In the February 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking, we debut Design Matters, a column by George R. Walker that will give you the tools to tackle furniture design with skill and confidence.
Joinery details bring a special charm to a Stickley music cabinet and a Japanese soji screen provides the inspiration for a contemporary Soji cabinet.
Create a tapered-leg table in this issue’s I Can Do That project.
Provocative “upholstery” explores the tension between comfort and discomfort in a unique 988 chair.
Toolmaker Kevin Drake teaches you how to make turned tool handles.
Tom Fidgen constructs a hand-made cabinetmaker’s toolbox that is certainly One for the Road.
The Arts & Mysteries column shows you how to make Andre Roubo’s Try Square.
Jim Crammond revives a clever 19th-century tool and provides everything you’ll need to build a cam marking gauge.
Chairmaker Michael Dunbar explores traditional milk paint.
Bob Flexner helps you choose a spray gun.
We review Delta’s New Midi-lathe.
Rob Porcaro explores ways to create better vision in the shop.
Detailed article previews are below. Online Extras for this issue can be found inside each article.
Variable-speed portable lathe shifts into reverse to improve sanding. By Glen D. Huey Page: 28 From the February 2010 issue #181 Buy this issue now If you need a lathe in a small shop and don’t have the room or just don’t want to wrestle with a full-size machine, benchtop lathes are a great solution. … Read more
Tapered legs lighten the look and add ‘spring’ to a table’s design. By Glen D. Huey Pages: 26-27 From the February 2010 issue #181 Buy this issue now Small tables are useful just about anywhere in the home. They can be easy to build, but a good design is important. To make the design more … Read more
The details of this 18th-century tool will both please and puzzle you. By Christopher Schwarz Pages: 24-25 From the February 2010 issue #181 Buy this issue now One of the first tools I bought was a 9″ steel try square with a brass and rosewood stock. Like a supermodel, it’s nice to look at, but … Read more
Awaken your inner design sense with just a little practice. By George R. Walker Pages: 20-22 From the February 2010 issue #181 Buy this issue now Talk about design often leads back to the idea of developing a good eye. For a long time I wrestled with this; it seemed a bit like trying to … Read more
By Christopher Schwarz Page: 10 From the February 2010 issue #181 Buy this issue now There’s a story – likely apocryphal – that the Gillette Razor Co. cryogenically treats the tooling it uses to manufacture razor blades so that the tooling lasts longer before it needs to be replaced. The story goes that Gillette, however, … Read more
The Popular Woodworking Magazine collection of 3D SketchUp models has grown to include 168 models. We’ve been using SketchUp to plan our work for a couple years now, and it has made us all better and more accurate woodworkers. Shop time is precious and it’s nice to head to the shop with the wealth of … Read more
In early Gustav Stickley pieces, doors with divided lights were joined with mitered mullions. It’s an intriguing look, but was used only for a few years. My next project for the magazine has a divided door, and even though I haven’t been able to find an original example of the piece I’m building with mitered … Read more
