Hand Tools

I recently needed to make some wall-shelves. I needed three, they needed to fit on a specific wall, and they had to be made of a light-coloured wood. I didn’t have any other criteria or requirements.

The piece of wood I chose to use was a yellow birch cant about 4 x 6 x 36 inches. My first thought was to run it through the bandsaw to resaw it into three shelves roughly 1.3 x 6 x 6 inches, then joint and plane them flat and parallel. It would have been a straightforward process, but I realized that there was a more efficient, and interesting way to make the shelves. It became obvious when I thought about how shelves are used:

Shelves are mostly decorative, with only one surface (the top) functional. Therefore, only that one surface needed to be flat and smooth to hold items and facilitate cleaning, as dust doesn’t tend to accumulate on the bottom of shelves. The other surfaces could be rough, so I could skip the step of planing that side. The bandsawn texture would be interesting and tactile. However, a bandsawn texture can only be created with a bandsaw, and any subsequent processing of the surface changes it. Attempting to adjust or correct the shape in any way would result in an irregular pattern of texture (e.g. a smooth spot). Therefore, the cut made by the bandsaw must be perfect.

Take the following for example. (A) is the desired outcome, where all sides are straight and parallel – a rectangle. However, if the bandsaw’s fence isn’t aligned properly, the blade wanders, or the line is not followed, a taper (B) is the result. Likewise, deviating from the line can result in a convex (C) or concave (D) surface. All of these conditions can be corrected, but would require additional work with the thickness planer (or similar tool) which, as mentioned before, would also remove the tactile surface left from the bandsaw.

With only a little more work, I could make the shelves more interesting by adding some curves. Plus, any irregularity in the cut would be imperceptible.

So, that’s what I did.

After sawing the curves, I used a foam sanding block to gently smooth the texture, ease the sharp corners, and remove the fuzzies. Then I used my best crosscut blade to cut them to length, applied three coats of semi-gloss polyurethane, and installed them on the wall with steel tapered connectors.

If you don’t incorporate curves into your work, I encourage you to try. Here are some of my favourite tools to work with curves:

• Bandsaw, jigsaw, and coping saw
• Coarse, hand-cut rasps, rotary and belt sanders with coarse sandpaper
• Chisels, carving gouges, and drawknives
• Arbortech power carving attachments for angle grinders

I don’t often lay out curves before shaping them, but when I do, these are the tools I may use:

• Flexible battens (strips of wood)
• French curve templates
• Adjustable compass with pencil, and a trammel for large arcs
• Pencil, used freehand

These are my top tips for working with curves:

• When using saws to cut curves, making all your movements smooth will generally lead to smoother curves
• Trust your eye and hands – when it looks good and feels good, it’s good
• Cut joinery before adding curves, or at least make sure you save reference surfaces when shaping
• Be aware where your joinery and fasteners are so you don’t expose them or hit your tools on them

Let me know if you have questions about adding curves to woodwork.

Over Labor Day Weekend I was once again a presenter/demonstrator at my friend TimD’s Historic Trades Fair in the central part of our county.  There were several dozen artisans there, including the leather/fur seamstress I shared a tent with, blacksmiths and sheet metal workers, premium woodworkers, gunsmiths, tailors and much more.  Tim thinks he will max out with about fifty demonstrators in the next couple years.

And there I was doing my thing, presenting myself as a congenial woodworker with a complete shop while working on a Gragg Elastic Chair and engaging with the many visitors who stopped to ask about it.

The setting is nothing short of spectacular and the weather was absolutely perfect.

 Not sure that it is the penultimate upcoming, but the end isn't far behind. Door is hinged and it is going to take a couple of rounds of painting before it is done 100%. The completion is coming at the right time as I have already turned my attention to my daughter's spice rack holder thing. 

hinging the carcass

Installing hinges at one time filled me with a fear that almost crippled me. Something little always plagued me that threw the installation off. Mortise gains chopped too deep, notches made too small or too big. Another big headache was misalignment between the door and the carcass hinges. Today no such hiccups or problems. 

Hinging the door went off without a hitch. It was made easier because the width of the hinge matched the thickness of the door edge perfectly. No worries about blowing out the thin web of wood at the edge of the hinge leaf. 

I started the hinging of the carcass with the top hinge first. Many thanks to Paul Sellers for showing this way of hinging doors. Got the hinge notch done and the hinge sitting in it flush and then marked the position the of bottom hinge.

I put one screw in that hinge (middle one) and knifed the 3 edges. So much easier doing the hinges this way. It is almost impossible to screw it up because if it could happen, I would be first in line to do it.

top margin

Most of the wiggle room is at the top. The bottom margin is a piece of paper gap. Something most have slipped on me when I laid out for the top hinge. Not a deal killer as the top margin is good as is.

won't close

I was expecting this - I knew the width might be too wide. The bottom of the door while it clears, the margin there needs to be a few frog hairs wider. 

took 3 plane and fit trips

I had to plane the latch side and the bottom of the door to fit it to the opening. It took 3 tries. It fit after the first planing run but the margins on the side and bottom were still too tight. The 2nd run was good and the third one was for the thickness of the paint to come.

hmm.....

