Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog

The snow is finally melting. You can see the greenish-brown grass again. That means we are heading into spring. That, in turn, signifies that I need to get busy preparing for upcoming teaching gigs and you need to get on the phone to schedule classes. So to be as self-serving as I can – and to help get you motivated to attend the schools that have so graciously invited me to teach – here’s my schedule, along with a snippet of information to help prompt you to action.

Rolling down the calendar, the first class I come to is in April, the 24th and 25th to be exact. That weekend I'll be in Franklin, IN at Marc Adams School of Woodworking (MASW). The class is "Giving Your Furniture a Leg Up." As you might guess from the title, the class is all about feet and legs. This is not just a lecture class. You're going to work on a few different feet and legs over the weekend. The need for good design is a given, but knowing secrets that make the work easy is usually learned through trial and error. I have a few shortcuts to pass along such as how to develop patterns from antique originals and quick and easy setups. With each leg or foot design, you'll pickup hints about proper shaping and learn various ways to work depending on what tools you have available in your.

May finds me up in Minnesota at Mike Siemsen's School of Woodworking. On the 24th through the 29th, we’re building a Chippendale Small Chest.  This project was my first woodworking DVD.  The class introduces case construction, including dovetails (hand-cut, if you please), sliding dovetails and proper 18th-Century drawer construction. The techniques learned throughout the week enable are a proper foundation to building quality case furniture from the mid-1700s design to contemporary chests. There’s a true mix of hand tools and power tools. Hybrid woodworking at its finest.

Beginning the 28th of June, I'm back to Kelly Mehler's School of Woodworking in Berea, KY to for a week long "Baltimore Card Table" class. This project, from the pages of Popular Woodworking Magazine, is an example of the most iconic pieces of furniture from the Federal period. Veneer, string inlay, marquetry and edge banding are part of the class, as is bricking the front apron which is a great way to make things curve in woodworking – the good kind of curve. Slip on your safety glasses. This class is power tools producing handwork results. As I write, there one bench open.

During the month of July, join me just outside Philadelphia in East Coventry, PA for a class at The Acanthus Workshops. Chuck Bender has me coming in the 19th through the 23rd to build a Chester County Chest. This isn't an ordinary chest. The drawer fronts have line-and-berry inlay. The original inlay was scratched into the surface and fill with string – which we will do some of as part of the learning experience – but in our class we'll power up the process to work with patterns and routers. Acanthus accepts six participants per class. Call or click to register.

The following month I’m back at MASW for two classes that run back-to-back. Beginning the 23rd, we'll build the Shaker Press Cupboard from my first book, "Fine Furniture for a Lifetime." This piece was the most-often purchased piece in my days as a "for pay" furniture maker, but you won't find it in any Shaker books. This piece began as a blind-door cupboard, but when a customer suggested true divided-light doors, the piece changed dramatically. From a woodworking perspective, this cupboard offers a multitude of instruction from mortise-and-tenon joinery to dovetails to pegged shelves set in dados. But the most interesting technique is how to build glass doors without router-cut rabbets for the panes.

Immediately following the Shaker Press Cupboard is a one-day class on "Finishes That Pop." This process I use to finish most of the pieces in my books or in Popular Woodworking Magazine. Find out there is a difference in aniline dyes and that there is a reason to apply boiled linseed oil to your work. Also, discover how to use shellac even if you aren’t setup with spray equipment. Take your projects to the next level. If you cannot make the finishing class, and by all rights you should if you can because of the "hands-on" aspect, you can pick up a copy of "Finishes that Pop" from our Woodworkers Bookshop. (Click here)
If you have any questions about these classes, please contact me. But more importantly, contact the schools and sign up. It looks like a great woodworking year.

— Glen D. Huey

Thursday, March 11, 2010 11:38:40 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

A couple weeks back, I wrote about the step-chair I was making for my niece, per a Fitzpatrick family tradition that began in the 1950s. The project plan was from U-Bild, which discontinued the plan probably in the early 1990s, said a company official who cited poor sales as the likely culprit. But I had a fair number of people request the plan, so I e-mailed U-Bild again, and they kindly gave permission for me to post it.

I've done so in the PDF below (compatible with Adobe Reader 7.0 and later) – and my apologies in advance for the image quality. This is a scan of a photocopy of a photocopy from a plan from the '50s, shrunk down to work on our server – it's the best I've got to offer.

Note: I did modify the plan a wee bit by trimming the bottoms of the base pieces so the sides would rest on the floor in the step-stool position. If I built it again, I'd simply shape the sides with more of a swoop, or move the dowel down (it seems to me important to have the sides rest on the floor; otherwise, the thing is tippy).

And I had to chuckle at the first paragraph under "Recommended Finish," which reads: "Use plenty of sandpaper. The beauty of the finished article depends largely upon the amount of time spent in sanding." My grandfather (the original owner of this much-used plan) didn't enjoy time spent in sanding. But to be fair, neither do I – which is why I love my No. 4.

