05 November 2016 Hits: 4816
“Knotty Alder Night Stand" Rustic Look for the Cabin.
I built a matching night stand for the cabin. It is made from knotty alder to give it the rustic look for the cabin in the woods. I used a combination of several different techniques I've used in the past to create this simple three drawer night stand. I used half-blind dovetails for the drawers and they slide on wooden rails. I used tongue and groove for the sides and back. The legs are pretty simple with a stopped chamfer to give them a bit of character. It matches the first one with one small difference. In this night stand, I've created a small secret compartment under the top. The top will be hinged and have a small latch on the side next to the bed.
06 February 2016 Hits: 5585
"Three Desks: Alder, Hickory & Oak" FroggyBuilder Inlays & Craftsman Style Design.
In addition to being a woodworker, I’m also an author and as such I needed a desk for the cabin. Because the cabin is so small I needed a compact desk but one that had enough space to set up my laptop and store a few office supplies. I often design my own furniture after over eight years of building and designing but several years ago I found a pattern on www.PlansNOW.com by Woodsmith. It was a small secretary desk designed for a laptop so I made a few changes to jazz it up a bit and make it fit perfectly in the space I had available in the cabin. Read more to get some details.
06 June 2014 Hits: 4916
"Solid Shopmade Router Table" Four drawer router table provides solid table and plenty of space.
My first of many new pieces of shop furniture is by far the most important. It is an incredibly sturdy mobile router table. I was using a small portable router table that was small and very wobbly. I was time for a new one.
The open area under the solid large top allows for easy access to the router. It also has four large drawers for storage for bits, wrenches and extra routers. The strong four inch casters make it easy to move around. The base is rigid with solid maple ribbing. The top is set over a system of thick maple stringers that will keep the tabletop sag-free. It has a white laminate cover for a smooth surface. It was pretty easy to build with only a few challenges. I used birch plywood with butt joints for the case and dowel joints for the top frame.
10 July 2016 Hits: 5420
“Exotic Wood Bookmarks" Beautiful strips of exotic wood make up these bookmarks.
Cutting the very thin strips was tricky and I had a very serious kickback. I have two recommendations to avoid the problem: 1. use a new zero clearance throat plate in the saw so there will be less chance of the thin piece sliding down and kicking back & 2. use feather board to help hold the piece next to the sacrificial fence.
I used left over padauk, purple heart, wenge, walnut, maple and mahogany from other projects to make the strips. It was an idea I saw when I was selling books in Denver.