Masteringthecrafts

08/23/2026

Here’s my half-log table! This was hollowed using Arbortech’s Power Carving System and the Industrial Wood Carver, Turbo Plane, Spheroplane and sanding head, plus the Power Chisel for details. Scroll all the way through to see how this project started with a DeWalt chainsaw.

This is a piece of ash crotch. I did a preliminary hollowing to get the pith out and left the walls about 3” thick. MC was 14%. Then it sat in a kiln for a couple months to dry. Final work was done at 7% MC.

The grain is outstanding!!! The cross hatch detail was done with the power chisel. The base is the half log I cut off the top section. Kinda the ultimate bookmatch. The glass is 33” W x 34” long. Table is 16” high. Sealed with three coats of boiled linseed oil.

This was a blast to make. Kudos to Arbortech for making tools that let me be this creative.

Arbortech Tools Arbortech North America Matt Cremona DEWALT POWER TOOLS

08/20/2026

Wanna make picture frames without cutting miters? Check this out.

Do you have miter anxiety and struggle making picture frames? Take this anxiety-reducing approach that eliminates miters from picture frames and creates a unique frame look.

08/17/2026

When people complain about poor cut quality from their blades or bits the first thing I say is….clean ‘em. Resin build up creates friction which creates heat which leaves burns on your work.

Microjig’s blade and bit cleaning system makes it easy. Easy is good, ‘cause then you’ll do it. Real time cleaning on this rim blade from my Freud dado head was about 30 seconds. I use Simple Green in the tub.

Not sponsored. Just a good product.

MICROJIG simplegreen Freud Tools USA

08/13/2026

Check out my latest Substack post.

There's nothing more frustrating than laboring over an epoxy pour only to have dust, or bugs, take up residence in it.

08/12/2026

I recently spent a few days at a boys’ camp (I was a woodworking teacher there 45 years ago)with my friend Mark. He’s a retired Tech Ed teacher and has been teaching woodworking at the camp for a long time.

This year he had the boys making canoe paddles. What a great summer camp project!! We knew the paddles would need sanding, so….

As soon as I told Surf Prep what we needed they said, Yes! They sent discs for the ro sanders and pads for hand sanding. Can’t thank them enough for helping these kids achieve.

It’s easy to talk the talk and lament kids not being hands on. It’s harder to walk the walk and do something about it like Surf Prep did. Efforts like theirs are what keep programs open and kids working with their hands.

Huge thank you to SurfPrep Sanding for helping these kiddos get up a creek WITH a paddle. 🙃

08/09/2026

Grabo making my life easier again. 1/2” melamine, no sweat.

GRABO Izzy Swan

08/02/2026

Last post about the arrow block. This is the final result. A few details….

The mold from Epoxy Forms Co worked great. TotalBoat Fathom and Table Top were perfect; crystal clear.

I lightly sanded the back to 220 to make it slightly opaque. That makes the arrows stand out more against a wall.

I inserted 1/8” brass rods into the braid as a retaining pin. You can see it bearing against the bottom of the block.

3/8” roundover on the forward facing corners. This creates a great refraction effect when you’re looking at the block from different angles. And it made it easier to waterfall the table top epoxy.

This project was nerve wracking, there was only one set of arrows, but it was very cool to do.

Paul Mayer