By the way: We're working on our own design for a flip-stool; look for that in the August "I Can Do That." Glen's building it out of scrap tiger maple (natch).

StepChair.pdf (171.3 KB)


Read other entries by Megan Fitzpatrick

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 1:38:51 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [5] 

Blade-braking technology is a vital part of the table saws from SawStop – the ability to stop a spinning blade in 1/100 of a second is what put the company on the map. SawStop table saws are the only woodworking machines with this technology. Is that about to change? Below is a link to a Boston Globe article detailing a jury-awarded verdict for a lawsuit that's the first of its kind. We're working on what this might mean to woodworkers and the woodworking industry. What do you think?

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/03/06/man_wins_15m_in_first_of_its_kind_saw_case/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed5

What changes do you see springing from cases such as these? If you don't think changes are in the pipeline, take a look at this link.

http://tablesawattorney.com/index.php

For more background information, check out this article from INC. Magazine.

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20050701/disruptor-gass.html

— Glen D. Huey

Monday, March 08, 2010 1:55:33 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [30] 

I dislike writing about the magazine business because it's not useful for our readers, who expect us to write about woodworking instead of engaging in navel-gazing.

But because we have received a lot of questions and mail about the merger of Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine, I'm going to make an exception, lift up my shirt and take a quick peek.

First: Thanks for your letters – both positive and negative – about the new magazine. We read them all and respond to every one that we can. In my e-mail inbox, the sentiment about the new magazine is about 2-to-1 in favor of the changes. The criticisms have mostly been about the addition of advertising and the amount of woodworking information we are now delivering. So let's take a look there.

The April 2010 Popular Woodworking Magazine is a 68-page issue with 19 pages that are advertisements. That's 49 pages of "meat," for lack of a better word. Let's check the "meat index" of an issue of Woodworking Magazine. There are 36 pages in each issue with only one page of advertising (the "Extras" page on page 35). That's 35 pages of meat.

What about Popular Woodworking before the merger? The February 2010 issue was 76 pages with 17 pages of advertisements. That's 59 pages of stories. (Note that we have averaged about 60 pages of meat in each issue during the last couple years.)

It looks like Popular Woodworking Magazine is smaller than Popular Woodworking but larger than Woodworking Magazine. Right?

It's not that simple.

The design of the new magazine is quite different. The paper is larger than what we used with Popular Woodworking, and we have less white space. We also have constrained the size of the photographs at the beginning of each article – no more full-page spreads. And we have tightened up the columnists. "Arts & Mysteries," "Flexner on Finishing" and "Design Matters" are all two pages each instead of three. We tightened things up with old-fashioned editing, by the way. Instead of removing information, we removed unnecessary words that weren't doing their jobs.

So counting pages isn't a good indicator. Why don't we count the words instead?

Personally, I think counting words is silly. No one will argue that Golden Corral is better than The French Laundry because the Golden Corral gives you more calories. But it is one indicator. Here are the numbers:

1. During the last year, Popular Woodworking has averaged 33,642 words of editorial coverage in each issue.

2. Woodworking Magazine has averaged 24,850 words of editorial per issue.

3. The April 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine has 34,254 words of editorial coverage – about the same as you would get in an issue of Popular Woodworking during the last couple years.

Second Complaint: Those tinyurls
At the end of each article in the magazine is a box that points you to online stories and web sites that are related to the article so you can dive deeper into a topic that interests you. In this issue we used "tinyurls," a long-standing Internet redirect service, so you don't have as many characters to type.

A fair number of readers don't like tinyurls. We don't particularly like them, either. But they are a stopgap until we get a new web site in place this summer. We won't use tinyurls going forward, and if you want to find any of the links listed in the print issue you can go to this page: popularwoodworking.com/apr10 (we're building out this page right now. Links are being added as I type).

Third Complaint: When Does My Subscription Run Out?
Some customers have been confused by the merger, especially if they had subscriptions to both publications. If you want to confirm the number of issues remaining in your subscription, check the line on the mailing label above your name; the last issue in your subscription is printed there. If you'd like to clear up a problem, send a message with your name and mailing address where you receive your subscription to Debbie Paolello, our subscription specialist: debbie.paolello@fwmedia.com.

But Why Did You Do It?
The other big question from readers is "Why?" While I tried to address this in my column in the April 2010 issue, I'll add some more details for you.

Many of my colleagues in the magazine business think we're all swirling around the toilet bowl to our watery grave. I'm not that grim, but it's hard to ignore the fact that a lot of my friends in media are out of work.

We know that big changes are coming. And instead of waiting to have it roll over us, we decided to sprint in front of this boulder. While both our magazines were profitable and stable, they consumed all our staff's time and energy to produce 11 yearly issues (those of you who get e-mails from us during nights and weekends can attest to this).