The door swings into the interior too much. It is a 1/4" before it hits the front edge of the shelf. I needed to come up with a door stop that stops the door flush with the cabinet edge.

nope

There isn't enough room in front of the shelves to put a door stop. I will have to place it either at the top or bottom where there aren't any shelf sleeves. 

top door stop

This worked and I temporarily secured it with a couple of brads. The door however, had other ideas as the bottom toed in slightly as the door closed against the top stop.

bottom stop

The first way I thought of positioning it was parallel to the front edge. Nixed that because not only did it look out of place, it could possible be a hindrance. Positioned this way would work and take up less space and much less of a chance of it getting in the way.

better

Cut it down to less than 1/2 the length and secured it with epoxy. I scraped the shellac off down to bare wood first.

came today

You gotta love Prime. This was waiting when I got back from my post lunch stroll.

Makita MAC320Q

I like the look of this compressor. It weighs a little more than 50 pounds. I don't know what the pancake compressor weighed but this one is lighter. It is also easier to pick up and move around. Better balance from the handle and not as awkward feeling moving it around.

command central

Nice layout of the two gauges - left one is tank pressure and the 2nd one is the output. The black knob between sets the output pressure to the tool. The pancake which was a 6gal didn't have twin couplers on the output. Something that I doubt I will ever use.

works

Pin nails shot through a scrap of poplar. Worked flawlessly. The only hiccup is I still can't find a source for pin nails for this gun. It is made in Taiwan and so far I haven't find anyone that sells the gun or pin nails. 

I sharpened it a few years ago but it didn't hold its edge at all. However, I think since that sharpening I've upped my game on sharpening and I'm going to try it again. 

This coupler works differently than my other ones. To disengage you have to push it forward by grasping the red part, then pull back on the black part to remove the coupler from the gun. The part that matters is that it fits the nailer and the compressor. Engaging and disengaging will become commonplace with use.

nice touch

It has built cord storage. All and all this is a well thought out compressor. I didn't see any blemishes or crappy welds. The compressor is also a lot quieter than the pancake one was. That sounded like a diesel with an attitude when cycling. This is easily half as quiet. Even with my hearing I could hear a big difference.

closing in

Got the snap catch on the door installed. First coat of paint on the edges I planed. The plan is to get the 2nd coat after dinner.

storage

Not the one I wanted but I had to use because of the length. Needed it for the tire pressure gauge. The oil is for my Paslode finish nailer. The other 3 guns are oil free.

beater chisel

I have 3 of these Stanley chisels that I use when I don't want to risk my good bench chisels. I sharpened it a few years ago but it didn't hold its edge at all. However, I think since that sharpening I've upped my game on sharpening and I'm going to try it again.

hmm.....

There was a big chip on the left side that ate up a lot of calories removing on the runway. The toe of the bevel had a funny looking edge while doing this. It is hard to describe but it was nothing like I have seen when sharpening my good bench chisels. 

stopped here

Got it square and I raised a consistent burr on the back. I'll finish this in the AM.

accidental woodworker

 Went on my post lunch stroll today for the first time in 5 days. Everything went fine and it was like there hadn't been a lull in the routine. I was expecting to be a little winded but I wasn't. Took me the same 2 hours that it has taken me all summer. Rain is coming again in a few days and I refuse to stroll in the rain. Because after all I ain't Gene Kelly.

hmm....

I thought I was going to put the final coat on the door but it didn't happen boys and girls. I must have pulled out the putty in these tear outs when I wiped them with the damp rag. No dead line on completion but this time I won't wipe it with a damp rag.

glass was ready

Checked that the glass fit in each of the individual lites. The compressor hadn't come in when I snapped this pic. This side is done with painting but the face side will take another day.

compressor cart

This is history mostly because I don't like it (it is tippy) and it won't fit the new Makita compressor. The plan was to salvage as much of it as I could for some other use.

this is it

A dowel, four swivel, lockable casters, and 16 #10 philips head screws. I shitcanned everything else as unusable.

hmmm....

There is the 16th margin at the top and bottom but zero on the width. It is a kinda tight snug fit there. 

latch side

I planed this side just enough for the door to be a slip fit on the latch side. I will do the final planing and fitting after I get the hinges installed.

came as promised

When I checked this AM all it said was the notice to ship was received. It was being set on my front porch just as I got back to barn from strolling.

hinges came too

I was also expecting to get some shelf sleeves from Lee Valley but the UPS guy said they weren't on his truck. I had called Lee Valley to order them because I couldn't find them on line. Turns out that the 'sleeves' were caught up in the tariff wars. The rep told me anything with steel or aluminum in it can't be sold to the USA so that is why it wasn't online. The CS rep checked the US inventory and I bought 400 sleeves from the Nevada warehouse. Paid to call and ask about them.

hmm.....

The tank pressurized and cutout at 135PSI (cutout is 135PSI). The knob to regulate the output to the couplers worked flawlessly. No problems varying the output from 80 to 110 PSI - I usually set it for the pin nailer at 90 and 100 for the 18 gauge nailer.

