While the enterprising opportunities of Eureka continue, the company now has new leadership. Wilk retired this spring, and Marcelo Quiroga has purchased the company from him. But, despite a change in leadership, Eureka’s core business plan will remain as before, providing a turnkey solution for woodworkers who want to turn their home shops into small-business furniture factories.

Quiroga purchased Eureka’s assets — a state-of-the-art woodworking shop and CNC machines — from Wilk in April. He says that, going forward, the company’s five employees will continue to operate out of Eureka’s 10,000 square-foot facility in Dallas.

A lifelong hobbyist woodworker, Quiroga learned the craft from his Bolivian father who made small projects for use around the house. He also recalls spending time with his friends at a local woodworking shop where they made gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as well as other things to play with.

“I got the privilege to be my father’s helper, and that provided me with the very basic woodworking skills of cutting, sanding and drilling … I still have a small wooden red truck that my dad gave me on my sixth birthday,” Quiroga says.

That childhood interest in woodworking led Quiroga to pursue degrees in industrial engineering and then business. Those skills directed him toward leadership roles in both the corporate world and his own entrepreneurial pursuits. Then, in the early 2000s, Quiroga’s professional interests intersected with his woodworking “roots” when he founded Boltimber. It was a Bolivia-based company that developed hardwood forest plantations in Latin America with the intent of importing the resulting timber into the U.S.

“That project didn’t continue due to political instability in Latin America,” Quiroga admits, “but it got me closer to the woodworking world again.”

And those varied business experiences and training will help Quiroga move Eureka Woodworks and its business-owner “producers” forward, he says. “I can now (focus) my expertise in strategy, operations, marketing and finance to the entrepreneurs that invest in Eureka’s business programs and embark on pursuing the American dream of owning their own business and destiny.”

In a nutshell, Eureka offers everything a woodworker needs to get an outdoor furniture business started, aside from the workshop and tools they already own.

“We provide all the know-how, jigs, templates and processes to manufacture the furniture quickly, consistently and with quality. (We also provide) all the sales strategies necessary,” Quiroga explains. “Once a customer becomes a Eureka producer, they become part of the family; they will receive all the technical support necessary.”

One of the appeals of a Eureka furniture business, Quiroga points out, is low initial investment. Quiroga says an entrepreneur can invest anywhere from around $3,995 up to $21,995, depending on the breadth of furniture they’d like to build and offer their customers. That startup cost includes all the jigs, templates and training materials, plus the lumber and hardware to make the first run of furniture.

“Once a woodworker manufactures and sells the furniture from the first run, they’ll recover about 70 percent of their initial investment, making it one of the lowest investments in starting a business available,” Quiroga says. “And after they buy lumber and hardware for the second run of furniture and then sell it, they’ll fully recover their investment and start enjoying their businesses with jigs, templates and know-how for years to come.”

Unlike some other startup opportunities, Quiroga clarifies that Eureka business programs are not franchises. There are no royalties, restrictions or quotas that could impact profit and growth.

Aside from offering startup business opportunities, there’s a second prong to Eureka Woodworks that keeps its shop and employees busy. Before Wilk retired, he expanded Eureka’s efforts into a new venture of building and selling promotional products for other companies. That’s a facet of the business Quiroga plans to continue and grow.

“Our motto is, ‘If it’s made out of wood, we can do it!’” he adds.

Lately, the company has been building everything from traditional racks and displays to logo-branded doghouses and even kids’ lemonade stands. Some of their corporate clients for promotional products have included Bai probiotics drinks, Captain Morgan, Malibu Rum and Skyy Vodka, plus many others.

But, the company’s core business will continue to be helping entrepreneurial woodworkers get their home-based businesses up and running, he assures. “We will continue to add new pieces of furniture to our furniture lines, evolve our jigs and templates and help our producers gain bigger participation in the multibillion dollar outdoor furniture industry that continues to grow year by year.”

Quiroga is also spearheading home-based woodworking business opportunities around the world. Eureka is currently working with woodworkers in India, Colombia and Australia.

“If you share our passion for woodworking, give yourself the opportunity to try our program. Enjoy the benefits of being your own boss, control your schedule and pursue financial independence,” Quiroga says. “Knowing that you can dictate your destiny is the ultimate sensation of stability. A low-risk, high-reward and proven business opportunity is knocking at your door today.”

