Broken Brain Woodworking

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

I take pride that I can do most of my woodworking with tools that are not the most expensive. With one exception. I did splurge on this one. As you can see from the dust it gets used often. Lol. It took a lot of cutting board sales to earn it but it's paid for itself many times now.

06/08/2026

I was able to save a piece of history from the trash today. This W. Doherty & Co. Organ was destined for the landfill until I intervened. The inside was full of mice damage but no mice thankfully. Lol. This one was made in 1901. I was able to save almost all of the original hand carved woodwork and plan on making some different shelves using them. I also got a good amount of tiger oak out of this organ which will be part of the shelves too.

06/04/2026

I had to break out the poor man's CNC today. Lol. Working on a memorial bench for a local family whose original one was damaged in the last tornado. It may look cheap but it works like a champ.

05/27/2026

A rainbow of colors hidden inside this early 1920s Grinnell Brothers piano. Now to make some amazing things out of it.

05/22/2026

I'm in Alma the next two days. Just a couple of blocks from the Highland festival. Come out and see me. There are also lots of other artists here also and a food truck that smells amazing. Please feel free to share. Have a great weekend.

05/16/2026

I'm all set up on MSU campus for their annual craft show. I'm in spot 248 in the blue area. Come and see me. There's also a lot of other great artists and vendors and food trucks here as well. I'll be here from 9-5pm today and 8-4pm on Sunday. I hope to see you. Have a great weekend.

05/14/2026

I finally got in! Lol. I've been trying to get into this show for a couple years now. This is my first show of the year. Come on out and visit and see if one of my unique items catches your eye. Please feel free to share. Thank you.

05/11/2026

Newer shorter style pianos usually do not have the type of material that I use for my woodworking. They are made from pine, plywood or particle board. That's why I don't take them very often. Most of it just heats my shop. The only useful part is the main beams on the back. They can be hardwood or in this case a beautiful hemlock pine. Add a little contrasting wood and you have a nice looking center piece.

05/11/2026

Sometimes the most unassuming part of the piano has the best wood. These two boards were the very bottom boards of different pianos where the brass pedals were mounted. Painted and never meant to be seen again. Well not in my shop. I turned the left board into two beautiful boxes that I will be taking to my next art show in two weeks. I lined the inside with oak from the same piano to cover up the pedal mount holes. The top are the original veneers of the same piano.