American Craftsman Workshop

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Now Taking Orders for ACW T-Shirts!

This has been a long time coming: The ACW logo t-shirt!

The front of the shirt bears the ACW log and the back shares one of the greatest principles ever shared with me: Let Your Work Be Your Signature.

All the work that I do has been anchored to this simple yet profound principle. It was shared with my by an old craftsman that did amazing work back when I started out in the trades.

He has since passed away and it has been my goal to live up to the high standard he held in his work, and to pass it on to others. Now, you become another link in the chain of craftsmen as I pass on one of the greatest guiding principles for my work. 

The Pre-order Discount

I am excited to start taking pre-orders on the new ACW t-shirts. During the pre-order period, the shirts will be offered at a reduced cost of $15 each + shipping. Normal price will be $18 plus shipping after the initial pre-order period. 

You can place your order securely at the ACW Store page. 

What is a pre-order?

I don't actually have any ACW shirts on hand yet so I am taking pre-orders. People order and pay, then I can get a tally of the shirts I need, place the order plus a few extra to start getting stock on hand. 

Basically, this is how I am kickstarting a new offering of ACW swag. Otherwise, placing an order for shirts ends up being a guessing game that I dump a lot of money out for. I would have to guess how many of each color and size. This way, I can kind of figure out what the best sellers are for color and size, and I am funded by the customer to get the order in. 

For those that get in on the pre-order, I am offering a discount over the normal price. You can order them and any other ACW swag through the Store Page.

When do the shirts ship?

I will be placing an order of shirts on Monday, December 12th, 2016. The printer will have them done for shipping in 10 days to 2 weeks. So, realistically, due to the holidays, I am looking at getting the shirts shipped out between Christmas and New Year. 

I will be shipping everything flat-rate priority. I could go with cheaper shipping, but I find that often, the cost of a package, plus the postage to go cheap and slow still ends up being close to the cost of just shipping it flat-rate and fast. And who doesn't like getting their swag faster?

Any country outside of U.S. will not be sent priority, it will be standard mail. If you have questions or encounter any issues with ordering, let me know. 

Shirt Info

The ACW T-shirts are 5.5 ounce 50/50 cotton-poly blend. Small and Medium are normal sizes. Large through XXL are actually 'tall' to get a shirt that stays tucked in because I am a 'no crack' contractor. 

The colors offered up are Navy Blue, Grey, and Black. The printing is done as a double pass process to get a nice solid white on the logo on front and text on the back. These shirts really look good, I have been wearing them myself for a couple of weeks already and I like them. (I put in a small order to actually wear the shirts a while to confirm I liked the shirt and the printing.)

Your purchase is greatly appreciated, not only do you get to show you are part of the American Craftsman Workshop, but it helps support me as I continue to share information online. 

If you have any questions or encounter any problems ordering, let me know. 

Thanks for your support. 

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love - Share the Knowledge

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Special Guest on MakerCast

MakerCast is one of my favorite podcasts. I love hearing of the journey and background stories of other craftsmen and makers.

I think one of the great things about MakerCast, is that Jon Berard covers such a broad scope of craftsmen, so there is something for everyone. If you listen to just a few episodes, I think you will find that as different as everyone seems to be initially, there are so many common threads to us all as creatives. 

 I am honored to be the guest on the most recent episode. I share my background which seemingly has nothing to do with what I do now, but the reality is that I learned many lessons in past experiences that help me with my current profession as a designer, craftsman, business owner, and artist. 

I hope listeners will realize that, whatever it is you are doing, you are learning things that can be taken from your current experience, and applied if you want to step out into your own business.

Be sure to give a listen, and subscribe to MakerCast.

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love~Share the Knowledge

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Installing Velcro Backed Sandpaper On A Drum Sander

In this video I show how I install velcro backed sandpaper on my dual drum sander.

I know a lot of you don't have drum sanders, but there are some out there that do.

For those that may be new owners to a drum sander and have not had to change the sandpaper yet, this will be great information as I share a lot of gold nuggets on installation and things to look out for.

For those that are looking at getting a drum sander, this will give you a good idea of what it is like to replace velcro backed sandpaper and might help you make the decision for yourself if this is a feature that you want or not.

I hope you find this video helpful and informative.

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

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Disclaimer: I am not sponsored or compensated in any way for this video. I purchased my drum sander in 2004 with my own money. 

