Once we got inside we saw a lot of familiar businesses and faces. Kreg, Lee Valley, Bosh, Micro Fence, Woodline, Microjig, Neu’s, Peachtree, and all the normal players were there. After learning about sharpening turning tools last year, I was happy to pick up a set of Raptor tools from Craft Supplies. I also got some pen blanks from Amazon Silhouette, and sanding mops form Sand Flee. As always there were plenty of things I could have brought home. Thought long and hard about the Dewalt trim router and ordering the larger Fibonacci gauge from Woodpecker. But, after so many years going down to the show, this was the first time I didn’t go with the goal of expanding my tool collection and I didn’t really “need” anything.

The biggest part of the show, and the reason I was there, was the speakers and presenters. Years past had seen the lessening of the topics and time devoted to this part of the show. Last year it started to grow the learning section again, and it did not disappoint me in the slightest this year. There were more areas to watch, learn, and ask questions, than I have seen in a very long time.

With only one day at the show I didn’t get to see every presentation. But, Jim Heavy’s sessions have long been some of my favorites. He is an excellent presenter and has a great sense of humor. His pointers on finishing, as always, gave me some techniques to keep in mind for any project and I got to chuckle too. Talking with Jim after and hearing about the upcoming Weekend with Wood was in interesting topic I hope to talk with him more about the future. Bob Settich inspired me to look into wooden plan making last year, and his presentation on simplifying thinking about hardware gave me a few ideas for an upcoming project. Ronald Johsson helped me put my mind at ease when it comes to my love of old hand planes and knowing I have used many of the same methods when acquiring mine. Watching Ron Brown just makes you want to get home and turn on the lathe. Paul Moore, better known as the Crazy Canadian, had everyone in the audience laughing while learning a few things along the way including not to take things so serious and have some fun. The session titled “The Most Important Tool” by Andy Chidwhick was my favorite part of the show this year. Not just because I got to hang out with Andy at the show or because I got a Sawdust tour shirt. But, for the ideas Andy helped bring back into my head. For getting me to think outside my self-defined “box”, his show title of “The Woodworking Coach” is fitting and deserved.

The woodworking community, online, or in person, is an inviting and inspiring and group of people that I am proud to be a part of.

In this episode we cover questions from viewers. We also talk about some changes to Hendrik’s site.

If you have questions for Hendrik feel free to comment, Skype, or use the contact we will try to answer them on the next episode. All the Contact information is at the end of the video.

The prizes will be given away to people in the chat room on the Streaming & Chat page during the Live Cast. You need to be logged in to the chat room and able to make comments during the Live Cast to be eligible to win. You can log in as a registered member of the site, with Facebook, with Twitter, or as a guest … If you win a prize I will get your info and the company will ship the prize right to you.

If anything changes or is added to the prize list below I will update this post. I hope to see you online at the Live Cast.

The Prizes (So Far):

Fox Chapel Publishing is offering a copy of any book I have previously reviewed on the site. Selection is up to the winner.

Gorilla Glue is donating a Prize pack the includes several of their products and a Gorilla Glue T-Shirt

Klingspor through woodworkingshop.com is offering a 5 pound box or sand paper sheets, a 5 pound box of sand paper rolls, and box of 50 sanding discs

MicroJig is donating a ZeroPlay Guide Bar, an MJ Splitter, and a GRR-Ripper

And General Finishes has indicated that they will be contributing as well.

I will also be giving away at least two things (possibly more) from the RavinHeart Renditions merchandise ...

Hendrik offers several classes and seminars for helping all levels of woodworkers advance their skills.

Hendrik also has several DVDs and on this episode we talk about Hendrik’s new DVD, Hand Plane Techniques. Comment on the post on my site for a chance to WIN a copy.

If you have any questions for Hendrik feel free to contact me and will address them on the next episode. Contact information is at the end of the video.

Hendrik offers several classes and seminars for helping all levels of woodworkers advance their skills.

Hendrik also has several DVDs and on this episode we talk about Hendrik’s new DVD, Sharpening & Tuning Hand Planes and Chisels. Comment on the post for this video at RavinHeartRenditions.com for a chance to win a copy.

If you have any questions for Hendrik feel free to contact me and will address them on the next episode. Contact information is at the end of the video.

We get to talk about his “You design it, I build It” series and a few other things.

Visit Tim at his web site or on Facebook at or Twitter user name asliceofwood.

Hendrik offers several classes and seminars for helping all levels of woodworkers advance their skills.

Hendrik also has several DVDs and we talk about his newest releases on this episode. On this episode Hendrik and I also talk about the skills people getting started in woodworking could start out with.

If you have any questions for Hendrik feel free to contact me and will address them on the next episode. Contact information is at the end of the video.

We cover whats been going on in our own “little woodworking worlds” and what’s coming up on the site.

After the show we took some time to open the Miter bars I received from Micro Jig and see how easy the are to use. I am looking forward the building my crosscut sled with them.

On this episode Hendrik and I talk about getting started in woodworking.

