Jan 242017
 
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Have you ever flattened your workbench? If you have an old bench top that has endured a lot of use, it might be time to return the top to flat so you can maintain the accurate reference surface that so many of us need from our workbenches. In this video, Morton walks through the process […]

Jan 182017
 
What's Inside The Wood?
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The tree had been down for years. I have a hard time identifying trees, but I knew this was a cherry tree by the look of its bark. Scattered along this otherwise flawless limb were several unsightly growths—the burls I had been searching for. Years earlier I had attempted to use my chainsaw but it […]

Jan 102017
 
Rebuilding the Wood Storage for The Sticks-In-The-Mud Woodshop
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Wood storage is a challenge for nearly every woodworker. It takes up so much room. It collects dust. And insects. And, the occasional snake. And it’s rarely organized sufficiently that one can quickly and easily access the exact material they want. My wood storage evolved from a structural feature in our new-20-years-ago house. The heavy, concrete […]

Jan 052017
 
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Happy New Year to everybody reading this. I don’t know about you, but 2016 was a mish mash of wonderful, and downright discouraging. I am very ready for 2017. Each New Year, I am faced with the challenge of making resolutions or not. Normally, I choose not to. I have felt that they seem to […]

Jan 042017
 
January Poll: Protecting Electronic Equipment in the Shop from Dust
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Everyone knows that heat kills. Saw blades. Overheated edges sharpened on a grinder. Motors forced to work harder than they were intended. Nothing is susceptible to heat damage like electronics. Stereos, computers, high-intensity lighting with electronic controls. I almost never turn on my laptop in the shop. Sometimes, if I need it for just a […]

Jan 032017
 
Tips from Sticks in the Mud – January 2017 – Tip #2– The Perfect Sharpening Angle
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No Southern-fried Southern boy wants to be called a Yankee, but we share the characteristics of shrewdness and thrift. Thus, each month we include a money-saving tip. It’s OK if you call me “cheap.” This is a Matt Cremona tip, but it’s one I just had to share because it revolutionized sharpening for me. Matt […]

Jan 022017
 
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As a beginner woodworker, I have accomplished few enough things that I have a staggering amount to discover in any direction I turn. The reasons I was drawn to the craft in the first place included the joy of making things with my hands, a wish to share a hobby with my dad, and an all-encompassing love […]