by Elia Bizzarri | Oct 29, 2017 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, Chairs For Sale, Finishing, How-To | 6 Comments
The viscosity of milk paint directly affects the ease with which the paint can be applied and the smoothness of the painted surface. True milk paint only comes in powered form and must be mixed with water before use ("pre-mixed" milk paints are really acrylic...
by Elia Bizzarri | Oct 8, 2017 | Classes, How-To | 0 Comments
I prefer to size stretcher tenons with a Turner's Gate (Sorby calls it a Sizing Tool). It's major advantage over dowel plates and tenon cutters is that the tenon shoulder can be easily removed using a skew, plus the tenons are always in line with each other. A...
by Elia Bizzarri | Sep 25, 2017 | Craft Films | 0 Comments
I had forgotten about this video till one of my students mentioned a similar idea in my class last week. This is a pretty cool greenwood cottage industry and an amusing video:
by Elia Bizzarri | Sep 1, 2017 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 1 Comment
I have traded for a newer bandsaw and am selling my old one. It's a Crescent 32" Bandsaw built in 1919, babbit bearings, wooden table (old, but probably not original), new carter roller guides, new rip fence. The motor mounts on the floor/wall so you can easily put...
by Elia Bizzarri | Aug 24, 2017 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, How-To | 7 Comments
Green wood is everywhere. In fact, dry wood doesn't usually exist in nature: trees are veritable pipes full of water and once they die the rotting process is fed by water. Yet finding green wood can be a daunting task for many modern woodworkers. Where to look? What...
by Elia Bizzarri | Aug 10, 2017 | Craft Films | 4 Comments
In June, Curtis became a grandfather. Since I've known him, he has wanted to build a version of one of the cradles in Santore's book. He finally got the chance and what a beauty it is: Here's a lovely video interview of Curtis Buchanan describing his conscious...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 23, 2017 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, Craft Films, Finishing | 2 Comments
My Popular Woodworking Milk Paint DVD has just come out. While many paints hide the wood's subtle surface quality or create a plastic looking finish, milk paint is an incredibly thin, natural-looking paint that allows every pore of the wood and every tool mark...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 20, 2017 | Classes | 0 Comments
I have added a Comb Back Rocker class to my schedule, May 14-19, 2018. It is open to returning students only, since the spindles and bends will have to be made at home. This is the first time I have taught this chair in a group setting and I think it will be a...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 5, 2017 | Chair Stories | 0 Comments
I first heard it today, as I was turning legs for a set of four Loop Back side chairs. The lathe is all you hear when it’s running. Yet each time I turned it off, the sound was closer. Finally, I looked up from my lathe. There the beast was, along the back side of my...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jun 25, 2017 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies, Classes, Craft Films | 0 Comments
My new DVD is out! I love building these little tables - they have many of the fun aspects of building a chair, but they can be made in a weekend. Well, maybe two weekends, a month apart. Here's a tour of my shop that the crew filmed while they were...
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