Australian Wood Review March 2019

If this issue has a theme, it’s inspiration. It’s all about the things people draw their ideas from, and how they express them in their work. And there are people in this issue that I personally find inspiring. I met Duncan Meerding about five years ago in Melbourne while doing a wrap-up of designer makers at an interiors trade show event. Since then his designs have gained a following, and attracted attention and awards. Those things are enough to warrant a feature in this magazine, but the fact Duncan does this as someone who is legally blind inspires me. I can’t fathom how he can even get around and travel all over the world, let alone operate panel saws and all kinds of tools to produce and market award-winning work of his…

Arbortech’s media release touts this product as ‘the next generation Mini Carver’ and ‘the newest version of the Mini Grinder’, so I wondered how the cutting disc could be improved. Little did I realise that the whole product has been upgraded from the ground up, arriving in a suave black carry case containing the tool and all associated extras. I have one of the old Mini Grinders that already performs very well, so I wondered what could make this product even better. Well, the manufacturers have made a number of improvements that provide users with an advanced tool which not only improves function, but also reduces noise and dust. The angle grinder now has extra power (710 watts), a variable speed switch which allows slower speeds for sanding, a soft start which…

Anyone who likes to involve some shaping in their work will know the worth and versatility of files and rasps in the workshop. Traditionally, rasps are designed to be used by grasping the handle in one hand and holding the tip of the cutting surface in the other. Many of you will know that extended sessions like this can become uncomfortable and, like me, have attempted to solve this by wrapping tape etc around the cutting tip. The team at The Unplugged Workshop, a hand-tool-only school in Toronto, Canada approached master rasp maker Noel Liogier in France to assist in getting around this issue by custom-making these two-handed rasps. Designed with a spokeshave in mind, users can choose between three grades of cut – a coarse No.6, a medium No.9 and a fine…

On a recent visit to France to teach at the Escoulen School in Aiguines, one of my students was selling a reverse bowl chuck, the likes of which I had never seen. The chuck is based on the Longworth system and made of acrylic. What really attracted me was the quality (it is all laser cut providing superb accuracy) and the flexibility (any thread size can be fitted to the chuck to suit most lathes). Two size options are available; an outside diameter of 295mm (with a 105–246mm holding capacity), or an outside diameter of 400mm (with a holding capacity of 165mm to 345mm). Seeing the benefits I ended up buying both. The maximum speed of rotation when using the chucks is 1000rpm, however it is recommended to start slow and then…

There’s a whole community of woodworkers out there who specialise in scroll saw work. They create two dimensional drawings cut into thin boards and need a machine capable of delicate cuts with negligible tear-out, plenty of support for large workpieces, and blades fine enough to provide a very fine pencil-thin saw kerf capable of cutting tight curves. With these requirements in mind I was keen to see how this German saw manufactured in China performed, especially with a number of features highlighted on the packaging and website. Weighing 11.8kg this saw is easy enough to move from its packaging to the workbench, whilst having enough weight to sit firmly on four rubber feet which absorb the minimal vibration generated as the saw is set in operation. The 240 volt motor hums along…

We tend to take a simple tool like a ruler for granted and yet a whole piece can be ruined if the measurements are out. Christian Groves in Melbourne developed his Kunstmade 600mm folding ruler following a request from Wellington Steelworks in Tasmania who were looking for a high quality metric ruler for blacksmiths. Made from brass it won’t discolour when heated, and it’s easy to find in the dark environment of a blacksmith’s shop. For woodworkers this ruler is also highly valid. An accurate 600mm long ruler is perfect for layout work and precise set-outs in the workshop, and that length does cover most workshop jobs. Examining the ruler, I paused to consider how hard it is to get a ruler to fold over and still be exact in its length. Made…