What are YOU up to???

43 Responses to “What are YOU up to???”

1. Paul-Marcel St-Onge on April 28th, 2008 1:10 am

   I’m in the middle of constructing a long cabinet for the patio… 11′ long, 13″ deep, 42″ high for storing bbq stuff, yard stuff, hammock stuff, etc. A small side door on the bottom allows storing a yard umbrella on the bottom shelf.

2. Stuart on April 28th, 2008 3:03 am

   I’ve been doing a significant rebuild of my shed, going from a tiny packed matchbox to a slightly larger slightly less tightly packed matchbox (from 9′x 18′ to 12′ x 24′)

   I couldn’t afford to just buy one, so have been sourcing timber and tin from demo yards, and have probably saved around $4000 - $7000 or so by doing so (compared to the cost of a flatpack)

   There are a number of photos of the progress on http://www.stusshed.com including http://stusshed.files.wordpres.....&h=266 which is a work-in-progress. It’s been a pretty big job, and there is still heaps to do.

   Next step is the door and then it will be (almost) time for the big internal cleanup.

   Somewhere in there, there is a brand new 10″ tablesaw, so am REALLY looking forward to finding it and finishing setting it up (adding the wings and fence etc), and getting to see what a real saw is like!

3. Eric on April 28th, 2008 4:06 am

   I’ve been working (forever) on a little box for my wife. Started out as a Valentine’s Day gift and now I’m pushing for Mother’s Day. The dovetails turned out to be a piece of cake compared to everything else a brand new woodworker needs to learn about box making!

   Meanwhile, I decided to take some extra plywood and slap together a chisel box. It’s gone very quickly (I’m probably an hour from being done), and since I’ve surged on this project it’s given me a little experience for what will come on my wife’s box (cutting the lid off, hinges, etc.).

4. Pete on April 28th, 2008 5:19 am

   Marc,

   I have been working on a laminated “ribbon” clock per an articale I saw in Wood Magazine. It’s a gift for my Dad. What do you give a guy that’s got everything? Nothing, you make him something from scraps…..

   Also, I have been working on revamping the shop. I have finished the wall and door earlier but now I’m working on adding cabinets for some storage. Sorry I don’t have any pictures available. But it’d be a mess anyway.

   Thanks, Pete

5. Harley130 on April 28th, 2008 5:53 am

   I feel your pain on the remodeling of the basement. I’m remodeling my den so my shop has to hold supplies till needed in the project. I viewed your podcast last evening on the assembly table and that is going to be my next project. I’m going to design my assemble table to be mobile and also to be utilized as an out feed table for my table saw since space in my shop is at a premium.

6. Neil Newman on April 28th, 2008 5:56 am

   Hey Marc,
   I’m currently working on an oak entertainment center as a wedding gift for a young friend of ours. My wife came up with the design and I’m almost done with it. I just got your DVD on finishing and I’ll be using your oil/varnish receipe for the finish. I’ll send photos when I can.
   I’m also doing a lot of turning ( pens & bottle stoppers) trying to develop a small side business with a freind of mine.
   Love your web site and your video episodes, keep up the good work.
   Neil Newman - Minneapolis

7. Steve Carter on April 28th, 2008 7:07 am

   I hope to start making a prototype barbecue board after I receive my new 22-44 drum sander. It will be patterned after the cutting board you featured in “A Cut Above” except my version will have a downward slope in the board catches all meat, vegetable, and cut fruit juices before the juice has a chance to slop all over your counter or barbecue.

   After the board is assembled I will take it to my router table to cut the slopped recess into the board using a 1-1/4″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″ Dish Carving Bit, to cut the slopped recess.

   Assuming that the prototype turns out as I anticipate, the final version will be made using a combination of maple and mesquite.

8. Mike Lingenfelter on April 28th, 2008 7:31 am

   I’m finishing up my new workbench. One more weekend and I should be done! Here’s a link to a blog I’m doing on the bench, over at LumberJocks.

   http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Koonan/blog/3367

   Mike

9. Keith Starosta on April 28th, 2008 7:46 am

   Hey Marc! I’ve actually got several projects sitting at about 50% or more right now. I started knocking off Christmas presents about seven months earlier than normal. That list includes about six mantel clocks, a few cuting boards, and a number of “segmented” router bowls. I’m also in the dryfitting stage of a QSWO blanket chest. It’s my first real piece of furniture, and since it’s going to be a wedding present for my brother-in-law and his fiance, I’m hoping for the best!! Beyond that, the to-do list grows everyday. Good times!!!