However, the pin nailer wouldn't fire. The compressor was spitting out air as soon as I hooked the pin nailer up. At first I thought it was leaking/blowing by the couplers on the compressor. This air nozzle gun proved that wasn't so. It seated in the coupler with no blow by and worked flawlessly when I pressed the handle.

wrong rabbet hole

I thought the nipple on the air hose was the problem. It wasn't the problem but the compressor/air hose/nail gun was spitting out air from somewhere.

found it

The culprit was found. I got my money's worth out of this hose. I bought it around the same time I got the compressor. I had zero experience with compressors at the time I bought the pancake one but I instantly did not like the straight line hose that came with it. I got this one from Woodworker's Warehouse (defunct) where I was a manager. (Imagine selling tools and getting paid for it)

fingers crossed

I doubt it but I am optimistic that this is the final coat. Either way I'll be hinging in the AM. The goal will be getting the door hung and fitted then.

accidental woodworker

 Can I get a collective readership ouch? First thing this AM I was at Home Depot returning the defective Dewalt compressor. Done. The HD rep credited my card balance and then my card took a big hit. Ordered a Makita compressor, model MAC320Q for $411 and change. It is a small, oil free, 3 gallon hot dog compressor and it is has a noise level of 60db. It is part of Makita's quiet series of compressors. It has the perfect size/performance for what I will use it for in my shop

Got free delivery and supposedly I'll have it tomorrow. Got great customer service from Donna at HD. Everything went smooth as silk and she even offered to track it for me if needed.

filled in tear out

Did this last night after dinner. Filled in the tearout on both sides. Sanded with 220 grit and wiped down with a damp rag. Ready for paint.

practice pays off

All of the tails look this good. No gaps - the joint lines are all tight. This is something I have wanted to achieve since I saw my first dovetail being  done.

pins

Ditto for the pins. After 15 years (?) I think I finally think I can say I arrived. I'm proud of the dovetails I am doing. Hopefully I won't be eating this hubris the next time I do them.

inside peek

The inside corners are not 100% gap free. I am getting better at it but they aren't as good as the outside is.

need a 2nd one

The one on top is for 21 gauge nails. The one I'm about to make is for 18 gauge nails. I had hard time finding 21 gauge nails. It seems the standard pin nail now is 23 gauge. I found some 21ga 1/2" nails on Wally World's site for $18. I need them to secure the glass retainer bars.

dividers

Clamped all four together and rasped the waste away.

done

Dividers rasped and sanded but still awaiting erasure of layout lines. Flushed the top and bottom of the nail box. Killed the lights here for the day. I'll finish this in the AM.

Didn't get much time in the shop today. But I did manage to get a couple coats of shellac on the carcass and another coat of paint on the door. Checked the fit of the door and it is now too snug. I will have to plane the latch side to get clearance for the door to open/close.

Got the glass ordered for the door and I'll have it tomorrow. Going to HD, a PT appointment, and PM yard work really ate up my shop time today. I should be getting the hinges sometime between the 16th and 18th. Fingers crossed on that happening. There isn't much more to whack out on this cabinet. Glamour pics aren't far behind.

accidental woodworker 

Here’s a glimpse of a recent fortnight in Shangri-la.

As is often the case my brother and his wife come for a visit, now extended from one week to two weeks since they are now both retired.  I guess that is a commentary of sorts, with my siblings and I all retired including the baby.  We are fortunate in that all five of us get along famously and maintain a steady text thread keeping us up to date with each other.  The thread activity really ramped up when our Mom was in her final decline a few years ago and it never stopped.

Anyhow, you might remember the post a few months ago about trolling for firewood on the homestead, with a special emphasis on existing windfall waiting to be harvested.  Of particular interest this week was the cluster of storm damaged locust trees up at the top of the hill, with several large trees down and tossed about.  FYI locust is a highly prized firewood, very BTU dense with a hot burning temp and less ash than other woods.  When we got down to it, we realized that in addition to the already-dead trees there were at least a half dozen still-standing (but probably not for long) locusts that could/should come down.

So down they came.  It took some forethought as the trunks were intertwined and needed to come apart in a particular order.  My brother is really good at that work.  By the time we finished the week there were four heaping trucksful of sawn and split firewood to stack up at the barn.

At this point I am well into the firewood inventory for Winter 2026/2027, but I still have a lot of windfall to harvest.  By my guess it will be about ten truck loads, so all is good.  I will work on those truckloads in between other stuff over the winter.  It’s gonna be crazy with grandson #4 due probably next week.

Perhaps you use, or have at least tried, the sharpening method by hand discussed in the previous two posts. In any case, here is another approach that involves a straightforward angle holder.  The woodworking tool (plane iron, chisel, etc.) is inserted into the holding guide. The pair is placed onto the angle gage, the tool […]

I was up at the Vermont house the other day and made my periodic pilgrimage to The Red Carrot in Rutland.  The store is great for things like rustic boxes (more on that some day), but as a woodworker and general DIYer, I prefer the related warehouse down the street. They have most of the […]

 Got my next project. My oldest, Jessica, wants a spice shelf holder thing. She said she has been trying to buy one but it sells out too quick. It is a fairly straight forward project - she gave me plans for it. No fancy joinery, it is all butt joints. I'll be starting on it next week.

toast

Tried to fire it up and nada. Motor runs, gets incredibly hot, and zero pressure builds up in the tank. I checked on a rebuild kit and although I think I could manage it, I'm not conversant with compressors. The only service center I called that would do it was too expensive. I can buy a new one for almost the same price. This one is off to the land fill this friday.

hmm.....