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How I Maintain My Air Compressors

I work around a lot of other contractors and shops. One thing I have observed is that air compressor maintenance is something that it is often overlooked. This is really surprising, because poor maintenance not only affects the compressor itself, but it also affects the tools that rely on it to operate, and poor air quality can really mess with your finishes if you have a spray system that runs off the compressor. 

This video is not intended to be the definitive "All About Air Compressors," rather, I am sharing my habits for maintaining the 3 air compressors that I have. I also think that what I do is very effective and it increases the miles I get from my equipment. Generally speaking, most of my equipment has served me well for a long time.

Let's face it, woodworking tools aren't cheap no matter if you do it as a hobby or as a professional and I need to make them last as long as possible. 

At the beginning of the video I put my new shop sticker collection on display in a unique manner. I hope you enjoy that:)

A big shout-out goes to Mike Kapotsy for getting me started on the sticker swap and for the t-shirt which I proudly wear in the video. You can check out his YouTube videos and follow him on Instagram.

Another shout-out to the SoCal Woodshop for sending me one of their logo t-shirts. They are a collective of woodworkers sharing a shop space, pooling their tools, and collaborating on projects for clients. They are a good follow at Instagram. 

Here's the Feature Presentation: How I Maintain My Air Compressors. 

I hope you enjoy it as well as find it interesting and helpful. 

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

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What Is A Gravity Clock?

I have been cramming to learn so much stuff at the computer, I decided it was time to take a break and get back into the shop when a good client asked me to build some more display cases for his antique gravity clocks. 

I have been posting the builds on Instagram, and one of the questions that has been coming up from those that follow me is, "What is a gravity clock?" So I decided to do a quick video. 

In the picture below you can see one of the display cases I built in the client's home as well as some of my previous work in the background to the left. There are 3 floating shelves loaded with antique clocks. 

The stick laying at an angle is a ramp for a rolling gravity clock. Another contractor made that last year and I will be making another one since that one has twisted. I will be sure to make a video of that as I need to work the bugs out of my own video workflow and process. 

I have been posting a lot on Instagram as I build these. If you want to follow along with what is happening, check out my Instagram account and give a follow. I am not only posting pictures, but with IG's new 1 minute length on video clips, I am able to share really great tips as I build projects. 

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

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How Spring Joint Tension Releases

Have you ever considered how spring joints create tension in a glued up panel? And how that tension might be released if you cut into that panel?

In this video, my good friend Nick Pancheau explains how the tension in his conference table top reacts, as he cuts a long rectangle into it, to install an illuminated light panel. 

We did not figure that the top would move much, but the big concern was that the wood might pinch the blade since we were doing a plunge cut. The biggest issue here would be that the saw might kick up out of the cut and damage the top. 

I know there are other woodworkers that may have had this question in mind, and I thought that it would be a good time to share the information with you, using a live project. 

I hope you find the information in this video helpful in your woodworking journey. 

Thanks to Nick for sharing this project and experience with us!

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

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ACW Shop Class Update 23 March 2016

At this point I am straight up getting my butt kicked in learning everything to set up for the Shop Class. 

Originally, I had some numbers put together from a couple of businesses that could set things up for me, but it was well out of my budget as it was in the range of buying a really nice used car. As a contractor, I understand the cost of paying someone else to perform the work that we think we can do ourselves, but I also understand everyone has a budget. That is why I don't get a lot of jobs myself. 

One of the long-term benefits of me boot strapping this, is that I learn how to do everything for myself and I will understand the system. While I may end up with a small team in the future to delegate some of the work, I can only afford to do it myself at first. (No doubt I have a business plan.)

It hasn't been just learning the school platform, it is pretty much the fact I have been learning everything that we take for granted when we consume information. There are a lot of different skills and platforms that come into play to effectively share information. So, I am not just starting a new business, I am learning a whole new set of skills. 

I am not striving for perfection, but I am striving for a higher standard. If I am going to ask somebody to exchange money for information, the information has to be good and so does the delivery system. 

One of the biggest hurdles simply has been my own reliability in running all of the equipment. If you look at my latest YouTube videos you will see the level of quality has vastly improved over my older videos. That is because I upgraded from 2 camcorders to recording on 2 DSLR's. They give me greater control to produce a better image, but that also means there is less automation and more manual settings I have to deal with.

Producing the YouTube videos has been extremely important for me to become familiar with the equipment and the video production workflow so that I may function reliably once I kick things off. I know that mistakes may happen along the way, but I need a baseline of reliability. I AM the weakest link...

