Here are three small turned boxes that were a whole lot of fun to make. They can be used as a small jewelry box, a gift box or to hold a treasured memento.

Each one is made of Ash and only about 2″ in diameter and height and finished with a bit of beeswax.

The lids are loose fitting and each one is turned with a different design. The larger box is also decorated with a couple of wire burned rings and color.

Here are some closeup photos of each of the boxes:

Continue reading 'Three Small Turned Boxes Of Ash'

Building a birdhouse can be a great way to spend your woodworking day! It can be both fun and rewarding. They make for the perfect first project, one to do with children, to beautify your garden and to attract birds to your home. In addition to the great feeling of a job completed and/or the quality time with the young ones it also offers long-time entertainment once a bird has adopted your birdhouse. Obviously, it is also good for the birds.

When building a birdhouse you should consider certain design specifications. To attract particular species it is important to build your birdhouse with their specific housing requirements. The design considerations are the floor size, the depth, how high the entrance hole is above the floor, the diameter of the hole and how high the birdhouse is above the ground. Each of these are specific to a bird type or a group of bird types.

The reason that these are important is that they attempt to match the natural habitat of the bird that you are hoping to attract. The hole size and the height of the entrance hole above the floor are extremely important as these ensure the safety of nesting birds so that unwanted species can enter and/or reach the housed bird’s eggs.

Birds can be choosy when searching for the right home so it may be better to give them several options. This way they can pick the home that makes them feel the most comfortable.

The Red-Tailed Hawk, Osprey and the Great Horned Owl prefer a platform and Robins, Barn Swallows and Phoebes prefer a nesting shelf.

The birdhouse size specification chart shown here is only a general guideline. Individual birds may use houses slightly larger or smaller than the size listed below.

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Why do just one when you can do three? I was able to get even more picture frames completed over the last few weeks. Once again, these were made with the same Walnut that the last few frames were made of. And, yes, I still have a bit more wood left for a couple of more. After almost eight years in our home it certainly is nice to finally get some pictures on the walls (that’s what she said ).

The larger one is approximately 12 1/2″ X 10 1/2″ and the two smaller ones are 8 1/2″ X 10″ and they are finished with wipe-on poly. The beautiful watercolors of the alluring American Southwest scenery was painted by Barb McGinley.

The frame was routed with a 3/8 roundover bit on the inside and a 1/2 cove bit for the outside leaving a raised face where a channel (two channels for the large frame) was made using the table saw blade.

Here’s a couple of closeups of the frames:

Continue reading 'Even More Walnut For The Walls'

I finished another Walnut picture frame recently. It’s just a bit of simple woodworking but it sure fills the empty wall space.

This frame is around 16″ X 13″ and it is finished with several coats of wipe-on poly.

It was also made from the old upright piano ends that I mentioned in a previous article.

Continue reading 'More Walnut For The Walls'