We decided that we had to put more energy into growing our quickly growing online business. And we knew there was no hope of expanding our staff in this time of dwindling corporate resources.

So that's what drove the decision to merge the two magazines. And it's the honest truth. Any speculation you might read on the message boards is simply not grounded in our world, which is based on raw number-crunching, decades of media experience and a desire to stay employed in the best job in the world – getting to write and edit a woodworking magazine.

It is indeed a dream job. But it's a dream that has to live in the real world.

— Christopher Schwarz

Monday, March 08, 2010 1:01:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [10] 

Along with updating the look of the magazine, we've been busy working on some new ways to share knowledge. We're big fans of the free modeling program SketchUp and in the next week or so you'll have the chance to join me in a two-part online class. And a few weeks after the classes are available online, you'll be able to purchase them on DVD. Later this year, we'll have more "Shop Classes" available on a number of topics, by some of the best teachers around.

Each part of my SketchUp class is two hours long, and you'll follow along onscreen as I explain how to setup and use the program specifically for woodworking tasks. Part one covers the basics, and part two delves into more advanced topics. If you've tried SketchUp and given up in frustration, or are struggling trying to learn on your own, I will show you how to model efficiently and accurately. You'll be making dovetailed drawers and cabriole legs before you know it.

We've recorded and edited these classes in short three to five minute long segments. You can watch a segment on your computer, then switch over to SketchUp and try the techniques at your own pace. When you're ready to move forward, the next segment will be waiting for you. I used these techniques to teach Megan, Glen and Chris how to use SketchUp, and they've all become accomplished 3D modelers. Believe me, if it can work for them, it can work for anyone.

Watch the blog and the newsletter for more details. You can subscribe to the RSS feed for the blog up and to your left where it says "Free Updates" and you can subscribe to the Popular Woodworking Magazine "Weekly Wood News" by clicking here.

We have a short sample of the video available to give you an idea of what the class will be like. The video is in HD format, so you will need to download the QuickTime player for the best results. Like SketchUp, QuickTime is free, and you can download QuickTime here.

Click Here to watch a sample of the SketchUp Shop Class Video

Click Here to download the free QuickTime player.

–Bob Lang

Monday, March 08, 2010 11:52:51 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [5] 

Woodworkers of old (of more than a decade, anyway) may remember the Tool Crib of the North (TCN) as among the premier online dealers in woodworking tools and supplies. Well before he was editor (and before he dove headfirst into the hand tool world), Christopher Schwarz relied on the expertise of the company's call center staff when making machinery purchases – because, with more than 60 years of expertise as a company, Tool Crib of the North's employees knew far more than he did, and Chris (among many others) could always rely on them for excellent buying advice.

The successful company attracted notice from the business world as well, and 11 years ago, TCN was acquired by Amazon.com – one of that online retailer's first forays beyond books – and TCN signed a non-compete agreement that took them offline (though they still had 10 retail stores in North Dakota, Minnesota and other Midwest locations). While the tools were still available, the expertise wasn't (have you ever talked to a live person at Amazon.com?).

But now, the non-compete agreement has expired, and the venerable company is back online as of February 8 (and still in bricks in mortar) as Acme Tools (acmetools.com).

"Over the last five years, we've worked on expanding our retail stores into Minnesota and Iowa and so we've built the Acme brand in the Midwest region," says company Vice President Steve Kuhlman.  "And now, with the non-compete release, we're utilizing that brand on the web site and are able to market it nationally."

Kuhlman and his brother Paul Kuhlman (also a vice president) stress Acme Tools' long-term relationship with their 60 outside salesman who know the markets inside and out, and have helped shape the online product information. But if you need more information than what you find on the web site, Acme also has a customer call center where you can not only place an order, but get detailed information on any of the products or brands the company carries (online right now are more than 10,000 key items from 147 manufacturers). "These people have experience in the industry, and product knowledge and training," says Steve Kuhlman. "We're able to answer any questions from our customers."

While the site is an excellent source for woodworking items, Acme Tools also offers stuff for other trades – plumbing, roofing, siding, drywall and plastering and more – and one of the most inviting features of the site is the "Shop by Trade" area, which categorizes the tools trade professionals actually use; Paul Kuhlman says they'll continue to grow that feature. "If you're a woodworker, a drywaller, a tileworker, you'll be able to click on the trade and see the products that those who do the job really care about," he says.

The number of manufacturers carried by Acme is really too long to list, but from Bosch to Porter-Cable, Freud to Gorilla Glue, you're likely to find the power equipment and shop supplies you need. And if you don't know exactly what you want, help is only a phone call away.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Wednesday, March 03, 2010 10:06:03 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [3] 

Most woodworkers followed Norm Abram at New Yankee Workshop and you know how fast the word of his retirement spread across the woodworking community. It was a sad day indeed.

