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I didn't ask for EVAN

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Skiving Off
Lunchtime Wednesday… halfway through my first week at my new job.

I have a very lonely office. It’s the biggest office I have ever had, but it is lonely. Besides the Herman Miller chair I sit in at the moment, my office has 4 “visitor” chairs. I have not yet had a visitor. There are a lot of small holes in the wall where the previous occupant had items mounted. He either had a very extensive collection of ego photos, or perhaps he used his down time to conduct seminars on rock climbing techniques.

The facilities manager said they would patch the holes and paint the office during the night sometime next week. I was told they have to paint it eggshell color, but I am hoping to slip him ten bucks and see if they will go with a different color that will complement the black light and associated posters I am bringing in.

This place is huge. The footprint is about 12 feet by 16 feet, but the ceiling is 12 feet high. So as I sit here typing, I feel like I am alone in a racquetball court.

In addition to the black light posters, I think I am going to put up a couple of FATHEADS. I was hoping to go with a woodworking theme. However, I just got off the phone with Highland Hardware and it seems that neither the Frank Klausz nor the Roy Underhill FATHEADS are available yet. How stupid is that? We can get three different poses of Warren Sapp, but we cannot get a single woodworking celebrity in FATHEAD form.

It doesn’t really matter anyway. At the moment, I am pretty ticked off at the FATHEAD company. They completely screwed up my last order. I thought I was getting a bigger than life wall image of my favorite Desperate Housewife hottie… well apparently there is a GUY named Evan Longoria. Who the hell knew that? If you are a DevilRays fan, I can make you a good deal.

He's Back...

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Philsville


Hi Folks
Brace yourselves - I have actually done some woodworking! Yes, non-planemaking stuff.
Remember the acoustic guitar project I've been slowly building? It's a Weissenborn lap steel guitar, and I made pretty good progress until I came to making the sides. Yes, the tricky part......;)
A couple of weekends ago I made a small bending iron from some steel pipe and a blow torch. Worked fairly well but the pipe was too small a diameter to give me the gentle curves I required. Rather than purchase some suitable pipe I decided to go for Plan B - build a former and laminate the guitar sides in the vacuum bag.
So I built a one piece former from some poplar and laminated the sides from 6 pieces of veneer. It was simple work and the vacuum press did its usual amazing job of flattening things while the glue set. I made a pair and then set them aside to cure. Now I can get on with assembling the guitar, when it finally looks like a "real one"!
Cheers
Philly

Ready.........kinda

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Philsville

Hi Folks
Just finished in the workshop - I'm finally happy with the planes I've made for the Kentucky show. Amazing how much work goes into a plane. The initial work goes quickly but the finishing details and tuning takes easily as long again. Then after a few days the plane needs another fettle once it has settled down.
The Blackwood Miter plane looks awesome - I'll take some "studio" shots tomorrow. That wood is just spectacular, and I'm already worrying about obtaining some more. The sheer weight of it is shocking - this is one plane that definitely doesn't need a brass sole! And it always amuses me the way the shavings curl out of a skew plane :)
Tomorrow will see me packing and panicking (probably in that order). Can't wait to get to the US, though.
Cheers
Philly

Independent Mind Wood Ring

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Wood Rings by Simply Wood Rings


The Maple Tree has long been associated with The independence of mind, extra ordinary person, full of imagination and originality. The lighter base wood is Birch and Birch symbolizes birth and new beginnings and is feminine in nature.

The dark wood is dyed to achieve the color much like dyed wool.

I handcraft every ring to bring out the warmth and honesty of the wood. Each ring is hand formed from thin layers of wood chosen for its grain and durability.

I will make custom sizes upon request.
All you need do is visit me at: http://www.simplywoodrings.com

Dremel’s New Multi-Vise

00/00/0000, 00:00 | WoodworkingONLINE.com

When the Dremel folks stopped by our office a couple of weeks ago, one of the products they were showing us is the new MultiVise. I’ll admit that my first thought was, “This can’t be a serious tool — it looks like it’s made out of plastic.” But I was soon to be impressed. The way this thing can twist and contort to clamp almost anything is amazing. 

It clamps to your workbench or table. A ball-and-socket joint can rotate the clamp 360° and tilt up to 50°. I was skeptical that this ball-and-socket couldn’t be locked too securely. But once you tighten the blue ring, it’s there to stay. The clamp itself as a 7½” capacity. And it has removable “soft jaws” for clamping delicate or irregularly-shaped objects. I was impressed.  Really.

Now, as a woodworker, the first question I had was if the clamp was available in longer lengths. The Dremel reps said that they honestly hadn’t considered it but really appreciated the comments. I suggested that they offer “accessory kits” with longer clamps for us woodworkers. The reason is that the clamps are great by themselves. They’ve got large “feet” that sit on your benchtop and won’t topple over as you clamp down. The only problem I had with the clamp was that the screw was rather stiff and took some effort to turn. But I suppose it would loosen up over time without compromising it’s clamping ability.

