Truck-Building Tool Box
Back in the early 1920’s, my grandfather, John Rudzki, built wooden truck bodies in Pittsburgh, PA. Customers would order the chassis for a refrigerated truck, a moving van or some other kind of [...]
End Grain: ‘Put Yer Ass Into It’
A boring task turns into a history lesson. This article originally appeared in the April 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking One day in Williamsburg, a message reached me at the carpenter’s yard [...]
A Father’s Legacy
Christmas, 1956. I was a little fella, and my seeing the Tonka Hi-Way series display in the W.T. Grant store months earlier had captured my entire attention. In my letter to Santa, I asked for [...]
Apologia for the Custom Handplane
The best rationale for these ultra high-end tools might not be what you think. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the December 2015 issue of Popular Woodworking Over the [...]
Why I Love Ikea
Lessons from a big box guide my approach to woodworking. I love Ikea. Yes, I said it. This store has provided me with an understanding of furniture design and with products I use on many of my [...]
How a Tree Became a Whale
A rescue and careful work reveal the spirit of land and sea. I have lusted for years after the wide, irregular planks used by the legendary George Nakashima to capture what he called “the soul of [...]
End Grain: Blacker House Garden Bench
A gnarly old conifer finds new life on a recognized California estate. In 1908, architects Charles and Henry Greene built one of their most famous residences, the Robert R. Blacker House. In [...]
New Names for Old Tools
Just keep saying ‘micron.’ Woodworkers who use hand tools to lay the quality touch on their work know what can be accomplished with these wonderful inventions. Along with skill, [...]
Sandpaper Drawer
The lessons I learned from Dad’s crumpled and worn-out abrasives. Whether you’re a professional or hobbyist woodworker, having a keen sense of proper material utilization reduces the cost of [...]
End Grain: The Myth of Original Design
CSI: Tools
It’s hard to hide the loot when your wife has detective skills. I am a toolaholic. There, I’ve said it. I’ve admitted my weakness. I am in need of a 12-step program. A 12-step program or a good [...]
Learning Happens Through Doing
At Women’s Woodshop, no one has to prove themselves to be a maker. Purchase the June 2018 issue of Popular Woodworking here. I fell in love with woodworking because of the material itself; wood’s [...]