perry's tool zone

Welcome!

the introduction

Fellow Woodworkers,

Have you ever been to a friends workshop before and just marveled at his or her attention to detail and organization with their shop tools and equipment. Or perhaps just their unique approach to a project or cutting situation. Maybe they are making something you've never seen before or they just wow you with their woodworking accomplishments in quality, quantity or both.

I recently paid a visit to the shop of fellow Incra enthusiast and woodturner Roger McClure in Kentucky for the purpose of learning some basic woodturning skills. I got much more than I could have ever hoped for. First of all, I picked up some valuable tips and techniques to help me become a better woodturner. I also gained some inspiration, not only in listening to his instruction and insight, but also in viewing his many examples of different turning styles and techniques beautifully displayed throughout his home.

As I walked from room to room, I was overwhelmed by not only the quality and quantity of his work but also the great variety. Yes, he love's to turn, but I saw beds, chests of drawers, trunks, mirrors, end tables, coffee tables, display tables, a highboy, jewelry and trinket boxes, kitchen cabinets and the list goes on. In short, his home was a monument to his woodworking talents, which seemed to have no limits.

Just like many of us, Roger made these things for a couple of simple reasons, necessity and good old-fashioned fun. He needed a piece of furniture and wouldn't it be fun to make it in his own shop. My point is, Roger is not the first person I've met who displayed his level of enthusiasm, innovation and dedication to his craft, and I'm sure you know of someone like Roger as well.

I'd like to dedicate this little corner of our website to folks like Roger, to unique woodworking techniques, interesting projects, wonderful workshops and cool tools. My hope is that the next time you visit this site you'll find an interesting article that inspires you in much the same way that people like Roger inspire me. And if you or someone you know has a story to tell or photos to share about an individual, techniques (especially those that revolve around Incra Tools), a unique workshop, or just a favorite project, we would love to share your story with others.

So, Perry's tool zone is not just about tools, it's also about the people who use them and the projects they make. Drop me an email at perry@incra.com if you would like to submit a suggestion for one of our articles.

Hoping your cuts are always on target,
Perry McDaniel

articles

For many of us, Friday, April 29, 2011 was just another day at work pushing papers around the office, or making sure that the machinery hummed in the plant. But on the other side of the Big Pond, it was a day of celebration with street parties and other festivities to honor the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, the future King and Queen of England. While many joined the throngs of people on the streets of London hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of the procession, it was only a select few that were honored with an opportunity to participate in the Royal Event.
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Like many of us, Harold was a bit of a late bloomer, having worked for a large aerospace firm for most of his career, he didn't get the "fever" for woodworking until he was 54 years old, just 5 years before his retirement. With the help of his INCRA Ultra 16 and his creative instincts, his box-making skills quickly elevated his works to the realm of desirable and his free time was soon consumed with the many requests from co-workers and friends to make boxes for their special collections.
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Kieran O'Cuneen served for many years as an Ambassador for the European Union and developed an affinity for beautifully crafted boxes. His hobby has become his passion and now he creates beautiful pieces for many of his friends and acquaintances from his former career, including many Heads of State. You'll surely enjoy his story. Be sure to check out our new gallery page for Kieran as well.
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Phil Bumbalough's shop, situated on his home site in Metamora, Illinois, definitely fits into the category of a well planned space. It is superbly organized, well lit, spacious and includes a great collection of quality tools including a complete selection of INCRA products.
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Let's face it, the router table is second only to the bandsaw as the messiest tool in the shop. This nature comes primarily from the fact that the router table is used to perform so many different types of cuts. Edgeforming, requires dust collection at the fence because of the huge amount and size of chips removed from the edge of your material. Rabbeting is also effectively controlled by dust extraction built into the fence. The Wonder Fence is an excellent solution for these types of cuts with through the fence dust collection and a 2-1/2" port for your shop vacuum built right into the fence. Grooving and dadoing however require a little different consideration if you really want to reduce the amount of dust on your floor and in the air.
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Use these decorative pieces to hold hot pans and dishes off the surface of your kitchen table or breakfast bar. They look nice enough to leave out even when they are not being used.
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If you’ve taken a look at our new Build-It System’s page, you’ve noticed quite a few free downloadable jig and fixture plans. These plans make it easy for the first time user of the Build It System’s modular components to quickly assemble some pretty important jigs for the shop. From segmented ring jigs, to crosscut boxes, tenoning jigs, coping sleds and more, these plans also provide some interesting food for thought and can be used to begin the groundwork for designing your own custom fixtures for the cutting requirements in your shop.
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If you haven’t seen the March 2008 issue of WOOD Magazine, take a look at page 32. INCRA’s own “Puzzled Guy”, Perry McDaniel is featured in a 6 page article that highlights his interest in puzzle box making. The article includes plenty of information on making two of Perry’s sliding dovetail puzzle boxes using the INCRA Fence System. Here’s what Perry has to say about his favorite box project.
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