Oh…I almost forgot. It comes with an adapter and wrench so you can fasten your Dremel rotary tool to the vise. It’s great for grinding or sanding operations.

I’ve got to get one of these for my own shop.

A Lipped Box Lid

00/00/0000, 00:00 | WoodworkingONLINE.com

You can sharpen your woodworking skills with helpful tips and techniques from the editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines. Get a FREE tips sent to your email address each week! Got to Woodworking Tips.com and sign up today.

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

20080306ws.jpg The easiest way to make a lidded box is to build the box and lid as one piece and then cut them apart on the table saw. This guarantees that the lid will be a perfect fit to the box. With a little modification, this same technique can be used to make a box and lid that mate with interlocking lips, as shown in the photo at right.

This technique for making a box lid is a little different in that you do part of the job before the box is assembled. A look at the two drawings will explain. To create the lip, you’ll need to cut halfway through the sides from both the inside and the outside. As shown in Figure 1, the inside cuts are made while the box is still in pieces. Remember that this first cut will form the “high” side of the lip.

20080306ws_1.gif
Once the box is assembled, you complete the job with a second series “halfway” cuts that are offset a blade’s width (1/8″) from the first (Figure 2). These cuts are positioned below the first cuts. If you hit it right, the lid will separate cleanly and after a little sanding, you’ll have a snug-fitting, lipped lid.

For more helpful table saw tips and techniques, visit Plansnow.com.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Send for a preview issue of Woodsmith magazine

Segmented Cigar Pen

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Woodworking Dungeon
I finished this pen last night. It's the second one I'm donating to my daughter's school for a fundraiser. I'm pretty happy with how this style came out. I was a little afraid that it might be boring with only two different types of wood (jatoba and maple), but I think it does work.

The cigar style pen seems to work well for the segmentation as well. I'm a little disappointed it's being given away!


This pen has over 200 individual pieces used in the segmenting.

Advice on making wooden planes

00/00/0000, 00:00 | UnpluggedShop.com

I am a bit cheap. I appreciate quality tools. I also happen to live in a warm sub-tropical Caribbean climate. I want to make some "woodie" planes.

Basically, I want to make a whole set of planes. I intend to start with something like a Jointer or Fore plane and then do a smoothing plane and perhaps a scraper as well as a router. Sometime, I also want to make a Jack plane to replace the hopelessly cobbled together metal boat anchor, I mean finely fettled antique hand plane, that I have.  read more »

That green mallet

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Sauer & Steiner

Over the last several months, quite a few people have noticed and asked about the “green mallet” in the background of many of my photos. Here is the story...

I have never used or owned a proper mallet and when my friend Andrew Dix heard this - his wheels quietly started spinning. A few months later a package arrived.



Everything about this simple looking tool made sense to me and more importantly - every detail had been carefully planned out... nothing was accidental. The shape of the head was elegant, but also performs its function perfectly. The slight taper put a bit more weight at the top - where maximum force can be applied while striking. The handle is shaped in a way that your hand holds the mallet in a balanced position.




But the above photo is what really did it for me. This tells me the person who made this tool is aware of function first, but the aesthetic is just as important. Andrew took the time to rotate the endgrain of the handle so it lined up with the endgrain of the Verrawood head. And the Padauk wedge bisects it perfectly. This may seem like an insignificant detail - but this is the sign of a toolmaker who is passionate, thoughtful and knows when to add a “touch”.

I have been using this mallet daily ever since it arrived, and I have not a single complaint or comment to improve on it. There is a lovely dark band around the head where it has struck the ends of many of my Imai chisels. Aside from the discoloration - there is no damage. I suspect Riley and Lucas will be using a pristine mallet when I am long gone.

Very shortly after this mallet arrived, I contacted Andrew to (strongly) suggest that he consider making these available to the public. He was at first a little surprised and reluctant - but every time someone sent me a note to ask about the mallet, I contacted Andrew to let him know of the interest. I am thrilled that he has gathered appropriate materials and is now prepared to take on a few commissions.

The base mallet has a Verrawood head and either Cocobolo or East Indian Rosewood handle (any wedge material) . The price for this mallet is $250 US. He also has a good supply of African Blackwood, Kingwood, Ebony, Palisander Rosewood, Brazilian Tulipwood, Bois de Rose and Zircote as alternative handle material. The mallets can range from 16oz. to 24oz.

Andrew Dix can be reached by phone (804)678-9246 or email; dixja@vcu.edu

If anyone is interested - an offcut from your plane would make a wonderful wedge in one of Andrews mallets.

Woodworking Community Happenings

00/00/0000, 00:00 | The Wood Whisperer

As many of probably already know, there is an incredible conference taking place in Berea, KY called Woodworking in America. The conference is the brainchild of the folks over at Popular Woodworking and simply put, its a galoots dream! From vendors to seminars to hands on classes, its all about hand tools! Many of my blogging associates will be in attendance, and you can follow their experiences on their own blogs. One person in particular who will be blogging on a daily basis is Mitch from the Furnitude Blog. You can follow his adventures right on his blog.

