skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Posted by
chun
|
|
5:14 AM
Labels:
heisz,
john,
on,
Woodworking,
youtube
John Heisz is one of the most prolific woodworkers on YouTube. Over 55,000 subscribers enjoy watching him build projects for the shop every week. Homemade tools, machines and jigs that will make you think twice about store-bought versions. Table saw sled, box joint jig, dowel making jig, clamps...the list goes on!
John has free plans for on his web site as well as reasonably priced plans for his more complex builds. Check out his web site: ibuildit.ca.
Visit Johns YouTube channel and subscribe here. Browse through his extensive list videos and get inspired. Ive included his shop-built wooden vise here. The first video gives you an overview of the project, and the second one digs into the build. Its a beautiful piece.
Thanks for supporting guys like John who regularly provide top-notch video content free of charge!
Read More..
Posted by
chun
|
|
4:05 AM
Labels:
ideas,
rack,
rustic,
wine,
Woodworking
Crystal Zeller has been making my rustic wine cabinet with some interesting changes. I really like the idea of including wine glasses. If you are interested in making some woodworking projects for sale, consider these. Pallet projects and anything made with reclaimed wood is extremely popular right now.
*****
Mere Minutes
Read More..
Posted by
chun
|
|
12:14 AM
Labels:
halloween,
happy,
Woodworking
I just heard from
Alexander Lutz, in Bavaria who tells me people really enjoyed his skull & crossbones candy dispenser at his Halloween party. He modified it by angling the hole for the moth so that all the candy is dispensed, and he added a lid on the top for refilling.
*****
And
Don Steffens, (who made the original skull dispenser) is already thinking ahead with these Thanksgiving turkey dispensers!
*****
And this just in from Steve Schafehen in Wisconsin. He painted it using dry brush techniques and an airbrush. Thanks Steve!
*****
Mere Minutes:
Handy woodworking tip time!
Read More..
Posted by
chun
|
|
6:49 AM
Labels:
organizing,
shop,
the,
Woodworking
There is something quite satisfying about clearing space in a workshop. I started out the year with an organization state of mind and it still continues.
Warren Downes decided to make an extra large version of my lumber cart that also holds jigs, sawhorses and other stuff. He added extra casters to ensure it wouldnt sag.
*****
Jeremiah Giehl removed the stand from his table saw (same one as mine!) and built this space-saver that includes a space beneath in which he can store hand-help power saws. Built with scrap wood, the whole project only cost him $5.29 for the hasp. I love having a mobile table saw. Not only is it easy to store, but its great to work outside on sunny days!
*****
Allan Voisin decided to organize his clamps using my system. Looks like a big space! I can also report back that I still love the racks I made a couple months ago. They really work great.
*****
For a long time, well years, Ive been wanting to make sense out of my router bits and drill bits. They tend to be all over the place. Ray Levesque made this tool box for his leather-working tools. I think I may build something similar to this for my router bits and accessories.
*****
Milan Gigel in Slovakia sent over a picture of his french cleat system. The thing I like most about french cleats is that they are so customizable. Milan builds boxes and holders to fit whatever changing needs arise. He can remove the shelves and take them to his work space then return them when hes done.
*****
In the kitchen organization department, Andor Rábay and his wife Timea in Hungary sent over some very cool projects. They are a very creative couple. I really like the napkin holder made with scrap wood and reeds. The serving tray was Andors first router project. And oh man, those paprika potatoes look good!
*****
Check out this box Matthew Denny made. Its a kind-of modified bandsaw box and would make a great, lets see, oh yeah...Mothers Day project! Ha. Just when you breathed a sigh of relief that Valentines Day was over.
*****
Finally, Phil Keirnan built one of my book-boxes for his wifes fifth wedding anniversary. (Well, I guess its his anniversary too.) Made with Euaropean Oak. Beautiful work!
*****
Mere Minutes.
Heres a follow-up to the french cleat video from last Friday.
Read More..
Posted by
chun
|
|
2:28 AM
Labels:
beginning,
intarsia,
Woodworking
Intarsia has always fascinated me and Ive been meaning to try it out for years. I like the artistic nature of it and the limitless possibilities of "painting" with wood.
I want to thank everyone over on my Facebook page this week who helped me out with all sorts of tips and hints. Especially Steve Carmichael who had recently attended an intarsia class and sent me the notes he took.
I found the process to be pretty simple, but a lot of work. Plan on a lot of time sawing and sanding. If you would like to try out my scarecrow, download the pattern here. Mostly, try to cut exactly on the lines and take it very slowly with your scroll saw.
