m guessing that’s the reason it deformed so badly. Dry air, heat, and rubber usually don’t get along. Now that I’ve replaced the valves, it should be interesting to see if they last any longer in Denver. If you need 3M replacement valves check out the links below. But make sure you shop around. They can be tricky to find individually and most times they’re sold in bulk.
The post Clean & Maintain Your Respirator appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
Watch the video first to see how effectively it works. Go here: After a class, most times, I notice that two or three (some times more) of my cabinet scrapers have been filed and honed incorrectly and end up out of square, often with the bevels are far from 45-degrees, often to a bull-nosed […]
Read the full post Filing/Honing Guide for #80 Scraper on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Last night my kids unearthed a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer book for a bedtime story. I desperately tried to steer them back toward our wide selection of Halloween books that I’ve arranged prominently on their bookshelf. But alas, while they’re excited for Halloween, the inevitable holiday season looms large on the horizon like the Death Star in Rogue One. Apparently I need to get my holiday planning underway. And so, […]
The post Book Giveaway: Wooden Toys appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
I’m sure you’re aware of the research being done to produce smart cars and trucks that drive themselves. But it may be more complicated than simply designing the sensors for the vehicles. What if there’s snow on the road? Or if the road markings have been worn off, or if it’s raining so hard or so foggy that the sensors can’t see the road? It turns out that 3M has […]
The post Smart Cars Need Smart Paint appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Band saws are great for cutting curves but when you need a perfect circle, you need a jig. I’ve used many circle-cutting helpers over the years and the design presented by Tom Caspar in the video below combines the best features from all of them. The jig is held in place on the band saw table using a bar in the miter slot and it features an adjustable pivot point […]
The post Video: Circle Jig for the Band Saw appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Changing Our Looks and More I know many of you that have been with us through the years have noticed changes to my backdrop and also heard hints of changes yet to come too. We’ve not wanted to be secretive so much as make certain we carried you along the journey with us. Many of […]
Read the full post Changes on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Last week, Marissa Bowers (our wonderful designer, who’s been helping us out while we seek a new permanent art director) mentioned she had been looking for a set of picture rails – and wondered aloud if it was something we could build in the shop. Ever eager for an excuse to bring everyone out to the shop, we decided that everyone in the office could use their own, and I (Brendan […]
The post Pop Wood Group Project: Magnetic Picture Rails appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
In my November 2017 editor’s note, I wrote about two $5,000,000 lawsuits filed against Menard’s and Home Depot for “false and misleading advertising” for selling 2×4 lumber that isn’t actually 2″ x 4″. You can read that here, if you like. Last night, Nicholas Vanaria (a friend from Instagram) let me know that the suit against Menard’s was dismissed. U.S. District Judge Edmond Change threw out the case on October 6. […]
The post 2×4 Lumber Lawsuit Dismissed appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Woodworker, author, actor, humorist and all-around nice guy (with a most excellent giggle) Nick Offerman and Offerman Woodshop are teaming with Would Works through October 30 for a $20,000 fundraising campaign. Would Works is a Los Angeles non-profit that teaches people who are homeless or who live in the city’s Skid Row neighborhood create and sell handcrafted wood items as they work toward a specific financial goal – simple goals many […]
The post Nick Offerman Woodworking Non-profit Matching Grant appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
When wedging through-tenons, I prefer to orient the wedge diagonally across the tenon. This is a somewhat atypical way to work, so an explanation is in order. A diagonal wedge has the advantage of closing up any gaps on all four edges of a rectangular mortise. That’s because it pushes the tenon against all four walls of the mortise. The more typical wedge, on the other hand, will push against […]
The post Diagonal Wedges: The How & Why appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
I just finished a desk commissioned by some clients who wanted the piece to be made from a walnut log they’d had lying around a few years – in other words, longer than ideal. They had it sawn and kiln-dried this summer and brought the boards out to my shop in September. My clients wanted to keep the live edges on the desktop, which posed a challenge: Their log had […]
The post Live-Edge Keyboard Tray appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
I came across David Thomas Brown’s coffee table build on Reddit last week and thought it was a great build. If you spot a build that has great photography and solid technique, send me an email! – David Lyell I remember the glory days of unlimited garage/driveway space and access to my dad’s tools that I had as a kid in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Scrap wood in the backyard became […]
The post Rising Coffee Table Built in a 500 sq ft NYC Apartment appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Today we’ll discuss why we put gloss under matte, my sanding routine, scaling down projects, and many more topics in the Q&A.
