Tabla de contenidos para August 2020 en Woodworker's Journal

Maybe you haven’t noticed, but sometimes magazines repeat themselves. If you’re one of our long-time subscribers, you know that we’ve published multiple dining room table designs, many versions of router tables, bookcases by the dozen, dressers and beds galore. But the reason they take their turns over and over is because woodworkers love practical, fun-to-build furniture. The same goes for shop projects which, according to our data, are also very popular. And why not, as they help you become more efficient and productive with your skills, workspace and tools. Our “Ultimate Miter Saw Station” at left is a good example. Chris Marshall designed and built it for our June 2010 issue, and it has continued to be a much-requested project plan with many readers building their own versions. This issue,…

Dadoes and grooves, as well as mortises and tenons, make up a significant part of woodworking joinery. How those joints get formed is up to the woodworker. Here is a breakdown of your favorite methods. What is your preferred method for making dadoes and grooves? a. Table saw 59.27% b. Router (handheld) 17.44% c. Router table 14.51% d. Router hand plane .49% e. I don’t make dadoes 5.85% f. Other 2.44% What is your preferred method for making mortises for mortise-and-tenon joints? a. Mallet-driven mortising chisel 3.07% b. Drilling and paring the sides/ends with a sharp chisel 20.15% c. Routing the mortise 15.23% d. Dedicated mortising machine 29.61% e. I don’t make mortises 28.01% f. Other 3.93% What is your preferred method for making tenons for mortise-and-tenon joints? a. Cutting…

Two new accessories from Rockler can add portable precision to your drilling operations. The first words that came to mind when I got my hands on the new Portable Drill Guide (item 52885; $149.99) were “substantial” and “smooth.” From the center bearings that spin the chuck shaft to the depth adjustment rails to the angle adjustment scale, everything on this Guide is beefed up and operates smoothly. Portable drill guides essentially turn a handheld drill/driver into a small drill press. The drill attaches to a shaft that is connected to a chuck, which is guided in a straight line on two rails. The angle of the guide can be changed in relation to the workpiece, and most also feature a depth stop. It’s a great tool to have if you…

A NOTE FROM THE END OF APRIL In the regular course of events, I don't have any trouble imagining what woodworkers might be doing when our magazine is delivered to your house. In my current circumstances, that is just not so. In what I hope will be a dim memory, you may recall that the COVID-19 pandemic was looming large for most of us at the end of April. There were scads of concerns and opinions flying around with little in the way of certainty. But one thing was true last spring that will be evident when this magazine arrives: woodworkers were in their shops making things (see below). I am grateful for the constancy that my shop fellows exhibit — we are steady Eddies who don't tend to let…

While a couple of you Stumper sleuths could only venture a guess at R.K. Motheral’s threaded mystery tool in the April issue, more than 100 readers knew what it was beyond all shadow of a doubt — and many of you still own one. “Having been in the plumbing trade for the past 44 years, says Duane Haugen of Omaha, Nebraska, “I immediately recognized it as a valve seat dresser.” Larry Graves, the son of a master plumber, and Daniel Pagerie of Johnstown, New York, both recall watching their fathers use these tools on the job when they tagged along on plumbing calls. “As a live-in maintenance man, I used one every week,” says George White of Laceyville, Pennsylvania. “Mine’s over a half century old and still works well.” Dave…

Amiter saw station I built for our June 2010 issue (see page 6) became our most popular shop project in Woodworker’s Journal’s history. But 10 years of regular use have provided a “punch list” of improvements I’ve been itching to incorporate into an updated design. For one, at 8 ft. long, it dominated wall space and was a battleship to roll around. This second go-around is much shorter, at 64¼", because I’m using my drill press table as the right-hand support surface for crosscutting long workpieces. There’s still plenty of shelf space for offcuts or general storage, plus two drawers that I’m planning to use for stowing valuable short scraps. You won’t find a long fence beside the saw either; it really isn’t necessary and sometimes can actually hinder safe…

I’ve been a woodworker and a fly fisherman for years, so it was probably inevitable that sooner or later I would build a bamboo fly rod. Inevitable, perhaps, but not necessarily a walk in the park. It cost me a fishing season. I broke rods long before they left the shop. I made rods that worked better as tomato stakes. I fried one rod to a crisp. I suffered epoxy failures and polyurethane busts. In short, I enjoyed every minute of it and, three rods after I started, I have a rod that I’m not ashamed to show to the world. A bamboo fly rod is made of six strips of bamboo glued together to form a hexagon. The strips are triangular in cross-section, and since the rod tapers from…

“The chestnut blight was accidentally introduced to North America around 1904 when Cryphonectria parasitica was introduced into the United States from Japanese nursery stock. It was first found in the chestnut trees on the grounds of the New York Zoological Garden by Herman W. Merkel, a forester at the zoo. By 1940, most mature American chestnut trees had been wiped out by the disease. Saplings would attempt to grow but then would also succumb to the same blight. Around 1950, I remember walking through the woods with my dad and looking for chestnut trees taller than 15 ft., but sadly, we never found any.” Sikeston, Missouri…

In an effort to keep people healthy and safe last spring, most of us were spending more time at home. This was definitely true at my house, and one of the side effects was that between my wife and I working and our kids doing school from home, we found it a lot more challenging to find separate workspaces. My solution was to build an adjustable-height mobile desk that could be used in a variety of ways and fit just about anywhere. Once the plans were ready, I built mine in about a day. It’s the perfect size to park a laptop computer, prop up a tablet, work on crafts or even enjoy a meal while binge-watching a favorite TV series. Design and Material Choices My intent was to make…

We know nothing of who first came up with the idea of a hand plane; all we do know is that it was a long, long time ago. The oldest woodworking plane on record is nearly 2000 years old. Found in Pompeii, it dates from around 79 A.D., but woodworkers with a bit of plane knowledge would immediately recognize it, because its form clearly defines its function. (Incidentally, its dimensions are very close to a #3 smoothing plane!) In the earliest days, planks were likely flattened with an adze-like tool, such as the one shown at right. When the idea of mounting a chisel-like cutter in a sliding fixture came to be, the hand plane was born and its long history began. Initially, plane bodies were made of wood and…

Softwoods are often overlooked in the world of furniture makers. And that is a bit of a shame when you consider the range of softwoods and how beautiful they are. Clear pine and Douglas fir are lovely to work with and are durable when used properly. Southern heart pine — especially longleaf pine — is gorgeous and has the specific gravity of many hardwoods. All of these species can be found in salvaged as well as recently harvested lumber. But what to do when it comes to finishing? Softwood in general does not take a stain well — the early- and latewood accept pigment in the stain completely differently, often looking reminiscent of an X-ray exposure. If you must add color to your softwood creations, it is best to suspend…