I sometimes think saw sales and the makers shoot themselves in the foot. Whether it is because they fail to change with the times or just plain shortsightedness, I can’t tell. Perhaps that’s a little strong but don’t think it is even strong enough. There is though something about old businesses that are prepared to…
Read the full post Sharpen Your Teeth on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Closing this week is a momentous one for us – one worthy of great celebration at least. For a little while, we’ve been working to regain full control of my first published woodworking book, Working Wood 1&2. Last week my mind traced its path through three decades to develop the curriculum I knew new woodworkers…
Read the full post The Future of Working Wood 1&2 on Paul Sellers' Blog.
I talked recently about whether, when we say we are in or out of our “comfort zone”, it is often more likely we are describing our being in or out of anything we want to control. A controlled area makes us feel comfortable and we only really feel comfortable when we are in control. My…
Read the full post Yankee Drive Meanderings on Paul Sellers' Blog.
A block plane is a simple and fundamental woodworking tool. I think it’s probably the first hand plane most of us purchase when we’re just getting started. Unfortunately, unless you spend $100-$200, the plane will not come prepared for peak performance. With some time, a little sandpaper, a sharpening stone and some sweat equity, you should be able to get more performance out of just about any block plane. In this video, I took a brand new Stanley Low Angle Block Plane and gave it a little love. The end results looks better, feels better, and cuts better and that’s about all we can ask out of a $40 block plane.
The post $40 Block Plane | Tune-up & Sharpening appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
I am never sure if we altogether understand self-drilling screws, the need for pilot holes, and just what’s happening at the tip of the screw with its ultra-pointed, missile-shaped point. In industry, carpentry-level assembly and such, they are indispensable and an odd split in a deck board will ultimately add to the dozen or so…
Read the full post On Screws For Woodworking on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Yup! I binned the other three. Too politically driven! international jingoism just got too much for me! Then I realised that those of us with our feet firmly planted on the ground seemed somehow apt to just keep going. A year ago today we saw the COVID roll itself out with a seemingly unstoppable force.…
Read the full post My Fourth Blog on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Making a footstool-cum-toddler seat sometimes comes from free wood, as do many other small projects. Oak, ash, cherry, walnut, just about any wood will make a good stool, including the most basic of softwoods. When my daughter-in-law asked me to take a damaged chair with missing parts away to discard I didn’t at first think…
Read the full post Stools, Coasters and Handles Are Free on Paul Sellers' Blog.
When I looked around at headphone and controller racks to go with my RGB Gaming Desk, the products I found were either 3D printed plastic or large stands that took up valuable desk space. So I decided to design a classy-looking wall-mounted rack that would happily hold and display my controller and headphones. I started by making sure the utility was there and then shaped the parts with curves I found appealing. It’s a great addition to my PC gaming setup. If you don’t have the time or tools to build your own using the free plans below, you can buy one from us for a limited time. These actually take a lot more work than anticipated so I don’t know how long we’ll continue making them so get ’em while you can!
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I still receive an occasional comment from someone who knows me not at all and knows nothing of my work beyond just having seen me saw down a dovetail angle. With my gent’s saw still poised, they’re advising me that a power router will do this or that better, faster or whatever other adjective they…
Read the full post You Advise Me on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Show notes coming soon
The post Marc Invented It appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
Warning! This video is less of a how-to and more of a process documentary. There’s a lot of talking, pontificating, thinking out loud, and general yappin’. I had to work through some challenges as I built the RGB top and I don’t pull any punches on the materials and tools I used to make it. I hope you enjoy this slightly different style of video.
You don’t have to spend too much time around Nicole and me to find out that we’re avid gamers. Whether it’s on consoles, mobile, or PCs, we’re nearly always playing something after the kids go to bed. And our gaming history goes back to the day we met, which I won Nicole over by showing her my shiny new Sega Dreamcast. A lot of time has passed since then and I just recently picked up a new PC from Doghouse Systems. They’re a sponsor of this episode by the way. Use the code WOODWHISPERER for a free SSD Upgrade. Because I had this new badass PC, I felt it was time to upgrade our gaming desks. Inspired by the trestle base designs seen in many modern metal and plastic gaming desks, I set out to create something more elegant and hopefully include RGB lighting in a way that’s tasteful. It was also important to me that the desk continue to look nice even if the RGB isn’t used, since as trends evolve I imagine one day we’ll all look back and thing, “WTF with all that RGB?!”
The desk features a set-back trestle base that allows for plenty of leg room. The top has lots of surface area for a big monitor, speakers, and any other peripherals you might need. At the back I installed a large tray for cable management. t’s as comfy as it is beautiful.
Looking for the video on keeping panels flat? Watch here!
The post RGB Gaming Desk | Not DIY! appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.
What hand tool woodworking gives me. I remember passing John’s workbench one evening a week or less ago. it was dark but the light from my work area cast a soft light on the end of his toolbox carcass. I wasn’t examining his dovetails, it was a certain level of perfection that caught my eye.…
Read the full post Exclusively Inclusive on Paul Sellers' Blog.
Two and a half months have passed already, imagine! We makers just keep making and making keeps us both safe and sane. I’ve got three rockers under my belt, together with all the 12 new episodes it takes to make one. Plus, I also have one of my Brazos rocking chairs which I just completed…
Read the full post This Year Started on Paul Sellers' Blog.
It started with a few lines of graphite on the first page of a plain drawing pad. I never use graph paper to draw on. Too many little squares and lines. I don’t need scale at this point, just my own lines and shapes. The shapeless moved from straight lines to curves and square angles…
Read the full post How it Begins on Paul Sellers' Blog.
00:00:40 – Welcome to the Woodworking Morning Show
00:00:50 – Employee Appreciate Day!
00:02:10 – Thank you to our Patreon and YouTube members
00:03:25 – Marc’s read-along!
00:06:15 – Is there a general rule of thumb for overhang for legroom at the ends of tables?
00:08:10 – What degree smoothing plane should I get?
00:10:25 – How can I protect the top surface of my MDF torsion box assembly table?
00:12:25 – What big tool should I get it next? Upgrade existing or new?
00:14:52 – What is your opinion on electric hand planers?
00:17:30 – How can I align the tape to the right and to the left of the blade on my T tracks?
00:19:05 – Do you ever use bench cookies?
00:19:55 – What Laguna bandsaw would you buy for resawing lumber?
00:20:38 – What do you think the minimum thickness of a desktop would be?
00:22:50 – What are your thoughts on epoxy in cutting boards?
00:26:35 – Which guide rail square do you use for your track saw?
00:28:10 – How do you adjust your finishing process for how “thirsty” a wood is?
00:31:52 – What’s the best finish for an outdoor finish project?
00:34:27 – Where would you rate tong oil as an outdoor finish?
00:36:10 – What wood should we use for outdoor furniture?
00:37:20 – Should I get a cheap miter saw and table saw or a moderately expensive tablesaw?
00:40:10 – Is teak oil just a tung oil mixture?
00:41:20 – What is the aftershow like?
00:42:00 – Would you recommend the mobile base for bigger tools?
00:43:20 – What table saw blade do you use?
00:46:30 – How can I use a domino to make a panel for a cabinet for my hand tools?
00:47:34 – What is your preferred method to joint and plane curly hard maple?
00:49:35 – Can you “cut corners” when picking out a miter saw?
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