Paul Sellers
Published Dec 15, 2023We should never take too much for granted, especially when it comes to which joints are used for this or that.
If no one has explained the reasoning behind drawer joint choices, this simple video will help. Drawers take a lot of stresses and strains, and the dovetail joint is the signature joint of drawers and boxes. But did you know that a housing dado can also improve the functionality of a drawer?
This video will walk you through the reasoning for both joints.
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March 29, 2024
Drawer Joinery Explained | Paul Sellers
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September 23, 2023
QotD: In which we discover why they’re called antimacassars
“Antimacassar” is such a lovely Victorianism. We still have antimacassars — they’re those pieces of protective fabric you see at the top of your train or plane seat — but do you know why antimacassars are so called? Because in the nineteenth century Rowland’s Macassar Oil became such a popular unguent for gentlemen’s coiffures that the land was full of oily-haired chaps who, upon entering your drawing room, would settle back in your favorite chair — and uh-oh, there goes the fabric. Hence, the vital deployment of the antimacassar. Rowland’s Macassar Oil was one of the first products to be marketed nationally (and, indeed, internationally), and so universally known that Lewis Carroll put it in Alice Through the Looking-Glass:
His accents mild took up the tale:
He said ‘I go my ways,
And when I find a mountain-rill,
I set it in a blaze;
And thence they make a stuff they call
Rowlands’ Macassar-Oil –
Yet twopence-halfpenny is all
They give me for my toil.’Better yet, in Don Juan Lord Byron managed to rhyme it:
In virtue, nothing earthly could surpass her
Save thine ‘incomparable oil’, Macassar!Mark Steyn, “Self-Knitting Antimacassars”, Steyn Online, 2019-08-02.
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August 26, 2023
QotD: The psychological value of “making”
This makes perfect sense, of course: I don’t have a deep and intimate knowledge of these things because I don’t need one. Still, though, it’s important to have a certain very basic familiarity with how the things around you work — enough, say, to know what to Google when something breaks and how to put the results into practice, or to turn fifteen feet of arching blackberry cane into an actual bush — because it gives you power over your world. The particular powers don’t really matter (it’s easy enough to pay someone else to fix your plumbing or grow your berries); the key is the patterns of thought they engender. There are, for example, apparently some enormous number of people who don’t change the batteries in their beeping smoke detectors. I have no idea whether it’s drug-induced apathy, ignorance of how things work (in the same way that drilling a hole in your wall to hang something seems scary if you don’t know that your wall is
a liejust painted drywall in front of empty space between the studs), or simply a pathological lack of personal agency, but it’s hard to believe you can change anything dissatisfactory about your life if you can’t change a 9V battery.Making and doing things, even when you don’t have to, is practice in believing that you can change your own world. It’s weightlifting for agency. You can outsource the making of your physical world, but social worlds — the arrangement of your family life, your personal relationships, the organizations and institutions you’re involved in — must be created by the participants themselves. A good society would be one where the default “builder-grade” scripts lead to human flourishing, but unfortunately that isn’t ours, so you have to be able to decide on your own changes. Start practicing now: find one little thing about your physical environment that annoys you and fix it. Put the new toilet paper roll actually on the holder. Replace the burned-out lightbulb. Hang the artwork that’s listing drunkenly against the wall. Pull some weeds. And then, once you’ve warmed up a little bit, go and make something new.
Jane Psmith, “REVIEW: The Domestic Revolution by Ruth Goodman”, Mr. and Mrs. Psmith’s Bookshelf, 2023-05-22.
1. They’re oak dining chairs, probably (judging by the construction) about a hundred years old, and they looked a lot better on Facebook Marketplace than in real life. When I showed up to buy them, the sellers turned out to be an elderly couple moving to assisted living in six hours; they admired my baby and showed me pictures of their grandchildren and explained they had inherited the chairs from the wife’s mother, who in turn had gotten them from her friend’s mother, and by this point I couldn’t really say “yeah I can tell” and leave, so home they came. When I took apart the seats to recover them I discovered the original horsehair padding and some extremely questionable techniques applied over the years, but anyway now my chairs have eight-way hand-tied springs and I have some new calluses.
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July 13, 2023
This “simple” bench made me humble when I tried to build it
Rex Krueger
Published 12 Jul 2023It’s just nails and pine, but this piece was full of tricks.
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May 19, 2023
I Built Three Moravian Stools to Find the Best Design
Rex Krueger
Published 18 May 2023I can’t stop making these stools … but I’ve found the best ways to make one.
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May 11, 2023
This 100 Year Old Bench Should Have Fallen Apart
Rex Krueger
Published 10 May 2023This old bench changes everything I thought I knew about building furniture.
