Issue 520
Issue 520
Rustic Wood — Really?
While I don’t wear shorts, black socks and sandals, there is something that’s making me feel a bit over-the-hill. There is a newish trend in woodworking where splintery, gray, cracked and weathered, and generally abused (some might call it rotten) lumber has become something to be desired. I see tables made from it, walls covered with mismatched chunks of the stuff, and even “fine furniture” like dressers or credenzas crafted from the landfill fodder. All I can say is that some folk’s saw blades are missing a few teeth.
I am not saying that distressed wood can’t look good as an accent. Or that, in a rustic room with cow horns on the walls and brass Frederic Remingtons on a desk, that it might not be just the thing. But fine furniture? Costing thousands of dollars? Like I said, I am feeling like I am not “with it.”
So pass me my AARP card and get out of the way of my Hoveround®.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
Industry Interviews
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Knew Concepts: Meek Discusses Premium Handsaws
Strong, lightweight fret and coping saws offer easier blade clamping and pivoting.
Tricks of the Trade
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VIDEO: Which Dust Mask Should Woodworkers Wear?
If you’re protecting yourself from dust, you should always try to capture the dust at the source with a shop vacuum or dust collection system, but you should also protect yourself by covering your nose and mouth with a good dust respirator.
What's In Store
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StudMark™ Magnetic Stud Finders
Rare-earth magnets locate screws or nails in drywall instead of electronics, for calibration- and battery-free convenience.
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Leigh Box Joint & Beehive Jig
Economical box-joint cutting system uses a finger template and patented, adjustable guide bushing to make 1/2- and 3/4-in. box joint patterns with a router or router table.
Q & A
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Sealing End Grain on Painted Letters?
Is there a way to seal the end grain on carved letters so it won’t soak up too much paint?
Reader's Project Gallery
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Mobile Stack Rack
This reader built a mobile stacking rack for drying nuts and vegetables, but you can use it for laying out and drying just about anything around the house or in your workshop.
Feedback
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Reader Reactions: Oilstones, Track Saws, Fractal Burning
Readers share tips on flattening oilstones, thoughts on track saws, and safety concerns regarding fractal burning.
