Woodworking
In order to keep law school from driving me stark raving mad, I decided around Christmas 2002 that it was high time to get a hobby. Because I come from a long line of carpenters and woodworkers and was virtually raised on The New Yankee Workshop and This Old House re-runs, I naturally gravitated toward making sawdust.
Unlike some of my previous hobbies, this one is extremely practical- after all, it is far cheaper to make your own furniture than to buy it. While I am no Gustav Stickley, I have made a few pieces of respectable-looking furniture, and I manage to learn quite a bit with each new project. And while I readily admit that I've still got a lot to learn, I haven't met a woodworker yet who felt that he didn't, so at least I am in good company there.
Below is a more-or-less chronological photo gallery of some of my carpentry/woodworking projects. You may note that the overall project quality tends to increase as you go down the list.
My best-looking project yet: matching nightstands.
A cutting board, made of several different species of hardwood.
A mitten rack, again (allegedly) in the Shaker style.
A poplar end table, with a midnight blue stain.
A cherry picture frame.
A (very comfortable) cedar garden bench.
A cedar porch swing.
One of four matching planter boxes (made for the cost of one at retail).
A set of shelves.
A highly-functional step stool.
A pine table.
My first paid project- an oak podium!
A Shaker-style bench, inspired by the one in the lobby of the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire.
A cherry and maple clock.
A small TV stand/cabinet.
An oak medicine cabinet, with finger joints on the case and pinned through mortises on the face frame.
My first raised-panel cabinet.
A platoon of clocks.
A mirror made from walnut, mahogany, and yellowheart (backside shown).
A set of maple coasters with inlaid cherry strips.
A cherry jewelry chest with felt-lined drawers.
A cherry spice rack.
An oak bookcase.
A set of rustic pine end tables.
A country-style plate display shelf.
A set of pine and a set of cedar Adirondack chairs.
A country "tater & onion box," made out of a piece of birdseye-figured pine.
An oak piano bench.
A Shaker-style chest of drawers.
Two mirrors- same design, different finish.
A pine hutch.
A Shaker-inspired clock, made from hickory and padauk.
A Shaker-style valet table, made from figured cherry.
The same style table, made from white oak with a mission finish.
A pine entertainment center.
Other useful Woodworking Links: