Archive for February, 2010

Some footage from our recent Camp. Work included basic woodcraft and Systema

Creating a sumptuous expensive and look for your home can more often than not prove to be, well, expensive. The key to achieving this kind of feel without falling out with your bank manager is through accentuating the ordinary with well chosen details and accessories. Available in a variety of shades and grains, wooden blinds are an affordable way to add an element of luxury to your home. With wood being a timeless symbol of taste and decadence and blinds an up-to-date style statement, the combination of the two creates a unique and eye catching solution for window dressing.

Wooden blinds are also the perfect foil for the minimal look. Minimal is great but can sometimes look clinical and lack warmth without some natural elements. Not only will the natural wood soften a minimal look it will add some much needed texture and break up the snow storm of pure white. Cleverly, they also work in reverse. By adding wooden blinds to a traditional setting, their clean modern lines will update the feel of the room whilst still fitting in due to their wooden make-up.

Bringing the outdoors into your home is a reoccurring amongst interior designers of late. Moving to America’s Rocky Mountains and leaving the back door ajar for passing grizzly bears is one way of doing this; a much safer and certainly more design conscious method is through wooden blinds. The real beauty of them I that they allow you to choose just what type of outdoor scene you want. A blonde wood will give a very Scandinavian feel to your home. This alpine freshness is perfect for those wanting to keep rooms airy and light. Dark wood blinds on the other hand, bring all the mystery and charm of an English woodland scene whilst maintaining a modern look through the clean linear pattern of the blinds.

However the crisp, repeating pattern of the blinds is not there solely to look pretty, it actually serves a very functional purpose. The slat blinds can be angled an infinite number of ways which effectively gives you complete control over the amount of sunlight you want coming in through your windows. From full on sunlight to an indirect glow to a complete blackout, wooden blinds offer total freedom.

Sitting close the window in the recess of the sill, wooden blinds are completely ornament friendly as, unlike curtains, they don’t need to been drawn. The fact that they can be easily wiped down or pulled up to allow the window behind to be cleaned means wooden blinds are perfect for the modern lifestyle where we seldom have the time for anything more than a quick dash around the home with a cloth and a vacuum.

With wooden blinds there are no sacrifices to be made, they are both beautiful and practical, they require minimal upkeep and are both modern yet made of traditional a material. Like all blinds they are simple to hang and once up they are long lasting. Not only will they readily fit into any scheme, more often than not they will actually enhance it.

Rustic wooden furniture basically refers to simple, natural and sturdy country style furniture designs that started gaining immense popularity during the late Victorian era. In the United States, the Old Hickory Chair Company in Indiana was one of the first and largest industries to manufacture rustic wooden furniture that started in 1892.

The rustic furniture style, which used to be based on coarser and simpler designs, has become more intricate and elegant today. A lot of care has now been taken to add more detailed texture, charm and flair to the rustic furniture design without losing its original sophistication and classical effect. There are a wide variety of rustic wooden furniture styles, designs, and pieces available on the market today.

Decorating with Rustic Wooden Furniture:

Rustic furniture items can be used to make the outdoor spaces of your home a little more interesting. For example, adorning the patio, garden and lawn with rustic furniture such as arbors, trellis pieces, and country benches will give the general décor of your home an accentuated flair, combined with a rustic country look.

For indoors, decorating with a few rustic furniture items by placing them in the right corners and areas of the house can lend your interior furnishings a classy look, but without overdoing it. For example, the fireplace would be an ideal location to place a few rustic furniture pieces such as a rocking chair, rustic fireplace mantel, etc.

Another great idea is to consider a rustic dining table for your porch, kitchen, dining room, or covered patio, combined with some traditional food and vegetables on the tabletop, where you and your guests or family can have a nice country style meal.

Innumerable options and designs are available when decorating your home with rustic wooden furniture pieces. Personal taste and style, along with current trends should be the main considerations if you plan to give your home décor a rustic furnishing makeover. Lampshades, wood floors, storage sheds, ceiling fans, cabinets, beds etc are all available in rustic furniture designs and pieces, so decide accordingly.

