Author name: Enthusiast

Harbor Freight brand Chicago Electric sander, and my No 102 Lie Nielsen Iron block plane, which is unfortunately discontinued. These days Lie Nielsen is offering only the bronze version. I prefer working with hand tools as much as I can. I find them much quieter, safer and more fulfilling than machines. I believe that only when using a hand tool can one become intimate with the essence of woodworking — sensing wood’s […]

The post Pick Your Poison. (Or: Is the Price Worth Tools You Don’t Feel Passionate About?) appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Grammy-winning musician and luthier Guy Clark died this morning in his Nashville home – a home I had the very great privilege of visiting for “Songs from the Workbench.” While Clark is best-known for his music – such hits as “L.A. Freeway,” “Dublin Blues” and “Desperados Waiting for a Train” – he enjoyed building guitars in his spare time – and that’s what I talked with him about for a […]

The post Musician & Luthier Guy Clark, 1941-2016 appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

One of the biggest problems woodworkers have is runs and sags drying in their finishes, especially with slower drying finishes such as varnish (including polyurethane and wiping varnish) and water-based finish. They can also happen in shellac, though it dries faster. The remedy is simple. You should never have runs or sags drying in your finish whether you’re brushing or spraying. The way to achieve this level of perfection is […]

The post How to Avoid Runs & Sags appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

My third day on the job, a co-worker asked me, “So, are you a woodworker?” Am I? My inclination is to answer in the negative. The term just feels so hallowed, a label earned through decades spent in the shop, gaining technical expertise and crafting heirloom-quality pieces. That’s not me (yet), so I’m hesitant to claim the title for my own…but I wouldn’t call myself a “writer” until after I’d […]

The post New Guy Just Might Be a Woodworker appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

I have a hammer that looks like a squirrel. And I wish I had one that looked like a goat (alas, those are pretty rare and expensive). A little bit of whimsy in your tools is a good thing – it makes the connection that that natural world and the built world are connected. (The handsaw was said to have been inspired by the sawfish. I personally suspect hammers were […]

The post ‘Dancing Master’ Calipers appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Tools and Supplies Used

Micro Jig GRR-Rippers
Kreg Trak and Stop (Tablesaw Sled)
2 7/8″ Forstner Bit
GRR-Rip Block
1/4″ Round Over Bit
Festool Orbital Sander
Minwax Lacquer Spray, Satin
Leather used was picked up from a local art scrap store….