I drilled the washers so I could plug weld the faces, and also tack welded three points on the inside of the washers, The mounting screws are drilled on the flats of the nuts to give me max. room for the 6 X 3/4″ screws. After I chopped out the receiving hole for the hex nut and washer, I used the acme threaded rod to pull everything home.

The face board was drilled 1/8″ above center so the face would not sit below the back jaw. And I used a 3/4″ PVC (200 p.s.i.) pipe, so I could get the angle to the jaw, and as a sleeve to protect the screw from damage. I made the washer from a piece of UHMW (I know it’s very pink).

The bottom line:
12′ Acme rod, 10 nuts, 10 washers, (4) 4″ cast iron hand wheels threaded 3/4″-6 was $236.52 (including UPS to Hawaii $90.00). So I figure my unit cost for one Moxon Vise is about $55.00. I hope you enjoy making your own jig’s, and fixtures too.

Website: Midsouthbunkbeds.com

Location: Memphis, TN

Hobbyist or Pro: Pro

Experience: 0-2 yrs

Project Name: Staircase Storage for Bunk Beds

Wood Species: Birch, Southern Yellow Pine

Finish Used: Plane, Sanded with 150 grit random orbital, General Finish Antique Cherry, Spray on two coats of Minwax Polyacrylic semi-gloss, smoothed over with 320 and rubbed out with Johnson paste wax.

Project Description:
This is a staircase storage I make for my bunk bed business. It’s an innovative storage solution that’s a big hit with kids and parents. The kids love the staircase and the parents love the extra storage. There is nothing fancy with the joinery. It’s put together with butt-joints, glue and pocket screws.

Project Description:
This simple desk was a present for my mom. I don’t normally work in softwoods, preferring locally sourced English Hardwoods, but she wanted something that was made out of old wood. The wood is old scaffolding boards, resawn beams and pallet wood!

Not too complicated joinery really.just some biscuits, dowels and rebates. The main problem turned out to be keeping the wood flat due to it mostly being 10″+ wide and flat sawn. Cupped like crazy!

A nice little project and I got a lot out of it. Mainly that pallets are a good source of softwood in an crisis.

Location: Santa Fe, NM

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Experience: 10+ yrs

Project Name: Benchcrafted Split Top Roubo

Wood Species: Maple with Walnut Accents

Finish Used: Watco Danish Oil / Rennaisance Wax

Project Description:
Got inspired by watching the progress of others on the Festool Owners Group Forums and by watching Shannon’s podcast build. I have been woodworking on and off most of my life, but mostly just small stuff. Always wanted to build a real woodworking bench, and when I saw the Benchcrafted plan, well, the rest just fell into place. I had a hard time finding enough Hard Maple for the bench (very limited supply in Santa Fe at the time), but eventually it all came together. It ended up taking over two months, working nights and weekends. It made me feel good to know that something I made with my own two hands will actually out last me and maybe even my two sons. Maybe my grandson might even get it…who knows?

Wanna build along? Sign up for the Wood Whisperer Guild today!

Location: Atlanta, GA

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Experience: 10+ yrs

Project Name: Wooden Jointer Plane

Wood Species: Oak, Walnut, Maple, Cherry

Finish Used: BLO

Project Description:
It’s been said that US Military servicemen bring one of two things back from a tour of duty in Germany: a clock or a wife. When I returned from my tour 20 years ago, I brought something else, a couple of wooden hand planes. When they were given to me, I thought that they were only a bit better than the toys that were given to me for Christmas when I was a child. After learning how to use these things, however, I had to kick myself for ever comparing them to a toy. First of all, wooden hand planes, although not used exclusively in German wood shops, are still very popular and can cost you about as much as an above average American made steel plane. Second, my Ulmia jack plane smooths as well as my Wood River #4. Third, and most important to me, wooden hand planes are fairly easy to make. Let me explain.

About a month or so ago I decided to build a workbench. This was before TWW announced the Roubo Guild build, so I had already chosen a different design. Flattening a 26”X7’ bench top required a good jointer plane that could possibly run me $400 or more, and I’d end up using it only once in a while. I started looking around online and ran across some German wooden jointers and thought about how well my jack and shoulder worked. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one of those for less than $200. Not being one to give up easily, I decided to make one for myself. I am so happy with the results that I decided to write this article to encourage my fellow woodworkers to investigate making their own planes.

