Furniture Design Ideas

Practical and elegant, hand mirrors like those shown in this section are relatively simple to make, but you will have to devote some time to setting up. The first step is to decide the diameter of the mirror glass; 5-inch beveled glass works well, but other sizes are available. You will then need to produce […]

A marvel of green woodworking, the white cedar bird shown in this sec­tion seems to defy logic. Made from a single piece of cedar, its wing feathers form a 3 14-inch-wide fan that stays in place without a single drop of glue. Using a technique developed by the late Chester Nutting, Edmond Menard of Cabot, […]

  Shaping and assembling the many parts of the nutcrackers shown in this section may be time-consuming, but with a methodical approach, the process is not difficult. And as the pho­to at left shows, the results are well worth the trouble. Most of the parts are produced on the lathe; in tact, all the major […]

Д wooden briefcase should have all /Л the features of any well-made brief­case: clean, attractive lines and light­weight strength. With a material such as wood, this can present a challenge, since strength and lightness are an uncom­mon combination. When sizing your stock, make the briefcase frame as thin as possible without sacrificing solidity. If you […]

A jewelry box should do more than keep the dust off valuables. It should also suggest strength and security—and express the elegance of its contents. The box shown in the photo at left satisfies these requirements in a number of ways. It is made from an exotic hardwood— pau ferro—and is joined at the corners […]

Л A J hcther your goal is to V V produce a keepsake that will endure as a testament to your woodworking skill or make a gift for a loved one or friend, the projects featured in this chapter will test your abil­ities and delight the most dis­criminating audience. The jewelry box shown at right […]

MAKING AN ALL-WOOD JIGSAW PUZZLE 1 Cutting out the main elements The method shown here and on page 113 allows you to create three puzzles with the same basic design, but with different colors and cutting patterns. Plane three boards to a thickness of / inch and trim them to the same length and width. […]

  2 Mounting the cutting pattern As a guide to cutting the puzzle, make a cutting pattern. On a sheet of paper the same size as your image, out­line a grid of squares approximating the size of the puzzle pieces, then draw the lobes and sockets of each piece. Use artist’s temporary spray adhesive to […]

MAKING A CHESSBOARD 1 Gluing up the strips Set your bar clamps on a work surface and lay the strips on them, alternating dark and light pieces. Use as many clamps as necessary to support the stock at 24- to 36-inch intervals. Mark the end grain orientation of each strip, then experiment with the arrangement […]

As a toy maker, you do not need to limit your creations to a young audience. The games and puzzles featured in this chapter will captivate adults and children alike— without causing you much expense. Most games and puzzles can be fashioned from wood scraps left over from other projects. As shown beginning on page […]