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Shaker Step Stool

By TommyMac On August 12, 2014 · Add Comment · In Projects
This simple and utilitarian project serves as a perfect introduction to woodworking.  The step stool requires very little lumber or tools.  Its traditional Shaker design gives it a quiet beauty, making it a good fit for any home.  It can be used for getting to high shelves and cabinets, kids reaching a sink, dogs getting [...]
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Blanket Chest

By TommyMac On August 12, 2014 · Add Comment · In Projects
The Pilgrim Blanket Chest is a great project to help you master good machining techniques and table saw work. You’ll get plenty of practice with dados, stop dados, raised panels, cutting stiles and rails, and top and bottom panels. The chest will also require some router table work for the beads and stop chamfers around [...]
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Maple Desk Finish

By TommyMac On August 12, 2014 · Add Comment · In Projects
It’s the step that leaves many projects incomplete: finishing. Last but certainly not least, finishing takes center stage in this series as Tommy, Al and friend Mark Libby take you through the step by steps as they apply a shellac finish to Tommy’s Maple Desk. Pay attention to the “what not to do” list during [...]
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Tool Box

By TommyMac On August 12, 2014 · 3 Comments · In Projects
A deceptively subdued piece, this tool box serves as the basis of a variety of casework, from a simple dresser to a slant-top desk and even a highboy. This project provides an introduction to woodworking fundamentals, including milling, sharpening, board layout, dovetailed case construction, and drawer construction. Despite its title, this project has a myriad [...]
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Basic Table Construction

By TommyMac On August 12, 2014 · Add Comment · In Projects
A kitchen table of Tommy’s design, gentle curves pull a timeless piece into the 21st century.  Despite a contemporary feel, the clean lines and soft curves give the table a lightness suitable for any home.  This project teaches mortise-and-tenon table construction while introducing pattern-making, flush-cutting, circle-cutting, and dealing with wood movement across large surfaces.  Additionally, [...]
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Through Dovetails – Fitting the Tails

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The dovetail is both a decorative mark of fine woodworking and a strong and long-lasting joint. In a through dovetail, both of the pieces go entirely through one another, leaving the joint visible on the outside. With both the pins and the tails cut out, it’s time to fit them together. Watch this video! STEP ONE: [...]
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Through Dovetails 05 – Cutting the Tails

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The dovetail is both a decorative mark of fine woodworking and a strong and long-lasting joint. In a through dovetail, both of the pieces go entirely through one another, leaving the joint visible on the outside. Now that the tails are laid out, it’s time to cut them. Remember to stay inside the lines. Always [...]
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Through Dovetails 04 – Tail Layout

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The dovetail is both a decorative mark of fine woodworking and a strong and long-lasting joint. In a through dovetail, both of the pieces go entirely through one another, leaving the joint visible on the outside. With the pins cut and paired, it’s time to move onto tail layout. Watch this video! STEP ONE: Clamp [...]
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Through Dovetails 03 – Paring the Pins

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The dovetail is both a decorative mark of fine woodworking and a strong and long-lasting joint. In a through dovetail, both of the pieces go entirely through one another, leaving the joint visible on the outside. With the pins cut, the next step is the pare them. This takes a steady hand, a sharp set [...]
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Through Dovetails 02 – Cutting the Pins

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The dovetail is both a decorative mark of fine woodworking and a strong and long-lasting joint. In a through dovetail, both of the pieces go entirely through one another, leaving the joint visible on the outside. Once the pins have been laid out, you’ll be cutting them, first by making cut lines and then removing [...]
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Through Dovetails 01 – Pin Layout

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The dovetail is both a decorative mark of fine woodworking and a strong and long-lasting joint. In a through dovetail, both of the pieces go entirely through one another, leaving the joint visible on the outside. Making through dove tails begins with proper pin layout. In this How To, we’re using a couple of tools [...]
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Spring Joints

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
A spring joint takes advantage of wood’s natural flexibility. Use a spring joint when gluing board edges together to allow for the expansion and contraction of wood and to prevent cracking and separating. A spring joint is achieved by planing a curved cut into the middle edge of both boards so that when the boards [...]
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Mortise and Tenon – Cutting the Tenon

By TommyMac On August 7, 2014 · Add Comment · In Step-by-Step
The mortise and tenon is an essential joint in woodworking. It enjoys numerous variations and can be completed using a variety of techniques. The application of the mortise and tenon for frame joinery extends beyond the world of woodworking into house-building, although the time-consuming practice is very seldom used in that arena anymore. The mortise [...]
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Federal Table

By TommyMac On August 4, 2014 · Add Comment · In Projects
The Fed Table covers some pretty basic Federal style construction and embellishment: four different legs and feet, stringing, bell flowers, two bandings, a cool sand-shaded fan and a dovetailed drawer with a veneered front. Initially a 207 Forum hit, the Fed Table was attempted by numerous forum members and had it’s own Fed Table thread, [...]
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Bombe Secretary

By TommyMac On August 4, 2014 · 2 Comments · In Projects
Tommy’s Mt Everest: The Bombe Secretary. On a trip to the RISD Museum in 2006, Tommy found his greatest of all inspiration in a Serpentine Front Bombe Secretary on display. What would soon be dubbed “the beast” took Tommy a solid year to complete. This video series is an absolute treasure, documenting the creation of [...]
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Bedroom Set

By TommyMac On August 4, 2014 · Add Comment · In Projects
Follow along as Tommy tackles this Bedroom Set project. More an overview than a step-by-step, the Bedroom Set videos show a number of important techniques, like making a cove cut with a table saw, using a spring jointer and finding tolerances. Wood selection plays a big role in this project, as Tommy found out.
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2011 Baltimore Woodworking Show

