The Woodshop Shed

Frankenweenie

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


From the movie : FrankenweenieThis didn't look this hard on paper. I dug it out of the trash once, changed plans more than twice, and here it is.I could call this a basswood box, because that is what it is. A woodturning box. Rare earth magnets hold the head on very well, but it's not hard to take off.To make the ears, legs and tail, I first used modeling clay to make a template, then made it out of wood. Those parts are glued and screwed on, with a paste of basswood dust and TB3 glue to feather the edges.The body blank is basswood , 5” x 5” x 12”
The head blank is basswood, 4” x 4” x 12”
Legs and ears basswood scraps and the tail is BB Plywood12” tall x 6” wide x 10” deepAcrylic paints and Mohawk Dead Flat LacquerOne last pic

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Spalted Elm Box with Lid

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


This piece was a joy to turn. Most pieces are until they aren't. This one was never not.
I am calling this Spalted Elm because I am not sure what it actually is and I've already turned a few pieces from this tree and called it elm. Its so soft (and green) so it cuts like butter. It immediately turns this gorgeous brown color and when I finish it with oil it darkens a bit more. I am including a few pics of the last piece I have and it has bark so maybe someone can help me identify it. I did not see the leaves, flowers or seeds because I collected it in December.When I say it was a joy to turn and it cut like butter that is compared to the 15# (maybe 20#) blank I cut from mesquite just before this piece. The mesquite would have been the largest piece I've ever turned but I kept finding punky wood and trying to cut it away. I made sawdust for an hour and a half trying to find solid wood. I ended up with a piece that is about the size of a saucer or small bowl. I am saving it to make a lid for another piece.I wish I had collected more of it.
I originally was intrigued by how the trunk almost has a right angle. I think it was a main trunk and a smaller trunk that grew together. While processing it I found a thin layer of bark embedded where it grew together. That would have been disasterous if I had not noticed. I believe it would have blew apart on the lathe while turning.The strange coloration isn't sapwood vs hardwood, nor is the color difference spalting. I honestly don't know what it is or why its like that. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated, especially with identifying it so I can find some more.Another fun feature for this is that the lid was made from the tenon I cut to hold this piece in my chuck jaws. I had been using a recess/rebate to hold the piece in expansion mode but on this one I tried a tenon and used it in compression mode. The finial is made from a piece of mesquite.I am improving the quality of my cuts by sharpening often, very often. The piece is cut from a side grain orientation which means the endgrain of the log swings around twice in each rotation and that is prone to some tear out. I used primarily bowl gouges and a round nose scraper to shape the bowl.The finish is a “Danish” blend of polyurethane, mineral spirits and tung oil. I flooded the piece with it and wiped it off. There are probably 5 coats of the film finish. I haven't applied wax or shellac yet and I may not once it is fully cured. If I do I will update with another pic.Lastly, I am trying new photo shoot set ups and this is indoors with some large tiles and four lights. I have a few more different patterned tiles and I bought a photography backdrop but for smaller items the tile seems to work.
Any feedback on the photos would also be appreciated.Here are some more pics of the Spalted Elm Lidded Box. (even if its a different wood species that name is going to stick for this piece and the previous “spalted elm” pieces.
As usual, comments and feedback are welcome!

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Modern Bread Box

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


My wife has been asking for a place to store our bread that has been sitting out on the counter for a while. And since pantry space is a hot commodity, I decided to build this sweet bread box. I used classic mortise and tenon joinery to build the box, plus some other traditional techniques and tools. My go-to wood is always walnut, but I also incorporated some hard maple for the drawers and front for added contrast on the counter.Now our bread will finally have a home. I hope you enjoy the build video, and it inspires you to build your own.Watch the Build Video HereHave a great day!

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Shavings Shower

Furnished content.
(from Popularwoodworking.com)


Shavings Shower Last spring I reorganized my shop and moved my planer near the garage door so it could spew its shavings harmlessly onto the driveway. Now that it's colder, I work with the garage door closed. One night recently …Source

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Drawer Stop Screws

Furnished content.
(from Popularwoodworking.com)


Making an inset drawer line up flush with the face of a cabinet can be fussy work. To make it easy, I just install two screws on the back of the drawer and turn them until the drawer's front is …Source

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