The Ark

The Ark is a cedar lined hopechest built from red oak plywood. This is a clean, simple design which which makes this hopechest easy to build. The top has spring loaded hinges to let the top down slowly so fingers don't get smashed. The hinges also have a locking position to hold the top open more than whats shown here.




The intarsia design is not mine, it's from Judy Gale Roberts who is very well known in the intarsia world ( intarsia.com ). As a designer I had to swallow my pride when asked to use someone's design other than mine. It's part of doing business I guess, of course I did make some changes to the style.

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Online Benefits for Craft Businesses

By: Narelle Davison


The internet has an endless number of benefits for craftspeople, not just as a medium for selling the end product but for each step that leads to sales. The fact that you are reading this shows that you already utilise the web for information but perhaps you have not yet considered some of the following points presented.
The ideas provided in this article have come from interviews with craftspeople, conducted for AussieCrafts.com, in the interest of sharing information with our peers. When boiled down to its bare essentials this is the true essence of the internet but it sometimes gets lost in all of the advertising and sales. The interviews spawned a host of ways in which the internet assists the crafters, both in their business and creatively, and provided much insight into untangling the web.
Inspiration:

When asked about the sources they use for inspiration most craftspeople have said that the internet is a much used research tool. This is particularly useful with commission pieces, where a client gives a basic idea and there is a need to familiarise yourself with the subject. Browsing websites is also great for when you want to start a new piece but are not quite sure where to begin. No matter what craft you do if you are stuck for ideas on what to create there are always plenty of places to get some quick inspiration online. The obvious way to get ideas is to search for your craft in the search engines but some other methods are:
Type your craft name into Google image search
Yahoo groups on your craft often have galleries
Online stores that sell your craft
Craft directories
Historical sites related to your craft, most crafts did after all come from very ancient beginnings.
Try searching for crafts that are similar to yours, if you do pottery, for example, search for glasswork. The colours and shapes are likely to spark new ideas.
If it’s a more abstract inspiration that you need such as colour or texture then art, photography and nature sites are fantastic sources of ideas. Stock photography sites (such as www.dreamstime.com), for example, have thousands of images of almost everything imaginable. Let’s say you want to create a bead necklace that reflects the colour and movement of the ocean. If you browse the sea and ocean category of a stock photography site you can jot down ideas based on what you see as you view page after page of photographs that cover every aspect of the ocean.
Education: patterns and tutorials
There are very few crafters who believe they know everything there is about their craft. Who of us do not want to learn something new? The internet is the best source of tips, tricks, patterns and tutorials on every craft imaginable, so much so that many craftspeople no longer purchase books about their craft. Many sites offer this information for free, as a way to attract and keep surfers, much the same way as articles like this are utilised. Others charge a subscription or a cost per tutorial, often downloaded as an e-book or a pdf file. For many crafts there are also online classes or lessons via email, again some are free (and often include advertising) and others are subscription based.
To find these valuable resources consider using some of the following terms alongside your craft name: tutorial, pattern, learn to, ebook, lesson, techniques, instructions or projects. These keywords were tested using Google search and beading, for example ‘beading projects’, and the results were astonishing. If it a particular technique you are searching for then add that to your search query, for example ‘beading peyote technique’, where peyote is a type of beading stitch.
Purchasing tools and materialsThe internet has brought about a convenient way to buy almost anything, from anywhere in the world, and to craftspeople this has been one the most important benefits of being online. Often there are supplies needed for craftwork that are not available locally and this can be the case no matter where you live. It may be because it is only manufactured in a small area of Europe or that there are few people working in the same craft as you and therefore there is little demand.
