Woodworking Extras

Yeah, but it's ugly...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:28:00 +0000

One of the reasons it's fun to have a blog like this is that it gives me an excuse to look for and find new, interesting designs in wood. I don't always like what I find, but I don't typically hoke when see it. Well, I choked this time.

According to the PSFK blog, "Korean designer Su-jin Park has embedded classically styled furniture inside more modern variations. The work intends to represent the passage of time and the evolution of furniture." Okay...

[Thanks to PSFK.com.]

New Book from Woodsmith

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:30:00 +0000

The editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines have published a new woodworking book called, 200+ Woodworking Tips and Techniques. In addition to the 200+ tips in the book itself, it comes with a CD that includes 50 more tips, including videos.

This new book follows their previous tips compilation called 120+ Shop-Tested Tips and Techniques that went through four re-printings by my count, maybe five. In any case, they sold a ton of them, first on newsstands across the country, and then via email campaigns and on the WoodsmithStore.com.

Just how many woodworking tips are there in the world? I don't know. But I do know that there are few if any repeats of "old" tips in the new book (I couldn't find any). One way they achieved that is that the new book is heavy on techniques and light on quickie tips. So this book would make an excellent and obvious companion to the 120 tips book.

Like the first tips book, this is also 100 pages, soft-cover, no ads. And it's a typical Woodsmith production with excellent art and photography through out.

200+ Tips and Techniques is $9.95. Shipping and handling are free. For a while, you'll be able to buy one at a newsstand near you. And now, and into the future, at the WoodsmithStore.com.

Wooden Puzzle Tables

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Joinery junkies take note. This wooden puzzle table, and a whole suite of interlocking furniture by architect Petar Zaharinov, goes together with out nails, screws or glue. Here are some more examples of interlocking furniture.

{Thanks to PSFK Blog]

Woodshop for Girls?

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I grew up in Ohio in the 1950's and '60's. Guys took shop, girls had home ec. No guy I knew would have set foot in the home ec. classroom, and I never knew a girl who showed the least interest in woodshop (or metal working shop, or drafting). But it might have been better for all of us if there had been a bit of cross-culural exposure. Here's a case in point: Salon.com.

No, no, it's supposed to be this way.

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:02:00 +0000

I really like the exterior of this house. I'll bet the interior is spectacular. But I wonder what the neighbors think. Oh well, these folks can't see the neighbors anyway.

[Thanks to the Unhappy Hipsters blog]

Roll Out the Barrel...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:19:00 +0000

And when it's empty, roll it into the shop. Apparently oak barrels can only be used to ferment spirits once. Then they're off to the trash.
I've seen planters made of half-barrels, and some very crude outdoor furniture, but never anything like this.
From Stil Novo Design's web page: "We are a family business dedicated to create the finest woodcrafts & specialty pieces. Our eco-friendly home decor & gift ideas are made with creatively recycled reclaimed materials. Every piece is a 'one of a kind' item."
See more of their furniture and other original designs here.
[Thanks to BoingBoing.net]

Working Wood -- the Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Thanks to our friends at Fine Woodworking for posting this on their blog the GlueTube.

Stocking Stuffer?

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:02:00 +0000

A blog like this should be inspirational. So I post photos of wooden projects by normal people and wooden art objects by, well... artists. I don't expect that you'll actually build anything exactly like I'm showing, but I hope you'll get inspired to do something a little special in the shop.
Well, forget all that for a moment. Here's an idea you can and should rip off. This is so easy and cute, I can't believe I haven't seen it before.

Cut a wedge. Drill three holes, two shallow one for the eyes and a deeper one or the tail. Glue a piece of twine or a leather shoe lace in the hole and voila: an adorable mouse-shaped door stop. Everybody on my Christmas list is getting one of these year. The people I really like are getting theirs in exotic hardwoods. The others... well, I see what's in the cutoff bin.

More photos at the website SUCK UK.

Happy holidays!

Even More Fun with Plywood

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:49:00 +0000

This is fun, and probably more mainstream than it seems, a laser cut plywood light bulb-shaped lamp. Now I know you're laughing hysterically as the marketers intended (a lamp in the shape of a light bulb made of wood of all things-get it?) and that's the way it's being sold on the SUCK UK website.