The woodworker who will take the mallet in hand is Thomas J. MacDonald. You may know him as T-Chisel, or the driving force behind the 207 Woodworking Community.

MacDonald displayed his furniture-making talent while at NBSS when he reproduced a Salem, Mass., secretary during his second year. It was about then that Bob Vila profiled MacDonald on his television show, while Vila was visiting the school. In 2002, MacDonald graduated from NBSS and has been active in woodworking ever since.

So what’s the show going to be? We interviewed MacDonald this morning and according to him – and he emphasized that things may change – the show is all about the woodworking community. He stated more than a few times during our conversation that he’s interested in getting woodworkers inspired.

As for the show, one idea he envisions would be a visit to a museum to meet with a curator and focus the conversation on a specific piece of furniture – or maybe one aspect of that piece, say a ball-and-claw foot.

Back in the studio – and this next part is way cool – MacDonald hopes to have a highly skilled woodworker demonstrate that aspect (carve a foot) in front of a live audience – a live audience! He then added that it would be great to pull an audience member on stage to also work on the technique while guided by the expert.

Museums and other great places to visit, fantastic furniture, skilled craftsmen and hands-on demonstrations. We’re all for it.

I’m sure more information will surface during the coming days and weeks. As it does, we’ll post it here. Stay tuned. In the meantime, below is the New England Home Show video announcement.

— Glen D. Huey

Tuesday, March 02, 2010 1:16:36 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [3] 

Cute as a bug's ear – though far more useful than any insect's tympanal organ – are the new detail rabbet planes from Veritas (the high-end, made-in-Canada house brand of Lee Valley Tools). These wee planes are machined so the sole is square to the sides, and they're very narrow, so they're good for laying flat on a tenon cheek to trim small tenon shoulders in lieu of a shoulder plane, or where I might usually turn to a router plane, such as in cleaning up the floor of small dados. And because the planes fit easily into the palm of even my very small hand, and with a smooth finish both on the front and back edges, they're easy and comfortable for me to control with either a push or pull stroke. (I tried to take a picture of the 1/4" plane in use – but with a 3"-long body, it's so small that my hand covers it up.)

Available in five sizes (6 mm, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" and 10 mm), the planes have a ductile cast iron body with a fixed mouth and a forged brass handle. The blade is O1 steel with a standard 45° cutting angle (15° bed and 30° bevel-up blade angle). Adjustments are made with a gentle nudge – at the blade's heel to adjust skew, at the front to adjust lateral projection, and with a small screwdriver between the blade and body to increase the depth of cut. It takes a bit of fussing to get everything just right, but once you do, the screw holds everything firmly in place.

This plane (or planes, if you want more than one) could take the place of a small shoulder plane and a small router plane (though you'll need a bit more practice and skill to achieve the same cuts as with the dedicated tools) and save you some cash. Each plane is U.S. $65; replacement blades are U.S. $9.75. Or you can get a set of three (either metric or imperial) for $149 through March 25 (after which the three-set price is $169).

— Megan Fitzpatrick

p.s. If you're not familiar with the Daily Squee, check it out (unless you don't like cute animals).

Tuesday, March 02, 2010 11:42:07 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [13] 

When you’re learning something new, it’s hard to sift what you need to know out of what you assume you need to know. You can spend a lot of time and money on something that doesn’t move you any closer to where you want to be. There are plenty of these traps on the way to becoming an accomplished woodworker, and it doesn’t help the beginner that there are plenty of pundits and purveyors of tools who will gladly lead you down a wayward path. Angles other than 90 or 45 degrees are a good example of this.

The practice of measuring, laying out and cutting angles in terms of degrees is rather new in woodworking. Old woodworking texts discuss angles in terms of rise and run; make a mark a certain distance horizontally and another mark a set distance vertically. Connect the marks with a line, cut and trim to the line and your done. What’s important is that two pieces of wood fit nicely together when assembled.

The pile of tools in the photo represents a progression of devices used to measure angles. Most of them claim an advantage due to the ability to resolve angle measurements in finer and finer increments. But the one tool that actually gets used is the simple bevel with no numbers at all. The reason for that is it works reliably and accurately, quickly and without confusion. Just because someone can make a device that displays angles in hundredths of a degree, doesn’t mean there is an advantage in using it.

So here’s one of the secrets of what we do when we publish plans in Popular Woodworking Magazine. We draw angles by making marks and connecting lines, when we design with our CAD program and when we work in the shop. If someone wanders by while we’re in the shop and asks us what the angle is in degrees, we give them a lengthy discourse on why they don’t need to know that. Then at the very end, we let our computer measure the angle and we throw the angle measurement into the drawing. Because we know that someone will ask.

–Robert W. Lang

Monday, March 01, 2010 9:19:43 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [7]