Compressors
From framing a wall, to using tiny headless pins on a fine piece of furniture, compressed air drives a multitude of tools that make these tasks a breeze.
Michael Kampen
Michael is an accomplished furniture designer and maker living on Vancouver Island.
Articles by Michael Kampen
Tangrams
There is nothing like a simple puzzle to occupy a lazy afternoon. The best types of puzzles are those that are hard to put away, and this project is definitely one of those.
Arts & Crafts style quilt rack
What could be more comfortable than curling up on a cool evening with a nice quilt, a good book and a cup of tea? This Arts & Crafts influenced rack is the perfect place to display and store your quilts. Â
Recycle centre
With stories about landfill sites nearing capacity appearing regularly in the news, it’s hard not to be aware of the growing need to divert some of this material by recycling whenever possible. Build this simple rolling recycling station to keep your recyclable material sorted and your garage or utility room tidy.
Routing Basics – Part 5: Joinery Bits
Without a bit, the router is just a fancy paperweight; but when you slip one of these joinery bits into the collet you unlock the potential of creating a multitude of strong and attractive joinery options for your projects.
Versatile hand tool display
Some tools are best kept tucked away – they work, but they are hardly things of beauty. Other tools cry out to be displayed, as they are far too elegant or beautiful to be concealed in boxes and drawers.
Routing Basics – Part 4: Edge Profiling Bits
While square edges on furniture projects are commonplace, they don’t have to be the first or the last choice in edging.
Woodshopasaurus Rex
As daylight grows shorter at this time of the year, you’re apt to find a lot of woodworkers gravitating to the shop much earlier than usual, with thoughts of the fast approaching festive season milling around in their heads.
Patterns, Templates & Jigs
If you are looking to make your woodworking easier, faster and safer, then you’ll want to use patterns, templates and jigs.
Routing Basics – Part 3: Straight Bits
The ability to quickly change the bit in a router is one of the features that make it such a versatile tool in the workshop; in a few moments you can switch from a joinery bit to a decorative edge-profiling bit.
Wine Rack with Serving Tray
This simple to build wine rack will store up to eight one-litre bottles of wine.
Routing Basics – Part 2: The Router
The router is one of the few tools that comes fully set-up and ready to go right out of the box. Insert a bit into the collet, set the depth of cut, and you’re ready to start routing.
Step Stool
Get a step up on things with this handy little kitchen or shop accessory.
Tiny toy box
Here is a great little project for you and the younger woodworker in your family to make together in a weekend.
Spokeshave
This is an easy and enjoyable project to make and a great way to use up some exotic off-cuts.
Routing Basics – Part 1
Perhaps no more than forty or fifty years ago, grooving, decorative edge work and intricate joinery in most small wood shops would have been done by a wide range of hand tools.
Shaker wall clock
This Shaker wall clock is based on a series of clocks that Isaac Newton Young started in the spring of 1840.
Hand Saws – Shop Essentials
Specific saws are designed to excel at specific cuts and it's all about choosing the right saw for the cut.
Router work station
Without a doubt, the router is one of the most useful tools in our shop and to really get the most out of this tool it is best to mount it in a table.
Cedar Potting Bench
Make gardening easier with this easy-to-build weekend project.
Housing for the birds
Make one or more of these simple bird houses for your avian friends.
Arts & Crafts hat and coat shelf
This hat and coat shelf has clean lines and ample storage. It is equally at home in a formal entry, or a back door.
Hand tool cabinet
This tool cabinet is a practical, attractive way to store and protect a collection of hand tools.
Krenov Style Hand Plane
This Krenov style plane, named after James Krenov, is quite easy to make. And, when fitted with a Hock iron, it is sure to cut every bit as nicely as a high-end bronze low-angle plane.
