The Stool Projects #4

I enjoyed reading your progress. isn’t it great when you and your wife can work together? It makes it much more fun to share in the creation and then the final product.

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

I love this stool—I love the “chunkiness” feel to it.
You are inspiring: side by side partnership; handcut dovetails; the sense of pride… and the excitement of what comes next!! Awesome

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Jim, This is one stool I wouldn’t be afraid to personally use in my shop. Great job, super functional, and another woodworking technique tried.

-- Dave Idaho

A dovetail away keeps the woodworking blues away! I’ve made much uglier joints than that. That’s a terrific effort. It sounds to me like you might want to get some chisel. If you google “scary sharp,” you’ll find lots of articles on using fine grit sandpapers to sharpen them. Even the most pedestrian chisels do a great job of cleanup on hardwoods…if they are sharp. This is a great start and it was good to read that you guys did it together.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

I’ve been putting off trying to master hand-cut dovetails. Maybe this will inspire me to give it a go!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

LOL..I was just re-reading this post… A dovetail a day keeps the blues away….Charlie…go for it, it brings a feeling of humbleness and satisfaction all in one.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

snowdog – I think my wife has put a spell on me or something because the longer we’re together, the more we enjoy being together. Making our first woodworking project together was even better than I could have guessed.

MsDebbieP – You really took to heart the addage “If you can’t say something nice…” I don’t know how you do that but thanks again for being so encouraging.

Dave – Thanks for the kind words.

Tom – The medicinal powers of dovetails have been well documented. I did run across the “scary sharp” method and have tried it on the chisels I’ve had since childhood. Unfortunately, I have used them for steel carving or something over the years. The chinks were just too big to overcome. I did get some of the metal a lot sharper than it’s been in a very long time though. That experience did lead me to put down $30 US for a set of Sears chisels. I haven’t had the opportunity to use them on our “box” project yet but, I will.

Thanks again,

-- Jim

Jim I can’t wait until you guys get some tools in your shop – the work should be outstanding. I really like your garden bench and the story.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Jim, All the stools look great. I am just starting out with projects myself. Keep it up and look forward to seeing projects in the future.
As to working together it is a great feeling, isn’t it? My wife loves to paint and do some other crafty things so we look forward to me building and her putting the finishing touches on a project. Hope to post the shelves for my daughter’s room soon :).

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

There’s just something about this stool – ever so basic, yet complex due to the joinery. Yes, I can see that in my shop. I’ve kept my first (successful) hand cut dovetail in my shop for the past four years – I often look at it and remember the thrill I felt when making it.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/

Chris – I think one sign of a healthy family is that they do things they like to do together. I’ll be looking for that project of yours soon.

Bill – Thanks for the encouragement. We hope to add a table saw as soon as we can find a good used one. From there I’m thinking we need a good plane or two and then … who knows?

Don – Susan and I are hoping that some day we can turn out a good box that will last a good long time but show the complex and the basic at the same time. Some of your boxes have given us inspiration so your comments are well received. Thanks.

-- Jim

Jim Congratulations on your stool. A decision was made to make one, And gosh-dang-it it was made. Be it ever so humble it was made by your own 4 hands and all 20 digits are still intack.

Congratulations and good luck on your search for new/used tools.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Thanks Karson for the encouragement.

-- Jim