Skip to the content
John Enger
  • About
  • Fiction
  • Journalism
  • Woodworking
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
  • Fiction
  • Journalism
  • Woodworking
  • Contact

Nothing Found

enger_grove

When milled just exactly right, with a slight oppo When milled just exactly right, with a slight opposing arch, a long glue joint can sometimes be closed by a single clamp. In pressing out the eight inch of gap in the center of the joint, the boards become very tight along the entire length of the joint. This is rare, even for me, but today I’ve managed it. It makes me far happier than it probably should.
Here we go. The designs have been lovingly worked Here we go. The designs have been lovingly worked out. I’ve procured the raw materials for two big commissions. And now the best part. I get to disappear into my shop for the foreseeable future and make beautiful things. I’ve got a very good job, awesome clients and the best wood supplier on earth. Life is good.
A friend of mine had me rebuild this hundred year A friend of mine had me rebuild this hundred year old kitchen chair over the weekend. The set has been in his family a long time, with one out of commission as long as he can remember. The back was busted clean off. He brought me two. The broken one, and a working model, to reference off of. I had to tap apart all the joinery, fabricate new back legs, cut a total of 14 new mortises and glue it all back together. (It’s up to him to match the old stain) 

I think it turned out great, and it feels good to make something that was once useful, useful again. It was also a perfect little project to get me back in the shop. I’ve been sick a bunch this winter, and I needed a little warm up before diving back into my bigger commission schedule.
I spend a great deal of time each year gathering a I spend a great deal of time each year gathering and burning wood to heat my home and shop. It’s not the most efficient use of labor, in a modern sense, but I do it anyway. Heating with fossil fuels is expensive, and when I run out, I have to call someone and wait for them to come. I can always walk into the forest and find a dead tree. My land is full of dead trees, just waiting for a wildfire. By heating with wood, I’m removing fuel from the land, making the forest healthier. At the center of it, for me, is the act itself. Swinging an axe. Hauling the wood. Gasping winter air with the effort. It’s an ancient thing. It feels good.
Follow on Instagram

Leave a review

If you liked "Radium," please consider leaving a written review on the following sites. Reviews are essential for growing a book's visibility.

Amazon
Goodreads

© 2023 John Enger

Powered by WordPress

To the top ↑ Up ↑