It is looking like two coats is going to do the trick. However, in raking light some tear out popped out. I found some on both sides that I'll be filling with putty and repainting.

Home Depot run

$170 and I walked out the door with it. It looks a little dumbed down but the price was good. The one pressure gauge should have clued me in.

nada

The pressure gauge is only for the tank pressure. Zero pressure after a bazillion attempts. It also sounded like a diesel engine that wasn't firing on all cylinders. It stated a 78.5 db sound level but I'm pretty sure it was a lot louder than that.

got lucky

There are a lot of different types of quick couplers for tools. The existing couplers on the compressor fit all of my guns. However, I couldn't get the compressor to even generate 20PSI.

a huge negative Houston

Went back to HD and swapped out the compressor. I could get the 2nd one pressurized but it wouldn't shut off nor could I regulate the pressure. If I turned the regulator knob off zero and set it to 90, the tank pressure would bleed off to zero. 

I tried to use the pin nailer with the tank pressure reading 100PSI and nada. No air at the gun inlet at all. Frustrating because I had to fight construction and RTE 2 traffic for two round trips for this fun adventure.

A quick check on Google brought on a litany of complaints. This compressor is total and complete garbage. The two that I tried both exhibited 4 of the problems the google search listed. I'll be returning this and upgrading and it won't be a Dewalt. I'll have to eat it and pony up (>$100 more) for more reliable compressor.

The regulator is supposed to be on zero before turning it on. The pressure got up over 100PSI and when I turned the regulator to 90, the tank pressure dropped. I was expecting a lot better from something with the Dewalt name.

The mitering jig groove was a few frog hairs too tight for the glass retainer bars. I shaved just enough for them to be a loose snug fit.

worked

Clamped the bar at the back and moved the mitering jig back and forth as needed to shave one end of each of them.

2nd compressor

Waste of gas and time. I should of looked it up online before I bought it. But I was going by price and brand name.

proof

The pressure at least built up in the tank with the 2nd one but it didn't trip the over pressure switch neither. This thing is a time bomb waiting to explode.

I did get some work done on the cabinet. Got the 4th coat on the shelves and the first one on the exterior of the cabinet. Got the 2nd coat of paint on both sides of the door. Hinges are scheduled to come the first of next week. That will give me plenty of time to finish the shellac and painting.

Sorry about the post being a bit out of whack continuity wise. I hadn't planned on bringing the compressor back today. I was going to do it in the AM but I bit the bullet and made another same day road trip. Now I'll be returning again in the AM but I am not getting another compressor but taking a charge back on my credit card.  

accidental woodworker 

 The big, bad nor'easter (IMO) was a big bust. It was a wee bit windy, with rain on and off. The rain wasn't that heavy neither and I didn't see any downed limbs when I went for breakfast this AM. The first nor'easter of the year at least it wasn't cold bringing snow/sleet with it. But that fun is yet to come.

fitting the back

Planed the width first for a snug fit and then worked on the top/bottom. I went slow making frequent checks to make sure I wouldn't say '...oops, took too much'.

I'm impressed

I'm also incredibly happy with the fit. I had to tap it flush with the mallet. I like the finished look of it a lot. I think it is much better than plywood (ignore the panel is 6mm plywood).

peek a boo

I believe this may become my go to for cabinet backs.

see the hiccup?

I'm right handed and I wanted the smaller lites to be on the left, not the right. Missed that when I laid out the half laps for the muntins. I might switch the snap catch and put it on the left (if I remember that). I think putting it on the right would make it look crowded with the small lites.

see them?

Happy to write that most of the white snake lines are gone. There are still a few that haven't faded yet. Fingers crossed that will happen before I start slapping shellac on it.

need some shellac

I have switched to using denatured alcohol I get at the paint store. I am no longer using Everclear which is about $20 more for less. I don't see any difference in using Everclear vice denatured alcohol. I don't have enough shellac to finish doing the carcass. I am almost afraid to buy more shellac - the price has been rising steadily over the past year.

hmm......

