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 Friday, December 29, 2006
Behind the Scenes: Home Alone
Each Holiday season we are blessed, or cursed, with that Hollywood production of Home Alone starring Macaulay Culkin. And each year I wonder why this is an annual presentation. This year I had a bit of insight to how it feels to be left alone and, as in the movie, I grew to enjoy that time before succumbing to the idea that having friends, family or co-workers around helps us cope.
Being the new guy at Popular Woodworking, I had not accumulated many days of vacation time, so I was in the office almost all week by myself. Chris Schwarz, executive editor, stopped in a few hours on a couple of days to work on a new workbench design, but Robert Lang, senior editor, Megan Fitzpatrick, managing editor, and Linda Watts, art director, were not seen, nor heard from during the week.
For Bob and Megan it was a chance to get away from a hectic schedule that saw them completing a number of magazine issues of which I got in at the end. Yeah for me! I am sure that they both will return fully rested and ready to punch out the next issues.
Linda had another reason to be out along with the Holiday time. Sadly, Linda lost her Mother the week before Christmas. I can only imagine the various emotions that she endured during this supposedly joyous time. I am sure that she and her family remembered, and will continue to remember the great times and happy events that were shared throughout the years. In my opinion that is how we live on – in the memories of others. Linda has our deepest sympathies.
Back in the shop, time alone was not just to sit back and reflect. I had a job to do. I had to build the cover project for the next issue of the magazine. And, I had the time to search, as opposed to simply asking someone, to find the tool locations and where the items were in the shop that I would come to need on a project-by-project basis.
The job was to build a stacking of Barrister Bookcases – a new piece for me. I had never built this type of set-up. We had discussed this project during one of our production meetings and had reached a decision that these would be the easiest Barrister bookcases that anyone would ever build. We all put in our ideas and when we finished, Bob was given the task to whip them into a working plan. He did just that.
When these units are published I’m sure that you’ll agree that they are that simple to build and you’ll want more than one stack. This culmination of ideas displays that synergistic concept.
Off to the shop I went to build the units. Work progressed nicely as you can see in the photo. The bookcases are in the finishing stages and that will be just in time because when we all return in the next year, the barristers need to be shot for a cover and opener.
I spent a few extra hours wondering around the shop finding the tools and making sure that I have become more acquainted with the Pop Wood shop. I am feeling comfortable with my new digs and have found that old habits are again creeping into my work.
It seems that I have this ability to work for a number of days without returning stuff to its proper place. Next thing I know I am searching the tables and benches for tools instead of going to the exact spot where they are stored and picking them up. Then, I spend the time putting things back in order just to start the entire process again.
I enjoyed the first few days working in the shop, but home alone or in the shop alone, I found that it is nice to have people around. I will enjoy having the others back from the Holiday where we can continue the banter and chit chat, the brainstorming on projects and articles, the camaraderie and the all around fun that is had working at woodworking.
See you in 2007. May all your woodworking, as well as life, exceed your expectations.
Build Something Great!
Glen Huey
Friday, December 29, 2006 11:02:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) 
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
New Magazines & 2006 Collection
 If you're like me, somewhere in your house you have a pile of old magazines. You have to keep them, but they take up space, and when you go to find the article or imformation you need, it can be dificult to remember which issue it was in, or where that issue is. You can always use our online article index that lets you search by issue date, author, or keyword. We think we've come up with a great solution to both storing back issues, and finding what you're looking for, the Popular Woodworking 2006 Annual CD
Packed with all seven 2006 issues of Popular Woodworking magazine
articles, this CD makes a great holiday gift -- for yourself or a
fellow woodworker.
- The Information You Want — Fast! All the files are fully searchable so you can find that trick, technique or project plan you’re looking for. And what’s more, a simple click on a cover line or title in the table of contents takes you instantly to the story you want.
- It’s Great for the Shop. You’ll no longer have to worry about spilling varnish on your printed copy of the magazine. Simply print out the construction drawings you need and head out to the shop. Click Here to learn more and to order
We also have a special print publication that is only available on the news stands or here on our website.
