woodworking Archives - Page 5 of 11

Virtual Reality Simulations Help Train Future Woodworkers

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Jeff Easterling

Woodworking is an ancient profession, and some artisans maintain a connection to the old ways through the use of nothing but traditional hand tools. But technology has a place in woodworking, too, and its role continues to grow. Would you ever have guessed that virtual reality tech would be involved?

Though they’re usually associated with video games, virtual reality headsets and software can actually help train future woodworkers, according to the Woodwork Career Alliance (WCA), which offered continuous interactive demonstrations of its high-tech training systems at the 2019 AWFS Fair in Las Vegas.

“Virtual reality is a tremendous tool for instructing students and new employees on the safe operation of equipment used in our industry,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “Young adults and kids are being raised on interactive video games that have a strong VR component. I think training simulators like the ones that will be demonstrated in Las Vegas can help attract more youths into our industry. I encourage educators and woodworking company managers to stop by our booth to see the potential of these systems first-hand.”

WCA teamed up with Chicago-based company Mimbus two develop two unique virtual reality training systems: the Wood-Ed Table and Simpsray. The first is a four-in-one system that can teach students how to operate basic woodworking machinery like bandsaws, ripsaws, jointers and shapers in a safe environment using 3D interactive glasses.

The Simpsray is a virtual reality machine that replicates a spray booth, so trainees can experience the process of applying a wood coating using a hand-held spray gun before doing it in real life. What’s the point, you may ask? The teachers say the use of this technology not only reduces the cost of finishing materials during training, it also eliminates a whole lot of VOC emissions from spray operator training programs.

Check out more info at Mimbus.com.

The Woodworking Industry is Hiring, and it’s Raising Pay

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Jeff Easterling

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Have you ever thought about becoming a woodworker? One of many cool career paths in the wood products industry, woodworking is a rewarding hands-on profession, and right now, there’s a big demand for fresh recruits. In a recent Woodworking Network survey, 80 percent of professional woodworkers polled said the company they run or work for is having trouble finding laborers, and over 65 percent of them say they’re raising starting pay to help drum up interest.

Sign on bonuses, extra vacation time, sick days and boosts in benefits are other draws many woodworking businesses are beginning to offer. Plus, they’re lowering their hiring standards, accepting many applications who would have previously been ruled out due to factors found in common background checks.

According to the pros who responded to the poll, all of these industry vacancies can be attributed to the rural locations of many shops, the country’s current low unemployment rates, a lack of skilled and unskilled labor and even “millennial low interest and work ethic,” including slow productivity and an inability to put down their smartphones. But that definitely doesn’t mean these businesses aren’t willing to hire youth. In fact, they’re leading a significant push to reach out to high schools and community colleges, educating students about opportunities that are available and how they can get started.

Many professionals in the wood products and timberland industries have noted that schools these days just aren’t doing enough to expose students to the trades, putting pressure on them to go to college instead. But plenty of trades are booming, offering challenging paths with plenty of forward momentum for people who are willing to start low on the rungs and work their way up into management positions. Many businesses are willing to train new applicants from the ground up, offer accommodating schedules and provide financial incentives to employees who refer new workers.

As we’ve noted before, reaching out to younger generations is essential to the future of the wood products industry. Some forestry colleges, like the one at Oregon State University, are starting new programs that visit high school classrooms to talk about professional opportunities and educate the public – one student at a time – about how logging and other aspects of forestry have changed in recent decades. They also talk about how many different career tracks a forestry undergraduate can choose from, including science & engineering, marketing & management, art & design and advanced wood manufacturing.

Check out the details of this poll at WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Top image via Dale Simonson/Flickr CC by 2.0

Eastern White Pine Staircase Brings Scandinavian Style to a Minnesota Retreat

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Jeff Easterling

Meteek North Shore Stairway

“The divine is in the detail,” says Minnesota-based builder Meteek & Co. of the stunning staircase standing at the center of the North Shore Retreat. Hand-crafted of locally grown and sustainably harvested Eastern White Pine by Minnesota Timber and Millwork (MTM), the staircase was custom-made for the space and features a delicate stencil pattern drawing inspiration from Scandinavian scroll work design, a motif that is echoed throughout the home.