   - Keith

10. Victor on April 28th, 2008 7:50 am

    My Lovely wife decided it was time to clean out the, back yard, pond and I watched. She found huge frogs living among the goldfish and plants. The water is now running clear and beautiful like it did when we first put it in. Good job Sue! This was a cathartic exercise for her since she has been cooped up all winter, studying. She is changing careers and is in a Masters degree program for Elementary Education. I continue creating Heritage Serving Boards and jewelry boxes with my differently abled son (High Functioning Down Syndrome) in our workshop. Also trying to enjoy the changing warm weather by cycling more and rollerblading in the bosque near the river. We travel in the months, June thru Sept., frequently to Telluride Colorado for music festivals. Take care pal!

11. Dean Suminski on April 28th, 2008 7:58 am

    A book case for my Daughter and son in law for their upstairs. It will be made out of maple plywood but in order to get it up and around the stairs I have to make it in halves. I made a stick mock up of one of the halves to see if it would fit and it does (barely). Something to consider when building if you can get the piece in.

12. Ray on April 28th, 2008 8:23 am

    I am in the process of designing and building a unique wall clock. It will look like a watch but hang on the wall. The wrist strap links will include a thermometer gauge, hydrometer gauge, barometer gauge and a tide clock. It will include a chiming clock.
    I have cut out the patterns and will use a trim router bit to shape the pieces.

13. Steve on April 28th, 2008 8:37 am

    Hi Marc-

    Noting the time stamps on the replies above, it looks like there are a lot of early risers among us!

    My current project is new cabinets in our spare bedroom (soon to be redubbed ‘project room’). These will be wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling cabinets, built in three sections. The two outer sections will consist of upper and lower cabinets with flat panel doors. Two doors upper - two doors lower. The center section will have three doors in the lower section - with a countertop above. Then above that will be upper cabinets with three glass doors. I’ve completed the basic carcases which were built using melamine MDF. This will give us an easy to clean interior surface. The upper center section was built using hardwood plywood, since it will be visible through the glass doors.
    The faceframes and door frames will be alder. These will be pretty basic cabinets - simple design, since they are more of a utility storage cabinet.

14. Mike on April 28th, 2008 8:39 am

    Hi Marc,
    I took the plunge and started on my kitchen cabinets. My wife and I have been planning our kitchen remodel for more than a year and I got going on the cabinets about a month ago. The cabinets are going to be face frame construction with inset doors and draws. The boxes/carcasses are birch veneer and the face frames, doors and drawers will be cherry. I have nearly all of the boxes complete. I decided to finish all of the pieces of the boxes before assembly. I just completed the final coat of finish last night and I hope to start putting everything together this week. After this experience I will be the first to admit that prefinished ply is worth the extra money on a job of this size. The face frames are next and then on to the doors and drawers. I will keep you posted. This is my first kitchen so if anyone in the forum has comments, suggestions, tips etc. please do not hold back.

15. Claude Stewart on April 28th, 2008 9:01 am

    Hello Marc
    My sister in law bought a foreclosed condo in Dec. that had sat empty from the previous winter. The bank decided to not shut off the water when they let it sit all winter with no heat here in Michigan. So as you can imagine the pipes froze and broke and we found plenty of mold under the flooring and up the walls. So I’ve working on that and rebuilding her for crap kitchen cabinets. I seem to think if they charging 190,000.00 for a place maybe they ought to have at least something besides particle board with a picture of oak over it for cabinets. But I digress, I’ve turned the particle board with oak picture panel that sat next to the refrigerator into a oak panel, frame with oak panels. and now I’m finishing up with a rebuild of one of her cabinets. Claude

16. Richard in Ark on April 28th, 2008 9:27 am

    Hi Marc
    My current project is building a Norm Abram greenhouse for my late wife’s father. When I get that done I will be qualified to build anything.
    The next real project is building out my new shop with a house attached. I have several projects for it as well as a list for the house. Will post pics of all when done

17. Jason on April 28th, 2008 9:48 am

    I am in the final stages of building a blanket chest that will be used as a toy box for my son. It is my first “real” project based on a New Yankee Workshop book, sorry about that plug Marc. My wife is also due in 2 weeks with our second and has asked for a foot stool. I recall the footstool that was shown as the project of the week about a month ago and was inspired by that.

18. Garry in Michigan on April 28th, 2008 10:32 am

    I spent the weekend doing some more piping for my new JDS 3HP dust collector. Not really my idea of a great time. The shop is a total disaster because of everything that needed to come off the walls or needed to be moved from the spot it was last stached in.
    Well at least those areas will be clean when I am done.

19. Bart Trainer ( daddyO) on April 28th, 2008 10:34 am

    hey Marc working on a pair of night tables for the master bed room. There are made from cherry with ogee bracket feet 3 drawer with molding under the top and around the bottom on top of the feet. Just got done with the full scale drawing and the lumber is sitting in the shop. Hope to get started soon after i finish some spring time yard clean up.

20. Jeremy (Bama5150) on April 28th, 2008 10:36 am

    Since finishing my media center, i have turned my attention back to the plantation shutters. Not sure what i was thinking when i started it. There are way too many pieces!

    http://bama5150.com

21. Don Dean on April 28th, 2008 10:39 am

    I am about 80% finished with the TWW out feed table with a few twists to your original plan. Next, in a few weeks I will start on the torsion box for the assembly table that you also featured on your web site.

22. Denis Rezendes (Teen Age Woodworker) on April 28th, 2008 12:20 pm

    I’ve got to many that i am planing to put them all on. The two major ones right now are my commission for a matching armoire and dresser (http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/teenagewoodworker/blog/4240) and my Thank you card for another woodworker who helped me out a lot (http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/teenagewoodworker/blog/4471). I think that this is my best project yet as it had a ton of detail. I should have the finish posted tonight. I am also doing a model viking ship for extra credit, a flame birch bandsawn box, a flame birch picture frame for my David Marks autograph (its cool with some nice curves and mitered tenons, its not your average picture frame), thats really it right now. I might have a commission for a David Marks wine Rack out of quartersawn white oak and a blanket chest. So right now I’m doing pretty good. If only my wood would come. It hasn’t come yet and i need it to do all the flame birch projects.

23. Vic on April 28th, 2008 12:37 pm

    Well, as most of you know, I finally placed the tablesaw in my shop http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonyhollowwoodworks/ .
    I did a project for work that turned out very so-so. I don’t have photos for that yet. I will post them so y’all can give me a hard time. I found out yesterday my middle dog, Shelby, has been fence aggressive and barking incessantly. Even though we live in the country, I don’t want my dogs bugging anyone and definitely don’t want her breaking a tooth on the fence. So, I need to plant a whole bunch of abrovita(sic) and re-do the fence. Then it’s on to
    wiring, insulating and sheetrocking the garage(which is the dog’s daytime doghouse). After all that, back to the shop to start making workstations and my Roubo workbench!

24. Matt on April 28th, 2008 1:14 pm

    I’ve been building a maple/oak desk for my bestfriend’s mother. And it is huge! Its 36″ high 32″ deep and 81″ long. They wanted it 36 inches high because her boyfriend has a back and he didn’t want the desk to be short so he would have to bend over. But so far its looking pretty neat!

25. Kevin in Milwaukee on April 28th, 2008 2:43 pm

    Hi Marc,
    This is my first post , but I’ve been a fan of TWW since buying an ipod last fall and discovering podcasts. My current project is kitchen cabinets for a friend who bought a junker house and ran short on $ during the remodel. It hardly pays, but since I’d consider myself a bit of a amateur, it has been worth it in experience. Also, the guy I’m doing this for has bought me a lot of tools that I needed. The cabinets are turning out absolutely beautiful with red oak face frames and birch plywood for the insides. The oak I used was actually sitting in the loft of a barn for many years and was rough milled by someone who loved woodworking, but passed away a couple years ago. His wife was willing to give it to anyone willing to build with it (rather than sell it). The only thing she asked in return was pictures of finished pieces - such a deal!

    Anyway, all the cabinets are on the walls, drawers are built and installed, the tiled granite countertop was installed by a friend & I (this was NOT fun), plumbing is done, and now its just time for me to make doors & drawer faces and its all complete! I’ve made panel doors before, but not on this scale (19 to make), so this will be a hell of a challenge just to keep everything organized. After this is done, I hope to scale back a bit and do some furniture projects…

    BTW, for the drawer jointery I used your rabbit joint / dowel combination which worked awesome; they’re very strong & attractive. Thanks!

