Category: Unique Gifts

  • The Octagon

    The Octagon

    Did you know? I’m a big fan of martial arts. I run Potomac Kempo Martial Arts, in Kingstowne VA. Often I’m asked to make furniture or simple items for my students or training partners. Meet Sensei Geof, a great friend, and training partner. We often say were friends just because we hit each other on…

  • Wood Chest from reclaimed lumber

    Wood Chest from reclaimed lumber

    Glen has this old barn up in Maryland where he has this stock pile of old lumber, its weathered and heavy. Using simple construction methods I made a wooden chest. It now lives on out front porch. Old things are better than new things, because they’ve got stories in them, Ethan.

  • Broken Bat Display Case

    Broken Bat Display Case

    As you may or may “knot”know, woodworking is my hobby. My love and my actual full time job however is running a karate dojo in Kingstowne. Potomac Kempo martial arts has 5 locations (Kingstowne, Huntington, National Landing, Fairlington, and Old Town. After Renshi Cassie broke a bat with a kick, her husband asked me to…

  • Poplar Wine Rack

    Poplar Wine Rack

    This build, which was for a friend and a fellow Kempo student, was the first time I made something where nothing went wrong. Typically I have a mis cut, a major chip out, a design flaw, or some other random thing that makes me go duh. Not today, I carefully planned and took my time…

  • Sapele Platter

    Sapele Platter

    Check out this video, showing off my router sled, which doubles as a circle jig.

  • Live Edge Waterfall Coffee Table

    Live Edge Waterfall Coffee Table

    It was the first weekend in October, the air was crisp and I was in a good mood. I had woken up early to walk Rooster, my spunky Golden Retriever, around my in-laws property. Since this was my birthday weekend I made a decision not to work on any unfinished projects but instead, spend time…

  • Wood slab flattening

    Wood slab flattening

    Working with large slabs, requires a different method to get the wood flat. Typically I work with thinner wood that fits on my jointer or through my planner. Things change when it comes to live edge slabs, especially when the project calls for live edges on both sides. This slab I’m working with, while not…

  • A Plant Wheelbarrow

    A Plant Wheelbarrow

    Made of Sapelle and Maple, this was more of a fact learning mission to see how workable the wood that I’ll be using for our dining room table is.

  • Wall Art, reclaimed wood with resin

    Wall Art, reclaimed wood with resin

    Often I’m asked to make something, be it as small as a baseball holder to as large as a built in cabinet, I try to make everyone happy. I made this for me. Now this piece is hanging in a dear friends office and that makes me very happy.

  • Shou Sugi Ban Plant Stand

    Shou Sugi Ban Plant Stand

    My favorite projects are when clients give me free will to create. My goal in these circumstances is create a unique piece that meets their needs is functional and perhaps, be a conversation starter (in a good way). This post is all about a simple plant stand, that I hope will stand out. Johnny; who…

  • Coat Rack with Swiveling Arms

    Coat Rack with Swiveling Arms

    One of my most popular builds! This coat or hat rack features arms that fold up when not in use, it’s pretty neat and gets a lot of comments when people first use it. I made my first one more out of necessity, I run a dojo and my students needed a place to hang…

  • Cutting Boards

    Cutting Boards

    Kristi and I enjoy having people over, and as you know everything revolves around the kitchen, and the kitchen is centered around the cutting board. I use many hardwoods in my cutting boards, from maple, walnut, ash, red oak, white oak, maghony, purple heart, cherry and padauk. I love combining these woods with their natural…

  • Family Planner

    Family Planner

    I made this magnetic / cork board for a close friend, as a surprise father’s day present. I started the build before the metal section had arrived, trusting the measurements from the web site, so obviously when it arrived it was 1/8 of an inch wider than expected. I’m not a metal shop so I…

  • Smores Caddy

    Smores Caddy

    When someone approaches a woodworker, and says I need a place for a small fire, some chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows, and I want you to use excotic hardwoods. The woodworker has just made a new friend. I used Zebra wood, maple and walnut to create this unique Smores Caddy. If you would also like…