The Furniture Finishing and Restoration Wizard

For many woodworkers, finishing is not their favorite part of the craft. There’s the proper sanding. Then, do you stain, dye or glaze the piece? And, what kind of finish should you use if the project is an entertainment center? Should that be different if it’s a dining room table?

Wouldn’t it be great if you could wave a magic wand and the get answers?

Well, it’s not magic, but woodworker Paul Snyder has put together an interesting site that deals with preparation and finishing issues. The site covers such diverse topics as how to finish blotchy woods such as cherry, why a washcoat can help make your finish a winner and which finishes are good for different applications.

It looks as if it may have been a while since the site was updated, but the information here is still worth a read.

The de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Center

Yesterday, the United Kingdom commemorated Battle of Britain day – the anniversary of the day of heaviest fighting between the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe during the crucial Battle of Britain. Had the RAF faltered and not held its ground against the Nazi air force, the history of the world would have been very different.

After the battle, the RAF realized they need a way to get more high-performing aircraft into the air as cheaply and efficiently as possible. While the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire were modern, capable aircraft, they were made out of precious aluminum and had to be assembled in specialized factories.

That’s when the de Havilland aircraft company came up with the idea of the Mosquito. This multi-role aircraft handled a great deal of assignments – fast bomber, fighter-bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, maritime patrol, transport and reconnaissance. What also makes this plane unique is that its fuselage was made out of wood.

That’s right. The plane’s body and wings were made from plywood and wooden laminations, giving the plane some impressive strength.  The plane held its own against more advanced all-metal planes operated by both the Germans and the Japanese.  Herman Goering, the commander of the vaunted Luftwaffe, even remarked:

It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that? There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops.

The museum offers visitors a chance to see this game-changing plane up close to appreciate the craftsmanship of these craft and tells the story of how the Mosquito helped turn the tide of World War II.

Wooden Gear Clocks

Part art. Part practical timepiece. All woodworking challenge.

Making a wooden geared clock puts your woodworking precision, artistic talent and grand vision on display for all to see. Plus, the clocks are also practical WORKING time pieces, so no one will question when you put your lovely project out to be enjoyed.

If you are looking to get into building your own wooden geared clock. the folks at Wooden Gear Clocks. com offer precut kits for you to assemble, or for the more adventurous, plans and hardware to build your own from whatever wood you choose.

Don’t you think it’s about time you built your own?

Popular Science’s Living Room Workbench

Oh, you love woodworking, don’t you? Well, just how much do you REALLY love woodworking?  Enough to put a bench in your living room as part of your suite of furniture?

This week, let’s break out the woodworking way back machine and head back to the year 1965. This offering by Popular Science magazine offers some pretty clever storage solutions for hand and power tools, a sturdy work surface and even a simple technique for controlling dust.  Just so the lovely lady of the house doesn’t go ballistic on you. That’s what the magazine article claims, at least.

While I don’t think there’s a tremendous call for living room workbenches, it’s still a pretty interesting read.  Who knows, you may even want to work some of the ideas into your shop!

Tormek Sharpeners

It has been proven time and again that sharp tools are safer, give better results and add to the overall happiness of woodworkers. And, when it comes to getting sharp tools, there are lots of different ways to get there. Oil stones. Water stones. Ceramic stones. Diamond stones. Grinders. Sandpaper. The choices seem endless.

One tool I have been anxious to try are the Tormek slow grinding wet wheel systems. I’ve done my fair share of ham handed grinding in the past, but this tool seems different. Sporting a gradable wet wheel grinder on one side and a leather honing wheel on the other, this tool promises easy, repeatable sharpening.

If you have noticed, I have added the Tormek logo to my list of supporters. The folks at Affinity Tools and at Tormek have been gracious enough to send me a model to do some demonstrations on.  While it is still in the box, I’m looking forward to setting it up and getting my plane irons and chisels honed.   Stay tuned.

Horton Brasses’ Woodworking School list

Ring the bell, school is either back in session now – or back in session soon.  While the kids may be moaning and groaning about getting back into the swing of things, woodworkers are dreaming of  perhaps attending a class or two of their own – at a woodworking school!

This list, put together by the folks at Horton Brasses, is a good starting place for you to find a woodworking school near you or one that suits your needs.

Now, the list is certainly not complete (I see Andy Chidwick’s school isn’t listed yet.  I’m sure you’ll get that one covered, right Andy?!?), and I would search for other schools as well, but if the list serves as a way for you to get jacked about getting to woodworking schools… it has served its purpose!

Visit Minnesota’s How to Make Snow Shoes page

Sure, we in the United States just suffered through one of the hottest months of July on record. Texas is enduring a record streak of 100+ degree days.  We’re still only in mid-August.

It’s the perfect time to start building snow shoes!

This site, run by Minnesota Visitor dot com, gives the basic instructions on how a pair of traditional snow shoes using willow saplings, branches and rawhide or string.  Sure, it’s a tedious process, but I can guarantee that you’ll want to have them ready to roll once the first flakes start to fly!