As managing editor, one of my duties is to pull together the “Letters” column for each issue, so please send in your questions or comments for me, the other editors or even for magazine contributors. We’ll do our best to provide answers as soon as we can.
As I worked on the upcoming August issue, a letter popped up about Peter Franks’ footstool from the End Grain column (“A Woodworking Disorder”) in the April 2013 magazine (issue #203). A reader, Rey James, wanted to know more about the footstool. He had an idea as to the joinery, but given the angle of the photo, he was unsure. And here is the best part. James asked for more information “… if Franks was willing to reveal his secrets.”
Mr. Franks was only too happy to reveal his secrets for the Maloof-style joint. And that’s what makes woodworking so great. Everyone should share their techniques. Reveal their secrets. That makes woodworking better.
Here is Mr. Franks’ reply: Rather than repeating everything here, I’ll send you to a forum I moderate, called talkFestool.com. Below is a link to a thread I started (I post as “Poto”) showing how to do that joint. In this case it’s on a table, but the footstool is identical – just a smaller piece of wood.
Cheers, Peter
And while you’re there, wander around the forum. There is a lot of good advice and information posted. And if you’re interested in more Maloof-style joinery, take a look at Build A Sculptured Rocker with Charles Brock – Super Rocker Bundle that includes two DVDs, a book, full-size patterns and online support from the author.
Thank you Glen (and Mr. Franks), surprising how sometimes people feel proprietary about techniques. I wish I had seen this post before, it took me a while (and a few pieces of wood) to figure out all I needed was a round over bit for the legs.
In the absence of a round over bit, a profile made with some 1/4″ MDF, a pairing chisel and a lot of patience can give the same results. To smooth the curve I used cloth backed sanding paper and sort of “polish” like one does when polishing shoe shine. It worked perfectly.
It is also refered to as a hip joint.
I thought Starbucks is a hip joint.