Happy Halloween!

I decided to make an indie horror flick this year for my Halloween woodworking project.  This tested both my acting and chainsaw skills.  I carved a pumpkin out of a white oak log using my Poulan chainsaw.  Watch my scary movie below to see how it turns out!

Chainsaw carving requires lots of skill, practice and attention to safety.  Chainsaw carvers use special saws, bars, chains, and even specific chain tensions to create their art.  I have over 20 years of experience using a chainsaw and I have attended a chainsaw carving class to learn about the craft.  DO NOT try this yourself without some form of chainsaw carving instruction and guidance.  

This wooden pumpkin was a great introduction to chainsaw carving because it uses only basic cuts that can be done using a standard chainsaw.  I sanded it with a random orbit sander and added the lines with a grinder.

I would like to carve a bear someday, but that will require lots more practice and investment in special equipment.  I hope you enjoy the video and I apologize for my horrific acting!  LOL

Happy Halloween!

Scrap Wood Sawdust Art - Scrap Bin Challenge 2014

I made this Scrap Wood Sawdust Art project to participate in the 2014 Scrap Bin Challenge.  Watch the video below to see how I made this project.  What can YOU make out of your scrap wood?

You may have seen sand art before where an artist layers different colors of sand in a bottle or vase.  Well, this is the same concept except I used sawdust instead of sand.

I selected 12 different colors of scrap wood from my scrap bin and cut them with my table saw to turn them into sawdust.  A pizza box top worked great as a temporary dust collector.

I poured each color of sawdust into a vase I bought at the dollar store.  I cleaned the saw and pizza box top before switching to a different color wood to avoid cross contamination.

Here are some simple tips if you would like to try this project:

• Alternate between light and dark wood for good contrast between stripes.
• After pouring the sawdust into the vase, you may need to brush it toward the sides with a stick or spoon to get the desired wavy effect.
• Lightly compact the sawdust as you go to keep settling to a minimum later on.
• Look for a container that has a lid or glue a lid onto the top to keep the sawdust in.
• Fill the container to the top so the sawdust cannot shake and mix up.

This was a fun project that can be started and finished in about an hour.  It's a great activity for kids, as long as an adult makes the sawdust.  Best of all, you can use up that scrap wood that takes up valuable workshop space!

Below is a list of other woodworkers who are participating in the 2014 Scrap Bin Challenge.  Check out their scrap projects for more ideas.  Don't forget to subscribe to their YouTube channels for more great woodworking videos!  It's PRICELESS!

Click here to watch all of the videos in one convenient playlist!
(Don't forget to send me the link to YOUR video so I can add it too!)

• April Wilkerson 
• Peter Brown
• John Heisz
• Fr. Thomas Bailey
• Dominic Bender
• Manhattan Wood Project
• Andrea Arzensek
• Steve French
• Jason Rausch
• Adventures In DIY
• Fabian's Tiny Workshop
• Nick Ferry
• Richard Morley
• Patrick's Work Shop
• Darbin Orvar
• Rock-n H Woodshop
• Carl Jacobson
• The Nomadic Polywright Show
• McGinn's WoodShop
• Jack Houweling
• Mike Fulton
• Ted Alexander
• Average Joes
• RJBWoodTurner
• Tyler G
• Chris Pine
• Scrap Wood City
• Sterling Davis
• Karol Kolanowski
• Jack O'wheelie
• Chris The Wheeler
• Mark Christopher
• Alistair Darroch
• Badlands Wood-N-Stuff
• Shannon Fargo
• Pleasant Ranch
• Par Anderson
• WW_CAT
• John Garcia
• ShadeTreeCNC
• Andres Salas
• Backyard Woodworks

Live Edge Coat Rack

Fall weather is here and it's time to dust off our coats and jackets.  It's also a good time to spruce up your home with a Live Edge Coat Rack.  Here is a video showing how I took some ordinary coat hooks from the hardware aisle and turned them into a beautiful and functional wall-mounted coat rack.

I have never done a live edge project before.  A live edge board still has the natural edge from the side of the tree.  Whenever I try something new, I like to try it on a small project before tackling something big.  I had a small red cedar board that was perfect for this project.

To make the ends of the board blend in with the live edge, I tilted my bandsaw table and cut a random curvy shape on each end.  The cuts are at the same bevel angle as the live edge.

This is a fun and simple woodworking project that anyone can build with just a drill and jig saw.  Too bad you can't see it with coats and hats all over it!