Now most of the other folks who might be blogging about the event are in The Wood Whisperer Network, and you can see all the latest posts in real-time right on TheWoodWhispererNetwork.com.

I also wanted to bring your attention to my homie Shannon Rogers’ site, The Renaissance Woodworker. He is having a giveaway sponsored by the folks at Penn State Industries, and its a good chance to get some great pen turning supplies.

So I hope everyone has a great time at the conference. Wish I could be there myself but I will have to settle for reading about your personal experiences.

Related Posts

Preparing the drawer cases (3)...

00/00/0000, 00:00 | The Refined Edge
The measurements of the boards which comprise the four drawer case panels are a tad smaller than originally planned, so I have had to forgo squaring the ends of the boards of each of eight boards. Instead I have assembled the eight boards into four panels and will instead square then ends of these panels off. It is just an arbitrary decision at this point and doesn't affect the assembly of the panels, although nicer panels would have resulted had I squared the ends of the boards first. This also allows me to dial in as much length as absolutely possible in each of the panels.

I had also jointed the mating edges of each of the boards, the edge which mates with the other, matching board of the panel. This went well and I let the boards sit for a day or so afterwards to determine if any further cupping would result. A very small bit of cupping did result, and of course it becomes more pronounced due to the width of the panels. The next step involved scribbling witness lines across each of the cupped faces of the boards and handplaning the outside edge area working towards the middle. I regularly go back and forth with a flat, steel rule to determine how much progress is being made. I also try not to overshoot... which essentially decreases the overall thickness of each of the boards.

At this point, I have four panels ready to be squared to finish dimensions, both in width and length. A small part of each of the panels form the sides of the drawer case. I will also need to cross cut these sections off, which leaves me with four shorter panels which form the tops and bottoms of the drawer case.

I'm going to take some time and spend it outdoors today. We had wintry weather until late last week, but this week has been getting wamer and sunnier with temps in the low 70's today. We've had such a long winter up here, and this weather couldn't arrive soon enough.

Yet Another Polyurethane Glue — With a Difference

00/00/0000, 00:00 | WoodworkingONLINE.com

There’s the old standby: Gorilla Glue.  And there’s Elmer’s Ultimate Glue. And Bolder Bond. Now there’s another polyurethane glue on the market: Rhino Ultra Glue made by the folks at Liquid Nails.

Rhino Ultra Glue shares some of the same characteristics as other polyurethane glues: it’ll bond just about anything. But there is one important difference. This stuff sets up fast. After 40 minutes, you can “plane it, sand it, and stain it” as their bottle says. But get this — If you dampen the surface of the material to be bonded first, Rhino Ultra Glue sets up in half that time. That means that you only need to clamp it for 20 minutes.

There’s another difference. It’s higher-viscosity (thicker) formulation means it won’t run as easily as some other polyurethane glues. That’s real handy on complicated glue-ups where traditional glues run away from your joints before you can get things clamped together.

But what I like most about this product is the bottle. That’s right. The bottle has a flat side so you can store it on it’s side. That means that the glue will last longer because air can’t get to it. When the folks from Liquid Nails showed us this, we all said, “It’s about time.”

And there’s the long nozzle that helps get the glue where you need it. You can read all about the unique bottle features here.

Click here for more information about Rhino Ultra Glue.

Sheddin' a Tear Here, Boss

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Skiving Off
I just found out Paul Newman died.

I have mentioned Cool Hand Luke more than once during the history of this blog, so regular readers probably know that I was one Paul Newman’s biggest fans.

I suppose Paul Newman was what I always wanted to be when I grew up. Somewhere between racing cars or shooting pool or getting away to South America against the backdrop of a Burt Bacharach score… Paul Newman embodied everything that was considered to be cool by a kid like me. Then, just when you thought he was great… he started selling his favorites recipes and giving the money away.

In the world of baby blue eyed hero types, some people lean more toward Steve McQueen, and I was a huge fan of his, too. However, what always pulled me over to Paul Newman was that smile. When I was a little younger I discovered for myself the power of a good smile, and I learned it from watching Paul Newman. He has helped me defuse many hostile situations in my career, when I strolled into a conference room where the table was surrounded with angry people filled with a “sense of urgency” and rather than launching into a defensive speech about why my company wasn’t at fault…I took a couple of moments to make eye contact and let the angry folks get to know me.

Paul Newman taught me that it is hard to hate someone when he shows you the gleam in his blue eyes and flashes you “’dat ol' Luke Smile.”

Drawers installed...

00/00/0000, 00:00 | The Refined Edge
I now have the three drawers fitted and installed into their respective compartments, masking tape serving as temporary pulls :) The partial vertical divider I referred to earlier is also installed with the correct grain orientation which follows every other part of the drawer compartments. I like the idea of the divider as it separates the two halves of the interior. I have designed the drawer compartments to be accessible with one door open, so this makes more sense now. The transfer of light between the left and right areas is also a consideration, at least to me. I don't want to compartmentalize the individual areas above the drawers. Next, I need to decide on drawer pulls, I'll probably go with dual pulls per drawer to avoid any racking issues since the drawers are fairly wide.