I also found that with upgrading to the DSLR's, my 5 year old iMac runs a lot more slowly. The great image that comes from the DSLR's also comes with file sizes that are 2.5x larger than the HD camcorders that I was previously using. The computer is stable, it just takes a really long time to process as I edit. So I have a new iMac in the budget as well as external hard drive storage to handle the large volume of data that video files create. 

It is difficult to pin a date on launch since I really am in uncharted waters. I had dates in mind, I have blown those, but I shall just keep pushing forward with only the rough estimation of "coming soon." 

I appreciate your patience and support and hope to see you soon in the American Craftsman Shop Class.

Your friend in the shop - Todd

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Lock Your Dovetails and Box Joints

Early on in my career, when I took an interest in building furniture, I took a good look at antiques to get an idea of how furniture was constructed. 

One of the biggest surprises to me, was to find that it was not uncommon to see dovetail joinery and box joints falling apart. This really surprised me until I came to understand the reasons why. 

Through my study and observation of antique furniture, I also came up with a simple, yet ingenious solution to lock the dovetails and box joints together. 

In this video I share my favorite woodworking tip and technique of all time, which is how I lock my dovetails and box joints together.

I hope you find the information in this video helpful and that you go out in the shop and give it a try. 

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love - Share the Knowledge. 

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Why SawStop Demonstrations Don't Impress Me

I have seen the SawStop demonstration with the hot dog a dozen times. 

But I always felt that it was done under premium conditions to insure that it worked properly with optimal results. 

At several of the demonstrations I had questioned the demonstrators and requested that they place the hot dog in the glove so we could see the results. 

My request was always denied and I was always told, "You shouldn't wear gloves at the table saw." 

Well, I live in the real world. Where other contractors are on my equipment, we work in harsh conditions, and I can't keep control of everyone every time they use the table saw. So, even though it is unsafe, contractors wear their gloves at the table saw all the time. 

My local cabinet hardware supplier, A&H Turf, recently became an authorized SawStop dealer and so I made the request to them and they took me up on it. 

This video shows how far a SawStop will drag the glove into the machine before it kicks off. 

I am fortunate to have A&H Turf just 3 miles from my house and shop, but you can also check them out online at AHTurf.com

If you ever call or order from them, you will be dealing with the same guys that I do. They don't outsource the online orders.

I hope you enjoy my version of the SawStop test. 

Your friend in the shop, 

Todd A. Clippinger

Let your work be your signature. 

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New Promo Video for YouTube Channel

With all the work I have been doing, I finally got around to making a welcome video for my American Craftsman YouTube channel. 

I will be doing an update to catch everyone up to speed on the ACW Shop Class. Suffice it to say for now that I am neck deep in an alligator trying to learn EVERYTHING - but I am making progress.

Here is my latest video, I hope it is a warm welcome to new visitors to my YouTube channel.

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

Let Your Work Be Your Signature

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Cutting Small Parts On The Miter Saw

In this video I share how I cut small parts on the miter saw. 

I am sure this one will be cause for active commentary from the safety police and maybe the hand tool junkies for not using a fancy hand saw to cut small pieces. 

Well, this is the way I do it in the American Craftsman Workshop. Because if the tool doesn't make any noise and throw a rooster tail of sawdust, how am I supposed to know that any work is getting done?

Hope you enjoy the video and find it helpful;)

Remember to let your work be your signature. 

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love - Share the Knowledge 

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American Craftsman Shop Class Update

There has been so much work to do in setting things up for the online school but I am getting closer.

I have a basic setup in place for my website and school platform, so I have moved on to the next step. Right now I am working on getting used to the workflow of recording and becoming familiar with my new audio and video equipment to reduce errors and become more efficient.

Perfect case in point; I did some recording on a clock case project and found that I had not been turning one of the cameras on. That is simply an issue of being unfamiliar with the equipment. That is why the shop update videos are so important, they are good practice for me being in front of the camera as well as working the back side.

I had originally hoped to be starting class sign-ups at the beginning of February, but I think it will be more into the 2nd or 3rd week. This ship needs to leave the dock soon, I haven't had any income since the middle of December and that is a great motivator!

I appreciate your patience and support and hope to see you soon in the American Craftsman Shop Class.

Your friend in the shop -

Todd A. Clippinger

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Woodworking For Kids

When it comes to sharing woodworking with my grandkids, I keep it simple. In fact, I really don't care if they take a shine to woodworking, I would just rather they get the opportunity to be creative.

When they come over for a visit, they don't ask if they can do woodworking, they just ask, "Can we build?"

