Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog

The big news at the AWFS show came from a Canadian company. General International announced plans to restructure and expand into the United States to improve its operations in the lower 48. The company wants to reinforce and increase its U.S. sales presence and market share. General International wants its U.S. customers to easily find General Manufacturing, General International and Excalibur products.

To accomplish that objective, the company brought in a big gun. You may recognize the guy on the left in the above photo standing over a granite-top General table saw, alongside Norm Frampton. Two years back, at AWFS 2007, Scott Box rocked the woodworking world with a granite-top table saw. As you can see in the photo, Mr. Box – formally a major player at Steel City Tool Works – is wearing a General International shirt; he has assumed the role of Operations Manager for the newly expanded U.S. division of General International.

The company says a U.S. warehouse and distribution center will be centrally located in the states. With Box’s base in Tennessee, I wonder where that location might be – Murfreesboro, maybe?

At the same time, General International has added several new Territory Sales Managers including Craig Walls, Curt Thomas and Tom Guertin.

I’d keep an eye on General International in the next few years. Things should change, and change for the better.

What did General show at AWFS this year?
• A new 17" drill press with a redesigned casting to accommodate a full 6" stroke, and a variable speed 1-horsepower motor, all priced at $877.50 (model # 75-260 M1)

• An 8" parallelogram jointer (80-225HC M1) for $3,780 that features a "Magnum Helical Cutter Head" (check out the collapsing handles)

• A mini-lathe duplicator (25-024) that fits most lathes with throws from 6" to 14". The duplicator hits the market in September at $315 and handles lengths up to 19-7/8" and diameters to 7", and can work from an original turning or off a template.

Availability dates for the jointer and drill press are to be determined.

— Glen Huey

Thursday, July 16, 2009 12:45:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1] 

I'm in Las Vegas right now at the AWFS show (Association of Woodworking and Furnishing Suppliers). As a furniture guy, I gravitate toward the Fresh Wood competition held every other year at AWFS. Students of woodworking from colleges, universities and high schools transport pieces to the show for display and judging. As always, I'm impressed with the talent.

The piece that really caught my eye was built by Timothy Keating, from Cedar Ridge High School. Keating’s entry is called “Wandering Roses.” The table is made up of more than 700 pieces of inlay and has six roses intertwined with vines, all set in a tiger maple edge banding on a round table top. (The table has its leaf installed while on display at the show.) Each rose is made up of 75 sand-shaded pieces and the base of the table simulates roots (you can just see the table base in the photo).

Another piece that I found myself staring at was built by Jonathan Cox, a student at Brigham Young University. His low table design is titles “Split Personality”; the piece has a granadillo top with a carved natural edge. The tabletop is cantilevered and attached to the pedestal with a pinned double bridle joint.

I’m especially impressed with high schools that maintain woodworking programs – thank you for allowing America’s youth to continue a craft that we all want to see flourish. This year’s competition had, if I counted correctly, 20 high school entries and 30 entries from colleges and universities. The majority of the entries would be considered contemporary, but there were a couple antique reproductions.

— Glen D. Huey

Thursday, July 16, 2009 12:33:26 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve stood on my soapbox to urge woodworkers to use a toothbrush to spread glue when edge joining two pieces of lumber. A toothbrush is plenty wide enough to completely cover the edge of the board and the glue, once spread, is an even film that’s perfect for job. If you want more information about glues, check out “All About Glue: Part Two” by Marc Adams in our October 2009 issue. (Part One ran in issue #177, August 2009. Click here to get a copy of the magazine for $5.99)

I gave up finger painting in the third grade and I shy away from acid brushes – except when I add glue inside a mortise – because the brushes are narrow and I feel as though I am reproducing a Monet with all the strokes needed. So when I noticed Chuck Bender pulling out the glue and a couple acid brushes during my week-long teaching gig at Acanthus Workshops, I was chomping at the bit to challenge his technique.

Chuck isn’t one to take a challenge lightly, so he offered up a race. I thought I had this one in the bag, but I noticed that his setup – glue poured into a disposable cup with a loaded acid brush – looked peculiar. The handle of the brush was larger than those I had worked with.

