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 I had my follow up CT scan. It was over and done with in less then 3 minutes. Remarkable technology done with magnets. I don't know when I'll get the results. The doc will review that and the pulmonary function test I did last week. Can't really say how I feel about it. It could be good news, no cancer, or bad news. Either way I'm not going to obsess about it until the doc tells me the results.

happy face on

The router powered on and off with no hiccups. Turned it back on and cycled it up/down with the variable speed dial. Still haven't checked on the handles - I get the heebie jeebies every time I think of doing that.

it is all good

Sometimes memory changes can be a hassle to straighten out. The 12G I replaced had 3 different makers which isn't a good idea IMO. All 24G I installed is from the same maker and all are the same amount. Just need to get the latest Linux on the USB drive. Checked that and it is supposed to be here on monday. 

set for 1000

The minute hand is 30 minutes off but the Bim Bam sounded off on 1 thru 12 and then 1 to 10. I'll be using this movement for the clock project.

hmm.......

Haven't figured out where to place the speaker in the clock case. There isn't a lot of wire and that will limit my choices. It doesn't sound muffled at all laying against the 1/4" plywood. It might though up against 5/8" thick solid cherry. 

feels solid now

This movement is for a 3/8" thick dial board and I plan on using 1/4" plywood. With a 1/8" thick plywood spacer along with a rubber washer, the movement is tight and secure now.

cleaning up the wood species frame

Still wavering on completing this or sticking it in the boneyard. While deciding that fate I cleaned up the back frame which is butt jointed. No reason to go nutso on it . Flushed the four corners and checked them for square. Not necessary but I had nothing else on the hit parade to occupy my time.

planing all front facing surfaces

Paint lays down better on smooth surface. I will go over the entire frame with water to raise the grain before I slap any milk paint on it. 

worth it

None of this will be visible if this is hung on a vertical surface. I did it mostly for the practice. I checked and corrected as I planed the edges square.

how?

I was getting ready to put this aside because I thought I was done with it. Clueless as to how this chip/blowout happened. There is also one on the diagonal corner to this. Super glue and blue tape fixed it. Before I planed it I had scraped all the glue squeeze out off, inside and outside with a carbide scraper.

hmm.....

Giving it a try but it ain't working. The far edge looks kinda ok but the front edge is torn out. That aside it still didn't look like a 1/4" round over.

hmm......

None of the four round overs seem to work nicely. I couldn't get the same shavings pushing and pulling the tool. Since sharp solves a lot of headaches I sharpened the four of them with the supplied sharpening doo  dad with 320 and 500 grit sandpaper.

not much help

These still weren't working that good. The shavings were a wee bit better and easier to make but they didn't feel reasonably sharper in use.

much better

Nice shavings and they were about the same pushing and pulling. I used ceramic hones and slip stones to sharpen them this time. In spite of the better shavings, the round over still looked lopsided. There is no way I could use these to make a round over for the moldings on the wood species poster frame.

hmm.....

The larger round overs (3/16" &  1/4") were larger enough for the ceramic hones and slip stones. The two smaller ones (1/16" & 1/8") were too small for the ceramic hones and slip stones. I made some small dowels to wrap sandpaper around that worked.

I didn't have a warm and fuzzy about sharpening these. Do you sharpen/hone both sides of each size? What I did was to lightly rub the flat side (bottom part in the pic) with 400 grit to knock back the burr. I used from 240 to 500 grit on the other face that makes the shavings (far top of the pic).

Another thought occurred to me while I sharpened these - will repeated sharpenings enlarge the profile hole? The four round overs are 1/16", 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4".

ready for paint

My hydrated lime for making milk paint is coming tomorrow. I've been reading my book on making milk paint reviewing the recipe and I'm ready to try it. Blue for the miniature chest and black for this picture frame.

accidental woodworker

A chisel or plane leaves its trace identity in the surface of wood in similar fashion as the shell of a bullet discharged by any firearm identifies the gun, but not really the exact same. With a firearm, there are several distinct mechanisms that make the shell casing at different points, and prosecutors can use...

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This morning, I received an email from someone who noticed that images from my blog had been grabbed to create scam posts by a nefarious eBay seller. I happen to know where this bowl is sitting happily, and it is … Continue reading →

OK, so way back in July, I started on this project.  Then knee problems made it more complicated to get in the shop.  Over the second half of last year, I gradually got most of it finished.  And finally 6 months later it's complete.

The wood is reclaimed red alder.  The main carcass is about 5" x 8".  The sides, top and bottom were 3/8" thick, the dividers 1/4".  Drawer parts were 1/4" or slightly less thick.  Here's the build in pictures and captions, with a little prose thrown in as needed.

The four sides arranged

First corner tails cut ...

... and assembled with the tailboard

Dadoes for drawer dividers laid out.  You can see on this board some screw holes - the price of using reclaimed wood.  All screw holes were on the inside, back or bottom, so will remain unseen.