This 22 1/2″ long beauty is comprised of an Oak body, Walnut sole, tote and wedge, Maple cross pin, and a bit of Cherry. All of the wood came from my scrap bin, and I pulled the blade out of an antique plane I bought a couple of years ago (not recommended due to the work involved in making the blade usable). The whole project took roughly 3 days, and I was able to flatten the bottom side of my new bench-top before I even applied the oil finish. Although I made this plane using my other two German planes as examples, the Popular Mechanics’ article ‘How To Build 3 Basic Hand Planes’ was a good jumping off point for techniques and dimensions.

While sourcing blades to be referenced in this write-up, I was able to speak directly to Mr. Hock of Hock Tools. Since they sell some pretty nice wooden plane kits, he knew exactly what would be needed for this particular project. If you plan to make one of these for yourself, my suggestion is that you visit the Hock Tools website before you start making any cuts.

Location: South Orange, NJ

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Experience: 0-2 yrs

Project Name: Oak Tool Cabinet

Wood Species: quartersawn white oak, maple, ply

Finish Used: Jeff Jewitt’s ‘Mission Oak Finish’ – article available from The Wood Whisperer site. I chose one of the darker looks – Stain with TransTint Brown Mahogany diluted at 1 oz. dye to 2 qt. water; one coat General Finishes SealACell Sealer; one coat Bartley Walnut Gel Stain; and finish with 3 coats General Finishes ArmRSeal Satin Finish.

Project Description:
I’ve got a 1 car garage shop that is only a shop when the wife’s car is not in it. Lots of bench top tools and rolling carts. I’ve been ramping up my skills and tools the last couple of years after discovering Marc, Whispering and the Guild – all which give me inspiration and more importantly – hope.
I’ve built some cedar patio furniture, some small porch tables and lots of napkin holders. Following Marc’s always good advice, I took a one-week ‘beginning woodworker’ class from the nearby Philadelphia Furniture Workshop in the summer of 2009 and had a ball working in a real shop with lots of incredible tools and, most importantly, expert guidance. The result was a great little walnut coffee table and a lot more confidence.
I’ve been wanting to kick it up a notch, so after Santa brought me a 14-inch band saw, I thought I’d tackle a tool cabinet. I’ve always loved mission oak style furniture and have a few antiques around the house to prove it. In this case, that style both fit my needs and my skill set well.
I looked at a lot of tool cabinets and plans online and finally worked out a design that I thought would work for me. Its 30”w x 40”h x 12”d. I picked up some S2S quartersawn white oak from my lumberyard and since I don’t have a jointer, had to make my first jig of the project to cut the other 2 sides square on my table saw. What a wonderful world the web is – everything thing you need to know is just a quick search away – and there’s video!
The carcass and shelves are put together with biscuits. At the bottom sides of the case, I cut some large ‘finger joints’ to add some interest. I put in a number of dowels for looks and in some cases to cover screws or add strength. The hardware is oil rubbed bronze.
The top area has two doors approximately 15” x 30” that are hung on oil rubbed bronze piano hinges. The doors are put together with pocket screws, which can’t be seen because the back of the doors (inside) are covered by a recessed maple tool hanger. The doors open to a shelf and an inner maple door with hanging tool space front and back. Once that swings open, the back wall of the cabinet is also open for hanging tools. Beneath the doors are 8 maple drawers for smaller items. I picked up a Rockler finger joint jig to make the drawers and the tool hanging doors and enjoyed learning to use it.
I found the finishing process to be a lot of fun – not that I knew what I was doing, but that was when all the work really paid off. I am a lot more confident now after viewing Marc’s finishing video and his ‘you and dye’ post. Once the finish was done, I cut a French cleat and hung the cabinet in an open spot on the wall in the shop. I’m still working on hanging all the tools, but that’s for next weekend.