Taking Care of Rustic Wooden Furniture:

Here are a few important tips to maintain long-lasting and better-looking rustic wooden furniture.

- Use soft or a polish-moistened cloth to dust. This will prevent scratching of surfaces. Never use soap and water because they can penetrate the finish. This can raise grain on wood and lead to damage.

- Do not interchange oil-based and wax-based polishes that will result in streaky or cloudy appearance.

- Do not dry dust, which can result in microscopic scratches on surface.

- Use coasters for cups, vases and beverage glasses because certain types of liquid can damage the finish. Blot out any accidental spills immediately without rubbing surface.

- For rustic dining tables, always use protective pads under the hot dishes to avoid unwanted spots, and damage to the finish.

- Humidity should be kept as constant as possible because high humidity can cause wood to swell while low humidity can cause it to shrink because of moisture loss.

Copyright © Kayla Berringer, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

There are a few simple safety rules that every woodworker should always follow. Make Safety a habit, and you’ll be much less likely to encounter a problem.I have a safety issue just watching this thing run. Be careful and think things through when using large diameter cutters. They can be very dangerous when things go wrong. Here are the 11 saftey tips You should never forget on woodWorking .

1. Wear appropriate safety gear when operating a woodworking machine: safety glasses, a face shield for extra protection, and hearing protectors or earplugs. lf there is no dust collection system, wear a dust mask. For exotic woods, such as ebony, use a respirator; the sawdust may cause an allergic reaction.

2. Make sure that workshop lighting and ventilation are adequate and that work surfaces are large and sturdy.

3. Read your owner’s manuat carefully before operating any machine.

4.Tie back long hair, roll up long sleeves and avoid loose-fitting clothing. Remove rings and other jewelry that can catch in moving parts.

5. Keep children, onlookers and pets away from the work area.

6. Unplug a machine before performing setup or installation operattons.

7. Concentrate on the job; do not rush or take shortcuts. Never work when you are tired, stressed or have been drinking alcohol or using medications that induce drowsiness.

8. Whenever possible, clamp down the workpiece, leaving both hands free to perform an operation.

9. Find a comfortable stance; avoid over-reaching.

10. Turn the machine off if it produces an unfamiliar vibration or noise; have the machine serviced before resuming operations.

11.Keep your work area clean and tidy; clutter can lead to accidents.

You need to setup a fence system. Then you need to have a downward pushing feather board. Whenever you are working on a shaper you push the wood against the rotation of the cutter, never with the rotation of the cutter. The safest way to use a panel cutter would be to have a stock feeder. You can take a full cut with the shaper and there should be no ill effects. But as a beginner without a stock feeder, you should take partial cuts to see how it feels. End grain is tougher to cut than edge grain.

Charles Neil shares some of his knowledge about finishing spray guns using the economical WoodRiver™ brand.

Vickies Head Lice Home Remedy Is All Natural And A Constitent CB Seller For 8+ Years! Affiliates Earn A Healthy 70%.
Head Lice Home Remedy.

Part 1 of 2 on choosing a lathe that will meet your particular needs.

Carpentry implies crafting wood into useful and sometimes decorative articles. The raw wood must be operated on in various ways and then assembled to produce the desired article. The basic operations are cutting, planeing, and shaping. None of these can be done with bare hands. Tools and equipment help the carpenter to do these arduous tasks conveniently and quickly. Today we have a number of power tools which further facilitate these operations. The carpenter will also require some supplies like nails, screws, glue and wood polish to complete his project. All these tools, equipment, and supplies can be obtained from hardware and woodwork stores.

As a novice carpenter you should find a local store from where you can buy your supplies. Alternatively, you can source your supplies from online stores which abound on the Internet. Here is a brief rundown on the essentials you should get together for your new venture into carpentry.

The first order of business is to order a good, reliable table saw. This power tool is used to cut wood. The table saw will see duty every working day, and that too for relatively long periods. Therefore it should be a heavy-duty, industrial grade machine. This machine will singly do the majority of the work in your shop. So invest in it wisely.

