May/June 2021 Archives - Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To

Figuring Out Figure

Journal Staff — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 20:44:44 +0000

Where a piece of wood is sliced out of a log affects the figure it will present. And the figure of the wood, often called the grain pattern or just the “grain,” strongly affects the appearance of your project. Within a single board you can sometimes find sections of flatsawn or cathedral grain, riftsawn and quartersawn grain. In addition, a board may often contain both heartwood (generally darker in color) and sapwood (often much lighter in color than the heartwood). How you make use of these variations as you create a project is one of the ways to lift your woodworking from regular to regal.

When Does it Matter?

Beautiful quartersawn white oak displayed in the frame-and-panel cabinet.

If you are building a set of storage shelves for your laundry room, worrying about the figure of the wood is an unnecessary step. Your concern there is strength and usability. (Can it hold all the laundry detergent and can you reach it?)

Compare the cabinet above to this an expertly carved flatsawn white oak panel.

In the same way, the interior and back of a cabinet or chest of drawers are often not seen and as such don’t benefit from a fancy figure. That’s why those components are regularly made from a less fancy secondary wood such as poplar or pine, because while they are structurally sound, they are also less expensive.

Where figure comes to the fore is in exposed areas that are the show faces of your furniture, such as the top of a table or sideboard, the drawer fronts on a chest of drawers or the doors of a tall cabinet. That is where you want to help your project show off and draw the viewer’s attention. It has the effect of a nice shirt and tie worn over a white cotton undershirt.

Other Considerations

Ash exhibits a strong vertical grain, used in this sideboard.

Once you become aware of the different types of figure available, even within a species, it is a great way to spice up the look of your projects. But just as food can become too strong to eat with an overload of spice, so too can excessive figure overpower a piece of furniture.

Ash also features a cathedral grain, such as in this rustic bench.

A large project constructed entirely of wood with a crazy wild figure can come off visually as a bit over the top. To keep that from happening, builders will often use exceptional grain in a specific area of a project only — say the top of a chest of drawers or the doors of a tall cabinet. And they will offset that feature with subtler figured wood of the same species to extend a sense of harmony throughout the design. This is one area where handmade furniture has a huge advantage over production pieces: you can choose where to accentuate with figure.

This box’s lid panel highlights the difference between walnut’s light-colored sapwood in the center and darker surrounding heartwood.

Another place where intense figure is not best used is where there is a lot of machining or carved detail. Using quartersawn white oak in the carved panel on the opposite page would have the figure fighting with the shape of the carving.

You are the Boss

Quartersawn mahogany’s ribbon-stripe figure is an eye-catching feature of this Arts & Crafts design.

You may have noticed that the directions here have been in the form of guidelines as opposed to rules. All of these choices are subjective, and there are likely no right or wrong decisions. Experimenting with the options is the best way to find your preferences. As stated earlier, this is one of the ways to truly enhance handmade furniture. Learning about figure in lumber is a fun way to advance your skill in the craft.

Lead Illustration by Ian Kirby.

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Magnetic Homemade Steady Rest

Reader Submitted — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:11:58 +0000

Here’s a homemade steady rest system I’ve created for woodturning. I built it using the wheels and mounts from a pair of old in-line skates. I fashioned the articulated joints for each of the three rests from hardwood and bolts. They mount to my Excelsior mini lathe’s bed using 150-lb breakaway Magswitch magnets I purchased from Rockler.

Once the rests are positioned and the magnets are turned on, tightening the bolts on the rests holds the wheels in place against a bowl or spindle. The system works great, and it can easily be retrofitted to any lathe.

– Al Fletcher
Mahtomedi, Minnesota

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Holder for Mitered Workpieces

Reader Submitted — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:50:08 +0000

Here is a convenient and easy way to secure mitered workpieces when you need to cut biscuit slots into their angled ends. Just clamp a long scrap rail across the bench, and clamp a second mitered scrap to it to act as a stop. Align this setup on your bench so you can insert your mitered workpieces into it and access the part end easily with the biscuit joiner.

