Blog
Working to Plans… or not.
A wise woman once said, "Plans take all the fun out and make it seem like work". Eight years ago I stopped using plans. My idea was to…
Libella vs. Laser
Been thinking about the Libella lately...the ancient leveling tool. Would it be as accurate as today's laser levels? No, probably not. The precision of the laser would…
Special Plane from Across the Room
A visit to a retired shop teacher/avid boatbuilder locally yielded a look at this plane. I knew from across the room that there was something special about…
Thanks Theodorus
Theodorus of Samos of a very long time ago in the golden age of the Grecian Geometers: Where would we be without you? Historians attribute him with the…
Let the Log do the Talking
Here's my take on what to call the different lumber grading by end grain configuration. In my opinion, I say let the wood and the geometry provide the…
Best Joint in the Joint
It’s all about the joint. The best joint in the joint (or at least in the furniture piece you are building) is the joint that will…
Ex Nihilo
The ancient “geometers” believed that geometry was the key to comprehending the incomprehensible; that an understanding of its inherent truths was the key to unlocking the mystery of…
The Ellipse Stick Trick
Here's a really quick way to layout a good-enough ellipse using just a batten: Ellipse from a Batten from Jim Tolpin on Vimeo.
Morning Sun, front and back
Morning sunlight streamed through the back kitchen door and something about the light gave me pause to look more carefully at the design of the door itself. An…
Da Vinci’s Teacher
This short video clip is a sample of what Jim Tolpin and I are putting together for our soon to be released on-line design workshop. This is one…
