Pens for Friends

These are a few pens I made up to give to a few friends.

Turning

You need to watch this short video I love watching old school methods. http://youtu.be/Mz7PJ2WuLWA

I found it on http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/ 

 

Finished Kitchen Mantle shelves

Finally got them done, after being scared to do the glaze they are done.

Kitchen Mantle shelves

Here is a project I've been working on for a week or two, They are Mantle style shelves for our kitchen. I'm delaying the process a bit because I'm scared to glaze them in fear of ruining them. I've never done any glazing before but I guess if I really messed one up I could just remake it, right:)?

This is the look my wife wants on this test piece. I sealed the wood first then applied the glaze hoping that I could wipe away more from the larger surfaces leaving only heavier amounts in the deepest points. Overall I think it came out pretty good but, like I said I'm still nervous to go to town on the shelves.

Aren't I just a big chicken?

Wall Shelf

Here are some photos of the brackets I made for a shelf I built for one of my daughters' room. She has been so patient with me as I try to get these house upgrades done. She is a great little lady!

Things are getting busy

Well, I've been working on the desks for the girls and just can't seem to get them completed. Now I'm starting to put up a shelf in one of my daughter's room so we can call that done, and I picked up some wood today for a couple shelves that my wife asked me to make in out kitchen. We will be doing a kind of make over on it in the next few weeks I believe.
I'll post a few photos of that as it gets going.

Birthday gift

My neighbor celebrated his 60th birthday this past week, I made him a pen from Spalted Tamarind.

Desks

Well, I'm still working on these dang things I've been so busy at work that when I've had time to get in the shop I just don't. So here are some photos of the work so far.

 This is what happens when you crank too much on the vise.

Finial process

Got them all done today.

Vine Trellis Finial

Got one done today, I'm hoping to get two more done tonight. I love taking a block of wood and tuning it into something cool My first attempt blew apart on the lathe luckily I had enough stock glued up to make another blank. I hope I don't have anymore unforeseen disasters.

Vine Trellis

Well, yet another side road has been taken that has taken me away from the writing desks.
I'm now making trellis style garden planters for our yard so we can plant peas.
I hope to get them done this week and then get back to the desks.

Please don't judge me by the shape of my shop, It's got I think four projects in differing stages of completion sitting around not to mention the off cuts that for some reason haven't found their way to the trash.
And just think, I cleaned only three days ago.

Have a nice night.

Arrrrrgh!

I have this really nice standard block plane but haven't really used it much until I started these writing desks. Yesterday I was doing some test cuts with it and found a hidden nail just under the surface, now I've got a nice gouge in the sole of my plane and a lovely chip in my blade.
I hope that I can stop being so stupid.

Bed legs

I was trying to get started on the legs for the writing desks when my wife came in and asked if I could make some legs to attach to an old day bed mattress platform we've been holding onto. Evidently she has been trying to get me to do this for a very long time and I finally got the idea of what she wanted done.
The plan is to make a real bed for our son one of these days, but for now this will work to get him up off the floor.
These are made out of some old redwood posts that have been hanging around getting in the way, they had some nails, staples, and some BB's that I'm pretty sure I shot into them may years ago.
I think they will hold the bed up until I can get to the real bed for him.

Wainscoting done

Finally finished the Wainscoting in my daughter's room, don't you just love her choice of colors?

Kickback

If you do any kind of woodworking you need to watch this.
http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/kickback2012.html

The Highland woodworker

I was pointed to a new woodworking show today by The Wood Whisperer Marc Spagnuolo, its called The Highland Woodworker check it out.
I'll place a link to it over on the websites list as well as in this post. http://thehighlandwoodworker.com

Writing Desks

I'm still working on them but at the moment I've gotten bogged down with several other jobs that need attention. I'm working on my daughter's room trying to get it finished so she likes it, it's been a work in progress and it's time it gets done.
Plus I ran out of money for the wood for the desks so they are waiting till more money finds its way to us, hopefully not long now.

Outfeed table router lift

I guess I need to tell you what is going on with this photo.
I have a dedicated router table, but I wanted a second station so I don't need to break down a setup, and I found a second lift at a pawn shop that needed some parts and the price was right, so I got it and had the parts delivered.
So far this has really made a difference for me in my work.

Getting to the Legs

Here is my first attempt at shaping a cabriole leg, it went better than I thought it would but I can see that I am going to need practice. I'm really excited to get to work on all these legs.
You will notice that I messed  up on the bottom of the foot and offset my center in the wrong location, it should have been on the line above and left of where it is. Don't know how I managed to do that but I did, I'll have to pay closer attention to that on the next go around.

Writing desks

Have any of you ever kept old pieces of wood around thinking that you just might use it later?
I don't think I know any woodworker that hasn't.
My wife and I have been keeping two old pine coffee tables in the basement for years just waiting for the right project to come along. Well it has arrived, my wife said that she wanted me to build writing desks for our daughters to do their homework at.
I've sanded the tops down and made a skirt for one of the tops that was just a top and legs, the other top had a center drawer on it. I'm going to add a drawer to the other one and make a version of  Queen Anne legs for the two tops.