Category Archives: tools

Early American Artisans Fair

Ten minutes west of my house is a line separating Pennsylvania from Ohio and the official Midwest.  I’m looking forward to crossing for a very short jaunt westward at the beginning of November when I’ll be at the Early American … Continue reading

Posted in events, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Bowl Horse at Fifteen

It’s been fifteen years since I built my log bowl horse, and it’s still serving well and regularly in my workshop.  I mentioned it in this article, but the focus there is more on building the more portable version from … Continue reading

Posted in holding, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Mulberry Rooster Bowl

In summer, the birds and I eat the mulberries from my neighbor’s tree.  We have a deal; the birds get the high ones and I get the low ones.  The other way around proved to be far too dangerous. A … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, finding wood, tools, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Short Lettercarving Video

At Spoonfest, Tom Hepworth filmed Barn and I talking briefly about carving letters with a knife.  I also demonstrated how I go about cutting a letter.  Tom posted the video to Youtube not long ago, and here it is.  Just … Continue reading

Posted in carving, Lettering, tools, Uncategorized, video | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Dragon Orthodontics

I roughed out this cherry ale bowl during the green stage months ago, and now I’ve gotten around to refining it in the dry stage, including carving a set of choppers, a point of pride for any dragon. After sketching … Continue reading

Posted in ale bowls, carving, cherry, patterns, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Travisher

I’ve briefly mentioned the idea of using a travisher on bowls, in this post for example.  The travisher in that post was one I had made years before using a blade that I purchased from Country workshops. I used it … Continue reading

Posted in green woodworking, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Nimble Fishtail

Having just finished carving “necklaces” on a couple bowls, I thought I’d explain a bit more about the tool I use for the carving of the large triangular recesses that make up the design.  In the FWW  article and video, … Continue reading

Posted in Lettering, patterns, sketch, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged | 9 Comments

Gate Horse?

Last week I was splitting up a white oak log.  I used some of the pieces to throw together a low bench to be left outside.  I was ready to shave the ends of the legs down to two inch … Continue reading

Posted in green woodworking, holding, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Adze Adjustments

I’ve been getting a lot of good questions from people that, unable to find a good bowl adze, wish to make the most out of a less-than-ideal adze or refurbish an antique adze head.  I’ve written about adzes in several … Continue reading

Posted in adze, sharpening, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

An Encounter with a Woodworker

It was a balmy 35° F today, and I got out for a walk in the late afternoon as the sun was getting low.  As I was walking along the high bank above the river, I spied one of nature’s … Continue reading

Posted in carving, nature, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments