I Went to Taiwan and Saw the Future of Woodworking
(date: 2026-05-05)
Last week I returned from a trip that involved a lot of firsts for me. First time in Asia, first time attending an international trade show, first time seeing a...
Last week I returned from a trip that involved a lot of firsts for me. First time in Asia, first time attending an international trade show, first time seeing a...
Tool: Marking Knife Shop Now Manufacturer: Bent Rivers MSRP: $240 I’ve made it pretty well known that I have a weakness for “bespoke tool makers.” What excites me about this...
A New Lightsaber Walking Stick Not long ago, in a small workshop far, far away… It was a period of unrest in the woodworking world. With new technologies entering a...
The bulk of this week’s episode addresses Logan’s shop changes — both recent and over the life of the construction and launch of this space. It’s been a lot of...
The body of the mandolin is now together, so what’s next? In this video, I look at routing the rebate for the purflings and bindings. The purflings take quite a while to fit as there are tricky mitres to cut and the bindings (made from walnut) need to be bent on the bending iron to fit exactly. All good fun! Oh, and a bit about the fretboard too!
Cheers Gary
https://guitar-maker.blogspot.com/2026/05/new-model-mandolin-4.html
Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week we’re looking at a bad idea, a gorgeous...
When you least expect it, you’re sometimes reminded that wood really has two main purposes: as a building material and a source of beauty. You never know where you’ll find...
Handmade gifts are one of the most personal ways to say that you love your Mom. For this guide, we’ve gathered up some of our most popular easy-to-make projects that...
If your Mom is a woodworker, then this is the perfect Mother’s Day gift guide to help you shop. She’ll love anything you get for her on this list. Looking...
Our new pocketbook, “Smalls: 18 Well-designed, Easy Projects for an Afternoon in the Workshop,” is in the hands of Kara Gebhart Uhl for a copy edit. I’ll get it back from her next week, make the final changes, then upload it to the printer. After that, it’s usually about six weeks until it’s in the...
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2026/04/30/big-woodworking-fun-with-smalls/
A few months ago, I praised the new silicone glue bottles we introduced to our student workshop. They were comfortable, easy to squeeze, and the fact that dried glue doesn’t...
Gerrit Rietveld’s simple design for a lounge chair is a great platform for exploring ergonomics. PROJECT #2005 • Skill Level:Beginner • Time: 4 hours • Cost: $50 Gerrit Rietveld was...
For episode 113 of Luthier on Luthier, I'm joined by guitarist and educator Sean McGowan.
We focus on his recent Archtop Foundation recording project, featuring 20 tracks across nine exceptional Blue series archtop guitars, and dig into his detailed approach to capturing their unique voices in the studio. Sean also shares highlights from his musical journey, his work as an educator at the University of Colorado in Denver, and the realities of making a living as a modern musician.
Link: https://seanmcgowanguitar.com/
Luthier on Luthier is hosted by Michael Bashkin of Bashkin Guitars and brought to you by the Fretboard Journal. This episode is sponsored by the Looth Group, Dream Guitars and StewMac.
https://luthieronluthier.libsyn.com/113-sean-mcgowan
Batching Out Seats I recently completed a batch of 10 walnut Hearth Stools. When making a single stool, I still make it primarily by hand as outlined in the original...
Discover how (and when) to give old, deteriorated finishes new life. As finishes age, they deteriorate. First they dull, then they begin showing small cracks (called “crazing”). The culprit of...
Editor’s note: Our Mind Upon Mind series is a nod to a 1937 Chips from the Chisel column (also featured in “Honest Labour: The Charles H. Hayward Years”), in which Hayward wrote, “The influence of mind upon mind is extraordinary.” The idea being there’s often room for improvement. To that end, we’ve asked you what else you have...
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2026/04/27/mind-upon-mind-stick-stop/
Welcome to The Splinter Report, where we gather the assorted interesting and amusing things we’ve seen in the woodworking world. I’m Ben Strano, ya, the guy from Fine Woodworking, but...
These notched sticks simplify your workholding at the bench. Workbenches didn’t always have vises. In fact, for most of human history, workbenches around the world were nothing more than a...
Learn how to carve this classic detail – follow a few rules, and it’s simple. The beauty and elegance of the acanthus leaf has inspired artists, architects and craftsmen for...
Editor’s note: Our Mind Upon Mind series is a nod to a 1937 Chips from the Chisel column (also featured in “Honest Labour: The Charles H. Hayward Years”), in which Hayward wrote, “The influence of mind upon mind is extraordinary.” The idea being there’s often room for improvement. To that end, we’ve asked you what else you have...
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2026/04/22/mind-upon-mind-an-upgraded-does-foot/
The cost of value added parts When Jeff Lefkowitz was teaching me to build berea ladder back chairs he would make me identify the side of a leg we were...
In my woodworking classes, our tool rack is a bit like a stress-test laboratory. From fourth grade through high school, my students use Japanese-style saws for nearly every project. These...
In this episode, we’re finding a woodworking fix for invasive Callery pear trees and catching up with the Woodsmith Shop and Popular Woodworking. Head to the Woodsmith website for more...
Comments are now closed – thanks to everyone who joined us today, and those reading later. Join us again on June 20! Got a woodworking question, a query about dog holes (which Kale is drilling above, for their new tail vise) or are curious to know what’s on the horizon at Lost Art Press? Today...
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2026/04/18/lap-open-wire-april-18-2026/
Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. I’m feeling spicy this week, and throwing out criticism (constructive...
Milwaukee has added more offerings in its ever-growing category of vacuum tool accessories, with a couple of them great for woodworkers. The company’s “Air-Tip” tools have always been targeted at the...
I’ve been at home this week (and possibly will be next) staring on and off at my not-yet-finished kitchen – on which I cannot currently work – every time I go to refresh my ice pack and drink more fluids. (I’m recovering from minor but uncomfortable surgery, and am under doctor’s orders to do no...
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2026/04/16/slow-cooker/
Easy to make, easy to store. While many woodworkers spend weekends making stationary router tables, mine have always been very simple, driven by expediency, and the desire to get other...
While sawing dovetails for a jewelry box, I found my back was hurting from hunching over my bench vise. In order to work more comfortably, I built this vise extension...
This mitered case and veneered top make this project an interesting challenge. This floating top entry table was a project that I designed and built for the 2025 Grizzly Makers...
Tool: Y-2 Chisels Shop Now Manufacturer: Zen-Wu Toolworks MSRP: $69+ If there’s one hand-tool company that’s finally getting the recognition it deserves, it’s Zen-Wu Toolworks. Founded by Luke Lyu, Zen-Wu...