I’ve built a lot of stuff with wood in my life, but I do not consider myself a “woodworker” by any stretch of the imagination. When I evaluate a project that uses wood, personally, what I look for is the maximum cool result for the least amount of technical skill and work. Here, then, are ten of my personal favorite bangiest-for-the-buck wooden projects from the vault. Enjoy!
The collection, housed at the University of Padua’s Center for the Study of the Alpine Environment, was manufactured in the 19th century or before. Each specimen consists of a 7.5x5x1.5-inch book-shaped box, executed in the wood of the subject tree, which opens to display samples of that tree’s seedling, leaves, flowers, seeds, fine roots, sawdust, charcoal, and ash. The spines are bound with samples of the tree’s bark, and of course everything is labeled. [Thanks, loondawg!]
San Francisco, as many of our regular readers will know from experience, is hilly, and can be windy. It has many narrow, winding roads and lots of low-hanging power lines. Which is why the SFFD is the only major US fire department still using wooden ladders–they don’t conduct electricity, and won’t fault a power line to ground in the event of an accident. The SFFD ladder shop made its first wooden ladder in 1917, and they’re still crankin’ em out today, using Douglas Fir timbers that are first aged 15 years in the shop itself. Very cool maker story and an excellently produced video from Adam Kaplan of ASK Media Productions. [via Gizmodo]
Instructables user LongToe, inspired by design student John Hobson, borrowed tools and techniques from plywood kayak construction to make this beautiful laminated Baltic birch bicycle frame. Best of all, he shows us how.
This awesome video shows furniture maker extraordinaire Mike Jarvi creating one of his signature steamed-wood benches from a single slab of wood. The video documents the several-month-long process, from chainsawing the log to finishing the bench. Great filmmaking and soundtrack, too. Rock n’ roll woodworking! [Thanks, Eric!] Mike Jarvi
MAKE subscriber Dug North writes in to share this video tutorial on how to make gears with unusual contours.
With the exception of my couch, every piece of furniture in my home is something I built, or heavily modified, myself. This is both a source of personal pride and a bit of a pain, because if I want more furniture for whatever purpose, I’m sort of obliged, at this point, to build instead of buying. My mattress has been on the floor for years, but lately I’ve been thinking it’s time to commit to building a bedframe. Which is why this solid, minimalist, simple-tools design by Instructables user wholman caught my attention. It’s an entry in their ongoing Woodworking Contest.
