Issue 212
Issue 212
A Merry Gift-mas
Now that my birthday of the year has passed (December 11, for those of you taking note for the future – I can write it on my staff’s calendars, but I can’t get to all of you), it seems that the focus has moved on to other December holidays – holidays when people expect me to give them gifts, instead of just receive (the nerve!).
In a more serious vein, I do love to share gifts with my family, particularly gifts that I make myself in my woodshop. This being an eZine aimed at woodworkers, I suspect many of you could say the same.
At this year’s Christmas celebration with my family, I’ll be giving my son a gift of an heirloom hunting knife that belonged to his grandfather – and my own addition to the gift will be a display box that I’ve built for the knife out of curly longleaf pine.
How about you? Are you busy building memories in your shops? If so, what are you making for gifts this year? Whether your family joins mine in celebrating Christmas, or your special December celebration is Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the solstice – or even another birthday – tell us here at the eZine what you’re making, and share some pictures if you have them!
(The next eZine comes out on December 30, so it won’t ruin any Christmas surprises – and don’t worry about me in that regard. My son might dabble in woodworking, but he’s not invested enough in dear old dad’s work to actually read the eZine.)
Q & A
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What’s Causing This Forstner Bit to Burn?
This woodworker is using a carbide forstner bit and having trouble with the speed.
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The Impossibility of ‘Perfectly’ Flat
What type of deviation or gap is really acceptable for the commonly used wood glues, like yellow, white, plastic resin, polyurethane and animal hide?
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High School Woodworking Tests?
Does anyone know of a national woodworking test that can be given to high school students for a credit?
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Filling Former Screw Holes
Is there some kind of epoxy that could be used which could also be sanded and painted?
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Replacing or Repairing a Table Saw Fence
The fence got knocked off my workbench one day, and I suspect that may be the sources of the problem. If I replace it with an aftermarket fence, what’s the best for the money?
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Burning Scrap Plywood
Can I burn scrap plywood in my fireplace, or is it toxic?
What's In Store
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Hold-Down Clamps from Leigh
Leigh’s Bench and Surface Hold-Down Clamps can clamp horizontally or vertically, allowing such uses as clamping on a drill press.
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Dust Right Expandable Hose from Rockler
Rockler’s Dust Right Expandable Hose is a 4-inch dust hose that expands (or compresses) to any length between three and 21 feet.
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DS18DSAL 18V Compact Pro Driver Drill from Hitachi
Hitachi’s first entry in a series of Compact Pro cordless tools is the 18-volt DS18DSAL Compact Pro Driver Drill.
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General International 90-200 Band Saw: Cut Taller Wood
Long ones, short ones — it’s unlikely that all the wood you need to resaw starts out at a uniform size. That’s why the key feature of General International’s new band saw, the 90-200 M1, is its adjustable height.
Today's Woodworker
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Michael Gurian: A Phoenix Up From the Ashes
When word came of the disastrous fire at the Gurian Guitar plant, a lot of fellow guitar makers felt something more than mere sympathy.
Industry Interviews
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WoodLINKS USA: Generating Woodworkers for the Industry
I went on to college, because I was told that was what I must do. In fact, I had a great Industrial Arts (IA) program in high school, but it nevertheless carried the onus that what you did there was simply a hobby and had no value beyond that.
Feedback
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Hinges, Purpleheart, GIs and Typos
Our plans for a plate holder caused one reader to come unhinged, so to speak.
Editor's Blogs
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Who Is It Really for?
I start thinking of my Christmas gifts ahead of time. Giving shop-made gifts does require a bit more advanced planning. One of the things we woodworkers really need to decide early on is who are we making the gift for.
Reader's Project Gallery
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Tables
We bought a small place in Tucson to spend more time with our grandchildren. However, the big beautiful shop I…
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Dining Table
I built this table for my oldest daughter’s family from cherry. There are twin trestles joining the pedestals. I put…
