While combination woodworking machines have long been the norm in European shops, the one combination machine that has been sold for decades in the United States has been the Shopsmith.  It’s touted as the Swiss Army Knife of woodworking machines, with the current model – the Mark V –  able to serve as a table saw, drill press, disc sander and lathe right out of the box.

While, at first glance, it  might seem like the perfect tool for a cramped woodworking shop, opinions about the tool run the gamut from deep, abiding love to an intense loathing.

So,  this week’s poll is trying to determine whether or not you own a Shopsmith, and what your thoughts are about this interesting woodworking machine.

Sorry this post is late today, but I have spent all day in the shop working on my 2 x 4 project, and it has been an eye-opening experience. Who would have guessed all of the things you can do with a simple piece of construction lumber?  I mean, this project featured over at Lumber Jocks really opened my eyes to the potential out there.

This week, tell us if you have ever participated in a 2 x 4 challenge, and what you thought about it.

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Woodworking is many things to many people.

For some, it’s a fun and easy way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  For others, it’s the continuation of a family legacy, carrying on the work of a parent or grandparent.  Some may even consider it a form of therapy, getting them out of their daily routine.

While it may seem clear cut to some, for others, it’s a debate.  Is woodworking an art, or is it a craft?

Sure, this is typically discussed among the high-minded folks at some fancy gallery opening, but it’s an interesting question. Since most woodworking projects have a function, they are considered craft.  But, come on.  A George Nakashima table, with its use of live edges of boards and tastefully placed butterfly keys certainly isn’t the same as a plain old coffee table.

So, this week’s poll is trying to get to the heart of the matter – do you believe woodworking is art, craft or something else?

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Chairs. They are some of the most ubiquitous pieces of furniture in a home. Dining chairs for the kitchen table. Easy chairs for the living room. Bar stools for the area to unwind after work. You can bet there will be many chairs you can look at by simply walking from room to room in your home.

And, yet, chairs can be some of the most complicated woodworking projects out there. The angles have to be right. The joints have to be very sturdy. It has to be light enough to move around, yet heavy enough so the user can feel confident about sitting on it. And, if those challenges weren’t enough, it also has to look good.

So, for today’s quick poll – have you ever build a chair, and would you do it again?

Let’s say – theoretically – that you have a good friend who – because of age or illness – is nearing the end of his or her life.

One day, he or she asks if you – a woodworker and friend they respect – if would use your talent and skill to build them an urn or coffin to house their remains for their eternal rest.

Would you do it?

Routers are pretty impressive tools. They can cut edge profiles, make moldings, cut joinery… I mean, what can’t they do?

There are times, though, that you discover that in your woodworking, you tend to cut a particular joint a particular way time after time in your projects. And, sometimes, setting up for those cuts can take a tremendous amount of time to get the bit height, fence settings and other tweaks down perfectly to ensure a good setup. Sometimes, it might just be easier to buy an additional router and keep it permanently set up than start over from scratch every time you want to do that operation.

That leads to this week’s poll.  In your shop, do you have at least one router setup that you keep ready to go all the time?  Maybe it’s a bit set to the right height in a dedicated router table, so it takes only seconds to clamp to a bench and get to work.

By the way, thanks Chris Wong for this poll idea!

Sorry I missed a post last Friday. I was down at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference doing a little teaching, doing a whole lot of learning, and picking up a piece of hardware…

Once I got back home, I realized how much I missed my woodworking. I started looking at the pieces I have built – the banquette, the two entertainment centers, the dining room table, and realized – wow – I do build a lot of pieces where I use paint as a finish. That’s not a terrible thing, since most of my mistakes can be hidden with a whole lot of putty and a an opaque topcoat (wait, did I just say that?).

This week, tell us about the use of paint in your projects.  Do you use it all the time, or is it something you avoid like the plague?