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Eastern Massachusettes Guild of Woodworkers

... this piece of mine in the Gallery ...

I built one prototype bar stool and two kitchen side chairs in times past, using poplar wood, and I had to do something with them.  So, I decided to practice spraying colored lacquer (a new technique for me). 

I had a little fun in the shop this morning. Soon I'll be firing up some chairs to build, and right now I am kind of jigging up and tooling up for this big project. Besides the jigs my son and I have been working on, today I got in the shop and made one complete mallet, and I have a couple more in the wings that need to be made as well.

 
 

While researching a few recent purchases, I discovered this site. It has several other links as well as pdf. catalog files. Very interesting and comprehensive site.

Made this countertop utensil holder for Mom’s birthday . She picked the color of stain.

Winter is coming which is our time here in the desert to start our shooting season. This year we will be doing the 1000 and 1500 yard milk jug challenge.  I decided this year to make some ammo boxes as presents to my shooting buddy using scraps from the bin.

 
 

The Worshipful Company of Turners

I've been wanting to try my hand at greenwood carving, particularly spoon carving.  I decided that, to give myself every chance to succeed, I would need a bench dedicated to carving.  I checked youtube, carving forums, etc and decided that a log mule/carving bench would fit the bill.  It just so happened that my mother, last week, had asked me to remove some downed trees from her yard.   

Fret-Sawing and Wood-Carving for Amateurs is book by George A. Sawyer. This book was downloaded from the Google Books Project.

The Maine Coast Craft School

Jacob Hubler, an immigrant from Switzerland, purchased his first tract of land in what is now Bushkill Township in 1743 and over the next decades he would continue to accumulate tracts of land that he would later call Jacobsburg. Hubler became a naturalized subject of the British Crown in 1763, and during the American Revolution he served on Northampton County’s Committee of Observation. Sometime before 1785, Hubler built the Jacobsburg Inn, which served as a store, tavern, and residence. By the time he died in 1789, Hubler’s holdings amounted to about 432 acres. Read more...

So you get a Shopsmith and it is new to you.  This versatile machine will do or help you do many things in woodworking.  Some folks think that this machine is only a lathe, but it is so much more.  This is dedicated to the Mark V (500 series - 500, 505, 510, 520 including the Power Pro).  You should inventory to see if you have the following parts.  

Starting a new project for a serious audiophile with some serious equipment.  His McIntosh amp alone weighs 125 lbs.!  The dimensions alone make this rack impressive; everything is 8/4 and the shelves are 23" deep, 52" wide, and the unit is 31" high.  Each shelf will weigh about 70 lbs.

This is a scanned document of the now defunct Workbench Magazine of this era. Permission was granted by the new Workbench Publication for The Patriot Woodworker community to copy and use the old Workbench Magazine at our pleasure, and for free distribution and re-use.
 
 

A Guild of Contemporary Horn Workers and Collectors
In 1996, Roland Cadle of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, who had long been interested in the historic 18th Century horn trade, conceived the idea of hosting a “Horn Fair” at the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA. 

My thoughts,
Our beautiful country, as we come up to the 244th anniversary of our Independence, I am bursting with pride at how far our young country has come in such a short period of time.
I am thankful for living here, I thank God every day for allowing me and my family to be a part of the American experience. I love our American people, with all our faults, and with all our unique traits and culture that has formed since the day William Bradford set foot on Plymouth Rock.
We are the American Experience, there is none like it the world over, there are no people like us, and we are a very unique culture made up of a melting pot of Natives, Immigrants, and Natural Born.
Thank you America, thank you men and women who provide for our protection so that we may sleep soundly at night, thank you Military. And thank you to the folks on Capitol Hill who legislate, argue, and represent. And thank you to all Americans for personally making my families life rich with daily experiences as our people and our society grow, change, shift, re-position, and never settle for status quo.
And most of all, thank you God for shining your light down on our country and having mercy on our land and for your fatherly love, and endless supply of patience as we Americans, just try to figure it all out.
 
Be proud!
For we are, AMERICANS!
 

 

You have a backyard? Well here is your calling! For the grandkids or your own kids, this classic awaits!

Collection of projects. Many free plans, some chargeable.   Furniture, woodwork, and shop tools.  Projects usually demonstrated on YouTube..

Four production side chairs were completed this week.  The design is original.  Primary material is cherry.  The seat is made from hard maple with two cherry accent pieces and was scooped using the TS. 

This is a scanned document of the now defunct Workbench Magazine of this era. Permission was granted by the new Workbench Publication for The Patriot Woodworker community to copy and use the old Workbench Magazine at our pleasure, and for free distribution and re-use.
This scan is of a corner cupboard, this is a great example of traditional design. These old Workbench Magazine's were fairly light on the detail, but with some prior knowledge and experience you can use this plan as a great jumping off point to build this corner cupboard.
Enjoy!

VFW National Home for Children

Has anyone had any experience with Fisch bits, specifically their auger bits?  I have been looking for a source for auger bits.  What I see on ebay and Amazon is disappointing.  Rusty, still have wood chips in the cutters and flutes, broken spurs, etc.  The only place I have found with a decent selection is Highland Woodworking.  Their product line features Fisch Jennings pattern bits, and a three piece set of 3/8, 1/2, and 3/4 inches is $119.99.  A little pricey, but if they are good quality I don't mind that too much.