A Wooden Ring

It’s been too long since I’ve been woodworking! Life as a wildlife professional has kept me away from home and shop. Sadly, at least from a woodworker’s perspective, I’ll be traveling again and won’t have much woodworking time between now and then.

A whittled canoe from Congaree

While away, I’ve been missing those creative outlets. It’s quite impractical to take my woodworking fascination with me on the road. However, I thought about hand tools or even carving. Looking at the cost of a decent set of knifes, I thought that I should try whittling first. Wow, it take a long time, even with a sharp knife!

Nonetheless, on this rainy afternoon, I decided to indulge my creative side by making a project that I’ve been meaning to try for a long time – a wooden ring. Earlier in the week, my friend Glenn reminded me of this idea. He was looking for a simple yet thoughtful gift. That evening, I coached him through the construction and then, I perfected my method the following day.

Made on the drill press, I was mindful of the sequence of steps. I decided that I would only find the center hole at first. Cutting the outer diameter before the inside meant that I could easily chuck the ring into the drill press and shape the outside edge. Then, I used the drill press like a lathe to sand and shape the ring. Lastly, I bored out the center and hand sanded the ring, inside and out.

 

Rustic Industrial Coat Rack

I’ve had this problem for years now; where do I put my wet jacket? First world problems, right? Well, this minor inconvenience prompted my latest build – a coat rack. This is not any ordinary plain-Jane coat rack. This piece of art has industrial elements bolted onto rustic style. Plus, it’s been customized for our home! Read on for the story and more pictures. Continue reading “Rustic Industrial Coat Rack”

Rustic Tealight Set

I wished to give something special to my friends on their wedding day. Using inspiration from my last candle holder project, I found the perfect idea and crafted a set of tealight holders that can be used together or separately. I was absolutely delighted when I heard they love them! Continue reading “Rustic Tealight Set”

Industrial Beer Caddy

Inspired by my home-brew loving comrades, I observed them toting their fermented wonder to social gatherings in trendy, wooden, six-shot crates. The experience is always delightful, tasting new brews and ogling over these transportation devices. I decided to craft my own industrial beer caddy. I hope you appreciate the practicality! Continue reading “Industrial Beer Caddy”

Wooden Bracelet in Oak

One day while organizing my shop, I happened upon my circle cutter – a rather unruly looking device. It reminded me of watching YouTube videos of people making wooden jewelry such as rings and the like. Given the capacity of the tool, I decided to make a bracelet. Read on to hear of my mishaps and see this thing in action!

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Old Knowledge

I turned on my drill press and the machine hummed but did not move. Obviously something was wrong, but what? A quick Google search of the symptoms pointed me towards a faulty motor starting capacitor. With a few tools and multimeter in hand, I was able to quickly diagnose the problem and confirm the capacitor was indeed the defective part. Within a few days, my Amazon order arrived and I repaired my drill press. I am lucky to have a working knowledge of electronics. Who would have known that a fifth grade hobby would reward me again?

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Craftsman Picture Frame

I had to make my own frame for my college certificates. What self respecting woodworker wouldn’t? I decided on a craftsman picture frame, a style that intrigued Jill and me for several years. After mounting it on the wall, I was surprised how large the frame looks. What better way to acknowledge a hard earned accomplishment? If you are interested, follow along to see how I built this project!

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