I have already said that the table saw will do the majority of the work in your shop. It will be required to carry out some really tough jobs, like cutting through beams, posts and planks. Look to your budget and buy a reliable, good quality machine. In case your budget is a little strained, look out for a pre-used machine in good condition. Maybe a carpenter friend is upgrading his table saw. It will be worth your while to inspect it and consider buying it.

Most people see the band saw as an unnecessary tool. Not so. The band saw is worth its weight in gold when it does those jobs which are either very time consuming or downright impossible with other tools. You use a band saw to crosscut, cut out large circles, and rip lumber. This power tool is the second-most important tool in your armory of tools.

Almost everyone knows the power drill, our next tool. It is basically used to drill holes in and through wood. Drill bits come in various diameters and lengths to enable you to drill holes of specific sizes. A boring bit cuts out rather large holes in wood. The drill can be fitted with a number of alternate tool bits to do multifarious tasks. For example, you can fit a sanding disc on the drill, and sand down the surface of wood. A buffing attachment will let you buff the article after polishing. The drill can screw and unscrew screws and bolts, and run nuts.

You will need an assortment of smaller hand tools and measuring equipment. Hammers, pliers, pincers, and chisels are some of these. You will need a steel measuring tape, and a protractor to measure angles. Remember, everything in carpentry depends on getting the dimensions right. One wrong dimension can turn days of toil into a failed project.

A router can round off the edge of a plank. It can make flutes along the legs of a chair or table. You can use it to cut intricate grooves for a design on a wood panel. A router comes with an assortment of bits and routing blades. The fancy designs you produce with the router will give your project an aesthetic look apart from it being solidly constructed.

These tools are like so many servants at your beck and call. They don’t get tired or grouchy. But yes, they do require maintenance. Proper maintenance will add years of service to your tools. They must be protected from moisture and dirt. Moisture causes these tools to rust. Dirt will cause the tools to operate below par. So you should make sure that your tools are cleaned properly every day. Then use a dry cloth to wipe them dry. Finally put a few drops of a good quality preventive lubricant on a piece of cloth and wipe the tool with this cloth. The thin film of oil will prevent moisture from getting to the tools, and this in turn will ensure that rust does not set in. Your tools represent a sizable investment; apart from that they are your active partners in your work. Just imagine your table saw going down for just a single day! Your entire production will come to a grinding halt! So you lose money on getting the tool repaired, you lose more money on the loss of production, but most importantly, you lose out on getting the project finished on time!

Charles Neil shows the Foredom Power Carver set.

• Fully assembled model Compasses/Sextants. Take out of the box and it is ready to display.
• Overall dimensions: . This is a handcrafted wooden accurate replica model.
• $7.95 Shipping to the lower 48 US States. Contact us for AK, HI, PR and Intl Shipments
• 100% money back guarantee. Ships from Los Angeles, CA. No Sales Tax except in California.
• To see additional pictures, history, description, and more products go to handcraftedmodelships.com

Product Description
Made of the solid brass, it can work in any position. The outer body s made of the sheesham wood. Size: 4½x4½x3½”… More >>

Gimble Compass Fully Assembled Nautical Decorative Gift Wooden Home Nautical Decor Not a Model Kit

Charles Neil provides Part 2 of this instructional lesson on finishing with hvlp sprayers – particularyl the Earlex available at Woodcraft.

Wooden flooring has many benefits over the use of carpets. Laying a wooden floor can set your home apart from the rest and increase its value if you come to sell the house. Each floorboard is unique making the effect of a wooden floor very attractive. Unlike carpets, wooden flooring does not trap dust and mites and is therefore highly recommended for allergy suffers. Wooden flooring is extremely hard wearing and will last considerably longer than even the highest quality carpets available. It is easy to keep clean and is stain resistant to food and drink. Any spillages can simply be soaked up and wooden flooring can be easily swept to remove dust and solid matter.

