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.

Iphone/Ipod Touch app

I haven't used this app, not owning an iPhone or iPod, but the developer just posted a link to the app in the WoodNet Forums. A couple of the members bought it and the reviews are very good. From the forum post:

"The app is called I.D. Wood and it is to be used as a pocket reference for anyone who works with wood. It has been approved by Apple and is available on Itunes as of this week. Currently the app includes 50 wood samples, various names, a wood glossary of 70+ terms, descriptions, wood working potential, sustainability, search functionality etc. 10 additional woods will be added next week in a free update."

Here's the website.

More Fun with Plywood

Even if you said, "plywood tables," no one would expect this. From the website:

Lazarian, "Richard Sweeney and Liam Hopkins, created a series of models with various connecting methods, including bolting and self-interlock. With the use of a CNC (computer numerically controlled) router, these models were further advanced to find structural forms capable of supporting weight. From this process emerged a distinctive collection of furniture, which makes use of both raw and laminated birch plywood."

There are three tables designs in the Mensa Collection, all with the unique interlocking bases. Click through to their website to see more tables from this collection.

[Thanks to @furnituregirl and 2Modern Design Talk]

RIP James Krenov

I started woodworking in the 1980's, and like many if not most woodworkers, James Krenov was an inspiration beyond description. He did such beautiful things with wood, and he shared his skill and knowledge with many others. He died yesterday.

From the official James Krenov website: "A recognized furniture maker in Sweden, he moved to Northern California in 1981, where he created and led the College of the Redwoods' Fine Woodworking School. In his twenty years with the school he taught hundreds of eager students from around the world while continuing to build his own fine furniture. He retired from the college in 2002. James Krenov is represented with works at museums in Sweden, Norway, Japan and the U.S."

Lots more information about him and photos of his work are at his website. The photo at right is from his website.

Another Not-Really-Wood Product

But I want one of these. It looks like a piece of 4x4, a chunk of something holding up your deck. But it's really a oversize pad of more post-it notes than you'll use in a lifetime. The wood grain is on all four edges and one side of each sheet, leaving you the other side to write on.
The link is to a Portuguese website. I don't think they're selling these notepads. The reviewer seems intrigued by the design, but he's not impressed by the usability (or my Google translation is confused).
I'm also not sure where the notepads actually come from. Some of the photos have what might be Korean or Japanese characters on them.

Plywood Furniture

The title Plywood Furniture may conjure up images of some really bad-looking, poorly-build objects that barely qualify as furniture. Well, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.
This article at the Design Crave website has ten examples of beautiful (mostly) pieces of furniture built from plywood. The Poltrona Suave Lounge Chair in the photo is a good example. From the website, "Brazil’s Julia Krantz creates her pieces by stacking and laminating sheets of plywood and shapes seating like a relief. With its grain, sheen and organic undulations, the Poltrona Suave Chair looks whittled from a solid piece of wood, but vertical lines hint at its plied origins." (Click for larger view.)
The article also has links to online plywood furniture projects you can built. They won't look quite like the Poltrone Suave Chair, but hey, what does?

Beech Wood Flash Light

I'm not a woodturner, so I may not be totally up to date on the latest turning projects. But this one made me smile.
While it's not for sale as a project or a kit (that I know of), I thought it was an interesting use of turned wood.
I have no clue how difficult it would be to hollow out the inside to accommodate the batteries, and you'd have to make a tight fitting (screw-on) cap to keep the batteries inside. But those are the kind of challenges woodworkers usually enjoy.
If you like the idea and don't have a lathe, you can visit the Generate online catalog and decide how badly you want one. They're US$49.00. Ouch.
[Thanks BoingBoingGadgets]

Designer Firewood

In an earlier life, I lived out in the country and burned firewood (mostly split oak) to heat my home. I discovered early that paying attention while stacking the firewood would often yield some useful, if somewhat short, pieces for woodworking.
Of course, that was pre-iPod, pre-iPhone. Now there are many more useful things an enterprising wood burner with a sharp eye can do with an attractive, if somewhat short, log.
If you are lacking in logs but really like this idea, you can find it in Etsy.com.

Note: You may find this hard to believe, but this item is actually sold out! Where does this guy live, inside the Arctic Circle?

Disappearing Table Act

This fold-up table was created by Japanese designer Nobuhiro Teshima to accommodate small Japanese homes. The table unfolds out of its roll-around cabinet when you have a group over for dinner. There's even room for storage in the cabinet. I liked the idea and the execution, but I wondered where are the chairs?

Guess what? There are no chairs. Take a look at the photos with the wine glasses set on the table and you get a better sense of scale. You're supposed to sit on the floor, or on a cushion on the floor. Perhaps it's possible to scale-up the design to fit the more ample behinds and stiff knees of the western world.

Lots more photos on the TrendsNow website.

Notirondack Chairs

I have always loved the look of Adirondack Chairs, and sometimes sitting in them. Recently I came across an interesting, beautiful, and functional variation, the Notirondack Chairs by artist/designer Zeke Leonard.

The settee in the photo is actually two chairs. One with an armrest on the right and one on the left. Reverse the chairs and you get two chairs with a table between. Line up a lot of them and you get... well, you get the idea.

You can see more photos and read about the chairs at Zeke's website. And check out his other designs, most it seems come from found objects.