Radiata pine attracts many complaints. Its knots, in particular, face cruel criticism, irrational radial prejudice!
This is an exercise in emphasising the beauty of the knot!
The clock has been a gentle construction. However, it is about time my friends had some rattle, bang and thump in their work. Using a hammer to thump things together is lots of fun. But our giggles are really a response to mutual trust as we care for each other’s fingers and enjoy each other’s company. This is…
An artist in my circle wanted to make a frame on which to stretch a canvas. The joint in the corner of such frames is a complex thing that is not to be tackled by a beginning woodworker. I needed to simplify it. In the hope that beginners will give it a go I have…
My friends were impressed by the notion that our train’s carriages could be hooked together and towed around. It failed, however, in that each woodworker could only take home a single carriage; they had nothing to tow. At the end of the train project, and experiencing a flush of overconfidence, I asked staff for inspiration. They requested a fire…
Simple Machines Blogging takes time and my recent past has involved a sick wife and a new grandchild. Suburban life is rich with texture. It can make blogging take a back seat. Following is a report of a nice afternoon in my shed with my son! My disabled friends haven’t been ignored, the next blog…
What Do You Like? Not liking hammers doesn’t make you a freak. It gives you the opportunity to like something else. One of my friends has trouble concentrating for more that a couple of minutes. He will stop work, stand up and walk away! Hammering, sanding and lacquering just don’t hold him. BUT, when he…
All we did was sand it and paint it. Then added a few stickers. This single block of wood gave my mates two whole sessions of relaxed fun. Pictures tell enough of the story here. Simplicity can sometimes be a good option. Every project is different. Every project has discoveries. The discovery here is that…