He grabbed up a dollop of glue and proceeded to wipe along the edge of his board. One swipe covered the edge completely; he didn’t even waste time squeezing the glue from the bottle.

I guess he saw the amazement in my eyes because he kind of laughed. Then he showed me a box of brushes and pointed out that his brushes are 1/2" wide, not the petite 1/4"-wide size I was used to buying at my local hardware store.

Once again, I learned something new. In fact, I learned a couple things. First, don’t challenge Chuck about his woodworking techniques – he’s had many years to perfect them. And second, it’s OK to use acid brushes for spreading glue, just make sure the brushes are large. I found a good deal at Harbor Freight, click here.

— Glen D. Huey

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 8:15:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [6] 

Senior Editor Glen D. Huey was out of the office last week, purportedly teaching a class on building a tea table at Acanthus Workshops. But on Friday, I got a photo via e-mail from Chuck Bender (the founder of Acanthus Workshops), and it doesn’t look to me as if Glen was working very hard. So, just to embarrass Glen (one of my favorite pastimes), I’m holding a “Caption the Photo” contest. Whomever supplies the funniest caption (if you make me expel Diet Coke from my nose, you win) in the comment section by 2 p.m. Friday, July 17, will get a free copy of our newest CD: “The Arts & Mysteries of Hand Tools,” which you can read more about in the post below, or here.

(And yes, I realize the intrinsic irony of offering a hand-tool-related prize for any contest featuring Glen.)

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Monday, July 13, 2009 5:05:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [156] 

On our newest CD, “The Arts & Mysteries of Hand Tools,” we've collected everything Contributing Editor Adam Cherubini has written over the years – from his first "Arts & Mysteries" column in April 2005 to his most recent in August 2009 – 31 stories in all.

Plus, you'll find hand-tool articles from Popular Woodworking on sharpening, handplanes, chisels, saws and more!

All of the articles are in an easy-to-search and easy-to-use pdf format.

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

• The Ultimate Hand-tool Shop
Ideal bench placement, convenient tool-storage solutions and a dedicated sharpening station are the key considerations in creating the "perfect" hand-tool shop. Once these are established, there's rarely a need for a larger space, no matter how many hand tools you acquire.

• 18th-century Standing Desk
This seven-article series walks you through period design and construction techniques as Adam builds a handsome standing desk for his shop.

• Hand Tools in the Modern Shop
Discover the simple steps anyone can take to quickly become an accomplished hand-tool user – from mastering the essential skill of sharpening to using planes, chisels and handsaws like a pro.

Order your copy today – just $19.95!

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Monday, July 13, 2009 4:49:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] 

To all our Chicago-area readers: We would (of course) love to have you join us for the weekend, or even just one day, at the St. Charles Woodworking in America Furniture Construction and Design Conference (Aug. 14-16 at Pheasant Run Resort). But if you can’t make it for the conference sessions, you can visit the Marketplace for just $10, and test-drive some of the latest tools (vintage ones as well) and woodworking products, from Lee Valley Tools, Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Micro Fence, D.L. Barrett and Sons, Brese Planes, Woodpeckers, Blue Spruce Toolworks, Tools for Working Wood and many more. Check out the complete list of exhibitors here. You can buy tickets ahead of time here, or just pay at the door. Parking is free. We hope to see you there!

Marketplace-only tickets for Woodworking in America: Hand Tools and Techniques (Valley Forge, Pa., Oct 2-4) are also available by clicking here.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Monday, July 13, 2009 12:55:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] 

For those of you who made it to the Cincinnati Lie-Nielsen Travelin' Hand Tool event, you know how great it was to get your hands on a huge range of Lie-Nielsen tools, meet the folks behind the name, and listen to Chris Schwarz wax prolific about hammers...and what they do to planes. (If you missed the show, become a fan of the Popular Woodworking Facebook page and you can see pictures).

Well, Lie-Nielsen is taking the show to Rochester, N.Y. on July 10 and 11, at the Rochester Woodworker's Society (noon-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday). In addition to hands-on training from Lie-Nielsen folk, the Rochester Woodworkers Guild will be giving demonstrations. (And by the by, every penny Chris Schwarz makes off his DVD sales is donated to a woodworking charity.) Admission is free. Visit the events page at lie-nielsen.com for more information.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:17:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2] 

Being in the right place at the right time has its rewards. I’ve worked at woodworking for two decades and I’ve never used anything with the name Yates or Colladay on it – until this week.