At this point, I have done very few structured projects, I usually just let the kids have at it with the bin of wood scraps. Kids don't need to be told what to build with the scraps, their imaginations kick into high gear and they figure it out naturally.

I call this the "empty box effect." An empty box is an open ended toy and a child's imagination starts exploring all of the possibilities of what the box can become. The same thing happens with the wood scraps.

During the kids' build sessions, there is plenty of opportunity to teach them safety, how to use the tools, and problem solving skills.

I think that both structured and unstructured projects have their own advantages and lessons to offer, so I do not necessarily value one over the other. But I will admit that structured projects require more prep time because you have to make parts in advance.

When working in the shop, the kids are exposed to a limited set of dangers, but that is an inherent risk of having them in the shop. Overall, the exposure is controlled and gauged according to the abilities of each child.

The fear of allowing kids into the shop will never give them the opportunity to learn self-control and respect for the tools and a somewhat hazardous environment. Personally, I don't see that it is any less hazardous letting kids ride a bike, a skateboard, or jump on a trampoline. I will not allow an unreasonable fear to keep my grandkids from such a valuable learning experience as they have in my shop.

In the end, I am trying to develop a culture of activity, creativity, and exploration in my family. I think all of the benefits of this far outweigh the perceived dangers.

And to think, I have not even mentioned the added benefit of the hours that the kids have spent with me, Grandpa Todd. There is enough content and lessons there for another blog.

I hope you enjoy the video.

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

Leave a Legacy - Share the Love, Share the Knowledge

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Shop Update 15 January, 2016

I am still working hard behind the scenes to get everything set up and get the online classes launched. Here is the latest update from the ACW!

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

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ACW Featured in Core77 Article

I got an email from a friend who is a graphic designer in Portland, he was excited to see an article about my site and design video in Core77. Well, I was pretty excited too since I had no idea they covered anything about my site or video content.

The subject of the article was my video that shares how I get design inspiration. It is one of the most frequent questions I get, and so I covered some of the basic things I do to keep myself inspired and how to interpret what I am looking at. 

You can watch the video below and check out the article at Core77. Also be sure to bookmark them as a great site for design ideas and insight, especially if you are self-taught like me. Core77 is one of the premiere sites covering the world of design, to be specific, industrial design. 

OK - I gotta head back out to the shop and get this last project finished up so I can focus on launching the American Craftsman Shop Class;)

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

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The Miraculous Staircase

Over the holidays, Rita and I decided to spend some time together. It is not very often, typically years apart, that we ever take time off and get away. This is something that I am starting to regret as I get older and have decided to change. 

We have wanted to visit Santa Fe, NM for several years, so we decided to take a trip for the holidays. Rita's cafe is closed between Christmas and New Years, and I have mostly wrapped up client projects as I make the transition to the online woodworking school. Add to that, the low fuel prices, and this seemed like the perfect time to get away. 

One of the great gems of Santa Fe is the Loretto Chapel.

It is a great piece of architecture and history in downtown Santa Fe. But this particular church is also renowned for housing the Miraculous Staircase.

The staircase is considered miraculous because of it's construction. It has no center pole for support, rather, it is a self-supporting double helix. 

It is said that no nails or glue were used in the construction, it is simply wooden dowels or pegs. The stair case is really something to see and to consider, especially for the time it was built (1877-1881.)

The handrail was not part of the original stair construction but was added later.

It is reported that the staircase took 6 months to build by one craftsman, which I think is impressive. Being a part of the trades, I am pretty certain that even with today's technology, if you hired a custom shop to build that staircase, you would have the same amount of man hours in layout, construction, installation, and finishing. The hours would be added up over several workers involved with the project instead of just one man. 

The staircase is a real engineering masterpiece and display for mastery of the craft. Especially when considering the time it was built and the minimum tools that were used. Seeing it in person is impressive and it left me in awe.

There is an intriguing backstory to how the stairs came to be built. But I will let you read that over at the official website for the Loretto Chapel.

At the time we visited, and I took the pictures, the staircase was decorated for the holidays. As the vertical ribbon hung down the middle of the staircase adorned with Christmas lights, it appears to have a pole in the middle, so it is difficult to get the full effect of the double helix being the only structure. 

I hope you all have focused on enjoying the holidays with the ones you love. I look forward to the new year and starting a new journey as I create the online school to provide education and inspiration to the woodworking community. 

Your friend in the shop, 

Todd A. Clippinger

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Cafe is cleaned up, closed down, ready for another day