Do you know those hand carved fleur-de-lis corner block pieces that accent your door trim? Yours, not mine – I barely have door trim let alone carved corner blocks. But if I did, I’d definitely want to know that there was a way to preserve the intricate carvings even if time and 250 coats of paint had deteriorated the fleur in the lis beyond recognition. And there is a way, thanks to Heartwood Carving Studios. [click to continue…]
Woodworking
Before I started with the woodworking content, I wanted to share a story that involved a shrimp named Frank, a moose and Betty White, but I’m not sure how it relates to anything and I really don’t remember any of the plot or how it ends anyway. Since the story at the moment escapes me, I just thought I’d jump right in. I, myself, am not a very high techy guy, and I’m not really sure how to work most of the software on my computer. This computer mod I saw really got me considering changing my ways. I happened to be leaving a Comp USA store and noticed this CPU magazine, and, because it had this sweet wood frame on the front (and because it was free), I decided to pick it up. [click to continue…]
I am a true geek. I have a pretty extensive science background and love reading books about math and science. Several years ago I read a book called “The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World’s Most Astonishing Number” by Mario Livio. While it is a little…dry, it was really an incredible read and I was inspired. For those you don’t know, and that may be many, ? (or Phi), is often referred to as the Golden Ratio or the Divine Proportion. While the ratio has been nature since nature has been, man began studying it and using it in sculptures, painting and buildings as far back as possibly the great pyramids and definitely in the time of the Parthenon. Throughout history it has been used by minds including Plato, Da Vinci, Fibonacci and Kepler among others, as well as being found throughout nature. [click to continue…]
So, are you the only person in the world who does not have an iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad and are therefore denied the addictive joy of Angry Birds? We feel for you. So do the people at SKIL! That’s why they’ve provided free plans to easily build a mini bag toss game that you can play almost anywhere. That’s almost as good as an iPad, right? [click to continue…]
When was the last time someone suggested you “lube your wood”? I am, of course, referring to lubricating wooden drawers in cabinets, double-hung windows, etc. Whatever you were thinking, I’m going to (mostly) resist the urge to make lubricant jokes, mainly because they’re so easy. Living in an older house, we’re confronted with dozens of wooden parts that are theoretically supposed to move freely. Double hung windows, doors, built-in drawers, etc. Luckily for us (and you), we stumbled upon a very handy lubricant available from our sponsor Rockler. It’s called SlipIt Woodworker’s Sliding Compound. We’ve been testing it the last few months and want to let you know what we think. [click to continue…]
