One of the biggest challenges (and frustrations!) with renting is the need to keep moving house – which requires a pack up and restart of the workshop! Time to layout a new electrical and lighting setup (again!).
The new garage workshop has both a pedestrian walk door and the standard up-and-over garage door. The garage door only had some rope to pull to close the door – time to make a simple sturdy garage door pull!
Following another house move it was time to set up a new workshop. This time, I had a bit more time to plan while the garage roof was redone by the landlord. Time to figure out where everything is going!
As the number of projects I’m making for other people continues to increase, plus the prospect of further commissions, I wanted some way to add a neat makers mark to the things I make. Time to invest in a stamp!
Back in 2019 I made a small stool to use while woodworking, which has been with me through three different workshops so far. It’s seen better days and is now a little worse for wear, so time to give it a clean up and a re-finish!
We like to play lots of different board games in the evenings and at the weekend. One of our recent investments was a set of silicone game piece bowls, which fold flat for storage. Time to make a box to keep them in when we’re not using them!
As I have progressed my woodworking, I found several projects have needed metal brackets or shaped metal parts to strengthen the design. I decided to invest in a small anvil and a metalworking vice. Time to make a portable-but-sturdy stand for them both to sit on!
Having spent the last 18 months getting the workshop set up and getting settled in the current house, it is time to move again! Time to make a simple hanging rail to help move all our clothes to the next place.
The mitre saw is one of the greatest dust-producing tools I have! I decided I needed to upgrade the dust collection setup around the mitre saw to reduce the amount of dust being emitted into the workshop.
My mitre saw bench was one of the first larger pieces of shop furniture I made when I started woodworking, for cutting lumber and for storage. I keep losing things in the gaps within the shelf slats however, so time for some improvements!
With needing to move around the workshop to make larger projects, having trailing cables and dust collection hoses was getting annoying as well as being a trip hazard. Time to make something to solve that!
Effective dust collection is a vital part of any workshop, to keep surfaces clean, minimising dust in the air to prevent fires, and to stay healthy when working in there for longer periods. Definitely time to make some more upgrades to my setup!
One of the challenges of a garage workshop is the limitations on electrics and lighting. Time to make some additions to make it easier to see what I’m working on!
A number of our house plants outgrew their pots and needed repotting into larger pots so they had more room to grow. For the palm, the pot was now quite large, so I decided to make an oak plant pot stand to lift it up off the floor.
As the size of workpieces increases, the amount I can do with hand tools becomes prohibitively time consuming. One particular task that I would benefit from some time saving is flattening multiple boards to a consistent thickness – time to invest in a planer/thicknesser!
When my nephew was born I wanted to make him a special bespoke gift that he could play with and would hopefully last a nice long time. I decided on carving a bear out of a chunk of oak from a locally-felled tree!
I recently completed five drawers for additional storage within my mitre saw bench. To open and close them, I decided to make some interesting draw pulls in the form of metal-effect handles out of wood.
I wanted to make my Dad something special for Father’s Day a couple of years back and came across a design for some decorative napkin rings. Perfect for a fancy gift to show how much someone means to me!
One of the first things I made was a simple crate to store wood in. I have outgrown that as a storage option over the years, so time to turn it into something else useful!
A lot of furniture in our house is things we bought from Ikea or gained from friends, which means everything is pretty much black, brown, or some combination of the two. To brighten up a sunny living room, we decided to start by seeing what we could do to improve the coffee table!
For my brother and his wife’s milestone anniversary, I wanted to get them something special. It’s often a challenge to know what to get a married couple, but this was made easier for me, as 5 years is wood!
My sister and her family have some really lovely oak dining chairs. I noticed on a recent visit that the glue had failed on a couple of the joints and they were starting to fall apart. Of course, I had to volunteer to repair them!
For a Mother’s day present last year, I got my Mum some small pruning scissors for when she’s out in the garden and wants to quickly do some deadheading. Of course, these needed a proper sheath to store them safely!
I find my Dremel stand really useful for a range of projects, but small items can fall through the holes in the base. Time to make an upgraded platform!