 I think I should have waited before gluing the back stop on. There is no way I can get fasteners of any type into the top of the back panel.

miller dowels

I am securing the panel with 5 miller dowels on the two long sides and the 3 on the bottom. After eyeballing these I think I don't need any fasteners on the top. All the stress on the panel will be downward and the sides should keep the top from moving in/out.

bottom

Three miller dowels should be sufficient at the bottom. They just need to keep the bottom from shifting in or outward.

need a gap filler

There is one gap on the back panel that I filled. Once this is on a wall it will never be seen but my OCD couldn't let it slide. None of my veneers were thin enough to fit the gap so I planed this scrap until it did.

sigh

Not too bad considering this was the only gap on the entire back panel.

shelf layout

I like to notch the shelves for the supports to sit in. I thought I had made a mistake at first because the notches weren't the same front and back. Forgot the back panel intrudes into the interior 3/4".

done

With the notches, the shelf stays in place as things are dragged across it. Nothing more annoying than having the shelf move forward and then crash and fall as you remove things from it. 

checking the fit

Locked in place. One down and one to go.

done

Maybe I should have gone with fixed shelves. I got the shelves at the lowest spot and the highest one. Experience has taught me that 6-7 inches is a good allowance.

oops

Obviously didn't think this all the way through. The tops of my initials are buried a wee bit.

too sharp

The before on the top and the after on the bottom. I don't like the sharpness of the edge in the before pic. A few strokes with the violin plane followed by sandpaper rounded and smoothed it nicely.

two coats

Two done and two more to go. I am doing four coats on the shelves and the interior of the cabinet. The outside will get 6-7. 

test run

This is my 21ga pin nailer. I tried it out to see if I could get a nail in the thickness/width of my glass retainer bars. Passed with flying colors and I'll be pin nailing them after I get the glass.

retainer bars

Maybe I should have waited but I think I'll be ok. I am not using 1/8" thick glass on this. Instead I'm using the thinner offering. I ripped this out such that I have some wiggle room with the glass thickness.

dead?

The compressor had been cycling a lot more than the last time I used it. After about 15 minutes it was running continuously. Both of the pressure gauges were reading zero. The top of it was so hot I couldn't touch it. 

The life expectancy of oil less pancake compressors is about 5 to 10 years. I bought this in april of 1995. I'll try this again after it has cooled off and see what shakes out then. Thinking ahead, pancake compressors aren't that expensive. Both of the big box stores sell compressors for around $150. That is what I think I paid for this one.

glass retainer bars

Either way, I am using a pin nailer to secure these. I painted the muntin rabbets entirely so I don't have any bare wood to glue them to.

accidental woodworker 

On Saturday, October 18th from 8am-2pm we open our doors to celebrate 25 fantastic years of custom woodworking, live-edge slabs, hardwood lumber and great customers. Join us for a hot dog and a Coke and a chance to win a walnut slab valued at over $500 (just for showing up). We will also have fun games with great prizes and demonstrations of crowd favorites like the sawmill and cnc router. We hope to see you there.

I do not know the setup of the Blacksmith Bolt and Rivet fellow (he’s been getting virtually all of my wood screw business for quite some time) but this video of a “small” Japanese screw making operation tickled my fancy.

The storm so far has been a dud. Light winds and some light rain with the big stuff yet to come? Weather aside I had productive day in the shop. I got most of the woodworking done (I think) and I am awaiting the hinges. I ordered them on friday and I don't know when I'll get them. Lack of having them puts me dead in the water for the time being.

out of the clamps

Still square and most of the bow that was in the sides is gone.

good fit

The door is dead nuts square and it fits the height with a 16th clearance at the top and bottom. With the door inset in the carcass it laid up square and the bow is almost gone completely. The big gap on the width, however, is still there.

got lucky

Found this scrap and it fills the gap perfectly - snug and self supporting. Decided to glue the filler on the latch side of the door.

dry fit

I ripped this out a wee bit wider and longer than the edge of the door.  After it cooked I planed it flush.

choices

I am using the one the right because it is smaller and the finish matches the hinges I ordered. I think the left one is too large for the scale of this cabinet . This is a arts and crafts snap catch and the cabinet is too plain for it.

dent work ahead

I tried using my 4x24 belt sander to flush the pins/tails and it was a dismal failure. The belt tracking went haywire and it gouged and left snake like tracks on the near end of this side. It took several attempts before most of them were raised. Although I flushed them I could still make them out. It may be a few days before they fade.

shoulda, woulda, coulda, but didn't

Setup I came up with flushing the pins/tails with a #4 handplane. I was surprised by how well this mickey mouse looking thing actually worked.

hmm......

Wish I  had thought of it years ago. Usually I would put the carcass on the floor up against the lally column to plane it. This worked wonderfully and I didn't have to fight gravity or kneel to do it.

adjustable shelves

Made a couple of jigs - one for the pin hole spacing and the square block for the depth stop. The bottom most pin is at 7" up and the top 8" down. I plan to put two shelves in the cabinet.

sigh

Tore out a chunk while flushing the filler. Not to outdo myself I tore out two more chunks on the other side. This is the face side and even though the door is getting painted, this divot is too large to fill with putty.

glued and cooking

It was a little tricky to get it glued and clamped. It wasn't that thick of a tear out but I think I got it aligned and clamped well. I would find out how well in a couple of hours.

two hours later

Happy with how well this cooked. It hadn't shifted when I clamped it.

dry fit

Going with an inset back. 1 3/4" frame with a 6mm panel. The alternative was a rabbet with either plywood or solid wood slats. I made it a 16th larger in both directions and I'll plane it to fit the carcass.

dead nuts

Both diagonals were dead nuts equal. I didn't use a full mortise and tenon. I used a stub tenon to fit in the groove I plowed for the 6mm panel. This frame will not be stressed in any way after it is installed, especially the 'mortise and tenons'.

last shelf

Finished planed both shelves and molded a profile on the front edges. I still have to do notches on the underside of both for the shelf pins.

top back stop

The cabinet could stand on its own without this but I like them. Originally it was almost 3" high but I didn't like the look of that. I cut it down to 1 1/2" and made a 3" radius round over on the ends. After I smoothed the ends I routed a chamfer on the front face.

filling gaps

After gluing the back stop on I turned my attention to filling in 3 pin/tail gaps. None of them were glaring obvious but I dislike gaps. To me they are a pointed finger at a screw up. Filled two on this corner with veneer and the last one on the opposite face bottom corner.

done?

