Category Archives: Uncategorized

More than Wood: Black Walnut Season

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Dave Fisher

You’ve got to watch your head walking around here in October as the black walnut trees drop their heavy fruits. A walk is accompanied by a chorus of soft plinks and solid thunks. The plinks are acorns, the thunks are … Continue reading →

Posted in historical reference, nature, quotes and excerpts, sketch, trees, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

2026: Pete’s and Hand Tool Haven

Posted on October 25, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I just returned from a week teaching a bird bowl class at Pete Galbert’s in Berwick, Maine. I’ll be settling into my shop for the next few months with lots of projects in mind. I’ll also be thinking about 2026. … Continue reading →

Posted in classes, events, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Ready for Maine

Posted on October 11, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I’m returning to Peter Galbert Workshops in Berwick, Maine to teach another bird bowl class this week. As part of my preparations, I carved another hen bowl to make sure I remembered how. We’ll carve a long and sleek goose-inspired … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, books, classes, teaching, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Strange and Unusual Shrink Pot

Posted on October 3, 2025 by Dave Fisher

In the 1988 movie Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder, as Lydia, professes her strangeness with quiet self-assurance: “I myself am strange and unusual.” About a year ago I was asked to incorporate that line into a piece, and the idea developed in … Continue reading →

Posted in design, Lettering, shrink box, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Drew Langsner’s “The Chairmaker’s Workshop”

Posted on September 17, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I’ve written before about how influential Drew Langsner and his books have been in my woodworking life. But I haven’t mentioned much about his book The Chairmaker’s Workshop specifically. That’s my copy from the ’90s. I love it and I … Continue reading →

Posted in books, chairs, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Four Shrinkpots and Some Tool Thoughts

Posted on September 13, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I’ve just finished four shrink pots that are available for purchase. They are made from various wood species, which I’ll detail below. All are finished with a mixture of linseed oil and beeswax. The lidded ones all have tight-fitting lids … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, paint, shrink box, tools, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Moby Dick Book Box

Posted on September 11, 2025 by Dave Fisher

There’s a long tradition of making boxes and other items in the form of books. I’ve made a few now, each in a different way. In an old post I showed one joined from several pieces and another example made … Continue reading →

Posted in books, historical reference, Lettering, paint, patterns, shrink box, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 13 Comments

August 2025 Spoons (and Such)

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I always keep my eyes open for interesting branch crooks that can make good spoons or other things. Here I’ve got a group of 11 available for purchase now. All of these were carved from branch crooks with the design … Continue reading →

Posted in spoons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Bowl Carving Instructional Video Sale

Posted on August 28, 2025 by Dave Fisher

Four years ago, while we were all still under pandemic restrictions, Elia Bizzari turned lemons into lemonade by asking some of his fellow craftspersons to make a series of live interactive instructional videos with him. I jumped in for bowl … Continue reading →

Posted in classes, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Birch Ummik and Woodworking in Estonia

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Dave Fisher

Making and using shrink pots for grain and food storage is an ancient practice. In one of the greatest woodworking books, Woodworking in Estonia, Ants Viires, dedicates several pages (89-95) to it. In various regions of Estonia, these containers were … Continue reading →

Posted in books, historical reference, quotes and excerpts, shrink box, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 13 Comments