Modern Tree Collar 🎄, Firepit Chairs, and a Hidden Dovetail Table


Obsessed Woodworking


Good morning. In today’s newsletter, I’ve included a few builds that stand out for their creativity and craftsmanship. There’s a modern Christmas tree collar made with precise vertical slats, a round walnut coffee table with curved joinery and refined edges, and brewery-style beer flight boxes featuring brass accents and chalkboard labels. I also included a set of nesting firepit chairs that combine curved shaping with compact storage.

If you’re new to the newsletter, thank you so much for being a part of it—and if you’ve been around for a while, I truly appreciate your continued support -Matt

Daily Woodworking Projects:

=> Modern Christmas Tree Collar with Vertical Slat Design: Build holiday decor upgrade using two router-cut pine rings connected by 81 identical vertical slats with 15-degree chamfered edges. Features assembly jig for alignment, popsicle stick spacing guides, and crystal clear matte polyurethane finish for durable tree stand concealment.

=> Nesting Firepit Chairs with Curved Frame Construction: Build stackable outdoor seating using pattern-routed hardwood with dowel and mortise-tenon joinery for compact storage. Features template-guided bandsaw shaping, gravity-fit assembly, and oil-wax finish for backyard entertaining around smokeless fire pits.

=> Modern Raised Planter Box with Linear Slot Design: Construct elevated garden furniture using pressure-treated 2x6 boards with quarter-inch routed detail and stacked assembly. Features corner bracing reinforcement, nested base construction, and two-tone stain-and-paint finish for contemporary outdoor styling.

=> Walnut Serving Tray with Contrasting Maple Spline Corners: Build refined kitchen accessories using MDF templates with table saw spline jig and mitered frame joinery. Features curved bottom edges, routed base grooves, and Osmo Polyx-Oil finish for lightweight gift-worthy presentation.

=> Custom Walnut Coffee Table with Sliding Dovetail Top: Create client-commissioned furniture using locally sourced hardwood with planer sled flattening and adaptive board layout. Features mortise-tenon base joinery, sliding dovetail tabletop assembly, and hard wax oil finish for heirloom-quality living room pieces.

=> Everyday Hardwood Step Stool with Hand-Shaped Handle: Make practical household furniture using bandsaw cutouts with router-shaped handle and optional dowel reinforcement. Features carpet tape matched profiling, rounded safety edges, and customizable height for kitchen or workshop accessibility.

=> Plywood Dresser with Soft-Close Drawer Slides: Build bedroom storage using Kreg pocket hole assembly with edge banding and decorative trim options. Features jig-mounted slide installation, dado-bottom drawer boxes, and customizable paint or stain finish for organized home furnishings.

=> Modular French Cleat Workshop Wall with Custom Tool Holders: Install flexible storage system using 45-degree ripped plywood strips with stud-backed reinforcement and interlocking mounts. Features custom holder construction, countersunk screw attachment, and removable repositionable design for evolving tool collections.

=> Brewery Beer Flight Boxes with Brass Casing Corner Accents: Create commercial serving trays using rabbet-joined walnut with 9mm brass reinforcements and chalkboard labeling. Features pre-finished interior spray coating, leather branded badges, and Forstner-drilled glass recesses for batch production quality.

=> Three-Tier Walnut Paper Tray with Green Epoxy Accents: Build desk organization from scrap offcuts using mitered corner frames with grooved plywood bottoms and tilted stand. Features epoxy-stabilized angled panels, dado-cut tray slots, and beveled edge treatments for modern workspace functionality.

=> Single-Picket Cedar Birdhouse with Pitched Roof Design: Make beginner-friendly outdoor project using $3 fence board with hand tool construction and Forstner-drilled entrance. Features 45-degree angled panels, nail assembly, and natural weather-resistant finish for backyard wildlife habitat.

=> Round Modern Coffee Table with Curved Walnut Base: Design heirloom furniture using planer sled-flattened boards with template-routed legs and thumbnail edge profile. Features dowel leg joinery, mortise-tenon stretcher connections, circle jig shaping, and Natura Onecoat hard wax oil for refined curved aesthetics.

"Each plank…can have only one ideal use. The woodworker must find this ideal use and create an object of utility to man, and if nature smiles, an object of lasting beauty." - George Nakashima

Featured Video:

=> Waxed Glue Joints: A Simple Trick for Easier Cleanup

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Wood Species Guide for Woodworkers

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— Matt

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Obsessed Woodworking

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