Site Upgrade

A few changes are coming to TheWoodWhisperer.com. We are almost constantly working on ways to improve the usability and appearance of the website. Much like our shops, there is always something that could be improved. So the new site will look very similar but we think you’ll find it much more pleasing to navigate. The home page will be cleaner and more succinct. The live page and all the streaming web cams will be significantly improved with iOS compatibility and a new simpler chat room. Goodbye crappy chat room! We will also be implementing a new feature that allows you to easily search our archives by specific attributes. Want to see all the Shop Tours submitted by Pros with standalone shops that are 1000+ sq. ft. with a strong focus on power tools? You’ll be able to do that. Pretty cool stuff. Look for it to arrive in your browser early 2012.

The Split-Top Roubo

The Split-Top Roubo Guild Build is about to begin and should last for at least a few months. Having this sweet bench in my shop will be a great way to start the new year as I dive into some new projects. If you are looking to get in on the build, check this out!

The Client Project (Bedroom Set)

Some of you may recall the “Summer of Wenge”. A few years ago, my favorite client commissioned a few very unique cabinets made primarily from Wenge. So I endured countless splinters as I brought the pieces to life. Well the same client is looking for some bedroom pieces, including a bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. These pieces will NOT be made from Wenge, but Bubinga and African Blackwood instead. The picture here is only a starting point as the final design will have some sweet raised panels along with the angled headboard. Not sure how many of these pieces I’ll be able to do but I am thinking we might start with the bed and go from there.

The Maloof-Inspired Rocker

I have been wanting to build a Maloof-style rocker for years. Whether in a class or on my own with a set of plans, some day it will happen! And this year just may be the year. During a recent Wood Talk Online Radio, my co-host Shannon and I realized that we both own the Charles Brock plans and thought it would be cool if we both documented a build at the same time. He would cover primarily hand tool methods and I would focus a little more on power tools. Now the question is, can we both carve out the time?

The Krenov Cabinet

I have long been an admirer of Krenov’s work. And with the last few Guild projects being fairly large, I think it’s time to do something on a smaller scale. So I am thinking the next Guild project will be a small floor-standing Krenov-inspired Jewelry Armoire. I guess you could also just call it a cabinet and put whatever you want in it. Either way, it should be a fun and useful project.

The Tilt-Top Table

My buddy Bill Akins alerted me to a table he thought I could have some fun with. It’s a classic tilt-top table from Fine Woodworking. You’ll probably notice that this doesn’t look like a “marc” project. No doubt I tend to focus more on modern designs and I don’t have much personal interest in what I affectionately refer to as, “Burgundy Grandma furniture”. If you like this stuff, don’t be offended. This is no different than me saying I’m not a big fan of dark-colored walls, young kids with handlebar mustaches, and street racers that sound like souped-up lawn mowers. Its just a personal distaste for the look. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have respect for the craftsmanship, elegance, and history that comes with some of these pieces. So with that in mind, I think its time for me to try something different, like this table. I will most likely make a few changes so that it becomes something I don’t mind looking at in my own home, but the fundamentals of the build will be inspired by the original. And yes, we’ll even do some turning.

Adirondack Chair Class

You probably remember the Adirondack Chair from this summer, right? Well this Summer, I’ll be teaching folks how to build it at the William Ng School. You can sign up for the 5-day class right now by clicking here. The class will run from June 4th – June 8th and should be a great time. June in Southern California?!?! Yes please!

Miscellaneous Videos

Of course we’ll have numerous other technique and small project videos as well as minis. Just a few things I have planned already are: The Shop-Made Drawing Bow, The Rockler Circle Cutting Jig, and Must-Have Router Bits.

All in all, it should be a great year at The Wood Whisperer. Thanks for making 2011 another record-breaking year in terms of traffic and video downloads. You guys are the best community a woodworking nerd could ask for!

Anatole wanted me to include the following information on shop-made splitters since there has been some interest.

Adding a splitter to a new tablesaw throat insert is an excellent safely practice. Once installed, neglecting it requires a conscious effort, so the odds are that it will see everyday, real-life use. I’ve found, though, that the usually recommended procedure of extending the kerf behind the blade and gluing in a wooden tongue is hard to pull off without introducing minuscule errors. And the slightest error will result in a device that snags the workpiece. This method solves those problems. Raise the sawblade through the new insert. Then place the insert against a fence on a drill-press table. Align things by lowering a drill bit of a diameter that is equal to the blade thickness (usually 1/8 in.) into the kerf. When the bit is centered in the kerf, lock the fence, change to a drill bit 1/32 in. smaller, switch on the drill press and bore a hole near the outfeed end of the kerf. Now push that same drill bit into the hole, shank up, along with a dab of cyanoacrylate glue. The drill bit will now serve as the splitter pin. It will be aligned perfectly with the sawkerf and should have about 1/64 in. of clearance on each side.

Michael Standish, Roxbury, Mass.

Fine Woodworking Magazine, October 2001 No. 151

And by the way, most of the interviews were significantly longer than what appeared in the video. If there is any interest, I would be more than happy to release the full interviews at a later date. Just let me know.