Get Woodworking Week may be over, but don’t tell John.John is an 80 year old Korean war veteran who I’ve come to know because he wants to learn woodworking. While you’d be right to ask yourself why a one-eyed octogenarian who needs a walker is interested in learning a craft he currently knows nothing about, his reasoning turns out to be the same as many of us. John want’s to learn to woodwork because he needs a table for his computer and can’t find the right one commercially.John and I spent the afternoon in my shop where we discussed the basic table he plans to build and the method of building it. We went from hand cut mortise and tenons to routed floating tenons to pocket screws.

This joint is OK.

I know that while steering someone from a hand cut mortise and tenon to a pocket screw may be blasphemous to some, I was happy to do it.

This joint works too.

It’s not that I want John to be a power tool woodworker who only uses steel fasteners. It’s that I want John to be a woodworker. As he’s never built anything, I think jumping right into a table build with eight (8) hand cut mortise and tenons would be enough to turn anyone achoice in frustration. I stressed to John that as much as he’s eager to learn and practice joinery, it was also important to actually building something. The satisfaction and pride of actually building a pocket hole joined table will certainly nurture his love of woodworking more than the frustration of a table that won’t assemble because of miscut tenons.

Just be sure it ends in something like this.

I say this often because I feel it’s important. It is not about how you build something. It’s about that you do building something. Start small and simply. Let your first few projects succeed. Then, once you’ve learned the basics let your interest take you to any style of joinery method you choose.

Or like this. The important thing is to just build.

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Last October, immediately following Woodworking in America (and some goading from Aaron Marshall) I began my bench build in earnest. I took the front-to-back stretcher panels I had previously made and begain to re-design around them. I also switched my intended front vice from a Veritas Twin-Screw to a leg vise. In order to make the leg vise, I bought a Lee Valley tail vise screw and an 8” cast iron handwheel from Grizzly. It took them both to a machinist I know and viola! They fit and work together.

Then it got cold and I put the bench achoice for the winter so that I could insulate the shop.

I’ve been working on the insulation since early November and my shop has been pressed against the non-opened up wall since then. In that time I’ve completely re-wired the shop and brought outside wall to R-40.

The Lee Valley Tail Vise Screw

The shop wall, today.

I’ve also learned that I can be productive without a fancy pants bench. In fact, when I was walking through Home Depot recently, I found an American made beauty of a bench and bought it on the spot.Why did I buy it? Many reasons. It beats all the shop made and high end benches I’ve ever seen on so many levels.

• No futzing with those hard to make mortise and tenon joints. This bench is even stronger with butt joints reinforced with two (2) cheap screws.

I dare you to find stronger, simpler joinery.

• A square edge for clamping and referencing? Not on this bad boy. The top has been rounded so that even silky smooth woodworker hands will love to caress it.

No splinters from that beautiful edge

• Does that big twin-screw of leg vise get in the choice, alchoices banging your thigh as you walk past your bench? Well who needs it? One of the most wonderful parts of this bench is that it pares down all the clutter of modern benches to the pure functional core. That’s why you’ll not find a face or end vise on this gem. Your thighs will thank you.

• The bench as a 3 dimensional clamping surface? Really? Who needs to clamp in 3 dimensions? Wood is only 2 dimensional, and so is my clamping. That’s why this bench is so great. Having its legs set back from the front apron and it’s leg attachment bolts set proude of the front apron make it virtually impossible to clamp to the front face.

Inset legs and proud bolts prevent the user from making any
face clamping mistakes.

• Apparently, heavy benches are all the rage these days with bench evangelists like Chris Schwarz talking up the benefits of a massive bench with a thick (but not too thick) top. Needing a massive bench is the oldest old wives tale in the woodworking book. All you need to do for any bench is stand on it while working and it won’t move an inch.

No stupidly thick and complicated top here!

• Deal with a complicated bench top glue up to only follow it by flattening the top by hand? Not with this beauty. A single piece of good old fashioned ¾” OSB is all the top you need. It comes dead flat from factory. In fact, just about the only choice to warp this top would be to stand on it.

• Are the pieces you build too big? Not with this bench. The convenient rear lip prevents pieces from hanging over the back. No longer will you be building those hideous, gianormous chests of drawers and tables.

There rear lip is so awesome, it intimidated the camera so much
the photo came out  blurry.

So now that my bench saga is done, I couldn’t be happier. I ended up with the perfect bench, it only took minutes to assemble and I only spend $70.00 on the whole thing.

Behold the majestic beauty.

Now, what should my next project be? Maybe I’ll pick up a laser guided circular saw and make some decorative boxes.

Edit: The original post date was 4/1/12.

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Well fellow woodworkers, Marc is up to his old tricks and another Guild Build is upon us.

For any of you who dont know (can there be any woodworkers who dont know?) the Wood Whisper Guild Builds are a trice yearly build where Marc publish plans & offers step by step instructions while the Wood Whisperer Guild members build along. Bell Forrest Products even sell special kits of all the lumber needed to build a Guild Build Project.

