Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp, 3rd Edition This comprehensive course provides simple and efficient techniques and shortcuts to design and create detailed 3D models of any type of furniture, cabinet or woodworking project. ▶ SketchUp is a versatile design and engineering … Continue reading
Yesterday the hard proofs for Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp, 3rd Edition arrived from the printer. As I went through it I took out the camera and took some photos of the inside pages. When I’m thinking about buying I book … Continue reading
History of a good idea In 2010 I went out on a limb and self-published the first iteration of Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp. It was intended to show woodworkers how to use this 3D modeling software to design, plan and … Continue reading
I will be returning to the campus of the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute the weekend of April 27-28, 2024 to teach a two-day class on 3D Modeling with SketchUp. This is a great facility with wonderful folks and if learning … Continue reading
Last Saturday during my presentation at the Cincinnati Woodworking Club I made the point that seeing authentic examples of period furniture was far better than seeing pictures in a book or online, and that seeing the furniture in context was … Continue reading
Next Saturday morning I will be giving a presentation about Arts & Crafts period furniture to the Cincinnati Woodworking Club. The club has been around for 40 years and this meeting will be held at the Edward Mueller Company, 101 … Continue reading
There are still a few seats available for my live, weekend SketchUp class to be held November 18-19, 2023 at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan. More details are available on this earlier post, or from the school. … Continue reading
The weekend of November 18 & 19, 2023 I will be returning to the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan to teach a “SketchUp for Woodworkers” class. If you’ve been wanting to learn how to make 3D models of … Continue reading
There are still a few seats available for my live, weekend SketchUp class to be held March 18-19, 2023 at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan. More details are available on this earlier post, or from the school. … Continue reading
The most important skill in woodworking isn’t what you might think it is. It isn’t the ability to master a specific tool or technique. The things that look impossible become approachable, and picking up new tools and methods isn’t a … Continue reading
The weekend of March 18 & 19 I will be returning to the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan to teach a “SketchUp for Woodworkers” class. If you’ve been wanting to learn how to make 3D models of your … Continue reading
This time next week I’ll be heading to Adrian, Michigan to teach a weekend SketchUp class at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute. As I write this there are a few spots still available, so sign up now! CLICK HERE TO … Continue reading
Learning how to make 3D models with SketchUp is well worth the effort, and there is a lot of information here on my website. As with most online information the good stuff tends to sink to the bottom of the … Continue reading
SketchUp Class November 5-6, 2022 at Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, Adrian, Michigan Like everyone else I’ve made some adjustments to what I do in the last few years. One of the things I’ve missed is teaching SketchUp, but that is … Continue reading
When I first started 3D modeling with SketchUp, the software company that developed it, @Last had been recently acquired by Google. When my book “Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp” was first published in 2010, Google was included in the name. I … Continue reading
As an author I don’t expect my readers to take my word as gospel. I believe I have a responsibility to point readers in the direction of my sources. Gustav Stickley’s “The Craftsman Magazine” has been an essential source (and … Continue reading
After a good deal of trial and tribulation, an updated version of “Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp” is now available with links to online videos. In the earlier versions of this work, the 51 videos embedded in the text played nicely … Continue reading
UPDATE MAY 11, 2022: EDITS ARE NOW COMPLETE; THIS BOOK NOW CONTAINS ACTIVE LINKS TO THE ONLINE VIDEO CONTENT. IF YOU PURCHASED THIS BOOK PREVIOUSLY I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU A LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE LATEST VERSION. TO … Continue reading
UPDATE: MAY 11, 2022: ONLINE VIDEOS ARE NOW LINKED IN THE PDF FILE. IF YOU PURCHASED THIS BOOK PREVIOUSLY, WE’RE HAPPY TO SEND YOU A LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE LATEST VERSION FOR FREE. VISIT THIS PAGE FOR DETAILS. There are … Continue reading
In the comments on my post: “Gustav Stickley Finishing Article” I was asked if I had a reasonable alternative to a fumed finish for quartersawn white oak. In that post I mention one, aniline dye followed by shellac. The other … Continue reading
In Celebration of Zulma Steele (& Edna Walker) Before I started writing about the American Arts & Crafts Period of the early 20th century (more than 20 years ago) I thought that the history would be the easy part. One … Continue reading
UPDATE MAY 11, 2022: VIDEOS WITHIN THE PDF OF THIS BOOK ARE NOW LINKED TO ONLINE VIDEOS. IF YOU PURCHASED THIS PREVIOUSLY, VISIT THIS PAGE FOR A FREE UPGRADE TO THE UPDATED BOOK. Sometimes I think I’m the only one … Continue reading
My new book “Shop Drawings for Byrdcliffe Furniture” is featured in the July/August 2020 issue of Woodworker West magazine. Editor Ron Goldman got in touch with me recently and included a four-page essay about the book, and about my examination … Continue reading
The good thing about the internet is the access it provides to images and resources. Twenty years ago when I was working on my first book Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture, finding good images to use as references was a … Continue reading
Thank you for your interest in my new book “Shop Drawings for Byrdcliffe Furniture” and your support of my work.This is the only book that provides detailed information about furniture originally produced at the Byrdcliffe Colony in Woodstock, New York … Continue reading
Here is the second part on the article that I wrote in 2014, about my 2012 spur of the moment trip to see the Byrdcliffe Iris Desk. Part 1 is here. The story of the Byrdcliffe colony and drawings for … Continue reading
I like to say that behind every good piece of furniture is a good story. The same is true for books. My first book “Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture” took about 20 years to go from idea to completion. My … Continue reading
The signature feature of Byrdcliffe furniture is the colored carvings designed by Zulma Steele and Edna Walker. The image at right is the drop-front panel of the Iris Desk. In original pieces there are several variations of the iris, and … Continue reading
Nineteen years ago I was finishing up my first book “Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture”. Along with the rest of the world the publishing business has changed significantly. Between then and now I’ve written several other books, spent ten years … Continue reading
Earlier today I stumbled on this video from 2013. It was filmed in November 2012 when I was a guest of the Gwinnett Woodworkers Association in Georgia. I spent a week teaching several people SketchUp and was asked to hang … Continue reading
It’s been an interesting summer to say the least. For the first time in years my wife and I planned a vacation; a two week trip to the island of Ibiza, Spain for the marriage of my son and his … Continue reading
I’m leaving Cincinnati tomorrow and won’t be back until July 30, 2019. It’s a long overdue vacation and we’re going to the island of Ibiza for my son’s wedding and meeting the family of his lovely, smart and charming bride. … Continue reading
Two bankruptcy auctions were recently held by what remains of F+W Media. In the first sale, approved on June 10, 2019 by the court, Penguin/Random House purchased the F+W book division. In the second auction, held June 17, 2019 Active … Continue reading
This August 10 & 11 I will be returning to the Marc Adams School of Woodworking to teach a class called “Supercharge SketchUp”. Unlike most of my SketchUp classes this is intended for folks who already have some experience in … Continue reading
Woodworking classes at Marc Adams School of Woodworking are supposed to be a challenge. That applies to the instructor as well as the students. One of the challenges this year was the passing of Zane Powell who kept students safe, … Continue reading
Click Here for an Update to This Story F+W Publications, Media, A Content & E-commerce Company, Community filed for bankruptcy protection on March 10, 2019. I would rather not be writing this post, but one of my pet peeves as an … Continue reading
I’m working on a new book project, but because I’ve been at this one for several years now it doesn’t feel so new. In any case I’m approaching the finish line (excerpt for figuring out how to publish it). I … Continue reading
A few times a year I teach woodworking classes. It’s good to spend time out in the real world with new people and with those who have been in earlier classes with me. I’m told I do a good job, … Continue reading
Software updates and changes to business models by software companies are something we should all be used to, but for a lot of us (including me) news of something different fills us with dread. I depend on software to create … Continue reading
I’ve had several emails lately asking about upcoming SketchUp classes. I will be teaching a weekend advanced class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking August 10 & 11, 2019. Click here to visit MASW website for details. For the past … Continue reading