This month’s meeting of the Atlantic Woodworkers Association featured Dave Wilkins from the Nova Woodturners Guild with a woodturning demo. The theme of his presentation was projects to do with all those small pieces of scrap wood that we tend to accumulate.

For this presentation Dave took a 3 to 4 inch square of wood and turned it into a small winged bowl.

He started by gluing the piece of scrap to a plywood faceplate ensuring that it was centered. This was facilitated by using the tail stock. Then he turned the inside first, maintaining a proper wall thickness. Once the walls were at the desired thickness he reversed the wood and then finished the outside, creating a delightful small project.

Here are some photos:

Continue reading 'Scrap Wood? There’s No Such Thing!'

As an added bonus to the Atlantic Woodworkers Association’s visit to the Window & Door Co. we also had the good fortune to visit a tool museum in the making! As luck would have it Troy’s brother Kevin lives just up the road a bit and he is in the beginning stages of building a working tool museum.

Kevin is a member of the Atlantic Tool Collectors Association and has been collecting tools for many years. He recently bought a farm here in Port Williams that has several large barns that will be used exclusively for this endeavor. His goal is that over the next five years he will be able to get his tools organized and displayed into the different areas of specialties like livery, cooper and wheelwright. There’s even plans to hold workshops in the use of these tools and the making of their specific wares!

The highlight of the tour was the collection of pedal operated tools from the W.F. & John Barnes Company of Rockford, Illinois that were built in the 1870′s. Here are a few photos of these fantastic tools:

Continue reading 'AWA – A Tool Museum In The Making'

A few weeks ago the Atlantic Woodworkers were treated to a tour of the Wooden Window & Door Co., located in the small community of Woodville in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. Our host was owner/operator Troy Wood. Yep, you got that right – Troy Wood of Woodville owns and operates the Wooden Window and Door Company. What choice did he have? Really.

Troy began by telling us that the company started because of the passion he has with period architecture and that he had found how hard it was to find well built wooden windows and doors. Using tried and true building techniques, modern technology, high quality woods and with the help of two employees he crafts real, old fashioned quality windows and doors.

Restoration and replication is a large part of their business. Troy swears by the use of AutoCad which ensures authenticity and correct details. Then, using Thermopane glass units modern functionality is ensured with historic attributes.

Most of the windows made here are for great rooms and grand entrances with about 40% of the finished product being shipped to the Eastern United States.

Continue reading 'AWA Wooden Window & Door Tour'

Well, it seems that that the Olympics are sweeping the nation and I thought I’d share some videos of a group of construction workers that are doing some extraordinary things with their tools. I like to think of them as participants in the 2010 Tool Olympics!

These guys have taken their skills with nailguns, saw blades and nails to the extreme! You’ll see the Nailgun King, the Saw Blade Ninja, the Tape Measure Master, the Nail Thrower and the Nailgun Artist.

Prepared to be amazed!

Here are the videos:

Continue reading 'Tool Olympics – Don’t Try This At Home!'