Friday, July 13, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Some News
*blows dust off keyboard*
So contrary to the obvious lack of posts on my blog, I actually have been doing some woodworking, I've just been too busy/lazy to write about it. Actually that's not true. The truth is that I've been cheating on you readers. Yes I have been writing on another blog. This is because I was working on my senior English class. What does woodworking and blogging have to do with English class? Well I haven't totally figured that out myself yet, but I do know that I had a lot of fun working on my project and writing on it. The blog is WISE Woodworks; start from the beginning for the full narrative experience. Here is what I built; a wooden music stand for my trombone teacher:
I am very happy with how it turned out. I have also been making a couple of friends knives in preparation for the apocalypse. This one is in Burmese blackwood. The kit is available here.
The next one I'm doing is a bowie hidden tang style using Indian rosewood, available here. I will also be making leather sheaths which is my first foray into leatherwork, so stay tuned for that.
My next project is making three kitchen counter stools. The base will be a simple half-lap and mortise construction, with the seat being slatted and curved similar to a park bench. Here is the mock-up I have made to test out the comfort. The back rest will be in the same position as it is in the prototype, but will not look identical. You might recognize the base from the conductor's stool project. I'm glad I kept it.
So contrary to the obvious lack of posts on my blog, I actually have been doing some woodworking, I've just been too busy/lazy to write about it. Actually that's not true. The truth is that I've been cheating on you readers. Yes I have been writing on another blog. This is because I was working on my senior English class. What does woodworking and blogging have to do with English class? Well I haven't totally figured that out myself yet, but I do know that I had a lot of fun working on my project and writing on it. The blog is WISE Woodworks; start from the beginning for the full narrative experience. Here is what I built; a wooden music stand for my trombone teacher:
Sunday, February 5, 2012
More Boards
What I've been working on: another maple cutting board, this time with
an embellishment. The reason that one of the walnut runners goes all
the way though is because my router slipped towards the end of the cut
(due to operator error, nothing wrong with the machine), and ended up
cutting all the way through the board.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Completed Stool
Well it's been exactly 4 months and 2 days since I last posted- but I haven't stopped woodworking. I wanted to finish up the stool project and I just rushed ahead with it, instead of documenting it thoroughly. So here it is:
This year as a Christmas gift, I made a small cheese board, from the wood that I rescued from the city dump. It has walnut runners dadoed into the bottom.
This year as a Christmas gift, I made a small cheese board, from the wood that I rescued from the city dump. It has walnut runners dadoed into the bottom.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Conductor's stool update
Well it's been a long time since I posted, but I've been away and rather busy. I was in central Europe for a couple of weeks, then a short stay in New York City, then another week on lake Ontario. So far this summer has been very good. 
This is a picture of a festool saw being used in a construction site in Dresden, just thought it was funny that they would use this for construction. When I stepped into my shop for the first time in two weeks, I discovered not only rusty tools (even though I oiled them up before I left), 
but that a bird had gotten into my basement shop, pooped everywhere and died. This was disgusting.
New York was fun, even thought I didn't get a chance to visit Tools For Working Wood, I spent some time in the Met, saw some Nakashima furniture,
the skyline from the roof,
and the cemetery that Bernstein is buried in.
The lake was very nice as well, we did lots of walking, reading, and canoeing.
We did visit the MacLachlan Woodowking museum, but it was very small, and I wouldn't really reccomend going out of your way to see it.
For the conductor's stool, as I write this, the final phase of the base glue up is setting. I first glued the side assemblies, then the two sides together. This minimized the amount of rushing around and panicking I had to to get the base all glued up.
This is a picture of a festool saw being used in a construction site in Dresden, just thought it was funny that they would use this for construction. When I stepped into my shop for the first time in two weeks, I discovered not only rusty tools (even though I oiled them up before I left), 
but that a bird had gotten into my basement shop, pooped everywhere and died. This was disgusting.
New York was fun, even thought I didn't get a chance to visit Tools For Working Wood, I spent some time in the Met, saw some Nakashima furniture,
the skyline from the roof,
and the cemetery that Bernstein is buried in.
The lake was very nice as well, we did lots of walking, reading, and canoeing.
