Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog

Pssst. Over here. Have you read, “It’s a Secret”, the article by Chuck Bender in the November 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking magazine? Many woodworkers have, and they have asked us for more information. (You can read the article here.) So we went straight to the source to see if we could finagle a few more details about secret drawers.

Mr. Bender has agreed to give us more information. He just posted the first of a series of blog entries that will build over the coming months. He plans to post photos and information about a number of the secret drawers and compartments that he’s discovered as he’s worked on antiques. He says, “Not all the secrets will be unique. In fact, some will be rather common, but they will all be interesting.”

I’ve read the first entry (click here to take a look) and I can say the piece is too cool – I have never seen a secret drawer such as this.

— Glen D. Huey

Thursday, November 05, 2009 3:24:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [3] 

The other night, my son sent off his first application for college, and it made me think about who he has turned out to be. When he was small, he enjoyed hanging out in the shop and making things. I enjoyed the time we spent together, and I wanted him to learn about woodworking so I put a coping saw and a spokeshave in his hands and helped him make toy guns and boats. He showed a lot of promise with his Pine Wood Derby cars and a model of a Star Wars land speeder. He became interested in other things, but what he learned stuck with him; he knows how to use tools, he understands the process of making stuff, and now and then he returns to the shop to make something he needs. He may not share my passion for working with wood, but he has picked up some good qualities from being around it. Because he lives with me, he really can’t escape it.

It’s hard to avoid my passion for wood in our house, almost all of the furniture in the place was made by me, and I think that the exposure to an environment of nice, handmade furniture has made a difference in my son’s attitudes and outlook on life. Gustav Stickley wrote about the influence of the home environment on children. His argument was that the things we surround ourselves with have an influence on our character, and on the values of our kids. When I first read that more than 20 years ago, it made sense, but it was all academic. From my current vantage point, I can see proof of it in a kid who has turned out pretty well.

When Hunter was two or three he outgrew his crib and started sleeping on the floor. So I made him the bed that he still sleeps in. He will likely have it until he gets married because it’s too solid to break and too nice to throw away. Earlier this year the desk we bought him when he was nine began to fall apart, and when we talked about the options for replacing it, he decided the best choice was to make his own. Not many kids today think like that. The option of making something yourself so that you can have something nicer than you can buy is an empowering one.  He has attitudes and values that entered his life from the things that were around him as he grew up. This isn't anything that I consciously taught him, it's stuff that rubbed off along the way.

The things we make as woodworkers are much more than objects to fill our homes. The furniture I make is more than wood; it also contains parts of me and the lessons that I learned from my dad and his dad. When I’m gone, my son will be stuck with all these things that I made. In addition to the physical stuff, he’ll also carry other things that aren’t so obvious but are ultimately more important. Hunter sits everyday at the desk he made, and he also built the computer he uses. He spends a lot of time there and I think that will make a difference in his life. That’s not just any desk, or any computer; they are different because they are the product of his efforts. And because of those efforts, he’s not just any kid.

— Robert W. Lang

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 9:58:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [4] 

Opinions are like noses, almost everyone has one (OK. I cleaned up the saying a little). Is that bad, or is that good? It’s sometimes bad because people hide behind the anonymity that the Internet provides when they voice their opinions, and say whatever they like without any recourse. It’s good because it allows us to share our thoughts and expertise to better understand any given topic. Let’s exercise the latter and discuss period finishes.

In his Popular Woodworking November 2009 “Arts & Mysteries” column, Adam Cherubini discusses what constitutes an “authentic” look using the finish on his 18th-century Philadelphia Chippendale chair as an example. During discussions with a few woodworkers at the Woodworking in America conference – at which Cherubini had the chair on display – I listened to a couple good points made by Chuck Bender (owner of Acanthus Workshops and Popular Woodworking  author) that differed from the thoughts put forth in the column.

