woodworking Archives - Page 3 of 11

10 Amazing Women Woodworkers to Follow

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Jeff Easterling

The number of women working in the traditionally male-dominated fields of construction and manufacturing is rising, albeit at a slow pace. That includes specialty trades within building and finishing, like carpentry, where women held 13.4% of all jobs in 2020 (a 3.1 percentage point gain since 1990), and flooring, which has seen the biggest increase in female workers overall at 21.6% total (6.39 points higher than 1990.) But a considerable pay gap remains, with full-time wage and salary workers receiving 82% of men’s salaries in comparable positions.

One way to keep bridging that gap is to simply support women in these trades. Social media makes it easier than ever to find women woodworkers, for instance, and follow all the amazing things they create. Hardware manufacturer Accuride recently rounded up a list of 10 female woodworkers you need to know about. Here are four of those women – check out the rest at Accuride.

Alma Rosa Villalobos, Pink Soul Studios

Offering custom woodworking and CNC services, Alma Rosa Villalobos builds fun stuff like tables, record storage cabinets, signs and tools. She also sells plans for some of her designs, and has a helpful list of the tools and equipment she prefers on her website, for anyone who wants to learn from her example.

Brittany Bailey, Pretty Handy Girl

“My mantra is that if someone can do it, then there is a 95% chance that I can do it too!” says Brittany Bailey, a.k.a. Pretty Handy Girl. Bailey is a licensed general contractor, artist and designer whose goal is to smash stereotypes that women can’t handle their own repairs, upgrades or DIY projects. She offers detailed tutorials for all kinds of projects on Instagram and on her website.

Claire Baldwin, Polish & Power Tools

Based in Nashville, Claire Baldwin began her woodworking journey by building a simple coffee table for her apartment. She fell in love with the process and started her own business, Polish & Power Tools, crafting desks, cabinets, shelves, tabletops, wall art and more. “The more I learn, the more I can hone in on the art of building fine furniture & home decor,” she says. “I find joy in creating and helping others fill their home with heirloom pieces that are constructed to last a lifetime.”

Jen Woodhouse, House of Wood

Jen Woodhouse is a self-taught carpenter who tackles everything from small decorative items to timber frame pergolas. In between completing her own projects, she offers in-depth tutorials for anyone who’s ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work and documents her adventures in design, woodworking and home renovation projects. Her website is jam-packed with projects laid out in a way that’s easy to understand, even if you don’t have a lot of experience.

https://easternwhitepine.org/philadelphia-exhibit-showcases-women-in-woodworking/

https://easternwhitepine.org/women-in-wood-for-the-greater-good-an-inspiring-sustainable-forestry-initiative-project/

Eastern White Pine Tips for New Woodworkers

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Jeff Easterling

Pine is pine, right? Not quite. Different species of pine trees can produce very different qualities in lumber, so they’re not all suitable for the same uses. Southern yellow pine, for instance, has a high load-bearing capacity, but it can be difficult to work with, and if you want to stain it, results can be unpredictable. Deal pine, which is often imported from Europe, has very pronounced grain and rings.

Eastern white pine (pinus strobus), on the other hand, has a more delicate grain, excellent strength for its weight and a fine texture ideal for detailed woodworking. It’s used for both structural and secondary purposes, from timber frame houses and barns to fine millwork and cabinetry.

A lightweight softwood, Eastern White Pine dries very quickly with little risk of warp or checking. The sapwood, which makes up most of the tree, is a lovely pale yellow-white that darkens naturally with exposure to sunlight, but also takes stain nicely. Affordable and readily available, it’s used extensively in all facets of woodworking and carpentry. If you’re new to woodworking and want to give it a shot, here are some tips to get the best results possible.

Source your Eastern White Pine straight from lumberyards, if you can, where it has been professionally dried and stored, and look for clean, straight stock. It’s best if you give your lumber some time to acclimate to your shop environment after purchase, which will make it stronger, drier and more stable when you’re ready to use it. Keep your work surface free of debris to avoid unwanted dents, but if you do have a dent or two, just position a damp cloth over the spot and heat it with an iron for a few seconds to allow the fibers to swell back into place.

