Animal protein glues (often referred to as “hide glues” or HHG for hot hide glue) have been used for thousands of years. In fact, these glues were the original “super glues,” offering historic people a valuable way of bonding materials. Today, these glues have mostly been replaced by synthetic glues, but for all of the world’s modern advances, there still remain many valuable uses for animal glues including antique restorations, furniture construction, marquetry, and luthierie (guitar, violin & other instrument making). Unlike many newer glues, protein glues are reversible, a characteristic that allows artisans to disassemble and repair parts more easily. Because it tacks fast as it cools, it is useful in clamp-less processes like hammer veneering. And there are other benefits too.

Some modern day artisans favor protein glues for virtually all their work. One of these devotees is California-based furniture conservator Patrick Edwards, an accomplished furniture maker, woodworking historian, and hand-tool expert. Patrick almost exclusively uses animal glues in his colorful urban shop, where a rusty old hot glue-pot is always at the ready. In this video, Patrick shares his 40-some years of experience working wood with animal glues. We learn why he uses animal glues; how he selects from the many types of hide, bone, fish, and rabbit skin glues currently available; and how he mixes and heats the product. Patrick explains the meaning of gram strength, why it matters, and how to purchase the right gram strength glue for your application (He says that for general woodworking, you should use a hide glue with a 192 gram strength). Frankly, it’s not hard to be amazed by the refined characteristics of this non- toxic glue. It’s all here in this lively tutorial. One of the most insightful discussions on selecting and cooking natural glues I’ve ever heard. (9.5 Minute Woodworking Video)

Patrick Edwards is President of Antique Refinishers, Inc. which offers restoration, conservation and reproduction of pre-industrial American and European furniture for dealers, private collectors, and institutions. Mr. Edward also owns and instructs at the American School of French Marquetry, Inc. Both business are based on San Diego, California. Mr. Edwards has also formulated a slow-set, ready-to-use liquid hide glue. which he produces and sells under the brand name “Old Brown Glue”.

At a simple level, veneering is the process of applying thin layers of decorative wood over less expensive structural materials. There are many ways to do this, but some of the most refined techniques were developed centuries ago by 17th and 18th century furniture makers who perfected the technique we now call “hammer veneering.” As we learn here, a few modern-day artisans still prefer this time-honored technique to create the highest quality work. One of those practitioners is San Diego-based furniture conservator Patrick Edwards, an accomplished furniture maker, woodworking historian, and hand-tool expert.

In this video, without the benefit of powered vacuum presses or perfectly flat plywood substrates, Patrick reveals an entire hammer veneering process. You’ll learn step-by-step how to “tooth” or make perfectly flat the substrate wood, how to glue down simple veneers using a veneer hammer & animal protein glues, how to create an exquisitely tight veneered joint, how to insert decorative inlays, and how best to prepare the project for final finishing. Patrick has made a career out of preserving the extraordinary skills of the old masters and in so doing he’s become a modern master himself. Patrick is a fantastic teacher and woodworking scholar and I’m confident you’ll enjoy this very special WoodTreks video adventure. (13 Minute Woodworking Video)

Patrick Edwards is President of Antique Refinishers, Inc. which offers restoration, conservation and reproduction of pre-industrial American and European furniture for dealers, private collectors, and institutions. Mr. Edward also owns and instructs at the American School of French Marquetry, Inc. Both business are based on San Diego, California.

In this video we learn how to apply flutes (or reeds) to wood turnings. These decorative flourishes are notable design elements incorporated into many historic furniture styles including the Federal, Hepplewhite, and Sheraton schools. But even contemporary makers employ fluting and reeding within their work. You can too.

If you aren’t already familiar with the terminology, flutes are concave grooves cut along the length of an object. Reeds are cut similarly but their profile is convex. Flat moldings and trim can be reeded or fluted, but, in this video we focus on embellishing “round things” like bedposts and table legs. Johnathan Sanbuichi, turning specialist at Irion Company Furniture Makers, demonstrates how he uses a router mounted in a shop-built jig, a custom made indexing tool, and his massive lathe bed to accurately, quickly and repeatedly produce beautifully flowing carved lines. Learn and enjoy. — Keith (10 Minute Woodworking Video)

Johnathan Sanbuichi is a cabinetmaker and turning expert at the The Irion Company, specialists in the restoration, conservation, and hand-made reproduction of American antique furniture from the 18th and 19th century. Irion is based in Christiana, Pennsylvania.

