Resources

Home
About us
- Meet the board & staff
- Get Involved
Classes
- Resources
Policies
Membership
Store

Resources

Want to continue your journey in woodworking and craft? Here are some resources that we offer for your own knowledge and growth. Please do not repost or sell this information.

Spoon Carving Resources

- Learn about the Spoon Gathering in Milan MN

Finishing your spoon

Step 1:

Dry your spoon by wrapping it in a handkerchief or towel for about a week until it is dry. Test by holding it against your cheek. If it no longer feels cool, the moisture is gone.

Step 2:

Sand your spoon smooth starting with 80 grit sandpaper. "Raise the grain" by getting it wet with a wash cloth. Allow to dry. Sand with 120 grit and then 220 grit.

Step 3:

Slather Mike Mahoney's Walnut Oil or other food safe oil and allow the spoon to cure for 2 weeks. If it looks thirsty, add more oil.

Step 4:

Enjoy! Keep your spoon out of soaking water. Wash with dish soap and allow to air dry. If you leave it soaking in a sink, the wood will remember its a tree and start to drink the water which leads to cracking.

Not finished?

Freeze your spoon in a sealed plastic bag. Thaw for an hour in warm water before carving again.

How long is wood green?

2 to 4 weeks after a tree or branch is cut, provided you keep the ends sealed or store the log in a plastic bag to lock in moisture. Once a freshly cut log is split into rough spoon blanks, it will naturally begin to dry out.

Where to buy tools

Del Stubbs at Pinewood Forge makes excellent spoon tools. Located in Bemidji, MN

Reid Schwartz makes beautiful spoon tools.

Jojo Wood and Robin Wood's high quality tools.

Mora Knives #120 & #164 great intro tools buy from Ragweed Forge. (We sell them at the shop)

The Best Axe Ever Julia Kalthoff's carving axes (Sweden)

Medium Fav Axe Gransfor Bruks Wildlife Hatchet

Intro Axe Hida Tool in Berkley CA, imports tools from Japan.

Stay sharp by honing your knives. Strop and Honing Compound at Woodcraft.

Grainger's cut proof gloves.

Video Tutorials

How Does Wood Work?

Let's start with the basics. Learn about tree anatomy, how boards are milled out of a log, and how wood moves! When you start your next project, this video will help you feel confident that you've selected the right wood for your project.

Lumber Yard 101

Goodbye intimidation, hello making. Lumber yard jargon is intimidating! Learn the lingo so the next time you are at the lumber yard, you can get exactly what you want. Dive deeper into how wood is milled for lumber.

Sharpening Essentials

Keep your tools wicked sharp! Every project goes a lot smoother with sharp tools. Learn how to put a wicked sharp edge on a straight knife and a hook knife. Learn different ways to get a sharp edge through ceramic stones, diamond stones, and abrasive paper.

Finishing 101

A project is not complete until it has a beautiful finish. Learn the different options for finishing and how to prep your project to best receive your finish!

Videos by P & T Productions, Made in Minneapolis

Fireweed Community Woodshop

14 SE 27th Ave

Minneapolis, MN 55414

hello@ fireweedwoodshop.org

Class Policies

Donate