Free articles in roughly alphabetical order to help you if you'd like to customize or build your own desk, and some other things.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Bed made quickly
When your inflatable spare bed needs a platform in a hurry.
Board Jack
Gives extra support for long boards.
Breadboard ends
One way to make breadboard ends for desktops using hand tools.
Butler's tray hinge repair
Put the spring back in those hinges.
Cautionary tale - "It only took five minutes to draw . . ."
Adventures in making a rustic bench.
Climb the Mountain
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.7 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/08/typing-assignment-no7.html
Customizing your desk
Make your desk work better for you.
Desk experiences
Why the right desk is important
Daylight on your monitor screen
Stopping reflections obscuring your view
An Englishman in a Queue at the Bank - Inner Monologue
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assgnment No.21 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCR8Kf6JeYI&t=3s
The Future
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.13 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTv1VQCyWL8
Halloween Thoughts
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.11 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/10/typing-assignment-no11.html
Hanging Out
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.3 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/07/typing-assignment-3.html
Hand tools - why I use them
Practical reasons.
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 23 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9dSNZxccfQ
A Hypothetical Story in the Life of a Stranger that I Periodically See
Jo Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.9 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-qKZ6XCKm4
iPad stand from an 18th century French bookstand
Inspiration from André Roubo via Roy Underhill and Popular Woodworking Magazine.
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.5 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/07/typing-assignment-no-5.html
Laptop stand, adjustable
Using a fascinating wooden hinge build the laptop stand Greene and Greene might have designed, if they were still alive today.
Last Plate of the Day
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.17 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0ejdvrmpWI
Model making
A model can be more useful than a drawing.
A Notable Person in My Life
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.6 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47MmG_EM3bQ
Out and About
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.19 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiDV6ZVm73w&t=18s
Ozma, the story of a typewriter
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.1 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/06/typing-assignment-1.html
A Personal Artifact - My Dad's Stanley Hand Drill
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.16 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEFJMHjHk3w&t=62s
Pet Peeve
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.20 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hxi39q7wo
The Quick Brown Fox
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.4 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/07/typing-assignment-4.html
Rolling PC tower support
Putting the PC under the desk, but keeping it accessible
Science Fiction
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.18 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1efrTedcwc&t=53s
Sewing machine table customization
Fitting a sewing machine table to a different machine
Sewing machine table hinge upgrade
Improving the surface of a sewing machine table
Shelves, adjustable
Points to consider with adjustable shelving in casework.
Storage (where to put things)
Thoughts on storage.
A Summer Road Trip
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 22 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWZtBJsRZVQ
Ten Years from Now
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.15 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO0BOPn1ECc&t=86s
Typewriter - Adler J5, 1974, Replacement Feet
A Hypothetical Story in the Life of a Stranger that I Periodically See
Jo Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.9 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-qKZ6XCKm4
iPad stand from an 18th century French bookstand
Inspiration from André Roubo via Roy Underhill and Popular Woodworking Magazine.
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.5 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/07/typing-assignment-no-5.html
Laptop stand, adjustable
Using a fascinating wooden hinge build the laptop stand Greene and Greene might have designed, if they were still alive today.
Last Plate of the Day
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.17 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0ejdvrmpWI
Model making
A model can be more useful than a drawing.
A Notable Person in My Life
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.6 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47MmG_EM3bQ
Out and About
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.19 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiDV6ZVm73w&t=18s
Ozma, the story of a typewriter
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.1 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/06/typing-assignment-1.html
A Personal Artifact - My Dad's Stanley Hand Drill
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.16 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEFJMHjHk3w&t=62s
Pet Peeve
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.20 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hxi39q7wo
The Quick Brown Fox
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.4 - see http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/07/typing-assignment-4.html
Rolling PC tower support
Putting the PC under the desk, but keeping it accessible
Science Fiction
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.18 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1efrTedcwc&t=53s
Sewing machine table customization
Fitting a sewing machine table to a different machine
Sewing machine table hinge upgrade
Improving the surface of a sewing machine table
Shelves, adjustable
Points to consider with adjustable shelving in casework.
Storage (where to put things)
Thoughts on storage.