I got the carcass and the shelves sanded up to 220 and I can start applying shellac on the carcass in the AM.

hmm.....

I think this frame and panel would have looked better with a center stile and two panels. I thought of it while doing the dry fit but decided to stay on this road. I didn't want to try and make a center stile to match the frame.

door is done

Had some tear out to fill in with putty on both sides. Used my violin plane to smooth out a few bumps in the chamfers. 

accidental woodworker

I’ve made several carved boxes in the past couple of months – and now they’re ready to wend their way out of here. This first one is an old-standby.

Carved oak box, pine lid & bottom

carved box, oak & pine, Sept 2025 PF

It’s one I’ve carved often – from the first group of joined furniture I ever studied – the works of the Savell family in Braintree, Massachusetts between 1640-1700.

front view

Interior till – wooden cleat/pintle hinges – this is one place where mine deviate from the originals – I adopted the wooden hinge from an unrelated box.

end view, showing cleat/hinge

H: 7 1/4” W: 22” D: 14”

The price is $1,500 plus shipping in US. If we use paypal, I’ll add their fee to the price for a total of $1,555. Otherwise, a check in the mail. If you have questions or would like to purchase the box, email me at PeterFollansbee7@gmail.com

Often people are surprised at the mixture of oak & pine, especially on the brand-new box. I remind them that use, light, polishing and handling will quickly darken the pine top & bottom. Here’s a photo I’ve used many times to show a new box on the left and a 15-year-old box on the right. We used it a lot, dusted & polished it a few times a year and let the light from the windows do the rest:

both boxes are oak with pine tops & bottoms

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Box with a drawer, oak, sycamore & pine

Every now and then I like to tackle something a bit more complex – this box-with-a-drawer is one I’ve tried a couple of times before. I changed one or two things this time but it’s a pretty close copy of one by Thomas Dennis in Ipswich, Massachusetts between 1660-1706.

PF box w drawer, Sept 2025; red oak, pine, sycamore & maple

It’s big – it pretty much has to be with the drawer added. H: 14” W: 23 1/2” D: 18”.

All the oak is riven, quartered – in the usual period manner. The lid is quartersawn American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) – the original used sycamore, but flatsawn- it has a large split down the middle. I glued up two quartersawn boards to get my lid.

detail lid & front

The figure on it is wild & subtle at the same time. The sort of thing that catches your eye now & then when the light hits it right, then other times you barely notice it.

The drawer is all riven oak – the sides meet the drawer front with a sliding dovetail. Bottom boards are thin, edges meet with a small tongue & groove. No drawer pull, you open the drawer using those “glyphs” attached at the ends of the drawer front.

oak drawer

Inside the box is a lidded till – and the box lid hinged with iron gimmals/snipebills.

till inside

It’s available – $3,000 plus shipping. Email me if you have questions or would like to order this special box – it’ll be a long time before I do one like it again.

Finish is a couple of coats of thinned linseed oil. More photos in the gallery below.

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Carved box, carved lid. Dovetailed….etc

One more. This one a bit different – dovetailed for one thing. No oak showing for another. Spanish cedar & some sort of mahogany. New for me…

I thought I was making this box from leftover pieces of Spanish cedar (cedrela odorata) – but once I had the box made, I had to buy some more wood for the lid and base. And then I realized my leftover board wasn’t just some “dark” cedar, it’s some type of mahogany.

front view

Cedrela is related to mahogany – they’re both in the family, Meliaceae. I’ve now told you almost all I know about cedrela and absolutely ALL I know about mahogany. I do know I’ve never knowingly bought any mahogany. I don’t know where I got the wood the box-body is made from.

But except for the two-tone look, I’m very happy with the box. It’s based on one I’ve only seen in photographs – a dovetailed box with a strapwork pattern on the front, sides & lid. The top edges of the dovetails are mitered – the first time I’ve done that detail.

mitered dovetails

I made a base molding to wrap around the bottom edges of the box. The snipe/gimmal hinges are blacksmith-made, from Horton Brasses. Lidded till inside. Finished with linseed oil.

open, showing the till & hinges

Here’s the specs:

H: 7” W: 22 1/8” D: 14 3/4”
price is $2,600 including shipping in US.

Email me at PeterFollansbee7@gmail.com if you’d like to purchase this box…you’ll have to dust the lid…

carved lid

Last weekend, I ventured out to an antique show in Urbana, OH. I got there around 8:00 am and walked around for a couple of hours buying a handful of tools. I was happy with what I bought as I just go to these antique shows because I enjoy going regardless of what I buy.

