Well this week has been a wash as far as working in the shop. Temperatures with humidity has been around 37 to 40 c. Not nice to work in so I have been taking a break from the shop, but not from working.

I have been puttering with SketchUp to see how to draw my projects with that and I have knocked off a double batch of Orchard Fruit Chilli Sauce. The latter is an annual tradition I have, to make my Chilli Sauce and a fruit variety from fresh Ontario fruits and vegetables. I have around 20 jars of the stuff, which I will give to some people who have helped me during the year and to use not only as a garnish but as a base for my backrib marinate.

Well they say the long weekend will see a break in the temperatures and a reduction in the humidity. I hope so.

On the the old workbench I have a vanity going for my youngest son’s bathroom Reno and my cousin wants a potato bin storage unit built. Also before winter shut down, I have a cabinet project for my sister-in-law, one for neighbour as well as few cabinets for my own house and some kick plate for a kitchen project I did a few years back.  So, busy fall coming

See you in the Workshop!

I have been working on a project that has been at least five years in the making. I bought some Red Oak from A & M Wood Specialty in Cambridge maybe 5 years ago now to build a sliding door for my younger son’s hall closet. Well, the construction of the door is done and now is waiting for a final fitting before I finish the door and hang it.

The door is made in a frame and panel granary door style. The panels are 1/4” Red Oak plywood. The rails and stiles are solid red oak. The joinery is a combination of tongue and groove and mortise and tenon. The rails have 2” tenons which are mortised into the stiles. I am going to add pins to each joint to add a bit of style and strength to the frame. The bottom of the door has a 1/4” wide 1/4” groove cut into it that stops about and 1” from each end. I am going to add a pin to be sued to guide the door in it’s sliding and that will also add a stop for the door opening and closing.

The track will be concealed in a Red Oak 3 sided frame. The track itself is from Richelieu, and is suppose to hold up to around 100 lbs on a two roller slide mechanism.

The door and track mounting frame are stained using Minwax Dark Walnut and top coated with several coats of wipe on poly.

I will add pictures when we get it hung.

Nice project for a change.

See you in the Workshop!

Well it’s been awhile since last entry to the BLOG, but I have been busy working on two projects in the shop.

The first project I have completed is a set of Red Oak frames for a set of mirrors from a hall closet door. My son had a set of mirror doors that he replaced and I built two frames from 3/4” Red Oak. The frame on each, has an inset piece of 1/2” round over moulding which is inset 3/4” or so from the front.

The mirror then is inserted into the frame and a piece of 1/4” hardboard is then placed on the back of the mirror.  There are 4 pieces of Red Oak cross supports with Kreg screws on each end that hold the mirror and hardboard in the frame.  The top support is a French cleat which will be used to mount the mirror on the wall.  A heavy frame, but hopefully it will work as he wants it. The both units are finished using a Dark Walnut Satin from Minwax and several coats of Minwax Wipe-on Poly.

For my other son, who is getting married May 2, I am making a bathroom vanity, which will be our wedding present for the bride and groom. This piece is made from solid Sapele. Sapele is a managed hardwood replacement for Mahogany, which is now on the endangered list of forest trees.

The design has an apron which goes around the top with two drawers mounted on each side of the front apron. A slated shelf is mounted on rails between the side legs. The unit will have a solid surface top and under mount sink. I have the drawers to build and make two inset false drawer fronts then the final sanding of the unit. Then finishing with a Bombay Mahogany stain from Minwax.

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Thanks for dropping by and having a look.

See you in the Workshop!!

After 21 years of being my inspiration for my woodworking hobby and pastime, Norm Abram’s New Yankee Workshop is leaving the airwaves. For many a Saturday afternoon, I would tune in the show over the PBS network and enjoy the projects and learn from the master cabinetmaker. I posted a picture of project that I had built on his website  and have many a sticker attached to tool boxes and the New Yankee coffee mug sits proudly on my workbench at break time.

You can still get plans, videos and other items  on the New Yankee website.

http://newyankee.com

From a person who is inspired by your skills and shows I say, thanks Norm, you will be missed