A Summer Road Trip
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 22 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWZtBJsRZVQ
Ten Years from Now
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.15 - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO0BOPn1ECc&t=86s
Typewriter - Adler J5, 1974, Replacement Feet
Decent rubber feet available through eBay.
Typewriter Carriage Release Lever Repair
Replacing broken plastic levers for a Sears Citation with brass tubing.
Typewriter Carriage Release Lever Repair
Replacing broken plastic levers for a Sears Citation with brass tubing.
You will need a wire coathanger and a small electrical zip tie.
A meccano or Erector Set plate does the job. If needed, you can replace a perished rubber tube that holds the tabs in place as part of this.
A popsicle stick, two 3/8” wide rare earth magnets, and a 5 1/2” steel strip (Meccano or Erector set ones are ideal) to get the settings right for this.
Two magnets and a length of coathanger wire so you can see what you've written.
Typewriter paper support anyone can make (Remington Quiet Model 1)
Typewriter paper support anyone can make (Remington Quiet Model 1)
and Royal Standard Portable Model 0
All you need is a popsicle stick and a spring-type clothespeg.
All you need is a popsicle stick and a spring-type clothespeg.
This uses plastic-covered garden wire.
Typewriter Replacement Case for a Remington Noiseless 7
When the moldy smell is too much to handle.
Typewriter - Replacing Disintegrated Acoustic Foam
Looks like sand in your vintage machine? Could be the old foam.
Typewriter - Sears Citation - Replacement Carriage Release Levers
Elegant brass replacements for broken plastic levers.
Typewriter Spool Clip Replacement for a Folding Corona 3
Replacement clip made from brass tubing
Typewriter Spool Covers
Making replacement covers for a Remington Noiseless 7 machine from brass.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Typewriter Spool Covers - The Quick Way
Making replacement covers for a Remington Noiseless 7 without using a lathe.
Typewriter (or Laptop) Stand
A comfortable single pillar design.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Typewriter tab stops
Brass tab stops for a Remington Noiseless 7 typewriter.
Typewriters as writing tools
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 2 - see: http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/06/typing-assignment-2.html
The Underdog
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.14 - see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcr15yxEFt8
Why I'm Thankful for a Typographical Error
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 12 - see: http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/11/typing-assignment-no12-thanksfulness.html
Workbench
If you are starting from scratch and need a good, solid workbench with amazing work holding options, then consider building my "Walk-around" woodworking bench, originally designed for narrow shops.
Workbench Design published details of my design, and Lee Valley Tools of Ottawa has published an article. Links to these articles and to 3D models I've drawn in SketchUp for clarity are included.
Writing in the style of my favourite author
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.8 - see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peCv0v8HB4g
Typewriter Replacement Case for a Remington Noiseless 7
When the moldy smell is too much to handle.
Typewriter - Replacing Disintegrated Acoustic Foam
Looks like sand in your vintage machine? Could be the old foam.
Typewriter - Sears Citation - Replacement Carriage Release Levers
Elegant brass replacements for broken plastic levers.
Typewriter Spool Clip Replacement for a Folding Corona 3
Replacement clip made from brass tubing
Typewriter Spool Covers
Making replacement covers for a Remington Noiseless 7 machine from brass.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Typewriter Spool Covers - The Quick Way
Making replacement covers for a Remington Noiseless 7 without using a lathe.
Typewriter (or Laptop) Stand
A comfortable single pillar design.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Typewriter tab stops
Brass tab stops for a Remington Noiseless 7 typewriter.
Typewriters as writing tools
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 2 - see: http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/06/typing-assignment-2.html
The Underdog
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.14 - see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcr15yxEFt8
Why I'm Thankful for a Typographical Error
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No. 12 - see: http://joevancleave.blogspot.com/2017/11/typing-assignment-no12-thanksfulness.html
Workbench
If you are starting from scratch and need a good, solid workbench with amazing work holding options, then consider building my "Walk-around" woodworking bench, originally designed for narrow shops.
Workbench Design published details of my design, and Lee Valley Tools of Ottawa has published an article. Links to these articles and to 3D models I've drawn in SketchUp for clarity are included.
Writing in the style of my favourite author
Joe Van Cleave's Typing Assignment No.8 - see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peCv0v8HB4g
