Ideas

Pocket hole joinery is very popular, but can get costly. Carmen Salamones solution was to build his own jig for $13. Works just as well as the $100+ commercial version. He has no plans, but heres his description:

Scrap 1 x 6 for the base. 2 x 3 cut to about 3 1/2 ". Small slot carved out to fit the Kreg jig.  I used the kreg Jr and removed the grey sliding guides. The 2 x 3s were placed apart slightly wider than the jig itself. Screwed and glued. Cut out a small place on the base under the jig for it to slide down far enough to use the 1/2 setting. I used a piece of all thread with a knob, and glued in a nut on the opposite side. When tightened it squeezes the 2 x 3 slightly together holding the jig in place. 

In what has to be a record, Neil Buchan made a secret-compartment pencil holder hours after I posted the video! Can you guess he made it for his daughter?

Wood Working: WoodWorking Plans Make Projects Fun and Easy: "Woodworking plans are awesome. Regardless of your experience level, they save you money, time and frustration. Have you ever tried to do a ..."

Here are some pics of the storage cabinets with the face frames attached. I glue them on, and nail as needed. If you make your face frames square to begin with, then you will have no problem when it comes time to attach...
This job is taking quite a long time for several reasons - I am working on 5 other projects at the same time, and these cabinets are being donated to my church. Hopefully I will be able to finish them soon!

I think it is interesting how shop projects give me satisfaction in various ways. In my experience, there are at least three distinct kinds of woodworking satisfaction. With most projects, its the creative aspect that I enjoy. With others its the challenge, or problem solving. And sometimes its just the tools. This last project was definitely in the third category.

Id been looking for a new desk for my classroom. I wanted something on the smaller side, with character, and definitely wood. After a lot of time online I found exactly what I was looking for - sort of.

It was a smallish roll-top desk and I really liked the way it looked in the pictures. In person though, it had problems - and a lot of them. It looked like it had fallen off a truck or down some stairs or maybe off a truck and down some stairs. Almost all the leg and panel joints were busted - or I should say had been busted. Someone had done some questionable repairs with a ton of glue and nails. Huh.

Clearly this was going to be a project and not just a purchase. I thought about just walking away, but it was the only desk I had found so far that I liked and it came with an awesome old wooden swivel chair. I ended up getting a much better price and it came home with me.

Now as projects go, this one was a little bit of a challenge. I had to figure out how to completely disassemble the desk without completely destroying the "repaired" parts or doing new harm to the few undamaged joints. It was also not without some creative elements. I had to create a new system of glue blocks to support the more damaged parts. However, it was the tools used that gave me the real satisfaction.

First, as I was getting ready to add the glue blocks, I needed to scrape off the old finish and much glue from earlier repairs. It just so happened that I had a cool old scraper holder sitting on the shelf. It worked great, and felt just perfect in my hand. I love putting old tools back to work; they just seem so happy.


Second, as I was adjusting the angle on the glue blocks the oak was really putting up a fight. Both my "go-to" jack and block plane were not quite doing it. I could have sharpened them and they would have done fine, but instead I decided to give the old bevel up jack a try. Shazam!




Talk about "the right tool for the job." Awesome and such a pleasure! Now I know a lot of folks are going minimalist, and there is a certain satisfaction in that (which Ive touched on before). I guess Id put that in my "challenge" category. But there is a special kind of joy in using a tool for the exact purpose it was created. For the purpose at which it excels. No "jack of all trades" but a true specialist. Could I have done this job without this tool - without a doubt. Would I have missed a deep and powerful satisfaction - yes! Im glad I have that tool, and glad I used it.

Oh, and the desk itself? Here are a few shots of the final outcome:

The dimensions for the other nightstand I have for the bedroom arent quite right so I put that project off this weekend to work on some frames for the landing above the front door.

Ombre is everywhere now -  taking my own spin on it, I decided to paint our black frames a gradient of gray.


Our rental has three levels: 1st - garage and entryway, 2nd - bedrooms, 3rd - kitchen and living space. The living room is on the top floor because of the view


I am so grateful to be living by the ocean while we are on the west coast, it is beautiful and you cant beat the weather!

On to the landings ... we have several, so all that white space needs a pick me up! Since I wont be painting the walls (it is a rental after all) ... art is needed.


Here is the space with 3M picture hanging strips in place. These are great because you wont have to fill in lots of holes when you move (or change your mind) and they leave no marks when removed. We also think that they take less time to hang frames than nails.

half way done

d for david and dorsey

annabelles silhouette

s for sarah

Our wedding date and moves since then

 I am off to work on this $20 craigslist find ... I have finally finished filling in all the crack and dents!

Were taking a break from sanding to share with you some progress photos of the writing desk and chair.

David actually told me today that he likes sanding ... I think he is the only one! 


The desk is coming along ... the top has been completely sanded, all that is left is the little crevices.

We are using the orbital sander with 80 grit sandpaper for the flat surfaces and a combination of sanding blocks and sheets of sandpaper for the rest.

I said earlier that the desk is oak (the drawers are but the top isnt) Anyone know what type of wood the top is?


The chair has been sanded and primed, now it just needs a top coat and an upholstered seat ...

Hope you are having a great weekend!