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Woodworking

Nov 21
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Swedish Carving Techniques Book to be Reprinted!

By Resources, Woodworking
Swedish Carving Techniques Book: Wille Sundqvist

This praised spoon carving book is finally due for a reprint

One of the most highly praised and sought after spoon and bowl carving books in recent times is Wille Sundqvist’s Swedish Carving Techniques. I am terribly excited to have found out that the book is due to be reprinted, and will be available for sale from Taunton Press in mid-December of this year. A mere few weeks away, really. The book’s going rate for even a used copy is typically upwards of $120. I believe the new reprint will cost between $30-35, which is greatly appreciated.

UPDATE: The book is now for sale directly through the publisher, in limited quantities. At $24.95, it’s a steal!

Needless to say, I am extremely excited about this bit of news, as I have been searching the internet for a copy for a reasonable sum for months.

Aug 25
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Make Your Own Wooden Pizza Peel

By Woodworking, Cob Oven, Hand Tools
Wooden Pizza Peel

Homemade wooden pizza peel ready for action

This week, I remembered our nearly finished outdoor oven is almost useless without a certain few tools. Unlike a conventional oven, you don’t just pop open the door, throw on an oven mitt or two, and take out your food. The best and most exciting part of baking in a cob oven is sliiiiding pizza and bread in and out with a pizza peel, a long handled paddle for transferring food in and out without burning your fingertips off in a 800°+ cooking environment. So I decided to take a couple hours to make a wooden pizza peel with a piece of oak I had sighted earlier for the purpose. Here’s how I made it.

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May 09
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No Shortage of Things To Do

By Strawtron, Woodworking

spring work

There’s been no shortage of things to do these past few weeks. Other than the usual building and gardening tasks, there’s been a lot on the list of items to complete.

I realize it’s been a while since I’ve posted any new photos of work on Strawtron… I promise we are not slacking. Nothing has jumped out at me as really photo-worthy just yet. Although that will change soon, as we are closing in the north porch and will soon be doing some light clay straw work. Yea!

Just when I think we’re done with work on Gobcobatron, we find more to do. As we are converting the cob house to a rental this year (see how you can stay in our cob house this summer!), it means we’ve taken some time to do some maintenance work — re-grouting parts of the tile floor, oiling the floor (finally), tearing out the mudroom floor to put in a more durable tile floor, making a brandy new bed frame to accommodate a queen size mattress, dusting the rafters… Didn’t I say I was “done” with this house before?

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May 08
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What a Studley Tool Chest… and More Woodworking Hand Tool Candy

By Hand Tools, Woodworking
H.O. Studley Tool Chest

The infamous (and absolutely gorgeous) H.O. Studley Tool Chest

By the way, comments should be back open! I swear, I am just constantly plagued by weird comments bugs on this blog, and half the time people can’t chime in because something in the inner workings of this here website has rewired itself again. Go ahead and try it now, though!

Moving on… In just a couple of short weekends, Handworks in Amana, Iowa is happening. Handworks (May 24-25) is a sweet little two day woodworking hand tool festival, with a bunch of companies turning out to show off their stuff, providing a good excuse for woodworkers and tool mongers to talk even more about sharp edged things.

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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 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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Jan 25
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Spoons, Shelves, and Other Carving & Woodworking Projects

By Woodworking, Hand Tools

Hand Carved Spoon

Now that my Windsor chair is done, I have bonus time to work on extracurricular woodworking and carving projects at Greg’s. Right now I’m in the midst of a Peter Galbert-style sawhorse with ratcheting head. Oh boy, this is a treat. But more on that later, since I have nothing to show just yet.

Above is a spoon I carved a few weeks back. It’s one of a handful I carved in the last month, and my favorite spoon so far. I have plans to continue making more, and my new shaving horse will be extremely useful once I get back home to continue the carving work.

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Jan 17
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Windsor Chair Milk Paint Job Complete

By Hand Tools, Photos, Woodworking
Windsor Chair

Finished Windsor chair with milk paint and oil finish

Wow, I can finally claim that the Windsor chair I have been working on is… 100% done. In fact, I’m sitting on it as I type this. What a great feeling! (For my rear end, and my morale!)

Here’s a few photos of the final milk paint job. I’m really digging the bayberry green color.

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