As my number of tools has grown, the need for additional surfaces and storage has also increased! I therefore need something that can provide both of these, while not taking up too much space in the workshop.
The second half of 2024 was a very intense 6 months, with lots of travelling, several family events, and multiple woodworking commissions! Now I have lots of projects to share, so will be doing an intense blogging focus throughout March to upload a whole load in the queue from the past year!
In a small workshop, making use of all available space is an important approach. I decided to add a surface to the base frame of my table saw to give me additional options for future storage solutions.
One of the challenges of working with wood is safely capturing the amount of saw dust generated, especially when using power tools. I decided to make a mount to help me capture dust when drilling.
As my workshop has grown and the types of projects I have been working on has evolved, so has the type and amount of lumber I have been storing. Let’s continue with my new design for a lumber cart!
As my workshop has grown and the types of projects I have been working on has evolved, so has the type and amount of lumber I have been storing. Time to review my lumber storage and come up with a new design for a lumber cart!
One of my team at work was leaving for a new job, so I wanted to make a fun personalised gift for them. As our team has cats as a theme, I thought a little carved model cat would be a perfect gift!
My first commission! My sister’s husband requested a fun way to store loo roll in the bathroom of their new house in the form of a noughts and crosses loo roll holder – only too happy to take such a challenge!
A comfort bird is a great gift for someone who means a lot to you. I made one for my Mum as a show of affection and to give her something to hold while watching TV or being a passenger while Dad drives.
Keeping trees away from overhead power and phone lines is an important part of rural life. So when my parents needed to tackle some overgrown trees in their front garden, I was happy to assist!
I invested in a new scroll saw to allow me to make more intricate designs in my projects. As my workshop is still taking shape, I wanted to still be able to move the saw around easily. Time for a simple base I can clamp to a workbench!
I managed to get a second-hand electric drill and drill press-type stand. To make it more stable and easier to clamp to a workbench, I added a base and a platform to better support workpieces when drilling.
My sister’s fiancé really likes elephants and requested a custom doorstop to assist with wedging the door between the kitchen and the hall in their new house. Maybe there was a way I could combine both of these?
Personalised gifts are always well received. Here is a quick gift for someone I made as a thank you for their efforts in my team, before they moved on to a new role.
To assist with carving using my Dremel, I invested in a Dremel stand. This has quite a narrow base however and makes clamping it down a bit of a challenge. Time to make a quick additional base to solve that problem!
When we first moved into this house, there was no light pull on the end of the string in the main bathroom. This was particularly annoying in the dark, as the string was really difficult to grab. I recognised an opportunity to solve a problem!
My work team and I were recognised for our great work and won an award for our efforts. When the certificates were handed over to me to give out to the team, in order to make it an extra special event, I decided to make some custom picture frames to hold the certificates, so everyone … Continue reading Picture frames for Award certificates
My computer tower sits under my desk. To prevent it overheating, I wanted to make sure it had plenty of air flow around it and wasn’t sitting directly on carpet. I decided to make a simple platform to lift it up off the floor, which also makes it easier for plugging in wires and accessing … Continue reading Computer tower platform
Having a small workshop means needing to make best use of the space. And the best option for that is having everything on wheels, so it can be moved around easily. But how do you do that with a table saw? I decided to upgrade my table saw frame to solve the problem of it … Continue reading Table saw – frame and casters – Version 2
Keeping sawdust contained and out of the air of a workshop makes a much healthier working environment. One of the challenges of using a cyclone-style separator and barrel is the risk of the pressure collapsing the barrel. This can be solved by fitting a simple release valve however!
Using a router is a great way to add a range of shapes to wood. One of the challenges of using a router safely however, is when the workpiece is particularly small. For that, a router table is ideal!
One of the challenges of living in a rented house, is the requirement for a lack of permanence in anything we wish to do to the garden to make it feel more homely and a nicer place to enjoy. Our front garden had only a few bushes under the front window and a boring area … Continue reading Garden planters
I love coming up with new ideas for fun personalised gifts. I had the chance to make another gift for my Grandfather – a retired marine biologist specialising in whales, so I decided to make a personalised whale-themed box for him out of some nice hard wood.