I decided to make one more pass around the fairgrounds when I decided to go down a little part that I didn’t visit before when I stumbled upon this guy.

A huge tool chest full of tools. The guy selling it said he took out of a house in Troy, OH from a woman who had it in her garage. It was her Dad’s tool chest. She had nowhere to keep it as she was moving into a retirement home, so she had to ged rid of it.

I looked inside at the tools and immediately noticed a Stanley No 8 and 5 Type 4 prelateral planes and an early version of a Stanley No 45 Combination plane. The guy told me he wanted $350 for the chest and tools and that he’s had a few offers for the chest alone. He then told me he’d sell all the tools in it for $200.  At this point, wheels were spinning in my head as to where I was going to put this thing as my shop is already overflowing with tools from the auction I went to a few months back.

Then the guy told me he’d take $300 for everything as he really wanted to get rid of it. At $300, I might as well buy the whole thing as the tool chest alone was worth more than a $100.  I told him I’d take, but I had to go to the ATM and get some cash.

I came back, gave him the money then drove into the fairgrounds to put it in my truck. I was stoked! In 35 years of collecting antique tools, I’ve never bought a tool chest, let alone one with a bunch of tools in it.

When I got home, I decided to look at the tool chest more closely. It was a pine box dovetailed together with brass hardware on the corners. Inside were mahogany tool bins with veneered banding on top.

Underneath the veneered bins were two tool totes for various tools and parts.

Removing those bins, were two more filled with auger bits and chisels.

Underneath those is where the planes were. There were only two bench planes but he had a decent collection of molding planes with most stamped J W ROOF.

I brought everything in my basement and cataloged all the tools that were inside. There were over 100 with a lot of them being small drill bits and hardware. There were a nice collection on incannel gouges along with metal working punches and wrenches. I’m trying to figure out what he did for a living but it may be impossible to figure out as who knows what tools are missing and which tools were just thrown into the chest over the years. 

With the age of the Stanley planes, I estimating that the chest was made in the 1870 -80’s  Now I need to decide what to do with it.  Nevertheless, what a great Birthday present to myself!

 Got the carcass dovetailed and glued up in the PM session. Ran into a few hiccups that I stepped back from to think on. Spent my post lunch stroll thinking about the problems I had with the carcass in the AM session without coming up with a game plan. Didn't stop me from jumping into the headache with both feet after the strolling was done.

hmm....

I've had the Keller dovetail marker on the left for over 25 years and I never used it. When I first got it I could not figure out how to mark dovetails with it. From what I remember about it, one tail is for softwoods and the other for hardwoods. I don't follow that protocol at all. I use the same angle regardless of the wood.

The dovetail marker on the right I had made based on one from Charles Hayward. The angle on it matches the lonesome Keller dovetail marker on the left perfectly. I don't know what this angle is but I have a second one that is a 1 in 7 angle, ala Paul Sellers. That is the one I used on this carcass. At least now I can say I do know how to use the Keller marker it but I doubt I will. Mine will mark the angle and plumb and square.

last six

Had one me-steak in knifing the baselines of the pins on one end. The inside face baseline was a strong 1/8" shy. When I knifed it again I saw that there were two knife nicks. Got lucky that I knifed on the short one and no evidence of it exists anymore.

dry fit

All four corners went together off the saw. I didn't have to trim a single pin to get the tails and pins to mesh like a hand going into a well worn glove. That aside, the fun started here too. I couldn't get the carcass to square up. When I finally got close to squaring it up, the carcass was twisted.

future headache

One problem that needs to be fixed first is squaring up the carcass. The second hiccup is both the right and left sides bow inward roughly at the mid point. 3rd one is the width is too wide. The top/bottom clearance is perfect with about a 16th clearance top and bottom.

this sucks pond scum

When I checked this before doing the dovetailing, the clearance was an 1/8" for both the height and width. Don't know where or how this gap grew and I can't ignore it. Way too big of a margin for a door.

frustrating

I was measuring the diagonals and switched over to my pinch rods. FYI the switch didn't help the squaring headache. I could get one side square but the other would be off a 1/4". Used a quick grip to pull the long diagonal to square the carcass, and that operation would twist the carcass. Plus I also had two corners where I couldn't get the tails to fully seat and stay seated.

good sign

Used 90° squaring clamps and the unclamped side is off a 1/8". Sigh. The good news is that the carcass isn't twisted.

one of the good corners

Just about all the tails came out proud. This corner has most of the tails fully seated except for the top one, which isn't that bad. When I clamped it and seated the tail, it threw the diagonals off.

hasn't improved

The carcass is kind of square but the sides still bow in and the width is still too wide.

fixed it

When I got back from the stroll I did something I rarely do when I dovetail. I relieved the inside of the tails. That helped immensely. The carcass was square within a 16th and the tails fully seating improved a lot. These two corners needed some help closing the gaps. Added benefit of that was I didn't need the quick grip to pull the long diagonal in. The tails fully seating actually helped with getting the carcass square.