To learn more about Eureka Woodworks and its business programs, click here.

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– Paul Guncheon
Wahiawa, Hawai

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– Rich Flynn
Huntington Beach, California

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The saw provides an on-track cutting depth of 2-1/8 in. with the blade set at 90° and 1-5/8 in. of cutting capacity when tilted to 45°. To make setting the cutting depth easier, there’s an Imperial-reading scale that accurately indicates exact depth of cut — the scale accounts for the thickness of the track from the bottom of the track down to 1/16 in. With its straight plunge and a parallel-link plunge mechanism, the saw can be used in a variety of ergonomic orientations.

Other features include an anti-kickback function integrated into the shoe: it prevents the saw from moving backwards along the rail or from climbing out of the workpiece when making plunge cuts. The saw’s variable-speed motor allows the user to change the cutting speed to best suit the material being cut. To keep the air cleaner during cutting, an enclosed guard provides 90 percent dust extraction efficiency when connected to a dust extractor, DeWALT reports. The saw’s included 6-1/2-in., 42-tooth carbide-tipped blade provides smooth cutting with little breakout in chip-prone laminates.

DeWALT’s dual-edge track allows for fast setup, because the saw can be oriented on either side of the track for cutting instead of on one side only. A rail adjustment feature allows the saw to be accurately positioned to layout lines.

DeWALT anticipates the saw will be available this summer. The FLEXVOLT® 60V MAX* 6-1/2″ Track Saw will come in several options. First, you’ll be able to buy it as a bare tool without battery, charger or track (model DCS520B) for $379. It will also come kitted with one 60V MAX* 6.0 Ah battery and charger for $499 as model DCS520T1. Or, you can get the saw, one battery and charger and a 59-in. track (model DCS520ST1) for $579. All of these options include a three-year limited warranty, one-year free service contract and 90-day money-back guarantee.

Other accessories, which will be sold separately, will include 46-, 59- and 103-in. tracks, track connectors, a miter gauge, track clamps and TSTAK® Kit Boxes.

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Chris Marshall: Whole-shop dust collection efficiency has quite a few variables to it that all impact how effectively your dust collector and ducting system will work. My first suggestion, Jim, is to get yourself a good reference book on the topic, such as Sandor Nagyszalanczy’s “Wood Shop Dust Control: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Own System.” It’s an excellent primer on the factors you need to consider to improve the system you’ve got.

Here are a few other thoughts. No, I don’t think you need a bigger dust collector. A 2HP machine should offer at least 1,200 CFM of draw — plenty for connecting to your table saw, planer, jointer and lathe. What you need are better “arteries” to your tools. If, for instance, you have a single 4-in. hose coming off of the dust collector that connects to all of your machines with branch fittings and additional hoses, that primary hose is starving all of the machines of air pressure. Add to that the fact that the “accordion” baffles inside the flex hose are also reducing airflow. So, yes, smooth-walled pipe (either metal or PVC) will increase airflow and dust collection efficiency. A larger main “trunk” line than a 4-in. hose would also help a great deal, then branch 4-in. hoses with blast gates off of that larger-diameter trunk line. Those branch lines should be as short as possible. Keep bends in the system to a minimum, too: use wye fittings and gradual bends instead of 90-degree elbows to help keep the air moving. And don’t forget to close the blast gates on those tools not being used to direct suction where you need maximum air draw. If you can help it, I also would avoid running your ductwork up to the ceiling — let gravity work for you instead of against you by running it horizontally along walls, at about the height of the tools’ dust ports.

These are just a few broad-stroke suggestions, but they all will help you get better performance from your dust collection system.

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– Betty Bassett

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“Believe it or not, my first full woodworking project was a bookcase for a young girl who I eventually married. I built it out of oak and stained  it dark. That was about 73 years ago, and we still have it.” – Phil Goldman

“When I was eight, I built a bookcase for myself. (My dad ensured I didn’t mangle myself.)  It is made from Douglas fir and the shelves are dadoed in using chiseled dadoes. I still have and use it some 70 years later.” – Ron Orr

“Like you, I was inspired by a woman. My first project was a cedar-lined maple hope chest offered as a wedding proposal gift.  The chest and the woman have been in my life now for 45 years.  And she still appreciates my woodworking gifts.” – Ray Potter

