The Splinter Report: January 23rd

Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week we’re looking at circular saws, haunted chairs, and oboes.

Tool News Quick Bites

Milwaukee has new saw that is the same as the old saw, just different: I’m being somewhat tongue-in-cheek here with the headline. To be more accurate, Milwaukee has released a version of their M18 FUEL 7-1/4″ Circular Saw with added ONE-KEY functionality. Think of it as the jobsite version of this saw. For those who are unfamiliar, ONE-KEY is a system that allows the owner of the tool to track and manage it, including the ability to remotely disable the tool if it’s stolen. There’s also a rear-handled version coming out as well.

Milwaukee has new saw that is bigger: But wait, there’s more! Milwaukee has a big honkin’ 10-1/4″ rear handle circular saw coming soon as well. The larger size is great for those working with slabs or other oversized lumber.

Makita announces gas engine replacement: While I doubt there’s a woodworking angle to this, I still found it interesting. Makita is coming out with a 40V XGT electric motor that is “engineered to deliver the performance of 25cc to 50cc gas engines.” The release, at this week’s World of Concrete, is to replace the gas motors found in all sorts of heavy concrete equipment. But thinking outside the box, could it be used as a go-cart engine? Maybe I’ll see if they’ll ship me a sample unit to mess with.

Local Oddity: Laubin Inc

NYT released an interesting story recently about Jim Phalen, a man who left retirement to purchase the oldest oboe manufacturer in the United States. It certainly seems to be a labor of love, as it does not appear to be a profitable or necessarily fun venture.

You basically blow air at high pressure through tightly pursed lips into a tiny lentil-shaped opening between two pieces of dried grass to make them vibrate. And if doing that doesn’t mark you as an outcast — or give you a stroke, as has happened more than once — the confounded reed-making process, which involves scrapers and thread and takes more years than there are in life to master, is even worse.

Joking aside, it’s a fascinating article on someone working to revive a craft that is nearly dead. Processes are being documented instead of passed on through oral tradition. New tools are speeding up construction. One thing that stood out to me is the divergent paths the company is taking in order to ensure its future. On one hand, they are doubling down on the historic technique of allowing the wooden blanks to age for years before turning them into oboes. This process prevents the wood from cracking and ruining the instrument. At the same time, they are also developing a new material called Laubinite, which is an injection-molded composite that is engineered to mimic grenadilla (African blackwood).

Purists, wedded to wood, may squawk. “I know there will be resistance,” Phelan said when I reached him the next day. “But musical instruments are not invented, they evolve. If you produce better, newer products, players will beat a path to your door.”

Frankly, I think he’s right. Pivoting from musical instruments for a moment, think about the Festool Domino. There’s nothing wrong with cutting a full mortise and tenon joint, and the thought of paying $1359 to replicate something I can make with the tools I already own is absurd. But the Domino is more versatile, straightforward, and accessible. And the existence of the domino doesn’t negate the existence of the mortise and tenon — they coexist peacefully to this day!

What were we talking about? Oboes?

In any case, I highly recommend that you read the entire article. And as always, feel free to share any interesting stories you find with me at cknoff@aimmedia.com.

Random Reddit: Haunted Chair Edition

Good art will make a person feel something. Awe perhaps, or sadness. Or in this case, that the creator is a talented madman who made a haunted chair. I mean, just look at how amazing this is:

I made a chair.
byu/fatsopiggy inwoodworking

An incredible amount of talent went into that piece. Just keep it out of my house, please.

Out of Context Christopher Schwarz Quote

“Here is a question that has been going through my mind for more than a decade: When an 18th-century French woodworker started building a workbench, what was the moisture content of the wood?”

Video of the Week: Big Table Joinery

The scale of a project is often a determining factor in your joinery choices. A Domino might work great for a kitchen table, but what if you’re making a table that is 22 feet long? That’s what YouTuber Andy Rawls is working on this week, and to hit the strength he needs for the table frame, he’s turning to a joint more commonly seen in timber framing than in woodworking. A very cool project for a very cool piece of wood.

Anything interesting I missed this week, or that you want me to highlight in a future Splinter Report? Let me know on social media or drop me an email at cknoff@aimmedia.com.