Apart from availability issues nothing is better than being able to browse many stores in a short space of time and not only get prices but also see things without having to leave home. Ebay is popular with many craftspeople due to the range of goods and their prices, you can find both new and secondhand tools and materials there. Shopping online means more time for doing what you enjoy or what brings in your income. The world is becoming smaller and shipping costs and delivery times are too.
Often the websites that sell crafts materials also have a range of useful resources such as guides to using their products. They also have convenient contact information, like email, and as they are often craftspeople themselves can give advice on craft specific problems.
Publicity and exhibition requests
Many of the sources that are traditionally used for publicity such as magazines, newspapers and event organizers are now using the internet as a way to find craftspeople. Not only is the internet often a faster way to find what they need but it is also a visual medium. Therefore having a website for your craft business is not just about gaining sales and commissions but it also provides a way for the media and galleries to see your work.
One example of this is an artist interviewed on Aussie Crafts who has in the last few months been contacted by a lifestyle magazine to do an article on her work, as well as another contact to request her involvement in an exhibition. Both of these publicity avenues have stemmed from her website, which contain galleries of her work.
This same artist is also a member of an organisation supporting her medium, which has a website that lists galleries showing members’ works at any given time. There are organisations such as this for many crafts, both global and local, that are worth having a membership with.
Sales and commissions:
The most obvious way that craftspeople are using the internet is to sell their products to a wider market than previously possible, what is not so obvious is that there are many ways to do this. One artist interviewed extolled the virtues of the internet as, "It's been huge for us. We sell artwork and DIY kits all over the world and so put virtually all our marketing energy into our website. We get well over five thousand visitors every month at basically no cost and the whole world has become our target market."
Some of the reasons people decided to sell their crafts online include not having to deal with galleries, no commissions to pay, less overheads than a store and the fact that there is more time crafting and less selling.
Apart from setting up an often expensive e-commerce website there are other means to gaining online sales:
A 'brochure' style site, which displays the products you make but does not sell them online. Instead it can be used to promote a market stall, shop front, commission enquiries etc.
Many craftspeople are selling their work in auctions at Ebay; this can be a lucrative option for the right products.
Online craft malls are a way to have an online presence without the hassle and overheads of building an e-commerce site. Search for craft malls in the search engines and you will find such sites as craftmall.com, aokcorral.com and lilysplace.com. These sites generally use Paypal as a payment option to take the headaches out of online payments and are similar to Ebay without being auction based.
Human contact:
One of the common problems that people who craft for an income mention is loneliness. Oftentimes they work at home alone and this can be very isolating. The internet can provide avenues to have contact with others who craft. They could be in the same locality as you and allow for face-to-face meeting or they may be on the other side of the world.
There are many group and organisations for most craft genres, such as Yahoo groups or MSN chats. Often if it is a location-based group there are classes and retreats organised for people to come together and learn. These groups can become invaluable for technical advice, feedback and learning but also that human contact that is a necessary part of life.
Client contactEmail is a fantastic way to keep in touch with clients and industry contacts. It is so much cheaper than a phone call (i.e. free) and is much less time consuming. Email provides a simple means to show clients’ examples or progress on a work via photograph attachments. It also provides a record of all communication.
Online messaging systems, available for free from MSN and Yahoo, are also useful ways to keep in contact with customers. These can even be used to give online support by providing your identification name on your website. However these systems can become a time waster instead of saver if you are not careful.