Eastern White Pine absorbs stain easily, which is a great quality, but you’ll want to finely sand the end grain to keep its color even with the rest of the wood. Use good quality stains and consider using a pre-stain conditioner for the most even results. If you’re worried about resin, you can buy small pieces of pine from craft suppliers that are already cut and milled to size, but the sap wipes up with a dab of “Simple Green” or commercial pitch and resin remover.

“When people are learning to use hand tools, I often recommend that they start with Eastern white pine, and here is why,” says Vic Tesolin of Fine Woodworking.

“Pine is soft. Because of this this softness, you need an extremely sharp blade to cut it well. A dull chisel will mash its way through pine but only a keen edge will slice through it, leaving a clean, crisp surface. Having sharp chisels for any woodworking task is critical and the best way to ensure that your sharpening game is up to snuff is to trying paring pine. If you can flawlessly pare pine, you can pare anything and should get clean surfaces.”

Check out some amazing examples of intricately carved Eastern White Pine by Mendota Mantels.

More tips for working with Eastern White Pine:

https://easternwhitepine.org/spotlight-on-white-pine-finishing-tips-from-woodcraft-magazine/

https://easternwhitepine.org/shou-sugi-ban-japanese-technique-makes-pine-wood-waterproof-with-fire/

https://easternwhitepine.org/you-can-do-that-woodworking-projects-in-google-sketchup/

Modernist Furniture Series Explores the Possibilities of Pine

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Jeff Easterling

Pine doesn’t get enough credit as a versatile, malleable and beautiful material in Modernist design. So says Studio Sløyd, a Norwegian design firm aiming to take advantage of this sustainable resource, which grows abundantly in the area. The designers wanted to demonstrate how perfect pine can be for sculpting pieces that feel fresh and of-the-moment.

“FH.02 is a three legged stool made out of solid Norwegian pine,” say the designers. “We wanted to create an object that used pine in a contemporary manner. Using a common typology, we explore how far we can push the shape and structure of the wood to create something unique. The result is a bold stool with massive legs that displays the intricate patterns within the material itself.”

It’s these patterns and variation in the grain that make pine such a special wood to work with, and they’re showcased here with an impressive degree of craftsmanship and intimate understanding of the material. The series only consists of two stools, but it’s easy to see how this rounded, organic yet minimalist style could be extended to larger pieces like tables, beds and cabinets.

“Furuhelvete is a Norwegian expression stemming from the overuse of pine in Norwegian homes and cabins, often associated with a style that is considered distasteful or outdated,” Studio Sløyd told Dezeen.

“With the Furuhelvete collection we wish to challenge the traditional perception of the wood and create a new interest for this local and wonderful material.”

The collection successfully demonstrates why pine is ideal for modern design. But for those whose love for pine never wavered, these stools can still provide inspiration for new ways of laying the grain by cutting lumber and piecing it back together with an eye for detail. Open those images and examine them up close to see what we mean.

Young Pros Show Off Their Talents in Woodworking Competition

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Jeff Easterling

Woodworking Network’s sixth #YoungWoodPros competition is underway, and the finalists have been chosen. The annual competition recognizes outstanding young woodworking professionals and their most impressive projects, drawing in hundreds of entries across the United States.

Open to all woodworkers between the ages of 18 and 35, the competition draws a fun array of projects in a variety of styles, from midcentury modern tables to electric guitars.

Zack Schaffer’s Johnson Dresser

Mark Thomas’ Walnut Butcher Block Island

The Woodworking Network kicked off the 2021 competition by putting photos of all entries up on its Facebook page, and finalists were chosen by the public in the form of Facebook likes. From there, a panel of judges will consider the overall look and presentation of each project, along with the complexity of its construction and design.

Daniel Threlkeld’s Hawk Hardwood Floor Inlay

The contest offers a peek into what young woodworkers consider to be their best work, and it’s fun to see all the unique ways the entrants use our favorite natural material to craft both functional and decorative objects. You can check all the entries out on the Woodworking Network’s Facebook page, and find the full list of ten finalists on their website.

Luke Barnett’s Birdcage Chair

Those finalists include Zack Schaffer, whose “Johnson Dresser” is made of tiber maple and hand carved rosewood, Mark Thomas, who made a walnut butcher block kitchen island, Daniel Threlkeld and his stunning Hawk Hardwood Floor Inlay, and Luke Barnett’s interpretation of the classic Windsor Chair, which consists of 13 uniquely steam-bent components designed to cradle the human body.