Wooden flooring is widely available from all good hardwood flooring suppliers. You can buy wooden flooring in various thickness and widths. Some wooden flooring products are even available in random lengths to add to the natural look of the flooring. A range of finishes is also available including unfinished, lacquered and oiled, which gives a durable protective layer whilst maintaining a natural finish. There are various grades of wooden flooring available with the higher grades having less knots and colour variation. Generally speaking the younger the wood, the lighter the colour. This can mean that even wood from the same tree can have variations in colour depending on how old the wood is. Older wood is found at the centre of the tree whilst the younger, lighter wood is found around the edge. This younger wood is known as Sapwood.

Oak flooring is widely used in North America and Europe for both residential and commercial flooring. Both continents are major producers of the flooring with the USA producing Red and White oak flooring and European oak flooring on this side of the Atlantic. An incredibly rich colour can be achieved by polishing oak flooring. Red oak flooring is noted for its warm tones with pink tinting whilst White oak flooring is often lighter with grey tones. Most oak flooring produced in North America is made from trees sourced on the Eastern side of the Rockies whilst European Oak is made from timber found all over Europe. All these different types of oak vary in colour; hardness and grain however all give a stunning finish to any room.

Walnut flooring is also heavily produced in North America where the Walnut tree is most common. It is an extremely tall and fast growing tree that produces a varied grain of warm and rich coloured wood. Walnut flooring is generally darker than oak flooring and is incredibly hard wearing. It is commonly used in offices, libraries and dining rooms where a warm yet classic look is required.

There is very little that comes close to the look and feel of real wooden flooring however the cost to buy flooring like this is not affordable to every budget. Engineered hardwood flooring is available and can be cheaper than solid wooden flooring. It comprises of a layer of hardwood on top of a plywood base. Alternatively laminate flooring is a good cost effective solution to real wooden flooring and is available in a range of wooden and ceramic styles. Since its introduction the improvements in laminate flooring has been outstanding. Nowadays most laminate flooring does not require glue and simply clicks together. This makes laying laminate flooring faster, easier and much less messy, With such high quality laminate flooring now available it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between laminate and real hardwood flooring and its popularity for use in homes and commercial properties is growing all the time.

Some home owners would prefer to work on their wooden door alone. As long as they have the tools and the guidelines, that is definitely possible. If you’re planning a DIY wooden door installation, here are tips that you can use.Got your wooden door? Normally, you will be advised to use the services of a professional installer. They don’t only have the technical know-how, expertise, and experience, but they also possess the equipment that you need. All you need to do is to pay up for the labor. Better yet, ask if the manufacturer can offer it to you for free.

But there are home owners who prefer to install their wooden door alone. It allows them to save labor costs, not to mention that it’s a very fun activity to do. If this is your thing, you just need to ensure that you can take note of the following tips:

1. Measure the frames and the doors. One of the common mistakes that home owners do when installing wooden door is that they assume that the width and size are equivalent to your door. The actual dimensions can be different. Hence, ensure that you can get the right width, height, and thickness. With width, measure the frame across the middle and from top to bottom. Height can be measured from the floor to the lintol.

2. Keep your guides handy at all times. Check if you can find a manual for your wooden door. If it does, always place it very close to you. You may need it while you’re working on your door. Make sure that you can follow the instructions to a T, including what types of finishes or glazes to use and how to fit the lock right into the mortice slot.

3. Check the standards of the glass. If you’re planning to add glass into your wooden door, you should ensure that it meets with the safety standards of the industry. This way, you are assured of its durability. You will have to ask for any method of toughening it just in case it doesn’t.

4. Install weather bars in your exterior wooden door. These bars will prevent water, wind, and snow from going through the door and into your home. To install the bars of the wooden door, make use of a waterproof adhesive and a screw. After you’re done, make sure that you can cover any holes that are present. This is to prevent water from seeping into the door and cause it to experience premature deterioration.

It may take a while for you to learn how to become an expert wooden door installer. It will become easier, though, if you’ve already picked a quality product.

First in a series of interviews and demonstrations with Scott Phillips, host of The American Woodshop and Reto Odermatt, Swiss Master Woodcarver who studied at the Brienz School of Woodcarving in Brienz Switzerland.

How To Save Money At Every Step Of The Home Buying Process.
Cheap Homes – How To Save Thousands.