Narelle Davison comes from a craft background but changed careers to marketing and web development. She has created the Australian arts and craft site, Aussie Crafts, to provide information and promotion for craftspeople through interviews, articles, forum and directory. The interviews provide great reading to both admirers of each craft and fellow crafters. If you are an Australian craftsperson and would like to be interviewed please visit http://www.aussiecrafts.com/interviews.html . This article can be republished if the byline links are kept intact.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Narelle_Davison

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Intarsia Wood Flower

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Router Bit Basics

by: Kaitlin Carruth


A router bit is a tool for woodworking giving a quality finish to woodwork. It cuts wood providing a way to give a clean and even a decorative edge to woodwork. The following is some basic information about router bits to get you started in your woodworking efforts.
The Parts of a Router Bit
Here are the there main parts of a router bit:1) The shank- the part of the router bit that is inserted into the collet (the sleeve of the router).2) The cutting edge- this part cuts and removes the wood. They are available in several sizes and shapes. 3) The pilot- the guide for the router in order to make a correct cut. It can be an extension of the shank or a ball bearing attachment.


The Different Kinds of Router Bits
While there are over 50 router bit profiles, here are the four basic types of router bits:1) Grooving Bits- These bits make a groove in the piece of wood. This type of bit is commonly used for street address signs for homes. Different types of grooving bits include the V-Groove, the Round-Nose and the Straight Bits.2) Joinery Bits- Router bits that help make several different types of joints. This type of router bit includes the Finger Joint, the Drawer Lock, the Rile and Stile, and Dovetail Bits.3) Edge Bits- Bits used to create different-shaped edges in woodwork. Examples of these types of bits include the Beading, Flush, and Round-over bits.4) Specialized Bits- These bits do not fit into one of the above categories and have more specialized purposes including the Key Hole, Raised Panel, and T-Slot bits.
Carbide versus HSS bits
Most of the bits you will find available in hardware stores are carbide (short for tungsten carbide) tipped. These router bits are made of a very hard material that stays sharp longer than steel and is resistant to heat. However, this type of router bit can chip and is very expensive (this is why most of the bits are tipped and not made completely of carbide).
High Speed Steel (HSS) bits have been around longer but are not as readily available as the carbide bits. An HSS router bit is not as expensive but will dull fairly quickly. The HSS router bit is more suited for occasional work while a carbide router bit is meant for greater use, lasting 20 times longer than the HSS router bit.
How to Take Care of Router Bits
To keep your router bit set in good shape, you will want to do small amounts of cutting at a time. This not only keeps you away from overheating, but will also extend the life of the router bit. Always use the shortest and widest bit possible for your project. This will again prevent overheating and will also avoid chattering.
Always keep your router bits clean and free from pitch and in good condition to avoid dulling. Remove any pitch and tar from the router bit (if not removed, it will cause the bit to unevenly bounce on the surface). Commercial bit cleaner can be used to remove pitch and tar however, a scrap piece of wood will usually do the trick. This will help keep your router bits in good working order.
The parts of a router bit, the types of bits, the difference between HSS bits and carbide bits, and the proper care of router bits are all important concepts to understand when selecting your own router bit set. This basic knowledge will help you know what you need in a router bit set and how to use it properly.
Kaitlin Carruth is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For more information about router bits, please visit Tool America

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Intarsia Wood Wall

This is one of a series of wood walls that I build for some new homes in Texas. Once you have the design layout wood walls are very easy to make and install.

The use of intarsia to cover walls changes the room dramatically, adding atmosphere and character to a room.

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Woodworking Beginners: Can You Really Start Without Knowing These Secrets?

