Recent content by artHarris

Thank you. I am rather proud of it, given the involved difficulties, and it fitted in well with the rest of the furniture in the dining room, a lot of which I had made over the years. It was my 'Swansong'; I am now retired from professional furniture making in even have difficulty getting round...

I had an order from a client for a set of oak dining chairs. I followed my normal practice, after discussing the requirements, of creating a CAD 'picture', which as you will all know, are extremely life-like, and he accepted the design, asking me to complete one for final approval. I cut out...

Discussing this project long after its successful completion with another craftsman, he asked me why I had never presented it on the forum. So here is are 2 photos: The biggest problem was getting the angled dimensions, as the corner into which the cabinet had to fit wasn't a right-angle. As...

Nobody has mentioned Freeway - it is so comprehensive and yet simple to use. ( but Mac only, I think) Not freebie, but the non-pro version isn't expensive and did everything I needed for a multipage web-site ( not in the area of woodworking - that has to be done - when I have the time!)

In such company, I am hesitant to suggest..........Ronseal satin polyurethane varnish. I have used it on many pieces of oak furniture over the years, and the change in wood colour is mostly with ageing, not due to the product. I dilute the first coat 50:50 with turps or white spirit (usually...

CAD is always intimidating when first looked into, and all the worthwhile programs are expensive, many overkill for furniture design; architects present a much bigger client base. I have used FormZ since it first came out, with total satisfaction and have learnt with it as it developed...

As a chairmaker of many years standing, I have looked at many books, but found none which added to what I taught myself. I only make jointed chairs, not Windsor (turned) chairs and only use mortise and tenon joints, never dowels. Over the years I have published in the woodworking magazines, and...

Over the years, I have used water-based silicone products on external timber - the sort of product sold by Builders' merchants to waterproof walling, etc. It seems to have worked fine; the oldest is a porch in English Oak which has begun to show its age (15 years) by becoming much rougher. It...

Thank you for that input, waterhead37. The dimensions of the frame are clearly critical, but he has asked for as light a frame as possible, so that glass dominates. I think your suggestion to make up a single frame is a good one. I also think that dividing the glass doors (vertically)into 2, so...

I have been asked by my most serious client to produce a corner cupboard to display his collection of wine glasses in his dining room. He has calculated that the cupboard needs to be 4 feet high and around 4 ft wide, with 4 shelves to accommodate all the glasses. The dining room has oak...

I would not place the bench too close to the door; often long work pieces overhang the end of the bench. Although my workshop is not as narrow as yours, I have all my machines except the radial arm saw on strong wheels, with position locks. This allows me to move things around as I need them...