Popular Woodworking’s I Can Do That

Do you, or does someone you know, want to get started in woodworking, but you aren’t sure you can do it?

Never fear! The editors at Popular Woodworking magazine have put together this interesting site for those just getting into the craft with a limited set of skills and tools.

First of all, I highly recommend downloading the .PDF of their user’s manual that gives woodworking novices the basics on which tools to buy, instructions on basic joints and how to get accuracy in their projects.

Once familiar with the basics, the magazine’s editors have put together an interesting collection of projects for the beginner to tackle. From simple knick-knack shelves to more ambitious projects, there are plans that can help set the aspiring woodworker on his or her way in short order.

Even if you are not a novice, it doesn’t hurt to pay the site a visit, since Popular Woodworking’s staff has given quite a collection of advice that even some old hands at woodworking could find useful.

The Woodworkers Website Association

Established in 1997, the WWA is one of the oldest continuously running woodworking forums on the Internet.   The site is the brainchild of the late Kip Yeager, Jim Mattson and Chuck Ring – some of the pioneers of bringing high quality woodworking information to the web.

At the site, you can participate at the Information Exchage forum, check out scanned images of different wood species or look at tool reviews written by some of the more than 6,000 members.  There’s even a friendly Wednesday night chat where you can discuss woodworking with other enthusiasts.

The site does not accept advertising funds, and it is member supported through donations.  Whether or not you choose to contribute, all material is available to all users free of charge.

Thomas Moser: Solid Wood Furniture

In Auburn, Maine, noted woodworking author and furniture maker Thomas Moser runs his custom-built furniture shop. Nearly 100 employees carefully craft beds, chairs, chests and tables from cherry, maple, walnut and other hardwoods harvested from the forests of the northeastern United States.

From the company’s humble first offerings of predominantly Shaker designs in the early 1970’s, their portfolio has grown to include Asian, Mission and other historically-inspired forms. The Moser works are famous and notable, with pieces featured in design magazines, TV shows and craft museums. The company’s web site also mentions that President George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI held a meeting while seated in their Harpswell arm chairs this past April.

The site offers an interesting glimpse into the company’s humble beginnings and a very impressive shop tour which focuses on the materials, method and – most importantly – people who make this outstanding furniture.

While most of us won’t be able to afford a Moser original in our homes, the furniture forms and materials the company uses can certainly serve as a point of inspiration for your own works.

Marking Tools for Exacting Joints

Outstanding woodworking relies on several key steps to ensure a beautiful finished product. Wood selection, properly tuned tools and careful attention to the finishing process are all critical skills to master.

One of the most essential steps is accurately measuring and marking to cut flawless joints.  This article, written by Ian Kirby in Woodworker’s Journal, takes readers through the bewildering selection of marking gauges and other marking guides.   From the lowly pencil to the most complicated mortising gauge, Kirby not only describes the pros and cons, but gives clear instruction on how to use them to their best advantage.

And, the article is not just for hand tool users – Galoots as they are affectionately known.  Power tool enthusiasts can improve their work through the careful use of these marking guides.

Give the article a read and see how it measures up!

The Maloof Foundation

Sam Maloof is a living legend in woodworking. There. I said it. And, I doubt there would be many who would disagree.

Since he started building furniture, his projects have showcased the strong, flowing lines of his design and craft. His pieces have been sought out by presidents of the United States, museums and private collectors from around the world. His works have been emulated by thousands.

Now that Sam is 92 years old, his thoughts have turned toward the future of the craft and showcasing masterworks of up and coming artisans. The Maloof Foundation was founded in 1994 in the original structures of his home and workshop.

A principal responsibility of the Foundation is protection and conservation of the art, furnishings, structures and grounds entrusted to it. The residence itself is one of the most treasured parts of the collection, reflecting the living spirit of the arts and crafts movement throughout. The Foundation also makes the Maloof Center available to the public, artists and researchers and is developing a variety of programs, including visiting craftsmen, workshops, and arts and crafts exhibits. The Jacobs Education Center provides gallery and meeting space.

This site is definitely worth a visit to learn more about the master and his methods of work.

Google Sketchup

So, you want to try drawing your own woodworking plans, but you aren’t so good with the pencil and paper, and you can’t afford to buy an expensive CAD program.

Never fear, because the folks at Google have created a free program that will allow you to draw plans and see them rendered in stunning, near-lifelike 3-D.

Whether you have a PC or a Mac, once you download the free program, you are off to the races. You can draw the entire project, complete with doors, drawers and other components, show the joints that you plan to cut and even overlay the project with wood tone skins so you can get an idea of you should go darker or lighter with those inset door panels you were thinking of building.

Unlike other programs which require intensive study of phone-book-sized manuals, Sketchup offers online tutorials that are easy to follow, and there are forums where you can ask other users how they accomplished their designs.

Oh, did I mention the program is free? 😀

Freedom Pens Project

As an American, I want to wish my fellow countrymen and women a happy and safe Independence Day. To get the festivities off right AND involve woodworking, here’s a great link.

The Freedom Pens Project was established by the members of the Sawmill Creek Woodworking Forum. They have established this non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization to make wooden pens for the American service men and women stationed overseas in combat areas.

Since its inception in 2005, volunteers turning pens for the Freedom Pen effort have produced more than 80,000 pens. Contributions from corporate partners such as Penn State Industries, Rockler and Woodcraft have helped defray the costs, and turning clubs from around the country have – quite literally – turned out thousands of pens.

You don’t even need to own a lathe to help. A contribution of $1.90 is enough to send one pen to a service man or woman deployed overseas.

While the right to disagree with the government’s overseas policy is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, supporting the young men and women who have answered the call of duty is widespread across our country. The Freedom Pens Project can show service personnel that we are thinking about them and their day to day safety. Plus, you’ll be providing a tool that person can use to write the folks back home.

While the main site does appear to need some updating, the Sawmill Creek forum that deals with the project can be found here, and the effort is still alive and well.