Go back

Woodworking

In early 1997, for reasons I cannot explain, I decided that I wanted to undertake woodworking as a hobby. Several years later, I've learned a few things:

• Experience increases skill. With skill comes a desire for precision. The desire for precision creates an endless lust for better tools.
• Because of the previous point, woodworking is expensive!
• It's also one of the most satisfying, constructive and creative outlets I've found.

I started out in the basement of my first house with some pretty limited tools. I think that's what made me focus on my skills first instead of just going out and buying the latest newfangled tool to get the job done. Even in that cramped, dingy, damp (did I say 'cramped'?) basement, I managed to turn out a few respectable projects.

In the fall of 1999, we moved to a newer house that has a wonderful shop space in the basement. I tore down a wall, built another wall and got down to business. Pictures of this incarnation of shop are further down the page.

This past summer and fall my wife and I built a new house. Needless to say, my shop is a shambles and I have a lot of work ahead of me before it'll be productive again. I'll post some more pictures someday...

Project Pics

Here are photos of some of my projects. Click on the image to view a larger version.

	My first woodworking project. (The chessmen are storebought...)
	My second project, a shaker table
	A mission style bed frame made of black walnut. The finish is danish oil and tung oil.
	I designed these bedside tables from scratch to match the bed.
	Another view of the bedside tables.
	One of two turned lamps that sit on our bedside tables.
	I've lost track of how many bowls I've turned.
	This is a beech cabinet hanging in our bathroom. The carcase is dovetailed.
	A cherry clock with bloodwood numbers. Cutting the numbers was a bit challenging...
	A bubinga coat rack
	A maple and (painted) pine coffee table. These days we keep an American flag under the glass.
	One of two matching end tables. They're made of red oak with black walnut top - edgebanded in oak.
	A closeup view of the end table drawer.
	A fireplace mantle I built for my mom's house

Shop Pics

Here are some pictures of my (old) shop:

	View of my shop from one end
	View of my woodshop from the other end
	My workbench. The top is a solid-core door.
	The chop saw station
	I bult a dust collector closet to house my DC1100. The return air is filtered before returning to the shop.
	Closeup shot of the filters in the ceiling of the closet.
	The control circuit for the DC. The black box is an old control unit for a car alarm. I keep the keychain fob on my shop apron.
	Storage under the workbench top for my planes and chisels
	My custom drill press table
	Tablesaw outfeed support. I don't have room for a huge table, but even this two-foot square table works beautifully.
	My custom router table
	Notice the row of holes in the router access door. This creates an airflow that blows chips and dust to the back where the dust collection removes it.
	See? No dust!
	My tablesaw

Tech Stuff

Here are some procedures or project descriptions I've written :

• My shop power shutoff
• How to align a table saw
• How to align a jointer
• A photo illustration of a half-lap joint with false 45 degree miters