If you have any questions for Hendrik feel free to contact me and will address them on the next episode. Contact information is at the end of the video.

I do the book give away of “The Great Book of Woodworking Tips” through Fox Chapel for the month and the quarterly Gorilla Glue Prize Pack give away.

Congrats to Larry Thayer for winning the book and Jon “Dozer” Mendoza for winning the prize pack

We cover whats been going on and whats coming up along with my possible trip to learn more about turning

Then we end up playing around with using pocket screws as clamps.

We get to talk about many of the things Kari does in woodworking and online and I get some very valuable resources to check out on carving.

Her room is no bigger than any ordinary room in a typical ranch house. A little over 12’ x 12’. To fit everything in there, there has to be a few “big” changes. Some of the stuff we need to get in the room, includes a dresser (to fit all the clothes), a new (old refurbished) makeup stand with mirrors, a twin bed, the roll top desk from the office, and some shelves. The room is not that big. To fit everything in, I figured out a way to get the bed, dresser, and shelves to occupy the same space. So, I did some measuring and figured out the heights and widths I would need to use.

I decided to make an elevated bed. That way the dresser and the shelving can fit underneath. The space behind the dresser can serve as storage for winter clothes in the summer and vice versa. We determined that the height needed to be no higher than the bottom of the window it will be next to. We also knew the size of bed that it needed to accommodate.

At first I sketched a few simple things on paper and then used Google SketchUp to draw up some basic plans. I am far from a SkethUp pro. I am actually not all that good with it. In a previous career I had used AutoCAD a lot. It is similar and very different at the same time. But, SketchUp helped to figure out sizes and how to fit things in underneath. The SketchUp drawing is, what I consider rough, but there is a link below.

The materials need not be very “fancy” seeing the bed is going to be painted white. Simple pine construction lumber will suffice for the structural components. I chose the high grade pine from the big box store for the one by material in the bed. The supports for the mattress are going to be hardwood (probably maple but … possibly oak) supporting a sheet of 3/8” plywood. I put together a spreadsheet of materials for the break down and the “shopping list”.

The materials are all purchased and on the lumber rack in the garage. The breakdown of the stock will be happening soon. That way the wood can find its new home and acclimate to the shop. Rabbits, loose tenons, and a few traditional mortise and tenons, will be the main joinery along with some pocket holes used as clamps. The bed will be too large to build in the shop (which is a basement shop) and move up to the bedroom. It will be too big to even get down the hall to the bedroom. So, I will build and dry fit the entire bed in a room downstairs. It will be completely constructed, minus the glue, downstairs. The idea is to then disassemble the bed and paint all the surfaces not involved in a joint and then reassemble the bed in the bedroom.

Soon starts the bed build … I just hope to stay ahead of the rest of the redecorating …

 
SketchUp Plan
 

I saw the patterns for these gardens stakes in Creative Woodworks & Crafts last year and thought they would be fun to make. So, this spring I finally decided to make them.

I started by tracing the patterns supplied in the magazine. I fit three to a sheet of tracing paper. Because there were not patterns for peas, beans, or kohlrabi … I had to get creative and make a few of my own. The beans and peas I just sketched from memory. Kohlrabi was another story; I couldn’t remember what they looked like. So … I looked online for cartoon pictures of Kohlrabi.

After I had all the sketches done it was time to prep the wood. I had some Spanish Cedar that was intended to for a humidor, but, some gotten a little water damage because of a leak in the shed. I also picked the cedar for its resistance to rot and the elements. So, I re-sawed the cedar to close to 1/4” inch and then sent it through the drum sander. I made 8” x 11” x 1/4” pieces to match the patterns.

I used spray adhesive to attach the patterns to the wood. Then used the band-saw to separate each stake. I used the scroll saw to cut out the patterns. I ended up having a little help with this part. My wife and daughter both tired their hands at the scroll saw. My daughter decided she don’t care for it much. But, my wife, seemed to like it, and cut out several of the outsides of the stakes. I followed up and cut out the rest and the insides as well.

Once the shapes were set and all the cutting was done I sanded, and sanded, and sanded … and … you get the idea. I used the drum sander to sand down the “pointy end” of the stakes to a better point. I sprayed water on them to raise the grain and then sanded everything smooth again.

After taping off the lower parts of the stakes, I used the airbrush I got for Christmas to paint the main parts of the vegetables. I used brushes to do some detail work and a toothpick to ad fine lines.

After everything dried and I was happy with the look the tape came off and it was time to apply finish. I picked a spar varnish for the way it is supposed to hold up to the weather. I decided to use a spray can for quick coverage and re-coat times. I threw together a simple stand to hang wires form and suspend the stakes from while spraying. I did all the spraying outside on warm, breezy day. After applying 3 coats of finish I let the stakes dry for 48 hours and then my wife placed them in the new home in the garden. Now we know where the different vegetables are planted … if we ever get them to grow … is another story all together.

The book this month is “Great Book of Woodworking Tips” from Fox Chapel Publishing

Watch to learn how to WIN a free copy of “Great Book of Woodworking Tips”.