The Renaissance Woodworker

By Shannon Rogers

What's The Renaissance Woodworker about?

I'm a woodworker who uses only hand tools to build furniture and other projects. Come along and watch me embrace my woodworking A-D-D and build without harming any electrons.

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The Renaissance Woodworker episodes:

10.29.2016
Episode 203 Panel Clamps
This time I make some panel clamps to make glue up easier. I use the hardware from Lee Valley to make one them devise my own homemade hardware and built 2 more.
10.06.2016
RWW 202 Artisanal Flyswatter
Yep you read it right. I needed a flyswatter at the lumber yard so I went the typical woodworker route and split out some Hickory then shaved it for the perfect thing and flexible handle then cross laminated Maple, Oak,...
09.02.2016
Shop Update 9/2/16
Shannon is back now that his site update and product launch at the Hand Tool School are behind him. He is working on a Sapele inlaid plaque, a newly restored Jack rabbet plane, and preparing his classes for Woodworking in...
05.26.2016
RWW 201 Barron Dovetail Guides
If you have followed any of my blogs or podcasts for long you will know of my aversion to jigs and guides of any sort. But I wanted to be fair in my assessment and make sure that I put...
02.29.2016
RWW 200 The Campaign Stool
This little stool is taken from the pages of Christopher Schwarz' book "Campaign Furniture". It is make from riven Teak with a Shellac and Beeswax finish. The hardware is from Lee Valley and the gorgeous leather seat is from TX...
01.04.2016
RWW 199 Pencil Boxes
These simple to make pencil boxes are great to use up some scrap wood and use simple half lap joinery and a sliding lid. I add a few other things to spice them up but mostly they should be simple...
11.30.2015
RWW 198 Woodworkers Fighting Cancer Table and Chairs
10.30.2015
Chips 'n Tips 13 Refining Odd Angles
When your project throws unusual angles at you don't panic. Creating a custom angle shooting board is as simple as keeping your off cuts.
09.08.2015
RWW 197 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 5
In this video I drawbored the breadboard ends into place, smooth planed the entire table, then applied a varnish finish using EnduroVar by General Finishes.
08.20.2015
RWW 196 The Peach Crate
If you are going to join a cooperative farm club and get fresh produce each week, you might as well pick it up in style with a hand made crate and vintage peach crate labels.
05.26.2015
RWW 195 Display Shelf Part 3
Preparing the project for the finishin then adding Enduro Var with my Earlex HVLP sprayer.
05.01.2015
Chips 'n Tips 12 Smooth Planing 101
I share some tips for success with your smooth plane
04.20.2015
RWW 194 Display Shelf Part 2
I finish the construction of the display shelf in this episode by making shelf panels, adding back slats and gluing it all up.
04.01.2015
RWW 193 Display Shelf Part 1
In this episode I start the build of a simple display shelf made in Maple and designed for a customer.
03.23.2015
Chips 'n Tips 11
Driving 1" of chisel into the wood to make a mortise is a bit too much like work. When the mortises get big or in odd locations, boring it out is the better choice. With a center line, it just...
03.09.2015
Chips 'n Tips 10
Don't have a clamp big enough? Don't spend major cash on a new clamp but grab some rope and a stick.
03.02.2015
RWW 192 Bent Lamination Clocks
These clocks have definite wow factor but are actually quite easy to make and are an excellent introduction to bent lamination techniques.
02.19.2015
Chips 'n Tips 9
Using the grain of the wood to tell your story will turn your good piece into a masterpiece.
02.04.2015
Chips 'n Tips #8
A straight blade to make curved profiles??? Madness! Not so much, just a quick way to make round overs with a block plane
02.02.2015
RWW 191 One Step to Better Sawing
This video discussed what I have found to be the single most effective adjustment you can make to dramatically improve your sawing accuracy
01.21.2015
Chips 'n Tips 7
Fixing loose joinery is easy, just sweep the floor.
01.13.2015
RWW 190 The Joinery Bench
My joinery bench is now 3 years old and I wouldn't change a thing about the design.
01.06.2015
Chips 'n Tips 6 Chamfer Your Way Parallel
Here is a tip that will help you get a parallel face to the one you just hand planed.
12.24.2014
RWW 189 Bandsaw Reindeer without the Bandsaw
I'm sure you have seen these done at Woodworking Shows where the guy bangs out a tiny reindeer in like 20 seconds. Here is how I tackled it entirely by hand.
12.16.2014
RWW 188 Barnes 3 Lathe
I present my Barnes No 3 Velocipede lathe. It took me 5 years of searching to find one and I couldn't be happier with this lovely piece of late 19th century engineering.
12.11.2014
Chips 'n Tips 5 Gimmie a Gimlet
Hold the lime juice and the vodka on this Gimlet! These are handy little boring implements perfect for getting into tight corners where no drill would ever fit. The perfect companion to cut nails as well.
11.26.2014
RWW 187 Which Saw First
The question of which saw to get first comes up a lot and while a strong case can be made for many different saws, I firmly believe the carcass saw should be the first saw you get.