And of course, what to do with the opening below the left hand drawer. I have a few options, okay maybe three options. Either it will be a hidden compartment, or a larger, deeper drawer for larger objects. The third option would be to simply leave it open and accessible. In any case, I'm excited about this since it opens up design possibilities to me. I might even apply some inlay to the facade if it is a hidden compartment. I will mull over this for a while while I move to another project I need to work on. and come back to this in a few days. My wife and I are also on a great three day hiking and outdoor vacation as we speak, up in the mountains. Time to clear the mind and get the thought processes recharged, something I like to do periodically.

Wood Science 101 with Hendrik Pt. 2

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast

Today we're talking Wood Science 101 with Hendrik Varju.  All of us have been, or should be at sometime concerned with what wood movement can do to our finished projects.  So understanding how and why wood moves is crucial to designing and building pieces that will last through the years.  So check out today's show, which is the first half of a two part discussion on one of the most crucial topics in woodworking.

I'd really like to thank Hendrik for agreeing to come back and talk with us again.  If you're interested in learning more about Hendrik or to order a copy of his DVD "Jointer and Planer Secrets" stop by his website at www.passionforwood.com .  

Coming up next month we're talking about dealing with twist, cup, bow and other wood problems.  So if you have questions drop us a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com and that's also where you can enter for the free schwag drawings too!!

Woodcraft.com - Helping You Make Wood Work

 

Teak Wood Ring

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Wood Rings by Simply Wood Rings





The Teak is incorruptible. It hold its own against all that life throws at it.
See more here Teak Wood Ring

Hexagonal Portable Tool Tote

00/00/0000, 00:00 | WoodworkingONLINE.com

I don’t know about you, but when I have to do some work around the house or somewhere away from the shop, I usually use a five-gallon bucket with a Bucket Boss to transport my tools. I’ve been using that for years and it has worked fairly well.  It’s great for hauling my portable drill, screwdrivers, hammers, chisels, etc.  

Over on WoodNet, Bob Strawn (aka “CedarSlayer”) is showing off his portable “roll-up” tool tote.  He even went so far as to use a home-brew finish on it. 

Here’s what Bob said about the construction of the tote:

All the details are there, and it is a good first work. It gives you a place for tools and most of the materials are inexpensive. The leather strap can be a bit more expensive. I made mine out of pine, brass screws, brass tacks, epoxy, screw posts and horse butt. The horse butt was the most expensive, but then I can strop with the straps. I would advise going to a saddle shop and getting vegetable tan leather for the inner fittings, so that you don’t have too many salts in the leather eating your tools. Getting straps from them or using belts from a resale shop would do well.

As far as the one I made goes, The Hex end on mine has 4″ long sides. The boards are 24″ long and 1/2 thick. The end peices are a touch thicker. The inside straps are 1″ wide, the outside straps are 2″ To avoid near impossible clamping issues, I taped the whole thing together and marked boards and ends. I predrilled the three fixed boards, screw holes, to the end pieces. I used masking tape to avoid a mess with the epoxy, and used a slower set epoxy and brass screws to hold the sides together during gluing.

I wanted a rougher finish than the mirror smooth one that came out of my thickness planer, so I sanded at an angle across the grain with 80 grit, to give the look and feel I wanted. Sort of an old sawmill look. This way dings and scratches add character instead of ruining the appearance.

Click here to read more and see more photos of this handy tool tote.

308 Wednesday Roundup (or things I've been meaning to mention)

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast

Hey everyone, for today's episode I meant to put something together that would be a little more polished...but...instead you're getting me kind of wrapping up a few random thoughts and annoucements I've been meaning to make.  So enjoy this Wednesday roundup!!

As mentioned in the episode, Hendrik has released his latest DVD "Revelations on Table Saw Set-up & Safety".  Now available for purchase at his website.   Also if you would like, click here to checkout Milescraft and see the router base I mentioned.

If you're interested in ordering the DVDs I mentioned in the show, containing the complete series of audio, video and PDF episodes from Year 1 & Year 2 of MBW drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com

If you'd like to enter for free schwag or just have a comment, question or suggestion drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com or  head over to my website at 231 354-2338.

Listen to today's show by clicking on the player below

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Woodcraft.com - Helping You Make Wood Work

To download directly to your computer Right Click on direct download, choose "Save Target as"

Dangerous Harbor Freight Tools

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Wood Destruction by a Woodscrub
No, this won't be a comprehensive list, or even an attempt at one. Instead, I'm going to show you some photos of Harbor Freights least expensive turning chisels. I grabbed a set of these because they were $10. I figured: carbon steel, poor grinding. I can regrind the chisels, as well as hone frequently because of the carbon steel.

Little did I know just how dangerous these are.

The chisels bent under normal use. Yes, bent. Right at the tool rest. Especially if because of the turning I can't get the rest right up against the workpiece. The tang that goes into the handle is just a thin, pointed bit of steel. (Sorry, forgot to snap a pic of that. If you want to see it, ask.) It bent easily on the large roughing gouge because the body of the tool was too substantial to bend at the rest.