My parents love candles and also enjoy travelling in their campervan. How to have candles safely while on the road? Electric candles and some modern candle holders!
To allow my mitre saw bench to cope with the extra weight of some planned storage upgrades, I first needed to add some extra legs to take the additional weight!
One of the challenges of fitted wardrobes is they don’t always have the right amount of shelves needed for all your clothes – time to make something to fix that!
Alongside my general musings, sharing thoughts on exercise, mental health and life changes, I have shared 85 different projects I have made out of wood over the past five years, since I started The Woodworking Scientist back in November 2018!
A good woodworker always knows where their tools are! And I have found that having a standard claw hammer to hand is especially useful for putting in (or removing!) nails. Time for a dedicated holder!
For some projects I make, I need to be able to smooth the inside of small curves and holes. To that end, I got myself a set of mini files and then made myself a holder to keep them in!
When a colleague moved into a new role, we wanted to give them a special present. As they’re really into gaming, and our team theme is cats, we found a special set of dice with cats on and I made them a custom cat-themed box to gift them in!
I have found myself regularly reaching for a utility/Stanley knife, so having one in an easy to access location and within easy reach seems a good idea. Time for another quick workshop project!
A circular saw is a vital piece of kit for cutting large pieces of material down to a more manageable size, often too big for a table or mitre saw. Without a track or plunge saw however, accurate cuts have been a challenge – until now!
As part of my continuation to give everything in the workshop a home, I realised I didn’t have a proper way to store my different sized try squares and long ruler. Time to rectify that!
Keeping a clean and tidy workshop requires everything to have a home and not be simply left on a surface. As my assortment of measuring tools has grown, I decided to make a quick holder for them out of some scrap wood, so I can try and keep a neat and tidy workshop!
When we first moved into our current house, we found post and delivery drivers were struggling to find the address, as the house number on the front door was partially hidden from the main road due to the angle of the house and the bay window at the front. I therefore knew I could make … Continue reading House number sign
Getting a new mobile phone is always a bit of a period of change while you get used to the new size, shape and feel. One of the things we’ve discovered with smart phones continuing to grow is the need for a slightly larger phone holder – so here is a new version of one … Continue reading Cat phone holder – Version 2B
I love making personalised gifts for people! My Dad is a huge fan of elephants and has so many different models and types that he has collected over the years. I wanted to make something special that was a bit different from previous wooden elephants he already has and settled on a small elephant keyring.
After an extremely busy start to the year, with a lot happening in January and most of February, both at work and with family, I am back with another fun project idea! This COG puzzle is a great and simple gift for someone, which doesn’t take much time to make but will definitely keep the … Continue reading COG puzzle
Happy New Year! Somehow we have reached 2023 despite it not feeling like that long since March 2020! I have a great number of completed projects to share plus a number of other exciting projects on the go currently, which I will be sharing over the course of the next year. And I am always … Continue reading Mitre saw bench – Part 8 – Updated stop block #3
For my Mum’s 60th birthday this year I wanted to make her something special. I decided on making some personalised gifts including a carved letter opener and a decorative hardwood storage box with her initials carved into the lid. After designing and creating a giftbox I carved out Mum’s initials in the lid and applied … Continue reading Personalised gifts – Part 4 – Gift box – Carving the design and finishing
For my Mum’s 60th birthday this year I wanted to make her something special. I decided on making some personalised gifts including a carved letter opener and a decorative hardwood storage box with her initials carved into the lid. After finishing the letter opener, I used the dimensions to design and create a giftbox to … Continue reading Personalised gifts – Part 3 – Gift box – Making the box
For my Mum’s 60th birthday this year I wanted to make her something special. I decided on making some personalised gifts including a carved letter opener and a decorative hardwood storage box with her initials carved into the lid. After making a prototype version of the letter opener, I repeated the process to make the … Continue reading Personalised gifts – Part 2 – Carved Letter opener – Carving and finishing
For my Mum’s 60th birthday this year I wanted to make her something special. I decided on making some personalised gifts including a carved letter opener and a decorative hardwood storage box with her initials carved into the lid. I started by making a prototype version of the letter opener to explore different methods for … Continue reading Personalised gifts – Part 1 – Carved Letter opener – Prototype and shaping
I love making gifts for people that fit their hobbies and interests. As a birthday present for my older sister’s husband who enjoys camping, hiking and generally being outdoors lots, I made him a folding camping stool. This was quite a complex design, so I made 2 versions – a prototype first out of scrap … Continue reading Folding camping stool
Keeping a clean and organised workshop requires each tool to have a specific place to live. To keep the top of my mitre saw bench clear, I therefore needed a holder for my rasps.
