Woodworkers in the News
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.
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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.
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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.
Woodcarver Sculpts Works Of Art From Native Hardwoods
RuralNorthwest.com
For 30 years, a New Jersey native who once worked as a wilderness ranger in Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains has quietly gone about creating works of art from slabs of seasoned hardwood, laboring over minute details for months the way a poet will war with the rhythm of words until they have graced the edge of perfection. MORE
Student builds car of wood
Porter-Cable
A North Carolina State University Graduate Student is building an actual car from wood! Sponsored by the folks at Delta/Porter-Cable, the car is a real-world performance car will stir the imagination of any woodworker. MORE
Craftsman honors the fallen
Arizona Daily Star
A Rita Ranch resident and disabled veteran is using his knack for woodworking to help Arizona families of soldiers who have died in combat in ongoing wars.
The resident, R. Courtney Powell II, has his own home woodworking business and normally charges for such items as handmade, ceremonial flag display cases. He charges $60 for a single-frame case.
But now he's giving flag display cases away to Arizona families of service members killed in combat during the United States' ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Woodworking Lingo...
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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.
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What's New in Woodworking
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18" Measuring Kit for Jigs
Take your jigs and fixtures to new levels of accuracy! With this easy to use kit, you'll be able to set your jigs up for convenient repeatability and easier, more precise stop-block operation. Includes 3 left-to-right and 3 right-to-left 18" tapes, as well as 2 plastic cursors for stop blocks. Tapes are 1/2" wide and feature peel-and-stick backing for simple, lasting adhesion to a variety of surfaces. Cursors are made of durable lightweight plastic and have two slots for screw attachment at various widths (screws not included).
Learn More
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Woodworking as a Business
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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."
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