An empty box is as boring as batsh*t, so the next stage of this project was to make and install some dividers to break up the inside of the box. This meant planing down some thin maple panels, cutting notches in them so that they lock together in a criss-cross formation, and then cutting some housing dados in the side of the box. Continue reading “Jewelry Box #2: Tarting up”
It has been a long old while since I have posted on this blog. Up until a few weeks ago, I had oodles of time in the workshop because I only worked in the evenings. Shortly after I finished my workbench however, I took on a new job during the day. This has meant that my workshop time has been drastically reduced. I’ve still managed to put in some hours here and there, so I thought I’d fire off a series of posts over the next few days, to show off a project that I have recently completed. Continue reading “Jewelry Box #1: Inlaid dovetails”
Whilst I was on holiday in France we stayed near a little village called Le Bugue, and nearby is an excellent little theme park called Le Bournat. The theme is early 20th Century and it is basically a reconstructed village circa 1900; with a school, farm, fairground, bakery, windmill, saw mill, restaurant, tannery, forge, apothecary and so on. Continue reading “Workbench #8: Leg vice part deux”
The last part of the main construction was the four stretchers. I marked out for the mortise and tenons by clamping the stock to the leg and running a knife down to mark the shoulders.
Whilst I was in the middle of the boat project, a friend approached me about commissioned a piece for his daughter’s birthday. The project had to wait a while because the deadline for the boat was looming, and I had a couple of other bits and pieces to finish up for a crafts fair, but as soon as I could I got started and that is what I have been doing for the last couple of weeks (as well as painting the house and cutting all the roadside hedges!) Continue reading “Treasure Chest #1 – Stock prep and joinery”
A few weeks ago I found myself in need of a project that might take my woodworking to the next level. Up until now I have tackled very simple projects while I find my feet in the world of hand tool woodworking. I didn’t want to run before I could walk, but I wanted something that was a little more complicated than the small dovetailed boxes I have been pottering about with recently. Tom Fidgen’s book An Unplugged Life provided an ideal suggestion in the form of The Funeral Chair. As I mentioned in my last post, I am sure that seasoned woodworkers would find this project to be quite simple, but bear in mind that I am a noob. Continue reading “The Funeral Chair Part One – Dimensioning and Joinery”
Last year, for dad’s day, my kids very kindly got me a set of Narex bench chisels. Now, I know that they are not high-end chisels, and many a woodworker would probably scoff at them because they aren’t Lie-Nielson or Ashley Isles and didn’t cost the equivalent of the GNP of Ecuador, but for my needs they are perfect. They fit my hands well, they are nicely balanced and they hold an edge well. Also, as a bonus, they came in a nice little box which protects them from surface rust. Continue reading “Yet another box”
Well, we are up to date. The joiners mallet is my most recent completed project. From now on I’ll be posting on projects as they are progressing, so posting might slow down a bit.
The project that I am working on at the moment is a small storage box which features my first hand cut dovetails. In fact they are my first dovetails of any kind.
goatboys woodshop 