11.12.2014
Chips 'n Tips 4: Ripping Marks
When you get tired your technique suffers and a good cut can go back very quickly leading to a lot more work later one with a hand plane. I have come up with a simple tip to pace myself but...
10.24.2014
RWW 186 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 4
In this episode I finish the top and add breadboard ends, completing the construction of this dining table
10.06.2014
RWW 185 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 3
This episode I chop through mortises in the legs and a cut tenons on the trestle. Then I create a tusk wedge and fit it to complete the construction of the base of the dining table.
10.01.2014
RWW 184 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 2
This time I hand cut the half laps and angled bridle joints to join together the 2 crossed leg assemblies.
09.30.2014
Chips 'n Tips 3: Spokeshave Quick Adjustments
Can you believe it? Another Chips 'n Tips this week. Go check out some adjustment tips for my favorite tool.
09.19.2014
Chips 'n Tips 2: Feel the Grain
When visual inspection fails, use your fingers to determin the grain direction of a board.
09.12.2014
RWW 183 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 1
This should be a 4 or 5 part series on a dining table I was commissioned to make. This part is all about the milling of the 10/4 and 12/4 Walnut and gluing up the top panels.
09.05.2014
Chips 'N Tips #
Chips 'N Tips is my short form woodworking tip show. This first episode details how I locate my strop to make using it much easier and more convenient. Make sure to visit the Chips 'N Tips page on my site to register...
08.29.2014
RWW 182 Hybrid Milling
This time I walk through how I prepare several large boards for the power planer by using my hand places to create a reference face first.
08.06.2014
RWW 181 Making Hardwood Switch Plates
I'm adding new switch plates to my boring white ones in my newly remodelled shop and though it would be a good opportunity to use up some scrap wood. Here is how I made them using just a few hand...
07.28.2014
RWW 180 Workshop Remodel Part 4
This is the final part of the shop remodel where I set up the new 20" Grizzly planer and move the big piece into place. I'm excited to start working in my new space!
07.14.2014
RWW 179 Shop Remodel Part 3
This time I hang the last plywood sheet on the feature wall then hang the tool cabinet.
06.26.2014
RWW 178 Shop Remodel Part 2
This time I hang 3/4" plywood on my stud framework as then wrap my gas line soffit with plywood by capturing an unknown miter angle and cutting the compound angle by hand to match it.
06.10.2014
RWW 177 Workshop Remodel Part 1
My long anticipated and planned for shop remodel is underway. In this short video I frame out the wall on top of cinder block, do some painting, and demolish some cabinetry. Plus I turn an in the way gas line...
06.09.2014
RWW Quickie Adjusting the Size of A Mortise
This is the first of my more casual, quick tip show. Filmed entirely on my iphone and in real time I hope to capture more of the little tips and tricks that happen every day in the work shop that...
06.02.2014
RWW 176 Mortises in Thin Stock
The process for working in thin stock is not much different but you need to be more delicate and most of the time use fewer tools and take smaller bites. Here I chop out a 3/16" deep mortise that is...
05.01.2014
RWW 175 Using Rasps
This video is part a how to use several rasps to sculpt and refine curves to a finish ready surface and part a review of Liogier rasps who were kind enough to send me a few rasps to test out.
04.14.2014
RWW 174 Turn Your Own File Handles
I'm adding permanent handles to all my files and rasps and thought I would do them on the pole lathe. This is a great way to use up some scrap and the positive registration of a fixe handle actually makes...
04.10.2014
Hand Tool Boot Camp
I'm teaching a hand tool boot camp at the Wortheffort Woodworking school in San Marcos, TX (http://wortheffort.com/school/ShannonRogers) this June 13-15, 2014 and as of this recording spots are still available. This video covers what we will discuss and why these...
03.24.2014
RWW 173 The Hand Tool Sense
Woodworking with hand tools requires all your senses. When you can embrace the sights and sounds of your saws, planes, and chisels you will work more accurately and efficiently. This video shows just a few examples where tuning in to...
02.28.2014
RWW 172 Stupid Woodworking Tricks: The Chip Clip
I mentioned making a chip clip on Wood Talk a few weeks ago and I was stunned by how many emails I got asking for details and pictures. So I sacrificed another plastic chip clip and made another one but...
02.11.2014
RWW 171 Free Hand Sharpening
Sharpening free hand is a skill that I hear characterized as an advanced skill all the time when in reality it is no harder to master than cutting a joint by hand. It just take a little practice to build...
02.11.2014
RWW 170 Center Bits
This episode goes into depth about center bits and why I think these should be the number 1 drill bit in your arsenal

