I have many woodworking how-to and design books on the shelves of my bookcase that I turn to when I need some help with a project. There are also some books on the shelves that I have because they inspire me and just make me feel good. 
reusing and repurposing materials and objects is popular today, so much so that it's been given a trendy new term to define it 'upcycling'. People have been doing this forever, especially those folks who went through the depression era. I love giving new life to old material. I like to see life in cast off objects.

There are a few books that inspire me. Some of these are 'The Uncommon Life of Common Objects', essays on design and the everyday by Akiko Busch. I love the poems of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda in a collection titled 'Odes to Common Things' and a light hearted good read is a book by editor in chief of MAKE magazine Mark Frauenfelder 'Made by Hand', Searching for meaning in a throwaway world. At times the world can feel heavy and weighty, these books remind me to pause, remember what's important and why it is I do what I do.

Shelves complete

Today I dropped off the shelves to the library.

This was a simple project but I always appreciate the work.  Every little bit helps pay the bills.

I flushed trimmed the solid wood edges with a hand plane.  I use a 1/4" bit in the laminate trimmer attached with a straight edge to rout out the shallow shelf pin grooves.

Carved chest

This past weekend my wife was working at the Worcester Art Museum.

My son and I went through the museum before picking her up.

Sitting in the hallway against a wall was this great highly carved wooden chest or trunk.  It had no lid so I  looked inside and saw the great early tongue and groove joints that held it together.

The not so glamorous side of furniture making. No matter what you do in life you still have to pay your bills. Today I made a quick set of shelves for the local public library. The library often ask me to repair or rebuild things for them. The jobs don't pay much but every little bit helps. I'm grateful for the work and they have supported me and the show along the way. Last year my wife and I exhibited our work there in an exhibition called 'Co- Habitat'.

The shelves are made out of plywood. I cut a groove into the underside of the shelves and glued in a strip of 3/4" plywood to help stabilize the board and strengthen it so it doesn't buckle under the weight of books. I glued on a 1/4" strip of solid wood to the front edge of the plywood. I used a simple butt/rub joint and glued the strips to the edge. Blue painters tape help hold the strips in place. If you don't have a bench vise simply clamp a clamp ( in this case a wooden screw clamp ) to your workbench. It works well. I'll cut and trim the pieces to size and give them a top coat.
Nothing glamorous but every little bit helps. That and it's good to be part of your community.

The Call

Yesterday I was interviewed by Russ Olivo of the Woonsocket Rhode Island newspaper The Call.
Russ is writing an article about myself and the show.  I'm not sure when it will be published but when it is I'll post the article here.  Thanks for watching and following' 

Stage Box

My son and I  recently visited a mill and farming museum where we saw this nice stagecoach box.  The box sat behind the driver of the coach where he would keep his valuables.  I love the hinge hardware. I think this box will make a nice project to build.

Window Boxes

I finished the three window boxes for Bill.   Bill commissioned me to make these boxes after he saw the episode of the show where I made the planter boxes for Lynchs Package store.  The boxes are made using simple joinery.  The bottoms are dado into the all sides of the box.  The box parts are then joined together using butt joints and then nailed and glued.  The joints are strengthened by adding decorative strips that wrap around the butt joint, reinforcing it.  Bill is going to paint the boxes in an antique red and green for the trim.

Studio Spring Cleaning

I finally got around to doing a massive spring cleaning in the studio.  Every nook and cranny has been swept and cleaned.  We are a filming a new episode this week.  I'm excited to work with the new crew.  

I'll be making a toy box out of  tongue and groove pine.  The box is like the one I made for my son.

The box has painted panels on the front and back and the side panels are painted with chalkboard paint.

I'm very grateful to have Rockler Woodworking as a sponsor for the show.

Rockler has jumped on board and is willing to help make 'The Garage with Steve Butler'

a success.

It's official'

It's official.

The show will start to air on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Saturday, July 5th at 2:30 PM

What an awesome time slot.'

facebook

I have a facebook page.  Well- The show does.  Please vist it and follw it at facebook stevebutlersagarage.

You'll be able to see what's going on in the garage.  What projects I'm working on for the show and what's coming up.

Thanks for following'

One good turn deserves another'

I have a commission to replace and build new planter window boxes on a house in Uxbridge.

The person who commissioned me saw the episode of the show where I had built planter boxes for Lynchs Package store.  I'll upload images as I build the new boxes.  I'll be making three boxes.  I'll be making two new ones to fit the windows and I'll be replacing another.

  

I've been sorting through my tools lately and deciding what I use and what I don't use.

I've been lugging around a bunch of tools that I never use.  They are great to look at and create a great atmosphere in the studio but I have to be realistic - I never use them.  I think tools should be used, not sit on a shelf to be looked at'  I love wooden hand planes.  I love making wooden hand planes.  There's nothing better than using a tool made with your own hands.  I decided I would sell off my set of Primus hand planes.  These are great planes made in Germany.  The planes are made out of beech with either hop hornbeam soles or lignum vitae soles.  The soles of the planes are dovetailed to the body.  They're beautiful planes, I just don't use them.  below are images of a primus jointer plane, a scrub plane and a smoothing plane.

Spring Cleaning

I spent this past weekend cleaning out the garage.  I have some new equipment so I had to make room.

