Hanging out in 'The Garage'

Hanging out in the garage.

Today we started shooting a new episode of 'The Garage with Steve Butler' This is the first episode that Barry, Ken and I have worked on together. The day went smoothly, thanks to the professionalism of Barry and ken. They came prepared and ready to work. Ii thought I was prepared but I always find myself stumbling over my words. It's one thing to make a project but another to explain what you're doing in a clear, concise manner.
We will continue to shoot next Tuesday and hopefully that'll be it. Most shoots take two to three days to do and then a couple of weeks to edit.
It felt great to be back in the studio making. I can't wait til Tuesday.
A few years ago I made my son a toy box using off of the shelf tongue and groove lumber. I'm making another toy box for this episode. When all is edited and ready I'll post a video clip of the episode here.
As always- Thanks for following
Best
Steve

Book Review

BOOK REVIEW'''

I love collecting books about art, crafts and trades. As an educator I collect them because I might find a great article I can use for a class or a great illustration I can use as a class hand out. I love learning about crafts and trades that have since gone extinct. I use to work at a living history museum in Toronto, Canada called Black Creek Pioneer Village where I divided my time as the old time cabinet maker and the cooper. The cooper is a person who makes buckets and barrels and today the trade is almost all but gone.
http://www.blackcreek.ca/

When I worked at Black Creek Pioneer Village I bought a book called 'The Forgotten crafts' by John Seymour. I lost the book in one of my many moves so I recently purchased a copy. It has been so exciting to get reacquainted with this book. I forgot how awesome it is. Don't get me wrong. I love my machines, and there's a place for them in the workshop. Time is money after all and we all need to make a living but if you like to do things by hand then this book is for you, especially if you like to learn about the trades of yesteryear.

The Author John Seymour is British so some of the terminology might be different than what you're use to but these books will give you great insight into some forgotten trade such as coopering, bessom making ( broom making ), rake making, thatching, saddle making. woodworking, millwrighting, rope making, and blacksmithing. These books won't teach you all you need to know about a certain craft or trade but they will give you great historical insight into these lost trades and hopefully inspire you to learn more.

I love reusing, recycling and repurposing materials and John's books advocate this ethos so I feel particularly drawn to these books. No matter what your living situation is you'll get something out of them.
Not all of us have acreage to turn into a garden or pasture for animals or crops but if you're interested in learning how they did it in the - good - old - days then the books by John Seymour are for you.
I bought my hardcover book for $8 on amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Seymour was educated in England and Switzerland. After studying agriculture in college, he worked on farms in England and Africa. Seymour travelled widely and spent much time studying the ways of life of rural people. For eight years he and his wife ran a small farm in Suffolk, England based on the principles of self sufficiency. He and his wife moved to Wales where they started a school based on these principles. He now lives in Ireland. Among his many books about life on the land are 'The Guide to Self Sufficiency' and 'The Forgotten Household crafts'.

As Always
Thanks for following.
Best
Steve

Shooting in the garage

Yesterday Ken and Barry came over to prepare for the next shooting of an episode of the show.  They were testing out some new lights they had just purchased.

Sharpening Stones

Here's a sample of some of the product that DMT donated. 

Another Car Show

On Monday evening we went to another car show held in the parking lot of a local restaurant.

These cars are beautiful.  I would love to deliver a piece of furniture in a classic old pick up.

Grooming

I want to thank Eddie Fournier of 'Eddie's Classic Barbershop in Whitinsville.
Eddie has generously donated his time and talent to try and make me look good on camera. If he can make it work for me he can make it work for you.
Go visit Eddie. He's easy going and does a great job'
Thanks Eddie 
Best
Steve

Car Show

 I know the show is about woodworking and furniture making and not about cars but I had to show these photos.
Afterall- the title of the show is " The Garage" and we do feature a lot of music throughout the show about cars.

On Monday a local restaurant held a mini car show. It was awesome. I love these cars and wish I could afford one. Maybe one day. My favorite was this great 1950's ( sorry, I forgot the exact date ) Ford Fairlane. It was stunning. These cars have class and style. What happened to auto design? Where are the fins? The torpedo lights?.

When I do get my car I'll drive it to the Atlanta area and get it pinstriped by Hot Rod Walt, Aka Walt Richards. Walt is the frontman for the Atlanta based rockabilly band Hot Rod Walt and the Psycho - Devilles and is also a mad pinstriper. Rod pinstripes everything from cars to bass guitars.