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May 10, 2023
How to Make a Wall Shelf | Episode 1
Paul Sellers
Published 13 Jan 2023This was one of Paul’s first teaching and training projects he developed specifically for his hands-on classes for early woodworkers to start on. That was in the early 1990s, so 30 years ago, and many a thousand students have made it to learn about shelf making.
The goal is the mastery of accuracy using sharp tools to develop two types of housing dadoes, the stopped and the stepped.
This video gives the first woodworking joint most woodworkers start with and shows how to get a snug fit every time.
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April 13, 2023
Build the Moravian Stool with Sliding Dovetail Joinery
Rex Krueger
Published 12 Apr 2023
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February 25, 2023
Making a Simple Stool | Paul Sellers
Paul Sellers
Published 26 Aug 2022I am always surprised how few woodworkers have made a simple three-legged stool, and every woodworker should make at least one. I developed this for benchwork instruction, which makes the whole methodology different and unique.
Whether you are a seasoned woodworker or a raw beginner, there is so much to learn about hand tools, wood, technique, and grain structure in this simple stool. It’s just a few hours of very pleasant woodworking and it can be completed with just a handful of common woodworking tools.
I hope you enjoy making yours.
——————
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February 2, 2023
Stop FAILING in your woodwork. Use these strategies instead.
Rex Krueger
Published 1 Feb 2023Simple steps lead to great progress, the same is true in your woodworking.
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January 20, 2023
Drawer Making | Paul Sellers
Paul Sellers
Published 11 Aug 2022This is part of our Paid Membership Drinks Cabinet series! To check out more visit: https://woodworkingmasterclasses.com/…
Paul went into a detailed explanation in this dovetailing of the drawer for the drinks cabinet for everyone to truly master drawer making.
It’s the small details that these explanations demonstrate, and we hope that you truly enjoy the whole process of dovetailing for the rest of your life.
Oh, and the videography throughout the episode is stunning for everyone to learn through too. You don’t see this normally. Superb! The calm serenity captured in a man’s work, the confidence, and the love of the craft.
You’ll enjoy seeing the whole drawer come together by every stroke of the different planes Paul uses and then, too, the dovetails tying the whole together and glued up. Such a beautiful art form!
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September 8, 2022
Fixing a HUGE crack in a live edge slab table
Rex Krueger
Published 7 Sep 2022A tough crack requires creative problem solving, can I do it?
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August 22, 2022
Sellers Home | Paul Sellers
Paul Sellers
Published 25 Apr 2022You are going to want a hot cup of tea or coffee with this one. It is something a little different. Paul has been working to build for his home, Sellers Home, all the hand-made furnishings that can practically be made from wood. This is the story of Paul, the story of woodworking and the story of Sellers Home.
We sometimes do something short and snappy for viewers but this is for those of you who want a deeper dive. Enjoy!
The full detailed projects are available with premium membership over on woodworkingmasterclasses.com (we will be switching to sellershome.com soon).
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May 19, 2022
Furniture Forensics with a Craftsman End Table
Rex Krueger
Published 18 May 2022Is this confusing end table garbage or a glimpse into history?
Patrons get everything early: http://www.patreon.com/rexkrueger
Build my Shaker End Table!: https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/plan…
Video: https://youtu.be/TY-twrQh0Rs
______________________________________________Watch more Furniture Forensics!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR…
______________________________________________More Affordable Plans
https://www.rexkrueger.com/store
______________________________________________Tools in this video (Affiliate):
Ryoba Saw (my favorite one): https://amzn.to/3M9yjRe
Dozuki Saw (good affordable joinery saw: https://amzn.to/3FC4yGd
Chinese Handplane: https://amzn.to/3LhOeMh
Another Chinese Handplane: https://amzn.to/3L2uLyY
Bevel Gauge: https://amzn.to/37FuQLm
(Super-cheap; works just fine.)
______________________________________________Get My New Book, Everyday Woodworking: https://amzn.to/3oyjC0E
Check out my new site: https://woodworkforhumans.com
______________________________________________Sign up for Fabrication First, my FREE newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gRhEVT?
______________________________________________Wood Work for Humans Tool List (affiliate):
*Cutting*
Gyokucho Ryoba Saw: https://amzn.to/2Z5Wmda
Dewalt Panel Saw: https://amzn.to/2HJqGmO
Suizan Dozuki Handsaw: https://amzn.to/3abRyXB
(Winner of the affordable dovetail-saw shootout.)
Spear and Jackson Tenon Saw: https://amzn.to/2zykhs6
(Needs tune-up to work well.)
Crown Tenon Saw: https://amzn.to/3l89Dut
(Works out of the box)
Carving Knife: https://amzn.to/2DkbsnM
Narex True Imperial Chisels: https://amzn.to/2EX4xls
(My favorite affordable new chisels.)
