Wow! Check out this wood-glue and dowel machine created by a 70 year old woodworker! Your jaw’s gonna drop. Parts of it he patterned after a flyball or centrifugal governor.

He built the whole thing so it would be easy to take apart (!!!) and out of various types of hard wood. It even has threaded screws and nuts. I guess we can add this device to the list of things to do with your wood cut offs

According to Del in the video: “It was quite a chore to figure out how to build it.”

From the fellow who posted the video: “An intricate hand-cranked machine made entirely of wood and glue (no metal or other materials). It was designed and built by my friend Del, using many different woods and incorporating a variety of mechanical motions. He has made several other wooden machines, but calls this latest one his crowning achievement. Del is 70 years old.”

I spotted this at BoingBoing.

Recently I wrote about David C. Roy’s kinetic wood sculptures - you have to see them to believe them. The same holds true for these sculptures by artist Lee Stoetzel. Among his works are a full size model of a VW Bus, several Mac computers, a bicycle made of mesquite and a chopper.

Here’s a video interview with Mr. Stoetzel, followed by pics and links to some of his other incredible wooden sculptures.

by sokref1
VW BUS

photo by sokref1
CHOPPER

MULTIPLES (Mac Plus)

Mac enthusiasts found these particular sculptures and started aCaption contest: Wood Mac.

Here’s the #1 caption (in my opinion). It comes from whisperycat: “This Mac comes complete with a root-user log file applications and 800 fig-a-byte hard-wood drive. It has multiple US-Beech ports and Lime-wire is standard. This poplar variation has been bushed to market - “Somebody call the copse!”"

Also check out David C. Roy’s kinetic wood sculptures. And see Lee Stoetzel’s website.

These wood sculptures by artist David C Roy really took my breath away… here’s a video of one he called “Spectrum”

(for some reason these videos aren’t playing for me on my computer… they play fine in YouTube though so here’s a link to David C Roy in YouTube.)

Here’s how he describes his process of making these scupltures:
“I usually make the sculptures in groups of six. I cut most of the pieces on a band saw and then do the final shaping with a table router and sander. All the holes are predrilled using a drill press. I cut and make all the knobs, pulleys, and spools by hand using techniques that I have developed. All the pieces are hand sanded and then stained and finished.”

The size of these pieces is tough to grasp unless you see Mr. Roy standing right next to them… Here’s one where he demonstrates winding “Illusion:”

Here’s Variation-Zen… apparently he only made 6 of these.

The prices on his site range from $1250-3200. Check out Wood that Works.

I spotted these incredible sculptures over at SawmillCreek… Here’s a link to the original thread: Wood that Works Kinetic sculptures.

Don’t let your chain saw watch this video… he won’t come out of the shed for shame. This is a video of John Deere’s 1270D Wheeled Harvester that I found over at WoodNet.

Apparently the thing has computer functionality too: “The harvester comes fully equipped with a John Deere processing head combined with a powerful John Deere PC/Windows® based measuring and control system.” I guess that’s so they can track more easily how many trees they cut with it?

Here are some of the WoodNetter comments:

“I’ve always fantasized about showing modern tech to someone from 100 or 200 years ago. Imaging showing that to a 18th century logger.”

“All I could think of was the ways this might show up in the sequel to Fargo…”

Here’s the thread: Demise of the Chain Saw
Here’s John Deere’s page about the 1270D Wheeled Harvester

Do your projects call for intricate or delicate cuts? Are you interested in fretwork, marquetry or intarsia? Check out these videos then for an excellent introduction on what to look for when you’re buying your first scroll saw.

What to look for in a Scroll Saw Part One

Selecting A Scroll Saw Part Two

The creator of these videos, Steve Good, keeps a site at http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/

Other Scroll Saw Buying Resources
Scroll Saws Buying Guide: Home Depot
Comparison Test: 6 Scroll Saws (from 2002 popular mechanics)
Scroll Saw
Scrollsaw Association of the World

Work Types Defined:
Intarsia
Marquetry
Fretwork

If you’d asked me three minutes ago if I thought it was possible to cut a circle on a table saw I would have said - “probably not,” and then, “why would you want to, isn’t that what a band saw or jig saw’s for?”

Well, I find my first impulse proven wrong, and for those of you who need to cut a (perfect?) circle for an upcoming project you may find these videos useful, as well as the written how-tos posted below the videos.

Cut a Circle on a Table Saw

The Original Jimmy Jig/cutting odd angles and a circle

Slight Variations on Cutting Circles with Table Saws:
Cutting a Circle on the Table Saw - from WoodWeb, a site that catalogs great ideas from woodworking forums.

Cutting Circles on the Tablesaw - a fine woodworking reader writes in

Cutting a Circle on a Table Saw

The SawmillCreekers spotted this one and it’s got their forum in a mini uproar about this woodworker who’s resawing with a shaper:

YIKES!!

Check out the discussion at SawmillCreek >>

And let us know what you think in the comments below

Here’s the website mentioned in the video - apparently a blog owned by the Spanish-speaking (er… wait I think that’s Portuguese?) luthier who still miraculously has 10 fingers.

If you’re like the majority of woodworkers then the chances are good that Norm Abram is on the list of your most influential woodworkers…

Did you know that there’s a new crop of “Norms” starting up online? That’s right I’m talking about the friendly guys at Woodsmith and the coolest woodworker online The Wood Whisperer.

I picked my favorite 3 videos from Woodsmith and then asked Marc Spagnuolo (yes that’s the Wood Whisperer himself to pick the top 3 videos he’s done so far. I hope you find them insightful and inspiring.
(more…)

It comes down to the job and the power of your circular saw…

If you’re new to woodworking and would like a one minute overview of the differences between circular saw blades check out this video with Tim Carter of http://www.AsktheBuilder.com.

To get a bit more depth on matching saw blades with your job, check out How to Choose the Right Circular Saw Blade.

And for a discussion of the differences in usage between full kerf and thin kerf I suggest the full kerf/thin kerf discussion in WoodNet.

(Kerf is the width of the cut as determined by how wide the teeth protrude on the blade.)

And if you really want to dig into the history of saws I highly recommend the wikipedia Saws page.

Why not? Why not I ask you?

(for many many many reasons…)

Oh well, it’s funny for a minute or two: