Category Archives: tools

Cleave the Wood

Posted on August 3, 2020 by

When a friend asked me to carve this short line from Saying 77 of the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, I spent a lot of time thinking.  There were a lot of decisions to make, from choosing among various translations to … Continue reading →

Posted in Lettering, quotes and excerpts, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

An Egg Today

Posted on July 9, 2020 by

“Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.”  –traditional proverb Each piece of tree comes with it’s own history and quirks.  I look closely and start thinking about possibilities.  Usually this will result in a variation on some design I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, patterns, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Little Hens

Posted on June 8, 2020 by

The walnut rooftop chickens I roughed out back in the spring are waiting for me.  Meanwhile, a friend took down a cherry tree in his yard and I used a piece to make a pair of mini versions.  It gave … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, cherry, green woodworking, holding, layout, patterns, sketch, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Musical Shrink Pot

Posted on May 23, 2020 by

Between juggling this last month of a strange school year and a bout with sciatica, my carving time has been limited lately, but I was able to get a different sort of shrink pot finished before Mother’s Day.  Keeping in … Continue reading →

Posted in shrink box, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 12 Comments

Elbow Adze

Posted on April 29, 2020 by

I intended to do this over three years ago — make an elbow adze.  My intentions were so sincere that I purchased the iron from Kestrel Tool.  I even found a branch junction that would work well for the haft … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 20 Comments

Thankful for Birds and Trees

Posted on November 28, 2019 by

  This past summer, we were fortunate to have a pair of wrens make a home in our yard.  We enjoyed watching them flit around and hearing them sing.  It also reminded me of my grandmother who loved her “Jenny … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, tools, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Treasures from Millersburg

Posted on November 10, 2019 by

These T-handle augers weren’t the only treasures I found in Millersburg, Ohio last weekend at the Early American Artisans Fair.  I included some links in a previous post.  The Artisans’ Guild has some exciting plans, so its well worth a … Continue reading →

Posted in events, historical reference, teaching, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Fluted Walnut Bowl

Posted on October 26, 2019 by

After making many bowls, I’m still thrilled by the prospect of shaping a rough chunk of log into a finished bowl.  The just-finished walnut bowl in the two photos above began with flattening the bottom and fairing the upper surface … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, axe, quotes and excerpts, tools, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

In the Beginning

Posted on October 6, 2019 by

Wanting to make another big cherry shrink pot like the one in this post, I put my big folding saw in my pack and walked to a nearby woodlot where a cherry tree had fallen a few months ago.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in cherry, holding, shrink box, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Early American Artisans Fair

Posted on October 1, 2019 by

Ten minutes west of my house is a line separating Pennsylvania from Ohio and the official Midwest.  I’m looking forward to crossing for a very short jaunt westward at the beginning of November when I’ll be at the Early American … Continue reading →

Posted in events, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments