Category Archives: Personal Favorites

Apron Hook from a Reader

Posted on June 10, 2013 by

After a few blog about “apron hooks” (see here and here), reader Wendy Neathery-Wise decided to do something about it. She made me one. The hook is her design. Though it looks a bit like the Masonic symbol, it’s not. … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites | 13 Comments

HandWorks Photos

Posted on June 8, 2013 by

HandWorks – Amana, Iowa May 24-25, 2013 Several weeks ago I made the long journey to Iowa for the HandWorks tool event being held at the Amana Colonies. Because many woodworkers were unable to attend the event, I have assembled … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites, Virtuoso: The Toolbox of Henry O. Studley | 14 Comments

The Frugal Furniture Maker: Make Your Own Tack Rags

Posted on June 7, 2013 by

Only suckers and the richie-rich buy tack rags at the store. The rest of us can do a better job of making our own tack rags with simple shop chemicals and a just a few hours of work. Step one: … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites | 15 Comments

Don’t be Ridiculous

Posted on June 2, 2013 by

First-time visitors to the Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in Warren, Maine, are sometimes bemused by all the machinery used to make handplanes. “Wait,” I heard one say during a tour, “I thought you made all these tools by hand – no machines. … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites | 28 Comments

And I Woke up in the Golden Age of Ballooning

Posted on June 1, 2013 by

For the last decade, I’ve been a terrible sleeper. I wouldn’t call it insomnia, but I tend to wake in the middle of the night and think about everything I’m working on. The solution has been to take melatonin. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites | 38 Comments

‘Grandpa’s Workshop’ in Chalk and Asphalt

Posted on May 29, 2013 by

Graphic designer and woodworker Tom Buhl reproduced an illustration of “Grandpa’s Workshop” for the Santa Barbara I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival, and it is quite cool. You can see more photos of the painting being made here. See more … Continue reading →

Posted in Grandpa's Workshop, Personal Favorites | 1 Comment

Back in Print: ‘Green Woodworking’ by Drew Langsner

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

“Green Woodworking” by Drew Langsner is a passport to an enormous area of the craft that has been long-neglected in the literature. Using simple tools and materials from around your house, Drew shows you how to coax these materials into … Continue reading →

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A Visit to the Sampson Joinery Shop in Duxbury, Mass.

Posted on May 18, 2013 by

The discovery of an intact 18th-century joinery shop in Duxbury, Mass., set off a storm of interest last year in the small outbuilding behind a school. Now, months after the discovery, preservationists and employees at Colonial Williamsburg have begun to … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites, Workbenches | 11 Comments

Comings and Goings at Lost Art Press

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

Two big changes are afoot at Lost Art Press that are worth note. 1. Ty Black, my shop assistant, is moving to Jacksonville, Fla., with his wife and kids. They’ll be setting up shop down there is due time, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites | 16 Comments

Be Quick: The Last of the CanvasGoods Aprons

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

Years ago I had a shop apron made by CanvasGoods, a small company run by David McMullen. It was my favorite apron, and I wore it all the time and during my first videos with Lie-Nielsen Toolworks. The problem was … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Favorites | 5 Comments