This boat continues to delight me.

Built a few years back, I'm still enjoying the fruits of my labor.

Ever since I was a wee little lad, when I tried to build my own skateboard, I've had a passion for self propulsion and building things with my own two hands.

Well, my hands are much bigger now, so I've finally achieved my goal thanks to this boat.

I'm ready for summer, how about you?

David J. Ulschmid

During the email conversation that started this project, I told my client that I never let anything out of my shop that I'm not thrilled with. And I meant it!

In the end, he was thrilled with the tables too.

The parts of the construction that I enjoyed the most were the drawbored pegs. They are in the both the table top breadboard ends and the long stretchers. This is an ancient woodworking joint that stands the test of time and I'm proud to include it on these tables.

But if you love something, you've got to let it go. And so here are the long awaited Etsy listings for the Stained Glass Clocks.

Check them out by visiting these links.

Oak
https://www.etsy.com/listing/126162442/wooden-wall-clock-with-stained-glass

Walnut
https://www.etsy.com/listing/126163768/wooden-wall-clock-with-stained-glass

The figured Oak lid on this box is pillowed all around and is nestled into the box.

It begs to be touched. The smoothness of the surface contrasts the wave of the figure, leaving most confused about whether it is truly smooth or if it is contoured.

There is a good reason for making this lid look so irresistible so inviting that you just HAVE to touch it. That is because the method for opening this box isn't immediately obvious. There is nowhere to grip that smooth lid. No handle. Nothing.

But I will let you in on the secret.

While perusing the magazine rack in downtown Brookings, SD. I came across the December 2012 National Geographic with the cover story "The World's Tallest Trees".

And it had a FREE poster of "The President" a giant sequoia. This is one HUGE tree. It is 247 feet tall and has a base diameter of 27 feet! Most amazingly of all, they estimate that it is 3,200 year old!!

I had to buy the magazine and get that poster up on my wall.

The main reason this clock misses the storage requirement is because it is designed to a smaller scale than my ultimate goal clock. That will be sized more like a grandfather clock.

By contrast, this design has its roots in the office cubicle world and is scaled to fit in this restricted space. The 3 1/2" dial is perfect for quick reading as such close distances.

I did hit the carving requirement by sculpting the top with an Art Deco inspired design.

Don't let my talk about recycling lead you to think that I'm here to stand on a "GREEN" soapbox and say that it makes me a better person because I am "recycling" (I pick this stuff up in an old oil burning, gas guzzling pickup truck, how green is it really?). But it undoubtedly makes me a better woodworker.

Theory of the Depth of the Common
You see, so many people claim that much of the beauty in the world is only skin deep. A thin facade that is brushed away by the ever fickle hand of time.

But can we apply this "skin deep" concept to the common as well as beauty?

My theory is that we should view commonness as merely a surface finish.

Think about a crowd of people, all dressed the same. You would describe the group as a whole. Those people. They are all the same.

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Making these pens are good for a woodworker's soul. They are like therapy to me.

You see, as a woodworker, I'm a wood nut. Sometimes when I cut a piece of wood, I get almost sick to my stomach. It feels like such a loss when a grain pattern is cut short by a cross cut. It is an irreversible act.

I need to make it up to the wood by creating something great as soon as possible.

Once I put the final glossy coat of finish on a pen, I feel that the piece of my heart that fell out of when I cut the wood has been restored.

A few years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would build a clock.

This clock is a step big step toward realizing my goal.

I chose to make it small, so I could use an extra special piece of wood. This wood is special because it is from a post I wrote awhile back about riving wood by hand. All the extra effort payed big dividends in the form of graceful grain patterns for this clock.

By using Stained Glass in an unconventional way, I was able to give it a 3D look that flows around the bottom edge of the clock.