Grooves to house the back are done

Carcass dry-assembled

Using the mini router plane to level the dadoes

The main carcass dry-fitted with dividers

The drawer sides were made from poplar, with a 1/8" ply bottom.  Each drawer had a single dovetail at each corner, and the bottom was glued on to the underside.  Later, a red alder front was glued to the drawer box and a handle was added.

A drawer box coming together

Two drawers with bottoms being glued on (one in the end vise, one in the back corner of the bench using weights as a clamp), another drawer's parts being sized and made ready for dovetailing

Drawer dovetailed

Three fitted

Experiments with handles.  I'm going to write a separate post about making these.

Now for the feet: making a template

On a 1/2" x 1/2" blank, cutting close to the line ...

... and finishing with flat chisel, incannel gouge and file

After mitering the ends, gluing two together to create a foot

Gluing on a foot.  Note the air-release holes in the back. Without those, when you close one drawer, others get pushed open.

Four feet in place

The piece is finished with shellac, followed by a coat of wax.  The following pics don't show it well, but it got a nice luster and reflects light nicely.

The finished product

Another view

This is going to my 2 1/2 YO granddaughter.  She might not appreciate it just yet, but hopefully later she'll have some jewelry or other treasures to put in it.

Now let us briefly go through some machine options for the classic mortise and tenon. However, the discussion on this post is that we can move on to more practical construction. For the mortice, the router takes over. The welcomed speed and accuracy make the whole job easier and more accurate. My changes of systems […]

 Enjoying making planes lately.

I enjoyed making the hollow so much, I decided to make a pair of snipe planes. The business part of a snipe is a fine point, so it needs to be tough. English planes are traditionally 'boxed' with....box. The boxing is secured into a dado with hide glue. 

I am using hide glue from a bottle, a) because it's such a tiny amount needed and b) because it's here and I have no glue pot set up.

I had an appointment at the VA this AM and I have another one tomorrow in the AM. I had asked while I was at the VA if I could get tomorrow's MRI done today but there were no cancellations. In the PM I had to take my wife for her last colonoscopy. Because she will be older than 75 for her next one, she (me too) won't have endure the day before prep. Needless to say not much shop time neither today. 

came last night

Finally got all my slots filled with 21 gauge pin nails. I've had this nailer for several years and I've found that 5/8" nails are used the most followed by 3/4". Came last night and opening the containers was a (@^%)Q_)@#^%&)_)@*%*_ PITA. It took me several minutes to separate the two halves. On the bright side at least I had the strength to do that.

still good and square

The corners were surprisingly pretty much flush. Thinking of painting this frame with black milk paint.

day late

The current memory in my desktop is 12G and I bought 24G to replace it. When I saw the cost of the 4G sticks I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Back when I did computer repair etc, a stick of memory (name brand) was about 70-80 dollars a stick. Generic sticks were roughly half what name brand was.

last one

Three sides glued, nailed, and clamped. Last one going in before lunch and then off to take my wife to her medical appointment.

big happy face on

The movement spat on the Bam Bim for the 3rd hour. The time is working even though it isn't correct. It is keeping the correct 'time' when compared to my shop clock.

hmm......

Booted up the computer and it recognized that the memory had been changed. Ran a quick diagnostic on the memory. That was enough to imprint the memory into the BIOS. More importantly the computer recognized and tested all 24G without any hiccups. 

first memory test

The CPU on this computer has 4 cores and although it is over 15 years old, it is more than adequate for my needs. I like to run both memory tests as I have had pass on the first test and hiccups/errors on the 2nd one. This test reads/writes/reads all 24G into memory on all four cores.

2nd memory test

The first test takes less than 10 minutes while the second can take well over an hour. I let this run while I my wife to her appointment.

done

At least the woodworking is almost done. I still have to make and apply the beading moldings to the inside and outside edges. Teetering on the edge about whether or not to complete this. Is it worth the expense to have Maria do her thing on the frame? I do have one spot in the boneyard where I could hang it.

look what I found

I forgot that I had this. I bought this 20 years ago(?) and used it mostly to cope and stick rails and stiles. Just eyeballed it and didn't try to turn it on to see if it would power on.

1/4" collet

Lucky again that I found this box that had some accessories for the router in it. There is a 3/8" collet for this too but I have yet to come across a 3/8" shank router bit.

hmm......

These are where the handles go and they are MIA. They weren't in the accessories box. I doubt that after all these years that I'll find them anywhere in the shop. A quick look see on the part websites weren't encouraging. Three of them said to call for availability and pricing. That usually means I'll have to take out a second mortgage to buy them. By the way the screw that secures them is no longer available on any of the sites. 

accidental woodworker 

The centipede was happy, quite,

Until a toad in fun

Said, “Pray, which leg goes after which?”

This worked his mind to such a pitch,

He lay distracted in a ditch,

Considering how to run.

-Katherine Craster

The magic happens on the morning of the second day.