There is something intoxicating about the process of turning — part by-the-book technical, part a fluid freestyle dance. For flat-work artisans, those of us who make cases and cabinets, it’s easy to see why so many woodworkers are drawn to this fascinating, and some might say hypnotic specialty of the wood world.

On my recent visit to The Irion Company Furniture Makers, I was delighted to meet and learn from Johnathan Sanbuichi, an accomplished cabinetmaker and turner. In this video, Johnathan demonstrates his approach to the turning of flats, beads and coves, the core design elements found on many styles of beds, chairs, tables, and cabinets —— especially 18th and 19th century furniture styles. In this video, Johnathan explains how to use a “story stick” to lay out and create “elevation” guides that mark key points in these types of designs, how to use calipers and a parting tool to rough-in depth cuts on the lathe, and how to work with a skew or spindle gouge. And along the way, we get a few thoughts on Johnathan’s life in woodworking. Now, how’s that for a deal?

I hope you enjoy this informative and mesmerizing little peak into Johnathan’s world of turning. – Keith (7 Minute Woodworking Video)

Johnathan Sanbuichi is a cabinetmaker and turning expert at the The Irion Company, specialists in the restoration, conservation, and hand-made reproduction of American antique furniture from the 18th and 19th century. Irion is based in Christiana, Pennsylvania.

There are many ways to join pieces of wood, but mortise and tenon joints are the standard against which most alternatives are measured. In this comprehensive video (15 minutes), University of Rio Grande program director Eric Matson explains how mortise and tenon joints are used in typical post-and-rail construction — the type of construction often used in high-quality chairs, tables, and beds. In these applications, vertical posts (or legs) are joined with horizontal rails (or aprons). It’s the perfect application for this traditional joint.

In this video, Eric deconstructs a sample side table to show us how high-quality furniture is designed and built. Learn how to layout mortises for maximum strength, how to incorporate and work with split tenons, how to mark-up twin tenoned mortises, and how to account for reveals, offsets, and non-flush designs. Eric’s systematic approach minimizes errors and helps make layout and construction more efficient. For me, that’s the key point; understanding what makes for consistent, repeatable, quality joints. Armed with the information in this video and careful step-by-step application of what you’ve learned, you can craft better, stronger, faster joints. — (15.5 Minute Woodworking Video)

Eric Matson is the Director of the Fine Woodworking Program at Rio Grand University. Rio Grande offers a one year certificate program, as well as two year associates and four year college degree programs. Graduates have the skills and knowledge to be productive in custom furniture shops and architectural/cabinet shops. Rio Grande (pronounced rye-oh) is in Southern Ohio.

Sometimes when looking closely through the lens of my camera at a gifted artisan’s working hands, I see movements similar to the supple and exacting hand-motions of a musician. This is especially true when it comes to carving. Woodcarving requires a high-degree of free-hand skill. There are few opportunities to rely on jigs or fixtures. To master the skill, it helps to understand that it’s not simply how a carver slices the chisel’s cutting edge into wood grain, but also how tool grip and hand motion gets transmitted to the sharp end of the tool. If you’re like me, you’ll find this kind of closer examination instructive and inspiring. That’s why I made the video here featuring the Irion Company’s carving expert Brad Ramsay.

Brad is one these naturally gifted artists whose precise and flowing hand movements allow him to wield total control over his work. In this video segment we take a closer look at these motions as Brad explains how he uses his hands in a variety of ways to control his carving tools (chisels, gouges, or sweeps, etc). Among other subtleties, there are five (5) hand grips or motions worth examining in closer detail that increase carving control including; how to add power to your grip, how to use “skewing” motions to cut through difficult grain, how to lock the gouge into your palm & fingers by using your “pinky” or “little” finger, how to form a tool rest with your opposing hand, and how to choke up or down on your grip to alter your leverage and maximize control. — Keith (5 Minute Woodworking Video)

Brad Ramsay is the Irion Company’s in-house carving expert. The Irion Company specializes in the restoration, conservation, and hand-made reproduction of American antique furniture from the 18th and 19th century.

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There are perhaps as many ways to sharpen tool edges as there are opinions on the matter. In this video, we take a closer look at one of those methods — sharpening with waterstones, a method that consistently receives high ratings among many top artisans. Proponents say that waterstones are fast-cutting, relatively clean (as opposed to oil stones), compact, and generally affordable, qualities that make this sharpening solution worthy of your consideration and in-depth study.