I walked up to the Acanthus Workshop’s Colladay 16" jointer (a genuine piece of “Old Arn”) and flipped to the on switch. The machine began to purr. The cut made as I passed the board over the three-knife head was dead-flat and as true as can be. The board slid over the machine like the puck on an air hockey table. Nice.

Acanthus Workshop owner, Chuck Bender, was also in the right place at the right time when he purchased the Philadelphia-made jointer. He had spread the word amongst fellow woodworkers that he was interested in a upgrading his jointer; extra width works best for Bender because he often uses wide boards in the reproduction pieces he builds. He received a phone call from another woodworker who said he needed to part with his Colladay jointer; he needed to get it out of his dining room – that’s right, his dining room. (I can’t believe it, but I’m having fun trying to imagine.)

The jointer was in great working condition and immediately found a new home. It has been part of Acanthus ever since. This machine is great to use, but what really put a smile on my face was the three minutes and forty seconds of run-down time after the jointer is shut off. That’s long enough to joint another short board.

A second piece of “arn” at Acanthus is a Yates 156, 30"-wide thickness planer. Bender has had this machine for almost 10 years and as with the jointer, nothing had to be done to the machine to bring it into working condition. Think about this: Four knives at 30" each is a total of 120" of knives to sharpen. Around these parts, that will set you back about $100.

How’s the class doing? Wednesday was field trip day. We drove to Philip H. Bradley Company Antiques in Downingtown, Pa., to take in some original tea tables and other great pieces. Inside the door there is a stunning secretary and the front room is full of pieces that any woodworker would admire. Then it was off to Ball & Ball to study reproduction hardware. Some of the students picked up knobs for the candle slides of their tables.

Construction is going great. Wednesday morning everyone wrapped up the legs and Thursday morning the bases of the tables go together. By the end of the day Thursday, we should have the tops fit. Also, Thursday is ice cream day. On a challenge, I had 12 pints of Graeter’s ice cream sent out from Cincinnati. If you’re in the area, grab a spoon and stop by.
 
— Glen D. Huey, senior editor

Thursday, July 09, 2009 10:03:10 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2] 

How You Can Help
The Woodworking in America: Furniture Design and Construction conference is just a few weeks away. We're all looking forward to the conference and the opportunity to spend time with the presenters and our readers. In addition to the experts in many different furniture styles, we're focusing our attention on SketchUp, an incredible tool for designing and understanding projects. I will be giving a presentation on using the program and we will have walk-in clinics where you can bring in your laptop (or use one of the computers we will have available) and receive one-on-one advice. There are a couple of ways you, the reader, can help us make a good thing even better.
 

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 1:56:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3] 

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner: Congrats to Craig Parker. Answers are at the bottom.

We're in the midst of a cover test for the October issue of Popular Woodworking (you can cast your vote here), and as always, the editorial staff has placed friendly bets on which will be the winner. We've each placed our "avatar" atop our favorite cover (or the one we think will garner the most votes).

What does this have to do with you? If you can correctly guess which avatar represents which staff member you can win a DVD. The first respondent to correctly match all the avatars to their staff member will win a FREE copy of our latest DVD: "Turning Basics for Furniture Makers with Steve Shanesy."

Entries must be e-mailed to Megan.Fitzpatrick@fwmedia.com. And to make it a bit more challenging, I'll tell you that Senior Editor Glen D. Huey and Publisher Steve Shanesy are out of the office – which leaves the remaining five staff members...and I'm not giving their names. (OK, four...as you have to e-mail me – but my avatar is a gimme, anyway.)

The answers:

Luke Skywalker: Drew DePenning; Dwight Schrute: Chris Schwarz; Bullwinkle: Bob Lang; Phone Wire Man: Linda Watts (she made this sculpture!); Shakespeare: Megan Fitzpatrick.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Tuesday, July 07, 2009 11:24:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3]