A Learning Adventure in the Workshop: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Photos of the transfer of the H.K. Porter Locomotive and Bobber Caboose to Riverfront Park, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. The Porter Locomotive was built in 1897 in Pittburgh Pa. Photos of the transfer of the locomotive and caboose from Station Square in Pittsburgh to Riverfront Park are courtesy of Peggy Standish. Click on the images below for full-size photos.

Its been awhile since I have posted. Not much shop time recently.

BUT...I did complete all of the drawers for the Greene and Greene desks and have installed the drawer rails for 4 of the 6 drawers so far, and fitted the drawers. The drawer rails are made of rock maple that I had left over from making bed rails a few years ago.

Two more sets of rails to install, and then all I have left is making the wooden drawer pulls and sanding and finishing. The drawer pulls should be fairly straight-forward to produce, so finishing will be the next big hurdle.

I still haven't settled on what kind of finish I want to use...

Great Books

Christopher Schwarz: Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use
Great book! Do not buy unless you want to make a workbench...this book will FORCE you to do it! (*****)
Mike Burton: Veneering: A Foundation Course
Mike's book is out of print, but you can get it used through Amazon. Excellent starter book on veneering. (*****)
Michael O'Donnell: Turning Green Wood
Great book on turning green wood...my favorite way to turn (****)
Jeremy Adamson: The Furniture of Sam Maloof
Great overview of Maloof history and style (****)
Leonard Lee: The Complete Guide to Sharpening
Practical and worth every penny... (*****)
Robert W. Lang: Shop Drawings for Greene & Greene Furniture: 22 Projects for Every Room in the Home
Excellent book of Greene and Greene drawings by Robert Lang. Good tips on reproducing G&G details too. (*****)
Mira Nakashima: Nature Form & Spirit: The Life and Legacy of George Nakashima
Excellent photos for learning more about Nakashima's style (****)
Ashley Iles: Memories of a Sheffield Tool Maker
Only available from the Tools for Working Wood website (www.toolsforworkingwood.com) as it is now out of print. I love history, woodworking and tools and this book weaves all three together into a fascinating portrait of life in Sheffield England in the first half of the twentieth-century. (*****)
Make: Technology on Your Time
Great new magazone for techo geeks and DIYs...I love it. (*****)
Darrell Peart: Greene and Greene: Design Elements for the Workshop
I love Darrell's interpretation of Greene and Greene! Don't build in the style of Greene & Greene without this book! (*****)