Posted by
chun
|
|
5:14 PM
Labels:
curve,
habits,
learning,
Woodworking
As a none practical, handyman, DIY type person learning woodwork as a hobby, here are a few things I have realised during my steep learning curve over the last month or so since beginning working with wood. Most of these points you read about and are common sense, but I still had to go through the learning process myself before I got that ah now I get it moment of realisation ...
Like most physical activities the process of building something can be subdivided down into smaller components. For example the thought of building a complete table to a beginner can be quite daunting (remember I am talking about someone who has never built a thing out of wood in their life), but by considering the tables components almost as separate projects things seem to become easier.
A tables components might be table top, table legs and table skirt. Building each component can also be subdivided down into smaller processes such as marking out and cutting to size. By making each small sub process repeatable you quickly find yourself developing skills by habit and getting better and better each time you do them.
To start with (I found) using a pencil to mark out seemed normal and the marking knife seemed both a little strange and a little clumsy, you cant even see the knife lines as easy as a pencil! But it didnt take long before I realised just how much more accurate my lines and cuts became when using a marking knife. By forcing yourself to use the knife (even if you use the pencil to darken the knife line) from the beginning, it quickly becomes a habit to reach for the marking knife instead of the pencil. Therefore, put a marking knife at the top of your shopping list when considering what tools to start with.
If two pieces of wood are accurately marked out and cut to the correct size (and shape) joining them together with a bit of glue becomes a lot easier, so (for me at least) learning these two components alone has been critical in actually finishing a project that at least fits together. Ok, my projects may not be finished (another sub process) to the highest standard but their completion has at least given me enough enthusiasm to continue learning.
Assuming a beginner has somewhere to work and a suitable surface (bench) of some kind to work on, I think the very first projects a complete beginner should build are a bench hook and a shooting board. Similarly, what tools should a beginner buy first? Tools to build a bench hook and shooting board should be the answer!
The bench hook being a simple project allows cross cutting with a handsaw to become at least easier and a lot more accurate. It wont replace bad technique or a faulty saw but it will help immensely by forcing you to saw in a repeatable way, meaning your body will learn to saw better by repetition or habit. As a beginner its therefore very important to listen to your body when sawing - is your posture forcing you to cut at an angle at the end of each stroke? Taking things nice and slow for the first few projects will ensure the habits you develop are good ones from the start . Its harder to unlearn and break a bad habit than it is to develop a good one!
The bench hook also serves as a warm up in marking out and cutting before starting your next project...
Once you have your bench hook you can then use it to help build a shooting board, which does have to be built accurately to work properly. These two projects will become your best friends and suddenly initial cutting of components to size will become easy and stress free.
You can cut close to your marking lines by using the bench hook and quickly bring the cut down exactly to your marking lines squarely and accurately using the shooting board. Once you realise that this accuracy is repeatable you also relax as there is less risk of screwing up and you find your sawing technique improves further from not being tense, relaxing your grip on the saw and not over trying to cut accurately. A table with four legs all of exactly the same length is a wonderful thing to a beginner!
The last habit I have developed is making sure my tools are sharp and ensuring the act of sharpening forms part of my build process. After rough cutting wood for specific components, I lay out the pieces and spend a short while contemplating the next steps and what tools are likely to be used. Having those tools readily to hand and already sharp ensures I can concentrate on building and get into a groove, rather than stopping to sharpen.
Sharpening is a gateway skill that is absolutely essential when using hand tools and like the others has to be practised. I found that by investing in a good sharpening jig and some quality diamond stones my results became repeatable and not such a hit and miss affair (like when I tried honing free hand).
If I do need to sharpen mid process then I force myself to do it sooner rather than later, again helped by having a sharpening process that is easy and repeatable. For example I know its only going to take five minutes to sharpen my chisel and therefore only a minor inconvenience!
However, as a beginner there is a period of time before you realise the tool is blunt or not as sharp as it could be. Is the grain in the right direction or difficult, is this wood generally hard to work with, am I doing it wrong or is the tool just blunt? By sharpening the tools before you start takes away this element of doubt and knowing you started out with a sharp tool any change in performance will be more obvious when the tool does get blunt.
In summary, the last month or so has taught me that sharpening, accurate marking and cutting were the three foundation skills required for me to develop further. Without these three core skills my wood working career wouldve likely to come to an end pretty soon!
I would be very interested in hearing from other people what their own personal pivotable points were advancing in their learning curves. All tips & tricks appreciated...
Read More..
