The deadline to apply for my mentored residency program at ESSA approaches. More information can be found on the ESSA website, including the application material. https://essa-art.org/instructors/residency-program/
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Mentored residency in wood
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Method or madness?
The photo shows two of my demonstration boxes from my classes for board and staff at ESSA. They are made of ash and have now received a first application of Danish oil made using the Sam Maloof mixture of boiled linseed oil, mineral spirits and polyurethane varnish. The oil finish darkens the wood and enhances the grain, bringing natural colors to life, while adding just a bit of sheen and protection to the wood.
The lids have their shape for specific purposes. Being resawn at a 4 degree angle leaves them thick enough at the back for applying surface mounted hinges, and thin enough at the front to not appear overly clunky and graceless. An additional advantage is that by careful resawing, two lids can be cut from the same piece of wood.
You may be curious how wood can be planed at an angle as was obviously done. First surface the wood on both sides. Then cut the one piece into two using the table saw set at the desired angle. The taping the outside faces together back into the original shape, run it through the planer again, surfacing the sawn sides. To further utilize the angle of the lid as a design feature in the box, the ends of the lid taper toward the front corners and the front corners of the box taper toward the front, providing a natural spot for the fingers to engage in opening the box. That subtle feature is more easily observed in the open box.
Is all this method or madness? Check the photo, and you decide. If you don't like it, tell us why.
Make, fix and create. Insist that all education become likewise.
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Recipe Boxes
I used surface mounted hinges that open to a 90 degree stop.
Make, fix and create. Assist others in learning likewise.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
I enjoy making jigs and sleds and for the table saw, and most of my sleds have involved wooden runners. I like to make them myself. They're cheap and because they are wood, it is easy to mount them with screws.
But I'm always open to new things. The plastic runner shown is high density polyethylene that is cut from a common plastic cutting board I purchased on Amazon here. The advantage is that it is stable material, can be machined with common woodworking tools, and mounted with screws just as I would one made of wood.
One cutting board will supply a number of runners, enough to last the typical woodworker a long time, or enable sharing with friends.
Monday, January 15, 2024
Fine Woodworking sent out an email link this morning to my video on making the hidden spline joint.
Monday, January 8, 2024
an inlaid music box
The small box in the photo is a music box left over unfinished from the production of my book Simply Beautiful Boxes. That book and its projects were compiled in my book Build 25 Beautiful Boxes. While out of print, the book is available in a Kindle edition.