So you’ve made or purchased a nice piece of wood furniture. Now how do you keep it looking good? There are many different opinions and products out there, but according to Vic Tesolin, editor of the magazine Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement, you have to be careful whom you trust. In caring for your wood furniture, there are products to avoid, a right way to clean, and a good way to revitalize the wood.

It is best to avoid most wood cleaning products on the market. Many people advertise that their products “feed” and “nourish” the wood. Tesolin humorously makes the point that the act of cutting down the tree has killed the wood and there is no longer a need to feed or nourish it. He also claims that most furniture spray products contain silicon, which is harmful to the wood because it actually attracts dust and interferes in the event of refinishing. While silicon does give wood that wet, glossy look, it also makes you have to dust more often because it attracts dust (which is good for the furniture spray manufacturers, but not so good for you). Tesolin also claims that the silicon from the spray contaminates the wood and in the refinishing process makes it difficult for the new finish to adhere to the surface.

Tesolin recommends dry dusting wood furniture with microfiber cloth and using a damp rag to remove stains. The microfiber cloth will not scratch the surface and does very well at removing dust. A rag simply dampened with water will remove most stains.

Using furniture wax made from bees wax is a good and easy way to revitalize wood furniture. The bees wax hides minor scratches and gives the wood an even sheen. It should be applied in a circular motion with a soft cloth and then allowed to set for a few minutes. Then, rub out the finish using a piece of 0000 steel wool, moving it back and forth in the direction of the wood grain. This will give the furniture a renewed glow.

Using simple products such as microfiber cloth and bees wax to clean and polish wood furniture is preferable to buying most furniture spray products. After all, you do need to know how to keep wood products looking great as well as make them.

Technorati Tags: easy furniture, easy woodworking

When a tree is dead, what should be done with it? Most people would say it should be cut down and discarded, but others come up with more creative solutions. One Colorado man fills a niche in his area by making woodwork projects out of standing beetle-killed trees into a variety of items.

Mark Mahoney of Summit County, Colorado, specializes in creating custom carvings out of standing beetle-killed pine and other trees. He sees that kind of work as green construction and a creative way to use the dead wood. He shifted into his current niche after owning a tree removal service and hearing customers say that they would rather the wood was put to good use.

He does some large and elaborate projects; such as a fifteen-foot totem pole he created in Dillon Valley, but will also do smaller projects like carving a stump into a toadstool. He did the totem pole with a chainsaw, chisel, sander, and other tools over the course of eight days. Although it is not his focus, he does take trees down as well, using his portable mill to build them into custom furniture, sheds, playhouses, or other projects.

Mahoney’s work fills a niche for green construction, carving beetle-killed trees, and custom woodworking and craftsmanship in Summit County, Colorado. The Mountain Pine Beetle, which is native to the forests of western North America, kills large numbers of pine trees in Colorado annually. Making good and creative use of these dead trees in Colorado is a useful practice. Many people also enjoy having something as visually arresting as a totem pole carved out of a dead tree on their property.

Mahoney’s practice of carving standing dead trees into interesting objects is an unusual but intriguing idea. I think it’s always a good idea to reuse something instead of throwing it away.

Technorati Tags: ideas woodworking, woodwork projects

One of the most exciting advances in Web 2.0 is social networking. While sites such as Facebook do include woodworking groups, there are advantages to sites that are designed specifically for creative individuals. A social networking site called The Behance Network offers a forum for artists such as woodworkers to showcase their work, get feedback from peers, and get offers for professional work.

You can post pictures of your woodwork projects on The Behance Network for free and get exposure. The number of photos you can post is unlimited and the projects can be finished, in progress, or part of a portfolio. Behance advertises a professional, stripped-down portfolio display which eliminates the need to build your own website. They also claim to have millions of visitors and offer the ability to stream your projects to partner websites. To join, you must request an invitation by submitting your email and a brief description of the work that you do.

Another benefit of The Behance Network is giving and receiving feedback from other woodworkers. Your work can be rated and critiqued and you can do the same for others. You can also create watch lists of projects from artists you admire and collaborate online with others. The site also offers discussion groups known as “circles” in which users can discuss issues and design trends. I only found one listed in the “Wood Working” category, but more could be created.

If you are a professional woodworker of budding professional, Behance can be a great way of finding work. The site claims “recruiters, editors, and other creative industry leaders from around the world use the Network to find, track, and hire top talent.” Whereas with sites like monster.com and careerbuilder.com the employer posts a job description and receives a flood of applicants, it works the opposite way with Behance. There, the job seeker posts his or her woodwork projects in a portfolio and the employer sifts through the various portfolios to find the type of designer they are seeking. Then the client initiates contact with the freelancer or job seeker.

If you want to show your woodwork to the world, give and get constructive criticism on it, or find paid woodwork projects, the Behance Network is a place to go. Why not take advantage of all that the Web has to offer?

Technorati Tags: ideas woodworking, social networking for woodworkers, woodwork projects

Technorati Tags: small woodworking

“Two heads are better than one” is a well-known saying. So, why not put the two woodworking heads of supply and work together? Some woodworkers in Champaign, Illinois are doing just that by starting a dual-purpose woodworking retail store and workshop that will offer benefits to its members.

Dennis Coleman of Champaign is the originator of the project, which will serve the Champaign-Urbana region. He says that the idea grew from his own need for a larger workspace in which to do woodwork projects. Many other local woodworkers have the same problem. The building, which has a planned opening of October 1st, will take up 15,200 square feet, with the workshop on the west side and the retail store on the east side. The woodshop, to be called The DreamShop, will include band saws, sanders, planers, routers, table saws, joiners, panel saws, drill presses, and computer controlled routers. The retail store, to be called CU Woodshop Supply, will hold about $150,000 to $200,000 worth of quality, brand-name tools.

The retail store will be open to the general public but the workshop will only be open to members. Members will be joint owners in the venture, making an initial $10,000 investment. That will make them a stockholder in the company with a 1/500th share. They will also be required to perform maintenance work on the facility and pay a $1,000 per year maintenance fee.

The facility will be a great place for its members to do woodwork projects. In addition to The DreamShop, they will have access to an owner’s lounge, library, computer lab, and over $150,000 worth of tools and accessories. They will also receive discounts on purchases from CU Woodshop Supply and priority status in signing up for demonstrations and classes that will be held at the facility. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the interaction they will have with the other woodworkers and the sharing of knowledge and ideas.

The side-by-side woodworking shop and supply store will be a unique facility that gives advantages to its shareholders. Perhaps others should take it as an example and start similar facilities in their communities.

Technorati Tags: woodwork projects, woodworking shop