Issue 307
Issue 307
The Woodworking Fairs of August
You might think summer would be winding down in August, but for some of my woodworking tasks, it’s just gearing up. In the next week alone, I’ll be going to two different fairs. First, I’m participating in the judging for woodworking entries at the Minnesota State Fair. No bribes allowed — although I wouldn’t be averse to someone pointing me in the direction of the strawberry-rhubarb pie judging. Just sayin’.
Next week, several members of my staff and I are off to the races – the International Woodworking Fair® in Atlanta, one of the year’s big trade shows for introducing new woodworking tools. (Watch your emails next week for how we’re bringing more of that information to you.)
All in all, it’s shaping up to be a “fair”-ly good August in the woodworking world.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
Tricks of the Trade
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Shop Storage Trick for Dowels
I mounted a short length of plastic rain gutter downspout to my basement ceiling and found that it’s a perfect spot to store dowel stock.
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Easy Way to Remove Pencil Marks from Wood
I recently discovered that my stick of abrasive belt cleaner works great for removing pencil marks on wood.
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Using Clamp Blocks with Two Hands
When clamps are tightened, the pressure that’s concentrated at the jaws will often mar the surface of the workpiece.
What's In Store
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New 12-in. Delta Disc Sander Offers Easier Table Tilting
Typical 12-in. benchtop disc sanders usually have a pair of handles on either end of the table to adjust and lock the tilt setting, but Delta promises to make that set-up easier to accomplish.
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The Village Carpenter by Walter Rose
The Village Carpenter, recently reprinted by Linden Publishing, is the memoir of Walter Rose, a master carpenter and son and grandson of master carpenters in Victorian England.
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Rockler Undermount Utility Tray
Rockler’s new Undermount Utility Tray is a 16″ long tray made of galvanized steel that attaches to the underside of a work surface, keeping tools ready but without sacrificing work space.
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Mary May Carving School
Woodcarver Mary May is now running an online video woodcarving school.
Today's Woodworker
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Chris Yates: a Puzzling Woodworker
Chris Yates has been woodworking for what he figures to be around 18 years, from his early days of building sets for high school plays to studying at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Q & A
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What’s Black Oak Anyway?
I have found some black oak and was wondering how it compares to white or red oak. I have never used it or ever run across it before.
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Should a Rip Fence and Blade Be Parallel?
Should the fence be as parallel to the blade as possible, or should it toe into or away from the trailing edge of the blade?
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How Do I Fix Broken Chair Joints?
Can you recommend a book or an article which would tell me everything I need to know about fixing chairs?
Industry Interviews
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Schaffter, INCRA Develop Innovative New Box Joint Jig
Have you ever felt like throwing your box joint jig out the window when, after a long shop session, the pins and slots still don’t quite fit together?
Feedback
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Woodturning Reactions; Forstner Bit Sharpening Option
Our thoughts turned to woodturning in last issue’s eZine, which was a special issue devoted to the topic. Some readers liked that. Some didn’t.
Reader's Project Gallery
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Robie House Lighting Sconce
I made the sconces based on the Robie House dining room sconces. First I did CAD drawings of the original sconce and built two of them to prove the design.
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Multi-Purpose Game Board
I was given complete creative design on this chinese checkers. It was also my first attempt at a double-double box joint and also veneering. I used walnut, maple, cherry, and oak
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Dining Table
What made it unusual for me was that the boards were so massive that my machinery was useless. I had to do it by hand.
