Woodworking in the News
Sam Maloof dies at age 93
Press-Enterprise · Riverside, California
Master woodworker Sam Maloof, a major figure in the California modern arts movement, died Thursday evening at his Rancho Cucamonga home. He was 93.
Sam was a world-reknown expert on woodworking finishing and leaves a legacy of skill and products. His pieces are in the collections of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Boston Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Art Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.
MORE
Teach a kid to build a boat
San Francisco Examiner
The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center in Sausalito, California teaches life skills in a unique way. Students spend time at the boat yard learning shop safety and basic woodworking skills; they are given a toolbox to bring home for further skill development. Then they build a boat together. And when its done – they learn to sail!
MORE
Woodworkers find beauty in pieces
Hickory Daily Record
Ray Searcy puts a wheel of cedar on the lathe and starts to turn it, his chisel scraping off shavings from the splintery edge and sending them flying toward his denim shirt and safety goggles.
MORE
Man's passion has turned into a toymaking
Windsor Now! - Canada
It started when he was a little boy, tape measure in his hand, ready to tackle the next furniture project with his father.
At the age of 12, he was allowed to run the table saw by himself.
Windsor resident Mike Pientka's passion for woodworking has carried through his entire life, and today he is making toys that not only his own children adore, but others think they are pretty cool, too.
MORE
Peekskill craftsman finds true calling making fine furniture
The Journal News - New York
Randy Scully, owner of RP Scully Furniture in Peekskill, creates original heirloom pieces in walnut, cherry, maple and mahogany. "I always thought this would be something I would do as a hobby," said Scully, whose beds, dining tables, desks and bureaus sell for $4,000 to $15,000.
MORE
Taunton Press, Publisher of 'Fine Woodworking' Cuts 9
Woodworking-News.com
According to published reports, Taunton Press, the publisher of hobbyist magazines including Fine Woodworking has cut nine employees from its workforce. Taunton is also said to have frozen new hires as it adjusts its 2009 fiscal year budget.
The layoffs come as the company tries to navigate the downturned economy which has hit the homebuilding market particularly hard.
|
Woodworking Lingo...
|
Amine Blush: Most epoxies used in boatbuilding have "amine"-based hardeners. After the epoxy is cured there will usually be a noticeable oily residue on the surface called amine blush. The amount of amine blush can vary considerably, from almost unnoticeable to very oily. This difference is the result of differences in temperature and humidity. The amine blush can affect the bond of subsequent coats of epoxy or paints and should be removed. Although a variety of solvents have been used to remove amine blush, in the shop we use denatured alcohol (shellac thinner), laquer thinner or acetone. Amine blush can be sanded off, but will require a lot of sandpaper as the paper tends to clog quickly
Collets: The movable metal parts in a chuck which grip the tool or the workpiece.
Core Ply: Plywood made up from thin sheets of veneer glued to a core of narrow boards. Core Ply or lumber-core plywood differs from regular plywood in that regular plywood is made up of successive layers of alternating grain veneer.
Sliding Dovetail Joints: A sliding dovetail joint is similar to a tongue and groove joint except the tongue and grove are matching dovetails.
Bending strap: A steel strap that is placed along the convex side of a piece of wood to be bent. Strap ends are held in place by stops located at both ends of the wood. During bending, the strap takes most of the generated tension, forcing the wood to bend mostly in compression.
Baluster and ring turning: The common name for a fancy turning style commonly found on early American Windsor chairs. This technique typically combines two vase-shaped "balusters" with a ring and tapered cone at the bottom end.
Cannel : (sounding like 'camel', not 'canal') refers to the inside face of any carving tool: deep or flat gouge, V tool etc. Usually 'in cannel' to differentiate from 'out cannel', the opposite, outer face.
Board Foot: A form of wood measurement, where one board foot equals the volume of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. A board foot is equal to 144 cubic inches of wood. To calculate board feet, use the following formula:
(Thickness x Width x Length) / 144 = Board Feet
Tearout: When (rough) fibers are pulled away from the surface of a board or when wood splinters at the edge. Tearout is usually associated with dull cutting edges on tools or (as much as we don't like to admit it) poor technique.
Biscuit Joint: A butt joint that is reinforced with a football shaped "biscuit". The biscuits are usually made from compressed pieces of wood. When a biscuit comes into contact with glue in the joint it swells creating a tighter joint. Also called a Plate Joint.
|
|
|
What's New in Woodworking
|
Fence Flip Stop
Repetitive tasks got a little easier thanks to this gem. Designed to ride the T-slot in any tool fence (router tables, drill press tables, etc) the aluminum arm flips down when you need it and stays out of the way when you don't. Locks down with a comfortable 1" diameter knob. 5/16" T-bolt fits both standard and Universal T-tracks. The Flip-Stop measures 3/4" wide, 1/2" thick, and 3" high on the back or short side of the arm.
Learn More
|
Woodworking as a Business
|
Furniture maker defines elegance in woodworking
"You look at something, and it's not going to necessarily jump right out and grab you right away. It's gonna be something you're going to look at; then, the longer you look at it, the more you will appreciate it. To me, that's elegance."
Understated also describes the building where Strauss crafts his custom and signature line of art deco-inspired furniture. You won't see big, flashy signs or display windows. Instead, you will see a red and tan brick building and a small black and white sign that reads: "John Strauss, furniture maker, LLC."
MORE
|
|