I have noticed a certain pattern in my woodcraft classes. Regardless of the subject, the first day is a bit of a hot mess.  I like to think I am offering solid instruction and good tips, but there is so much for students to keep in mind–how to present the blade safely and effectively, how to control the bevel, and what shapes and designs to pursue–that they are on overload. From a brain science perspective, their logical, prefrontal cortex is simultaneously juggling instructions and directing the body’s actions.  Students internal dialogue in a turning class might be something like: “Bend your knees, place your tool on the rest, grasp the flute with the left hand while the right hand holds the handle against the body for stability, now present the gouge with the flute closed and “find the bevel,” then twist the flute open about 20°, adjust the tool handle 20° toward your body and the cut will start, drop the handle for more sheer and less scrape, remember to float the bevel and not press too hard into the surface, quiet your upper body, picture the curve you want to create, transfer weight from your right leg to your left leg slowly in a movement that looks similar to Tai Chi, and off you go.”  There is a lot to think about, and it is exhausting. 

On that first day, students practice what psychologists call “explicit monitoring.”  When you are first learning a physical task, the prefrontal cortex watches closely and tries to direct the action.  This logical “commentator” part of the brain does its best to perform this new task, but its direction is often clumsy, herky-jerky, and almost always late.  It is a bit like asking the brain to tell the hands to lift the legs in order to walk. Or if you are learning to play the drums, by the time the “commentator” side of their brain says “now!” and the hand moves to strike the drum, the moment has passed, and the sound comes late.  All of this takes a lot of energy. By some estimates, the caloric demands of a hard-working brain are as much as 20% of the body’s total glucose stores.

With practice, tasks shift from the prefrontal cortex to the cerebellum, which is the portion of the brain that controls learned motor skills.  This is the “doer” part of the brain, which we access when we ride a bike or press a car brake when the light turns red.  It allows us to act automatically, smoothly, effortlessly, without conscious thinking. Once the cerebellum can perform a task, we have achieved “muscle memory,” allowing us to move fluidly and instinctually, like an athlete playing a game or an artist creating a gestural drawing, and freeing up space for the prefrontal cortex to think about other things. 

Obviously, it takes time to shift knowledge from the prefrontal cortex “commentator” to the cerebellum “doer” (to my students’ great distress).  That said, there are teaching practices that can accelerate this transfer.  Here are a few:

Slow-Burn Repetition: Engaging the cerebellum involves establishing neural pathways, and nothing does this like repetition, especially slow, mindful repetition.  When you increase the time under tension, muscles establish more neuromuscular connections, activating more muscle fibers and teaching the brain greater coordination.   Like learning scales on a guitar, careful and deliberate practice is the key.  In a multi-day carving class, have students practice knife grasps on practice sticks, being mindful of feeling the bevel, skewing and drawing the blade across the wood, thinking about what muscle groups are being engaged, making micro adjustments to the grip and posture. 

Visualization: Ask students to visualize themselves performing the task before they actually perform it.  When learning a new skill, visualization on its own is nearly as effective as actually doing that task in developing neuromuscular pathways.  One great strategy is to ask students to visualize an action right before they perform the action.  Be sure that students visualize the steps in the process, not just the final result. That said, being able to imagine the shape you want to create is an important part of creating sculptural forms, and drawing those shapes is an invaluable part of visualization.

Compression: When teaching a complex skillset, it is a good idea to find ways to help students reduce those skills to a manageable size.  

• First, select the most important ideas to teach and avoid the temptation to cram everything into the first few hours of class.  I have seen some pretty spectacular craftspeople make the classic new-teacher mistake of talking for half of a day about everything that students need to know while the class gazes longingly at the tools, or worse, glazes over. Instead, first teach just enough to get them safely started, especially the gross motor skills and the big movements, and let them at it. Once students have the basics down, you can then make the fine adjustments to their technique.  Trying to impart the subtleties of a craft to a student who has not yet experienced the basic movements is a bit like trying to hang ornaments on a Christmas tree that is still lying on the ground.  

• Second, help students make associations to related ideas.  I begin every class by asking students about their experience with woodworking and other forms of handwork.  If I know that a student has an understanding of casework, I might reference how skewing a hand plane or a draw knife is similar to how we skew a sloyd knife.  

• Third, “scaffold” your instruction by teaching skills in a sequence that builds on the ones already learned. For example, in a carving class, I teach knife grasps in an order that builds on the grasps already learned. 

• Fourth, “chunk” ideas into small patterns that are memorable.  For example, when I teach turning, I talk about the “ABCDs” of taking a cut: Anchor, Bevel, Cut, Dance.  

• Finally, name the skill when a competency is performed.  My students often remark on how excited I get when they do something right.  What they might not recognize is that I am both reinforcing the behavior and helping them recognize what they are doing correctly as they are doing it.  “Yes!” I exclaim.  “Nice push cut!” 

