Denny Thomsen, Cumming, GA
Seven-card stud. Traditional poker tables are octagonal, but this Georgia woodworker upped the ante on a custom design. Thomsen hosts a weekly poker night and built this red oak seven-sided table to allow more room for his card shark comrades. “We play with only seven,” says Thomsen, “this way, everybody gets a little more room.” He even went all in on the trays: each holds precisely 25 chips.
John Enger, Bemidji, MN
Beauty in a scarf. Enger incorporated the strength and beauty of a scarf joint as a centerpiece for this Japanese-inspired coffee table. The two heavy elm timbers of the top are locked with a single red oak wedge. The legs are made from spalted pine. All of the wood was locally harvested by John and his wife Emily who run an artisan woodworking business in Bemidji.
John Pickrell, Boise, Idaho
A different spin. This Boise builder became interested in segmented turning in a roundabout way. After attending a demo about segmented bowls at his monthly woodturners meeting, Pickrell applied what he’d learned to something a bit different. “I realized I wasn’t as interested in bowls as much as tops.” Since then, Pickrell has turned a dizzying array of stylish spinners.
Jim Tackett, Lexington, KY
Doug fir dulcimer. This beautiful instrument is made from bookmatched quartersawn Douglas fir for the top, and walnut for the back and sides. Tackett uses Doug fir when spruce isn’t available, and it seems to work out great. While he’s sold a few, he mostly donates his dulcimers to schools and other equally good causes, or gifts them to friends and family.
onlineEXTRA
Visit our website for a bevy of tips to better show off your work. Learn how to shoot great photos of your projects—even with your smart phone.
