Telecaster Build /  by ed carr

Here we build a Fender Telecaster style guitar using walnut and maple for the body and neck and ebony for the fretboard.

Chestnut Bar Table Build /  by ed carr

I go through my steps to building this simple bar table from locally sourced chestnut. I use the Festool Domino for the joinery, Titebond III for glue and OSMO Polyx-Oil Satin for the finish.

Cherry Worktop Restoration /  by ed carr

Follow along as I restore this lovely 40mm thick cherry worktop in my kitchen. To remove the old finish I used a card scraper, then a couple hours of sanding to bring it back to flat (ish), starting with 40 grit and up to 220 ready for the finish, OSMO Polyx Oil.

Solid wild cherry high kitchen table /  by ed carr

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End Grain cutting board, walnut & maple /  by ed carr

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End grain cutting boards have several advantages. It’s easier on knife edges, so it keeps the knife sharp for longer. Because the fibres are pointing upwards, the board should not get damaged so quickly as the knife edge cuts in between these fibres.

A disadvantage is that moisture is absorbed more easily through end grain, so these boards need a little more care, like cleaning shortly after use, and not allowing it to sit in water.

Here is my process:

I start with cutting both boards into equal strips and then arranging them one walnut and one maple

Next is the glue up, I’m using titebond 2, foodsafe and waterproof

Once in clamps, its left overnight to dry,

The next day I remove the glue squeeze out with a chisel.

And the most time consuming part of the project, flattening both surfaces with a large 5 1/2 hand plane

Now I cut the board into 30mm strips, turn them so the grain is facing up and back into the clamps for the final glue up

Again, more planing, this time though, because its end grain I’m using the low angle block plane, this part of the process takes about an hour each side, end grain is hard work on tools

Once the board is cut to final dimensions, I add a roundover to all the edges and carve finger grooves to both sides

For the finish, I first use a butcher block mineral oil, taking my time to insure that the board has absorbed it fully, leave to dry over night, then finish with a natural beeswax food safe butter, which should help to seal in the oil

And that’s it!

Oak meditation stool /  by ed carr

Slightly refined contours and harder edges providing a better balance than the first version.

White oak, sanded to 320 grit, finished with Kreidezeit Holzlasur, buffed with homemade furniture polish

 

Upholstery trestles /  by ed carr

Height adjusting double upholstery horses, spruce, finished with linseed oil and home made paste wax (linseed oil, turpentine and beeswax)

Paul Sellers design work bench /  by ed carr

Inspired by Paul Sellers, I needed a solid wood work bench for the garage.