Meteek North Shore 2

“Each of these giant white pine treads measures 4 inches thick and 12 inches deep,” says Meteek. “We used Rubio Monocoat in clear to preserve the golden hue of the pine.”

Meteek North Shore TImber Frame

The wood was harvested from Northern Minnesota forests and sawn in the historic Rajala Bigfork sawmill before being dried slowly in the plant’s own kilns. Rajala Companies is the longest continually running sawmill in the state. We previously wrote about Jack Rajala, the “legendary lumberman” who planted 3.5 million Eastern White Pine trees in Minnesota, and the wonderful legacy he left behind.

Meteek North Shore Hearth

Meteek North Shore Hearth 2

Meteek gives us a peek at the rest of the home, too, which is cozy as can be. They used a mix of modern and classic Scandinavian design to fit out the interiors with warm woods and hand-finished metal accents. The stunning hearth is framed by a stone mural created by stone artisan Larry Beaumont of Beaumont Stoneworks in Duluth.

The Holidays are Here! 7 Gift Ideas Made From Sustainable Eastern White Pine

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Jeff Easterling

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Feel great about the gifts you’re giving this holiday season when you choose handcrafted items made from sustainably sourced Eastern White Pine. Not only are these gifts gorgeous and environmentally friendly, they’re built to last, and they’ll only grow more beautiful with use and age. This list of seven gift ideas includes an awesome slingshot for kids, furniture items your loved ones will treasure, casual items for friends and acquaintances and the perfect vessel for custom gift baskets.

Handmade Chevron Eastern White Pine Doormat

Handmade Chevron White Pine Doormat

There’s no doubt that this doormat makes a stellar first impression! Handmade in the U.S.A. of 100% sustainable eastern white pine by a Vermont-based family business, this gorgeous piece features slats cut in a V-shaped chevron design to capture dirt and leaves from your shoes and look great doing it. Each mat is held together with 100 galvanized steel nails for strength and durability. It’s available in natural, barn red, mountain green or slate grey.

Triplets: White Pine Puzzles Made in Maine

Triplets Puzzle Sculptures

Get a set of three sweet baby animal sculptures in puzzle form from In the Woods Maine. Made of sustainably harvested white pine in central Maine, the sets feature all sorts of species from the animal kingdom: whales, alligators, beavers, dolphins, kangaroos, cats and more. Pretty cute, huh?

Maine White Pine Kitchen & Beverage Tote

Maine White Pine Tote 1

This handy tote by Quercus Woodworking is handmade in Alfred, Maine by fourth-generation woodworker John Ibsen using sustainably harvested white pine. It holds a six pack of standard-sized bottles “and also doubles as a kitchen companion for holding your favorite cooking oils, utensils, etc.” It includes a rustic-style bottle opener and is finished with tung oil.

Solid Wood & Leather Slingshot

Solid Wood Slingshot

Got an adventurous kiddo on your list? This cute slingshot by Solid Manufacturing Co is handmade of 100% sustainably harvested white pine and vegetable-tanned leather. Designed for kids 10 and over, this slingshot is made well enough to pass down over generations.

Murphy-Style Folding Arts & Crafts Work Station

Eastern White Pine folding craft table

Know somebody who could use some extra crafting space, but has limited room in their home? This fold-down workstation and storage shelf takes inspiration from Murphy beds, and it’s gorgeous in its simplicity, too. Handcrafted in South Carolina by third generation master woodworker Clint Gray using solid eastern white pine, it’s perfect for sewing, painting, drawing, working on a computer or even dining for two.

Handmade Harvest Moon Bench

The Fable Porch Series by small North Carolina business March Legend is made of 100% renewable or reclaimed wood sources and finished with Vermont Natural Coatings. The Harvest Bench is crafted from – you guessed it – sustainably harvested eastern white pine, and it’s fully customizable.