It was a beautiful day out which was great because I was able to open up the garage door and move things outside.  I live on a busy street so I thought I would try and sell some things also.  I moved a few tables into the driveway and stuck a for sale sign up.  I ended up selling a couple of small shaker style end tables and I cleaned the garage.  A perfect day''

Rikon Install

I spent this past weekend setting up and installing the new drill press and bandsaw that was generously donated to the show by Rikon tools.  I can't thank Jack Bransfield enough for his support of the show.

The band saw is Rikons model 10-325 14" Deluxe Band  saw.  This is a very solid, well built machine.  It has an 8" re-saw capacity.  The drill press is a 13" bench top model.  The machine runs quiet and smoothly.

Cape Town

The show has recently been picked up by a station in South Africa called Cape Town TV.

It airs on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The station broadcasts to more than 2,000,000 homes.

Christmas in April

 Christmas came early today.

Three large boxes were delivered to my door today compliments of Jim Krueger, the president and CEO of Pony/Jorgenson Tools.  Joe donated some clamps to the show.  I can't thank Joe enough.  The clamps are fantastic, especially the 90 degree parallel bar clamp called 'Cabinet Master'.  The clamp bars stay upright while gluing because of the built in supports and the jaws keep your material even at 90 degrees.  They have a quick action release, making clamping and gluing procedures much easier.

Thanks again Joe'

WSBE

This past week I received my agreement with WBSE, Rhode Island PBS in the mail.  WSBE has agreed to air thirteen episodes a season of the show 'The Garage with Steve Butler' for four seasons/years starting August 1st, 2014. I have only a couple of weeks to clean up the studio and rearrange the space.  I have some new equipment coming in courtesy of Rikon and Pony tools.  We start shooting the next episode on May 1st.  I'll be making a storage bench, re-using a cushion from a vintage ottoman I took apart. I'll be posting images of the project as it progresses.

  

The Big Freeze

I just couldn't wait. This past week the temperature finally reached  50 degrees outside. It's seems like it's been a very long winter this year so when the last patches of ice and snow finally melted I had to dig out all of the outdoor furniture I've made and set up the deck.  Just looking at it makes me feel warm.

The two round cafe tables are made from 4" x 4" post and a bulk head door that I used to cut two circular tops out of.  The two seater picnic table I built as a project for the show and the two Adirondack style chairs I built using the wood I got from an old bookcase I took apart.  The barn style doors on the shed in the background I made out of wood I got from some large pallets I took apart.  The wooden planter box on the left side of the deck I made as a project for the show.

Material Needs Exhibition

I'm involved in a group exhibition that will be held at Arts Worcester's Aurora gallery in September.

Last year I was one of eight people who received a material needs grant from Arts Worcester.  The grant is used to purchase materials for a project.  Each of us will then exhibit these pieces at the upcoming exhibition.

I am creating two round end tables.  The tables will taper, being larger at the top and narrower at the bottom.  The tables will be cladded in scrap metal pieces and then torched to create a beautiful patina.  The tops will be made out of mahogany.  I am re purposing two swivel bases I took off of a couple of old chairs that were thrown out and sitting on the roadside in New Jersey. The legs on the bases remind me of insects.  The metal cladding will look beetle like.  

Below are the swivel bases I'll be using.
The exhibition opens on September 12.
Please visit arts wocester to learn more about the exhibition and Arts Worcester.

      

Pony / Jorgensen tools has volunteered to help with the show by generously donating some product.

I can't thank these folks enough.  They will be sending some much needed clamps.

Thank you

Please check out their website at pony tools

for a list of great products

A television show such as 'The Garage wit Steve Butler' is costly to produce.

Materials need to be purchased for projects, equipment needs to be maintained.  All of these things add up.

Rikon power tools has generously donated some product for the show to help with our equipment needs.

Thank you
Visit rikon tools to see all of their great product

WSBE RHODE ISLAND PBS

wow'''''

Today I received some fantastic news.  My Television show ' The Garage with Steve Butler' will be carried on WSBE, Rhode Island PBS.  Awesome.  I've worked very hard to get the show out there.  I believe it's a good product and now I can share it with an even larger audience.  Thank you Kathryn Larsen at WSBE for believing in it as well.

The next generation

It's easy to get caught up with the pressures of daily life.  Paying the bills, getting the kids off to school, etc, etc, but now and then we should stop and really smell the coffee.  We influence our children all of the time.  They watch us, listen to what we are saying and mimic us.  It is important to be a positive role model and take the time to listen to and watch what our children are doing. My son has a pair of work boots as do I.  The other day I had taken mine off after shoveling some snow.  Later that evening I went to put them on and they weren't where I had left them.  My son had moved them next to his.  Our children want to be like us so please take the time to influence them positively.  Take a moment and make a simple project with them, it'll go a long way and mean so much to them.

Rustic Reunion

I made this rustic chair three years ago.  I made the chair as a project for an episode of the show 'The Garage with Steve Butler'.  The chair is made out of red maple sticks. The mortise holes were drilled out using a forstner bit and the round tenons were cut using a tenoning cutter, which works much like a very large pencil sharpener.  I pegged the tenons using small panel nails.  The nails are available in different colors.  I used brown nails.  I used one inch wide black and red shaker tape to weave the seat.  This was the first chair of this type I had ever made and I'm really happy with it.  The chair has been storage for the past three years .  The storage isn't heated.  The chair has survived high heat and humidity and below freezing temperatures and it is as solid as the day I made it. It now sits by the wood stove in my wife's studio.