Popular Woodworking Magazine » October 2011 #192

Try for Your Best Work

Article Index — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:47:15 +0000

Make the square that launched Bridge City with tools found in most home shops.By John Economaki Pages: 28-33From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue nowFrom 1977-1983 I made my living as a studio furniture designer and maker. In addition to making furniture, I found most of the hand tools available at the time so uninspiring and inconsistent with the craftsmanship values I was trying to impart in my furniture, that I made my own.VIDEO: Watch our "5 Questions" video interview with John Economaki. VIDEO: Watch a short clip of John teaching a toolmaking class. BLOG: Read John’s funny blog about furniture design and making tools. WEB SITE: Bridge City Tool Works, John’s day job. TO BUY: “Tool Making for Woodworkers” by Ray Larsen. IN OUR STORE: “Metalwork for Craftsmen” by Emil F. Kronquist.From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue now Read more »

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I Can Do That: Small Bench

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:32:45 +0000

This simple seat is ideal for a hallway or porch. By Megan Fitzpatrick Pages: 26-27 From The October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue now This project is inspired by a period choir bench in my mom’s dining room – but I modernized the Gothic revival design of the original with sweeping curves on the … Read more »

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I Can Do That: Spastic Susan

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:27:14 +0000

Make a Sherpa of a dining table centerpiece that goes the distance. By Mag Ruffman The modest Lazy Susan is a staple on circular dining tables. Everyone can reach out and activate its convenient, if sluggish, spinning action in order to self-serve their favorite condiments from a jumble of bottles, shakers and jars. The unseen … Read more »

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The Best Oak Money Can’t Buy

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:18:27 +0000

The cost of this stock is physical exertion, but it’s fun and rewarding. By Peter Follansbee Pages: 38-43 From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue now VIDEO: Watch bodger Don Weber split a log. BLOG: Read Peter’s blog on period shop practices and joinery. TO BUY: “17th Century New England Carving,” a new … Read more »

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Portuguese Table

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:45:46 +0000

A clever design yields portable functionality.By Ajax Alexandre Pages: 44-47From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue nowMy father-in-law gave me a table just like this one on our last trip to Portugal. He picked it up in Serra de Monchique, a small mountain village in the Algarve in the southern part of the country. He has a good eye for design, and knew I would appreciate the simple, ingenious way the table folds up. Because it is so light, compact and strong, it could also serve as a stool. And, when my family returned home, it fit easily into my suitcase. CORRECTION: There were errors in the dimensions of the drawing published with the article, and in the cutlist. Click Here for the correct dimensions. VIDEO: See how the table folds up. WEB SITE: Check out the region in Portugal where this table is built. TO BUY: “The Table Book.” IN THE STORE: “500 Tables: Inspiring Interpretations of Function and Style.”From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue now Read more »

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Portuguese Table Corrections

Robert W. Lang — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:44:03 +0000

There were a number of errors in the illustrations and cutlist for the Portuguese Folding Table in the October 2011 issue. The table has four arms, not two as stated in the cut list, and the correct dimensions are in the PDF file available at the link below. Portuguese Table Correct Dimensions

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Tool Test: General’s Beefed-up Mortiser

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:50:36 +0000

A hefty machine doesn’t dance around a bench.By Glen D. Huey Pages: 18-20If your woodworking involves a lot of mortise-and-tenon joinery, you need a dedicated mortise machine. The new 5⁄8" hollow chisel benchtop mortiser from General International (model #75-040 MI) is an excellent choice.VIDEO: Take a video tour of this machine at popularwoodworking.com/oct11. Read more »

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A Teacup & 8 Dinner Plates

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:40:45 +0000

Not only living beings retain a soul; some objects do as well.By Toshio Odate Pages: 52-55From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue nowThe word “Pantheism” is defined as “the religious belief or philosophical doctrine, which identifies the universe with God.” And, “The doctrine that God is not a personality, but that all laws, forces and manifestations, etc. of the universe are God.” God is everything and everything is God.WEB SITE: Shinto beliefs are among the oldest recorded religious ideologies in the world. Read more about Shinto and its lasting effect on Japanese culture. TO BUY: “Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit, and Use,” by Toshio Odate. IN OUR STORE: Toshio’s Ash Dining Table story appears in two parts in our August 2010 and October 2010 issues.From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue now Read more »

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Make a Chair That Rocks

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:40:04 +0000

A little geometry and a simple prototype ensure a pleasant ride.By Jeff Miller Pages: 48-51From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue nowI recently set out to design and build a new rocking chair. I’ve designed and built a handful of rockers, but my past efforts didn’t rock as well as I would have liked. I have confidence in my ability to make a comfortable “regular” chair, but it seemed like I was dealing with an entirely different problem with a rocker. So I decided to look a bit more carefully than before into what makes a rocking chair “work.” I wanted to understand the geometry of a rocking chair in hopes that I could improve my overall results.BLOG: Read Jeff’s blog, which often deals with chair design. ARTICLE: Read about a chair Jeff made where the seat and back are all screws. WEB SITE: Visit greatchairdesign.com. TO BUY: “Chairmaking & Design” by Jeff Miller. IN OUR STORE: “500 Chairs: Celebrating Traditional and Innovative Designs.”From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy the issue now Read more »

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Arts & Mysteries: Whetstone Sharpening

Article Index — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:26:56 +0000

Part 1: No flat back.By Adam Cherubini Pages: 24-25From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy this issue nowI’ve tried most sharpening systems. I started with sandpaper and glass because it was cost-effective. It’s still tough to beat. You don’t have to worry about maintenance. If the paper rips or clogs, you throw it away. The surface you are working on is always flat. But at finer grits, the paper tears easily. I switched to Mylar-backed abrasives, and later the adhesive-backed films. These helped, but I was still unsatisfied.WhetstoneSharpening.PDFBLOG: Read Adam’s Arts & Mysteries blog on our web site. IN OUR STORE: “The Arts & Mysteries of Hand Tools” on CD.From the October 2011 issue #192 Buy this issue now Read more »

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