There’s an old story, often used by Daoist and Buddhist teachers, about an aging butcher in a small village. He knew his working days were coming to an end, and so he took in three apprentices to teach them butchery as his replacements. Each night before leaving, the apprentices would sharpen their knives on honing … Read more
Not all wood stock will come to you flat, square and smooth. This is, of course, true of rough lumber purchased directly from a sawmill. But it’s also true of your neighborhood lumber yard. For serious woodworking, whether making furniture or cabinets, this becomes especially important. Square edges and parallel surfaces are necessary for the … Read more
Lumber is like meat. With meat, the fewer times a butcher needs to touch it with his knife, the cheaper it will be. But, you’ll have to touch it with your knife when you get it home: breaking down a whole chicken into drumsticks, thighs, and breasts, and using the carcass to make stock for … Read more
Many of us have kitchen “stuff” that once belonged to a grandmother or even a great grandmother. Treasured heirlooms, kitchen utensils no longer made but still used, or an old Fanny Farmer Cookbook from 1896, they all carry the energy and the love of past generations. The wooden salad bowl is an example. Goodness knows how old it is, … Read more
Barnboard has become very popular in home decor; wood reclaimed from old barns being demolished. That rustic look left unfinished adds a warming, countrified look in both new and old houses. Home decor has also borrowed barn door design and functionality, now often seen in house construction. A top-hung sliding door between a home’s rooms is called a barn … Read more
How did humans survive for hundreds of thousands of years without power tools? Caves didn’t require any framing or flooring, of course, but eventually, humans built shelters themselves when a cave wasn’t handy. Shelters became houses, furniture was made, and here we are. All of this was done for centuries without power tools. Human ingenuity devised ways to … Read more
Almost all woods absorb moisture like a sponge. Of course, woods like teak and white oak are water resistant and will not warp, twist or crack. This is why they are good choices for outdoor furniture and in the case of white oak, a good choice for boatbuilding. For the average woodworker, though, the sponge-like quality of … Read more
A well-equipped woodworking shop will have, at the least, a table saw and a chop saw/miter saw among its power tools. Each does what it is intended to do well and plays an integral part in the woodworking process. A very well-equipped woodworking shop will have a band saw, too. There are some tasks for which only a bandsaw will do … Read more