By Ferhat Gul

Woodworking: Where To Start - Tips From Experienced Woodworkers...
Woodworking encompasses a broad area of skills, specialties, and applications. Some beginners take on too much too soon or blow their savings on expensive woodworking tools and machines that they don't know how to use and might not ever need. And even some basic techniques can be confusing or easy to do incorrectly. Experienced woodworkers have some simple, but insightful tips to help you get off to a good start.
Do Your Research...
Initiative, courage, a sense of adventure, these are all good things, and many fine woodworkers learned their skills by just jumping in and trying to build something. Chances are whatever they chose for their first project, it came out better than they thought, but not really nice enough to use or display. Even those brave souls that start from scratch with no preparation often end up seeking out some books, magazines, or experienced woodworkers to figure out how to do it right. The woodworkers we talked to stressed that a person can save themselves some time and frustration by learning about the different aspects of woodworking before starting a first project. Many suggested finding some good books or magazines, either at the library for free or at the bookstore. Start with the basics and learn about different forms of woodworking, types of trees and woods and how they are used, various tools, etc. - just the kind of information presented here in this article. "I have an entire corner of my garage filled with books and magazines," shared Paul Johnson, who has been woodworking since he was a young boy. "I subscribe to a couple and keep those that have projects or techniques that I would like to try. I also buy a couple new books every year. When I first started woodworking, I bought them left and right; whenever I came across one that was recommended or had information I wanted to learn. They help give me ideas for projects," he added. "I especially like those that come with patterns." After learning about the basics, you should have an idea of what type of woodworking interests you, and you can move on to books or even classes that teach hands on skills in that particular area.
Take Some Classes...
In fact taking classes was recommended by several of our experts. Whether it's a beginning class through the local college or something taught by an experienced woodworker, it will typically give you a good overview of different tools and woodworking safety. Some building centers and lumberyards also offer classes on basics or teach you how to make a specific project. If you aren't big on classes, but you know a person who is skilled in woodworking, ask if they would let you assist them with a project, or perhaps just sit and observe. Most woodworkers are pleased to talk about their art and share it with others. Chances are they will be happy to oblige.
Keep It Simple...
The answer, "Keep it simple," came up over and over, when asked for advice for new woodworkers. Start with simple projects, preferably those that use only hand tools. This way, you will learn how to do the important things like measure, cut, shape and join. Getting good at those basic skills is extremely important. If you are brand new to woodworking and haven't used tools much before, you might want to consider starting with a precut kit. Most kits consist of wood that is already cut in the appropriate shapes and sizes. It is up to you to follow the directions and put the pieces together. These kits typically require nailing, screwing, gluing, sanding, and finishing. You can make birdhouses and feeders, benches, plant holders, and many other fun items to get you started. Even as you advance to more complex projects, don't worry about planning and sizing your own lumber until you feel comfortable and confident. You can buy lumber already prepped and cut in many different widths. And table legs, chair spindles, and other turned pieces are also readily available pre-made. Ease into some of those more difficult projects over time, adding greater levels of difficulty to each project.
Tool Tips...
The suggestions to keep it simple applied to woodworking tools as well. Most people interviewed recommended buying tools as you need them and adding to your selection as required for new projects. If a project is purchased as a kit, or with printed instructions, the list of tools needed is included. Depending on what type of projects you choose to start with, you will typically need hammers, tape measure, clamps, a square, saws, hand drills, and a set of chisels. These will probably cost you around $200-$300 dollars.Some woodworkers said that investing in a good table saw early on was important, but only if you will be doing projects with many cuts, especially those with different types of angles. For most beginner projects, a handsaw, or perhaps a circular saw will suffice. It is strongly suggested that you begin by buying good tools, but not top grade until you decide for certain that you want to stick with woodworking. If it becomes clear that this will be an ongoing interest, then consider buying the best quality tools you can afford. Best quality doesn't always mean the most expensive, and you will have to do your research. Kevin Warner, who has been teaching high school shop for over twenty years, had this to say about woodworking tools. "At school, I have a limited budget for tools, but I would rather buy a few high quality tools and have the kids share them than spend my money on cheap equipment. There's nothing that will turn a young beginner away from woodworking quicker than a crappy tool that doesn't do what it should. "The same is true for home woodworking. Our experts recommended spending as much as you could afford on the basic tools like hammers, saws, screwdrivers, drills and bits. "These are tools you will need around the house even if you don't pursue woodworking," Sarah Greeley pointed out. "If you spend the money up front, and care for them correctly, these tools will last you a lifetime because you bought quality to begin with. "If you have a tight budget, consider purchasing tools at an estate sale, auction or garage sale. Some may have worn handles or look like they are rusty or dirty, but if they are quality tools and generally sound, you can clean and repair them for less than it would cost to purchase new. In general, you get what you pay for with woodworking tools, but sometimes you pay for the name, or for features that you may not use in your particular type of woodworking. So again, you will need to refer to books, magazines, Web sites, and other woodworkers to learn more about different types and brands of tools. And so you see, the tips have brought you full circle, back to the research and learning, which is what so many woodworkers stressed the most. There is much to learn and, as has been said, it is an ongoing process. But thanks to the wealth of information out there about different aspects of woodworking, and the many Web sites and Internet resources, it is easy to research your questions. You just have to take the time.
About the Author
Copyright © 2005 by Ferhat Gul. All rights reserved. Ferhat Gul is the publisher of the brand-new "Woodworking Beginner's Guide - Tips From Experienced Woodworkers to Help You Get Started". This comprehensive, yet compact woodworking introduction for beginners is easy to read and helps to save time, money and effort.

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Pine Cabinet

A pine cabinet with a straight forward simple design always looks great.The cabinet has a flat panel intarsia design and carved pulls.