The post Gloss Under Matte – Friday Live! appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
It’s getting to be that time of year. Halloween is in just a couple weeks and before you know it the shelves will be stocked with holiday stuff – heck, some stores already are. The weather’s turning cool and its the perfect time to get in the shop and make gifts for your friends and family. With the holidays in mind, I thought it would be nice to focus the […]
The post Book Giveaway: Woodworking Projects for the Kitchen appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
This dresser is part of the Greene & Greene bedroom suite I made which consists of this dresser, a queen size bed, two night stands, and a side table. Over the last five or so years, I’ve become interested in the G&G style. As a woodworker I like the technical challenges presented during design and construction of these pieces. Darrell Peart’s and Robert Lang’s books have added to my appreciation of the style and have given practical advice on “how to” details. I also find that the details of G&G furniture add pleasure during construction of the piece and enjoyment afterwards.
As with all my projects, published plans never seem to completely meet the size and design requirements of the piece I want to build. The dresser was no exception. Plans from magazines and Robert Lang’s books were used to get overall dimensions and construction methods. Plans were made using Google Sketch-up and a traditional 2D CAD program I’ve used for years. I find that project design and plans are almost as fun as building the project. Darrell Peart’s books were used to get G&G detail information (inserts, pull designs, leg details …).
The wood is Walnut purchased at an estate sale which was harvested, cut, and air dried in S. central Kansas and was placed in a pole barn for ~20 years. It is really beautiful. Boards like this are hard to come by.
The ebony insert idea on the top drawers is from the Anderson Server I did earlier. The pulls on the large drawers were taken from one of the books by Darrell Peart. I still don’t have a good technique to cut the slots on the top but I’m getting better at it.
Dresser Case Sides—A single board ripped to width was used for the top and bottom rails on each side of the dresser. The panels are ½” solid walnut, planed to width. Mortise and tenons were used to join the rails with the legs. A stub tenon was used to fix the middle style divider to the rails. The cloud lift design on the bottom rails is a typical G&G element. Ebony plugs on the legs and at the middle style add visual interest. I use a combination of techniques from Darrell Peart and William Ng to make the Ebony plugs. The plugs are polished to a very high gloss using a buffer wheel on a grinder.
Dresser Legs—The case legs are nicely proportioned to fit the piece. Each side of the legs have the Blacker leg indent detail described in the Peart books. An accurately made jig and careful routing are needed to obtain an even transition from the indent to the leg surface. I found out that uneven pressure on the router resulted in an uneven indent depth in the leg and an angled transition at the surface. Accurate jigs and routing are essential for a clean indent. It’s much easier in the long term to take extra care and skip extra cleanup work to make the indent look good after it’s cut.
Dresser Front—Each row of drawer fronts are laid out in order from single boards. I blended two designs for the drawer fronts and pulls together. I believe the different styles work together well on this piece. The top row of drawers uses a G&G Ebony bar and pull design which matches the night stands and the Anderson Server I made. The arched drawer pulls on the lower drawers are also based on descriptions in the Peart books. The drawer sides and backs were made from resawn Monterrey Pine. Careful fitting of the top drawers resulted in silky smooth travel without any side-to-side sloppiness and firm closure without the drawers getting stuck in the case. The six large drawers are on drawer slides.
Dresser Top—Top boards were matched for grain pattern and attractiveness. As with the other details, the bread board ends, ebony inserts, and plug design were taken from the Peart books. Additional techniques were learned from YouTube videos by William Ng and others. The bottom of the breadboard ends are flush with the underneath side of the top since the legs straddle both the top and the breadboard ends. The breadboard ends are ripped from a single piece of wood.
Finish—Stain is Watco Danish oil medium walnut stain. A wash coat of 50% orange and blond shellac was applied next. The first full coat of shellac was also a 50% mixture of orange and blond shellac. Blond shellac was used for the final two coats. Final rub out was done using steel wool with a small amount of furniture wax. This results in a very warm tone for the walnut and allows the grain to show through more than a traditional darker Walnut finish would.
I enjoy making this stuff—hope you like it also.
The post Tim’s Greene & Greene Dresser appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
The trick to fitting wooden pieces into impossible recesses is to learn about “ticking sticks.” These simple sticks – plus a sheet of paper – can make monstrous tasks into a easy job. Here’s how they work. “Ticking sticks” go by many names in the historical record, but they are the best technology for cutting a piece of wood to fit an odd opening. All you need to perform this […]
The post Fit Irregular (Impossible!) Shapes with ‘Ticking Sticks’ appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Every woodworker who sees a downed tree quickly says a short prayer to the gods of nature and immediately thinks of turning that log into lumber. It’s just natural to want to see a natural resource being utilized and not wasted. And, of course, procuring some inexpensive lumber doesn’t suck either! But what does it take to rescue a downed tree? Well, a mill and some friends (with trucks!) would […]
The post Mill a Log into Lumber with Ron Herman appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
If you don’t believe you can you won’t I am always interested in hearing people discuss issues surrounding furniture making and selling what you make. If you put your cell phones and computers away and stop listening to those who say it can’t be done you will likely do it just fine by just putting […]
Read the full post Reconsider, Reconstruct and Renew Your Thinking on Paul Sellers' Blog.
First a disclaimer: This is a recollection of impressions following the installation and test running of our new 6” Grizzly spiral Cutterhead jointer, that we bought at full price this fall. As many of you know, I teach woodworking at the Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan. Our program is mainly geared towards hand tool work. To help us prepare stock for projects, shop furniture and to create projects for our […]
The post Grizzly 6″ Spiral Cutter Head Jointer – Impressions from Yoav Liberman appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
File this simple project under quick things to do with a couple of offcuts. A martial artist friend of mine asked for a candle holder for the sword class she teaches at Cincinnati Taekwondo Center. Students are challenged to put out the candle flames with their sword without striking the candles. The holder needed to accommodate 7 candles and include a way to adjust each candle’s height (the tops need […]
The post Martial Arts Candle Holder appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
We have a gate on the side of my house that allows access to the backyard. While not a conspicuous gate, I wanted to replace it with something more interesting to look at. The opening for the gate just happens to be out of square, thanks to a rock-faced wall that leans in. In order to make the new gate look right, I’ll have to intentionally build a crooked gate. And if I do my job correctly, no one will ever know it isn’t square.
My local lumber yard didn’t have a great selection of outdoor-friendly species so I decided on white oak. White oak is rot-resistant and dense and should work well enough for this application. There are no plans available for this build because it’s completely customized for my unique space.
I’d like to thank my buddies Matt Cremona and Andy Klein for helping me out with this project. If you want to see Matt’s stool build, click here (coming soon).
To finish the gate, I decided to use one of the most durable outdoor finishes regimens I know: CPES followed by Epifanes. I’m new to the Colorado climate so I’m anxious to see how this finish holds up.
The post Crooked Garden Gate appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
I often come across people who are confused about the difference between a stain and a finish. They’ll use a phrase such as “I want to stain the wood,” or “would you stain the wood for me?” when what they really want is some color added to the wood and a finish applied to deepen the color and protect the wood from moisture. They’re including the finish within the word […]
The post Wood Stain is Not Wood Finish appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
I often come across people who are confused about the difference between a stain and a finish. They’ll use a phrase such as “I want to stain the wood,” or “would you stain the wood for me?” when what they really want is some color added to the wood and a finish applied to deepen the color and protect the wood from moisture. They’re including the finish within the word […]
The post Wood Stain is Not Wood Finish appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Influence, the word, the resulting action, literally means to ‘flow in’, I suppose suggesting more a gentle ebbing that nudges the shoreline or a steady but easy current influencing another entity, source or supply of one kind or another. Sometimes an influence goes one way and other times it can be more symbiotic but not […]
Read the full post Influences That Affect Your Point of View on Paul Sellers' Blog.