Recall.  We learn when we are asked to recall and synthesize information, putting ideas into our own words and integrating them into our existing mental framework.  The more often we recall information, the deeper the lesson nests in our brains.  In a classroom setting, teachers might use the Socratic method, habitual journaling, or regular quizzes to achieve this.  In a workshop setting, craft educators may teach a series of steps and then ask someone to summarize back what they are going to do.  Or when a student is about to perform a task, I might ask the student to describe what steps they are about to take.  Often, more experienced students will offer guidance to other, newer students in class.  I encourage this, as teaching is one of the best ways to recall and synthesize what you know (just make sure they are giving good advice!)  Finally, I provide my students with extensive notes on everything that we discuss in class, so that they have something to review once they get home.

Rest.  We learn through bursts of intense effort followed by rest.  When we rest, even for just twenty seconds, our brain plays back the lesson at ten to twenty times the speed at which we learned it, compiling information and beating paths across our neurons.  Like exercise, the benefits of hard work are only realized after a period of rest and recovery.  This learning cadence is called the ultradian cycle–learn, rest, learn, rest.  For the craft educator, habituating regular breaks is super important, but it can be hard for students to take a break, especially if they are really invested.  If you explain your process to them, set a timer (say every 90 minutes) to announce the start of a break period, and force them to put their tools down, stretch and hydrate, walk around to admire each other’s progress, for maybe 10 or 20 minutes, your students will see great benefits.  Not only will their brains process more, but they will also see their own work with fresh eyes or in a new light, and even build community and connection with their classmates, which makes for a better experience for everyone.  

Finally, related to rest is the importance of sleep.  I don’t mind teaching quick, one-day classes, but the benefits of sleeping on a lesson are really obvious.  When we sleep, our brain replays what we have learned that day, building pathways across our consciousness and internalizing lessons.  It is while we dream that ideas are transferred from the prefrontal cortex to the cerebellum, and when we wake, our muscles remember.  (Fun fact: some studies show that when we sleep, we are actually replaying what we learned in reverse.  Bonkers!)

If I do my job right, on the morning of the second class day, something truly special happens.  Students enter the class, stare blankly at their projects, and exclaim, “I have forgotten everything!” I assure them that it will all come back, offer a few prompts about where to start, and they pick up their tools and begin again.  

And then the room goes silent. 

They might ask for a few reminders here and there, but for the most part, the students are “flowing” through their tasks.  They are simply doing.  It makes me want to hold my breath, afraid of breaking the spell, not wanting to be the toad in the Centipede's Dilemma.

After being out of the loop for the past three weeks I’m finally easing back into the world of donsbarn.com.  My first stretch of being out of circulation was sublime as the clan gathered to celebrate the Incarnation.  An extra special treat were the hours spent in my basement workshop with two of my little guys, repairing toys and explaining all the tools.  That tradition will continue for the rest of my life.

The second interruption was pretty ridiculous as I’ve been fighting Fauci Flu for the past two weeks, including a bizarre visit to a clinic that refused to offer any pharmaceutical response strategy other than some piddly cough drops.

Anyway, I recently reflected on the fact that two of my most faithful blog correspondents, PM and PM, have nearly the exact same name and they are a great source of things for me to look at.  This video came from that route and is immensely entertaining.

Looking forward to resuming a vigorous schedule of activities here in Shangri-la.

will it keep time?

I'm taking the clock movement hiccups one step at a time. Set the clock up to see if it will keep time. Yesterday I hadn't done that, I was just listening for the Bim Bam.

nada

It has been 20 minutes and the hands haven't moved. I don't have a warm and fuzzy with this movement.

movement #2

This one appears to be keeping time. I saw movement in the hands in less than 5 minutes.

hmm.......

Been about a half hour and the clock seems to agree. I left this as is to keep on trucking. After a couple of hours the time was working but no Bim Bam at all.

this is odd

There is no way to connect a battery on this side of the movement. But it shouldn't be necessary. The two C cells on the right drive the speaker and one AA battery is sufficient to run the time.

hmm......

The pendulum swinging arm is MIA. Couldn't find it anywhere in the shop. Noticed that the back of the movement case is not fully seated. Problem solved? No. A gear was rattling around in the case that I put back. 20 minutes later, still no movement in the hands and nothing out of the speaker.

picture frame time

Ripped the stiles and rails to a rough width. Make one edge flat and straight. After the other three were done, I ripped them to the final width.

one dry fitted picture frame

I doweled the frame together - 3 dowels at each corner. The frame is square with the diagonals less than a 16th off.

dry clamped and still square

I couldn't get a tape measure in diagonally because the clamps were in the way. This is my largest pinch rod and I only had 4 frog hairs left to extend. As an aside the diagonal is 47 5/16".

sigh

I was being careful but I was not double triple checking myself. Filled in the errant holes and I had to redrill one hole on the other three.

double triple checking it

The inside dimensions are 2" more than the size of the poster. I didn't fully think this all the way through. Eyeballing the size of the frame I can see I don't have a chance in hell of hanging this anywhere in the shop or the house. 

back frame stock

I got all the back frame stock out of the extra stiles and rails I ripped out. I had four extras that decided to perform stupid wood tricks. Fingers crossed that I'll be able use them. They are thin and I should be able to position/secure them as needed.

glued and cooking

Still square when checked with a square and the diagonals were dead on.

nope

I'm not happy with how this is coming out. Getting lots of tear out and the beading planes are constantly jamming. And this still isn't done. I still have to rip/plane them to the final width.

