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"The things I make may be for others, but how I make them is for me."
-- Tony Konovaloff
"Measure Twice, Cut Once; Measure Once, Curse Twice"
"Experience is the ability to recognize a mistake when you make it again!"
"The secret to flawless cabinetry is to begin with lots of wood!"
Woodworking Woodworking provides a means of relaxation and enjoyment. I'm fortunate to have a large well equipped shop where many hours are spent after work. Below are a few of the woodworking projects that I've completed over the years. Clicking on the various images below will display a larger image of the item.
Drop an e-mail to robert.blake@robertblake.biz
I've made a ton of these relatively simple bird houses! (Clicking on the image to the left will display a larger image) I typically use 3/4" Western Red Cedar to construct the birdhouse because of its light weight and its inherent resistance to moisture and insects. The parts are joined together using 1-5/8" galvanized deck screws. While this birdhouse has been painted - they can be left unfinished and will last for years. Here is a plan and cutting diagram for the birdhouse. (You will need Adobe Acrobat to open the .pdf file.)
I built this "hope chest" for our oldest daughter. (Clicking on the image to the left will display a larger image) It is made of 3/4" solid White Oak hewn from a large tree that stood on her grandfather's farm in Illinois. It features frame-and-panel construction, "breadboard" edged lid, and is Cedar lined.
This wooden tray / carrier was a gift to my wife to carry casseroles and "fixins" to church suppers and picnics. (Clicking on the image to the left will display a larger image) It is constructed of 1/2" Red Oak hewn from a tree that stood on her father's farm in Illinois, and features box-joint corners and a removable center divider. It is approximately 22 ½" x 15 ½". (Big enough to hold a couple of 9x5 loafs or 9" pies, or a 9x12 cake on either side of the divider with a little "wiggle room" left over)
I built this rocking horse for our children years ago. (Clicking on the image to the left will display a larger image) Countless young rough-and-tough cowboys have ridden it over the years. I'm afraid It's mane and tail are a litte worse for the wear! It is constructed primarily of clear yellow pine dimensional lumber. However, if you look closely, Walnut, Red Oak, Maple, Ash, and Chestnut have been used for various parts.
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| Woodworking |
With a shop full of tools, I enjoy building
everything from simple bird houses to furniture. Perhaps the reason
why I enjoy woodworking as a hobby is that, like project management,
it involves visioning the finished product. You really must, "begin with
the end in mind" as you choose what kind of wood to use, grain patterns,
and how the various parts will fit together. Then, using various tools and
materials, woodworking enables you to create something new and unique
that can be enjoyed by others. Along the way it requires careful
requirements gathering, planning, patience, skill, subprocesses, risk
management, and so forth. -- Just like project management!!
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