Book for the birds

In an earlier post I talked about making birdhouses. If you're so inclined to make one I suggest trying to track down a book titled 'Build it better yourself' by the Roedale Press. There are all sorts of books out there on building and designing a birdhouse but this book is my favorite'
It has pages of traditional birdhouses to build as well as other outdoor garden and agricultural projects such as a wheelbarrow, a
pig pen, a chicken coop and a variety of low tech greenhouses.
This is a great book. I'm sure you can track one down online for pennies.
Create, build and have fun'
Best
Steve

For the birds

Lately our backyard has been busy with a lot of bird activity . The air is full of chatter and music of a variety of birds. I know this has nothing to do with the show but it has everything to do with low tech woodworking on a dime. Earlier this year my son and I rummaged through the scrap bin and spent a rainy day inside making bird houses. We were gearing up for summer and now it has paid off. All of the bird houses we made are occupied.
Bird houses are a simple yet very rewarding and gratifying project to make. They don't have to be complicated or opulent. They can be made out of solid wood, plywood or even out of found objects. You can use recycled, repurposed parts and materials. In the end you've created an awesome habitat for the birds and you've spent quality time with your child who has learned something as well. It doesn't get any better than that. Here are a few images of the simple bird houses that surround our yard. Enjoy'

Pyramid Power

Quite some time ago I made a pair of pyramid shaped candles. The bases are made out of layers of MDF I glued together to make a solid block approximately five inches square. I then drilled two 1 1/2 inch holes and inserted hollow aluminum tubing into the holes.

I tilted the table base of my bandsaw and set the fence in order to cut the bases to the desired shaped. I painted the bases primary colors, removing the aluminum before I did. I polished the aluminum tubing and placed some small tea candles into the space.

Thanks for following 

Best
Steve

Fathers Day

I hope all of you Dads out there had a great Fathers Day.

I have a new sign for my shop space'

It's awesome'

Silk Screen

Many years ago ( well more than ten ) I made this room divider. The frame of the divider is made out of cherry. The panels in each divider are made out of two layers of silk screen fabric spaced an 1 3/4 " apart. The two fabrics togethershimmers like shark skin creating a moire effect. The panels spin on solid brass rods and the three dividers move with homemade brass hinges I created. The feet are made out of cast bronze.
I might create something similar for the show.
Thanks again for following
Best
Steve

A Dramatic Evolution

I've been very fortunate to have had my work published in a few books and magazines. My work can be seen in Lark Books 500 series 500 Chairs and 500 Tables.
When I was the department head of the wood studio at Peters Valley Craft Center I wrote an article for American Woodturner magazine that eventually found its way into the American Association of Woodturners 25th anniversary book titled 'Woodturning Today', A Dramatic Evolution.
I hope my work can inspire others.
Thanks for following
Best
Steve

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''