I broke down and bought a small portable router table top. My trim router should fit the predrilled plate. I have a 1/4" beading router bit to use. I looked on line for a smaller beading bit but I couldn't find one. 

accidental woodworker 

I have spent the last five years designing and then making pieces for a real family living in a real but quite ordinary family home. The average UK or European-sized home is more compact than those I came to know in the USA and Texas, and I chose this because globally, it was better to...

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 I strolled today for the first time in weeks. When I got sick I started filling the pie hole non stop. I wasn't walking and I think from when I got sick till today, I walked maybe twice? Paying the price now as I have piled on 42 pounds. T shirts are getting tighter along with my jeans and pants. Went back on the diet wagon monday and it is tough to do. Especially after eating whatever and as much as I could. After the eye opening cost of pants/jeans I bought at LL Bean, I can't afford to get a new wardrobe.

not impressed

These are a lot smaller but they feel flimsy. The bars are thick but the tabs that get the screws are thin and bend when a gentle breeze blows over them. I didn't have a warm and fuzzy with these.

new frame coming

I'll squeeze this in while I make the clock.

hmm.....

I had enough numbers for a clock. Thinking of using these on the upcoming clock build.

clock face templates

Made these two several years ago. They are a great help with positioning the numbers.

setting the iffy lid stays

First step is to attach the hinges.

nope

Played with the lid stay on the workbench and I thought I had figured it out. This is as far as the lid will close. All I got from this was three more holes to fill in.

this sucks

The stays came with no instructions or templates. This didn't come out the way I thought it would. Nor did it come out the same way I had played with it on the workbench.

poorly made

I had to flatten one of the tabs that bent when I screwed it to the lid. After I took it off I tried to turn the same tab and it popped off. All the hinge points and the tabs are peened in place. I easily pulled the hinge bars apart along with the other tab. These are garbage. I saved the bars and tossed the tabs into the shitcan.

shoulda, woulda, coulda, but didn't

I should have gone with a chain stay from the git go. I had a chain snap on me when I lost control of the lid and it fell back. It works and fingers crossed it will stand the test of time.

sigh....

I filled in the wrong holes These two are for the hinges, not the (@%)*)@%*_*@)*%$ lid stay. 

hmm.....

Thinking of making the clock from cherry. This is the cherry I had in my scraps stash. I think I can build the clock I want without having to glue up anything.

a test

I had one rough sawn board that I flattened one face and squared an edge to it. I was curious to see if this would be too strenuous for me to do. It wasn't. I didn't feel fatigued nor do I get winded. After seeing the grain pattern I am thinking of using this board for the sides.

Most of the cherry is 7/8 thick or a few frog hairs thicker then that. For the clock I'm thinking of doing, this is too thick. I'm leaning in the direction of 5/8" or a wee bit less than that. 

1/2" thick cherry

 I forgot I had this and after eyeballing it, I think it is too thin. 3/4 looks too thick so 5/8" thick stock is ringing the bell for me.

test time

This is a quick jig so I can figure out the pendulum swing.

got it

The swing is about 5 1/2 to 6 inches right to left. I need this in order to set the inside width of the clock case.

The movement is not a bim bam, it plays two different tunes. Both count out the hours after playing the music. However, I could barely hear either tune even with my hearing aids turned up. There is no way anyone could hear the music or the hour count once it is in a clock case.

hmm.....

Something is amiss in Disneyland. I couldn't get either one of these two movements to spit anything out of the speaker. Both will play music or do bim bam. Neither one of them seemed to want to play nice. I let them go for an hour and heard nada. I had a wicked headache here and I killed the lights. I'll play some more with this in the AM.

accidental woodworker 

2025 was not a banner year for my woodworking.  I did very close to nothing in the second half of the year due to knee problems and ensuing knee replacement surgery.  I've been getting back to it lately, albeit slowly.  Hopefully 2026 will be a better year.  That said, here's what I got done in 2025.

Projects

This year started out with a (sort of) Shaker handled step stool.  It was a great project from a joinery standpoint, with dovetails on the front corner and multiple through mortise and tenons at the rear.

Shaker step stool with heart-shaped handle for the wife

In May, I made a picnic caddy for my sister.  This was my take on a similar item we saw at a restaurant, and it came out great.  It's got dovetailed corners, dividers in dadoes, and a bottom fitted into grooves in the sides and ends.

Picnic caddy

Also in May, I made a Paul Sellers project: a woven seat stool.  This also went to my sister.  This was an easy project, but I really wanted to try a seat weaving pattern I had not done before.  The weave isn't perfect, but it's good enough.

Easy woodworking, but tedious weaving

In July I made a quick cutting board to replace the plastic one we had been using for years.  This maple board has been very handy.

