Flexner on Finishing: Finishing Cherry
Some straight talk about cherry and blotching. By Bob Flexner Pages: 70-72 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now When I opened my furniture-making and restoration shop in 1976, the woods considered best for high-end furniture were walnut and mahogany. Of course, oak and maple were also used,...
Out of the Woodwork: A Puzzling Beginning
How one woodworker got over her fear of dismemberment: more fear. By Micaela R. Evans Page: 80 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now Industrial Technology. That was the name of the course I took in the autumn of 1993. Beats me as to why it was entitled...
Great Woodshops: Using Wood to Make Waves
Reuben Margolin uses scraps to explore science, nature and math. By Raphael Rosen Pages: 74-77 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now At this moment, Reuben Margolin is building a gigantic wooden sculpture that moves. It’s titled “Yellow Linear Wave,” and is one of his many creations –...
D.L. Barrett & Sons Planemakers
Meet the young (he’s just 18) and skilled hands behind a near-perfect tool. By Christopher Schwarz Pages: 66-69 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now While modern carpenters might show off at the jobsite by driving up in a fully loaded pickup truck, the 19th-century cabinetmaker did the...
Four Ways to Make Tapered Legs
We explore methods to help you find the one that works best. By Keith Neer, Glen D. Huey, Robert W. Lang & Christopher Schwarz Pages: 55-59 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now It’s true! From working with hand tools, to powering up stationary machinery, to any combination...
The Art of Making Dovetailed Drawers
Fine furniture calls for an elegant drawer. A master cabinetmaker shares his approach to design and fitting. By Mario Rodriguez Pages: 50-54 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now There are just a few things my partner at Philadelphia Furniture Workshops, Alan Turner, and I don’t see eye-to-eye...
Shaker Stepback
A classic furniture form revised for 21st-century entertainment. By Megan Fitzpatrick Pages: 42-49 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now I have a love-hate relationship with my television. I love (too much, perhaps) to watch shows, but I hate having the TV out in the open as the...
Tool Test: Optimal Performance with ‘AutoShift’
By Glen D. Huey Page: 40 From the February 2009 issue #174 Buy this issue now Drills have been the focus of many tool manufacturers for a few years now. We’ve had to endure comparisons of Nickel-cadmium, Nickel-metal hydride and Lithium-ion batteries. We’ve moved through 12-volt to as high as 24-...