Interested in woodworking? It’s “Get Woodworking Week!” Thinking you should take the leap and start collecting…err..buying the tools you need? Here’s a little primer on getting started in woodworking and what you REALLY need to know to fit in to the woodworking world. Read the rest of this page »
The bench I’m planning to build is the offspring of a number of benches. I’ve read everything I could get my hands on, sometimes over and over and over…just call me slow on the uptake. This all started with WIA 2010 where I saw the different benches used in the demonstrations during lectures as well as the benches in the marketplace. I realized that I was not going to transition to a hybrid or hand tool woodworker with the bench I currently had. Since that time, I’ve seen many more benches (click here for slideshow of the benches at NEWWS last year), scoured blogs for details of workbench builds and drawn several different bench styles.
I’m not saying this just for me, look around the blogosphere and you’ll find plenty of buzz about workbenches. Chris Schwarz, ever the woodworking barometer, has moved on past workbenches but has provided a great starting place for those of us currently suffering from workbench envy and repeated cursing at our current workbench that breaks almost every rule in the book…or books as it were. Why is there some much buzz right now? I think it’s because we’re all playing catch up to those who are proudly reaping the benefits of a great bench. I am.
If you happen to find yourself driving around in central Ontario, in the area just south of Algonquin Park, you absolutely must make the trek to the Haliburton Forest. I’m fortunate enough that this is about 1/2 hour drive from my parents’ cottage, so we visit from time to time.
So, what’s so great about this place? This is a privately owned, actively logged, multi-use forest. As a woodworker it’s pretty easy to limit my interest in the wood that I use at the point of purchase. I can go a step further and consider whether or not the wood is local or imported, FSC certified, reclaimed and so on but it still leaves a lot out of the picture. Read the rest of this page »