Another easy and quick project

Finally, I'm just finishing this project now, but it was mostly made in July through December of 2025.  It's a miniature chest of drawers that I hope my 2 1/2 YO granddaughter will use as a box for jewelry or treasures.  It's made of red alder, which I think is a very attractive wood.

Shellac yet to come

Tool Making or Rehab

In January, I made a new iron for my homemade extra-course scrub plane.  The old iron I had found at a garage sale, but it turned out not to be good tool steel.  The new one is from a piece of O-1 steel and I shaped it, hardened and tempered it, flattened the back and sharpened it.  It's thinner steel than the old iron, so I had to modify the wedge to accommodate the change.

Shaping the bevel with a file

In February and March, I was focused on threading small diameter wood.  I had done larger diameters, typically 1-2", a few years ago, but I was interested in trying diameters of 1/2" and 3/8".  It was a big time sink, but eventually I had success with a homemade "machine" that could cut the inner and outer threads for these sizes.  This was helped immensely by a YT video from Paul Hamler.

Overhead view of threading machine clamped in vise

Eventually it allowed me to make this thumb screw for  a marking gauge shown below

That walnut thumb screw was the finishing touch on a marking gauge I made in March.  I really love this gauge.  I knifed and marked 1/8" graduations on one side of the beam.

A walnut beauty

The impetus for the marking gauge was an old Worth marking gauge that I had been given years ago.  The mortise in the fence had gotten too big for the beam, and the wooden thumb screw to hold the beam in place was no longer holding.  So I made a new fence and wood/metal thumb screw and the gauge is a user tool again.

The old (right) and the new

Odd contrast in woods, but it works great now

I found this snipes bill plane at a tool show, but the body was bent and the boxing was warped.  I managed to get it into better working condition.

The front showing the profile

I can't recall where I found this old screwdriver.  It's got "POLAND HITEST" stamped on it.  But I cleaned it up and now I have a big honkin' screwdriver in the kit.

POLAND HITEST screwdriver with wooden scales

For some years now, I've used a makeshift small router plane that utilized a 1/8" chisel as the cutter.  But I always wanted something better.  In June, I made a better small router, using modified Allen wrenches as the cutters.  It has come in handy, and it works well.

The small router

Miscellaneous

In January, I made a spreadsheet that would help me calculate radius, given an arc width and desired bulge of the arc.  This was helpful when looking at the camber of the scrub plane iron.  But the spreadsheet can also be used when figuring out an arc at the bottom edge of a table apron or a rail component of whatever furniture you want a curved rail on.

A simple little spreadsheet

Well, that's it.  I hope 2026 will be a better year for projects.  My knee is doing much better now, but my leg gets tired quickly and I'm just not used to being on my feet for long periods.  Hopefully that's nothing that more shop time won't cure.  To all who read this, I hope you have a healthy and productive year!

 

 The plan in the AM was to start a new project. That didn't last long as I jumped down the computer rabbet hole head first with a jet pack assist. Spent most of the day running around with my head up my arse. I needed a DVi double male monitor connector and nada. I went to Wally World where they didn't have any legacy monitor cables. From there I went to Staples which had what I wanted but I would have to order it on line.

 Made a detour to the local LL Bean store to exchange a xmas gift. Unfortunately LL Bean had liquidated the present and it was no longer available. I got a gift card and bought a pair of jeans and chinos. I can't believe the prices for the pants - both cost $69 and change.

I bit the bullet after dinner and headed out to Best Buy which is on Rte 2. At least it wasn't a parking lot but I caught every _)@*&)#&%_)Q@*)% red light going there and coming home. Best Buy followed Staples - they had the cable but I would have to order it online.

nonsensical work

This top edge had a rabbet that I planed off with the scrub plane. I then squared it off with the 5 1/2. Why? Because I wanted to do something that didn't matter and make a pile of shavings. 

new project

It is going to be a clock. I can't remember what this clock movement speaker spits out. Knowing me it is most likely a bim bam counting out the hours. It doesn't matter because next to boxes, I like making clocks. It has been a long time since I've made one.

starting from square one

The tech at the computer store said he couldn't clone my drive. The pins were too iffy so I'll be starting from ground zero with a fresh OS install. Hoping that Firefox saved my bookmarks but I doubt it. I'm not lucky that way. This is where the saga with the DVi cable commenced.

considered a legacy connector

I had some monitor cables and surprisingly enough, my wife had more than I did. The downside was none of them worked. We didn't have any DVi cables with a double DVi connector. The connector to the left I thought was a HDMI connector but none my HDMI connectors would fit. And I  had a DVi to HDMI cable too.

I should have been slapped upside my head. I forgot that the desktop computer upstairs had a double DVi cable. Duh. The laptop connector to the upstairs monitor is HDMI to HDMI, there is no DVi connector on the laptop.

hmm......

