Why Should Understand How Wood Fails Tear-out is ugly, but how does it happen? Ground-breaking research that began in the 1950s by Norman C. Franz showed how wood fails when you cut it with hand tools or power tools. Using a movie camera and a milling machine, Franz made amazing photos that pointed out how … Read more
Common Types and Sizes Bevel-edge Chisel (at left): Long edges are ground to an angle to allow the tool to get into tight spaces, such as between dovetails. It is not designed for heavy chopping. A common variant is the paring chisel, which has a longer, thinner blade. Mortising Chisel (at right): A thick blade … Read more
In the February 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine contributor Gary Rogowski of The Northwest Woodworking Studio delves into the old problem we’ve all experienced – legs on chairs, stools and tables that don’t sit flat on the floor and rock to one one side then another. Gary also presents a really quick and easy … Read more
For too long now I’ve been researching vernacular forms of furniture. I dislike the word “vernacular,” so I call these designs the “furniture of necessity.” These are the pieces of furniture that aren’t heralded in books or at Sotheby’s. Yet, they have remained almost unchanged in form for hundreds of years. One of these forms … Read more
Heather Trosdahl’s article in the Dec. 2012 issue, “Parquetry Tabletop,” requires shop-sawn veneers for the best results. In case sawing one’s own veneer is a technique with which you’re unfamiliar, she’s shared her methods below: • Install an appropriate blade for re-sawing. Fully tension the blade, using the 1/8″ rule. That is, the flesh under … 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
