This was my first real attempt at making a door. I got a call from a friend of a friend that needed a door for a laundry shoot. So, after a quick review of Patron’s tutorial of how to make a frame and panel door, I picked up some oak and had a blast in the shop. Luckily, I ran some test pieces of particle board on the router table. After a few headaches, I set up the dado blades and everything went smooth from there. I made the accent trim from 1/4” X 3” oak that I ripped into two halves, ran over a V groove bit and chamfered one edge. I ran the left stile over a cove bit a couple of times, leaving two inches on the top and bottom to avoid having to use hardware.
I ended out finishing it with a coat of golden pecan stain and two coats of wipe on poly.

This was my first attempt at making a jig for my shop. I know that it isn’t much compared to most of the jigs on LJs, but I’m kind of proud of it. Mostly, because it is still around. I don’t know how many times I was tempted to throw it against the wall. It was quite a pain to keep things square and in line while drilling and screwing everything together. Ignore the extra holes, they were supposed to be there for looks but I didn’t feel like matching ‘em on both sides:-) The sled will be getting a test run soon.

The fact that I thought that it was going to be simple should have been enough to make me realize that it was going to be a pain in the butt. That’s how my brain works…. If I think that something is going to be simple, it turns out to be a pain. If I think that something is going to be hard, I stress about it, talk myself into doing it and it usually ends out being a lot easier than I thought.

I welcome all positive criticism. Fiiiiiiine, I welcome the constructive stuff as well.

My first attempt at scrolling. This is an earring display that I made for my girlfriend. She makes and sells guitar pick jewelry. It almost killed me to paint it, but it’s what she wanted. I know that it is nothing special as far as scroll work goes, but I figured I would post it to guage my progress. AND…. To let anyone who may want to get into scrolling know that the picture of me working is NOT the best way to approach the task. Make sure that what ever you use as a base for you scroll saw is at a comfortable height.

Another one of the deck/arbor combos that Gary and I did in the Austin area (Steiner Ranch). The design is by Jeff Dailey. The iron railing and iron grape vine, and lighting were done by other local Austin area contractors. This combo has got to be one of the most rewarding jobs that I have ever been a part of. The decking is ipe and the arbor and under decking slats are cedar. The non-iron railing is coated cable. Jim knew how to get the most out of us.

This is one of the many arbors that Gary and I have done in the Austin area. Design is by one of the Dailey brothers.

This was my first attempt at making a box. With it being my first go and knowing that it was going to be painted, I decided to make it out of the more affordable MDF. The web on the lid is carved and the lining on the inside is just a simple red felt. The plates on the sides are ingraved with norse runes and were another first attempt for me. I’m pretty sure that ingraving is NOT my forte. The spikes were incorporated as a way to keep the lid in place along with recesses in the bottom of the lid.

My first attempt at a piece of “furniture”. A corner table that I made out of some scrap ply and rods from a CD rack.

My first attempt at shaping. This is just a surfboard that I made for a friend. I wish that I had bought my block plane before I started sanding the edges!

This is my first attempt at a wood carving. I saw the design and thought that it might look nice on a piece of wood.