“Get Started In Woodworking?” All your expensive tools look intimidating. Many people ask me how I got started in woodworking, and what I would recommend to get started. The first question is difficult for me since I’ve been working with wood in one way or another since I was old enough to carry nails and […]
Category: Frog Blog
My Favorite Wood
Cherry Over Time. For the last couple of years, I’ve worked primarily with hickory and walnut because those are the woods I’ve chosen for furnishing my cabin, but I truly love cherry. About four years ago I built a pub-style table and chairs. After just a few years it has turned a beautiful deep red […]
Making a Crosscut
Miter Saw or Tablesaw. Many of the Youtube makers I watch use a miter saw to make most of their crosscuts. I actually recently purchased a Jet compound sliding miter saw, but I use it primarily for cutting down rough stock. I use my tablesaw for most crosscuts. I feel like I get a more […]
Old Finishing Technique
“A New Look at An Old Finishing Technique” Shellac as an Alternative to Oil Based Finishes. Up until a few months ago, I had one go-to finish. In a previous blog, I wrote about using a three even-part blend of polyurethane, mineral spirits, and boiled linseed oil. I apply it as a wiping varnish increasing […]
Loose Tenon Joinery
“Loose Tenon Joinery” Vs Traditional Mortise & Tenon. Loose Tenons, a joint that uses a separate piece of wood as the tenon inserted into mortises cut into both pieces of wood to be joined, have gotten a lot of attention over the past several years particularly after Festool came out with the Domino in 2006, […]
Horizontal Mortiser
“Garage Woodworks’ Horizontal Mortiser” Poplar & Birch Plywood Jig. I’ve been watching Brian Grella from Garage Woodworks for several years on Youtube, and I fell in love with his loose tenon joinery. It is a quick and easy way to construct fine furniture, and it provides a super strong joint that looks amazing. I’d been watching him […]
Oak Bar Stools
“Oak Bar Stool” Dyed oak bar stools. This solid oak bar stool was inspired by a DIY Tyler build. I used Tyler’s dimensions and basic design with a few modifications. I used Festool dominos for the joinery. I cut the top of the stool with a bandsaw to create the curve in the seat. After […]
Walnut Table
“Diresta Inspired Walnut Table” Eight place table for the cabin. I built this walnut table for the cabin after I saw Jimmy Diresta build a conference table with strips of wood glued to a sub-straight. Watch his video on Youtube to see how Jimmy made his large meeting table https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue6zQsR9GkA. I used two sheets of birch […]
Hickory Sofa Server
“Hickory Sofa Server” 12″ Hickory Furniture for Cabin. This cool asset to the cabin is made of hickory. This is a great little piece that sit under the edge of the sofa. It is a great place to set a computer or a cup of hot chocolate. I used a pattern from a May 2013 […]
JET New Tool
12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw. I finally got a new miter saw. I purchased it with money I earned from my recent box shelves build. This will be a perfect addition to my new shop when it is finished this Spring at the cabin. This saw is awesome, and perfect for breaking down long stock. […]