By TommyMac On July 28, 2014 · Add Comment · In Travel Events Gallery
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2011 Wood Expo

By TommyMac On July 28, 2014 · Add Comment · In Travel Events Gallery
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Hope Chest

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 2 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This curly cherry hope chest is an accent piece in Tommy’s bedroom set. It was one of the most fun pieces for Tommy to make. It features full blind mitered dovetails that were way easier to create than they sound. The twisted feet are an unexpected element. Tommy’s appreciation for the innate beauty and uniqueness [...]
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Step Stool

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 3 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This simple and utilitarian project serves as a perfect introduction to woodworking. The step stool requires very little lumber or tools. Its traditional Shaker design gives it a quiet beauty, making it a good fit for any home. It can be used for getting to high shelves and cabinets, kids reaching a sink, dogs getting [...]
Read More »

Slant Top Desk

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 1 Comment · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This tiger maple slant top desk is a showpiece of classic Chippendale elements with pigeonhole assembly. These include the bracket feet, fall front lid, pigeonholes, half-blind dovetails on top and traditional-style brass hardware. The secondary wood is pine.
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Salem Secretary

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 3 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
Tommy built this classic late 18th century Salem, Massachusetts style piece while a student at the North Bennett Street school in Boston. It is constructed of mahogany and stands over 8 ft. tall. Traditional period elements include the ball and claw feet, brass hardware, and tombstone doors (look at them open in the slideshow to [...]
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Hepplewhite Sideboard

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 2 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This mahogany sideboard was Tommy’s first foray into Federal style embellishment, and because he was learning as he went along, it was, in his words, a tough piece to build. It is a companion piece to the Federal breakfront and was also inspired by the decorative arts mastery of father and son cabinetmakers, John and [...]
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Federal Breakfront

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · Add Comment · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This Federal style breakfront was inspired by the works of acclaimed Boston cabinetmakers, John and Thomas Seymour, whose furniture Tommy researched at the MFA and the Metropolitan Museum. As Tommy explains, the key to Federal style is creating dimension on a flat surface. To accomplish this he produces the appearance of depth by inlaying a [...]
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Dresser

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 1 Comment · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This ladies’ dresser (also part of the bedroom set) is constructed of figured (or curly) cherry. Tommy accentuated the variegated color of the wood by matching the grain and running the sapwood up the sides of the dresser and across the top. This creative touch adds unique character to the piece setting it apart from [...]
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Federal Table

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 2 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This mahogany Federal style table marks Tommy’s introduction to online interactive education. Fifteen guys from around the country met with Tommy online to learn how to create the basic elements of Federal style furniture construction and decoration. This unique table was the outcome of that project with four legs each exemplifying a different variation on [...]
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Bombe Secretary

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 1 Comment · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
Tommy’s Mt Everest: The Bombe Secretary. On a trip to the RISD Museum in 2006, Tommy found his greatest of all inspiration in a Serpentine Front Bombe Secretary on display. What would soon be dubbed “the beast” took Tommy a solid year to complete. This video series is an absolute treasure, documenting the creation of [...]
Read More »

Blanket Chest

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 2 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This quartersawn white oak blanket chest is reminiscent of chests made by the Pilgrims in the 1600s. The relief carvings on the front panels make this piece a real standout. Surprisingly, as Tommy demonstrates, the carving work is far less difficult to execute than it would appear to be. The chest’s construction is basic frame [...]
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Armoire

By TommyMac On July 24, 2014 · 3 Comments · In Furniture Projects Gallery, Gallery
This armoire, AKA linen press, as it was particularly configured for storing pressed linens in the days before linen closets, was constructed from figured (or curly) cherry as part of a bedroom set which also includes the hope chest and dresser featured below. The entire set was made of wood from the same tree. Throughout [...]
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Meet the North Bennet Street School Students

By TommyMac On March 16, 2011 · 1 Comment · In Blog, Blog - Season 02, Events, Thomas J. MacDonald, Woodworking Industry
Want to know what life was like for Tommy when he attended the North Bennet Street School? Check out this great interview by Frank Byers (of Woodcraft blog fame) of six NBSS students who had pieces featured at WoodExpo 2011. This is a great mini-education for anyone interested in following in the footsteps of Tommy [...]
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  • ← Previous Entries
 
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  • Episode 81: Bombe Secretary
  • ArmoireThis armoire AKA linen press as it was particularly configured [...]
  • Episode 82: Bombe Secretary
  • Episode 80: Bombe Secretary
  • The Anatomy of a Hand Plane
  • Flattening a Board with a Hand Plane
  • Natural VentilationNatural ventilation relies on the wind and the “chimney effect” [...]
  • Window Properties and DesignThe doors and windows that are right for you will [...]
  • "Is there going to be season eight ??"
    on Season 07 - […]
  • "Hi, this has been fixed. The videos should be bac"
    on Episode 701: Old […]
  • "Hi, this has been fixed. The videos should be bac"
    on Episode 0610: Computer […]
Al D'Attanasio Baltimore Woodworking Show Basic Table Construction Center for Furniture Craftsmanship Charles Neil Fine Woodworking Google SketchUp How To Nate Berkus Nate Berkus Show North Bennet Street School Paul Comi Project Home Regeneration: Fine Woodworkers Under 30 Rough Cut Scott Phillips Shaderlight SketchUp The Woodworking Shows Thomas J MacDonald Tommy Mac Video Woodcraft WoodExpo WoodExpo 2011 Woodworking Woodworking Contests Woodworking design Woodworking How To Woodworking Shows
 




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