The more dangerous item was the shattering handle. It shattered and sent the parting tool that was mounted into it flying across the garage. I still haven't found it, though I heard it wizzing past my ear when it launched.

Avoid the HF cheap turning tools if you value your life and health!

What Kind of Wood is This?

00/00/0000, 00:00 | WoodworkingONLINE.com

A few weeks ago I stopped by The Hardwood Connection in Sycamore, Illinois. It’s a combined retail hardwood lumber dealer/woodworking store/cabinet shop/gallery. And it’s one of the best run shops I know about. Okay, I’m a little biased since I worked there for a short time in the early 1980’s when I was teaching high school woodworking in a neighboring town, but it is a cool place.

Roasted HardwoodIt’s always fun to stop by and see what owners Ken and Barb Burtch and their employee, Dave Smith, a former student of mine, are up to. This time Ken brought out a piece of wood and asked me to identify it. It had the coloring of walnut, but not the grain pattern or open grain. (In the photo at left, the “natural” wood is on the left and I sprayed some clear lacquer on the right side. That’s a little strip of end grain I cut off laying on top.) It looked a bit like well-aged cherry but had the grain pattern of curly maple. And it wasn’t stained or dyed as I could see the color went all the way through it. It had a slight bit of a “burnt” wood smell to it.

I was stumped and figured it must be some foreign wood I had never heard of. Then he told me that it was “Roasted Hardwood.” It’s being distributed by a Canadian Company called Goodfellow.

Roasted hardwood starts out as very dry soft maple, yellow birch, or poplar and is then heated (roasted or “carmelized”) at extremely high temperatures (440 degrees Fahrenheit) in a vacuum. It’s then rehumidified so that it’s once again dimensionally stable — and it helps create a uniform color. It was originally designed as a wood for outdoor projects since it’s very resistant to insects and rot, but it seems to me you could use it on indoor projects as well.

Apparently Australian aborigines started heat treating wood 10,000 years ago. As the story goes(?), in the 1990’s a kiln owner left some wood in the kiln and it was accidentally overheated. They were going to throw it out but someone decided to experiment with it and found it had some interesting characteristics. A French company got a patent to the process and started licensing it to North American companies in the late 1990’s. For more about the process go here.

Though roasted hardwood has the color of walnut, it’s much more consistent and predictable in color. Without any sapwood it makes grain matching easier when building up panels. And the cost is considerably less per board foot than walnut.

I got my hands on a piece of roasted soft maple (see photo) and first cut a small piece off the end to make sure the color went all the way through (it does). I’d heard that the wood is “brittle” but I didn’t notice any problems. I tried jointing and planing the piece and discovered it works just about like I would expect from soft maple. It sanded okay, but the dust was very fine and I would strongly suggest wearing Roasted Hardwood Finishedsome kind of dust mask or respirator. I also quickly sprayed a coat of lacquer on part of my sample board and it brought out the color, again like walnut, but perhaps a little darker. (For a larger view, double click on the photo at left.) It will be interesting to see if it will lighten over time (like walnut) or darken (like cherry). My guess is it will stay the same.

I hope to make a complete project out of roasted hardwood some day.

Ken told me that he now is selling roasted hardwood and if you would like more information and pricing, e-mail him at KBHardwood@aol.com or call him at 815-895-8733.

Wooden Rings and Gentle Souls

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Wooden Rings from Touch Wood Rings
Black walnut, birch and ash wood rings for a mid-October wedding.







Juniper heart wood rings with birds eye maple inlaid bands.

Our rings are absolutely beautiful! The colors of the woods look great on my very fair skin as well as my husband’s very dark skin. I know that we will receive many compliments on our unique and beautiful rings!




Black wood, oak and rose wood rings.
"Now I understand all the responses I read on the blog. It really isn't possible to put words to how beautiful and special the rings are! When I touched his ring it was so impossibly light and alive. And elegant!
The joy on his face when he saw the ring was gorgeous. He kept repeating in wonder: "I've never seen anything like this", "I couldn't possibly have imagined something so beautiful" and "this is a living thing". After he'd been wearing it for a couple of hours he said that he felt like it was magic and elven. He loved the design and the lightness of the ring and the way the look of the wood changes in all the different lights throughout the day. And as a woodworker himself, he is so appreciative of David's skill and talent working with the wood in the way that he does. He also loved the card and the ring holders! I told him all about working with you and finally got to show him your website when we got home. :) Oh, and thanks for your advice about going to 11.25 -- the ring fits him just perfectly!
My rings are at once simple and breathtaking. As soon as I held them, I also realized that wearing treasured rings that are durable but need ongoing care is a wonderful metaphor for a committed relationship. Many thanks and much love"

Koa, ash, purpleheart, juniper heart wood and maple wood rings.

Our rings are ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! We LOVE them! We can't thank you enough. Everyone that we have showed them to is fascinated that we have wooden rings. They think it is the coolest thing. (so do we!) We appreciate the loving care David puts into each ring, it makes it so much more special than going to some random jewelry store and picking a run-of-the-mill ring that hundreds of other people have. We wish you continued success and happiness.

