Cruddy weather today in the United States and Canada. Snow and record cold in western Europe. Yup, winter’s coming FAST in the northern hemisphere. And, even if you are entering the Austral summer south of the Equator, you still had some chilly weather to deal with.
This week, tell us how you heat your shop. Do you rely on using your wood scraps, a portable space heater or a whole shop setup?
[poll id=”150″]
With the holiday season now upon us, visions of new additions to shops are dancing through the minds of woodworkers everywhere.
Before we get any further into the season, it would be a good time to stop and think about our tool collections. For instance, when was the last time you added a power tool to the arsenal? Maybe you added a sander or router to the collection, or maybe you went whole hog and replaced your table saw with a more powerful and capable model?
And, yes, I mean the tool… no accessories allowed. So, you can’t count that big box of router bits or the new saw blade as a power tool…
[poll id=”149″]
‘Tis the season… again!
The time when woodworkers start thinking about the holidays.. and the family and friends who have dropped subtle hints that yes – they would like something from your shop as a holiday present.
So, are you building holiday gifts this year?
[poll id=”148″]
Woodworking requires a certain degree of know-how.
Whether it’s deciding on what kind of wood to use for a project, the best method for joining two boards together or building up a perfect finish, the more you know about the process, the easier it is to complete it successfully.
Today, tell us where you get the majority of your woodworking know how. Do you go online or to the library? Do you ask a knowledgeable friend or relative, or do you figure it out through trial and error?
[poll id=”147″]
Paper or plastic? Aisle or window seat? Soup or salad?
When it comes to our everyday lives, there are lots of decisions to make, and there will always be people who will want to debate the merits of each choice. Some do it with great passion.
In woodworking, there are lots of debates to be had as well about the choice of tools and methods. Some of those debates are brought up time and again… and again… and again.
This week, what do you think is the most overdone ‘debate’ in woodworking? Is it even on this list, or do you know of others where the proverbial dead horse is beaten?
EDIT: I’ve added some of the best ones submitted by the readers that I should have had there in the first place! Thanks, everyone!
[poll id=”146″]
Here’s a great philosophical one for today…
Classic wooden joints have been around for millenia. Dovetails and mortise and tenon joints were used by ancient Egyptian woodworkers back in the time of the pharaohs.
Until recently in the craft, flawlessly executing those joints has been the hallmark of a truly talented woodworker. But, as time has passed, many new joinery methods have been developed to help shorten the learning curve for new woodworkers. Dowel joints, biscuits, pocket screws, the Festool domino and other joinery methods have allowed woodworkers of many different ability levels to build beautiful furniture without mastering the classic joints.
This week, do you believe that a true craftsperson can use these joinery methods and still be called a ‘true’ woodworker? Does it even matter?
[poll id=”145″]