The winner of the contest will be announced at the 2021 Co-located Closets Conference & Expo/Wood Pro Expo on June 9, 2021 in Palm Springs, Florida. Last year, 31-year-old Andrew Morris won with a sleek and beautifully crafted walnut credenza.

Top 10 Custom Wood Camper Van Interiors

Posted on November 18, 2020 by Jeff Easterling

Did you know vans these days can literally contain everything AND the kitchen sink? Whether carried out as DIY projects or professionally, camper van conversions take workhorse vehicles and transform them into compact mobile homes, and many #VanLifers choose to line their interiors almost entirely with wood. These cool projects demonstrate just how much functionality (and dreamy, comfortable domesticity) you can achieve when you insert wood paneling, countertops, cabinets and other built-in elements. Sure beats all the plastic in a typical RV, doesn’t it?

How many different kinds of wood can you fit in a single van interior? Ask dog duo Hagen and Harper and their human parents of “Two Dogs and a Van,” who completed this awesome DIY project.

Emma Gabrielle’s van features a gorgeous resin-inlaid wood countertop, wood cabinetry and a colorful ceiling.

This surfer-oriented van by Wavemates has wood paneling that curves up onto the ceiling for a cozy feel.

Hayley’s gorgeous boho van is bursting with personality, from the trailing plants to the moon and sun plywood cutouts creating a little separation between the bed and kitchen.

Arizona-based company Tommy Campervans completes conversions so awesome, you can hardly tell they’re van interiors rather than (admittedly tiny) houses. The shower in this one is an impressive addition, but it’s the wood that really shines.

Anni named her sweet little Mercedes van “Elsa.” This conversion boasts a lovely combination of natural wood and painted white surfaces for a clean, organized but warm look.

Have you ever seen a van quite like this one? Taking inspiration from traditional Roma vardos, Tymer and Ashley’s Sprinter van has curved wooden frames over the bed offering additional storage and one-of-a-kind style.

Contrasting dark and light wood tones somehow make this van extra homey, especially with those handcrafted doors.

Krys and Taylor transformed a Sprinter van into a cozy roaming home with tons of character, and these pictures really capture just how much ambiance wood can add into the mix.

The mood inside this custom van by builder Advanture Co. is one of the darkest and most dramatic we’ve ever seen. It’s appropriately named “The Woodsman.”

Traditional Woodworking Goes High-Tech with Software & CNC Routers

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Jeff Easterling

Woodworker Norman Pease, who began his career in 1985 and founded his Pennsylvania custom millwork company in 2002, is taking his business into the 21st century. While the finely detailed works he produces will still be born of his own imagination and creativity, a new process of actually carving them will take a lot of strain off his hands (literally).

Pease has always carved the impressive works he creates for Three Gryphons Carving Studio the traditional way, with hand tools like chisels. Serving designers, architects and cabinetmakers, the woodworker recently switched to a three-axis ShopSabre CNC router with a 4 x 8 foot cutting table to keep up with all the requests he was getting for custom relief work, turning and engraving.

“At this stage, I actually had too much demand for the amount of time available, so I was turning away work”, he told Woodworking Network. “I was new to CNC machining and I started from nothing. I didn’t know how to draw on a computer, I didn’t know how to use CAD, I never ran a CNC router before and the machine had to hit the ground running in terms of making money straight away.”

“As I had never used any other CAD/CAM software, I spoke to a lot of people about different software programs to drive the router and EnRoute was the name that kept popping up,” he said. “Those recommendations from other EnRoute users, and a price point a couple of thousand dollars less than some solutions from other competitors made it seem like a sensible option.”

The software even lets him ensure that the final works won’t be “too perfect,” lacking the little details that add personality and a human touch. A feature called “distort toolpaths” gives the carving a rugged look. What used to take a week to finish can now be done in as little as five hours, and while the machine is running, Pease can work on other projects.

Looking at the woodworker’s portfolio of past creations on Facebook, it’s clear that he’s always been skilled enough to produce finely wrought detail, so the use of these tools hasn’t markedly changed the character of his work. Some people may mourn what the adoption of CNC routers and CAD could mean for skilled woodworking in the future, and that’s a legitimate concern. But it’s nice to know that they’ll allow woodworkers like Pease to boost production and hopefully make more money, too.