It's called The Essential Guide to Table Saws and it includes some of our favorite articles from past issues. In most shops, the Table Saw is the most-used machine. This special publication, available only at
newstands and on our website is a compilation of some of our best
articles on tuning, tweaking and using your saw, accurately,
efficiently and safely. Included is our noted "Woodworking Essentials" series on the table saw by Nick Engler. Also featured is Jim Tolpin's Universal Rip Fence and a look at new saws (like the Powermatic 2000, the SawStop and Steel City Tool Works) and new accessories (like the Jessem Master Slide that we really like in our own shop). There is also an excellent article by Paul Anthony that guides you through a 19-Step Tune-up that will have your saw performing better than new.
If you're new to woodworking, or would just like a refresher course on using and tuning your table saw, you'll enjoy this special issue. Look for it at your local news stand, or you can order a copy online by clicking here.
Last but certainly not least is our "hot off the presses" February issue. Look for it in you mailbox if you're a subscriber. If you don't have a subscription to the magazine, you can take care of that by clicking here
Our cover project is an adaptation of a Greene and Greene side table and we also feature a method for reproducing the distinctive finger-jointed drawers on the Gamble House entry table. Also featured is an unusual Creole table from the 18th-century. You won't see authentic projects like this in any other magazine. Michael Dunbar returns with a look at how to use Traditional Handscrew clamps, and Christopher Schwarz
discovers a Better Way to Sharpen Scrapers. Our Woodworking Essentials
series on Setting up Shop shows you how to maximize small tool storage.
In addition, we have a New Biscuit Joiner Manual that will show you how
to use this tool effectively. All of this plus our regular features: I
Can Do That, Flexner on Finishing, and Arts & Mysteries. As you can see we've been busy, and are planning even more for the coming year. Wishing you and your families the best for the holidays. -Robert Lang
Thursday, December 21, 2006 12:45:21 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Download the Patterns for the Creole Table
Thursday, December 21, 2006 12:12:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Festool’s Table Saws: Foreign Country, Foreign Tools
 A Festool table saw ready for ripping.During the last seven days, I’ve eaten a lot of foreign food, drank a lot of foreign beer and listened to a lot of foreign languages (such as Scottish). But the most foreign experience of my entire trip to Germany has been using the Festool CS 70 EB table saw. This saw operates unlike any other table saw I’ve ever used, and because Festool is working on getting it approved by Underwriters Laboratories for sale in the United States, I thought you might be interested in reading about it. The saw is not really what I would call a table saw, though it is both a table and a saw. And here’s why: The sawblade on a traditional table saw will spin around in a circle. And you can adjust it up and down and tilt it left (or right). But with the CS 70 EB (and some other European saws) you also can slide the sawblade forward and back. Imagine if a sliding compound miter saw married a jobsite table saw – that’s what this saw is like. As a result, some operations feel quite familiar. Ripping, for example isn’t anything new. You position the rip fence where you want it and push your stock through. But crosscutting and mitering are an entirely different animal. Here is where the sliding saw carriage comes into play. You position the saw’s fence and set the length of the crosscut (or miter) that you desire. It’s like setting a miter gauge that doesn’t move – it’s fixed to the front edge of the aluminum table. Then you set your workpiece in place against your fence and stop. OK, so what is so odd about this? It’s what comes next.  The CS 70 Eb is easy to use for crosscuts, one someone show you how to use the saw in a precise manner. Reach your right hand beneath the saw and grab the knob beneath the table. Turn it to the left and pull it smoothly toward you. The entire sawblade assembly (with the splitter and the guard) moves toward your work. It makes the cut and then you let go of the knob. The sawblade assembly then moves backwards in a controlled yet quick manner. The CS 70 EB is, quite literally, a pullsaw. The first time I used it, I was a bit bewildered – just like the first time I used a Japanese pullsaw. But after a few cuts, the saw became quite easy to control, predict and manage. Why would you want a saw like this? Good question. I think it helps to understand what each machine is meant to do in the woodshop. A table saw is, above all other things, a ripping tool. It rips better than any other machine available. But it’s OK for crosscutting and pretty OK for making joinery cuts. A sliding compound miter saw is no good for rip cuts and joinery cuts, but it’s a champ at crosscuts and miters. The CS 70 EB is just like a table saw for rip cuts and just like a sliding compound miter saw for crosscuts and miters. And it’s not really suited for joinery cuts (tenons and so on) – at least as far as I can tell. The machine is also incredibly lightweight and easy to set up and use. After about 10 minutes, I was running the thing like a pro, as were all the other woodworking magazine editors on this Festool tour. For ripping, the saw has an unusual fence: It’s actually the crosscut fence for the tool that has been mounted on the side of the tool’s table So is there a downside? Well, that depends on what you do. If I were a trim carpenter or someone who built high-end cabinets on job sites, this saw would be the bee’s knees. Will it replace a cabinet saw in professional shop? I think that’s doubtful. The top is aluminum and the saw is, all-in-all, lightweight for the American consumer, who expects a massive cast-iron experience. And the CS 70 EB will be priced higher than other jobsite saws as well. How expensive? The Festool people don’t know. Right now they are trying to get the tool through Underwriters Laboratory so they can introduce it to the U.S. market. The biggest hang-up, Festool officials say, is the saw’s guarding. The CS 70 EB doesn’t have the anti-kickback pawls that are (unfortunately) standard on U.S. saws. But people were shocked that Festool could convince people to use a circular saw in place of a cabinet saw, but a growing number of people do with the company’s TS 55 EQ plunge saw. And the Festool system really, really works in that case as in many others. So don’t you dare count Festool out on this issue. And it’s the system aspect of this saw that you can’t forget. There are a wide variety of accessories for this saw, including a sweet sliding crosscut table plus outfeed and support tables, that make it a joy to use. And the saw is safe to use. You never move your hands near the blade during crosscuts – nice. So keep your eyes peeled for the CS 70 EB. And maybe for a couple other table saws from Festool in the coming year. — Christopher Schwarz
Wednesday, December 13, 2006 4:45:44 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, December 11, 2006
Domino: The Magic Bullet
When it comes to joinery, I use the mortise-and-tenon joint a great deal. To create this joint I have used every system imaginable and with great success, from a tenon saw and mortise chisel, to table saw and mortising machine methods, drill press solutions and a wide of router-based systems, including the Leigh FMT system.
All of the systems have their charms and merits, but they also all have one weakness, they require at least two tools or jigs to make the joint. Some of the systems require great skill (cutting by hand), other require specialized heavy machinery (hollow-chisel mortisers) and force you to move heavy workpieces across smallish tables.
Rob Johnstone (right), editor of Woodworker’s Journal, contemplates a Domino tenon while Kevin Ley field-strips the tool.
The Festool Domino is a mortise-and-tenon machine (look for it on April 1, 2007) that is quite extraordinary because it allows you to use one tool to do all the cutting and – this is important – it allows you to take the tool to the work instead of having to muscle large workpieces across small cutters.
Today at the Festool headquarters, we got to spend an entire afternoon (interrupted by one civilized coffee break) using the Domino to build a small stool with as much or as little guidance as we liked. The following are my first impressions of the tool, which will be colored in the coming months by using the tool day-to-day in our shop.
Like everything that is branded with the Festool name, the Domino is simultaneously familiar and foreign. The familiar: It’s based on a biscuit joiner format. If you’ve ever used one of these tools, the controls and handling will seem quite familiar to you. What is foreign about it is the sometimes maniacal devotion to quality that drips from every knob and bright green switch. I’ve driven one Porsche in my like (a late 1960’s dual-carb model) and this tool has the same sort of feel in the hand. It’s so well made that you feel like you are in control, but in reality it’s the tool that is really doing the driving.
Let’s start with the cutter. To make a mortise, the Domino uses a single cutter that is plunged into your work. The cutter rotates and moves left to right simultaneously and at high speeds. You make a mortise that is 5mm x 15mm x 15mm with an almost effortless plunge (and this is into beech end grain). Armed with a vacuum, there is none of the typical dust clouds you create with a biscuit joiner. The tool will make other-sized mortises as well with almost equal ease.
The metal dowel against the corner of the workpiece. This is the indexing system that allows you to work without marking or measuring with many cuts.
Then you make the mortise in the mating piece. You put a beech loose tenon into the joints (along with some glue, natch) and apply clamping pressure.