 The monitor kept saying there was a fan failure. The fan failure was the bird cage one which cools the memory sticks. The failure was being caused by the power cable. Routed the cable so that is wasn't in the way of the fan blade rotation. After that the fan failure messages disappeared.

ran diagnostics

This was a good sign. I wanted to make sure I hadn't broke something with all the work I did installing/removing the fans and the hard drives.

don't have a warm and fuzzy

This is a Linux OS USB installer stick. I played around with trying to get the the OS installed and nada. I kept seeing error messages while installing it. Once I did get it installed in compatibility mode it froze. I had problems with this installer with the shop computer.

it passed

I ran the memory test from the USB stick which is more comprehensive than the memory test on the computer diagnostics. It passed with flying colors. I bought another USB installer from ETSY with the latest Linux mint version. I should have it either saturday or monday. 

I'll get back to the regularly scheduled channel of woodworking in the AM.

accidental woodworker 

Author Note: I drafted this post several years ago but am just now getting around to publishing it. Although I don’t make a lot of spoons anymore, I still want to share this handy technique that I’ve used over the years to fix little voids, not only in spoons but also in furniture.

If you have ever found yourself carving a spoon, and you’ve gotten down to making the final, finishing cuts only to realize that there are a couple bug holes or a bit of tear-out that’s just too deep to carve past, you know that sinking feeling that you’ll just have to toss this almost-finished utensil in the burn pile and start over. 

Or will you? 

Not all flaws are fixable, but there is a way to safely and effectively fill in some small flaws and save that nearly-finished spoon from the burn-pile. It’s a common trick that I picked up from a wood turner. 

All you need is bit of very fine-grained fill material and regular CA glue (superglue). Here’s how it works: 

First, find a good fill material. You have lots of options, and some of them are probably lying around your shop already. If you want a relatively invisible fill, try using sawdust from the species you’re working. Use a fine-toothed saw or even coarse sandpaper to produce the dust. The finer the better. You can also use organic substances, such as fine coffee grounds. I have also successfully used crushed stone–you can get many different kinds on the internet. Again, get the finest grains available. I especially enjoy using brightly colored materials that turn the flaw into a decorative feature. Just be careful, as some powdered materials (like metals) can be hazardous to work with. 

Second, use the right bonding agent. It’s just regular superglue. The thinner the better–not the gel kind.

Now for the technique. For a fairly shallow void or crack, fill it with the fill material, and mound the material up over it just a little. Flood the whole area with superglue. Let it dry completely. You can speed it up with heat from a hairdryer or heat gun. Then scrape or sand it level. You can put your finish right over it, though you should be aware that the superglue can affect how some finishes penetrate, so don’t over-saturate the surface with the superglue. You need just enough to saturate the fill material completely.

For projects with a lot of holes to fill, as on the tabletop above, I made myself a little fill-kit. The bag of sawdust is for filling in the bottom of deep holes so I don’t have to use as much of the nicer, expensive fill except at the very top. The green powder is crushed malachite stone. (Again, exercise caution in use, as it can be toxic in its powdered state.) The baby spoon is for putting the fill in precisely the right place, and the old toothbrush is for moving it around and making sure every corner of each gap is filled in before applying the superglue.

For deep voids, you may need to use a couple layers of fill. For little cracks, use the point of a knife to spread the crack a bit to allow more of the fill to enter. Then apply the superglue. With a bit of practice, you’ll figure out what works in different situations. If you need to fill a crack or void that runs into an edge, use masking tape to shore up the fill while it dries.

Once the superglue is hard and dry, I scrape the fill level with a card scraper. You can also sand it level, but it will take a lot longer. The whole process takes just a couple minutes. It really is that easy.

But how well do these fills hold up in everyday use?

I’ve stress-tested them in my own kitchen, and I’ve found they are very durable, even on the business end of a spoon or spatula.

These glues are typically good up to about 230F, and since boiling water doesn’t get any hotter than 212F, you’re not likely to soften the glues in any kind of water-based dish. (If you’re plunging wooden spoons into boiling oil, which can get a lot hotter than water… well, please stop. You’re going to catch something on fire.)

If you really need a glue that will outlast the wood, there’s always the original JB Weld, which is good up to about 500F. The only drawback is the ugly gray color, but you can tint it with lampblack. Use a bit of soot scraped off any smooth surface that’s been near an open flame. You can use a candle flame to blacken the blade of an old butter knife if you like. Mix the soot into the epoxy, and it should turn nice and black. 

I need to emphasize that there are limits to the size/type of flaws that you can fix using this technique. It’s best for filling in small gaps–little cracks or shallow voids that would otherwise get bits of food stuck in them. It’s ideal for filling in a bug hole or two, or for filling a wide but shallow gap. But it won’t increase the structural integrity of the utensil, so make sure the utensil is good and sturdy without the fill. I don’t think I would use this technique to try to fix end-checking in the bowl of a spoon, which is the most common kind of flaw you’ll see in a wooden spoon. Not all flaws are worth trying to fix. 

But once you start using this technique on wooden spoons, I think you’ll find it very effective. And you might find it useful on other woodworking projects, too. 

