2006

S4.E1 ∙ Birth of a guitar part 1

Wed, Dec 09, 2009

A 3 part series featuring an aspiring luthier, Rick Urschel. Rick takes us through the process of building a classic guitar from a kit.

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S4.E2 ∙ Birth of a guitar part 2

Sat, Jan 02, 2010

Rick continues on his journey into the world of guitar-building. He takes us through adding kerfing, inlaying the tail wedge, installation of the binding, and construction of the back, the soundboard, the fretboard, and the bridge. We'll also see how Rick handles a few errors he made along the way. One error is so big, the fate of the entire project hangs in the balance.

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S4.E3 ∙ Birth of a guitar part 3

Sat, Jan 16, 2010

The exciting conclusion to Rick's adventure into the world of lutherie. Rick does an incredible job recovering from his previous, nearly disastrous mistake. He takes us through the final assembly as well as his finishing process, which involves a number of techniques including pore-filling, French polish, and wiping varnish.

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S4.E4 ∙ Woodworkers fighting cancer

Tue, Feb 09, 2010

In March, the Guild will be embarking on our very first "Guild Build": a simple Shaker end-table. I am dedicating the entire event to Guild-member Duane Moore.

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S4.E5 ∙ Adeep red mahogany finish

Sun, Feb 14, 2010

A deep red mahogany finish doesn't have to be the result of a complicated process. I'll show you how I use a simple two-step method to revitalize my mother in law's old beat up rocking char. First, a coat of General Finishes Merlot Water-Based Dye. Second, a coat of General Finishes Brown Mahogany Gel Stain. Its all finished off with a nice satin lacquer topcoat.

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S4.E6 ∙ Drill charging station & dowelmax

Mon, Mar 01, 2010

I realized I needed a better way to store my drills and chargers. This simple wall-hanging "box" did the trick. I also wanted to make the project fast and easy, so I decided to try out the DowelMax for the first time. The system is a breeze to use and produces strong reliable joints in just a fraction of the time it takes to create a traditional mortise and tenon.

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S4.E7 ∙ Fixing a knot

Sat, Mar 13, 2010

Ever find yourself short on material and that one board you really need has a nice open knot in it? You could always go out and buy more material, but sometimes its just easier and faster to stabilize and repair the knot. And instead of trying to hide the knot, sometimes its just better to embrace it, and make it look look resinous and natural.

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S4.E8 ∙ Relative dimensioning

Mon, Mar 29, 2010

The idea is simple: let the pre-existing parts of your project dictate the size of subsequent parts. And in many cases, this is much easier and far more accurate than measuring with a tape or ruler.

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S4.E9 ∙ Router-based inlay

Thu, Apr 01, 2010

Inlay is a great way to adorn your woodworking projects. Even the simplest item can become incredibly compelling if it features a well-executed inlay. With the right materials and techniques, its just like painting with wood. Only "non-artistic" folks like myself can actually do it.

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S4.E10 ∙ Ebony plugs

Tue, Apr 13, 2010

We focus on pillowing ebony pegs, an adornment commonly found in Greene and Greene style furniture.

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S4.E11 ∙ Urea resin woodworking glues

Thu, Apr 22, 2010

We take a look at urea resin woodworking glues. These glues definitely have their advantages: low water content, gap-filling, long open time, and rigid glue lines just to name a few. But keep in mind the one big disadvantage: safety. These glues are pretty nasty and you might be best served considering other options. But with proper precautions this glue can be a nice addition to your shop.

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S4.E12 ∙ Jointer setup

Tue, May 04, 2010

I find that the jointer is one of the most complex tools to calibrate. But if you ever used one that was out of shape, you know exactly why calibration is critical to your success. I hear from so many woodworkers who think their jointing problems are due to technique, when in reality, its the jointer itself that's presenting the issues.

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S4.E13 ∙ Featherboards & push sticks

Tue, May 11, 2010

We look at feather boards and push sticks, and the article covers a broader selection of safety issues.

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S4.E14 ∙ Afancy raised panel

Tue, Jun 01, 2010

As much as I would love to show you all the details of my current project, time just won't allow it. But there is one specific part of the process I wanted to show you: making the raised panels.