We did visit the MacLachlan Woodowking museum, but it was very small, and I wouldn't really reccomend going out of your way to see it.
For the conductor's stool, as I write this, the final phase of the base glue up is setting. I first glued the side assemblies, then the two sides together. This minimized the amount of rushing around and panicking I had to to get the base all glued up.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
It's Here!
Another power tool has crept into the shop, somehow avoiding the hand-tool force field. This is the first hand held power tool that I have ever bought in my life: the Bosch Colt palm router. I don't know if owning this tool officially takes me out of any hand tool cults, but I certainly hope not. I bought this tool because of the ease in which it accomplishes tasks not fitted for hand tools, such as stopped dadoes, dadoes in general, and things such as breadboard ends. These tasks are doable by hand (I've done them before), but are tedious and time consuming, and often don't turn out too well. So far I have been very impressed with how it runs (or gallops), I did some research online and most agreed that this palm router is the one to have. I ordered some whiteside bits, and bought the router from Lowes. Lowes was having some kind of special, so I got a free upcut spiral bit for free. I hope that this tool will allow to me to work faster, so I can get more projects done.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
68 days...
...is the number of days in which a single new post has not appeared on this blog. That's slightly embarrassing. I am inspired to write this new post because it was requested by one of my readers as a place to go when they have real work to do (and want to avoid doing it). Because one reader is the significant majority of the people who know about or read this blog, I feel it is my democratic duty to write a new post.
I have continued to work on the stool project, I am learning that making every joint a through mortise and tenon is not speedy, but will be worth it. I tapered the legs on the bandsaw, cleaned them up, and cut the upper joinery (which I don't really seem to have a picture of).
The lower stretchers I clamp in place and trace the front scribe line using the legs. 
Completed sub assembly:
I also was distracted by some boards I cut a while ago that had been peacefully sitting in the corner until now. I decided to make a clock; the main wood I believe is maple with some kind of stain in the middle (if anyone knows what this is I would love to hear from you, if this helps, it smells reminiscent of defecation), the dots are walnut pegs, the hands are wenge. To mill this horribly cupped piece of wood I first flattened the concave side, and then took it to the bandsaw, referencing off the flat side. I am pleased with how it came out.
And if there happens to be a particularly astute reader he/she may be wondering on the mission lamp stand that I had blogged about previously. Well here's the situation; I called a local electrical store and had them order the appropriate part. They said they would call when it came in, which was going to be about two weeks. Now I don't know if they just forgot to call me, or if that lonely lamp harp is really sitting somewhere in a box, presumably being shipped via Andean llama, and has not arrived. In this situation most people would just call the company and inquire on the part's status. In classic woodshopbug fashion however, I have forgotten which electrical company I ordered it from, and am too lazy to call around to make any inquiries.
Later this week I am BUYING A NEW TOOL, so stay tuned.
I have continued to work on the stool project, I am learning that making every joint a through mortise and tenon is not speedy, but will be worth it. I tapered the legs on the bandsaw, cleaned them up, and cut the upper joinery (which I don't really seem to have a picture of).
The lower stretchers I clamp in place and trace the front scribe line using the legs. 
Completed sub assembly:
I also was distracted by some boards I cut a while ago that had been peacefully sitting in the corner until now. I decided to make a clock; the main wood I believe is maple with some kind of stain in the middle (if anyone knows what this is I would love to hear from you, if this helps, it smells reminiscent of defecation), the dots are walnut pegs, the hands are wenge. To mill this horribly cupped piece of wood I first flattened the concave side, and then took it to the bandsaw, referencing off the flat side. I am pleased with how it came out.
And if there happens to be a particularly astute reader he/she may be wondering on the mission lamp stand that I had blogged about previously. Well here's the situation; I called a local electrical store and had them order the appropriate part. They said they would call when it came in, which was going to be about two weeks. Now I don't know if they just forgot to call me, or if that lonely lamp harp is really sitting somewhere in a box, presumably being shipped via Andean llama, and has not arrived. In this situation most people would just call the company and inquire on the part's status. In classic woodshopbug fashion however, I have forgotten which electrical company I ordered it from, and am too lazy to call around to make any inquiries.
Later this week I am BUYING A NEW TOOL, so stay tuned.
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