Get woodworking!

If you are new to woodworking, you will be happy to know that this is "Get Woodworking" week, dreamed up by Tom Iovino over at Toms Workbench. All this week, lots of woodworking bloggers and video guys are providing content specifically for beginners. Check out the list of articles and contributors on Toms site each day this week. If that seems like a daunting task, just wait until Friday: Thats when Ill submit my contribution.
*****
I want to start off with a project from Gonzalo Gallegos in Chile. He made this cart and sent me pictures a several months ago, but the Christmas holidays kept pushing it back in my queue. Now that it is February and spring is right around the corner, it seems like a good time to post it! Bonus: Gonzalo also sent over a SketchUp plan for you to download. Thanks man!

*****

Also going back into the archives are these sets of maple dominoes from Heath Fitts. Some really fine work, and definitely a lot of work! Projects like these require a really good set-up to make sure you can make a bunch of repetitive cuts accurately. And lots of sanding!

*****

Falling into the "what little girl wouldnt want one?" category, is this kitchen Clay Morris built for his kids. Clay says he just winged it, using no plans. Cute!

*****

Clever storage ideas

I really like using the empty space in walls for storage. As long as its in interior walls, its wasted space! Brenton Rawlings in Australia came up with this key cubby. Great idea!

*****
Other often-overlooked storage spaces are corners. Heres a great corner system Joseph Petruszkiewicz built for his compressor.

"The shelves are 3/4" plywood that I had lying around. I cut a 3.5" hole in the back so I could reach in and empty the drain, and added a shelf for my nailers and extra nails. I put a piece of molding around the top shelf so the compressor wouldnt "walk" off the shelf when its on.

The best part of the shelf is that I added a receptable/switch combination ($6) to plug it in. When I want the compressor on, I can flick the switch in the box without having to get on a step stool to reach the switch on top of the compressor. I just wired the box to a plug end that I can stick in an outlet. My support brackets were ripped down to fit the electrical box perfectly. I have a retractable air hose reel that I am going to attach beside it."

*****

Kitchen storage is always a challenge. Raymond Levesque made these under-cabinet slide-out shelves using wooden slides from Rockler. We have pull-out shelves like these under out stove and I can attest to the fact that they are indispensable. Once you have them youll wonder how you ever found anything before.

*****

Heres a familiar looking router cabinet. Dick Hitchcock made this one based on the one I made last year. It looks great! I probably get more requests for plans of this project than any other. Now that I am learning SketchUp, its one of the projects I intend to draw up some plans for. 

*****

I was happy to see than someone else decided to make a gadget charging station! Here is Bob Zimmermans version. 

*****
Randy Cosgrove seems to be having fun with his new lathe. I think more than any other tool, using a lathe really makes you feel artistic. Like a sculptor. Nice work Randy!

*****

Viewer favorites

Some of my projects that continue to be popular. Kevin Maxson has joined the mallet club with his purpleheart and mahogany mallet. If you havent made one yet, get on it...they are really easy to make and useful to have.

*****

And here is Bill Akins Quarto game made out of oak. Read more about it over on Lumberjocks. 

*****

A lot of you have made my garden bench. Now that spring is on its way, its a good one to get you out of the house! Bill Wilson made this one which includes cup holders. I really like those arm rests. Bill made this one to raffle off for his churchs youth retreat and raised raised 280.00 for the bench! This is a picture of the winner: the pastor! Divine intervention?

Related Posts by Categories