“Big freeze in Louisville, Kentucky, toppled cherry tree in my backyard. Pulled branches, etc. into basement and bought a Craftsman band saw on sale for $200 with my wife’s Sears discount. Made a lot of stuff. $4,000 later, I actually have a woodshop. It has been wonderful. I love to work the wood.” – Phil Zoeller

“My first project was a water wheel for my Mom.  The one my Dad built was old and rotting away, (he had passed away), so I built her one out of marine plywood.  Using hand power tools and a radial arm saw, which came with my newly purchased house, it served her well until she sold her house.  It was therapy for me after losing my Dad and it went surprisingly well.” – Al Micucci

Home improvement was a recurring theme. – Editor

“I guess my first ‘real’ woodworking project was an 18th century 18-room house. My first husband and I bought this nearly derelict monster when we had been married about two years, and I spent years working on its renovation. On that job, I learned to repair and sometimes duplicate moldings and raised panel walls, how to make miter joints, how to completely rebuild a double-hung window (we had about 70 of them), how to lay and finish a wood floor, and how to not throw hammers at the guy I was married to. Later, I took these skills and started making furniture and other stuff for my own use, such as this teardrop Appalachian dulcimer which needed strings, frets, and pegs when I took the photo, and this little cedar sailboat. I’ve rebuilt two other houses since then, and continue to make period reproduction furniture when I get the chance, although I am presently working on a house from scratch while I put together a farm in Alaska. With a different husband, though!” – Louise Heite

“My first ‘serious’ woodworking project was to replace a drawer in a built-in corner cabinet in the house my wife and I bought and still live in. The drawer was around 70 years old at the time and falling apart. Apparently even in the late 1920s, cabinetmaking could be ‘cheap.’ The ‘first aspect was that, in keeping with cabinet being in a corner, the drawer was five-sided.  After that, things have mostly seemed easier.” – J.W. Dougherty

We heard of first projects inspired by a futuristic TV show and an old-fashioned writing instrument. – Editor

“When I was a kid, my best friend’s dad was a cabinetmaker and had a shop in his basement. We were allowed to use hand tools and one old power drill. My buddy and I made ray guns out of wood so we could play Star Trek (my buddy’s were awesome, mine pretty plain).

“My first real project: I built a pair of 2-½ cubic/foot speakers for my stereo in high school. I only had a circular saw, jigsaw, power drill and some basic hand tools. Rabbits and dadoes were too tough to do with what I had, so I used butt joints with cleats to reinforce them. I used lots of glue and a ton of screws and covered them with a generic wood grain laminate. They went through various modifications and were my main speakers through and after college (many parties) in the early 80s. The laminate has all peeled off and I’ve modified what’s left of the cabinets even more and still use them for test cabinets today for designs I’m trying out. They aren’t pretty anymore, but still serve a purpose all these decades later.” – Bill Koski

“My first woodworking project was a blotter holder. The blotter was an absorbent piece of thick paper intended to draw excess ink from writings by a fountain pen. I really learned how to use a plane during that project, especially when making the surface for the blotter curved. The project was completed in the fall of 1953 in Mr. Cappel’s woodshop class at PS 89 in Brooklyn, New York. Unfortunately, the blotter holder was almost as useless then as today. The ballpoint pen was becoming the preferred writing instrument.

“Interestingly. a bit over 50 years later, in a college level hand tools class I was using the plane in the ‘Half and Half’ method to square up the end grain of a project. The instructor saw me using the technique. He demanded, ‘Where did you learn to do that?’ I explained and his next comment was, ’Let me try.’” – Rich Flynn

People had different perspectives on the changes in their skills and approach to woodworking since that very first project. – Editor

“My first project came a year or so after Kathy and I got married some 40 years ago, and I still catch flak off of it to this day. It was what I described as a water hose holder. If I was to repeat what others called it, you would ban me from ever writing to you again. It was constructed out of 2″ X 4″‘s and one 4’ X 4″ right up the middle. I built cross members for the ground as stability and, for the top, it had the same thing going across the 4″ X 4″ for the hose. I added a piece of 2″ X 4″ on the ends to secure them from bowing. Yes sir, it was nothing to brag about, but it was mine and I did it. Since then, I have paid very close attention to all of my magazine subscriptions, the hardbacks I read on woodworking and all of the YouTube videos I see to learn any new tricks. Since that day, some 38 years ago, I have built a few things that are, let’s say, really nice. As a matter of fact, I don’t make people laugh anymore with my woodworking. I make pretty good money off of it! Now who’s laughing?” – Dennis Young

