Okay dammit. Now I have to make some of these…
Category: woodworking
Wood Carving; Spoons, Spatulas, and a Whiskey Noggin
Now that I’m back to spoon carving it feels great to actually finish some decent pieces. Most of the nicer wood I have on-hand is kiln-dried, making it much more difficult to work. More patience, more sharpening, and smaller cuts are necessary to accomplish a desired form. However, this weekend paid off with a few nice utensils coming out of the work room.
I finished an assortment of spatulae and spoons for an upcoming craft show but I have no idea if there will be any real interest. The Osage orange eating spoon at the bottom is a gift but the rest will be for sale. It is a ridiculous amount of time for the monetary return but certainly allowed me to relax and focus on the crafting and creation of each form. To me, a handmade item is far nicer and more valuable than something stamped out in a factory far away.
The top spoon ended up as a gift and the bottom one sold quickly. Walnut is a beautiful wood.
I’m trying to keep busy in the dark and cold months. I hope you are too.
A Carpenter’s Workshop
Someday, I’ll have one this nice again…
Click the image for a much larger version.
Build a New Sled in Time for Christmas!
With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s time to start making those gifts for friends and family. I collect old plans for projects I never seem to get around to making but here’s a quickie that might be on the table soon. Maybe you know some youngster that will need a sled this year.
Or maybe it’s time to train the useless dog to help out around camp…
There’s not much to it really but a good set of measurements is always welcome in a new project. An old pallet and a couple long boards will just about do it.
And maybe, just maybe, one less plastic tub sled will end up in the landfill. Here’s the link to the original article:
Ana White and Some Truly Brilliant Ideas
Someone recently shared this house with me and I’ve seen her (Ana White’s) work popping up all over the Internet lately. Ana White uses readily available materials to create some genius storage and living solutions for small homes. These could easily be applied in many other situations in order to make the most of any space. It rings well with me because it is all-purpose made to fit the space and needs of the occupant; not just an off-the-shelf one-size-fits-most approach. Here is a tour of her recent work and I suggest visiting her website for a load of other great ideas, including many plans.
The table versatility is particularly smart and functional. This would be handy in an office or bedroom as well. The video has a lot of good ideas for builders.
And finally, on her Brag Board, she has many other interesting projects to check out as well including a lot furniture ideas like this clever storage bed shown below.
Butaco Plegable (Folding Stool)
Thanks to Ronel Silva for passing this on. It’s a good video showing the construction of a Pea Picker style of folding stool. I posted my own version here several years ago. The video is in Spanish, but if you do not speak it, I think the visuals should give you plenty of guidance.
Mallets and Other Simple Wooden Implements
As I sort and cull my tools (and life) I want to share some past projects that may seem too simple to consider. I am not always on the path to a handmade life but I’m also never far from it.
Rip Cuts and Table Saws
Looking through old books online I’m constantly reminded of how easy we have it in the 21st Century. I still remember seeing my grandfather and great-grandfather ripping the occasional board by hand. Neither had a table saw and it was often too much trouble for a single cut to replace the blade in the circular saw. I feel like I have rip-sawed miles of lumber in my life and many projects I have undertaken wouldn’t have occurred without the table saw. As I have cut down on the large power tools I own I have a difficult time dismissing even the small table saw.
So, I’ve been putting off resawing a wide mahogany plank intended for an instrument back and, because of the width, it will need to be done by hand. I have put it off for over a week now as I realize there is some dread about diving in. It’s a skill that needs practice like any other and isn’t going to kill me. Time to take a deep breath, clamp it down, and start cutting.
Live Well
“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.”
~Voltaire
Voltaire was on to something there. Here is a very inspirational family making good in the wilds of Wisconsin. I would love to see more as they sound like some truly genuine artisans and keep craftsmanship alive in this consumer era.
I want to continue being inspired by people like this with positive spirits and keeping an eye on the important things in life. Feel free to submit links like this or comment if you have feeling about a handmade life.
And don’t forget to check out their own web-page, photos, and blog by clicking the image below.
Perpetual Beginner Mentality
Here’s a nearly perfect little essay from Greg Merritt about amateur woodworking that can be applied far beyond our chosen hobby. It’s a great way to start off the New Year on a positive note.
I particularly like this line: “To build furniture you need three basic skills. You must know how to sharpen, layout accurately and then accurately cut the wood to layout. That is it. Period.”
The following is written for those of you, like myself, who are amature/hobbiest woodworkers. We just want to build things with wood and enjoy the process as well as the result.
In days gone by, when the apprentiship system was in full swing, a person knew where they stood in the hierarchy. You entered as an apprentice and worked your way up through the ranks. Crossing milestones allong the way that advanced you to the next level. Eventually working your way up until you were considered a master craftsman, or whatever similar rank, depending upon your chosen proffession. My assumption is, that as these individulas moved up in the system their attitude changed as well. Gaining both confidence and a sense of reponsibility to the profession.
That was then, this is now.
Something I have observed over the years is that amature woodworkers are almost always viewed as perpetual beginners…
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Preindustrial Craftsmanship 