Their wooden wedding rings ~ his blackwood with a rose wood band and hers of rose wood with a ecalyptus liner. And her engagement ring ~ created with the same blackwood and koa as his wedding ring.

It was so much smaller than anything I could have imagined. And absolutely beautiful. I loved it immediately and I can't believe how much more I have grown to love it in the space of just two days. The grain in the koa is so incredible, and the colour so rich. I love the beautiful finish, the lightness and feel of it on my finger. It's perfect in every way. Thank you for creating a piece that so aptly represents our love - very unique and incredibly beautiful.
Juniper heart wood rings with birds eye maple liners.



Howdy Nicola and David, We love our rings! Thank you so much for including us in the whole process. The rings are pieces of art we will be proud to wear. We truely appreciate you actively providing a service which helps our environment. Thank you for so beautifully providing the reminders of our love for our partners, family, and everything. We all wish you both the best in your peaceful world.


Dark Koa Wood Ring. Tapered with wide birds eye maple inset band.



"On Friday night we went back to the pier that we got married on and said our vows to each other again and gave each other the rings. It was wonderful and we feel so great about our natural, handmade rings; more meaningful than we could have ever imagined! "



Eucalyptus wood ring with crossed spiraled birds eye maple bands.



She said yes! Just wanted to send you a few pictures of our engagement. Patty loves the ring - it was a perfect choice! Thank you again for all your help and advice, it really paid off!


Koa wood ring with maple liner and crossed spiraled blue spruce bands.
"Wow!" is the closest I can come to descibing the intricate detail and beauty that this ring possesses. The ring looks so nice against his skin tone. I just love it! Working with you guys has been such an amazing experience. I really admire y'alls lifestyles and your positive happy attitudes! It has been such a pleasure."

Oak wood rings ~ hers with a willow band and his with a cedar band.

"Our rings are BEAUTIFUL!!!! Thank you so much, we love them. We are both very happy we decided to stick with the willow and cedar on oak. The willow is like a band of gold on the oak, the different grains and texture provide a wonderful contrast and I feel very happy that it worked out so well. The cedar on the oak is beautiful and not only does its deep reddish brown look lovely against the oak, but the contrasting grains complement each other nicely. We really appreciate the work you put into our rings and the time you spent with us discussing the wood choices. These three woods have a good deal of symbology and personal meaning to us and it means a lot to us that they are incorporated into our wedding bands. Once again, thank you so much."
Juniper heart wood rings with clear maple inset bands.

"We got our rings and they're stunning. Thanks so much to the both of you. Now if only we could duplicate your simple and enriching lifestyle. "

Plantation Shutters Help Make Your House a Home

11/11/2008, 00:19 | Wood Shutters
When you are considering window treatments for your home, it is important to know about many different options, besides curtains or standard miniblinds. As more people are putting money into their homes, it is easy to see why they are opting for something different. Plantation shutters offer many different looks for a home. You can use them to create a very traditional look and feel, but they can also be a more modern touch if you use a colored finish, rather than just a stained wood. There are so many options to condsider when you are choosing which plantation shutters are right for your home.

Once you have decided to go with a shutter, you must decide on which material is right for your home. Wood is very durable, can be painted or stained, and is a renuable resource, for those interested in using materials which are considered earth friendly. These shutters offer privacy, heat insulation, sound insulation and light control. The nice thing about shutters is that you can control, very easily, the amount of light that you let into each room. Also, when your home has an outstanding view you can set up your blinds to allow people to be able to see outside and enjoy the view, while still having some privacy.

The louver size determines how big of an opening you have when the blinds are opened. They can range from and inch and a quarter, to four and one half inches. It is a good idea to look at each of the different sizes and determine which type of opening would be appropriate for each room. A room with a view, for example, would be more likely to have the larger louver size, so that when the shutter is opened you can see out and enjoy the view. A bathroom or bedroom might be a good room to use the smaller louver size. This is because even when they are open, there is still a relatively small opening to see in and out of.

Overall, plantation shutters are a wonderful way to add elegance to your home, while also providing it with some practical uses and wonderful finished appearance. They are a simple way to make your house stand out from the others, and add a personal touch based on the color choices and sizes you choose for your home. Compared to finished product, the cost for plantation shutters is very reasonable overall.

Simon Harris writers about Plantation Shutters at http://www.shutter-world.com

Rosewood friends

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Wooden Rings from Touch Wood Rings
Often our conversations with people start months before the work actually begins and so it's always gratifying to hear back from folks after our work is done. I get pretty attached to folks while chatting with them over a period of months and David develops a special relationship with people through making their rings. Dani and Schmick have been in our lives for awhile ~ another couple of wonderful people whose kindness humbles us and whose friendship we value.

Upon receiving their rings, Dani wrote ~ "I was wondering how you would package our rings and I was very pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful card they were in. The rings are absolutely beautiful. They feel and look very elegant on our fingers. It's kinda funny but, in the pictures you don't get a sense of how delicate they actually are and I can't imagine the skill, care, and patience it must take to make them. They are perfect.

