I came to wear overalls for woodworking as a result of a gift. My cousin, Beverly, is an inveterate bargain hunter. Yes, it runs in the family. I was visiting my Uncle Sam and Aunt Polly one weekend when I realized I hadn’t brought any work pants with me. “I have some cargo pants I […]
Only a few years ago, I was new to woodworking. Recently retired, I found the time to pursue a long-deferred interest, making things with my favorite medium, wood. I began by taking classes offered locally. Then began the inevitable progression of tool acquisitions, power tools at first, then hand tools, especially planes. The problem with […]
For several years I have made Christmas ornaments as gifts. Several went to co-workers at ornament exchange parties and others were given to family and friends as gifts. After retirement, I resolved to furnish a tree with mostly handmade wooden ornaments. A friend of mine had decorated trees for a local charity (Kootenai Health Foundation […]
‘Tis the season to be jolly, merry, and ever so slightly stressed out—particularly when it comes to gifting. The process of gifting can be fun and satisfying, but also terribly puzzling, especially if a friend or family member has a specialized hobby with a unique lexicon and complicated gizmos, gadgets and who-knows-whats to choose from. […]
In my experience, fear of failure is the biggest obstacle to being creative or productive in my woodshop. It’s certainly not a lack of tools; I’ve got plenty of those. Nor is it a dearth of ideas; I’m literally bursting with them as well. What slows me down most, and sometimes stops me dead in […]
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.” We’ve previously discussed an inexpensive way to keep one’s dust extractor hose and power cord above the project, allowing maximum […]
“There you go again, Jim Randolph. You keep trying to make us believe you’re a cheapskate, then you admit you paid hundreds for Bose Noise-Cancelling headphones. Now you’re going to tell us you’ve bought that high-priced Festool stuff, too? We may have to come take away your membership card to the Cheapskates’ Club.” I’ve said before, […]