26. Matt on April 28th, 2008 5:15 pm

    Well, I was supposed to be working on a pair of computer desks, but my wife decided that is was time to redo the family room. So, right now I’m in the process of working through a coffee table. It will be 17 1/4″ tall, 45″ long, and 20″ wide. Next will be a media center for the LCD, but I haven’t even planned that one out yet. The coffee table will actually be my first attempt at “fine furniture” with mortise and tenon joinery, so this should be interesting. I’ll send pictures in upon completing. Along with the “project of the week”, you should also start “the biggest joke of the week” so that you can post all of the stuff I build.

27. Tom on April 28th, 2008 5:22 pm

    Kitchen cabinets for my daughter’s house. I’m at the stage of wanting to be done with this project. But I’m ready for finishing so it is almost complete. I’m anxious to try out the Earlex 5000 HVLP I saw demo’d here! First I need to clean the shop. Yuck. I guess it all can’t be fun.

28. nancy on April 28th, 2008 7:25 pm

    do not have my own woodshop… I have to share garage with hubbys auto\metal tools… in the middle of a small curio cabinet… and need to make 2 more american girl doll beds with dresser accessories.for grandaughters.. wish I had a full time woodshop..
    nancy

29. Shannon on April 28th, 2008 7:57 pm

    Hey Marc,

    Great comment thread, it is thrilling to see what everyone is doing. As usual I have multiple things going on at once. I am in the middle of a pretty big shop overhaul to accomodate my growing use of hand tools. I have too much fixed countertop space so I ripped out some of the shop built cabinet and am redoing the counter top with mdf and laminate. This is all to eventually make room for my new Roubo style workbench. At the same time I have several small keepsake boxes that I am finishing for some customers and I started a pair of Adirondack chairs this weekend for a colleague. Finally, just for me, I bought the wood this weekend for a Pottery Barn style double chaise lounge chair for my new deck. It will be a good place to take a nap this summer and wide enough to accomodate both me and the dogs! I am going to put up a blog for the shop transformation on my new site at rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog as soon as I get it done.

30. Keith Leonard on April 28th, 2008 9:15 pm

    I’ve been SLOWLY working on a wall mounted cabinet for my back bathroom. It’s cherry with walnut burl veneered doors. Here are the door panels.

    http://www.swordandspiritsoftw.....atched.jpg

    This project was motivated by wanting to play with my newest tool, the vacuum press

    http://www.swordandspiritsoftw.....orking.jpg

31. Skip on April 28th, 2008 9:29 pm

    Hi Mark,

    No woodwork for me….I was digging the foundation for a short masonary wall and prepping for a stamped concrete patio on the side yard. There is hope when the forms go in and redwood patio cover is built though!

32. thewoodwhisperer on April 28th, 2008 9:36 pm

    Wow! I have had so much fun reading what everyone’s up to. And one thing’s for sure: you people are making some serous sawdust! I am glad to see it.

    And for those of us who are working our butts off, but no saw dust is involved…… time for a group hug. :)

33. Quiglag on April 28th, 2008 10:21 pm

    I am a finish carpenter by trade, so I have no shortage of woodworking fun. But unlike most of you, I never see the inside of a shop. The jobsite is my shop. :)

    Currently I am working at a huge Church doing a crazy amount of paneling. Cherry panels on 4 vomitories( look it up) and paneling on both sides of the stage, and lobby. The past pew days I have been installing baseboard on every step on both sides of the vomitories. Around 50 miters on each side. I can base one side in an 8 hour day. FUN

    The is a job that we took over from another company that said they could not handle it. So having such short notice, hopefully we can finish in time.