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S4.E15 ∙ Cabinet project tour

Sun, Jun 13, 2010

A quick Whisper Mini tour of my recent 6-panel cabinet project.

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S4.E16 ∙ Hand-cut half-blind dovetails

Thu, Jul 01, 2010

Dovetails: very few joints are held in such high regard. I'm not sure why exactly, but there seems to be a nearly universal love and adoration for this flying vermin-inspired interlocking joint.

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S4.E17 ∙ Butt hinge mortise

Thu, Jul 15, 2010

While building my 6-panel cabinet recently, I decided to capture the process of mortising for a butt hinge. With a router, a small straight bit, a chisel, and some careful layout, you'll find mortising for hinges to be fun and easy.

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S4.E18 ∙ Cutting board disaster

Thu, Jul 29, 2010

A few months ago, I woke up one morning, poured my coffee, and was incredibly disappointed to see that my cutting board exploded.

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S4.E19 ∙ Shop evolution update

Wed, Aug 18, 2010

In the past, I've discussed how shop improvements are never done. As our needs and tool preferences change, the shop has to be able to adjust accordingly. If not, you will likely be faced with an inefficient and potentially unsafe work environment.

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S4.E20 ∙ 5 tips for laying out Project parts

Sat, Aug 21, 2010

Whenever I lay out my project parts in rough lumber, I find that there are 5 things that I always try to keep in mind.

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S4.E21 ∙ Turning a vampire stake

Mon, Aug 30, 2010

Turning on the lathe is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable parts of woodworking. Every time I turn I ask myself, "Why don't I do this more often?" I still don't have an answer to that. But recently, I had the opportunity to turn a cool item for a charity event.

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S4.E22 ∙ Shellac under polyurethane

Mon, Sep 20, 2010

I decided to do a little experiment for myself. I wanted to see if I could find any evidence of a weakened bond between polyurethane and waxed shellac, when the shellac is used in a typical manner as a sealer.

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S4.E23 ∙ Woodworking in america 2010

Tue, Oct 05, 2010

This was my first WIA and my expectations were building all year long. I even vowed to skip IWF (the big tool show in Atlanta), just to make sure I could focus all my attention on this education-focused conference. And am I ever glad I did.

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S4.E24 ∙ Advent calendar part 1

Mon, Nov 08, 2010

This Advent calendar is relatively basic in design, but has 25 little cubbies with enough room for a special treat or a secret message. In the first part of the two-part series, I start working on the grid structure and the hanging of the doors. The grid structure is creating using a shop-made jig that is very similar to a box-joint jig.

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S4.E25 ∙ Advent calendar part 2

Sun, Nov 14, 2010

In the second part of this three-part series, I continue with the construction of the main grid-work. I show you a typical manner trick for cutting small dowel pieces and then the assembly begins.

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S4.E26 ∙ Advent calendar part 3

Wed, Nov 17, 2010

The base for the advent calendar is made with 1/2 ply, butt joints and brad nails. Doesn't get simpler than that. Once the construction is complete, I embark on a journey into the world of faux finishing with a 2-part distressed paint job.

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S4.E27 ∙ Trestle table part 1

Sun, Nov 28, 2010

This is the first in a 3-part series dedicated to the design and construction of a trestle table. But its not your everyday trestle table, since it will have a smooth sculpted look and will be used as a PC gaming desk. Made from solid Honudran Mahogany, it will only get more beautiful with time as it ages to a deep dark red color.

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S4.E28 ∙ Trestle table part 2

Thu, Dec 09, 2010

Now that the leg pieces are cut to their rough shape, we need to focus on blending the parts using an assortment of tools including a router, a ball mill, and a cabinet-maker's rasp. You'll notice that much of the sculpting work is done before the glueup. I find it much easier to work on these parts in smaller pieces rather than trying to work the entire finished leg at once.

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S4.E29 ∙ Trestle table part 3

Tue, Dec 21, 2010

Once the cross-members are milled to length and width, I'll use the Domino once again to create the mortises on the ends. I then use a hand-held router and a round-over bit to give the cross-members their final shape. During the routing process, I noticed a small knot that was easily repaired with some epoxy.

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