Popular Woodworking Magazine » June 2011 #190

Monticello’s Stacking Bookcases

Article Index — Sat, 14 May 2011 10:31:15 +0000

Thomas Jefferson’s book boxes became the foundation of the Library of Congress.By Christopher Schwarz Pages 24-29From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowI like to think of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library as America’s first “bookmobile.”When the British burned down the nation’s capitol in 1814, the inferno took with it many of the books owned by the government of our young nation. Lucky for us, Jefferson had a personal library of about 6,700 books – an astonishing accomplishment for the time.Video: Watch a free video of the author cutting the easy mitered dovetail. SketchUp: Click here for the free SketchUp model of this project. Blog: Read about Southern furniture on our editor’s blog. Web site: Take an online tour of Monticello and see the 1959 book boxes. To buy: “Building 18th-Century American Furniture” by Glen D. Huey. In our store: DVD: Cheating at Handcut Dovetails.From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now Read more »

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Jasmine Jewelry Box

Article Index — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:05:57 +0000

Simple tools, techniques & joinery deliver elegant results. By Gary Rogowski Pages46-51 From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now It’s the stuff of arguments: Which tools in the shop are really the most important for joinery? It’s almost like arguing the top movie or the best shortstop of all time. There is … Read more »

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Caddy for Your Tea, Governor?

Article Index — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:02:45 +0000

Use unconventional techniques to create a traditional tea caddy.by Glen D. Huey pages 36-39From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowEngland began to import tea about the middle of the 17th century. When first introduced, tea was expensive, so it was a drink affordable only to the wealthy. That, of course, was an invitation to smugglers who, during the next 100 years, drove down the cost to make tea available to the masses.As the demand for tea increased, the need to store and protect the tea leaves also grew. By the mid-1800s, woodworkers were making wooden tea caddies of single-, double- or triple-compartmentalized boxes.Traditionally, caddies are a study in veneer. The boxes are built in pine, oak or mahogany, then veneered with figured hardwoods and inlaid with intricate designs. While my caddy has figured hardwood and striking inlay, there is no veneer. This is how to accomplish similar results using methods that are much more simple.Video: Watch as a fan is sliced, marked and trimmed for the tea caddy. Video: Watch Rob Millard create a traditional fan inlay using veneer. Web site: Get more information on inlay bandings, including shop-made designs. In our store: Pick up a great book on creating beautiful inlaid boxes. Free SketchUp Model: Click here for the free SketchUp model of this project Read more »

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The Craft Classics in Just 5′

Article Index — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:36:26 +0000

Fight woodworking ignorance 15 minutes each day.By Christopher Schwarz Pages: 30-35From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowIn 1910, Harvard University President Charles W. Eliot laid out a plan that allowed every man and woman to get the basics of a liberal education by reading for 15 minutes a day from a list of books that fi t on a 5'-long shelf. Called “Dr. Eliot’s Five Foot Shelf,” the 51-volume set of books were later renamed “The Harvard Classics” and are still a must-read list for people with ascots, pocket squares and elbow patches on their corduroy jackets. Eliot’s list is comprised of everything from Charles Darwin and Cervantes to Descartes and Confucius.What does this have to do with woodworking? Every week – if not every day – readers ask us for book recommendations. What they are mostly looking for is a single woodworking book, that will cover everything they need to know about every aspect of the craft, that they can refer to for the rest of their lives. Oh and it would be nice if it were $10. That book doesn’t exist. But the idea of Dr. Eliot’s Five Foot Shelf inspired me to compile a 5'-long shelf of woodworking books that would make you a well-rounded and well-read craftsman. And though I have a sizable woodworking library, I also know that my interests are a little too narrow. I like traditional texts and traditional furniture.So I enlisted the help of the magazine’s staff and asked them to bring in the books that they consider essential to their woodworking. Then I built a 5'-long shelf and we spent a long morning debating the merits of each book before we placed it in the shelf.Video: See a short clip of all the books fitting on our 5' shelf. Article: Find out reader responses about their favorite books in the comments section of this blog post. Blog: Christopher Schwarz’s has posted about a number of his favorite woodworking books under "required reading" on his blog. To buy: We carry many of these books in our store. Read more »