In episode ten of the show, 'Dinner for Two' we closed out the show playing the bands song 'Doin' Fine'. You can watch the episode and hear the song atwww.thegaragewithstevebutler.com .
Hot rod Walt and The Psycho - Devilles have generously allowed us to use the song permanently. When the credits roll you will here ' Doin' Fine'. I love this song and am proud to have it in the show.
Thanks Walt.
Check them out at www.psychodevilles.com where you can see samples of Walts pinstriping and get a copy of 'Doin' Fine' on thier new Country Gold CD.

I recently secured the rights to a song titled 'Fugitive' made popular by The Ventures. I've been using the song since the beginning as the introduction music for the show on cable access. Now that the show is on PBS I had to secure the rights and was able to. So - you'll be able to continue to hear that song as the intro, how ever I still hope to work with the Chicago based band 'The Real Gone' who do a great rendition of the song. Check them out atwww.facebook.com/therealgone
Thanks for the music and as always
Thanks for following
Best
Steve 

Pomfret Tables

I love all things vintage, retro, rocket era, mid-century modern, whatever you want to call it. I love it'

We've had a busy month and a half so last weekend we went driving and rummaging. We didn't have a destination in mind just driving through small towns looking for thrift stores to browse through.
We were in Pomfret, CT and discovered a used furniture store where we found a great set of tables. We certainly don't need another table but I just love these tables. That and it's hard not to pass up a bargain.

The set needed a little work but luckily enough I know a woodworker. Pointing out the broken parts meant that we were able to get the set for less than half of what the owner was asking, nearly next to nothing. The tables really weren't broken, they just had some loose parts that needed to be reglued and tightened.

The best way to learn about woodworking joinery and what works and what doesn't is by taking apart and repairing older furniture.
These tables were inexpensively made but they've lasted decades. The tables bases are made up of pieces of 3/4" lumber with a 1/4" top laminated onto them creating a solid surface. The round tapered legs are screwed into corner blocks that fit into grooves in the table sides.

The corner blocks have a round mortise in them that is angled to make the legs splay out.
The tables work wonderfully.

I added a little glue and a few clamps to some parts and cleaned the tables with simple green and 0000 steel wool and they look great.
The tables are a nice addition to our little modern abode.
As always
Thanks for following.
Best
Steve

It's Final

It's final' 
The toy chest wins. The pine toy chest with the chalkboard panels will be the next project built for the show. The peek - a - boo raft will follow. The beauty of this project is that it's uncomplicated. The frame of the chest is made using off the shelf tongue and grooved lumber available at most stores. We are shooting a new episode of the show next Thursday and should have it released a month after. When the editing is complete I'll post the video on this page.
So stay tuned.
Thanks for following
Best
Steve

LW Tank Repair

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from Brent at LW Tank Repair.
Brent bought my mahogany trestle table for his office. I delivered the table but we left it unassembled until renovations to the office were complete. 
I went and assembled the table. If I don't say so myself It looks great in it's new environment, and it feels good knowing that it will get used everyday. Now I just have to convince him to commission me to make him some chairs.
Sculptural furniture is hard sell so I really appreciate Brents appreciation of the table.
Thanks Brent

As always- Thanks for following
Best
Steve

Uxbridge Community Television

Well it's full steam ahead.
I visited Barry Giles and Ken Kaiser at Uxbridge Community television to get the next episode of the show ready for shooting. I can't believe that it's episode twelve already. This will be the first episode that the three of us will work on together. I'm excited to be working with Barry and Ken, they've worked tirelessly to bring the past eleven episodes up to Rhode Island PBS standards. I'm grateful to be moving forward with them at the helm.
I've narrowed down the project choices to two.
Both project ideas are really cool. One is a pine toy chest that has painted chalk board panels in it so a child can write on it and the other is a small raft, much like a swimming kick board, that has a port hole hatch in it that a child can raise and look through to see the wonders going on beneath them in the water. So cool'''

DMT Sharpening

I spent this past week in Toronto so I'm behind in posting the latest news. I want to thank Stacey Brandon, Vice President at DMT, Diamond Machining Technology for her generous product donation to the show. DMT manufactures the best sharpening stones out there. Chefs covet them for the razor sharp edge they get on their knives and woodworkers love them for keeping their chisels and plane blades extra sharp. I first used them years ago when I was the department head of the wood studio at The Worcester Center for Crafts in Worcester, MA.
DMT manufactures a sharpening kit for all purposes. Check out their catalog at www.dmtsharp.com.
As always-Thanks for following
Best
Steve