The inside has a clothes hanging rod, one upper shelf and one lower shelf. The outside of the cabinet has a natural lacqured finish with a white glaze.

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Everything You Need To Know About Cabinets

by Barry Goodknight


Basic Introduction to Cabinets When you think about cabinets, more often than not, you think of kitchen cabinets. These are the hottest cabinet items in the market today because of their functionality, importance, and versatility. However, there is more to cabinets than kitchen cabinets, as cabinetry encompasses all facets of home decoration. Cabinets are more than just storage. They speak of your personality, your taste, and your sense of style. The possibilities are endless, but it boils down to what your choice is.
In terms of style, there are just too many different kinds of cabinets to chose from. But they are basically subsumed into common classifications such as framed or frameless, stock or custom made, traditional, country, or modern style, made of hardwood, wood veneers or other materials. Stock and Custom Cabinets Cabinets are generally classified into stock cabinets and custom cabinets. Stock cabinets are those cabinets that are pre-fabricated and can be bought “off the rack” in many cabinet shops. Custom cabinets, on the other hand ordinarily refer to cabinets that are specially built by cabinet makers to fit a homeowner’s very detailed specifications, and are usually done on site (homeowner’s house). Framed and Frameless Cabinets A framed cabinet is a cabinet with a frame attached to the front edges of its body. This is also known as traditional, face-framed or American-style cabinet. A frameless cabinet, as the name implies, is one that has no frame attached to the surrounding face of the body. This is the standard among European-style cabinets. Traditional, Country, Or Contemporary Style If one goes by tradition, all kitchen cabinets are made from hardwood and are fastened to the kitchen walls. But nowadays, permanently fixed cabinets have given way to standalone mobile cabinets that may come in unconventional materials such as glass or plastics. Traditional style cabinets are appealing to more people because of its’ ageless look. Country style cabinets give a comfortable, cozy and welcoming feel to a room. Hardwood is the best material to start with if you want a country feel to your cabinets, as this can blend well with florals or nature-inspired textiles or designs. There are countless other styles to choose from, enough to get you more confused on choices to be made. To avoid this, It would be best to know where to look in the first place. Browse through magazines, woodworking books, or cabinet shops. You can expand your search to websites on home and furnishings. But do not forget to choose a style that would naturally blend with design and architecture of your house. Solid Wood, Bonded Wood, and Wood Veneers It’s been a long time since having new cabinets means getting the services of a cabinet maker or getting down to your work clothes to make customary wood cabinets. As technology and skills improve through time, the possibilities have become endless. Old and new materials offer other different classifications of cabinets. Solid Wood Because of its versatility and ageless look and appeal, wood has become the most common material used for cabinets. It gives out a warm, homely atmosphere, and blends well with almost any kind of interior design and décor. The different kinds of wood species furthermore give more varied options, but your choice would eventually depend on your personal style and budget. Wood is the most sought after material for custom cabinets. Wood materials come from either two types of trees: hardwoods and softwoods. Hardwood wood materials come from coniferous trees, or trees that are easy to saw. Softwood wood materials come from dicotyledonous or hard-to-cut trees. Different wood species fetch different prices, depending on its availability and overall appearance. There are so many materials to choose from: maple, oak, cherry, hickory, yellow birch, or pine. Oak was the heavy favorite among cabinet builders until recently, when maple became more popular in the cabinet industry. It is very adaptable to any kind of cabinet style due to its light and regular grain texture. Very similar to maple in terms of versatility, is the yellow birch variety. With its strength and wide range of colors, it is a favorite choice for kitchen cabinets. Cherry wood colors range from pinkish to red-brown when aged and exposed to sunlight. Hickory is a light colored to reddish brown hardwood that is best for a staining finish. While pinewood is the most inexpensive variety, it needs special handling and preparations due to its east exposure to bums and scratches. Exotic wood fetch higher prices as these are the more rare varieties. Among those belonging to this category are mahogany, ebony, and walnut. Mahogany is mostly come from tropical rainforests. Its’ reddish brown color and regular grain qualities make it a perfect alternative to old oak wood. Walnut colors range from dark brown to a purplish shade of black. Ebony wood generally refers to very dark or black wood. Bonded Wood Bonding refers to the process of making large wood materials from several smaller pieces of wood. Bonding processes vary. One way is cutting wide boards into narrow parts, then glued together to create the desired width or shape. Blocks of wood may also be glued together to make up a single part of a cabinet. Another process involves wood chips or small wood particles mixed with a gluing substance, the processed to make durable wood particleboards. And lastly, the process of bonding several layers of particleboards may be done to come up with plywood panels that are ideal for adding strength to softwood cabinets. Wood Veneers Wood veneers are thin layers of wood materials from superior species of wood. These are glued to the main cabinet material, usually plywood or plasticboard. This is the best option for a more versatile wood cabinet accented by different wood patterns and textures. Wood veneers are aesthetically effective not only for raised panel cabinet doors, but also for flat or recessed cabinet doors. A word of caution for the budget conscious: While wood veneer as an alternative to wood seems to imply that is an inexpensive material, very elaborate veneering designs would result in more expensive work pieces.

