by Mark Stephens | March 11th, 2010
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It was 1937 in India when George Nakashima built his first wood furniture. He’d been trained in architecture and worked under an American architect Antonin Raymond for several years.
Nakashima moved to Seattle in 1940 and taught woodworking for a short period until he was sent to Camp Minidoka, a World War II Japanese interment camp in Idaho, in the wake of the bombing at Pearl Harbor. At Minidoka, though, Nakashima met a man who had been trained in Japanese woodworking hand tools and joinery techniques – under him, Nakashima studied and mastered the craft and techniques. 
Tags: custom woodworking
Posted in Featured Specials, Woodworking Projects | No Comments »
by Mark Stephens | February 25th, 2010
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Figured Walnut and maple box by John Irwin
In November of 2009, the Arizona Association of Fine Woodworkers assembled in the warehouse at our Phoenix store for their monthly meeting. A number of them brought their latest finished projects; a bookcase, several turned bowls, fretwork, and more. They discussed the woods they used, the challenges they encountered, and the techniques they learned. One of the members conducted a demonstration on how to weave and apply chair caning.
Then I presented them with another challenge, a box making contest using a selected package of materials of 3 pieces of exotic Huayruro, 3 pieces of figured walnut blocks, and a 15″x15″ piece of Baltic birch. Each woodworker could add to the materials, but each of these had to be used in the box somewhere.
On February 19, the entrants turned in their boxes for judging and I selected the top three boxes based on ranking the originality, execution, finish, and artistry of each one from 1 to 5.
Tags: contest, custom woodworking
Posted in Tips and Tricks, Woodworking Projects | 6 Comments »
by Mark Stephens | February 22nd, 2010
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2 coats of Fruitwood Danish oil, 2 coats of clear lacquer
Stop right there.
Before you finish your quarter sawn white oak projects, you need to know how to make that beautiful ray figure jump out.
The good news is that it takes no special hard-to-master technique, or an arsenal of chemicals, or a new set of tools to add to your shop. In fact, you can get a popping finish without even stepping foot into a “real” woodworking shop. You could do this within the tight confines of a veranda of a New York City apartment if you had to.
Tags: finishing
Posted in Tips and Tricks | 15 Comments »
by Mark Stephens | February 7th, 2010
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Resawing to make thin wood is simple in concept, but it comes with a few challenges as well.
So you want 1/8″ thick exotic wood, or maybe thinner? Or slice a 3/4″ thick board into some 1/4″ thick pieces? It’s a common question from our customers. “Can you slice a thicker board into numerous thinner boards?” It’s a sensible question because it seems like a big waste of wood to plane a 3/4″ thick board to 1/4″. So, sure, resawing is no problem.
Well . . . sort of.
Check out this great video from The Woodworkers Guild of America about resawing with your band saw.
Tags: resawing, thin wood
Posted in Tips and Tricks | 6 Comments »
by Mark Stephens | January 29th, 2010
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Stripes, colors, and all kinds of shapes characterize this set of wood turnings from Jim King.
There’s even a piece made from spalted bloodwood, which I find highly unusual.
I want to know more about the wine dispenser. Is the wine chamber wood only, or is there a container of some kind inside?
Tags: hardwood, wood turning
Posted in Tips and Tricks, Wood Conversations, Woodworking Projects | 2 Comments »
