On a Mission
Club member James Young of Sterling Heights, Michigan, handcrafted this Mission-style chair and matching ottoman out of quarter-sawn white oak. He attached the legs of the chair with lock-miter joints and used dowels for all other connections. A 9-degree slope to the arms adds comfort and style. James finished the wood with two coats of Minwax antique oil and topped the chair and ottoman with handmade cushions that complement his living room’s decor.

Fresh Front Entry
After removing an overgrown arborvitae in front of his house, Club member Jeffrey Rondeau of Woodbury, Minnesota, wanted to incorporate a sitting area into the newfound space. So he covered the existing concrete stoop with this curb-appeal-boosting open-air porch. Jeffrey used pressure-treated 2x6s and vinyl deck boards with hidden fasteners to create a picture-frame-style pattern that required time and effort, but the result is worth it. “We really enjoy our new porch and have received many compliments on it,” he says.

Lawn Tractor Transformation
Making use of new and used iron, Club member James Zacher of Rugby, North Dakota, crafted this impressive custom loader for his Cub Cadet lawn tractor from scratch. “The parts came from a machinery salvage yard,” James says, adding that the main cylinders were once part of a baler, the bucket cylinders came from the power-steering mechanism of an I-H combine, and the hydraulic pump was taken from a pull-style swather. To complete the project, James hired a local shop to make the hoses. 

Inspiration Strikes
When lightning felled a walnut tree on his property, Club member Roy Judd of Fountain Valley, California, decided to put the wood to use. After letting it dry in his barn and then having a local lumberyard plane it, Roy built this rustic outdoor bench. He cut a thick slab for the seat and attached four square legs; then he hand planed two small sections for the L-shape backrest. “The eight spindles were the fun part,” Roy says; he used a neighbor’s antique belt-driven lathe to turn them. “I take silent, personal pride in that I took an act of nature and created something useful,” he says.