Bookcase for Charity

De'ja' vu

Last year I built a Shaker Bench for one of our favorite local charities. I was not going to make the deadline and Brian Havens flew out at a moment's notice to help me build & deliver the bench just in time to be fashionably late rather than just late. (See blog entry here at LJ.)

This year I started my project a couple of weeks early but things did not go as smoothly as I would have liked on the project nor my schedule. As a professional contractor my schedule is very dynamic and even with the best plans, things pop up and I get squeezed. Sometimes work gets added but deadlines do not move back to allow for the extra work to be done in a normal work day, so that means I work extra long days to fit it in. 

Introducing Mike Pasini

So this is where local woodworker, designer~craftsman, and good friend Mike Pasini steps in. He offered to bail me out and I very humbly accepted his help. Mike is a talented woodworker and designer~craftsman himself and I was so glad to have him join me in the shop. 

Working with Mike was a real joy and moral raiser for me since my schedule was overbearing. He brings good energy and creativity to the shop.  

Use Your Woodworking To Support A Cause

I highly recommend finding a local charity or cause that you believe in to support with your woodworking talents. It is very satisfying knowing you helped someone with your skills. (I will have to cover this topic more in the future.)

Bookcase is made of black walnut and curly, ambrosia maple.It brought in $600 at auction for one of our favorite local charities.

Special Thanks Goes To...

A&H Turf & Specialties of Billings, Montana for providing the final two boards of black walnut to complete the top of the bookcase. I was short this material and their support was appreciated. I always do a full donation of time and materials and it can get pricey. 

The name may not reflect it since their business has evolved over the years, but they are a great source for cabinet hardware, tools, and lumber. I buy all of my cabinet hardware and most of my material from them. Be sure to check them out, they are competitive and available on the internet now. 

If you call in an order, you are dealing with the same guys at the desk that serve me everyday since they do not outsource to a call center. Be sure to check them out - A&H Turf & Specialties.

Your Friend in the Shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

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Making Clean Cuts in Melamine

Melamine is notorious for chipping out on the back side when cutting. In this video I share my tools and techniques for creating clean cuts on both sides of melamine.

The blade I use in the video is a Freud LU97R010. It produces a clean cut on both the top and bottom of the cut.

The images of the cuts you see on the video are of the backside of the melamine, this is where the chip-out occurs. You will see they are very clean cuts.

In Part II I will show you how to apply edge banding.

Hope you find this information helpful!

Todd A. Clippinger

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Build A Flash-Bang Gun

The grandkids love coming to the workshop and building all sorts of projects. One of the most popular projects is a flash-bang gun which captures the imagination of the kids and produces an amazing effect.

In this episode of the American Craftsman Workshop I will show you how to build a flash-bang gun. Then, to show how well they work, I have a backyard shootout with 2 of our grandkids, Olivia and Cole.

Hope you enjoy,

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love~Share the Knowledge