Blue-Handled Marples Chisels: https://amzn.to/2tVJARY
(I use these to make the DIY specialty planes, but I also like them for general work.)*Sharpening*
Honing Guide: https://amzn.to/2TaJEZM
Norton Coarse/Fine Oil Stone: https://amzn.to/36seh2m
Natural Arkansas Fine Oil Stone: https://amzn.to/3irDQmq
Green buffing compound: https://amzn.to/2XuUBE2*Marking and Measuring*
Stockman Knife: https://amzn.to/2Pp4bWP
(For marking and the built-in awl).
Speed Square: https://amzn.to/3gSi6jK
Stanley Marking Knife: https://amzn.to/2Ewrxo3
(Excellent, inexpensive marking knife.)
Blue Kreg measuring jig: https://amzn.to/2QTnKYd
Round-head Protractor: https://amzn.to/37fJ6oz*Drilling*
Forstner Bits: https://amzn.to/3jpBgPl
Spade Bits: https://amzn.to/2U5kvML*Work-Holding*
Orange F Clamps: https://amzn.to/2u3tp4X
Screw Clamp: https://amzn.to/3gCa5i8Get my woodturning book: http://www.rexkrueger.com/book
Follow me on Instagram: @rexkrueger
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May 12, 2022
Build the English Cricket Stool // Limited tools build
Rex Krueger
Published 11 May 2022Build this handy & beautiful stool. Work space and work bench optional!
Patrons get everything early: http://www.patreon.com/rexkrueger
Get the FREE Cricket Stool Plans: https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/free…
______________________________________________Get the plans from this video:
Router Plane
Plans: https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/plan…
Video: https://youtu.be/-FdA0ImXjbITurning Saw
Plans: https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/diy-…
Video: https://youtu.be/8Agk6tJtRs0Japanese Saw Horses
Plans: https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/2d7p…
Video: https://youtu.be/j7O7Efrzvv0Lightweight Traveler Workbench
Plans: https://www.woodworkforhumans.com/sto…
Video: https://youtu.be/lPiMjv7lkqI
______________________________________________More Affordable Plans
https://www.rexkrueger.com/store
______________________________________________Tools in this video (Affiliate):
Ryoba Saw (my favorite one): https://amzn.to/3M9yjRe
Dozuki Saw (good affordable joinery saw: https://amzn.to/3FC4yGd
Chinese Handplane: https://amzn.to/3LhOeMh
Another Chinese Handplane: https://amzn.to/3L2uLyY
Bevel Gauge: https://amzn.to/37FuQLm
(Super-cheap; works just fine.)
______________________________________________Get My New Book, Everyday Woodworking: https://amzn.to/3oyjC0E
Check out my new site: https://woodworkforhumans.com
______________________________________________Sign up for Fabrication First, my FREE newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gRhEVT?
______________________________________________Wood Work for Humans Tool List (affiliate):
*Cutting*
Gyokucho Ryoba Saw: https://amzn.to/2Z5Wmda
Dewalt Panel Saw: https://amzn.to/2HJqGmO
Suizan Dozuki Handsaw: https://amzn.to/3abRyXB
(Winner of the affordable dovetail-saw shootout.)
Spear and Jackson Tenon Saw: https://amzn.to/2zykhs6
(Needs tune-up to work well.)
Crown Tenon Saw: https://amzn.to/3l89Dut
(Works out of the box)
Carving Knife: https://amzn.to/2DkbsnM
Narex True Imperial Chisels: https://amzn.to/2EX4xls
(My favorite affordable new chisels.)
Blue-Handled Marples Chisels: https://amzn.to/2tVJARY
(I use these to make the DIY specialty planes, but I also like them for general work.)*Sharpening*
Honing Guide: https://amzn.to/2TaJEZM
Norton Coarse/Fine Oil Stone: https://amzn.to/36seh2m
Natural Arkansas Fine Oil Stone: https://amzn.to/3irDQmq
Green buffing compound: https://amzn.to/2XuUBE2*Marking and Measuring*
Stockman Knife: https://amzn.to/2Pp4bWP
(For marking and the built-in awl).
Speed Square: https://amzn.to/3gSi6jK
Stanley Marking Knife: https://amzn.to/2Ewrxo3
(Excellent, inexpensive marking knife.)
Blue Kreg measuring jig: https://amzn.to/2QTnKYd
Round-head Protractor: https://amzn.to/37fJ6oz*Drilling*
Forstner Bits: https://amzn.to/3jpBgPl
Spade Bits: https://amzn.to/2U5kvML*Work-Holding*
Orange F Clamps: https://amzn.to/2u3tp4X
Screw Clamp: https://amzn.to/3gCa5i8Get my woodturning book: http://www.rexkrueger.com/book
Follow me on Instagram: @rexkrueger
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