For several years Ive been saving a bunch of rollers a neighbor gave to me. Since my new table saw is higher than my old one, I decided to make some outfeed supports that will sit on my workbench at the same height as the saw. Im happy with this simple solution. I can arrange the rollers around however I might need them, and the stands are easy to store.

Its a short video, but I really wanted to make these because I am going to start building my new router table this weekend. Its crazy how many different designs Ive sketched up, tossed out, then gone back to. Ill be letting you know more about it as the week goes on.

Read More..

Make a lighted shadowbox

If you have seen the last couple of Mere Minutes, you will know that I made a version of this shadowbox many years ago. I consider that one a prototype, because there is a lot that I was never happy with.
I spent a lot of time wiring and soldering, trying to get a little light bulb to shine into the box. It never really worked well: it wasnt very bright and seemed to just drain the 9 volt battery. Thankfully, today we have LEDs, which are brighter and last much longer. Not only that, they are cheap.
I used a "Stick n Click" puck light for my new shadowbox. Cost $4.00. It uses three AAA batteries that will last for 1000 hours.
Dont waste good wood by building with it.I made my original box with solid purpleheart lumber for the entire project. This was a waste of good wood. Many projects have a large percentage of secondary surfaces: structural components and other areas that arent visible. Aint nothin wrong with using poplar or plywood on anything that wont show. And if its something to be painted, MDF is outstanding. Its easy to cut and sand, it glues well, and paint flows on beautifully.
So this time, I used MDF for nearly the entire shadowbox. But its the small bit of zebrawood that steals the show. I used just a two foot length, but resawing gave me six feet.
I also decided to improve this model by adding a mirror. In fact, once again I built the project around stuff Tim Sluder sent me. Along with the Shaker pegs, he sent four mirrors. I still have three left for more projects. Thanks again,Tim!

Read More..

Paul Balm from The Netherlands is studying furniture making in Amsterdam. (Plus, hes a homebrewer. Two pluses!)
Think youve got a small wood shop? Check out Pauls. Its in his bedroom! Thats woodworking dedication.
As I mentioned before, Vikings are crazy about their woodworking. And crazy good at it.

Read More..

Viewer projects

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 11:52 PM

Just wanted to catch up on some cool projects people have sent!Bill Wilson sent over his version of the slit drum I made a while back. He made it using padauk and obeche. Interesting choice of wood. Great idea to add the legs and holders for the mallets. Thanks Bill!

Laney Shaughnessy made this cedar keepsake box, with a raised panel lid. Finished with linseed oil.I love cedar. Its easy to work with and it smells good.

Read More..

Worlds tiniest bandsaw box

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 6:56 PM

I decided to challenge myself to make a really teeny bandsaw box yesterday. Actually, I used the scroll saw.

Yep, I also made the worlds biggest BS box:

And thats BS.****
Wood Bits

Read More..

Big and small projects

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 6:22 PM

I always love it when people send pictures of projects they have made based on my designs. Last week, over on Google Plus, I enjoyed watching Bill Akins progress as he built the advent calendar. Its really fun when you can involve the family in woodworking. So really, credit goes to the entire Akins family on this one.

*****

Remember my candle holder a couple weeks ago? It seemed to me it needed something else in its design. Rob Daniel decided to angle the edges toward the bottom.

*****

And heres Scott Ritts version. I absolutely love the curved ends. Thats the look I think I wanted!

*****

Now, Raymond Levesque seems to go BIG with his Christmas. He made Santas sleigh as a float for the Moose Lodges Christmas parade. No plans, just winged it. My kind of woodworking!

Read More..

Huge whirligig

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 8:37 AM

Now heres a whirligig! Jim Jarvis made this one from plans he bought at the Winfield Collection. He said it worked great until some high winds tore it apart. (Is there a certain irony to that?)

*****
And even more garden benches keep rolling in. Heres Bob Daniels version of my bench. He made his without the arms. Looks great!

*****

A lot of you have probably seen a box such as the one mentioned in todays Mere Minutes. To me, it was new, but my wife told me what it was for. 

Read More..

Router Week

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 8:13 AM

Discovery Channel has Shark Week, so why not Router Week here? Friday, Ill have two new videos on router basics. The first one will be an introduction to the router and cover primary techniques. The second video will be a simple project using just a straight bit and a roundover bit.In my shop I use my router on nearly every project I build. After my table saw, it is my next most important woodworking tool. Equally important is my router table. I rarely use my router in hand-held mode.I use an inexpensive Craftsman table, but eventually I will get around to making a table that suits me better. Last week I asked for you guys to send pictures of your router tables. Ill be posting them here all week. If youve been thinking about making one,  I hope these will give you some ideas. The possibilities are endless.Warren DownesWarren calls this a $15 / 15 minute router table. My kind of budget! (Note how the fence just swings on a pivot.)

I made this super cheap router table from scrap wood and a few bolts, im only new to wood working and had no idea how easy it was going to make my life, i seem to hardly take the router off the board. 

Its just a piece of MDF with the router bolted to it and pine for the fence held by a clamp on one end and a bolt and wingnut on the other. 

I can clamp it to my bench or table saw very quickly and takes up no room in the garage.

John Hendricks

Here is Johns router table. To call it just a "table" hardly does it justice.

