Author Archives: walkerg

About walkerg

Woodworker and writer

Give Your Design Skills a Boost

Posted on June 13, 2018 by walkerg

Every woodworker I know wants to get better at design. Yet it’s hard to carve out time to devote to it. Perhaps it’s because most of us go it alone. Design like any skill responds to our time and attention, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Give Your Design Skills a Boost

Abracadabra, Make your own water

Posted on February 5, 2018 by walkerg

It’s not quite as magical as making your own water but it’s pretty close. Our latest book “From Truth to Tools” explores how artisan geometry was the flame that ignited the ancient builders imagination. And no less miraculous, gave them the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Two handled perfection

Posted on December 14, 2016 by walkerg

  Richard Grell knows drawknives. He’s been building Windsor chairs for a living more than forty years. That’s a forest of trees sculpted into an armada of chairs. Along the way he’s tweaked and refined his own user tools to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Cheap Tricks at WIA

Posted on August 24, 2016 by walkerg

One of the perks of being married to an artist is that we share a lot about design and the creative life. Barb’s always introducing me to her artist friends and mentors she admires. Here’s one of the greats, Wayne Thiebaud … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

European Beech is another story

Posted on July 11, 2016 by walkerg

The fine folks at Horizon Wood Products in Western Pennsylvania are making available Beech blanks for making bench planes. This quarter sawn 16/4 material is European Beech (Fagus Sylvatica), not the American Beech (Fagus Grandifolia) I wrote about earlier. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Blight hitting American Beech

Posted on June 18, 2016 by walkerg

  I’m sad to report a blight is ravaging our native stands of American Beech here  in the Midwest. Here’s a link to an article by Jim McCormac updating what we know right now.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Hand Tool Heaven the Movie

Posted on June 15, 2016 by walkerg

Here’s a sweet video about an amazing place to learn hand tool woodworking. Hope you enjoy and consider what PTSW has to offer. George R. Walker  

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Design wisdom from another craft

Posted on April 19, 2016 by walkerg

My lovely wife Barb is a painter and when the weather turns mild you can find her outside with her easel and paints. She’s helped me to see the world through a painter’s eyes and it’s helped me dig deeper … Continue reading →

Posted in Design Basics | Comments Off on Design wisdom from another craft

A woodworking hero

Posted on April 3, 2016 by walkerg

We’ve heard the unbelievable stories about how workers of yesteryear cranked out huge amounts of high quality work in an insanely short period of time. There’s no way to confirm the exploits of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Design Basics | 1 Comment

New Design Resource for Woodworkers

Posted on February 29, 2016 by walkerg

  I’m excited to announce the launching of a new website, http://www.byhandandeye.com. Jim Tolpin and I have teamed up again to create an on-line resource for woodworkers to improve their design skills. The new website will be the home of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments