Amateur days (lots of pics of beginner stuffs)

[Chris S Anderson]

So I will start my upload history with a bit of history...

I had a workshop in my parent's house back in 88-89 before I signed up for the military. I think the best thing I made was a bookcase that is no longer in existence. I also made some cubed birdhouses that I gave as gifts one year. I gave one to a gf's dad who introduced me to a real woodshop and many, many planes. Dominick told me that wood should never be sanded. A good set of planes is all you need.

Last year, I decided that my condo, with its 2.5 car garage, should be able to house a woodshop. I first made this for my daughter.

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/200/bellsdesk.jpg



Here is the desk in use, which is what I really wished for.

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2254/bellsdeskinuse.jpg



When I moved into this condo, it had a really dated fireplace.

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/853/oldfireplace.jpg



So I did a bit of a change...

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/4576/fireplacedone.jpg



I took a rail road tie and hollowed it out and molded it into a new mantle and broke up some slate tiles to make the fireplace a little more unique.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8731/fireplaceside.jpg


Christmas came, and I made my first cutting boards. I cannot find the pics of the second one I made from cocobolo, but this one is from bicote.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/9193/bicotecb1.jpg

After I applied the mineral oil...

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/9176/bicote4.jpg



http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/5921/bicote5.jpg



My cuts were a bit off, and my board ended up needing sanding, but I did not have a planer, and had to sand and use my #7 for the first time to get the planks to match up.


Here is my latest project. It is a coathook for my daughter. I made it out of bloodwood and walnut. It is end-grain, and I was able to hide the screws that join it to the wall, but the hook itself has some ugly screws I could not hide. Next, I want to make one without visible mechanics.

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/4262/coatrack1.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2738/coatrack2.jpg

My #7 was practiced on a little bit more, and I was able to make better lines.

I am replacing the desk with one using techiques I learned here. Can't wait to get it done.

I am glad I found this forum -learning here is much better than reading a static magazine or book.

[Bruce Page]

Nice work Chris. Excellent remodel on the fireplace. I really like the cutting board.

[Chris S Anderson]

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7092/cocobolo.jpg



Here's the cocobolo and white maple. I had gotten a Dewalt planer, and was able to flatten the pieces.

[Eric Brown]

I really liked how you matched up the grains on the cutting board. The other projects looked nice as well. Good job.

Eric

[Gene Howe]

Nice work, Chris.
I don't find the screws in the hanger objectional at all.
Gene

[Baxter Smith]

These projects make your living space your own!

[Jon Grider]

Nice work,I liked the cutting boards especially . And a question, how did you prevent tear out when you ran that end grain cutting board through your planer?

[John Thompson]

Very nice job Chris... love the cutting boards and the coat-hook even with it's simplicity.

[Chris S Anderson]

Nice work,I liked the cutting boards especially . And a question, how did you prevent tear out when you ran that end grain cutting board through your planer?


I didn't. I splintered ends off with an 90 tooth miter saw blade, and it came out a little shorter, but finished looking. I was afraid of snipe, but all I got was a bit of tear out the size of a few toothpicks. I ran the pieces through the planer individually before the final glue up, so they were planks, but not one big piece yet.



Thanks for the other comments. I really enjoy woodworking. I just wish I had more time and space for it, but summer is always around the corner.