Home again, back at work

I had a long drive home yesterday from Marc Adams School of Woodworking to Eureka Springs and though tired, I am putting things away and getting back to work in my own wood shop. Things are just as I left them one week ago, each small piece of wood knows what it to be done next.

Teaching is one of those great ways to learn, and I have learned a great deal during the last week. I had the opportunity to watch my students solve problems, and in describing what I do to others, I have some moments of particular clarity myself... I will add these to my collection of techniques that will likely come in handy in solving typical wood shop problems and lead to even greater creativity.

One great experiment at the school involved using stops and story stick on the router table to install complicated quadrant hinges. That may lead to another article for a woodworking magazine.

As you can see in the photo above, I am cutting the tenons of my yet to be assembled "torii" tables so that wedges can be installed to lock the mortise and tenon joints in place.Below you can see the wedges being cut on the table saw and how they will expand the tenons, locking them in place.