Over the years, Make: has featured tutorials and projects by woodworker Len Cullum, both here online and in the magazine. Len works a lot in the Japanese woodworking tradition. Below I have chosen some of his best skill builder posts and woodworking projects. The great thing about these projects is that you’re not only exercising your woodworking muscles, you’re also creating useful tools for your shop in the process. You can see all of the articles Len has contributed to the site by looking at his author bio.
Introduction to Basic Woodworking Tools
Len runs through basic hand tools, measuring tools, and power tools for woodworking. Link: Skill Builder: Understanding Basic Woodworking Tools
How to “Tune” Planes and Chisels
Here, Len shows you how sharpen, or “tune,” your woodworking chisels and planes. It’s rare, he says, to buy a new plane or chisel and find it sharp and ready to use right out of the box. Even expensive handmade ones require some final honing before they are ready to use. Link: Skill Builder: Tuning Planes and Chisels
Make a Simple Japanese Toolbox
Put some of your newfound tool knowledge and woodworking skills to the test by building this simple, but handsome Japanese-style toolbox. Link: Japanese Toolbox
Making a Butterfly Spline
Turn the flaw of “checking” in wood into a beautiful feature by stabilizing the check with a butterfly spline. Link: Butterfly Spline
How to Make Woodworking Low Horses
Further hone your woodworking skills while creating a useful shop tool by creating these simple, lovely, and very useful Japanese “low horses.” Link: Building Woodworking Low Horses
How to Make Japanese Workhorses
Use a simple mortise-and-tenon joint to make these fine looking shop horses that you will constantly use and that will last a lifetime. Link: Shop Workhorses
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