Posted by
chun
|
|
1:57 AM
Labels:
a,
candy,
coffin,
dish,
for,
halloween,
make,
pincher,
toe,
Woodworking
For some reason Ive been meaning to make a Halloween candy dish for a long time and never got around to it until this year.
Coffin stylesI decided a coffin would probably make the most sense as a recognizable Halloween design. My first thought was an ornate, rectangular, Dracula-style casket. The biggest problem with that plan is that a trick-or-treat candy box needs to be seen in dark conditions. A vampire coffin could come across as just another box. The solution would be heavy ornamentation and a silky, padded lining.
Then I remembered the classic "toe-pincher" coffins you see town undertakers building in old westerns. That six-sided shape is uniquely identifiable as a coffin. You probably wont confuse it with a jewelry box!
Making it look rusticThe fun part about building this was making it look as though it had been build by one of those old west undertakers. Individual boards held together with narrower cross braces. To make mine look even more authentic, I used scraps of pallet wood containing splits, stains, and nail holes. Although I glued it all together, I added some rusty coffin nails.
If you would like to make your own, here is the cutting template I made for mine:
- WWMM Coffin Candy Dish templates (pdf)
You could certainly experiment with the size. Mine is 13" long by 6" wide. It seems to hold plenty of candy.
You will also note that I didnt bother to figure out the angles needed to create the six sides. Since it is rustic looking, I wasnt concerned with cutting anything exactly. I just sort of estimated the bevels and made them work, gaps and all. If you want to turn this into a fine woodworking project, you would probably want to figure out the exact angles and cut them accordingly.
*****
Posted by
chun
|
|
8:03 PM
Labels:
kids,
projects,
Woodworking
Hey, somebody made the banana hanger!
George Raburns son,
Jay, liked it enough to make one himself. Nice job Jay...its a great project for kids.
*****
And speaking of kids, Mathew Agate is back with his second woodworking video. He took on my folding stool. Came out really nice! Plus, his dad Michael drew up some actual plans for the stool if you would like to make one of your own. Heres a PDF. And check out their web site The Newfoundland Woodworker. Thanks guys!
Read More..
Posted by
chun
|
|
2:05 PM
Labels:
and,
even,
more,
Woodworking,
workbenches
Krzysztof KleszczMy workbench is quite old - at least 40 years. I got it from my uncle, who used to do some woodworking/carpentry in the past. Since I have this workbench, my woodworking became a lot more efficient and is giving me more fun, because I dont have to worry about good support for my workpiece.Its made of beech, the length is approx. 240 cm (95 inches) and its really heavy, the top is about 4 inches thick. It has two vices that are very comfortable. It also has two big drawers and on the back of the top there is place for tools. 
Despite its age, its still very stable and sturdy. Twice a year I clean the top with random orbit sander and put some oil on it.*******
Warren DownesHere is a nice little workbench i made for my Father in law, i used threaded rod to hold it together no glue or nails for the frame, the frame is unbelievably strong you can jump on it (i did) and there is no movement.
The top is 2 layers of 19mm MDF glued and screwed together, i have an overhang on one side to mount a vice on, and holes for bench dogs.I used a router to make a groove that the rod sits in for the rails and drilled holes with a 35mm forstner bit in the posts about 20mm deep for the washer an bolt and 10mm threaded rod through the post.I think a drill press is needed as the holes going through the posts need to be a perfect 90 degrees for an exact fit.Its around 5ft x 2ft but you could do any size you want, i think its well suited to a smaller movable work bench. Maybe next time some shelves and enclosing the base would be a good idea.Its simple, cheap to build and really strong*******
George FulfordI thought Id show you the workbench for my meager little shop. Its weather-proof and tough. It is made from heart pine beams, 2x6s and cinder blocks. The beams were from my old house that was torn down due to Hurricane Ivan. They were axe-hewn back in the 20s for an old barn, then salvaged for my old house, now theyre my workbench. I love recycling wood :) If only it hadnt rained today when I took these pics. Oh well. 
*******
Johnny DelgadoMy basic workbenches. I made the 3 tables from IKEA parts. Simple but theyve lasted and they work.
*******
Andrew Vyn
Posted by
chun
|
|
7:15 AM
Labels:
box,
jewelry,
snazzy,
turned,
Woodworking
Fourteen-year-old Will Preston sent over this really cool jewelry box he turned on his lathe. Its made of purpleheart, padauk, maple and walnut. The box starts out as an octagon. Will has also posted very detailed instructions over at Instructables.com. Check them out. I may try one of my own.
****************
Wood Bits.
Read More..