It was a lot more work than I had planned on, and when I finished I was done with woodworking for awhile. All and all Im glad I spend all that time because I love this table. Its probably my best tool. When I got done I went out and bought a new router cause I couldnt bare putting my old router in this thing. I did a lot of research to incorporate different features. This is a combination of ideas from various places and a few of my own. Things I incorporated into the cabinet: 

-Laminated the top (both top and bottom for strength)
-Closed cabinet makes less noise
-Top is about 1 1/2" thick.
-Miter slide
-Can mount feather boards in miter slide or up on the fence
-A drawer for storing bits and other router stuff
-Dust collection
-Mobile base
-The fence slides on drawer rails. This was kind of tricky, but I love this feature. Lock down from back.
-Adjustable wings on each side of bit.
-Laminated wings so stock slides easy.
-A paddle switch to power on and off router without reaching under cabinet
-A pullout box under router to catch most of the saw dust, also for more storage.
-Lift. This was tricky, and I experimented with different ideas. Simplest idea worked best. Made two wooden gears with a belt between. Can adjust height from above table.

Read More..

Sharing projects

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 10:32 PM

Just a few days before Christmas, but I wanted to share some really cool stuff people have been sharing with me.*****
Most of us struggle to make ends meets. We deal with whatever life throws us. We try to earn livings and provide for our families.We are not woodworking gods, nor do we necessarily aspire to be. Yet, throughout it all we understand the value of diversion. Probably before an ancient man painted on a cave in Lasceaux, France, humans have been creative animals and need ways to express it. It doesnt take a lot of money or skill to make stuff out of wood, but the rewards are huge.
I have been living with cancer for a a year now. At this point I am pretty sure I have it conquered it and expect to live a long and healthy life. It could rear its ugly head again, but it certainly put life into perspective. I have no room in my life for anger, hatred, or bitterness. I just want to focus on making woodworking projects.
Simple woodworking projects can bring joy to a lot of people. Get yourself a cheap tablesaw, maybe a router and youre good to go!
*****
Steve Daughhetee has definitely been busy. He loves making scrap-wood projects, something I admire. Not only that, hes a poet. Check out his "Ode to the Bread Box Sisters". I really love it when people are able to combine creative pursuits. Woodworking doesnt need to exclude writing, poetry, music, etc.
Steve has been experiencing a certain amount of family struggle that I can relate to and has taken up my woodworking philosophy: "After all, its only wood."

*****

Stephen Stange made his wife a drawer organizer. I have to say , this was one of the most useful projects ever. In a stump? Make kitchen projects!

*****

Now you gotta check out Mervs projects from South Penrith in New South Wales down under in Australia.

Merv had an accident a couple of years ago that rendered one of his arms useless. Did it prevent him from woodworking? Check out his fishing rod holder, outdoor seat and a spice rack. Love the details:

*****

Read More..

5 woodworking resolutions you can keep

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 7:29 PM

Happy New Year! 

As we enter 2014, here are a few tips for you to consider implementing in your workshop. None of these will cost you a cent and may help you to focus on woodworking rather than its trappings.
1. AVOID BUYING TOOLSDont buy a tool because you want it, but only if you absolutely need it. Even then, try find creative solutions using tools you already own first.
2. LEND YOUR TOOLS TO PEOPLE WHO ASKBe a Good Guy Woodworker. Ditch the arrogant, "dont even look at them" mentality. Friendships and goodwill are more valuable than objects.

3. SCRAP THE SCRAPSSpend one hour - just one day this year - throwing away scrap lumber. Especially those tiny cut-offs. Be honest with yourself: if there are scraps you havent touched in a year, you probably wont use them. 

4. CREATE, DONT COLLECTIf you have tools that serve only to gather dust, sell them or give them away. Avoid emotional attachments to tools which can lead to hoarding and stifle productivity. Decluttering your shop will declutter your mind.

5. DESIGN YOUR OWN

If youve only built projects from plans, try to create something on your own. It doesnt have to be fancy or complicated, maybe a new style of bookcase or storage container. You will learn and discover techniques and build your skills faster.

Read More..

The Perfect Technichien

Peter seems to do everything is his shop! His video is in German, but if you click the little CC button, it translates into English. Pretty funny stuff:

Read More..

2011 New Years noisemaker

Here is this years very loud noisemaker. If you dont have a lathe, you can just use a dowel for the handle and for the clanger. Its really loud! Big thanks goes to Ron Vieck, who send me a large assortment of wood a few weeks ago: cherry, poplar, cottonwood and some pecan.
*****

Read More..

Make a serving tray from recycled wood

Just in time for Mothers Day, you can make this serving tray in an afternoon.
Several years ago I designed a few logos, labels, and packaging art for some local vineyards and wineries. I collected a few wine crates that wound up in my shop. Ive used them for storing car cleaning supplies and electrical/computer cables and wires.
Funny how we often never give a second thought to something disposable like a wine crate. After building my last few pallet projects, I started looking at those old boxes in a new light! Not only free wood, but wood with character!
Wine pairing The base of this tray is made from two of the crates side panels. I still have the other sides and the bottom saved for another project. I wanted the sides to be half-inch thick, to keep the tray from looking bulky, so I scrounged around in my shop and found a redwood board that was the perfect length. I like the idea of pairing a Northern California tree species with a Northern California wine.
Options to fit your woodworkingThis is a flexible project that you can make using any tools and materials you happen to have. A few options:

• This would make a great pallet wood project.
• The base can be made with a scrap of plywood.
• You can cut the curved sides with a jigsaw.
• Cut out the finger holes with a coping saw.
• Use an inexpensive miter box and a hand saw to make the miters, or...
• Dont bother with the miters: just butt the sides together with glue and nails.
• Instead of making a groove for the bottom, just glue it underneath the sides.

Free plans

• WWMM Serving Tray (pdf)
• SketchUp version

*****