Since we both make a living with our hands, we are having a friend weave hemp necklaces for us to put the rings on while we are at work so now we are searching for some nice wood beads to put in the necklace. We would like to thank you, not only for all your time, effort and love that you put into this process, but also for being the beautiful people you are and for providing people with such a fantastic way to symbolize their commitment and love.

Words cannot express how much I have enjoyed this process starting from the moment I found your website and instantly knew I was in the right place. You will always be in our hearts."





A pair of Norris rebate mitre planes

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Sauer & Steiner



Well here they are - the “mystery planes” I have been teasing about.

Here is the deal... in 1941, Norris was commissioned to make a plane to be awarded as the first prize in a furniture making competition. The recipient of the plane kept it in new condition all these years. It was sold at auction in 2006 for over £16,000. Shortly after the auction - I was commissioned to make a reproduction of this plane with one change - infilled with ebony (the original was infilled with Brazilian Rosewood).



It was a fantastic and challenging commission to say the least. The only reference I had was a series of photos and two dimensions - the overall length of 13-5/8" and the width of 2-3/8".



Norris clearly emptied the bag of tricks on this plane. The handle tilts to the left and right just like the Stanley No.10-1/4 - but it also pivots left and right.



I was also excited to try a wedged plane with an adjuster. The screw that passes through the keeper engages a brass insert in the wedge. The mechanics of this is very cool. The brass insert is offset and when the screw is tightened - it acts as a drawbore - driving the wedge tighter into the body of the plane. Very cool indeed!



After studying the photos I agreed to the commission. I also decided I would make a prototype to work out any unforeseen bugs. I did not want to “prototype” the commissioned plane. Infilling the prototype with Brazilian Rosewood seemed like a logical choice.

Everything worked without a hitch for the most part - and keeping the prototype ahead a few steps certainly helped refine the building process.

The mouth was one aspect that I really had to psych myself up for. I use what can only be described as an antiquated method - but it has always worked for me, and I did not see any reason why I should re-invent the wheel now. Here are a series of photos of cutting the mouth.



I still use a hacksaw to cut the mouth on shoulder and rebate planes. The difference with this plane is that it is 2-3/8" wide as opposed to the widest shoulder at 1-1/2". I was a little nervous.

My friend Steve had stopped in a few times as I was working on the pair of planes and he asked how I was going to do the mouth. I handed him the hacksaw. His only comment was “ I gotta see this!” I guess his response freaked me out a little bit more, so I decided to cut and file the mouth on my own (sorry Steve). I was not sure I would be able to handle an audience if I messed it all up!

As it turned out - it worked perfectly and I felt bad for not inviting Steve to be there for it. He was on hand as I was finishing it up though - and I handed him the triangular piece of waste from the sole.

Here are a few detail shots of the mouth being done;





Two of three cuts are done - the last one is the “easiest” :)

Here are some further photos of the two planes.

















I should also mention that I have decided to sell the Brazilian Rosewood filled prototype. This is only the second prototype I have sold - all the others live on my bench. This plane is marked KP30-08 on the bed - KP stands for “Konrad Prototype”. The price is $9,000.00 Cdn.

Cabinet stand...cont'd

00/00/0000, 00:00 | The Refined Edge
I have resumed work on the beech cabinet in the past few days. I've rethought the design of the cabinet stand and made some changes. The original design called for four upper rails mortised into the legs. I would need to have wider front, rear and side apron rails to maintain the strength and integrity of the stand. Rather than this, I have decided on narrower top apron rails and move some support to the bottom of the stand in the form of stretchers instead. The aesthetics of this are more pleasing to me, very much like dividing the load at the top and bottom of the cabinet stand.

The leg dimensions remain the same, instead I divide the original upper rails into two components per rail and use the narrower component at the bottom of the stand. The strength and integrity of the cabinet stand should be maintained with this design along with more pleasing aesthetics, and more subtle, smaller components. I should have the stand assembled within the next day or two. In the meantime, I need to replace one of the components in the stand, a front top rail. In the handplaning effort I was a bit overzealous with this particular rail and the dimensions are no longer right, a little too thin. Rather than handplane the other rails to this dimension, I would rather replace this rail instead.

With significant hand planing, it becomes more important to maintain keen edges on the plane irons. The dullness of the irons sneaks up on you, and before you know it the handplane is struggling to produce fine shavings. I stop occasionally to sharpen the plane irons, otherwise the temptation is to increase the depth of cut with dull irons and all of a sudden they grab and tearout follows.

It's amazing how much the weather has changed in the span of two to three weeks in these parts. It was early fall weather a few days ago, now I hear some wet snow is arriving overnight. It should be nothing significant and late fall will resume, I hope.