Colonial Pine Baskets

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Putting together gift baskets to show your appreciation this holiday season? Consider solid wood Eastern White Pine crates, made in the U.S.A. of sustainably sourced lumber. The Colonial Pine Basket from Master Gourmet Packaging in South Shore, Massachusetts is a gift in its own right, easy to paint or stain if you want to give it a custom look, and an ideal way to set off the items you’ve chosen to put inside. It comes in a wide variety of sizes, and you can also have the company dye or stamp it for you or add handles to the sides.

Pine Ages Beautifully! Here’s How to Speed Up the Process

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Jeff Easterling

While some materials might begin to degrade as soon as you install them, leading to the inevitable need to rip them out and start anew, pine just keeps on growing more gorgeous year after year. In fact, it’s often chosen for applications where an aged and weathered look isn’t just acceptable but desirable, like flooring or exterior cladding. New is nice, after all, but there’s just something special about a surface that looks like it has a history.

Pine performs this aging process effortlessly all on its own: the wood silvers to a grayish blue sheen over time when left untreated, and its softness allows it to take on gentle textures as it’s exposed to repeated wear. Highly coveted naturally weathered barn siding is a great example. People love it so much, they’re reclaiming it from old agricultural buildings to use indoors.

If you’d rather control this silvering process, you can apply pigmented oils to make the pine more UV-resistant. But if you want to bring it out or skip the wait altogether, you have plenty of techniques to choose from.

First and foremost is the easiest route. Lumber sellers and even Home Depot often offer ready-made options, like shiplap pine siding in a grey weathered barn wood finish.

An intentionally weathered look is a great way to make use of lower grades of Eastern White Pine, which can be very affordable. Tutorials for aging pine siding, like this one from SF Gate, often call for distressing the planks with hammers and abrasive tools. You can also find rough sawn or wire-brushed Eastern White Pine for a rustic look without breaking out any distressing tools yourself.

Before and after: Treating pine with tea and iron vinegar via Family Handyman

The DIY Network recommends using natural household ingredients and materials like steel wool and vinegar to produce subtle aged effects in ashy or gray hues. But lots of manufacturers make stains that mimic weathering, like aging washes by Weatherwash Coatings and Benjamin Moore’s Arborcoat Translucent or Semi-Transparent Stain in Silver Gray. The benefit to choosing a commercial stain over a DIY method is more predictable results. If you want to enhance the knots, nicks and holes, work a dark paste wax into them.

Image by Frank Murray via DIY Network

Looking for more fine-tuned tutorials? Check out woodworker John Sankey’s thoughts on how to finish solid furniture grade Eastern White Pine for optimal results.

Top image via Elmwood Reclaimed Timber

Kinetic Wood: Sculptor Carves Custom Rube Goldberg Machines

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Jeff Easterling

Who doesn’t love a good Rube Goldberg machine? Named for the American cartoonist whose illustrations often depicted complex devices linked together to produce a domino effect, these comedic contraptions remain fascinating even in a world of digital distractions. People make incredible Rube Goldberg machines out of everything from kid’s toys and everyday household objects to industrial components most often seen in factories. But a sculptor named Larry Marley elevates the concept to a whole new level using almost nothing but wood.

The woodworking artist has produced a range of mechanical wonders, hand-carving all of the parts himself. That’s a heck of a feat, especially considering the precision required to make all those moving parts glide together smoothly to produce the end result! Even the gears are hand-made.

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A post shared by Larry Marley (@marleyturned)

Marley typically starts with a series of sketches to produce his designs before completing a full-scale mechanical drawing. He even created a software application to determine all the dimensions of each piece before he cuts, assembles, turns, carves and finishes them.

While they’re beautiful to behold even while stationary, you’ve got to see these creations in action to really appreciate them. Check out more of Marley’s work on Instagram and Facebook.