But take a moment and look again--actually, it's a pretty nice lamp. The instructions say you can hang from the ceiling or lay it on the floor (like a large trouble light).

In any case, I think it's attractive. I don't want one particularly, but it wouldn't kill me to look at one now and then, especially against that sexy black background.

Lots of photos here.

Re-Handling a Tang Chisel

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:25:00 +0000

Woodworking chisels are made a couple of different ways. A tang chisel has a long, pointed part (the tang) that is buried in the handle of the chisel.

WoodNet Forums member MikeW recently posted a series of photos showing how he installs a new handle on a tang chisel.

Interesting photos, worth a look.

Iphone/Ipod Touch app

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:39:00 +0000

I haven't used this app, not owning an iPhone or iPod, but the developer just posted a link to the app in the WoodNet Forums. A couple of the members bought it and the reviews are very good. From the forum post:

"The app is called I.D. Wood and it is to be used as a pocket reference for anyone who works with wood. It has been approved by Apple and is available on Itunes as of this week. Currently the app includes 50 wood samples, various names, a wood glossary of 70+ terms, descriptions, wood working potential, sustainability, search functionality etc. 10 additional woods will be added next week in a free update."

Here's the website.

More Fun with Plywood

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:28:00 +0000

Even if you said, "plywood tables," no one would expect this. From the website:

Lazarian, "Richard Sweeney and Liam Hopkins, created a series of models with various connecting methods, including bolting and self-interlock. With the use of a CNC (computer numerically controlled) router, these models were further advanced to find structural forms capable of supporting weight. From this process emerged a distinctive collection of furniture, which makes use of both raw and laminated birch plywood."

There are three tables designs in the Mensa Collection, all with the unique interlocking bases. Click through to their website to see more tables from this collection.

[Thanks to @furnituregirl and 2Modern Design Talk]

RIP James Krenov

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:38:00 +0000

I started woodworking in the 1980's, and like many if not most woodworkers, James Krenov was an inspiration beyond description. He did such beautiful things with wood, and he shared his skill and knowledge with many others. He died yesterday.

From the official James Krenov website: "A recognized furniture maker in Sweden, he moved to Northern California in 1981, where he created and led the College of the Redwoods' Fine Woodworking School. In his twenty years with the school he taught hundreds of eager students from around the world while continuing to build his own fine furniture. He retired from the college in 2002. James Krenov is represented with works at museums in Sweden, Norway, Japan and the U.S."

Lots more information about him and photos of his work are at his website. The photo at right is from his website.

Another Not-Really-Wood Product

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:30:00 +0000

But I want one of these. It looks like a piece of 4x4, a chunk of something holding up your deck. But it's really a oversize pad of more post-it notes than you'll use in a lifetime. The wood grain is on all four edges and one side of each sheet, leaving you the other side to write on.
The link is to a Portuguese website. I don't think they're selling these notepads. The reviewer seems intrigued by the design, but he's not impressed by the usability (or my Google translation is confused).
I'm also not sure where the notepads actually come from. Some of the photos have what might be Korean or Japanese characters on them.

Plywood Furniture

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:35:00 +0000

The title Plywood Furniture may conjure up images of some really bad-looking, poorly-build objects that barely qualify as furniture. Well, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.
This article at the Design Crave website has ten examples of beautiful (mostly) pieces of furniture built from plywood. The Poltrona Suave Lounge Chair in the photo is a good example. From the website, "Brazil’s Julia Krantz creates her pieces by stacking and laminating sheets of plywood and shapes seating like a relief. With its grain, sheen and organic undulations, the Poltrona Suave Chair looks whittled from a solid piece of wood, but vertical lines hint at its plied origins." (Click for larger view.)
The article also has links to online plywood furniture projects you can built. They won't look quite like the Poltrone Suave Chair, but hey, what does?

