Everything my friends make begins with best laid plans. But they do go astray! In this case there were aspects of the construction process that were so difficult that I needed to invent some extra help. Here is little bench clamp that holds up the basket end. At the beginning stage the unsupported end won’t…
Enthusiastic, beginning woodworkers look for a place to discover their skills. They read about traditional benches; material costs and required skills are both intimidating. Such great fulfilment can be had when woodworking that I hope the people to whom I talk feel encouraged to go out and experiment with their own creativity. How simply and…
Footstools It is a permanent source of inspiration to me that problems posed to woodworkers have no single correct response. If asked to make a footstool, what would a valid response look like? If a footstool is a small flat platform supported 100 to 300mm above the floor, how many ways could I make it?…
There is a quiet room where the more stressed of my friends find gentleness. Fixed to the wall is a plywood panel that enables us to stick stuff where ever we feel. The stuff is really a collection of toys that have something sensory about them. It may be a movement or a gentle noise….
Recycled Glass Table The major inspiration behind this table is ownership of a circle of glass that is too good to throw away. In the 1980’s it was part of a fashionable little iron framed thingy. A clever wood turner made three legs with large balls on top and slots cut to enable glass to…
Small workbenches are a continuing theme.This bench is a commission.The brief prescribed 1000mm x 500mm with dog holes that are not obstructed by objects beneath them. For instance, it is not uncommon for a dog hole to be installed directly above the screw of a vice and long hold downs become useless. There was also…