My blog at Popular Woodworking- Dugout Chair Step 2: Lose 200 Ugly PoundsI can roll this rotted log around my driveway for the dugout chair. But danged if I can lift it by myself. So the next step is to start chainsawing away the majority of the bulk that is not part of the finished chair. With my tiny 16” electric chainsaw I spent a good hour wasting away the first two kerfs on this chair. This activity attracted the attention o […]
- Dugout Chair Step 1: Get it Out of the TruckAfter picking up the rotted stump for my dugout chair, I parked my truck in front of my shop and then went inside to ponder: How do I get it out of the truck? Sure, there are lots of redneck methods involving wax paper, Wesson oil and chains. But I wanted to avoid damaging myself and trashing my truck. I could rent a forklift or other machine to make it […] […]
- Success Isn’t at the Bookstore or the MuseumWhen my first book, “Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use,” was released, I played a game that many first-time authors play. I looked for my book on the shelves of any bookstore I visited. After a few years I gave up. I’ve never seen the book for sale anywhere except online. But I do have something else that I’ve decided is better: […]
- Yes, a Moisture Meter is Essential EquipmentA moisture meter is a device that lets you see the future. It allows you to avoid mistakes where your furniture will – literally – fall to pieces. But convincing woodworkers to buy one is like trying to push water uphill. This weekend, Brendan Gaffney and I were each working on some chair projects and got on the topic of moisture meters. Brendan has an idea […]
- Dugout Chair Step 2: Lose 200 Ugly Pounds
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Category Archives: Finishing
Finishing Lies
Covers in one coat Protects from inside the wood Stain and polyurethane in one step No harsh fumes – strips multiple layers Danish Oil (ask the Danes about this finish) Spar varnish – exceptional protection from sunlight, rain & moisture … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, Uncategorized
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Don Williams! Beeswax! Pollisoirs!
I don’t think I’ve ever used that many exclamation marks… ever. If you are coming to the Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool event at Braxton Brewing on Friday or Saturday, look for Don Williams. He’ll be selling his excellent beeswax and mind-blowing … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, Personal Favorites, Uncategorized
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Apply Soft Wax to a Carcase
Soft Wax from Christopher Schwarz on Vimeo. Today I applied soft wax to the drawers and carcase of the chest of drawers I recently completed. Because we get so many questions about using the stuff, I shot this short video … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, Uncategorized
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Soap Finish: What’s it Like?
The more I use soap finish, the happier I am with it. But many woodworkers are skeptical. And I applaud that. For too long companies have tried to sell us this, that or the other as the “miracle” finish that … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, The Anarchist's Design Book
29 Comments
Soft Wax from the Anarchist’s Daughter
My daughter Katy has an entrepreneurial spirit that is similar to when I started selling “bark jewelry” to neighborhood kids at age 10. Unlike me, Katy is committed to making something useful. During the last few months, Katy and I … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, Personal Favorites, Uncategorized
16 Comments
Milk Paint – Advice and a Mad Chef
In addition to the Milk Paint appendix in the “The Anarchist’s Design Book” there are a few more resources that the new milk painter might find useful: Chapter 25 on Finishing in “Chairmaker’s Notebook” by Peter Galbert, available from Lost … Continue reading
Milk Paint: A Short History
In “The Anarchist’s Design Book,” one appendix is devoted to milk paint. As Chris notes there are plenty of milk paint recipes from the 1800s and provides a reference from 1836, “The Painter’s, Guilder’s and Varnisher’s Manuel…” by Henry Carey Baird. … Continue reading
Posted in Finishing, The Anarchist's Design Book
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