Location: Australia

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Project Name: Chest of Drawers

Project Description:
I finally finished my Wood Whisperer Guild-inspired chest of drawers and have it in place so thought I’d send a few pics. Doing this project as part of the Guild was a fantastic experience and I wanted to extend my thanks for the guidance and support I received from Marc. While I didn’t build exactly to the plan, (I had slightly different needs, i.e. something that would store clothing but also house a TV, DVD unit etc.) the Guild plans, sketch-up files and videos, plus of course, Marc’s advice was invaluable. This is by far the most challenging project I’ve attempted (I’m just a weekend warrior) – without the Guild I simply wouldn’t have known where to start and probably wouldn’t have even attempted such a challenging project. Receiving such extensive and tailored support from the other side of the world (I live in Australia) was outstanding and shows the value of the internet and online guilds such as this one. My cabinet is now in place and we love it! I plan to replace the drawer knobs with something a bit more unique – but otherwise I couldn’t be happier. Thanks again Marc, for all your support on this project. I look forward to starting the hanging wall cabinet soon. Thanks again mate!

Website: The Dovetail Chronicles

Location: Brunswick, NY

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Project Name: Media Cabinet

Wood Species: Walnut

Finish Used: Sanded to 400 grit, used one coat of 1 lbs cut shellac to seal pores, this helped in blotching issues that I was having on test pieces with the quarter sawn walnut, 2 coats boiled linseed oil sanding to 600 in between coats and finished with renaissance wax.

Project Description:
This being my first project, I wanted to start out by building something that would benefit my wife and I. We were in desperate need for a new T.V. stand and with the right design I would be able to implement all the different techniques and knowledge for woodworking that I have acquired from The Wood Whisperer site.

I am very inspired by Shaker furniture, not only the visual design but also the construction. When designing this a lot of my inspiration came from the Shakers. I know that Shakers definitely were notthinking of T.V. stands when they made furniture, but hopefully they would be able to appreciate this one. Creating a piece from design through construction and into the finish is an amazing process. It really brings out your creative side and also your problem solving side.

You learn a lot when building. The experience that you gather is invaluable. Hopefully for other woodworkers who are just starting out this piece will be inspiring and show that no matter what skill level you are, if you put your mind to it and stick with it you can build anything. So, get out there and start building!!!

Location: South Bend, Indiana

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Project Name: iPhone Display Shelf

Wood Species: Curly Cherry

Finish Used: I tried staining the cherry with a dark walnut stain to get it down in the curly grain and then I sanded the stain off. I am not sure if it was worth the effort though. I might have sanded too much off since it seemed to have only a slight effect. Then I applied 6 coats of Zinser seal coat shellac and sanded it with a 1000 grit and then put a coat of Johnson’s paste wax on it. I have never tried wet sanding shellac before and it turned out pretty nice but I probably should have sanded it more. I just got nervous that I would sand through the finish and then have to start over but I bet I was nowhere near sanding through with a 1000 grit.

Project Description:
My inspiration was one of Marc’s shelf build. I was going to make an exact copy but then I felt like adding an angle would make it look a little more unique. I am not sure if that was accomplished but it did turn out exactly how I pictured it from the beginning which is rare for me. I built it exactly like Marc’s except I bought a key hole bit and tried experimenting with cutting offset mounting holes on the back. I really like the keyhole bit and am probably going to start mounting things this way. As long as the packaging doesn’t change too much I should have room for another 5 or 6 phones.

Website: unbelievabowl.etsy.com

Location: IN

Hobbyist or Pro: Hobbyist

Experience: 0-2 yrs

Project Name: Hexagon Wood Bowl

Wood Species: Walnut, Oak, Maple, Aspen

Finish Used: It has 5 coats of a salad bowl finish that is non-toxic made by General Finishes.

Project Description:
I saw a video on how to make a bowl with a router. A lot of wood was wasted. I decided to try making the same bowl out of 1 X 2 boards using corner halving joints routing out a lot less material. First I made a square bowl, then a rectangle, then the major challenge of the hexagon bowl. I bought a Powermatic band saw to cut the joints. This six sided wood bowl is made from Walnut, Oak, Maple and Aspen wood. On the six corners of the bowl you will see the beautiful end grain of each of these different woods. The top is Walnut. The rest is laid out in a pattern that climbs around the bowl. The bowl stands 3 1/2 inches high and 9 1/2 inches from point to point of the hexagon. Four different jigs where made to make this bowl. The most extensive jig is pictured. Each corner halving joint had to be cut perfectly and each board had to be the exact same depth to make this bowl fit together perfectly. I dry fitted the bowl together as seen in the jig numbering each board. I checked each joint for fit and made adjustments if needed. This is one of the many steps needed to make this bowl.