In this video, cabinetmaker and sharpening guru Craig Vandall Stevens takes a closer look at some of the varieties of waterstones available and in use today, including the Shapton, Takenoko, and King brands of stones. For the most part, man-made stones manufactured with either aluminum oxide or ceramic dominate the market, but there are also natural whetstones which remain available for specialized applications. Craig’s interest and expertise in sharpening makes this a unique opportunity to learn more about this art and skill. In this video learn how to flatten and maintain Japanese waterstones using 150 grit sandpaper and a flat-milled machinists’ reference granite. Craig also suggests a useful collection of grits and styles of stones for maximum efficiency and value. And he discusses how natural Japanese quarried stones might fit into the mix. — Keith (8 Minute Woodworking Video)

Whether it’s a circular veneered table apron, a contemporary laminated chair back, or a flowing architectural column, if it’s a curve made with wood it’s most likely created using a process called bent wood lamination. One of the most common ways of pressing and clamping these laminations is to use a vacuum bag system.

In this video, the journeyman cabinetmakers at the Robert Treate Hogg Cabinetmakers give us a complete introduction to this versatile and useful technique. It’s a process they use almost daily. RT Hogg’s president, Michael Hoffmeier describes their method, which centers on the use of specialty 3/8th inch flexible plywood. This remarkable material (also known as wacky wood or bending plywood) can be easily formed into tight curves allowing the artisan almost unlimited design possibilities. First, the core is glued-up, vacuum pressed, and dried. And then the finished veneer is applied. With experience the process is efficient and highly controllable. In this video, learn about proper glue selection, flexible ply construction tips and tricks, vacuum bagging and veneering skills. — Keith (9 Minute Woodworking Video)

Robert Treate Hogg Cabinetmakers (pronounced “Hoge”) hand-make commissioned, limited production furniture, architectural cabinets and fixtures. Originally founded in 1936, Hogg specializes in high-end audio-visual lecterns and podiums for higher education. They are based in Oxford, Pennsylvania.

Warning! Skip this video if you haven’t watched any of my “How to Carve Twists & Spirals” video series featuring Irion Company carver, Brad Ramsay. I say this not to discourage you, because it’s a revelation here to see Brad work his magic. But if you first watch Part 2 or Part 3 (which features real hands-on carving of a “period correct” twist finial) I think you will find this video to be all the more important, interesting and fun.

What impressed me the most while I was filming this segment, was the fact that Brad truly relishes the layout and preparation phase of this project, mostly because it offers him the freedom to re-work and tune things when changes are most easily made. And, it seems to me that there are certain appealing artistic opportunities here too.

In this video, Brad shows us how he breaks it all down — using only a pencil, compass and dividers. There are essentially four steps in the process. First, Brad segments the un-carved pre-turned blank into the equal divisions to match the original (or desired model design). He then draws a smooth 360 twist from the base to the top of the woodturning blank, making sure this line flows gently from top to bottom. Next, he creates additional layout divisions for reference. And then finally, he draws the remaining repeating elements to match the first.

The entire process once seen, is easy to understand. And keep this in mind, this layout method has broader application in any project requiring layout of repeating circular, spiral, or twisting designs in furniture or other wood objects. Not a bad thing to know and stash away in your bag of tricks. — Keith (7 Minute Woodworking Video)

For more in this series watch: Secrets Revealed: How to Rough Carve Twists and Spirals (Part 2 of 3)

The Irion Company specializes in the restoration, conservation, and hand-made reproduction of American antique furniture from the 18th and 19th century. Brad Ramsay is a cabinetmaker and he specializes in period correct carvings.

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This is the final wrap-up segment on my video series on “How To Hand Cut Dovetails” featuring master artisan Craig Vandall Stevens. There are many steps to getting optimum results cutting dovetails, so focusing on just 5 ideas is sure to leave some key point on the table. And that’s where you come in.

Watch the video, think about your own experience, and then share your ideas or questions with the rest of the WoodTreks family of viewers. It’s easy. Comment below. To stay current with the discussion, make sure you check off the option “Notify me of followup comments” located below the comment “submit” button.

So what are you waiting for? Watch the video and then give us your “2 Cents”. — Keith (5 Minute Woodworking Video)

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