JT Olson Woodworking

07/11/2023

This is a very hard post to make and I’ve been thinking about the right words to say for weeks now, but the truth is that there are no words that are adequate.

On June 23rd, just 12 days after her 66th birthday, my mom passed away after a short battle with aggressive cancer. It came out of seemingly nowhere and has floored me and everyone else who loved her.

Cindy Olson was an amazing woman. Her childhood was not a great one. To say she came from an unstable home is putting it mildly. Despite the sh*tty hand she was dealt as a kid, she didn’t let it stop her from doing great things. At the age of 30 when I was only 4 years old my mom decided to put herself through college. Not only did she get an accounting degree in 4 years while mostly working a full time job and raising me, she graduated summa cm laude and at the top of her business school. I still remember sitting at the head table with the president of NMU with her at her graduation dinner.

I am so proud of her in so many ways, but none more so than how great of a mom she was. She didn’t let her own childhood guide her or jade her in any way. She was the most loving, caring, and supportive mom that I could have ever asked for, and she was my closest confidant whenever I was going through a hard time in my life. I really loved her a lot and I’m going to miss her everyday.

I’m normally a pretty private person when it comes to social media but I wanted to post this to remind whoever reads it to let those close to you know how much you love them. Life is finite and we can never know how much time we have with those that we love. And also, f**k cancer.

11/18/2019

Last week Ariel came by the shop to photograph a dining table that I recently completed. She brought our pup Horace to add some gratuitous cuteness. I’m not a big fan of posting pictures of myself, but I thought this one was pretty good. If you’d like to see more cute dog pics check out . He might be even lazier than me when it comes to social media posts, though.

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11/14/2019

Well, I had the best of intentions to take some really nice finished photos of my bench before I started using it, but much like it does to fun, work got in the way of that plan. I did take a few quick shots right after I put a couple coats of finish on. The finish was a diluted boiled linseed oil.

There’s also some other pictures of the process of building the base of the bench. The frame members of the base are 3 1/2” square maple and they’re assembled with large mortise and tenon joints with draw-bored pegs. It’s the first time I’ve draw bored anything and it worked so well I used the same technique to attach some breadboard ends of a table I just completed. The last thing I added to the bench was a sliding deadman which has holes for pegs that help support large pieces when they’re clamped in the front vise. Helpful addition, creepy name.
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@ Ishpeming, Michigan

10/29/2019

On three sides of the bench top there are 6” aprons. The front apron is flush with the front legs and the end aprons are keyed into the top and act as breadboard ends (hopefully) keeping the top flat. To connect the aprons to each other I used a standard blind dovetail on one end, and did a houndstooth dovetail on the end with the twin screw vise. Here are some pictures I took throughout the process. If you want some good pictures and tips on cutting a houndstooth dovetail I’d suggest checking out . He’s done a lot of them and I’m sure does them way more efficiently than me. But I’d say for my first attempt I pretty much fricken’ nailed it. There’s a chance this will be the only houndstooth dovetails I ever cut. I’ll certainly never do enough for a whole suit. Bah-dum-tss 🥁.
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@ Ishpeming, Michigan

10/22/2019

First “teaser” picture of my new bench. This shot shows off my new chain drive vise. Building the vise jaw and installing the vise was easily the most difficult and frustrating part of building the bench. The vise hardware is built very precisely, and for this reason if anything is off in the slightest it causes binding. And when I say “off in the slightest” I mean it. I’m a woodworker, not a machinist dammit! Anyways, I got it installed and functioning properly with only one innocent tape measurer being harmed by my frustration in the process.

There is 24” clear in between the screws of the vise meaning that I will now be able to clamp large boards and panels vertically with ease. The bench dogs (little brass thingies poking out of the jaw) will allow me to hold large panels horizontally on the bench top as well. No more having to bust out clamps when prepping a surface. I’m much excite!
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@ Ishpeming, Michigan

10/19/2019

This has been the only workbench I have ever known. She (or he, I never determined gender) isn’t the prettiest, or sturdiest, or functional bench, but it got me to where I am today. I slapped it together in the driveway of my house in Seattle when my “shop” was whatever room of the house was currently under construction. It has treated me well over the years, but a new bench has been long overdue. So, as this guy (or gal) moves on to greener pastures, my shop welcomes a new, vastly superior workbench. One that I have built over the past few weeks, and I hope will last me the rest of my career - and life.
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08/02/2019

The first half of 2019 has been mostly devoted to one project that just wrapped up a couple weeks ago. ⁠🎉 Here’s the main part of the kitchen. Cabinetry in butternut with custom walnut pulls. See the second photo for a close-up on the pulls. More pictures of the rest of the proj are on the horizon. 🌅

06/07/2019

Shop dog guards clamps, begrudgingly.

02/24/2019

02/18/2019

Thinking back on this bright and airy kitchen we completed this past year. counters on custom cabinets make for a gorgeous spot to spend a snowy day!

08/16/2018

Here's a couple of shots of some cool lift up bifold doors that use the Aventos hardware. Please note that the doors will lift up much higher, but Ariel took the pictures and she's a bit vertically challenged. The cabinets are grain matched quartersawn maple.
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// // @ Marquette, Michigan

08/07/2018

Yesterday we finally took some pictures of cabinetry that I built for and , some talented friends of ours who finished up a very cool remodel on their house this past winter. This is a picture of their master bath vanity. I'll post pictures of the kitchen soon.
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