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Secrets of the Sector

Article Index — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:52:56 +0000

Just 2 sticks and 1 hinge will eliminate both math and errors from your layout work.By Jim Tolpin Pages:40-45From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowIf you haven’t heard of the sector, it probably means you aren’t an artisan or a ship’s navigator living and working in the 17th and 18th centuries.An invention attributed to Galileo, the sector is a calculation instrument comprised of a pair of hinged sticks engraved with a variety of scales that – coupled with a pair of dividers – enabled you to solve trigonometry, division and multiplication problems (amongst other functions).Video: Watch a sector in use in the shop. Web site: Visit the Port Townsend School of Woodworking’s web site. To buy: “The New Traditional Woodworker” by Jim Tolpin. In our store: “Measure Twice, Cut Once” by Jim Tolpin.From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now Read more »

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Combination Squares

Article Index — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:50:10 +0000

Choosing and using this must-have measuring and layout tool.By Robert W. Lang Pages: 52-55From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowIn 1878, Laroy S. Starrett designed and patented the combination square. His invention was a multipurpose layout and measuring tool for machinists and it was rapidly adopted in the trade.Woodworking books of the period don’t mention this tool. After all, the try square and marking gauge were common and effective, so it took a while for the transition from machine shop to cabinetshop. Today, most woodworkers own a combination square, but few know all of its uses, and many try to get by with inferior versions.Article: Read about using a combination square for layout on our blog. Video: Learn how to fix a combination square when it's out of square. Web site: Visit the L.S. Starrett web site for history and a full catalog. To buy: Shop where the machinists shop at McMaster-Carr.com. In our store: Jim Tolpin’s book “Measure Twice, Cut Once” is a worthy tome.From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now Read more »

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End Grain: Workshop Radicals

Article Index — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:38:07 +0000

Farewell TV, DVDs and http.By Roy Anderson Page 64From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowOne of my more serious-minded friends asked me why I was a woodworker. I replied that I’m just here to have a good time playing in my woodshop. No, he insisted. That’s not good enough. You’ve got to have a theory, a woodworking philosophy.“Huh?” I adroitly responded. But I will admit, he planted a seed. Not wanting to appear inadequate, I came up with a personal philosophy. So here goes.Blog: Editor Christopher Schwarz has recommended a number of books on his blog about all aspects of woodworking.From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now Read more »

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Glossary

Article Index — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:00:36 +0000

Page 62From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowWoodworking’s lexicon can be overwhelming for beginners. The following is a list of terms used in this issue that may be unfamiliar to you.Blog: Read more about dividers on George Walker’s Design Matters blog. Article: Learn how to grind and sharpen a jack plane.From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now Read more »

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Flexner on Finishing: Lacquer Thinner

Article Index — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:52:21 +0000

This solvent is unique.By Bob Flexner Pages: 58-60From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue nowLacquer thinner is the thinner used for all types of lacquer (not waterbased finishes, which are sometimes misrepresented as “lacquer”). These include the most common lacquer – nitrocellulose lacquer, colorless CABacrylic lacquer and the most durable lacquer – catalyzed lacquer.Of all solvents used in wood finishing, lacquer thinner is by far the most unique because it is the only one made up of a half-dozen or so individual solvents. By varying the solvents used, manufacturers control the strength of the lacquer thinner and the speed of evaporation.Articles: You’ll find many finishing articles online at our web site. To buy: Get Bob Flexner’s new book, “Flexner on Finishing.” Articles: To spray lacquer inside, you need a spray booth and exhaust system – here’s an affordable solution.From the June 2011 issue #190 Buy this issue now Read more »

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Tricks of the Trade

Megan Fitzpatrick — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 17:08:28 +0000

From the June 2011 issue #190Buy this issue nowOur winning Trick of the Trade this month is Mary Nickol's "Multi-use Bench Hook." Mary wins a $250 gift certificate from Lee Valley Tools.To have your Trick considered for publication (we buy all rights to published Tricks), submit it via e-mail to Popwoodtricks@fwmedia.com, or by mail to Tricks of the Trade, c/o Popular Woodworking Magazine, 4700 E Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236.Click here for the SketchUp model of Mary Nickol's Multi-purpose Bench Hook.Our Tricks on Video this month is from Dan Urban – it's a clever way to keep cords in control as you work:Carabiner Cord Holder When I am using a corded tool such as a sander, drill or router, the cord gets in the way or catches on something. My solution is to attach a large carabiner to my belt or belt loop. I run the power cord through the carabiner, which puts it where I want it – out of the way. If I’m moving around a lot and need even more control, I attach a second carabiner to the belt loop behind me and run the cord through it as well. Carabiners can be found at your local hardware store. Dan Urban Glen Ellyn, IllinoisWe tried it out, and filmed this video for your viewing pleasure. Read more »

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