20 Years of Roy

This post is sort of a "no brainer". 


   Popular Woodworking is copying twenty years of "The Woodwright's Shop" to DVD and selling them on line.  The link will take you to their blog and onto the Twentieth Anniversary show, on-line for all the world to see.  It is a fun thirty minutes.

   We wood workers are better off for the efforts of Roy and Norm, and for Canadians, John Silloates.


Cheers.
Ian W.


P.S.  an important workshop tool in the summer time.

Cabinet Shop at Colonial Williamsburg

A Woodworkers Pilgrimage

This modest building is the cabinet makers shop in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.  This shop has serious Roy Underhill connections, the hot link is just in case you don't know who Roy is?  If you don't, you probably aren't reading this blog anyway.

  This photo came to my attention from another blog that I follow, Tom's Workshop.  Tom sets out each week to introduce a blog or site by another woodworker so that ideas can go around and around.


  My wife and I went to Williamsburg a couple of years ago, it was great.  I only had about a thousand questions to ask that they patiently answered them all.  The entire experience at Williamsburg in all aspects was worth the trip and would be worth another trip in the future.


Williamsburg Website

Monday Round Up

Hey All,
   This morning I have a series of places for you to check out and the latest stage of the bathroom shelf project.

  First of all,  woodgears.ca has an entry about a very basic but effective thickness sander, complete with plans.  I know that I have better results working from plans than from my head.

  Second,  I was looking at Roy Underhill's PBS site and watched a very good podcast called The Book Of Sloyd.
                               http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/3000/3007.html
 Roy looks at a system of education using woodworking as not only a skill builder but as a character building tool.  It is not your typical woodworking kind of theme but one that we should all be thinking about.  It addresses some of the questions of why the next generation does not do wood work: and how what has happened in our educational system has long term effects. 


  I believe, if you have never worked with your hands you do not understand or appreciate the skills and efforts of those that do. The blog is not trying to preach but I know that unless my grandkids get interested in wood work, my shop will one day be sold for scrap for lack of anyone to use it.
  

Inspired by Roy Underhill

   I watched a Pod Cast of the Woodwright's Shop and saw Roy Underhill make a tallow box from a block of walnut.  After a couple of tires I arrived at a version that suited my tastes.    My boxes are oak or butternut when I plan to put a clear finish on them, poplar if the boxes are to be painted or stained.