In every craft, there is a magic device that acolytes must learn to manipulate and master. In joinery, I think dividers (aka the compass) are our totemistic thingy. In journalism, you have to learn the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act). And in traditional carpentry, you need to master the steel square. I suck at using … Read more
As a child, I disliked assembling puzzles. What’s the fun in piecing together hundreds of pieces of cardboard into a flat image of a happy whale family? But Lincoln Logs, on the other hand, had my full attention. Yes, I know I was not a consistent child. This week I drove to the Headley-Whitney Museum … Read more
For most modern woodworkers, wax is not a finish. It goes on top of the finish and creates a barrier to scratches. But after reading the forthcoming translation of A.J. Roubo’s “L’Art du Menuisier,” it’s clear that wax was once a fast and beautiful finish for furniture. That is, when assisted with a tool that’s … Read more
