It Wasn’t Always Like This
When a family friend recently visited my new cabinet shop, he commented, “Your dad and grandpa would’ve loved this place. It wasn’t always like this!” He meant that although both men were pro [...]
Goodbye, Ego! Hello, Humility!
Whenever I admire a fellow woodworker’s finished piece of furniture, I never ask how they did this or that because, quite simply, I am afraid they are going to tell me. Listening to someone [...]
I Am a Couch Builder
The best measure of success comes in the doing. I don’t know if I am alone in this matter, but I have to admit that quite often I consider myself a couch builder. Maybe you know the drill [...]
The Allure of the New
If all you have is a hammer, well, you might need another hammer. One of my favorite quotes is Baruch’s Observation: If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It seems like an [...]
Pens for Peacekeepers
The gift of a handwritten letter shows appreciation for Canadian forces. Editor’s note: this article originally appeared in the February 2007 issue of Popular Woodworking. About two years [...]
That One Project
I was about to make a desk for my son John’s bedroom and in my mind it was a beautiful thing: simple, sleek and with elegant proportions. Drawings and a cut list were completed. Walnut boards [...]
Past Imperfect
If anyone ever sees that, they’re looking too closely. I spend a lot of time looking at antique furniture, often from below. My interest is pieces made about 100 years ago, from the Arts & [...]
‘Frankenbench’
Editor’s note: this article originally appeared in the February 2013 of Popular Woodworking A dream deferred – and that’s just fine. I’ve dreamed about my Workbench for years. It will be [...]
The Myth of the Self-taught Craftsman
The best source for learning is right there on your bench. At a seminar I found myself saying that I mostly taught myself woodworking. It was an easy way to get the idea across that I did not go [...]
A Shaker’s Life
Research gives names to unknown artisans. David Rowley, Freegift Wells, Amos Stewart, Orren Haskens, Eli Kidder…ever hear of these guys? They were Shaker cabinetmakers, the names behind one [...]
Colonial Apprenticeship
A brief history of a not-so-romantic woodworking education system. Ever since the renewal of interest in woodworking in the 1970s, especially among amateurs and small-shop professionals, there [...]
Paring Down
Editor’s note: this article originally appeared in the February 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking I’ve got router planes and shoulder planes, cabinet scrapers, drawknives and shaves to [...]