The real genius of the system, in my opinion, is the way the tool is guided on the work. For most applications, the tool is designed to be used without any marking or measuring at all. When this was first explained to me I was a bit dense about it, but once you see it, it’s quite clever. The Domino has two metal dowels that stick out a bit (less than ¼”) from either side of the cutter. These metal dowels will retract if you press them straight on and then return to the proud position when you let go.
You use these two metal dowels to control the Domino on the workpiece. Here’s a quick example: You want to make a face frame. Start with the stile, where your mortise needs to be in the long-grain edge. Instead of marking out your cut with a line (which you can do if you please), you place the corner of the stile so it tucks in against one metal dowel. Then you pivot the machine’s face flat against the work and the other metal dowel retracts into the machine. Make your cut.
Now repeat the process on the end of the rail. Tuck the corner of the rail against the dowel and pivot the Domino against the work. Plunge. The two mortises will now line up perfectly. And yes, I mean perfectly. Even on my first run out of the gate it was perfect.
This accessory for the fence allows you to mortise the end grain of small parts.
And then there are the accessories. There’s an attachment for the fence of the tool that allows you to mortise the end grain of pieces that are only ¾” wide, and in a safe and simple manner. And there’s another attachment that allows you to stabilize your machine when you work on narrow edges. It’s only a simple piece of plastic, but it is entirely too clever to be called just a simple piece of plastic.
The extra fence (right) that attaches to the base of the tool gives you remarkable stability when working on edges.
After a few hours of working with the Domino, it began to feel like an extension of my hands and would do my bidding. Or perhaps it was driving – hard to tell.
Is there a negative to the machine? Well, like any tool – any tool – I think that your accuracy will improve with use. Some of the other editors (no names!) had a couple stumbles with the Domino as they became acquainted. And I myself got into a bit of a rush at the end, and I put a mortise where it wasn’t supposed to go – luckily the wrong mortise ended up concealed. And that’s the issue. The tool is so simple to use that you might be tempted to take a shortcut or two, and you can get a bit sloppy. This is the fault of any well-designed tool. And a little practice will fix your evil ways.
Festool officials said they are working out the pricing right now on the base machine model plus some accessories. When the tool is introduced in the United States there will be some special incentive packages that might be worth looking into.
Kevin Ley, a British craftsman, writer and former military man, chatted with me a bit about the tool after the event and said that he had just finished building a cabinet for LPs and CDs for a client out of elm and using the Domino system for all the carcase joinery.
A systainer (right) filled with Dominos.
With all the joints cut (about 100 in all) Kevin said the whole project came apart and together so perfectly and cleanly that it was like disassembling and assembling a handgun.
I couldn’t agree more. The machine makes perfect chambers for the tenons – the magic bullets of the system.
Tomorrow: Festool’s new table saws.
– Christopher Schwarz
Monday, December 11, 2006 6:28:07 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Sunday, December 10, 2006
The Domino Effect
 This week I’m in Germany with a group of woodworking editors to visit the Festool headquarters in Stuttgart and try out the company’s new DF 500 Q Domino system. This moment is one of those few times during my 10 years with Popular Woodworking magazine that I’ve felt like I am going to see an absolutely and truly new kind of tool. I’ve watched lots of manufacturers roll out tools with significant improvements, but very few of those new tools are designed to change the fundamental nature of the way you work. The Festool Domino appears to be just that.  In essence, the Domino looks like a biscuit joiner, but it really is a hand-held tool that is designed to make true loose-tenon joints. The machine makes a mortise when its patented cutting head oscillates and turns plunges into the work and routs out a recess to one of five preset depths and three widths. Then you use the tool’s indexing system (which I am eager to see) to make its mating mortise. Finally, you add glue and one of the Domino beech tenons to complete the joint. The tool has been available in Europe for some time and will be rolled out in the United States in 2007. At this moment (5:24 a.m. local time) I have just as many questions about the system as you do. And I’m greatly looking forward to getting those answered and getting my hands on the Domino system. Plus, Festool officials promise us we’re going to get to see some other new tools the company is working on. Over the weekend, all of the editors have been acclimating to the new time zone in a city outside Stuttgart called Nurtingen. On Sunday, all of us went to the nearby town of Esslingen (top photo) to visit the city’s Christmas market, view some of the stunning half-timbered houses and begin to soak up some of the German culture (including accordion music). I know a fair number of Germans back in the United States, but it’s an entirely different thing to meet Germans in their native country. The country is remarkably different than ours, and so are their woodworking tools. For example, Festool officials explained the years-long process that woodworkers have to go through to open their own cabinet shop, including years of apprenticeship and study. The typical German woodworker will take far better care of their tools than the typical American or Australian woodworkers. And the German woodworkers are much less price-sensitive than the American consumer. All of which adds to my interest in the Domino system. Will it be something that a North American consumer will accept – like we did with the biscuit joiner a generation ago? Or will it be a tool that has a small but highly enthusiastic customer-base, such as some of the European multi-machines? Check back here on the blog in the next few days to get some clues. — Christopher Schwarz
Sunday, December 10, 2006 11:57:33 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, December 08, 2006
Last Minute Holiday Gifts
 Around the house at this time of year, I get asked what I would like for my holiday gifts. As woodworkers I think we all hear this, “What can I buy for you?” question, at some time during the year. In trying to help the spouses, significant others and children of woodworkers, I thought that this would be the time to pass along a few ideas from the pages of Popular Woodworking magazine.
