Ian -

Articles posted by Ian

Enhance Outdoor Living With 10 Self Build Projects

Prepare for a Great Summer outside with these DIY Projects There are so many ways you can enhance your outdoor living without spending a fortune. Here are a few ideas…. Patio Table Drinks Holder Patio table drinks holder Keep those valuable drinks cool with this cooler box made from a reclaimed pallet. Excellent step by step instructions and lots of photographs. FolkArt Home texture chalk paint was used to give a slight texture and a matte, distressed finish. The holder was given an antique appearance using a stain to distress the paint Hanging Wall Garden Hanging Wall Garden Brighten up…

How To Make A Child’s Scooter

Scooters……a child’s first wheels Scooters have come a long way since I was a kid. Nowadays they are shiney chrome with an electric motor……when I was growing up they were made of wood and you had to provide the foot power. This is the style of scooter I’m going to describe today……a retro scooter for a small child. Wood Our scooter is made from pine, which is sealed and varnished. The wood required is…… For the Runner Boards, Handlebar and Handle Bar Upright 11/4″ x 11/2″ PAR For the Neck 2″ x 3″ For the Platform 3/4″ ply…

Making a Biplane Swing

Fying a Biplane is Every Child’s Dream! Making a toy for any child is a true labour of love, but when it’s for your own child or grandchild, then that’s extra special. A swing, featuring a biplane, will bring a smile to any child’s face. List of Materials (all dimensions are in inches except where stated otherwise) 1 No. 2 x 4 x 8 foot 1 No. 1 x 8 x 8 foot 1 No. 1 x 6 x 10 foot 1″ Dowel. 6-8 inches long Box of 2″ screws for external use Handful of 11/4″ screws for external use…

How To Use Pinterest To Market Wood Crafts

My Top Ten Tips For Success with Pinterest I use Pinterest for marketing, as it’s so cost effective and user friendly. Pinterest ranks third behind Google and YouTube as the most popular search engine. It can take a long time to rank highly in Google, especially in popular market sectors, and preparing effective YouTube videos entails a lot of preparation so Pinterest is an attractive alternative. You will see much faster results with Pinterest for less input. My aim with this post is to introduce you to the benefits of Pinterest, whilst passing on some tips along the way. My…

16 Exciting Scrap Wood Project Plans

Recycle Your Scrap Wood Into A Useful Gift We all have scrap wood piled in a corner of the workshop, or, in my case, in the roof space of the garage. There are so many useful things you can make for around the house, in the garden or for gifts. Here are some of the best ideas I have come across. These creative woodworkers have gone to a lot of trouble to share their ideas with us, so please support them wherever possible. Just click on the image to open each craftman’s site. Candle Holders Lots of great…

The Age Old Pastime Of Whittling

Introducing Whittling Whittling…..an age old pastime that goes back to the time of our distant ancestors. If you are feeling creative but have little space, no tools, no budget and little time, then whittling could be for you. The craft of whittling, the baby brother of carving, involves shaping a small piece of wood into an attractive design using a pocket or craft knife. So what do you need to explore the wonderful world of whittling? Your one and only tool is a knife. Choosing a Knife The traditioonal tool is a pocket knife,,,,the one you used to take to…

Marquetry – A Medieval Woodworking Craft

Marquetry – A Brief History Marquetry can be traced back to Mesopotamia in around 2600BC, where ivory was inset in bitumen to create a picture of daily and royal life. The first recorded use of different wood veneers and semi precious stones to decorate furniture dates back to the court of the Pharoahs in Egypt. The craft crossed the Mediterraneum to Ancient Greece where it is described in Homer’s Odyssey Book 23 and it became even more sophisticated at the height of the Roman Empire. (Pliny The Elder: Book 16) In the 11th Century wood veneers were being used to…

Intarsia – An Introduction to this Exciting Craft

What is Intarsia? Intarsia uses different shapes, thicknesses and species of wood to form a mosiac like design with a 3D effect. The grain and colouring of various woods are used to create the picture or pattern. The pieces of wood, which are cut out with a scroll saw, interlock tightly together. History of Intarsia The art of Intarsia probably originates from East Asian ivory and wood inlay work. It spread to Islamic North Africa with the first Intarsia in Italy dating from 1430. This amazing self portrait. which was created by Antonio Barili in 1502, is made from pear,…

Scroll Sawing…….Patterns and Creations

Sourcing Scroll Saw Patterns Before you start scroll sawing you will need to choose or create some patterns to work to. There are three principle ways to source your patterns…. Purchase a pattern book Search online sites like Pinterest for free patterns Design them yourself using software such as Inkscape and Canva A Selection of Pattern Books All of these books are available on Amazon. Big Book of Scroll Saw Woodworking More than 60 projects and techniques for fretwork, intarsia and other scroll sawing crafts. Puzzles and toys, beginners patterns, inlay and relief, baslets and boxes….. 185 pages Big…

Scroll Sawing – An Introduction

Scroll Sawing – Getting Started Deciding Which Scroll Saw To Buy The first step is to purchase a scroll saw. You don’t want to ‘penny pinch’ as that will effect the quality of your work. Nowadays most models have an inbuilt light, dust collector and have variable speed as standard. The only feature you can’t add on is a variable speed control, so you must choose a model with this feature. Also look for a saw with a throat depth of 16″ + There is a further choice you have to make…..do you opt for a saw which takes pin…