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Pelican

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Get the Most from Woodworking Tools

Get the Most from Woodworking Tools with Some Useful Tricks of the Trade
Written by John Mann

Friday, 03 March 2006

Many of the great woodworkers have become skillful because they have had the opportunity to watch and learn from a pro. Undoubtedly, serving as an apprentice under a professional woodworking expert is the best way to hone your own skills but not everyone has this opportunity. However, if you have the drive and passion for woodworking, it is entirely possible to become highly skilled by simply reading about the subject. The following includes some useful tricks of the trade that will surely help you to get the most out of your woodworking tools. A woodworking expert is not born; it takes time and some useful hints.


Wood is the woodworker's most important tool. Without wood, your woodworking tools would have no job and there could be no end product. The first trick to woodworking is knowing how to properly cut plywood, and that involves using the right tools and manipulating the wood in the appropriate way. Different cutting jobs require different blades. Blades differ depending on the number of teeth, the width, angle and the rake of the blade. Before cutting, assess which blade best suits your cutting needs and which one will help you to produce the cleanest cut possible. When you are ready to cut, score the cut first by running the plywood through your saw once, removing only a small piece. The next cut that you make will be much cleaner. To keep a clean line in your cut, use a router. Make sure that your router is fitted with a straight bit as this will help you to achieve a clean line. A pilot bit and a straight edge will also help produce a clean line. You may also want to consider purchasing a panel scoring setup. Some saws can be fitted with a plywood panel scoring setup that is most useful if you cut a lot of plywood. This setup consists of a smaller blade that first scores the surface of the plywood before the wood reaches the cutter.

Once you have your wood cut, it is necessary to sand down the rough edges. You may not realize it, but sandpaper is one of your important woodworking tools. Here are some helpful wood sanding hints. For easy handling, some woodworkers cut their sandpaper into smaller pieces if they have a sanding block or a finishing sander while others fold the sandpaper to rotating sides as it wears down. However, make sure that your sandpaper is not folded so that two abrasive sides touch as this will wear down the paper against itself during use. To prevent this, fold the paper so that the abrasive sides contact only the non-abrasive sides. This simply requires a single cut along half of the sheet.

Once all your wood is cut and well sanded, you are ready to build. Handling wood is not always easy though, but there are tricks that can help you to do the job right. Anyone who has ever tried to nail into the end of board knows that splitting can happen because as the nail is driven into the wood, the wood fibers are forced apart causing the grain to split. Experienced carpenters will flatten the tip of the nail with a hammer before driving it into the wood because a flattened tip will slice through the wood and crush the fibers rather than split them. This woodworking trick is most useful when installing molding and trim.

There are so many tricks of the trade to be learned when it comes to woodworking. You will find that as you begin to amass a larger knowledge of woodworking tips, your projects will start to look better, and you will be well on your way to becoming a woodworking expert. Woodworking professionals will tell you that there exists an important relationship between the tools you use and the wood you handle.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com
About The Author:

John Mann is an experienced home renovator and webmaster. Visit his website Workbench Ideas for workshop tips.

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