Latest Articles

From our Fall 2021 Woodcraft Catalog, we featured a short scoop on a Checkerboard build with one of our interns, Nikhil Narwani. Although his only woodworking experience was in the novice category of woodturning pens, he wanted to take this opportunity to learn more. No better time and place to add to his resume with this experience, than with Woodcraft and its staff of experienced woodworkers both at the Parkersburg Woodcraft store and from our corporate office. You can have fun being the “King” of the workshop with this enjoyable project build and in playing the game; it’s a win-win for everyone!

It’s the rare woodworking endeavor that’s low-cost, no-risk, and that offers the reward of honing your skills while producing nice-looking, useful items. Making refrigerator magnets checks all those boxes. It doesn’t involve any special commercial equipment—just regular turning tools, a 4-jaw chuck, and a lathe-mounted drill chuck.

Wide, sweeping coves such as those found in crown molding and raised panels are a hallmark of good woodworking. 

The Arts & Crafts (or Mission) style has always appealed to me. I find myself drawn to its typically simple, clean lines and unobscured wood grain. 

I suspect that a lot of empty nesters would like to convert a kid’s former room into a usable space for other pursuits while still having it available for visiting friends and family. 

I enjoy Shaker furniture—it’s beautiful in its simplicity and it possesses an elegant utility. A particular piece has always caught my eye: the long-back hanging step stool. 

Vacuum veneering and lamination doesn’t always require professional equipment costing hundreds of dollars. A new hand-powered vacuum-bag system can introduce you to this professional technique easily and inexpensively.  

We join Fred Esker at his woodshop to capture and enjoy building a Spoon Mule. Fred teaches his hand carved spoon making skill set using a simple spoon mule which is created with primarily hand tools intermixed with some power tools. He is a member of the Geppetto's Carving Club at our Woodcraft store in Parkersburg, WV.

Lamps are fun to build. They  go together quickly, require minimal material, and allow a lot of creative leeway. A few years ago, I developed a method for making shades from thin plywood, opening up even more design possibilities and a chance to break away from relying on commercial shades.

I have thousands of songs in my phone, to say nothing of the apps streaming satellite radio, live sports, and more. But when I’m without headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, getting all that entertainment out of the phone and into my ears leaves much to be desired.