Previous Guild Build projects have been a shaker table, a dresser and a wall hanging cabinet. This Springs build is a Greene & Greene inspired Adirondack chair.

Though its a thing of beauty, Im sad to say I wont be building along due to other time commitments. Dont let that stop you though. Its a community build second to none. You owe it to yourself and your woodworking to give it a try.

My Shaker Table from the
1st Guild Build.

My almost finished Bastard Wall Cabinet is my
excuse for a Winter 2011 Guild Build project.

Now joint the Guild and get to work on that beautiful chair.

I cleaned and rearranged the shop today. Now that the wands are finally (almost) done, I needed to clean and rearrange things so that I could walk, use the table saw and find my bench.

Most of the rearrangement involved the hanging of the Bastard Tool Cabinet on the wall and moving my Festool sanders off the floor and onto the wall next to the Bastard.

There are a few corrections to what I say in the video:

1. I think the Port-A-Mate rack was more. I bought is a while ago.
2. What I say is cherry on the lumber rack looks like, and is, walnut.
3. I say “That’s about it” three (3) times. Only one (1) of those times is at the end.

How’s your shop organization? Time for a cleaning?

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I love benches. I’ve ranted here before about how much I like them, I’ve written essays about my bench design ethic and I’ve been very excited that this winter’s Guild Build is a bench.Though my favored designs usually lean towards the Rouboesque and I’m a big believer in Chris Schwarz’s “the legs should be flush with the front edge” rule, I’ll freely admit that there is no right bench for everyone.Lately, I’ve been reading and re-reading John White’s article on his Wired Workbench from Fine Woodworking. It’s not what I would typically think of when a Workbench is mentioned, but the more I look at this bench for power tools, the more I like it.It incorporates very efficient (and cost effective) clamping, integrated dust control and holds the cords and hoses out of the choice (similar to my boom arm). I think it makes for a very functional power tool bench. I’m very temped to build one myself once I’m done with the Clockwork Workbench, but alas I have no room. Luckily my Dad’s shop is roughly the size of my house, so maybe he’ll make one.

I was hoping to embed the video here, but all Ive been able to do is link to it. Check it out on the Fine Woodworking site. So that Im not without image, heres a photo:

If that bench has wet your appetite, here are a few more recent blog posts about workbenches.Chris’s bench design essay I & II.Kari has a recent post about the benches of WIA11.Marc is building a split top Roubo with the Wood Whisperer Guild.Vic is posting all the time about his Split Top Guild Bench build.Shannon’s now classic Roubo build.Schwarz’s Petite Roubo Talk.My Petite Workbenches.Marc’s build or buy postKari’s joinery benchShannon’s joinery benchMorton’s Sourcing the LumberMy bench build postsI’m sure I’ve missed many a good post, so if you have a post about a work bench, or know of one, please share it in the comments.

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June rolled in this weekend and with it, my June Shop Tour for 2013.
I braved the summer heat to document what a mess the shop is currently in and how very little Ive managed to accomplish it in.

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My Festool Random Orbit Sanders

I like to sand. I know that goes contrary to popular opinion, but I find sanding relaxing.The reason I like sanding is that I’ve stocked myself up with an arsenal of sanding paraphernalia that usually make it easy. My normal routine is to use a Festool random orbit sander connected to my CT22 dust extractor via my vacuum boom arm. The result is that sanding is usually a relaxing process. It could be a little monotonous, but listening to an entertaining podcast or book takes care of that. If you don’t have a decent vacuum and boom arm to connect to your sander, you really should. The less dust, the greater the sanding enjoyment.

This weekend I’ve had to leave my fancy set up behind and sand by hand. I’m making some wands (more on them in a future post), and there’s not a flat surface on them.The result has been lots and lots of hand sanding. I’ve used 3M Sandblaster sanding pads for the wands, and while I’ve been happy with the results, I’ve been hating the process. I now remember why so many of us hate sanding.How do you deal with sanding?

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The Wood Whisperer Guild is about to embark on their next group build -- the Tilt Top Table.

Safety first . . . and second . . . and third . . .

What is the Wood Whisperer Guild you ask? Surely you know already if you’re an active part of the online woodworking community. If you’re new, the Guild is the members section of the Wood Whisperer Site. Why be a member? There are many great reasons. If you’re not yet familiar with them, you can watch an exhausted and dreary eyed me talk about why the Guild is so great.

This build will be a neat project. It’s going to be a traditional tilt top table. While this traditional form of furniture isn’t quite to my taste, it is much to my wife’s. I’m sure that if it’s not quite your style either, someone you know will still love it.Regardless of style, it’s going to be an interesting build. It’ll be the first time a Guild Build breaks out the lathe. The flip top and gently splaying legs that extend the shape of the center turning will also be fun to build. Or you could bastardize the design and not turn or splay it, as I’d probably do.

That is the great thing about Guild Builds. Though it’s a community build of many Guild members building along with Marc, the project’s not as important as the community. I’ve never had as much fun building a project as I have with the Guild Builds I’ve participated in. Even when my own project veered off dramatically from the one Marc was building, it was still great to participate with the group and share the camaraderie that only comes from building along with a group. Short of sharing a classroom, the Wood Whisperer Guild is the best choice to enjoy you woodworking (and learn) with others.