Tools and Rust — Bad Bedfellows

00/00/0000, 00:00 | WoodworkingONLINE.com

In ShopNotes 95, I wrote an article about some quick (and some unusual ways) you can keep rust at bay on your hand and power tools. For those of us with basement or garage shops, rust is an issue we have to deal with. I remember moving into our second home of our marriage and almost losing every tool I owned because I kept them in the basement. Actually, the basement was more like a root cellar and whenever it rained, water poured through the walls. It wasn’t until years later that I was able to jack up the house, replace the foundation, and finally have a dry basement for a shop.

Some months ago, I ran across this web page by Bob Neidorff. He does a great job of explaining what rust is, how to remove it, and how to prevent it. He also lists several resources for products and suppliers, including web links. Check it out.

Chisel Use DVD

00/00/0000, 00:00 | David's blog


I am excited about the latest DVD as it concentrates on techniques for chisel use.

Chopping and paring ...

木工家ウイーク/Woodworkers' Week 2008 in Nagoya

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Masashi's woodworking diary



写真をクリックすると詳細なファイルが表示されます。Click to enlarge.
2008年6月3日から11日まで、名古屋市で「木工家ウィーク2008」というイベントが実施されます。
これは、

Chairs—家具作家の仕事2008—
木工家30人展'08
木工家がつくる木のスプーン展

という3つの作品展が異なる会場で同時に行われ、さらに

木工家ウィーク2008NAGOYA記念
「木工房からの仕事—今暮らしを考える—」

というフォーラムが、日本を代表する家具デザイナーであり建築家の長大作氏、近代の木工芸に造詣の深い諸山正則氏をゲストに開かれるものです。
木工家が大きなネットワークをつくり、社会へ発信していこうという、いままでになかった試みです。
これだけ多くの作家による作品を同時に見られるのは魅力です。

木工家30人展'08には私が、
木工家がつくる木のスプーン展には、NPO法人グリーンウッドワーク協会代表の加藤慎輔さんと、森林文化アカデミー・木のコース卒業生の長岡かやさんが出展予定です。
ぜひ会場へ足をお運びください。

なお、記念フォーラムは予約を受け付けています。
右側の私のプロフィール欄からメールをお送りいただくか、
0575-35-3886 岐阜県立森林文化アカデミー ものづくり研究会・久津輪までお電話ください。

木工家ウィークのホームページにも情報があります。

'The Woodworkers' Week 2008' takes place in Nagoya from 3rd to 11th June.
It consists of three exhibitions and a forum.

The three exhibitions are:
Chairs -designer/makers' work 2008-
Works of Shin-ichiro Tani, Santaro Takahashi and Tomio Murakami
5-11 June 2008
9:50-20:00
Maruzen Book Store Sakae 4F
3-2-7 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya

30 Woodworkers '08
3-8 June 2008
11:00-18:00
Denki Bunka Kaikan 5F
2-2-5 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya

Wooden Spoons
3-8 June 2008
11:00-21:00
Lachic 5F
3-6-1 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya

The Forum:
The works of furniture workshops
Mr.Daisaku Choh and Mr.Masanori Moroyama
8 June 2008
14:00-16:00
Denki Bunka Kaikan 5F
2-2-5 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya

This is probably the first attempt in recent years for the Japanese woodworkers to make a network and launch events. It is going to be a rare opportunity to see many designer/makers' work in one place.

I will be exhibiting my works at 30 Woodworkers '08.
Shinsuke Kato, the director of Japan Green Woodwork Association, and Kaya Nagoaka, a graduate of Forest Academy, will show their spoons at the Wooden Spoons.
Come and see our latest works.

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Wood Rings by Simply Wood Rings
Ancient Kauri wood and pure fine silver ring


This ring is made from Ancient Kauri wood and 99.9% pure fine silver.

The Kauri wood is the world's oldest wood at 50,000 years old. When I work with a wood that is this old it puts things into perspective in a very real way. I think of life without our minds trappings. Not empty but more full of what life really is. Imagine for a moment what nature has done for us to have this natural miracle of our life from so long ago. This ring gives you a connection to an extraordinary time of pre-historic sunlight, rains and life from so long ago.

椅子づくり講座2/ chair class 2

00/00/0000, 00:00 | Masashi's woodworking diary

椅子づくり講座前半の最後は、後脚の曲げ木です。
脚を45分ほど蒸してから、上の写真のように曲げ、型にはめて固定します。
We steam bent rear legs at the end of the first half of the chair class.
A participant is limbering the steamed rear leg before putting it in a form.

うまく型にはまって嬉しそうな森林たくみ塾師範・庄司修さん。
Mr. Osamu Shoji, the master craftsman of Shinrin Takumijuku woodworking college, with a successfully-bent rear leg.

しかし今回の材料では、曲げの内側にシワがよるなどの不具合が多く出ました。
クリが柔らかすぎたためか、ずいぶん手こずりました。
But many rear legs had wrinkles on the inside of the curve. Green chestnut might have been too soft for this purpose.

型にはめた後脚と、八角形に削ったその他の部材は、後半が始まるまで乾燥器に入れて含水率を下げます。
Those rear legs and octagonal-shaped posts and rungs were then put into a kiln to dry until the beginning of the latter half of the class.