In today’s video, I revisit one of my earliest woodworking projects — a Mancala board — and ask the question: Can I build it better?

In the latest build, I combine woodworking with electronics and create a walnut LED matrix display, powered by WLED.

I posted my latest build video, late last week. This time around I show the process of building a custom chess board out of walnut, maple, and cherry. I’m really happy with how it turned out and my son and I have already put it to good use.

After thinking about it for quite some time, I finally pulled the trigger and started sharing some build videos on YouTube. This is my (very amateur) first video, sharing the process of transforming rough lumber into a small picture frame.

Managed to snag a great deal on this 6" King Industrial bench top jointer. It looks to be the same as similar models from Rikon, Wahuda, etc. Early tests are promising and I’m looking forward to increasing my ability to mill small rough lumber.

My lovely partner got me a custom branding iron for Father’s Day. I’m still working on my technique, but it might just be one of the coolest presents I’ve ever received.

A wooden table with a drawer is displayed in a workshop surrounded by various tools.A wooden side table with a drawer, topped with a small potted plant, stands against a wall adorned with a colorful framed picture and a digital clock.A wooden side table with a drawer and a potted plant on top is placed on a hardwood floor.

Wrapped up this small, Shaker-style(ish) black limba side table. I’m really happy with how this one turned out. The drawer was 1/16th too large and required some creative fixes to slide smoothly, but it got there. Finished with Rubio Monocoat.

Work continues on the little side table. Since I’ll be relying on mechanical connections from this point forward, I have the joy of finishing pieces individually. Once finish wraps up, I’ll be assembling the frame and starting on the drawer box.

Gluing up the top for a small, shaker-style table. So many clamps (and prayers to the gods of woodworking.)

A wooden box with a sliding lid is placed on a wooden surface.A small wooden box with a decorative metal latch rests on a wooden surface in a workshop setting.An open wooden box with a rustic design is placed on a workbench surrounded by various tools.

Wrapped up this small box. Pretty happy with how it turned out, overall. Those mitres could be improved and I perhaps rushed some sanding. I learned a lot about flocking wood boxes. Needed a bit more glue and a lot more flocking fibres. I love the clasp on this one.

Another box! Built and glued-up as one piece and cut the lid on the bandsaw. I’ll probably build a donkey-ear shooting board to clean up my box mitres, in the future. There’s some very nice jewellery box hardware waiting to be used for this one. Might even flock the inside.

A patio umbrella shades a wooden table set up beside a pool, with a wooden fence and trees in the background.A blue inflatable pool is set up in a backyard with a wooden table and striped umbrella beside it.An inflatable pool with a wooden deck beside it is set up in a grassy backyard enclosed by a wooden fence.

Our pool isn’t anything special (and is very temporary), but we’ve always talked about setting up a poolside table/bar. Some pressure-treated lumber, post spikes, an umbrella, and one Sunday afternoon made it a reality. For making it up as I went, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

Millie being a very good shop dog.

Getting some box practice in with this gorgeous Black Limba. I’ll probably do another version with full grain matching on the outside, but it felt better to just dive back in. Will be adding a lid with a contrasting dark wood handle.

A tool isn’t really “yours” until you’ve had to disassemble it to diagnose an issue.

I learned a lot about how my bandsaw is constructed, tonight.

A woodworking shop features a Rikon band saw actively cutting a wooden board, with various tools organized on the walls and workbench.

Been building a mobile stand for my new toy — a 10” bench top bandsaw from Rikon. I researched options for a long time and this feels like a good fit. Solid construction, cast iron table, a good fence, and 5” of resaw capacity. Excited to start adding it to my workflow.

Took some time to paint and mount the plant shelves, over the weekend. I countersunk some screws in the vertical supports and filled the holes with some plugs I cut from scrap pieces. Both feel like they’ll hold up relatively well.

Future shop dog in training.

Auto-generated description: A workshop table with woodworking tools on the wall and four wooden boards on the surface.

I spotted this Black Limba at KJP Hardwoods and couldn’t resist picking some up. Love the grain on these boards and I can’t wait to dig in to some projects.

I’m not sure if it’s a problem everywhere, but businesses in our area love littering coroplast signs — the ones with metal prong feet — all over the public boulevards. Including right outside our house. I used to just throw them away, but I eventually realized I was ditching valuable material.

Now, I toss the plastic and cut the metal into long rods. It’s amazing how often it comes in handy. This weekend, for example, I used some to replace a toy monster truck’s broken axle.