Learn more about the table with Marcs introduction video.

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This months shop tour was delayed by the Quilt Rack build and I have no idea what happened to Septembers tour. Regardless, were soldiering on with monthly tours.Here we go.

Dont forget about the +Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast. We talk woodworking with Guests from around the world of woodworking every other week. Subscribe to the RSS feed or iTunes today.

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For this incoming year, here is a English version of a calendar  published today by the Italian woodworking forum Legnofilia

Happy New Year!You can download it here:2014 calendar

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Ive got too many projects open right now, and I cant seem to focus.

Sheathing . . . finally.

The shop itself has been an open project since the fall of 2008 when I tore out the garage. Ive been actively working on the shop since returning from Woodworking in America 2011. In that time Ive managed to super insulate the walls (R-40), run the new wiring and sheath with 3/4" OSB. With the installation of outlets, Im closing in on a functional space.

This tree house isnt going to finish itself.

As the shop puts me in a honey do deficit, I also have the requisite family project going on. Since last summer Ive been working on a tree house for my kids. At this point its fully framed and sheathed. I just need to roof it, deck it and build a ladder. As the weather is breaking and the kids are ever anxious for their tree house, this is probably where most of my time will go for the foreseeable future.

Some day, this will hold a glue gun.

Currently on my bench there is a half finished glue gun rack. Its made of walnut with ebony accents as most glue gun racks are. Its a design as I go project. While this method usually works for me, the design process for this project isnt holding my attention and the rack is beginning to stall.

Some day, this is going to be an ass kicking bench.

The bench itself is another open project. Im still using a Whiteside bench I bought off Craigs List many years ago. In 2011 I began working on my Clockwork Bench. Ive gotten as far as rounding up my vise hardware (and having it custom milled). Ive also picked up the lumber for the bench.Its waiting patiently in my attic.

Also in my arrive is a chair my Aunt & Uncle have asked me to fix. Its a relatively generic piece of commercially made oak furniture. I need to make a missing arm and reattach a loose one. Luckilly, Ive been told by my uncle that the shape of the new arm doesnt need to be perfect, just the color & tone of the finish.

Those five (5) projects are probably enough to keep me busy through the end of 2013. Yet, its not the glue gun rack or my bench details that Ive been sketching lately. Ive been scribbling achoice on chair designs like mad over the last few week. I’ve got a sinking suspicion that this sixth project may end up being the first one finished.

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Tha Cold War is Finished for Planes Too

Giovanni, a friend of mine, kindly gave me a Russian plane as gift. I heard some negative opinions about and this models are not so frequent. Unluckily, the blade and cap iron were not original and the plane came equipped with a recent Stanley iron and cap. Iron is 2" wide and the plane is about 10" long, so a smoothing plane. The body is cast iron, well done; the hard wood handles offer a comfortable grip but have curious nuts requiring a dedicate screwdriver. 

Not a common future, the knob is inclined forward and I found the grip more comfortable than an ordinary one. More, it helps to provide more pressure on the anterior plane portion when the plane shot has incoming.                                                        

I had to add a washer to the rear handle for fixing it better. 

The aluminium frog shows a fine surface on which the blade seats well. It can be moved like the Bailey planes. The frog did not seat well on the base, so I had to use a file for slightly trueing the critical points.

The Y lever is malleable iron, too much thin and with a lot of lateral tolerance.

The lateral lever is very short and this does not permit of moving the iron easily. I changed the iron, utilizing a vintage Stanley iron and chipbreaker. 

Of course was necessary to do some corrections, such as the lateral lever substitution with another one longer, the thickening of Y lever where it engages the chipbreaker (I used a little bit of soldering material).

I flattened the sole, sharpened the blade and tried the plane.

Despite the defects, I obtained thin shaves on soft woods as well as on harder ones.

Unfortunately I cannot verify the quality and performances of original blade and chipbreaker, but after all this Russian plane (with a good blade) showed capability for a fine job, although the regulation systems were quite weak and could cause troubles with a harder use.

A Russian body with an American heart. It works!

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Its Too Funny To Apologize For

Woodworking in America is almost upon us (have you remembered to book your flight and hotel yet?). In there continues evangelism of the event, the editorial staff have crafted this wonderful spoof video. It was first brought to my attention with this tweet.

Apologies. http://t.co/Xg6yfVEzFY
— Popular Woodworking (@pweditors) September 13, 2013

Not only is it amusing, its also a great woodworking event placement test. If you watch ans say "Huh?". Then youre safe not attending.
If you watch and break out into laughter so loud others in the room look at you and then after youve explained whats so funny they say "Huh?", then you need to go to Woodworking in America.

By the choice, +Charles Bender had me in stitches.
Dont forget about the +Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast. We talk woodworking with Guests from around the world of woodworking every other week. Subscribe to the RSS feed or iTunes today.

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