Larry | October 31, 2009
Norm Abram, Mr. New Yankee Workshop, has recently ended a 21-year run on PBS. Without a doubt the New Yankee Workshop has inspired many of us to be woodworkers and we’ve all learned a lot from Norm. The much-deserved adulation given to Norm, and even a bit of kidding in the form of Popular Woodworking’s [...]
Larry | October 30, 2009
My wife came to me a couple days ago and she was holding a small strainer that looked as though it has survived, barely, the Battle of Gettysburg. She said, “Could you buy a new one of these tommorrow?” I said, “Sure.”
This wouldn’t be worth mentioning except that the same day I read yet another [...]
Larry | October 25, 2009
One of the best books on how to get the most from a table saw while keeping all your fingers in the process is Table Saw Magic by Jim Tolpin. This book has been around a long time and it remains the most recommended text for would-be table saw drivers. It’s been my go-to table [...]
Larry | October 23, 2009
My daughter loves Halloween. I love my daughter. Put the two things together and when October rolls around I start thinking of what to make that will make her giggle. This year, along came Steve Goode, the guy who runs the blog called The Scrollsaw Workshop. He posted a set of patterns for some pumpkins, [...]
Larry | October 21, 2009
I’m something of a luddite. I really enjoy using traditional tools in my work. I’m not talking about hand tools vs power tools here. I mean I’d rather use an old tool than a new one. I don’t know why; there’s certainly no practical explanation. For me, however, it’s just more fun to use a [...]
Larry | October 18, 2009
I’ve had several people ask me about the scraper handle that was shown in my post on working thin stock. This is a tool I made several years ago and it’s starting to show its age. I can’t really do a true how-to on making one as I only need one and it’s already built [...]
Larry | October 16, 2009
If you create small things from wood, whether they be miniature furniture or small boxes, you are faced with the need to scrape and/or sand the surfaces of the small pieces you’ve cut. So much miniature furniture is ruined by well-meaning miniaturists who hold the piece in their hand and try to sand it either [...]
Larry | October 14, 2009
When I ordered my new surface vise from Lee Valley I also ordered one of their new Japanese mill-toothed files. Mine is the 10″ curved version. It is toothed only on the convex side and this makes it really comfortable in one’s hand.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I guessed these would be less [...]
Larry | October 13, 2009
A friend of mine called me this morning with a request. He needed a small piece of hardwood of a certain length and width. I told him to come over and that he was more than welcome to the wood. When he arrived we descended into my dungeon and I picked up a cross-cut saw [...]
Larry | October 10, 2009
Are you one of those guys who has a wall of woodworking tools, each in its place, all lined up according to size as though they’re part of a museum display? Does your workbench sit in the middle of a nice, clean space, probably on wood floors? If so, then I’m jealous of you. I [...]
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