A completed piece of furniture provides a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that people who don’t make furniture miss out on. I suppose it’s like most things in life that take dedicated effort and practice; those who have been there … Continue reading
Please Note: The paperback edition of this book has been replaced with a hardcover. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF THE NEW HARDCOVER EDITION OF THE “Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture”. Revised Edition of the “Great Book of … Continue reading
Jigs and templates are common in professional woodworking shops, as well as common topics in woodworking books, magazines and blogs. A good jig will do two things; make the work better and get the work done faster. If you … Continue reading
One of the things I don’t like about magazine articles is the lack of photos of the finished project. There simply isn’t room for more than one “beauty shot” within the six or eight allotted pages. I’ve had the cover … Continue reading
This clock was originally designed in 1895 by British architect and designer C.F.A. Voysey. The best known version is painted, but there are also examples in ebony and oak with inlaid faces. The clock in the video is featured as … Continue reading
Picking a favorite project is like deciding which of your children you love the most. Picking my favorite kid would be easy, I only have the one. Among all the things I’ve made from wood, the Byrdcliffe Linen Press is … Continue reading
DVD — “Build an Arts & Crafts Mantle Clock” is no longer available. Click Here for Photos of the Finished Clock The project I recently completed, a reproduction of a C.F.A. Voysey mantel clock in alternate materials was one of … Continue reading
When I was a self employed furniture maker and cabinetmaker I didn’t have much choice about what I would build, it was mostly a matter of what a client wanted and was willing to pay for. For the last 9 … Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago, I was the special guest in the WoodCentral chatroom, taking questions on Arts & Crafts furniture and trying to keep up. A transcript of the March 11, 2013 chat is now available online at WoodCentral. … Continue reading
One of the things I like most about building reproductions is that it takes me out of familiar territory and puts me in a place where the easy way out isn’t an option. If left to my own devices, I … Continue reading
A Free Excerpt from the “Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture” Step One: Cut all the pieces to the sizes listed in the cut list. Please don’t do that. Not if you’re building from the large format plans … Continue reading
Quartersawn white oak isn’t the easiest wood to work, but with experience and an understanding of its character, it is steady and predictable. In gaining that experience, you’ll better understand your own character. The work becomes a partnership between man … Continue reading
One of the most common questions asked about building pieces from my Shop Drawings Books is “What do I do about the cushions? Your drawings don’t show any details.” There were several methods used in the original Stickley pieces, and … Continue reading
The Gustav Stickley No. 332 Morris chair is an iconic example of Arts & Crafts period furniture. It isn’t as flashy as the bow arm or bent arm chairs, but it’s a challenging project. In my never-ending hunt for details … Continue reading
Almost every task in woodworking comes down to cutting to a line. If you can cut to a line consistently and accurately, you can build anything. There are any number of ways to do it, and the more methods you … Continue reading
Although hand-hammered copper is often thought of as the definitive handle on a Stickley drawer, wood pulls were common on original pieces, often in a pyramid shape. I’ve seen people jump through all kinds of hoops to make these with … Continue reading
I’ll be in beautiful Franklin, Indiana the week of September 17-21, 2012, teaching a hands-on woodworking class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking. The class is called “The Real Details of Arts & Crafts Furniture”, and registration is now open. … Continue reading
In January 1902, Gustav Stickley suggested to readers of The Craftsman that they should examine furniture in the same way they would examine prospective friends, to look for moral and agreeable qualities in both. That may seem like an odd … Continue reading
The L. & J.G. Stickley No. 220 Prairie Settle is one of the bestselling plans in our store. The most frequently asked question I get is about building it is “how do I attach the arms”, and my answer, “glue … Continue reading
Arts & Crafts furniture finishes, especially the “proper” finish for quartersawn white oak are not difficult to achieve, if you know what you’re really after. A lot of woodworkers want the grain to “pop”, which is a worthy goal for … Continue reading