I use this method when I need to create a lot of mitered frame parts, because it really speeds up the slot-cutting process.

-Dan Martin
Galena, OH

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Rockler: More Lumber, More Variety

Journal Staff — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 20:04:45 +0000

After testing out the concept at a couple of choice locations, Rockler Woodworking and Hardware stores are moving forward to expand lumber offerings. The goal is to make visiting a Rockler store an even more complete one-stop destination for project needs.

“Across the country there has been a significant increase in our customer demand for quality lumber to support home improvement, woodworking and other DIY project needs,” says Joe Kester, Rockler’s vice president of retail.

To help meet customer demand, many Rockler retail stores are more than doubling the amount of in-store lumber supplies.

In many stores, these expansions of lumber inventory are significant. For example, in Maplewood, Minnesota, the store’s lumber area has increased from 800 square feet to 2,600 square feet. The Sandy Springs, Georgia, store has also expanded its lumber display from 800 to 2,600 square feet. In Seattle, Washington, the store now offers 1,800 square feet of floor space for lumber — up from the previous 400.

So what’s on the racks? Shoppers will find hardwood such as walnut, hard maple, cherry, red oak and poplar, plus exotic species like mahogany, padauk, purpleheart, zebrawood and black limba. An expanded selection of high quality Baltic birch plywood in several sizes is also available for cabinet construction and small projects.

Along with more surfaced flat lumber, Rockler has expanded the slab and live edge selections.

Rockler now carries more live edge slabs for one-of-a-kind tables, an impressive variety of turning blanks for pens, handles and bowls, and a diverse assortment of veneer, including many flitch cut book-matched varieties.

More Lumber Services

Rockler has increased its selection of turning blanks.

These new areas are staffed by lumber experts who can help customers plan their material lists and select the right species and boards. Stores will also cut boards to length for free, so customers pay for only what they need. If additional milling is desired, the staff can rip or plane the lumber to the desired size for a fee.

Rockler is also expanding its online lumber offerings at rockler.com. If you haven’t visited a Rockler store, a locator on the website can help you find a location near you.

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PROJECT: Rolling Task Light

A.J. Hamler — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:48:46 +0000

Whether used as a raking light for finishing or for quick, wherever-you-need-it illumination, this articulating task light is on a roll.

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PROJECT: Cedar Potting Bench

Kimberly McNeelan — Wed, 19 May 2021 17:48:48 +0000

Here’s a sturdy outdoor project that offers plenty of room for pots and plants while it beautifies your yard.

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PROJECT: Cloud Lift Dining Table

Rob Johnstone — Wed, 12 May 2021 17:48:52 +0000

With a nod to the Greene brothers, this compact dining table offers style and functionality in a sturdy furniture piece.

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Woodworker’s Journal May/June 2021

Matt Hocking — Fri, 07 May 2021 19:53:22 +0000

Projects Include: Benchtop Tool Cart, Cedar Potting Bench, Rolling Task Light and Cloud Lift Dining Table.

Techniques: Figures, Varnishing

Tools: Carbide Insert Turning Tools, Task Lighting, Castle 110 Pocket Cutter

Wood: Longleaf Pine

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Cloud Lift Dining Table Templates and Drawings

Rob Johnstone — Thu, 06 May 2021 17:05:01 +0000

The apron and leg drawings and diamond inlay pattern for building Rob Johnstone’s Cloud Lift Dining Table from the May/June 2021 issue of Woodworker’s Journal.

Download the Pattern and Drawings Here.

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May/June 2021 What’s in Store Roundup

Matt Hocking — Wed, 05 May 2021 19:28:05 +0000

Rockler Foam Organizer Sheets

Rockler Dust Right Stacking Dust Ports

General International’s 850 SMART Auto Digital Table Saws

General Finishes Enduro-Var II

Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720

Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO

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