Beech Wood Flash Light

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I'm not a woodturner, so I may not be totally up to date on the latest turning projects. But this one made me smile.
While it's not for sale as a project or a kit (that I know of), I thought it was an interesting use of turned wood.
I have no clue how difficult it would be to hollow out the inside to accommodate the batteries, and you'd have to make a tight fitting (screw-on) cap to keep the batteries inside. But those are the kind of challenges woodworkers usually enjoy.
If you like the idea and don't have a lathe, you can visit the Generate online catalog and decide how badly you want one. They're US$49.00. Ouch.
[Thanks BoingBoingGadgets]

Designer Firewood

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:35:00 +0000

In an earlier life, I lived out in the country and burned firewood (mostly split oak) to heat my home. I discovered early that paying attention while stacking the firewood would often yield some useful, if somewhat short, pieces for woodworking.
Of course, that was pre-iPod, pre-iPhone. Now there are many more useful things an enterprising wood burner with a sharp eye can do with an attractive, if somewhat short, log.
If you are lacking in logs but really like this idea, you can find it in Etsy.com.

Note: You may find this hard to believe, but this item is actually sold out! Where does this guy live, inside the Arctic Circle?

Disappearing Table Act

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:00:00 +0000

This fold-up table was created by Japanese designer Nobuhiro Teshima to accommodate small Japanese homes. The table unfolds out of its roll-around cabinet when you have a group over for dinner. There's even room for storage in the cabinet. I liked the idea and the execution, but I wondered where are the chairs?

Guess what? There are no chairs. Take a look at the photos with the wine glasses set on the table and you get a better sense of scale. You're supposed to sit on the floor, or on a cushion on the floor. Perhaps it's possible to scale-up the design to fit the more ample behinds and stiff knees of the western world.

Lots more photos on the TrendsNow website.

Notirondack Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:09:00 +0000

I have always loved the look of Adirondack Chairs, and sometimes sitting in them. Recently I came across an interesting, beautiful, and functional variation, the Notirondack Chairs by artist/designer Zeke Leonard.

The settee in the photo is actually two chairs. One with an armrest on the right and one on the left. Reverse the chairs and you get two chairs with a table between. Line up a lot of them and you get... well, you get the idea.

You can see more photos and read about the chairs at Zeke's website. And check out his other designs, most it seems come from found objects.

One Day-$40 Bookcase

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:09:00 +0000

Here's an example of how your woodworking skills can help even if you're not, strictly speaking, woodworking.

WoodNet Forums member BandMan built this bookcase for his daughter in a day. It's made from pre-finished, maple particleboard that's sold as shelving at his local home center. It looks terrific and is better built than the flat-pack bookshelves you can buy (and cheaper, too).

Here's a link to the post on WoodNet where he explains what he used and how he did it.

Make Your Own File for Tight Spots

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:57:00 +0000

When smoothing curved profiles, you'll need a fine-cutting file to get into the inside corners that your sanding drum can’t reach. But the thick square edges of the file can get in the way and sometimes even damage the workpiece. So rather than abandon this method, Woodsmith's Ted Raife simply modified the tool to fit the job.

As you can see in the drawings above, he ground a bevel on both edges of the file to get more clearance in tight corners. You can make this modification with just a few minutes work at the bench grinder. But you want to be careful to not let the file get so hot that it loses its temper. Keep a container of water close by to quench it and this won't be a problem.

You can get e-tips like this esent to your email address each week. Sign-up here, they're free.

Best Use of Used Stir-Sticks Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Paint-Stick Table from the Flickr Photo Stream of matangi.esty. Terrific!

Not sure I believe this...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:04:00 +0000

[Thanks FineHomeBuilding.com]

Earthquake Safe Wooden Buildings

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Over at Treehugger.com, they've got a terrific article and video about using wood to build earthquake safe buildings. And wood also has some environmental benefits too. From the website:

Wood construction has some tremendous advantages. Wood is strong, light, flexible and fast. Unlike concrete, which adds a ton of CO2 to the atmosphere for every ton of cement made, wood is renewable and sequesters carbon dioxide for the life of the building.

Definitely worth a look.

Click the photo for a larger view.

Vanity of Vanities

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon Gaippe) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:12:00 +0000

As in most things, in wood-working the devil is in the details. Here's a beautiful bathroom vanity just built by Twitter user @davewest1. In this case, the devil and the beauty are in the careful attention to the grain of the black walnut. The whole front of the cabinet and the side are from one piece. Click photo for a larger view.

Dave also has a beautiful website which you'll especially appreciate if you're looking for inspiration for new bathrooms and kitchens in your home.