Let's start with the Popular Woodworking magazine CD. Popular Woodworking has packed all seven 2006 issues into a single disc. The files are fully searchable and you’ll no longer have to worry about spilling varnish on your printed copy of the magazine. Simply print out the construction drawings or anything else that you need and head out to the shop. Self-fulfilling? Maybe, but this is something you will find extremely useful – I do.
Now we’ll take a look at the tools. I went back over the tools from past issues to compile a list of nice, moderate to inexpensive selections that we reviewed in our Tool Test pages. Here you go.
The Bosch I-driver just makes it under the limit I arbitrarily set for this list at $147. It has the power to stand up it’s12-volt cordless competitors and has a five-position articulating head. The kit comes with the driver, 2 batteries and a charger all in a soft-sided case.
A digital/fractional caliper is always handy to have in the woodshop. I have found that I use this tool quite a bit in my new position, maybe more than I should. The Craftsman Gallery offering, at $38, has everything that you will need. We recommend the 6” version for your bench and the 4” for your shirt pocket!
For the hand tool folks here is a saw that will floor you if it hasn’t already. The Zona razor saws come in two sizes one is 61/2” long while the shorter version is 41/2” in length. Both of the saws cut slowly, which is to be expected, but the surface finish left behind appears as if it is planed. Here is the great news – their price is $8.95 and $4.95 respectively.
How about another small tool entry? The Tite-Mark Mini marking gauge from Glen-Drake Toolworks is a miniature version of the Tite-Mark gauge that we all know. It is smaller in size and costs coming in at $60. It’s excellent for dovetailing drawers and small boxes and will easily fit into small hands.
Here is a few other ideas that come to mind from Popular Woodworking and the from the pages of Woodworking magazine, our sister publication:
Starrett 6” Combination Square (Highlandwoodworking.com) $67
Shinwa 6” Steel Rule #60N47.01 (Leevalley.com) $7
Starrett 6” Steel Rule #061511 (Highlandwoodworking.com) $20
Pro-Value 24” Steel Rule #2042A75 (Mcmaster.com) $30
One final idea is to stop by the Popular Woodworking store at cafepress.com/popwood and select from a number of popular products with our Popular Woodworking logo.
Choose from t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and mugs. And don’t forget to visit Woodworking Magazine's store as well (we have a new T-shirt there you might want to check out). Link right from the Popwood store page. Receiving or giving these great gifts is sure to make your holiday merry.
