Woodworking Posts

When Egyptian King Tutankhamun was buried in haste, the linen cloth he was wrapped in was soaked with linseed oil. And, perhaps because Tut was buried in haste, the oil was not allowed to cure. And so began one of the most common safety messages in relation to finishing: Spread out your oily rags to dry cure to avoid spontaneous combustion. Yup. The oily rags that wrapped Tut’s body spontaneously […]

The post Linseed Oil, an Ancient Friend (and Foe) appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

  I’m looking for a gift list to give to my mom, brother, etc., and I like books – the old-fashioned kind. Paper. Ink. Binding. Words on a page. So, I want to know your favorite woodworking book buys of 2014…or the books you’d like to get (perhaps the ones on your list!). And they needn’t have been published this year. Limit it to maybe five? Otherwise, this may get […]

The post Favorite Woodworking Book Buys of 2014 (Thus Far)? appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Is Greene & Greene actually a part of the Arts & Crafts Movement? Lately, there has been discussion that would bring this into question. It is undeniable that their work was highly refined and stands apart from the other makers of the era. So, is it possible they were simply lumped together with their contemporaries out of convenience? The American A&C Movement was a celebration of craft. It paid homage […]

The post Classifying Greene & Greene — Designing with an Aesthetic Utility appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

You may recall that a few months ago, I tore out my old kitchen and built new cabinets, installed a new floor, a farmhouse sink, etc. etc. But once everything as fully functional, well, I moved on to more pressing things. But It’s been bugging me ever since to not have the small island built (because it will also serve as my kitchen table; for months, I’ve had to – […]

The post Designing with Chalk appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Last night I put the first coat of linseed oil on this oak aumbry I’m building for an upcoming issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine and think it came out like I wanted. The oak is nothing special – just rift and quartered red and white oak off the rack at the lumberyard. I chose it mostly for its straight grain and color. Most of the construction is dados, rabbets and […]

The post American Gothic: An Aumbry from Kentucky appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

I have a strange relationship with Frank Klausz. Frank doesn’t know it, but I’ll share it with you. I went to work with my father in his custom woodworking shop when I was in high school, and worked there through college. I learned much from my dad, but I also lost something in the process – the dynamic of father and son. Decades later dad and I are on good […]

The post Frank Klausz — The Man Behind the Bowsaw appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.