Following the particularly hot summer we have had over the past few months, my eight year old laptop, which managed to survive a large quantity of data analysis, an entire PhD thesis and a multitude of house moves, finally decided it would function no more. Heat is not good for laptops!
To keep the workshop tidy, every tool needs a specific place to go. That makes it a lot easier to find the right tool when you need it and keeps the surfaces clear to put things down on when you have your hands full, or to actually work on a workpiece. As I had a … Continue reading Mallet holders
One of the basic essentials for safely using a table saw is a good push stick. I’ve tried several different versions of varying sizes and with different features, but I’ve struggled with how comfortable it feels while also having a sufficient level of control over the workpiece. I have finally found a design I really … Continue reading Table saw push stick
Having a garage workshop with no windows and only the front up-and-over door makes lighting difficult, especially with a single overheld bulb. Time to add some more lights!
We were fortunate in the old house that the landlords had also had a cat when they were living there and had fitted a cat flap to the back door. In the new house however, there was no cat flap. So after getting permission from the landlord, we fitted one ourselves.
One of the drawbacks of moving into a house with fitted wardrobes, is working out how to fit clothes from a previous wardrobe into this one. The free-standing wardrobe we had at the old house had a number of shelves in it, which this one does not. Time to build something then!
One of the first things to do before I could use my workshop after moving house was to clear all the gardening tools and the lawn mower out of the way. In order to do that I needed some sort of outdoor storage to put it all in.
It has now been six months since I moved into a new workshop but it is still a work in progress as I move furniture around and make upgrades and changes to the layout, tools and accessories! The move itself, although exhausting, was relatively straight forward and gave me a somewhat blank canvas-type opportunity to … Continue reading Setting up my new workshop
The first version of my mitre saw bench was designed without a full fence to allow me to cut different shaped pieces of wood that would not be possible with a solid fence. I haven’t really needed this however and as I’ve made upgrades to the bench, I decided to add in a new fence … Continue reading Mitre saw bench – Part 7 New fence and stop block #2
As I have acquired more tools and accessories, the shelving on my mitre saw bench has filled up quite nicely! The problem is however, that I keep losing things off the back of the shelves and off the bench itself – time to add some back panels!
As I have acquired more tools and equipment in the workshop, I have needed to increase my storage options to keep the workshop tidy and organised. The first step was to add some additional shelving under the centre section of the mitre saw bench.
For a couple of recent projects, I’ve needed to rip cut longer pieces at an angle. I’ve done this by hand for some short pieces but it’s quite tiring to hand saw long rip cuts multiple times. One solution is to make a tapering jig for the table saw.
I have had my dust collection setup for a while and have found it very useful, although it has been a bit of a challenge moving it around due to the various parts. A shop vac and dust collection cart will solve the problem!
The old house had a log burner so we had a pile of logs outside the front of the house. As the logs were quite untidy and not particularly protected from the elements, I decided to build a log store to keep the wood dry and tidy. After building the frame and constructing the sloping … Continue reading Log store – Part 3 Side slats and finishing
The old house had a log burner so we had a pile of logs outside the front of the house. As the logs were quite untidy and not particularly protected from the elements, I decided to build a log store to keep the wood dry and tidy. After building the frame, I moved on to … Continue reading Log store – Part 2 Roof and base
The old house had a log burner in the living room, which made the living room feel very cosy on cold and rainy winter nights. Consequently there was a pile of logs outside the front of the house, which looked a bit untidy and the logs weren’t particularly protected from the elements. So I decided … Continue reading Log store – Part 1 Frame
The Woodworking Scientist 