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Read 8 days ago and current, but nothing has been published for 3 years.
When I started blogging again in 2020, I was using my work computer as my home computer was non-operational. Recently work appropriately increased security on the computers (which I fully endorse) so that I can no longer upload photos from that computer onto my blog. I received a Mac air iPad which is replacing the one I had been using since 2012 which really couldn’t do much. As such, I can blog…
Based on what I know about myself and the Myers-Briggs tests (three times taken), I am only slightly extroverted. As such, fine at work but enjoy my respite at home. Too much socialization drains me. . Covid was no doubt a sad event and many lives lost. If there was an upside from this misery, it was the amount of time I was able to spend at home without any commitment to go anywhere. About three…
I just signed up to take a class at the Port Townsend School of Woodworking in the summer of 2024. I will be taking the Anarchist Tool Chest class from Megan Fitzpatrick in Jun. I am very very excited about this. To understand why is a bit of a backstory. Firstly, it was a combination of the ATC book and Paul Sellers videos back in 2013/2014 that convinced me I wanted to woodwork with hand tools.…
I've been using my 41" high bench and vintage tools for about two months. Still a very short time and not ready to make any long term conclusions. I do like the height on the workbench for layout, breaking down stock, and housing dados. I have found the height to require more effort for my hand planes which isn't surprising given I can't get as much lower body into. I do like my vintage chisels. I…
I bought these two specialty planes 4 or 5 years ago at a Lie Nielsen tool event. In that time, I've had used them twice. Given Lie Nielsen had stopped production, they had risen to about $600 for the pair on the used market. I was tempted to sell them as I rarely used them. However, I thought they might come in handy at some point because I do make a fair bit of housing dados by hand. As such, I…
Little by little (summer has other obligations) I've been working on Beckvoort's 15 drawer chest. From a construction perspective, it contains a lot of housing dados. I sat down and added them up and came up with a total of 360". That's 30 feet! I like making housing dados by hand with a chisel & mallet and then a router hand plane to get the bottom flat. I am keeping track of the hours so I will…
When I started woodworking in 2016, I really knew very little and lacked a lot of confidence. Yet, money was tight as well. I didn't want to use vintage tools as they might have needed to be tuned up and I simply had not idea how to do that. I wanted tools that would work so if there was an issue, it was me and not the tool. I decided to go with vintage tools and sold my beloved 1990 5.0 L 5 speed…
As part of the initial stages of the build for Becksvoort's 15 drawer chest, I need to thin down my 7/8" thick wood. When I had a lot of boards to do, I used a planer. I could have used the one I own (DeWalt 735). However, I had access (because I was taking a class) to the Mount Diablo's Adult Education woodshop. They have nice tools. I think it took me all of 20 minutes to get this wood to…
I've just started a new project that is on my bucket list - Chrisitan Becksvoort's iconic 15 drawer chest. Lost Art Press published an awesome Becksvoort book entitled Shaker Inspiration. In this book, there are a baker's dozen of Becksvoort's pieces with measurements. If you like his work, I highly recommend the book. I have ogled over this piece for quite some time. Finally, finally, finally I…
As is often said by Captain Kirk and most woodworkers when it comes to power in the garage. Actually, I find it funny/ironic that as primarily a hand tool woodworker, I need more power in the garage. When I remodeled the garage in 2013, I put in many 120 V outlets (on multiple circuits). I only put in one 240 V outlet. Mostly I was ignorant of what power requirements I would have for woodworking…
When I started woodworking in 2015, I lacked the confidence to make my own workbench. As such, I spent a small fortune and bought one from Lie Nielsen. I've been happy with it with one exception, it's 35" height is lower than I would like; I am 6' tall. Works fine for hand plane work but not so good for cutting fine joinery and dovetails. My back will ache a bit so I often will sit when working.…
My nephew is a good kid (if you can still call a nearly 30-year-old man a kid anymore). When we go on vacation, he will often housesit, feed the dog and cats. Growing up, he was always willing to help my wife with whatever tasks she needed. A few years ago, he wanted a big subwoofer to fill the back of his Chevy Suburban. How could I say no. We talked the better part of a year or more about wood…
In 1st quarter of 2023, I took the Wood Working 2 class for the Mount Diablo Adult Education school. The prior quarter I had taken WW1 from them. The piece we were assigned to make was this shaker nighstand. The were several reasons I took the class: more exposure to woodworking machines (I have very few at home), completion of this class opens up access to all the other woodworking classes, I…
Lately I just haven't felt like blogging. Not sure why. I find I tend to blog in fits and starts. Sometimes I get up to 10 blogs written and lined up for weekly posting. Lately, not so much. I'm hoping to break this streak but writing something, anything. I am close to finishing up two projects. One is a "classic" Shaker nightstand table. It's out of cherry, with ebony and figured maple accents.…
As a hobby woodworker, I am fortunate that I don't need to worry about my woodworking putting food on the table. I don't need to justify purchasing a tool. If I want it, have saved up for it, I can buy it. Lately, I have been working on a build for a timeless classic Shaker nightstand table (not sure if that is the proper name). It's part of a woodworking class I am taking one night a week at a…
I've been woodworking since 2015. When I first started, I was perplexed at how to come up with a design. Rather recently, I've been thinking about a piece I'd like to make next year. (Why not this year? I already have the wood for the next three projects and it will likely take me all of this year to get them done. Could I reprioritize? Sure but I hate changing plans and pushing stuff off. It's a…
I'm in the process of building a shaker side table. It's been going well though I'm not ready to talk about the whole project as it's in process. Today was a good day though. I was able to use a scrub plane I had purchased back in Oct at a used collectors tools show. I really like the old Stanley. It's light weight really helped me in terms of stretching out how long I could plane the wood. I had…
ChatGPT is a free online artificial intelligence "software." Folks have been talking about it a lot lately. I took a look. Took me a few days to get into the system as it is popular and getting a lot of requests. I asked it to design a kitchen table caddy for napkins and spices. It spit out a pretty good set of instructions. I wanted it to show me designs but it can't show designs and is only text…
In the Fall of 2022, I enrolled in the local adult education program to take an evening class in woodworking. Mt. Diablo has all kinds of great classes and my wife and I will likely take a bunch more over time. The class I took was "Woodworking 1". It's the first class and upon completion of WW1 and WW2, you can then take any of the other woodworking classes. What I liked about the class was…
For about the past 10 years, my personal cell phone was an iPhone 5. Given the cost of "smart phones" I have elected to keep my iPhone 5 as long as possible. In other words, I'd rather spend money on wood than a new phone. Well, Verizon decided to discontinue some sort of 3G network my iPhone 5 needed to work. To date, all of my photos for woodworking and what is posted on my blog and Instagram…
Recently, I have been experimenting with other finishes. For the past 7 years, I have been focused on shellac and really like it. I can't imagine changing but I want to see how oils (with and without shellac) look. Lately, I have had a project with mahogany. I want to find information on how to finish it with oils. I spent a lot of time asking folks, searching the web, etc. I have just finished…
My wife for years has wanted a kitchen drawer organizer. We were still using the cheap plastic utensil organizer I had purchased in 1990 when I moved out on my own. The biggest challenge was the timeframe. I was busy making a bunch of other Christmas gifts and I didn't have much time to make it. I planned to keep the construction simple with butt joints, glue and nails. For it was, it didn't need…
I've never put together a woodworking goals for the year thing before. Certainly do it for work. I thought it might be nice to put something together for 2023 and then at the end of the year see where I land. It's not a life and death list but a nice to have. In terms of the big projects, I have three: Christian Becksvoort's 15 drawer chest, Limbert No 355 bookcase, and Stumpy Nubs saw benches. In…
This is the first year I am doing this. Fortunately, I keep a woodworking notebook so that helps me recall what I did. Without a notebook, I'd likely forget half of the things I've done. Mostly I write for myself to consolidate my thoughts and to provide my family and friends (now and in the future .... look at great grandpa's chest of drawers ...) a way to see what I am up to. Admittedly,…
As much as I like working with hand tools, I want a few machines. High on that list has been a bandsaw. There was a sale at Rockler over Black Friday weekend in which the Powermatic tools were 10% off and free shipping. It's been at least two years since that deal has appeared. As such, I bought the Powermatic PM1500. It's their 15" bandsaw that is on the beefy side and has a 14"ish resaw…
