Yeah, but it's ugly...

One of the reasons it's fun to have a blog like this is that it gives me an excuse to look for and find new, interesting designs in wood. I don't always like what I find, but I don't typically hoke when see it. Well, I choked this time.

According to the PSFK blog, "Korean designer Su-jin Park has embedded classically styled furniture inside more modern variations. The work intends to represent the passage of time and the evolution of furniture." Okay...

[Thanks to PSFK.com.]

New Book from Woodsmith

The editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines have published a new woodworking book called, 200+ Woodworking Tips and Techniques. In addition to the 200+ tips in the book itself, it comes with a CD that includes 50 more tips, including videos.

This new book follows their previous tips compilation called 120+ Shop-Tested Tips and Techniques that went through four re-printings by my count, maybe five. In any case, they sold a ton of them, first on newsstands across the country, and then via email campaigns and on the WoodsmithStore.com.

Just how many woodworking tips are there in the world? I don't know. But I do know that there are few if any repeats of "old" tips in the new book (I couldn't find any). One way they achieved that is that the new book is heavy on techniques and light on quickie tips. So this book would make an excellent and obvious companion to the 120 tips book.

Like the first tips book, this is also 100 pages, soft-cover, no ads. And it's a typical Woodsmith production with excellent art and photography through out.

200+ Tips and Techniques is $9.95. Shipping and handling are free. For a while, you'll be able to buy one at a newsstand near you. And now, and into the future, at the WoodsmithStore.com.

Wooden Puzzle Tables

Joinery junkies take note. This wooden puzzle table, and a whole suite of interlocking furniture by architect Petar Zaharinov, goes together with out nails, screws or glue. Here are some more examples of interlocking furniture.

{Thanks to PSFK Blog]

Woodshop for Girls?

I grew up in Ohio in the 1950's and '60's. Guys took shop, girls had home ec. No guy I knew would have set foot in the home ec. classroom, and I never knew a girl who showed the least interest in woodshop (or metal working shop, or drafting). But it might have been better for all of us if there had been a bit of cross-culural exposure. Here's a case in point: Salon.com.

No, no, it's supposed to be this way.

I really like the exterior of this house. I'll bet the interior is spectacular. But I wonder what the neighbors think. Oh well, these folks can't see the neighbors anyway.

[Thanks to the Unhappy Hipsters blog]

Roll Out the Barrel...

And when it's empty, roll it into the shop. Apparently oak barrels can only be used to ferment spirits once. Then they're off to the trash.
I've seen planters made of half-barrels, and some very crude outdoor furniture, but never anything like this.
From Stil Novo Design's web page: "We are a family business dedicated to create the finest woodcrafts & specialty pieces. Our eco-friendly home decor & gift ideas are made with creatively recycled reclaimed materials. Every piece is a 'one of a kind' item."
See more of their furniture and other original designs here.
[Thanks to BoingBoing.net]

Working Wood -- the Music Video

Thanks to our friends at Fine Woodworking for posting this on their blog the GlueTube.

Stocking Stuffer?

A blog like this should be inspirational. So I post photos of wooden projects by normal people and wooden art objects by, well... artists. I don't expect that you'll actually build anything exactly like I'm showing, but I hope you'll get inspired to do something a little special in the shop.
Well, forget all that for a moment. Here's an idea you can and should rip off. This is so easy and cute, I can't believe I haven't seen it before.

Cut a wedge. Drill three holes, two shallow one for the eyes and a deeper one or the tail. Glue a piece of twine or a leather shoe lace in the hole and voila: an adorable mouse-shaped door stop. Everybody on my Christmas list is getting one of these year. The people I really like are getting theirs in exotic hardwoods. The others... well, I see what's in the cutoff bin.

More photos at the website SUCK UK.

Happy holidays!

Even More Fun with Plywood

This is fun, and probably more mainstream than it seems, a laser cut plywood light bulb-shaped lamp. Now I know you're laughing hysterically as the marketers intended (a lamp in the shape of a light bulb made of wood of all things-get it?) and that's the way it's being sold on the SUCK UK website.

But take a moment and look again--actually, it's a pretty nice lamp. The instructions say you can hang from the ceiling or lay it on the floor (like a large trouble light).

In any case, I think it's attractive. I don't want one particularly, but it wouldn't kill me to look at one now and then, especially against that sexy black background.

Lots of photos here.

Re-Handling a Tang Chisel

Woodworking chisels are made a couple of different ways. A tang chisel has a long, pointed part (the tang) that is buried in the handle of the chisel.

WoodNet Forums member MikeW recently posted a series of photos showing how he installs a new handle on a tang chisel.

Interesting photos, worth a look.