Building on the previous Shop Tour post, this article fleshes out the smaller - but no less critical - elements in a workshop: a few key handheld power tools; good personal protection including dust collection and air filtration, push sticks and feather boards; storage solutions and good shop lighting; measurement devices; and jigs, both homemade and commercial.
Shop Tour: Part I
Workshop & Safety2 CommentsWhile the tools you need and the level of your investment in each tool depends on what you’re making for whom (and your space and budget), there’s a handful of freestanding power tools that I could not get far without: the tablesaw and bandsaw; the planer; the drill press; and the belt / disc sander. Three more tools - less frequently used, but critical when they’re needed - round out my shop: the oscillating spindle sander; the jointer; and the three-spindle router table. This article outlines why I have what I have,
the basics include a table saw, bandsaw,
Edison Bulbs: When the Lights Go Out!
Products & Shows2 CommentsShameless (Cross) Promotion: Stained Glass & General Contractors
Personal Journey3 CommentsI like to think that I make nice stuff, but I obviously don't do it in isolation. I want to take a few moments to acknowledge two small companies with whom I've done a fair amount of work: a vendor who does beautiful cut glass and finished pieces, and an honest and helpful general contractor who does amazing remodels.
Shameless (Self) Promotion: Solar Energy
Sustainability1 CommentSustainability has always been part of my creed, well before starting Branching Out Wood, and certainly living in Northern California has only cemented my practices. This article describes the net new solar investments I have made - and continue to make, what “net new” means and why it matters, and the thinking behind a solar business I recently started.
Every Last Scrap
Sustainability3 CommentsWhat to do with all those wood cut-offs, narrow strips, and odd-shaped pieces that just aren’t quite big enough to make a lamp or tealight? They’re too nice to burn or compost, and too many to give away as samples at the festivals. In this article, I explore share two ideas that I’ll be exploring in earnest in the coming months to keep the scrap bins from overflowing.