My Wish List

Posted on by gayle

It has been cold here lately. Colder than normal for Alabama. This leads me to dream and shop rather than be in the shop working on projects. This was made worse by the arrival of a huge catalog from Woodworker’s Supply.

DeWalt Miter SawOn my wish list are a compound miter saw and a couple books. I have been looking at saws for a while. I want one that is versatile, sturdy, compact, and cost-effective. The front-runner is the DEWALT (DW713) 10″ Compound Miter Saw for as little as $190. It has gotten great reviews, too. Because my usual modis operandi for buying tools is to have a specific project that requires them, purchase will have to wait for a looming kitchen revamp. Soon…..

Books do not have to wait.  I am going to buy a highly recommended and newly revised reference book Understanding Wood 2nd Ed.. This one is not currently in my library, but should, and will be soon.

It is time for spring and warmer temperatures—budgets cannot support many more days of cold weather dreaming.

Birdhouse Plan

Posted on by gayle

Finally, I took the time to write down/draw the plan I used to make birdhouses that I posted here some time ago. I made another house from standard pine lumber leftovers and made this drawing. It is based on 3/4″ thick lumber, so you may have to adjust if you use something thicker or thinner. One thing absent from the drawing is a 6″ x 1 1/2″ piece of aluminum flashing that I nailed to the top of the roof to cover the gap between the sides of the roof.

I used pine this time, but I prefer using cedar or something more weather resistant. If you use pine, paint or stain it the exterior with a good exterior oil-based enamel or penetrating oil–preferably a penetrating oil. If you can use cedar, then no finish is necessary.

Unfortunately, I gave the birdhouse away as a gift before I remembered to take a picture of it. But it was similar to these.
Download birdhouse plan

Writhing Wood

Posted on by gayle

Bruce, at Redwood Bench and Table Co. in Mitchell, Oregon sent me the coolest picture of twisted western juniper. I had never seen wood like this. I guess it grows this way. Bruce says he removes the bark with a pressure washer. That method appeals to me as my normal method is very low-tech—a  pocket knife and some elbow grease.

Western Juniper
Western Juniper

If you are interested in purchasing some of this writhing wood, I bet Bruce can fix you up. You can contact him at 541.462.3232. Check out their web site to see some really cool beds, lamps, and tables.

Natural Stone Hardware

Posted on by gayle

Montana StonesI ran across this cool use of natural stones for cabinet hardware. The company, Montana Stones, uses natural stones, available in multiple colors, to make cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, robe knobs, and bottle stoppers. It is a neat idea that makes use of a natural material in an alternative way. The slightly polished stones are pretty, but it is a bit strange to me that the stones are polished at all. I would prefer a natural unpolished, unfinished look that maximizes the nature of these beautiful stones. Also, there is a bit of a dichotomy in the drawer pull construction in that the base is very manufactured and polished. Again, I would rather have seen a more rustic base for these pieces.

But they are very nicely made and would compliment a new kitchen installation or a more modern style of furniture.