Issue 270
Issue 270
Watch a Good Work
At an unholy hour Thursday morning, I will begin a pilgrimage to Chicago. The reason? Yours truly, along with Woodworker’s Journal field editor Chris Marshall and regular contributor George Vondriska, will be building a guitar this weekend, live on the Craftsman Experience.
We’ve set a lofty goal to finish our steel string guitar kit between Friday night and Sunday — because we’re building it for Guitars for Vets (G4V), an organization that donates guitars to veterans suffering from post-traumatic shock disorder.
This weekend’s plan, sponsored by Craftsman Tools, Woodworker’s Journal and WXRT radio, is to build the guitar and have it auctioned off to support the G4V program. As you watch the three of us (keep your “stooges” comments to yourself, thank you) live on the web, you can ask us questions as we build, and listen to the live music.
See you on the web!
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
Tricks of the Trade
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Easy-to-adjust Drawer Faces
When I build drawers with applied faces, here’s how I make the faces easy to adjust.
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Connecting the Dots
I keep sheets of colored adhesive dots in the shop to use for part assembly.
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Keyed into Easier, Accurate Box Joint Setups
Box joints make for strong construction, but I always found the pin-style miter gauge jig for my router table fussy to set up.
What's In Store
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Rockwell BladeRunner™
If you’re a woodworker who values versatility as much as value in your tool purchases, Rockwell’s new BladeRunner benchtop saw could be quite appealing.
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Forrest Signature Line Chop Master Blade
Forrest’s latest addition to its Signature Line of Chop Master Blades is designed for use with the Festool Kapex KS 120 sliding compound miter saw.
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Traditional Bowyer’s Encyclopedia
The Traditional Bowyer’s Encyclopedia by Dan Bertalan is now available in a paperback edition from Skyhorse Publishing.
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RIDGID® R4512 10″ Cast Iron Table Saw
RIDGID’s R4512 Cast Iron Table Saw has a table made from milled and polished cast iron to reduce vibration and provide a flat, level surface for cutting.
Today's Woodworker
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Kevin Rodel: Design With History in Mind
Kevin Rodel started his career with a sociology degree but, a couple of years after college, “I was disenchanted with social work and rediscovered how much I really liked working with my hands.”
Q & A
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Removing Rust Rings from Cast Iron?
Could someone tell me how to clean rust and rings left by someone leaving glass on my table saw?
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How Thick Should a Butcher Block Countertop Be?
On a top this large, is it appropriate to build it in 12′ – 13′ sections that then are glued together for the final phase?
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Anchoring a New Railing?
I want to replace it with a walnut railing, but I’m not sure how best to anchor it so it will provide proper support and safety.
Feedback
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Whither the Weather…
In response to Rob’s editorial in the last eZine, which related Minnesota’s brief winter thaw — hopes that were then crushed by numerous inches of snowfall — eZine readers shared their own weather woes.
Reader's Project Gallery
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Red Oak Dresser Set
I’m 16 years old and I made this red oak dresser, dresser-top valet, and mirror with money I got for my 16th birthday. I used Minwax Golden Oak Stain and two coats of Minwax High-Build Polyurethane.
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Black Walnut & Maple Fish Tank Stand
This is a fish tank stand I made for my 75 gallon tank. I used Black Walnut that has been air drying over 40 years and curly Maple.
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Silverware Chest
I built this silverware cabinet from black walnut my Dad and I harvested from the family farm in the 1960s when I was 12 or 14 years old.
Industry Interviews
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Elkhead Tools: Satisfying a Niche for Premium Screwdrivers
If a screwdriver carries the same value for you as a premium plane or chisel, you’re exactly the customer for whom Elkhead Tools is building premium screwdrivers, one small batch at a time.
