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Feb 26
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AUTINE: Bladesmith John Neeman’s New Tool Company

By Hand Tools, Timber Framing
Autine Hand Forged Tools

John Neeman’s new wares

If you haven’t heard the scoop already, master bladesmith John Neeman of Neeman Tools, whose dazzling photos and videos of deliciously hand forged woodworking tools have whipped up a lot of excitement over the past year, has now branched away from his namesake company and is heading AUTINE, a new family company dedicated to creating stunning, and absolutely top quality axes, knives, chisels, and more.

It is unclear how the split between John Neeman and Neeman Tools has occurred, and it’s certainly confusing that his name is still the brand for the company that he has detached from, but regardless, we lucky tool fetishists now have two incredible sources for excellent hand forged tools.

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Feb 22
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Hans Karlsson Makes Some Fine Tools

By Woodworking, Hand Tools
Hans Karlsson adze

Hans Karlsson 5cm adze for bowl carving

I like learning about new tool makers, and Hans Karlsson is a Swedish blacksmith whose high quality, hand-forged carving and woodworking tools are ones I’ve been recently taken with. I picked up a small carving adze and heavy duty bent gouge for bowl making, and the excellent quality is distinct from the get-go.

Here’s some information on Hans Karlsson and his tools that I have been able to glean. If you’re interested in bowl and spoon carving, or any kind of hand tool woodworking, take note!

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Feb 19
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Restoring an Old Millers Falls Boring Machine / I ❤ Craigslist

By Hand Tools, Timber Framing
Millers Falls Boring Machine - Replacement Base

The partly restored Millers Falls machine with brand new base

First of all, I love craigslist. I actually don’t use it that often in my daily life (it’s less useful when you live in the country), but we’ve made a few real scores in some lucky searching stints. While in TN, I happened to do a Millers Falls boring machine search, and I found one… for $160, and it wasn’t terribly far away. The only downside is that it needed some work, namely a new base and one or two small parts replaced.

Considering these suckers can go for $400-$900, I’d say it was worth it. And they just don’t make any equivalent (hand-powered) versions of these things anymore, so I felt obligated to pick this one up, tune it up, and preserve it. (And use it, too, no doubt.)

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Feb 17
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The Best Shaving Horse Plans

By Hand Tools, Woodworking
Shaving Horse

The “Smarthead” shaving horse design

During our time at Greg Pennington’s workshop here in Hendersonville, TN, I got spoiled using his awesome shaving horse, and knew that I would eventually have to make my own. Well, I had that opportunity over the past couple of weeks, and I based the design on Greg’s live edge seat, and Peter Galbert’s super sweet ‘Smarthead’ plans. This is the best shaving horse, I do believe. The beauty of Galbert’s design is that the user can adjust the size of the working area by simply ratcheting the head, without fiddling with pins. It’s also super strong. And very comfortable, which is equally important. I love it.

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Feb 13
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Carved Spoon with Milk Paint

By Woodworking
Spoon Carving

New spoon with milk paint

I’m still on a carving kick, and I finished this maple spoon shortly after our trip to Kentucky. April was in the midst of painting her Windsor chair, and I was inspired to paint the handle after seeing a number of carved spoons with painted handles online. I used a bit of her milk paint and was pleased with how it enhanced the look of this spoon.
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Feb 12
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5 MUDDY YEARS!

By Uncategorized
The Year of Mud

Occasionally, there is rest for the weary

I happened to look at my archives page and realized that The Year of Mud is now five years old. It’s been quite a trip thus far. There’s been much to learn along the way. The blog had fairly humble beginnings, and perhaps a bit naive, too, now that I look back on some of what I had written.

There has definitely been an evolution of sorts over time, in my thinking and writing, and through what I have been trying to achieve here.

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Feb 11
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Stunning Timber Reciprocal Roof Frame Design

By Reciprocal Roof, Timber Framing
Timber Frame Reciprocal Roof

Amazing timber frame and reciprocal roof

Wow. This is gorgeous. I like catching wind of different reciprocal roof designs, and this one is mighty impressive. Designed and built by Fire Tower Engineered Timber, this reciprocal roof is part of an Episcopal Church construction on Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. The dimensions are… massive. Read below for details.

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Feb 09
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Non-Electric, Hand Crank KitchenAid Mixer

By Living Electricity-free
Hand Crank Mixer

An Amish-made hand crank KitchenAid mixer

I just have to share this, since I’m a big fan of non-electric and hand crank kitchen tools and equipment. We came across this hand crank KitchenAid mixer on a recent trip to Kentucky. Check out that cadillac. This is a customized KitchenAid, modified by the Amish — the electric guts have been removed and replaced.

I love that you can adjust the speed by simply shortening or lengthening the handle. Very slick and simple. This thing is definitely out of my own price range ($400+, yikes), but dang if it isn’t neat. I’m assuming you can make butter in it really nicely, too — much better than a small antique butter churn because the KitchenAid sits so rock solidly on your countertop.

Anyway, there ya have it. Dream on, off-grid folks.

Feb 01
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How Do We Take Care of Ourselves and Our Bodies?

By Uncategorized
Physical Work

Don’t overdo it now…

A few weeks ago, I visited with Christina Ott of Barefoot Builder in Woodbury, TN. It was a lot of fun, and it’s always really rewarding to have good, meaningful exchange with folks who are on the same trajectory as your own. Anyway, a topic came up which I have since been thinking about a bit, and I have a question I would love to pose to everyone out there who does very physical work as a part of their livelihoods.

How do we take care of ourselves and our bodies?

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