LCII Wood Works

So I have been trying something new. Not just wood spoons or ink pens. My wife bought me two stained glass kits for Christmas and I’m trying my hand at them. Still have a long ways to go. The last one I finished is the butterflies.

Some of the wonderful steps we take for the Bucovina shingle to become a durable and beautifully crafted roof. O parte din pașii grozavi pe care îi parcurgem pentru ca draniță de Bucovina să ajungă acoperiș durabil și grozav de frumos.

The first Thanksgiving wasn't just one meal; it was a 3-day harvest festival focused on community and survival. Venison, not turkey, was the star. Lincoln made it a holiday in 1863. So grateful for this community! What are you thankful for this year? #ThanksgivingHistory #CommunityHarvest #Gratitude #Venison #NatureReliance

A couple things I have been working on in the shop. Trying to build my bird stock up. Also carved a mini cowboy hat.

Who loves birds?
New for this year I’ll be hand carving each bird .

Getting that time of year. Starting to cool down in the evenings and able to work in the wood shop. This is spoon #2.

So what time is spent in shop these days, has not been on pens or spoons. I have a bunch of scrap wood laying around and so I have been making bird houses.
The last one finished I made for my wife. She likes white churches so I built one. If you can see on the top of the steeple there is a copper wired cross.
I had to learn new things on how to make those crosses. Not hard to make if you have the wire.

Spent a little time in the shop recently to make this retro tv phone holder 📺 The little guy will appreciate the upgrade!

How Wooden Pencils are actually made

SAVE THIS: which 2x4 (or stud) shall I grab? Check the end grain. It depends on what you’re trying to do, weighed by cost and function. The truth: get creative in how to use wood by mixing and matching due to finite resources.  But keep this in mind. Lumber is cut in three ways: Plain: very common because it’s easy to cut and cheaper for mills but prone to warping, twisting, cupping; it expands/contracts easily with humidity.  Quarter sawn: cut perpendicular to growth rings, making it stable and stronger; great for framing key areas. If you get lucky and find one, center of trees are recommended for king studs. Rift sawn: the most stable with a uniform grain, but expensive due to waste produced.