Shop Notes & Rambles

The Rambles are the stories lived and learned over decades — the moments, the lessons, and the shop life that shaped the craft. They accumulate here, sorted by publish date. If you want the curated version, explore the Workshop Library.

Workshop Library
Red oak
Shop Rambles, Hardwood David Flather Shop Rambles, Hardwood David Flather

Red oak

Red oak is open‑pored, fast‑growing, and honest. This story explores how its earlywood–latewood contrast shapes its behaviour in the shop — from tear‑out to finishing — and why it remains the wood so many of us learned on.

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