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 elcome
to the Workshop Companion,
a web-based reference for wood technology and
craftsmanship. We offer information on wood design, tools, techniques, materials, demonstrations, plans, and
resources. At present this site is a "work in progress" -- I've posted
only a fraction of the 2000+ pages of woodworking information that my
team and I are preparing. It will quickly grow to become a complete and
dependable reference for the core knowledge you need to be a competent
craftsman. For the time being, however, I trust you'll find the
information we have posted to date to be interesting and helpful. |
Nick Engler
has written and produced
over 50 books on woodworking, plus hundreds of articles, videos, and
project plans. Liberty finds that, taken altogether, there is a lot of
information to chew on.
Plans for our "Scrapwood Reindeer" (including full-size patterns) are
available
at
our store.
And if you still get
lost, we can help you build a wooden sextant.
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 Just Posted!
Scrapwood Reindeer
– Just in time for Christmas. Learn
how to make reindeer sculptures using a unique band saw technique. |
HOW
THIS SITE WORKS
The Companion is divided into sections,
each of which explores and shares woodworking experiences in a
different way, and each covers a wide range of woodworking topics and
interests:
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EXPLORE.
Woodworking Know-How
is a compilation of information not just
from the lifetime I've spent woodworking, but also the thousands
of conversations and experiences that I've had with accomplished
craftsmen around the world. This is not just my own woodworking
savvy, but also the useful, wonderful, and sometimes amazing knowledge
and know-how
that others have shared with me.
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DISCOVER.
Woodworking Resources is a library
of videos on a wide range of woodworking topics, including techniques,
materials, technology, tool reviews, and craftsman interviews. These are
presented in a unique "virtual
classroom" format I developed especially for presenting
demonstrations of craftsmanship online.
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ENJOY.
The Workshop Companion Channel
is our presence on YouTube, a collection
of woodworking wisdom and craftsmanship presented so as to
inform and entertain.
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SUPPORT US.
The
Workshop Companion
Store
is our presence on YouTube, a collection
of woodworking wisdom and craftsmanship presented so as to
inform and entertain. |
NAVIGATING
Because there is an enormous amount of information on this site, we've
provided several navigation aids to help you find your way through it.
This includes the information on this page and:
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Site Map
which lists and links
all the pages in a collapsible outline.
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Site Index
which lists the pages
alphabetically by topics and keywords.
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Search the
Workshop Companion,
a search engine that
can help you locate information on this site using your own
keywords.
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Navigation Bars
at the
top and bottom of each page
make it easy to jump between sections. Most
pages also offer a navigation bar in the
left-hand column
that shows your position on the site map --
all the pages above, those on the same level, and the pages
immediately below (if any). This navigation bar also has links
to the Site Map, Site Index, and Search pages. |
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OTHER
COOL STUFF
Additionally, you will find
several recurring features that are unique to this site. Most of these
require JavaScript to operate, so you must set
your browser to allow active content.
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Scraps
are what I call snippets of woodworking information that aren't part of the
essential "core" woodworking know-how that makes up the bulk of this site, but
are just too fascinating not to share. I've set these aside in sidebars
that will pop up when you click on the title. You can read them or
ignore them as the spirit moves you. Here's an example, a scrap of information on
shipbuilding that I gleaned while interviewing scientists at the US
Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin: |
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Sideboards
offer information on wood
species. At the top of this page and every other page that
opens a section, there is a bar made up of 50+ popular
commercial woods arranged from dark (ebony) to light (holly). Below the
section level, however, the tops of pages show a single wood species and a
small amount of information about it: |
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The USS Constitution,
"Old Ironsides," battling the HMS Java during the War of 1812.
The Constitution is the oldest
commissioned
warship afloat. Her long life is due in part to a surprising bit of
woodworking savvy.*(Painting by Charles R Patterson, courtesy the
National Archives.)
How the sideboards are
organized.
A picture may be worth
1000 words, but by combining both a Superphoto is worth even more.
This is an explode of the "Mule Chest" you've seen on our
Home Page.
To view it in Sketchup, click the 3D icon.
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Name
 Hickory
Location
Eastern
North America
Texture/Grain
Medium/Open
Specific Gravity
0.82
Hardness
Very
Hard
Strength
Very
Strong
T/R
Stability
10.2/7.0% |
Click on the name of the wood
(try it!) and
a "sideboard" appears with expanded information about the
species, plus photos of the wood in its raw form and with five popular
finishes applied. Click on the photos to enlarge them to life size.
This lets you see not just the color of the unfinished wood, but
also allows you to anticipate how the color will change when you
finish it. Surf enough pages on this site and you'll learn as much
about wood as you do woodworking!
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Superphotos
contain more than just visual information. If a photo displays
the Superphoto" icon when
you run the cursor over it, click on
it and an enlarged version will appear in a separate window.
Move the cursor over the large photo and text tags will appear. Some
of these tags are labels to tell you what you're seeing in the
photo. Others contain interesting information and valuable tips.
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3D
Illustrations allow
you to view a subject from all angles -- right, left, front,
back, top, bottom, even inside and outside! And since
woodworking is a three-dimensional art, this can be a very
useful. Our project section especially is filled with 3D
drawings and plans. Of course, you can also see them as a
traditional perspective drawing -- just click anywhere you get the
"Click to enlarge" tag. To see them in three dimensions,
first you'll need
Google Sketchup or Sketchup
Viewer. Both of these are available for FREE from the
Google web site:
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Important! After
installation, append your list of file extensions so that .skp
files will open with Sketchup Viewer or Sketchup.
In PC, you can find this list in My Computer/Tools/Folder
Options/File Types. In Mac, it's File/Get Info/Open With. Once
you've installed Sketchup or its Viewer, click on the "See in 3D"
icon in the lower right corner. |
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ONE MORE THING
Because this site is still under
construction, you will sometimes find pages listed on the Site Map, the
left-hand navigation bar, and elsewhere that have no links. This is not
a mistake; these are "place keepers," and they either serve as reminders
or save us time as we build this site. If you happen across a
place keeper that you were so hoping was a real page, we apologize for
the frustration and are grateful for your patience.
With all good wishes,
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And thanks for visiting. |
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