– Glen D. Huey
Friday, December 08, 2006 4:10:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, December 01, 2006
Hollow Mortise Chisel Tune-up
I've been away from the blog for a while. It's been a busy few weeks with Thanksgiving, filling book orders and the main job, publishing a woodworking magazine. Since putting the February issue to bed, I put on my Woodworking Magazine hat and set to work investigating chisels for hollow-chisel mortising machines. I've always been geeky about sharpening things, not in the sense of polishing chisel backs to 32,000 grit, but having a good edge before going to work. Before using a router bit, I dress the edge with a diamond file, and I usually touch up the chisel before machine cutting mortises. Sharp is good, but with tooling used in a machine like a mortiser, you hit a point where your efforts meet with diminishing returns. Here is a procedure that will take less than 15 minutes and will give you cleaner, cooler cuts.  This is a typical dull chisel. I found it in the cabinet in the base of our old mortiser, and don't know what brand it is, or how old it is. It wasn't completely trashed, but the end was discolored, and the grinding marks from the factory were still visible on the outer faces. If you look at the pile of chips, you can see that they are fairly large, and some of them are scorched. There's is a lot of friction between the chips and the metal as they work their way up the flutes of the auger bit. The chips rubbing against each other can get hot enough to burn, and once that happens, the smoke and resins in the wood start to get sticky. You can also see the chips in the flutes of the bit. If you can keep things cool, they won't be there.  Here is a close look at the dull chisel, just about to undergo the first stage of the tune-up. The discoloration is mainly smoke damage, the chisel hasn't been overheated to the point where the metal loses its temper. The sharpening cone came from Rockler as part of a 3-piece set that includes a coarse and fine diamond coated hone, and a handle to put them in for hand honing. The set costs a little over $20, and I think it's a good buy. The handle accepts hex-shanked screwdriver bits, and is comfortable to use for that purpose as well. This is chucked in our drill press, set at it's lowest speed, with the chisel held in a drill-press vise. It doesn't take long to grind a good edge on the inside of the chisel. It takes me more time to get it locked in the chuck than to sharpen one chisel. All you need to do is bring it down until you raise a burr on the outside of the chisel.  The
next step is to get rid of all the grinding marks on the outside of the
chisel. I stick a piece of 150 grit sandpaper to thecast iron bed of
one of the machines in the shop, and rub the faces of the chisel on it.
I start with the clearance slot facing up and give each face the same
number of strokes.
I do twenty-seven on each face because I like the number, but anywhere
from 20-30 will do. The idea is to take an equal amount off of each
side. Don't worry about making the chisel smaller than its nominal
size. You may have to go around 2 or 3 times, but this is a once in a
tool's lifetime operation.  After the sandpaper, switch to the finer cone at the drill press, and hit the inside again. Like the first round with the cone, you only need to grind for a couple seconds to raise a burr on the outside. Then work your way around the outside on a medium grit diamond (or any other) sharpening stone. I tried seeing what going to a finer grit would do, but measurable improvements in the working of the chisel stopped about #1000 grit. You can keep going to finer grits if you want, but you'll only have a shinier chisel, not a better working one. My grandfather used to call that "polishing the polishing"  The last step is to file a notch on each of the inside corners with a triangular file. I wish I could take credit for thinking of this, but it is a feature found on some chisels. I first saw it on the premium chisel set from Lee Valley. Depending on the hardness of the chisel, this filing may take a while, but I think the results are worth it. This provides some more clearance between the outside of the auger bit and the inside of the chisel. I also think it makes it easier to plunge the corners of the chisel into the wood to start the cut. The benefits of doing this aren't as great as the benefits of smoothing the outside of the chisel, but it doesn't hurt, and in some species of wood may really help. Once you've taken a chisel through this procedure, you shouldn't have to go through it again. You will need to dress the edges occassionally. This won't take more than a minute or two. Twirl the fine cone inside the end of the chisel by hand to raise a burr, then take a few strokes (I like 9 in this case) on each face with a sharpening stone.  Here's a picture of the sharpened chisel, along with the chips it made. The chips are a lot smaller, and the chisel is a little easier to plunge into the work. There isn't a tremendous difference in the amount of force you need to make the cut, but the bit and chisel will run considerably cooler. Heat is the real enemy, and in addition to dressing the outside of the bit, the other important consideration is leaving a big enough gap between the bit and chisel. Most bit manufacturers and published advice suggest a gap that is way too small-a credit card or dime sized gap will likely smoke and burn. Set the gap a bit bigger, and you'll enjoy much better results. Bob Lang
Friday, December 01, 2006 4:09:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Behind the Scenes: Joint Trickery!
There are things that are very nice about working at a woodworking magazine. New tools arrive out of nowhere. New ideas are promoted for upcoming articles, which afford one the opportunity to feel like he or she, is on the inside directing a growing trend or, in some cases, seeing into the future (this is because we are working on the April 2007 issue) and all the while getting paid. And the best part, we get to laugh at things we see and about things that we do in house that you don’t get to see.