What's The Renaissance Woodworker about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Renaissance Woodworker episodes:

Episode 203 Panel Clamps

RWW 202 Artisanal Flyswatter

Shop Update 9/2/16

RWW 201 Barron Dovetail Guides

RWW 200 The Campaign Stool

RWW 199 Pencil Boxes

RWW 198 Woodworkers Fighting Cancer Table and Chairs

Chips 'n Tips 13 Refining Odd Angles

RWW 197 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 5

RWW 196 The Peach Crate

RWW 195 Display Shelf Part 3

Chips 'n Tips 12 Smooth Planing 101

RWW 194 Display Shelf Part 2

RWW 193 Display Shelf Part 1

Chips 'n Tips 11

Chips 'n Tips 10

RWW 192 Bent Lamination Clocks

Chips 'n Tips 9

Chips 'n Tips #8

RWW 191 One Step to Better Sawing

Chips 'n Tips 7

RWW 190 The Joinery Bench

Chips 'n Tips 6 Chamfer Your Way Parallel

RWW 189 Bandsaw Reindeer without the Bandsaw

RWW 188 Barnes 3 Lathe

Chips 'n Tips 5 Gimmie a Gimlet

RWW 187 Which Saw First

Chips 'n Tips 4: Ripping Marks

RWW 186 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 4

RWW 185 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 3

RWW 184 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 2

Chips 'n Tips 3: Spokeshave Quick Adjustments

Chips 'n Tips 2: Feel the Grain

RWW 183 Picnic Style Dining Table Part 1

Chips 'N Tips #

RWW 182 Hybrid Milling

RWW 181 Making Hardwood Switch Plates

RWW 180 Workshop Remodel Part 4

RWW 179 Shop Remodel Part 3

RWW 178 Shop Remodel Part 2

RWW 177 Workshop Remodel Part 1

RWW Quickie Adjusting the Size of A Mortise

RWW 176 Mortises in Thin Stock

RWW 175 Using Rasps

RWW 174 Turn Your Own File Handles

Hand Tool Boot Camp

RWW 173 The Hand Tool Sense

RWW 172 Stupid Woodworking Tricks: The Chip Clip

RWW 171 Free Hand Sharpening

RWW 170 Center Bits