I’ve just finished two tall shrink pots. Each represents an experiment with texture and pattern, respectively, and I plan on making a small example of each to take along to my classes at Pete Galbert’s later this year. Meanwhile, both … Continue reading →

 Finally got the bookcase done and it is going to daughter #2 later on this month. Until then I'll have to find a hole for it in shop or the boneyard. I also need to point out that this wasn't the last project for 2025. It was the 2nd to last one but either way it is done and oohs and aahs were long and satisfying.

ready to hang

Waxed both doors and buffed them. Cleaned the glass of shellac by scraping them with a razor blade followed up by glass cleaner.

essential

This is what is called a radio man ratchet screwdriver. It is incredibly awkward trying to hold the door in place and start screwing in the screws with a hand screwdriver. This ratchet screwdriver is light and the perfect size for initially driving the screw home. Made hanging the doors a wee bit easier. The only headache I had with it was it like to roll away right onto the deck

helping hand

Sawed a shallow rabbet in a scrap of pine. I will use it hold the door latch at the proper height.

the latch

I don't remember how I installed this the last time but makes sense to me. This way the latch stays square and in place while I mark for the screws.

glad I did

I didn't wan to make any errant holes in the door so I decided to first do it on a scrap of pine. It would have been too low if I hadn't tried it this way first.

done

I had looked at this with the two parts reversed and it took up about the same amount of real estate. The part that is attached to the door rolls up over the part on the shelf and drops down and locks the door.

not perfect but....

Still having nightmares about this left door. However, the right door closes up against without it having a a door latch.

first glamour pic

I'm calling this done but it still needs a latch/catch for the right hand door. The doesn't lay flat on the left door. At this point I decided a putting in a magnetic catch. I got one from my neighborhood ACE hardware.

glamour pic #2

If I make another one of these it will be wider. That is the only quibble I have with this. 

glamour pic #3

This is a big project that is going to eat up a lot of shop real estate until it goes bye bye.

side/back glamour pic

Next to cherry, pine is my favorite wood. I just wish it was a wee bit harder to take the dings from building it.

it's possible

Glamour pic #4 of the back isn't horrible. It could be shown as is. The only defect is the top left edge of the panel. It is chipped and torn out a bit.

 

hmm.......

I think I have enough width on the top door stop to mount the magnetic catch.

less than $2

This surprised coming from ACE. I find most of their offerings to be a wee bit high. But they are convenient being down the street from me. And it came with screws.

fans came

I forgot about these coming today. 

catch installed

The magnetic pull on this catch was higher then I expected it to be. I had to balance closing the top close to being able to open the door one handed. I pulled with for few and closed the gap some more.

done

New fans in and tested. A whole lot quieter - I could hear the old ones but not the new ones. The new fans turned silky smooth. Monday I'll try to find a computer shop to clone my drive. If I can't I'll install Linux Mint on the new SATA drive and start over again.

accidental woodworker 

Please join us in wishing Paul a happy 76th birthday! Can you believe he is 76? We can’t! Thank you for all your support for him. He loves showing you all his work and has much planned for the year ahead. – Paul’s Family

Source

came last night

All three came at the same time even though Amazon said two were coming on the 5th. I might buy another blue pigment, this one has shiny things in it. I want a flat blue color. I'll have to think on it for a while.

how to waste hours

We had an Epson ink jet as the main printer but it went south. After days of paper jams and ink jet headaches I tossed it. I bought this Canon 6030w because it supposedly is Linux ready. That ain't so boys and girls. The drivers supplied didn't work. I loaded and deleted them a bazillion times before I cried NO MAS.

On the Canon website, the drivers offered were garbage. They had none for this model laser printer - I loaded and tried the ones offered but none worked. After pissing away hours I gave up loading drivers. I have to add, that I needed the drivers to access the WiFi.

The printer came with a USB cable and that worked but it also gave me fits. I didn't have a free USB port on the laptop. Everyone one of them were taken for the keyboard, mouse, etc. I thought I had saved a USB hub but if I did I couldn't find where I hid it. So I ordered two of them from Amazon - insurance in case one won't work.

The printer worked with the USB cable with no problems. I use it 99% of the time to print out my sudoku and crossword puzzles. The added headache is the printer USB cable was short and I don't have anywhere to put it close to my desk (because no WiFi). Where I want to put it would require a 8 foot USB cable and I don't like using USB cables that long.

Needless to point out, the time line on the bookcase has slipped once again. I finished getting shellac on the doors before I started playing with the printer around 1000. I said NO MAS with that at 1408. Maybe tomorrow I'll ooh and aah along with letting out a long breath of relief.

why???????

I saw a half can of this on eBay for $250. I've had this can for a bazillion years. I don't use it much because the smell of it gives a headache. I'm using it to wax the door fronts - this knocks down the brush marks and smooths it out.

needs a 2nd application

About 90% of the doors got smoothed out. What didn't get smoothed sticks out too much IMO. I rubbed and shined the first coat and tomorrow I'll do a 2nd concentrating on the spots that are being a PITA.

accidental woodworker