Nothing better than sharing some time in the shop with friends and family. My brother, Ken, helping out on a furniture build.

Carving a shield and gloved hand in low relief for the shop sign.

Applying a rich French polish with shellac on a walnut midcentury credenza.

Using hot sand to shade marquetry pieces for a box lid.

Hand planing is the best way to work the figured grain of a catalpa crotch board.

Sharp handtools make all the difference in producing fine work.

The scrollsaw is the modern equivalent of the "chevalet" used to produce fine marquetry with thin veneers.

A 7-step process is used to recreate a warm, Arts and Crafts finish. Starts with honey amber dye, followed by oil stain, shellac, a dark glaze, more shellac, dark wax finish coat.

Special fixtures like this corner mortising jig make precise joinery repeatable and efficient.

A selection of vintage moulding planes, scrapers, shaves, and drawknifes are used to reproduce period wood surfaces for fine furniture.

Shop fixtures are designed to reflect an old-time hardware store. This router cabinet, with crown molding, bin pulls, and an antiqued red milk paint finish, remembers Jean's grandpa who ran Sawyer Hardware in Louisburg, KS.

The drying cabinet with a charge of walnut table leg parts coming down to 10% MC.

Making multiple matching parts helps production in manual work