Duane McGuire Blog

I've been thinking about things for quite a long while.
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Category: Woodshop

A Craftsman's Step Ladder
A Craftsman's Step Ladder
A new little step ladder for the shop
A moment's observation and realization
A moment's observation and realization
I'm privileged to be able to vacation at the home I grew up in! This afternoon the dogs and I are
A Warm Shop (Again)
A Warm Shop (Again)
When we built the shop in 2008, I included radiant floor heat in the design. It's a premium feature
New Casework and Stair Railing
New Casework and Stair Railing
Staircase upgrade: More woodwork for our vanilla home.
Upgrade to Dust Collection
Upgrade to Dust Collection
When I built the shop in 2008, I installed a Clearvue dust collection system. That system has
It's a small thing
It's a small thing
I know. It's a small thing. And I still get a kick out of it. A few years ago I acquired an old
1982 Woodworking - 40 years later
1982 Woodworking - 40 years later
In 1982 I was 40 years younger, and had (apparently) about four times the energy that I have today.
A new Sawstop tablesaw for the workshop
A new Sawstop tablesaw for the workshop
Celebrating my 69th birthday a bit early, I acquired a new Sawstop tablesaw. The Sawstop is known
A Singer Sewing Machine is not a piano
A Singer Sewing Machine is not a piano
A singer sewing machine is not a piano. But I accepted the challenge of restoring a sewing machine cabinet that had been badly water damaged. Water and veneered pieces do not go well together.
Rikon 10-325 Bandsaw tune up
Rikon 10-325 Bandsaw tune up
I've always "liked" my Rikon bandsaw. Now, I just might learn to love it.
Building Kayaks
Building Kayaks
It was a warm summer day and my brother Bob and I were trying to convince our parents that we needed to cool off. My uncle Mart had an old row boat. We hoped we could make a float trip down the Tippecanoe River.
More improvements for Bebop
More improvements for Bebop
She’s an expensive dog, and worth it! Now complete is a new walkway to the shop, and concrete
Can you fix that?
Can you fix that?
Yes, I can. More details are here:
Completion: East Steps of the Deck
Completion: East Steps of the Deck
It's done. Steps for the east side of the deck. The deck was completed 5 years ago. Pandemic =
Pandemic Projects
Pandemic Projects
A new puppy means a new fence. Planter box - Cedar and redwood. Stairs for the east side of the
Getting it done
Getting it done
You might say that I've been thinking about building some steps on the east side of the deck for a
A fence for Bebop
A fence for Bebop
Quarantine Project: the Bebop fence. For years, it has been known, "You can't have a dog. We don't
Quick Change Bit holders
Quick Change Bit holders
I bought a collection of quick change driver bits: square, phillips, hex, torx, and straight. Some
Front Door Handleset Repair
Front Door Handleset Repair
Yesterday I got an oops text from my wife: I recognized immediately: These handlesets are
A first metal lathe project
A first metal lathe project
I work in wood. But for years I've wanted to get into the machinist's world too. A few months ago I
A piano shop workbench
A piano shop workbench
My bargain shopping wife found a large "workbench" -- a collection of solid cabinets mounted on an
Smoke Detectors for the Shop
Smoke Detectors for the Shop
This morning I installed smoke detectors in the shop, which are interconnected with detectors in
Cousins Meet in Loretto Tennessee
Cousins Meet in Loretto Tennessee
Yesterday found us in Loretto, Tennessee, where my great-grandfather John Henkel immigrated with
Clamp Rack
Clamp Rack
I started the day with a sheet of plywood. I ended the day with a much needed and very useful shop
Woodwork Outside of a Piano!
Woodwork Outside of a Piano!
The past few days, the woodshop has been put to work on a project that is not a piano! In December
Too Much fun with Sketchup
Too Much fun with Sketchup
I've refined the design of the tablesaw outfeed table to include details for the router table and
2014 - The year of the deck
2014 - The year of the deck
We're gearing up for deck building this summer. Sketchup has been invaluable as a design tool.
Outfeed table for tablesaw
Outfeed table for tablesaw
I recently took the time to re-learn Sketchup. I'm still inefficient with it, but its capability
Garden Gate - 2013
Garden Gate - 2013
When the neighbors built a white vinyl fence along the north property line a triangle of land was
Key Leveling Blocks
Key Leveling Blocks
I recently decided to upgrade from the crude key leveling blocks I had been using, and enjoyed
Coffee Table
Coffee Table
Erin designed a coffee table that we built in the shop in August. This weekend was the next road
A mobile base for the Rikon Band Saw
A mobile base for the Rikon Band Saw
The shop really isn't large enough for the new band saw to have a permanent location on the shop
A new bandsaw for the shop
A new bandsaw for the shop
I said I'd buy it, if it ever went on sale. I guess someone at Woodcraft heard me. It came home
One man’s dream: The Shop is “Complete”
One man’s dream: The Shop is “Complete”
I posted photos of the foundation pour 18 months ago. In the last month, I've made a pretty
The Paint Job
The Paint Job
Ev was OK with that, but he did think that the boss fell a little short of the mark when he bought a new truck without power steering and with a pretty awful paint job.
Adjustable height workbench / assembly table
Adjustable height workbench / assembly table
In my early years of woodworking and cabinet building, I spent a lot of time assembling things on
Woodturning 101 - homework
Woodturning 101 - homework
Admitting my amateur status, woodturning is new to me! I'm going forward boldly, and I can see that
Wood turning 101
Wood turning 101
My friend Jim has been busy with his new mini lathe making pens and other turnings. His enthusiasm
The woodshop attracts some “new” tools
Last week I went to the Davis School District surplus sale hoping to find some cabinets for the
Woodshop progress: Lighting and Dust Collection Cyclone
Woodshop progress: Lighting and Dust Collection Cyclone
I keep plugging away. After hanging ceiling drywall and fifteen light fixtures, I'm pretty good at
Woodshop progress: insulation and drywall
Woodshop progress: insulation and drywall
My shop is too big! OK. That's the last time you'll hear that. Though the work continues it seems
Woodshop progress: Passed electrical inspection this morning!
Woodshop progress: Passed electrical inspection this morning!
A milestone! I finished the rough-in electrical last night and had the inspection this morning. Yes
Woodstove for the woodshop
Woodstove for the woodshop
I got out to the shop early this morning to work on wiring. But it was about 37 degrees, and hmmm,
The shop is closed in!
The shop is closed in!
Well, the door is hung, and winter can come. I just need to do the weather stripping, and we really
A door for the new shop
A door for the new shop
I figured that the new shop should have a fine door that speaks to what goes on inside. Sometime
Woodshop Progress
Woodshop Progress
To complete the exterior, we just need the overhead and entry door. I'm working on the entry door
The workshop is a reality
The workshop is a reality
Well, it's not done, but the space definitely exists now! Todd Thurgood was the framer. Who could
The workshop progesses
The workshop progesses
The permit was issued, and last week, the site was excavated and footings where poured. The
New Woodshop: Getting closer
New Woodshop: Getting closer
I had once dreamed of building a timber-framed woodshop, but time and locale prevent it. Design for
Timber Frame Workshop
Timber Frame Workshop
In September, I posted here observations about a barn in Menlo, and the thoughts it spurred in me.
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