34. Sean Wright on April 28th, 2008 10:23 pm

    I got a Jet Mini Lathe for Christmas, and I’m in the middle of turning my first bowl. I have turned some spindles and a finial but that is the extent of my turning to date. If it turns out well, It might end up being a mother’s day present for my wife….. I guess we’ll see.

    http://lh5.ggpht.com/wrightsm7.....CN5822.JPG

    http://lh4.ggpht.com/wrightsm7.....CN5823.JPG

35. WiZeR on April 29th, 2008 1:35 am

    Hi Marc

    I am working on an adirondack chair. More info here:

    http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/fo.....hp?t=23699

36. Lemonjello on April 29th, 2008 2:25 am

    Working on 3 “knock down” bars for weddings and events. One of which will house a beer tap unit (dual taps). I will personally have to field test that one… Guinness in one, newcastle in the other, I am thinking. Then I have 22 5ft. long benches to build. I feel burn out coming on soon.
    Just to make you all jealous, I picked up an Accuspray 230 and a 2045 with seven guns! hoses, spare parts, filters etc. from a refinishing shop for 250 bucks! dude, score!

37. Ytsejamr (Brian) on April 29th, 2008 5:07 am

    I’ve been working on my ugly outfeed table/assembly table/tool storage. The top 65″x48″.

    http://picasaweb.google.com/Drmth8r/OutfeedTable

    I’m using this project as an excuse to learn how to make kitchen cabinets and drawers. It’s turning into quite the ugly beast, with a rainbow of hardwoods.

    I only get a few hours a week to work on it now that I have a 2 month old.

38. Keith Fligg on April 29th, 2008 8:27 am

    Basement? In Phoenix? How did that happen?

    I’m currently designing a small, simple computer table.

39. Marty Senetra on April 29th, 2008 8:40 am

    Wow! Some great projects (as though I really need to catalog more ideas to feel I’m falling behind on!)

    I’m in the process of designing rolling bases for my old used Sprunger 6″ jointer and new barely used Rigid thickness planer. The Sprunger is currently on a 2×4 stand that feels dangerously out of balance toward the infeed side and is higher than I want. The Rigid is portable in the sense that if you want to bend over and lift an 80# tool on a regular basis you can go right ahead. I don’t

    My ultimate plan for the planer is to have the infeed and outfeed tables 3/4″ lower than my table saw and assembly table, which are both at the same height deliberately. The 3/4″ is because I’m experiencing less snipe with a 4′x12″x3/4″ piece of melamine covered MDF running straight through the machine.

    The jointer tables move, so I’m not going to try to achieve the same exact height, but just a tad higher so I can shim the top of the assembly table and table saw if I have any more really long stock to joint. I recently had to joint some 16 foot long pieces and that was a near disaster. I needed more support than I had. This should alleviate some of that problem. I’m putting a 4″ dust collection port under it.

    I’m working on designs of my own that I’m happy with, but if anyone with more experience than me (like maybe all of you) has posted any pics of your bases, I’m more than open to suggestions. Otherwise next week I begin building my design.

40. Michael Marzullo (MuddlerMike) on April 29th, 2008 1:09 pm

    I’m currently installing a set of cabinets and organizers into my father’s garage, and when I’m finished with that I will be putting my nose to the grindstone for slew projects for my mother - including some crown molding, a peg board organizer for her kitchen, refinishing a couple of pieces of furniture, and extending her garden fence, just to name a few of them. After that, there’s 6 or 7 home projects to get done. Once those are done, hopefully I’ll get around to building that workbench and restoring some old planes and hand saws I have……..in a year or two…….. if my parents don’t find something more for me to do……….

41. Dan Mule' on April 29th, 2008 1:20 pm

    I’m working on a pair of kitchen stools. I got the plans from Woodworkers Journal. The legs and rungs are white oak and the seat is cherry. They are for my sister-in-law and her husband for their new house. After that I’d like to start on a low entertainment center (for a flat screen TV) for my father-in-law and probably for myself if it turns out ok. Top it off with the honey-do list for this summer and I think I’ll be pretty busy.

42. Allen in Ohio on April 29th, 2008 5:59 pm

    At school, working on a Chippendale chest of drawers.
    At home I just finished a small remote control caddy made from some scrap wood (the one in the recent issue of Wood magazine) now my mom wants me to make 4 more for Christmas gifts for friends of hers… oy.

    Also just started on a set of 6 Mission/Stickley style dining chairs in maple (yes, I know, but Fine Woodworking said it was ok!) the matching table to be made in Furniture Construction III starting in the Fall.

    So all in all, nothing much! ;-)

43. CrackPotWoody on April 30th, 2008 6:53 pm

    I’m working (slowly) on a pair of cherry nightstands. I’m not getting much shop time lately.

    Here’s the progress pics….

    http://s297.photobucket.com/al.....%20Stands/

Got something to say?