In the column, and a big point of contention with Bender, Cherubini wrote, “A film finish couldn’t practically be rubbed out when laid over intricately carved surfaces.” Bender contends, “ If that’s the case, all the ornate silver must have been left dull and rough since they had no way to “rub out” or polish highly carved surfaces. I realize that the silver trade was separate from the furniture trade but do we really think none of the processes carried over?”

And while Cherubini does question the lack of use of film finishes in the article, and says we should be doubtful, Bender is a bit more resolved in his thought. He says, “ From all the research I’ve done over the years, I truly believe that original finishes were shiny. There are practical reasons why the finishes would be shiny. First off, if you try to wander through your house at night while dark using only a single candle to provide light, you’d probably want as many reflective surfaces as possible in every room in order to stop killing yourself on the divan," he said. "Second, if you were purchasing pieces of the level that Adam’s chair represents, you were wealthy and educated. This means you hired a professional to make the pieces for you and that professional most likely had a finish shop to which they jobbed out the work, or had an in-house finisher. A cabinet maker working at that level would not have settled for a finish that looked like a farmer’s finish from out in the country,” said Bender.

Cherubini also wrote, “The baroque sensibility (some believe rococo is a form of baroque both aesthetically and linguistically) of light and dark, near and far, would also be harmed by a film finish. Philadelphia furniture makers seemed to intentionally use surface texture to enhance the contrast between carved areas and 'bright' smooth areas made reflective with wax. Oil and wax offered period craftsmen the artistic control that a film finish over a carving would not.”

Bender’s opinion: “The whole concept of making the surfaces shiny accentuates the play of light and shadow in the carving. That’s what they were trying to accomplish. Even in the wealthiest homes, light was not abundant. In order to 'see' the carving, the surfaces would have been shiny so that the recesses of the carving absorbed the light thus creating light and shadow. It’s the only way to make the carving 'pop!' In the end, there are far more arguments for thicker, shinier finishes.”

Here’s an interesting tidbit for the discussion: This past weekend, I was watching an episode of The Woodwright’s Shop (watch the episode here). The focus of the show was period carvings with Mack Headley Jr. (Colonial Williamsburg's master cabinetmaker) as a guest. One of the samples presented was a carving of a shell. The piece was mahogany and it was coated with several layers of shellac. My wife happened to be watching with me and her comment was, “Is that plastic? It’s so shiny.”

Could that be why some of us see a dull finish as an authentic finish, because we are so opposed to a plastic-like look? I’ve used a dull-rubbed effect finish on my furniture since the beginning. Why? I look at antique pieces today and they are dull to my eye. But when that antique piece was delivered to the customer some 250 years back, was it dull? Or was it shiny? What do you think? The comment section is open and waiting. Chime in!

— Glen D. Huey

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 9:56:58 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [6] 

The Wall Street Journal just reported that Stanley Works and Black & Decker are merging in an all-stock deal valued at $4.5 billion. Black & Decker shareholders will get 1.275 shares of Stanley for each Black & Decker share they own, and Stanley will own 50.5 percent of the newly create company. To read the “Journal” post, click here. There's a longer story on the merger here, at 247WallSt.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Monday, November 02, 2009 4:52:18 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2] 

Discover our picks for the 12 Best New Tools of 2009 in the December issue of Popular Woodworking – if you’re a subscriber, you should be getting the new issue any day now (it will be available on newsstands late next week).

While I can’t reveal the Best New Tools here, I can tell you that it’s a good year for small makers (though some major manufacturers won kudos as well). Here’s one hint (for those of you who have been reading the blog throughout the year): Christopher Schwarz got the first of these in, and Glen Huey and I each placed an order within days of using Chris's (and in a reversal of traditional gender color dichotomies, mine is blue; Glen's is pin...er...red).

Also in the December issue:
• Compact 12-volt Drill/Drivers – we test six to see which one bores and screws the best – for the best price. (They’re pictured above, if you care to take a guess as to the Editor’s Choice winner.) And, read about 18v drill/drivers here to compare them to their smaller, lighter cousins – and see which is right for you.

