Catching up on some viewer projects.
It seems Quarto turned out to be my most popular project this past Christmas season. It has been fun seeing all the variations you have come up with. Jeff Hammond had the clever idea to add a chalkboard top to this one he made for his nephews so they can keep score as they play!

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Bill Wilson made his version for his granddaughter. Not having a lathe,  he used dowels for the round pieces:

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"Byrdie" as he is known around the interwebs, made a couple of Quarto games as gifts and had the great idea to include a set of instructions with each one. If you would like to make a game as a gift, you here are his instructions all ready for you to print out.

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Quick project idea! Even though Christmas has passed, there are always occasions to make quick gifts. Marinos Georgopoulos, a new woodworker in Greece with limited space and no power tools made these candle holders for his first project. Woodworking gifts dont have to be complicated to me well-received. I love the colors on these.

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Another first project. This one from Mike Chambers who was ambitious enough to make this hickory and maple jewelry box for his wife. I always like to tell new woodworkers that boxes make good projects to start with. You can learn a lot of basic woodworking techniques by making one.

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And speaking of boxes, check out Freeman Colemans first hardwood project he made out of tiger caspi wood. (Its based on a video I made ages ago.) Freeman says he never touched a saw until a month ago! Not bad at all.

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It seems no update is complete without including a mallet! Here is one that Eric Duran made from olive wood. 

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Mikk Sülla in Estonia has been making end grain cutting boards. Cutting boards are great projects and leave a lot of room for creativity. He made these using oak, ash, birch, maple and walnut. Every woodworker should make at least one cutting board!

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This little snowman from Randy Cosgrove is too cute not to share. Maple, walnut and padauk. Randy recently got a lathe and discovered Carl Jacobson’s web site and wood turning videos. Even if you dont you have a lathe, Carls weekly videos are worth watching!

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Dont forget: its storage and organization month! Heres a great storage project for you winos. I mean wine drinkers. Stan Peters wine rack.

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Mere Minutes

A follow-up to Fridays charging station video.

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Clever woodworking ideas and more viewer videos

Pocket hole joinery is very popular, but can get costly. Carmen Salamones solution was to build his own jig for $13. Works just as well as the $100+ commercial version. He has no plans, but heres his description:

Scrap 1 x 6 for the base. 2 x 3 cut to about 3 1/2 ". Small slot carved out to fit the Kreg jig.  I used the kreg Jr and removed the grey sliding guides. The 2 x 3s were placed apart slightly wider than the jig itself. Screwed and glued. Cut out a small place on the base under the jig for it to slide down far enough to use the 1/2 setting. I used a piece of all thread with a knob, and glued in a nut on the opposite side. When tightened it squeezes the 2 x 3 slightly together holding the jig in place. 

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Ed Boyle came up with this ingenious solution for a paper towel holder by cutting off the lid and threaded part of a plastic water bottle. 

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Another great kitchen idea. When Ray Levesque saw how much under the counter cookbook holders cost, he made his own. The biggest challenge was devising a method of keeping it in the closed position. A simple hook was the simple solution.

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Warren Downes checks in with a kitchen project that just about every kitchen needs, a spice rack. In my kitchen, it gets used every day. Having the spices easy to find and grab make cooking much easier than digging through deep pantry shelves to find the right jar.

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Had to show off John Christiansens version of my rustic potting bench. Love the old window!

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Sure, lost of people make rocking horses. Bust have you ever seen a rocking motorcycle? Check out the detail on Hervy Bosmans bike.

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Heres Darryl Murrays first table project. And its a big one. I love these party tables...the cutouts in the middle are ice containers. 

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Finally, I want to show off Michael Paulys quilt rack based on one I made last year. He did a great job. Thats a pretty challenging project!

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Where in the world are you?

Continuing on! A few weeks ago, I invited viewers to create their own wall hangings showing off where they live and post video responses.  Ill post more here next week! (Or you can see them all on YouTube.)

Pennsylvania:

France:

The Netherlands:

Texas:

Minnesota:

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Unique viewer projects bird saw box and a convertible pool table

David P. from Kansas City went through a lot of research and development to build this pool table. It flips over when not in use and becomes a dining table! I dont think Ive ever seen anything like this before. David got Best in Show at his high school for this woodworking project. Hes a Junior. Wow...thats ambitious.

Bruce in Rossmoor decided to try his hand making his first bandsaw box. One thing led to another, and he ended up making a nesting set. Perfect, because while making it, he realized it looked like a bird. Adding the eye, was inspired. First box? Wow...more ambitious woodworking! Thanks guys.

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Viewer projects in the shop and out

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 6:11 PM

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a good weekend. Dont forget to drop by tomorrow for the second installment of The Inspiration Project. Until then, here are a few viewer projects Ive been meaning to show off for a long time.
Lets start off with a couple of shop projects, since I am in the planning stages of a shop project for this weeks show. Heres one that has always been on my to-do list: a miter saw station. Thomas Queen cleverly incorporated an old file cabinet into his.

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Tony in Arizona made this version of my rolling lumber cart, expanding it here and there. This is one of those projects that I wished I had built years ago. So handy.

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Moving into the back yard, we have a couple of planter boxes. 11-year-old Matthew Duffin did a great job building my $20 planter box from last year. Love the contrasting colors.

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And heres a really creative planter built by Gary Finger. 

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Moving indoors, we have some great tables. I just love how Erin Goff built these night stands using pallet wood. The paint on these is gorgeous.

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And check out the curves and joints on this exquisite end table Dave Bülow-Osborne made. 

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And finally, another Ramsey who loves cherry wood. Mike Ramsey made cherry hope chests for his daughters using wood from a neighbors tree that fell during a hurricane. 

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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.

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Viewer projects workbench compass and puzzles

Posted by chun | 0 comments | 12:35 AM

Andrew Manzie in Australia sent over pics of his first project. Naturally, a workbench! He based much of it on the one I built last year. I really like the addition of the peninsula on one end. That can come in very handy when planing or working on projects that require you to easily access all sides. Looking forward to see what Andrew makes next, now that he has a workbench.

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Bill Wilson is always coming up with something clever. Check out his homemade compass. It began as a friction fit, but hes refined it using a wing nut.

Now these look fun. Bill made these tanglement puzzles. The first one he made for his grandson who requested a Batman theme! 

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