“My first was a coffee table and a pair of matching end tables. The coffee table doubled as a large cribbage board. When I was a young boy, around seven or eight, my godfather took hold of my forearms and stared at my hands for a bit and decreed, ‘You’ll swing a hammer and be a carpenter.’ When I reached adolescence, I watched my stepfather build all kinds of things for our home: china cabinet, dressers, headboards, kitchen cabinets, etc. He was the ultimate scrounger; the kitchen cabinets that my mom treasured until she sold her home last year were made from cedar cross-arms salvaged from abandoned phone lines.

“It was from his salvage that I got the inspiration to make the table set. I had seen him make many of these cribbage tables over the years. He would salvage a solid core mahogany door and cut it into an ellipse shape, screw on some threaded table legs and ta-da, a coffee table.

“I was around 20 — just bought our first home and was doing some very basic home improvements. One day while shopping for parts and pieces, it popped out in front of me – like golden rays of light, through dark storm clouds. A 36-inch wide Philippine mahogany door slab with a small piece of damage on one of the corners. Too ugly to be a door, but sweet enough to make a matching set of end tables and cribbage board-coffee table. Up to this point I had no training, no instruction, just prophecy and observation.

“Although I had no practical experience, I did have my own personal philosophy on joinery. I, to this day, believe my best projects are devoid of nails and screws. In today’s busy lifestyles, the luxury of such joinery is not always practical. However, I decided as this was my first ever anything project it would be a no nails or screws project. The whole process would be doweled together, no screws, no nails. This would be my ultimate accomplishment, my crowning glory. I was 20 – how brilliant was I?

“I wrapped a piece of masking tape around my drill bit a few times to act as a depth-gauge. Before I drilled each hole into the legs, aprons and tabletop, my wife would stand at the side. She would instruct me to tilt more forward or backward. I would control left and right axis; once the ‘go’ word was given, plunge and do again and again for a total of 80 holes.

“As you can well imagine, it didn’t match up. There was always a slight deviation of axis from dowel to dowel. Holes didn’t seem to quite match up with some of the dowels. At first it seemed like such a mess, what was I thinking… But here’s the thing: it’s really kind of a fluid assembly. A pound here or there with a hammer, a push and pop and, all of a sudden, things sort of just squeeze into place. I wasn’t perfect, but it was close. I had created one crack on one of the dowel holes on a lower apron. One crack. All in all, they went together pretty good.

“When I talk of building those tables, I often used the term, ‘I was too stupid to know better.’ I still believe that to this day. My shop is now full of some of the finest machinery money can buy. My joints are tighter than ever, but of all the pieces I ever made, they were my finest. I’m 60 now and those tables are long gone. I wish I had them back. I would have fixed up the minor edge issue and let the rest stand as testimony for the courage to build without having it be all perfect to start. If you have an idea, do it – there will always be plenty of people to tell you why it’s not right or it could be done better. I have made the greatest strides in my life, when I was too stupid to know better. It’s about taking the smallest amount of information and ability and moving forward to complete the project.”  – Desie Kushniryk

Zero-Clearance Throat Plates

We also heard from a reader who had more to say, and pictures to share, regarding the zero-clearance throat plate presented in last issue’s eZine. – Editor

“I watched the recent video about making a zero-clearance insert and made a reply in the discussion section. I wanted to post a photo of what I discussed but was not able to do so.

“I have attached photos of the original insert; one of the many zero-clearance inserts I’ve made (similar to the one in the video); and one of the inserts I have been using for over three years now, through many, many standard blade changes, multiple dado cuts, and even blade angle cuts.  Initially, it was a bit more costly to make, but it has saved me time and money in the long run.  How many zero-clearance inserts work on multiple cuts and stand up to excessive use?  Mine does!

“Insert 002 is the original insert for the saw.  Insert 004 is a broken insert that survived without crashing into the saw and flying into hundreds of pieces. Insert 007 is my improved insert that has a much stronger flange and can stand multiple blade size changes including dadoes and angled cuts.” – Michael Madden

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