The Winning Desk Organizer from TSDC 30 Day Build Challenge Spring 2009

This was a great project because it is not something I would have normally done. By signing up and participating I was held to the rules of the challenge which was “build a desk organizer”. The design exercise that resulted was a new and exciting experience for me and one that I highly recommend you take advantage of.

There are lots of build challenges and group builds floating around the Internet now, but I believe this is the only one where your design is the focus and you get honest and constructive feedback. Plus it doesn’t hurt that you get the chance to win some great prizes and the adoration of woodworkers everywhere. I can’t tell you how weird it was for me after I won a prize in the inaugural build to walk down the street and have random people come up to me and say, “hey, why are you carrying that desk organizer around with you?”

In all seriousness, this challenge is something you should consider. This time Rick and Neil have recruited Adam King to help them with the judging and they are asking contestants to build something that suspends a surface up to 32″ off the ground. No more guidance than that (actually there are more rules but you have to go to Rick’s site to learn about that)

This lack of guidance is what is so exciting. You are free to let your imagination run wild. Based on the judges and their work and tastes, I think you had better feed your imagination some peyote because these guys can be pretty out there.

So my recommendation as a past contestant is to jump into this with both feet. The contest starts today and you have until the end of October to finish the piece and submit it. I must admit I’m still a little on the fence because I have so much already on my schedule both in and out of the shop. Woodworking in America is a month away and that usually is a podcasting festival for me so I may lurk a little and see what my brain comes up with before jumping into this. But don’t let my weakness stop you! You can still register even though the contest is underway.

Go on, get going, nothing more to see here!

Anyway, it was a great time and the show is always a great experience of just a couple of guys talking about woodworking and what’s happening in the woodworking world. Check it out

Certainly this process requires great precision but more importantly great patience to get every tiny part perfectly cut and then assembled to make this masterpiece.

Rockler has recently taken a lot of that work out of the equation so the rest of us mere mortals have a shot at creating one of these beauties. In a recent post on Buzz Saw, the Rockler blog, Jim Carroll, the manager a turning at Rockler, said that these while these kits are easier than doing them yourself they are not for the beginning turner due to the light hand you need to size the blanks and the sharp tools need for the cutting. Rockler’s kits are stabilized blanks and with all the CA glue used to assemble them you will need a very sharp edge on your gouges and you will need to keep it that way.

I also recommend definitely wearing a respirator when turning these kits as the resins used during the stabilization and CA can put off some funky stuff. Granted every turner should be wearing a respirator whenever they turn, but I’m not going to lie and say I do it all the time

So head over the Rockler’s inlay pen kit page and check out their new line of inlay pen kits and pick out your favorite design, make sure you are stocked up on CA glue and make yourself a masterpiece!

Lately, Bob has been working on building his own tenon saw and I have been fascinated with just how simple he makes it look. Moreover, many of the tools you see Bob working with have been built by him, illustrating that you don’t need to spend a fortune to do good work. I imagine this was just how it went for an 18th century joiner too. You have to start somewhere so build your own tools and tool chest and learn the craft along the way.

Most exciting is the fact that Bob just launched his very own podcast called Hand Tools and Techniques and he just released episode 3. I have to tell you that I am envious of his film quality and editing software because the production value of his show is through the roof and on par with The Wood Whisperer. I am a firm believer that content is the most important aspect of this web 2.0 podcasting revolution, but it sure makes it easier when the video is clear, the shots detailed, and the message well tuned.

If you haven’t picked up on the theme of this post yet, let me boil it down. I love this blog and podcast! Go over and check out Bob Rozaieski’s site and be prepared to spend some time there because there is so much to learn!