We are about to complete the spring issue of Woodworking Magazine, the sister publication of Popular Woodworking. Each publication of this magazine is tied around a common technique. In the issue we are about to complete, the exploration of the mortise and tenon joint is the featured topic.
Along with articles on the joint itself and on building a trivet to practice your techniques (and a few other articles), I have written an article on the proper pegging of the joint where we discuss the history of the joint, why it was pegged and if we should continue this practice today.
Each article has what is called and “Opener” – the picture that is at the beginning or opening of the piece, hence its nickname. For the pegging article I had to supply our photographer, Al Parrish, with the pieces to use in the shot. We needed three examples of the mortise and tenon joint.
No problem – except time, that is. I have previously written about my “just in time” inventory system that has carried into the articles for the magazine. I had to get the article complete and Al had to have the picture props. What’s a fellow to do?
Well here is the answer. I concocted three mock joints (two of which are in the photo). From the front, which is exactly what the readers get to see, the pieces appear to be the nicest fitting M&T joints ever made. But, flip them over and the back shows the trickery that I used to bring the piece together. The assembly, when viewed from the rear, is an example of a great pocket screw joint. Some might say this is the art of deception. I however feel that this is a fantastic way to show something that educates people without the entire process taking a huge amount of time to get ready, mine that is.
If I could have used this in my woodworking career or if you can find a way to incorporate this technique into your projects, just imagine how quickly we could build those antique reproductions – a museum quality High Chest of Drawers in a few days versus a few months. Museum Quality?? That’s the rub.
Sorry to have burst your bubble.
Glen D. Huey
Friday, December 01, 2006 8:10:24 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, November 29, 2006
A Preview of a Creole Table Project
Coming in the February 2007 issue (at the printer now) is a close copy of an 18th-century Creole-style table I built earlier this year. It looks like an ambitious and curvy project – but that assessment would be only half-correct. While curvy, this French number is surprisingly easy.
To whet your appetite for this spicy Creole dish, we're posting a SolidWorks drawing of the table for you to download (for free) and examine.
EDrawings is a free little program you can download (for both Mac and Windows machines), which allows you to open up the drawing file and examine the projects in extraordinary detail. And even if you have never used a CAD program, I think you'll find this program a cinch to use.
When you open up the files you'll see the assembled project floating in space – this is called a "live model." And boy is it live! Using the tools at the top of the window, you can rotate this project in every direction to see all sides of it in its assembled form. You can pull individual parts off and rotate those around to look at all the joinery by zooming in and out. See how the web frame works. Make the legs transparent and zoom in on the tenons to see how they are offset from the aprons. Check out the tight dovetails (the only sure-fire way to get tight dovetails: draw them that way!)
These drawings are the next best thing to inviting you into our shop for you to examine the completed project. Heck, I think this is actually better. The projects are much easier to turn upside down and disassemble when they're digital.
Once you see how easily this piece is put together, you might want to do some more investigation of Creole furniture. Until recently, Creole-style furniture was a bit obscure, known mostly to a handful of furniture collectors who specialized in pieces made in the Mississippi valley. But that’s changing.
The original version of this 18th-century walnut table sold for $54,625 at a 2003 auction. And other Creole pieces, such as armoires, are commanding prices up to $140,000. So what is the Creole style? Essentially, Creole encompasses furniture made in the Mississippi valley by furniture makers who were usually French-Canadian. The pieces have lots of French touches, such as cabriole legs, but also have the unmistakable restraint of early American furniture that collectors seek.
This table, for example, looks quite a bit like drawings of 18th-century French furniture from Denis Diderot’s “L’Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire Raisonné” (1751-1780) – but without the banding, inlay, carving and marquetry.
I first saw this table in the magazine Early American Life and was completely enamored. Our project illustrator, John Hutchinson, took a photograph and produced the construction drawings. And 37 hours of shop-time later, this is the result.
Download the drawing here:
Creole Table Assembly1.zip (1.1 MB)
— Christopher Schwarz
Wednesday, November 29, 2006 10:41:46 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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