• An elegy for Sam Maloof – John Economaki writes about his friendship with this maker of iconic, elegant furniture

• An elegy for James Krenov – Ron Hock remembers one of the most influential woodworking writers in recent history

• Bibliophile’s Bookcase – This large, Shaker-inspired bookcase provides plenty of book storage, with two drawers to boot

• Build a Boomerang – Making a boomerang (or a bunch of them) is simple and fast – and these fun projects will set your head spinning

• Shooting Boards – Small work is safer and easier to size when you work with a handplane and a ell-made shooting board

• Seamless Curved-panel Glue-ups – With careful layout, you’ll be able to hide seam on even the widest panels, even when the grain throws you a curve.

Plus, an “I Can Do That” recycling station, an inside looks at a Pennsylvania Spice Box in Arts & Mysteries, finishing with Gel Varnish and much more.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Monday, November 02, 2009 1:18:53 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1] 

There’s not much better than to give something with little value only to receive something useful in return. You have to admit that old, worn-out and non-working drills hanging around the shop are of little value – except maybe as paperweights. But if you stop in to your local Home Depot, you can turn those deadbeats into a nice little discount on a new Lithium-ion drill.

The "Home Depot Power Drill Trade In, Trade Up" event began on October 25th and runs through Sunday, November 8th. The event offers customers the chance to bring in their used or broken power drills and get 15 percent off a new Lithium-ion powered drill.

So gather up those old nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal-hydride powered drills, regardless of make or manufacturer, and get a discount off a new drill. You’ll be cleaning your shop and greening up the environment by doing something that’s eco-friendly.

And if you’re so lucky as to not having any deadbeat drills ripe for the recycle bins, give me a call. I’ll bet we can rustle up a trade-in or two.

— Glen D. Huey

Thursday, October 29, 2009 9:06:42 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2] 

Every year we name the best new tools we've encountered and feature them in our December issue of Popular Woodworking magazine. The process we use is entirely unscientific, and we like it that way.

Here's a snapshot of how it works: We make a list of every tool we've encountered during the year, whether it's just a tool we bought, one we reviewed in the magazine or even saw at a show. Then all the staff members hash it out during meetings, in the shop and via e-mail. We persuade, cajole and threaten one another to get our way.

And in the end, we all agree on the tools (usually we cap it at 12) on the list.

This year's list is in the December 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking, which is on its way to subscribers and newsstands now. In the meantime, we thought we'd share the list of tools that were finalists but didn't quite make the cut. These are all great tools, and if we had room in the magazine, I bet they would have also been on our list of "The Best New Tools of 2009."

Delta 46-460 Midi Lathe
This lathe is in the shop right now – we plan to review it in the Tool Test column of the February 2010 issue. The cool thing about this lathe is that it has a reversing switch – a feature you don't typically find on small-scale lathes. With the extension bed, you can turn up to a 42"-long piece between centers – that makes it a good lathe for the furniture maker who doesn't have a lot of space and needs a lathe on occasion. Senior Editor Glen D. Huey stood up for this small machine after seeing at a show this summer.

Lie-Nielsen Thin-plate Tenon Saw
This was one of my favorites that I just couldn't get enough support for. The great thing about this saw is that it has a very thin sawplate for a tenon saw – it's .02" thick instead of a more typical .032". The thinner sawplate makes the saw easier to push through the work and more balanced overall. It's a big sucker – the blade is 16" long with 11 points per inch – but it handles like a much smaller saw. If you need a tenon saw, this is one for the top of your list.

Bad Axe Backsaws
Daddy has a saw problem. We purchased these Bad Axe saws earlier this year and I've been using the heck out of them all summer and fall. I've written a lot about these saws on my blog (here's one entry). The craftsmanship on these saws is simply incredible. When I take them to shows, people can't help but pick them up. Plus, they have a different design aesthetic than other premium saws: These tools have a decidedly American look to them with steel backs and cherry handles.

