Chisel Tray-Part 4-Complete

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Greg Merritt

Two and a half days of 90+deg in the shop is close enough to three days cure time for me.  The instructions on the can say to rub the entire surface with chalk before actually using the chalkboard.  So I dutifully complied then erased it with a rag… Continue reading →

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Chisel Tray-Part 3

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Greg Merritt

Still plugging away.  Next up on the chisel tray was adding the sliding lid.  This is a simple, but effective design for putting a lid on a box.  There’s no hardware involved either.  Just a few bits of wood and your up and running.

The first bits of wood to install are the end batons.  These are fixed to the box and serve to hold the lid in place.  For my application I chose some 1/4″ thick stock and made them narrow.  I also left them long for the installation process, which is glue and bamboo pegs.  The extra length being there to help stave off splitting the ends when the pegs are driven in. Continue reading →

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The Great Kanna Experiment-Part 2

Posted on September 3, 2016 by Greg Merritt

After my Cheerios and coffee this morning I headed out to the shop to try my hand at making dai #2.  This dai will have the blade bedded at 45deg.  My goal is to find the best blade angle for planing the typical material that I work with.  I also want to forgo the chip breaker for simplicity’s sake.  This may seem like folly on my part, but the path is my own. Continue reading →

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The Great Kanna Experiment-Part 1

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Greg Merritt

I’m not gonna sugar coat it, I have struggled with the Japanese common plane.  Getting it to cut is easy.  Getting it to cut consistently and predictably, that’s a whole other thing all together.  The learning curve is steep and my lack of understanding and skill has made it a slow process.  Past is past and I have resolved to remedy this shortcoming. Continue reading →

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Chisel Tray-Part 2 

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Greg Merritt

Dang, it has been hot!  I about half expect to see an elephant or Masai tribesman stroll past the shop window at any moment.  At some point it will be over and I’ll be complaining about the cold.  Of that you can be sure.  I have a plan though…more on that later.  For now I cope and work in the shop for short stretches as best I can. Continue reading →

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Tools—

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Greg Merritt

When I started this blog I made a conscious decision to talk about tools as little as possible.  There are enough people, far more knowledgable than I, who are talking about tools.  I’ve always wanted the focus to be on the woodworking.  The tools that I use or that you use, are immaterial.  As long as they are sharp, they work.  That being said, I’m going to break my self-imposed policy.  Mostly because this blog serves as my woodworking journal, but also to give those of you who read it an idea of what in the hell I’m doing. Continue reading →

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Chisel Tray-Part 1

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Greg Merritt

Well, it’s not quite as hot, but the humidity is still hanging on.  An hour at a stretch is about all I can take.  I know what the next project will be, but I’m struggling with the design.  So I’ve been looking over the shop and evaluating my current setup.  It has been just about a year since I moved into the new shop and I’ve built a few projects in it.  So a review of what is working and what is not is in order. Continue reading →

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Incense Burner Stand-Part 2-Complete

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Greg Merritt

Not a whole lot to add to the story here.  I simply added a coat of Tried and True Original to the stand as per the instructions on the can.  That’s about all there is to it.  I’ll add a maintenance coat in a few months or so. Continue reading →

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Incense Burner Stand-Part 1

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Greg Merritt

Our sense of smell is a powerful thing.  Pleasant smells have the power to alter our mood.  Some smells bring back memories.  I’ve even read that the smell of fresh baked cookies can help to sell a house.  Unpleasant odors can be just as powerful.  I’ll not go into examples, I’m sure you know what I mean. Continue reading →

Posted in Hide Glue Pot, Incense Burner Stand | Tagged | 10 Comments

Seizing Inspiration when it Presents

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Greg Merritt

I make things.   Not to earn a living.  Not because I have to.  I make things because I want to and to satisfy a deep-seated desire to create.  I tend to make things that have a practical use, it is just my nature.  In fact, I find it very difficult to create something solely for artistic value.  Sure, I tend to add “artistic” touches to the things that I make, but decorative embellishment is quite different than art for art’s sake. Continue reading →

Posted in Incense Burner Stand | Tagged | 10 Comments