I was prepared to do more to square up the carcass but relieving the tails was the trick. I don't know what the next step would have been if this hadn't worked. I'm sure it would have involved a great deal of choice expletives and finger pointing.

sigh

I knew I would have a gap here. I guessed at the knife line - it was faint and I eyeballed it but on the wrong side. After the carcass has cooked I'll glue a shim into this.

3/16"

Gap ended up an 8th inch too much. Since I'm not making a new door or carcass, I started to brainstorm ideas on how to close up this gap. One thing in my favor is I am painting the the door and leaving the carcass natural.

first idea

Glue a strip on the hinge side and plane it to fit. I like this idea as it is an easy fix and the paint will hide the evidence of it.

2nd idea

This one didn't survive at all. I think this is called an astragal - it would cover the gap over laping both on the door and the carcass edge. Even with this partial example it looked like crappola  to me.

3rd idea

This one is a strong contender for over taking the #1 spot. I like the look of beads on both outside edges of the door. There might be a few minor hiccups with fitting the hinges and snap catch but not insurmountable. Employing this fix will involve a couple of precision rips because I don't want to rip anything off the beads and I want to do the minimal amount of planing to fit the door. Something to muse over with sweet dreams tonight.

PM session cut short

There is a big storm (Nor'easter) coming through my part of the universe starting tonight. Lots of rain and winds for the next two days. I cut the PM session short to clean out the gutters on west side of the house. I wasn't expecting the size of the blockage I had to clear in both of the down sprouts. I cleaned out the down spouts on the east side when I painted it last week. I'm ready for the rain to bring it on.

accidental woodworker

One of the changes we decided to make during our ongoing renovation was to replace some of the tatami mat floors with wood. As much as I like tatami, ours were quite old and definitely in need of repair, which can be pretty costly. I’m also a major allergy sufferer and after living in the… Read More »Tomobe – Shikii Replacement

The post Tomobe – Shikii Replacement appeared first on Big Sand Woodworking.

Staining wood is one of those simple yet rewarding parts of woodworking. It brings out the grain, gives depth to the surface, and lets the natural character of the timber speak. Whether you are working on a small jewellery box or a larger cabinet, how you apply stain makes all the difference in the final look.

The first thing to remember is that stain is not paint. It does not sit on top of the wood. It soaks into the fibres, adding colour while still allowing the grain to show through. Because of that, surface preparation is everything. If the wood is not sanded evenly, the stain will soak in unevenly too, leaving darker patches that are hard to fix later.

Before applying any colour, I like to wipe the surface with a damp cloth to raise the grain. Once it is dry, a light pass with fine sandpaper smooths it again. This helps avoid that slightly rough feel that can appear after staining.

When it comes to applying the stain, I prefer using both a brush and a rag. A brush can reach into corners and allows me to lay down an even, heavier coat, something a rag cannot quite manage. It also helps me achieve the colour I want faster. Once brushed on, I wipe back the excess with a clean rag to even out the tone and control the depth of colour. Always work with the grain and avoid letting the stain pool in one area.

Different timbers take stain differently. Open-grained woods like oak or ash absorb stain readily, while Australian timbers have their own quirks. Tasmanian oak, for example, is a medium-density hardwood with a fairly even texture and straight grain, so it can take stain quite evenly if it is sanded properly. However, because it can contain both open and slightly interlocked grain depending on the piece, you can occasionally get mild blotching, not as bad as pine, but it can happen on unevenly sanded surfaces.

Jarrah, on the other hand, is a very dense and oily hardwood with a deep natural reddish tone. It does not blotch much, but it tends to resist stain absorption altogether. The stain will darken the surface a little, but it does not penetrate deeply. Sometimes the result looks patchy simply because the surface does not take the stain evenly, especially if the grain direction shifts or if the pores are closed from over-sanding.

Then there is blackwood, another dense Australian hardwood, but one that takes stain quite nicely if handled carefully. Its interlocked grain can catch light beautifully, and staining can make that depth stand out even more. Still, it is best to test on an offcut before committing, because small variations in grain structure can affect how evenly the colour takes.

A thin coat of shellac or sanding sealer can help control absorption and produce a smoother tone, especially on mixed-grain surfaces. Testing on a scrap piece from the same board is always worth the effort.

And to clear up a common misconception, stain absolutely does change the colour of the wood. It soaks into the surface fibres, adding pigment or dye that shifts the tone, often quite dramatically. Pine, for example, can go from pale yellow to a deep rosewood or mahogany shade with just one coat. The important thing is that the stain does not hide the grain like paint does. Instead, it colours the fibres while keeping the natural figure visible. That is why stain is so effective at bringing out depth and warmth while still letting the timber look like timber.

Once the stain has dried, I usually give it a light rub with 0000 steel wool or fine paper before applying a clear finish. Oil, shellac, or varnish will all bring out different warmth in the colour. Oil deepens it, shellac adds glow, and varnish gives it strength.

There is something deeply satisfying in watching the colour settle and the grain come alive. Done right, staining does not just show the wood, it transforms it.

I’m returning to Peter Galbert Workshops in Berwick, Maine to teach another bird bowl class this week. As part of my preparations, I carved another hen bowl to make sure I remembered how. We’ll carve a long and sleek goose-inspired … Continue reading →