Rockler Bench Cookies
I'm sure you've heard about Rockler's new Bench Cookies. Bloggers have been spilling a lot of pixels on them. We've been testing them out in our shop to see if they live up to the hype. We're actually pretty impressed. We dumped them into the dust collector to see if they remain grippy when saturated by dust. They do. Our ad director, Don Schroder, has been using them quite a bit to hold his workpieces while routing them. I want to test them a bit more because I want to make sure they don't lost their grip. But so far, so good.

Bridge City's DSS-6 Double Saddle Square
This 6" square is a drop-dead gorgeous and well-made tool. I personally think it should be on the list of "Best New Tools," but we just couldn't get the numbers to work. It's stainless steel, which is cool, and it has a built-in saddle square. And did I mention it's a real looker? We bought one for the shop, and Huey bought one for himself. And that says something.

Chris Vesper's Bevel Gauges
Being the editor of this magazine doesn't mean I always get my way. Case in point: Chris Vesper Tools' bevel gauge. I bought a 4" one from Vesper when he was touring around the United States. And I just ordered a larger one from him earlier this month. These tools have the best locking mechanism I've ever used. It really takes some effort to move the blade, and that's what really counts in the middle of a project.

Bridge City KerfMaker KM1
John Economaki of Bridge City Tools showed us a prototype of this tool in May. Senior Editor Robert W. Lang and I were particularly impressed. The tool is a super-tricky way to set your machine fences so they make dead-perfect grooves and dados. It's hard to explain with words, but the video on the Bridge City web site will open your eyes. This is a very clever tool that – to my knowledge – has never been made before.

And if you think these tools look good, wait until you see the list of the winners.

— Christopher Schwarz

P.S. Here's a link to the 2008 winners if you need something else to do while your boss isn't looking.

Monday, October 26, 2009 12:46:18 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2] 

When I last wrote about this discovery of mahogany (read it here), I wrote that the price was not going to be $10 per board foot. I now have that information, sort of. But let me tell you about what has developed during the drying process.

The material was in a large conventional steam kiln for just over three weeks and the moisture content continued to be in the 30 percent+ range. The threat of surface checks on the material was so great that after one week in the kiln, with only unheated air being blown through the stacks, checks could be seen. The kiln was too large for the small charge of lumber and the ability to keep the ambient humidity just below the material’s surface humidity was impossible.
 
The remedy for this was to remove the charge, load about a 3/4 charge of wet oak and put the Belize lumber back in front of that. This seems to have done the trick and is now keeping the material "happy." The only issue is that the amount of time necessary to dry the lumber is lengthy.
 
It was decided that the right kiln to use for drying submerged timber is a vacuum kiln, and that would kick the costs upward. After a number of phone calls, a kiln was found Muscatine, Iowa. River City Hardwoods (read about the company here) has three Vacutherm, Inc. kilns, of which one has a capacity of 4,000 board feet. The owner has experience with drying materials such as this. According to him, the mahogany will take around 10 to 14 days to dry down to 8 percent, and a couple days to stabilize.

About pricing: The company responsible for this endeavor – Greener Lumber, LLC (click here for additional information) – expects to have about 1,400 board feet available from this first load. Prices are expected to range from $25/bf for 4/4 common-grained lumber, to $45/bf for highly figured stock. Given the lumber, the path the lumber takes to get to the States and the drying process involved, those figures seem reasonable.

In my next entry on this lumber cache, I should have photos of the dried lumber and a brief description of how the lumber works – Popular Woodworking has the honor of being the first shop to examine and work with this material. Additionally, I’ll let you know why these early container loads might be the most inexpensive board footage of this old-growth material coming to market. You’ll be amazed why!

Monday, October 26, 2009 12:38:08 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]