Tim Johnson - All Comments

re: My First Woodworking Project!

Realz — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:33:24 GMT

I also was in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa school district. I think I remember Mr. Willits. Was he at Franklin Jr High school? To date myself, I would have been in 7th grade in 67/68.

I don't remember if this was my first project, but I remember that everyone had to make a cutting board made from different types of wood. Mine had turned legs on it. My mother still had it when she passed.

I still have a large turning that I made during class, to be a candle holder (walnut) that sits on the floor. The turning is 3 feet tall.

re: My First Woodworking Project!

Discscout — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:41:20 GMT

My first project also was in seventh grade; a slanted bookrack made entirely with hand tools. We could use any wood we wanted as long as we wanted pine. Square the boards and shape the chamfered edges with planes, handsaws to cut to width and length and a brace and bit to drill the holes for the short doweled legs to create the lean. I faired a little better grade wise; I got a B-. I have this project sitting on my desk in front of me as I now give out the grades. I am a high school woodworking instructor. Although I don't have kids square their boards with planes; I do require a lot of hand tool usage so they learn the names and their functions.

re: My First Woodworking Project!

bmoore — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:14:05 GMT

Well my first project was in 1955. I was to make a yule log for my mom. I did go get the birch log and cut it a about a 45* angle, it was close not having a angle guage but the buck saw worked great. I used a brace and flat blade drill to drill out the holes for the candles and went in the woods cut some pine bowls to decorate the log. My mom used it every Christmas for years, even after I came home from service.

re: My First Woodworking Project!

Vern52 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:50:31 GMT

Great story Tim! For my first project I was introduced to the assembly line. Each person in my 7th grade class was stationed at a different machine to produce a set of 4 small wooden houses which each had a letter on them spelling out "NOEL" for a holiday decoration. I was stationed at the drill press where I drilled holes that would eventually accept a short dowel to represent a chimney. It wasn't the most fulfilling activity as you can imagine.

My second project however was a Swedish door harp made of walnut. To this day, when I smell walnut in the shop it conjures up memories of those early days in the shop.

re: Finish First

bricofleur — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:01:17 GMT

Hi Tim,

I believe the look of a furniture is a matter of taste. I strongly believe that a good and experienced woodworker will take all the opportunities of the wood itself and use his talent and imagination to come up with touching details and a superb finish. Finishing is not only a trade; It is art!

Thank you for sharing this beautiful kitchen cupboard. It will sure inspire me.

Best,

Serge