Woodcraft Magazine June/July 2020 (95)

We’re pleased to announce our newest Woodcraft Magazine team member, Brad Weekley. As our art director, Brad will help blend words, photos, and illustrations into the engaging, easy-to-read woodworking articles you count on us to deliver. Brad brings 20 years of graphic design experience, having worked for a blues magazine, a large outdoor catalog company, and an international marketing firm. “When not working, you can find me with friends and family in the great outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping, or simply rambling through the woods,” Brad says. “Being outdoors clears my mind and ignites my creativity.” He lives in Middlebourne, WV with his wife and two kids. A Vietnam War veteran, Jim Osborn began his photography career after mustering out of the Marines. “I landed a job processing film for a printing company.…

Standing in my back yard, I’m struck by the beauty of spring. Winter’s dismal grey has finally yielded to vibrant tulips, peonies, and wild violets. Bees buzz around my feet, birds soar overhead, and squirrels scurry across rooftops. This Spring’s symphonic bloom is all the more pronounced because it’s not competing with the usual hum and bustle of modern life. Instead, darkened buildings, vacant parking lots, and the occasional lonely car cruising the road evoke an eerie post-apocalyptic flick. Under quarantine, many of us are unable to go to work, enjoy a meal out, or simply gather with friends and family. The COVID-19 crisis has upended our normal lives and overwhelmed us with the loss of certain freedoms, jobs, and sometimes loved ones. The pandemic seems to have the planet wobbling…

The 2010 Victoria’s Secret fashion show was the last straw for Megan Offner, who was helping to build the sets. She had been doing that kind of design/build work in New York City for the better part of a decade, but was increasingly uncomfortable with the notion that trees were cut down for material to make things that would end up in a dumpster after only eight hours. So she set about changing careers, learning how to wrangle a portable bandsaw mill and how to rescue perfectly usable trees that would otherwise be landfilled or ground into mulch. Today, she runs New York Heartwoods LLC, one of a number of companies that try to make the most of the resources in the urban forest. Working in a spacious shop in…

I noticed in the Feb/Mar 20 issue a few photos of woodworkers wearing wedding rings. In my first shop class and in every one thereafter, the instructor threatened to fail anyone found to be wearing any jewelry. We old-timers should remove all jewelry as second nature; but newbies may need to be reminded. —James Henley, Dayton, Ohio Chief editor Chad McClung replies: You’re right. It’s a smart practice to remove rings and other jewelry when working with power tools. Your eagle-eye is keeping us honest.…

I enjoyed Edwards Smith’s 12 Tips for Success at Craft Shows (issue 93). I’ve been in the craft show circuit for the last few years, and Mr. Smith’s tips are right on. I would offer only the following addendum to Tip #11 – Provide Printed Material: I issue a Certificate Of Authenticity with each item I make. The certificate states details about the item such as the type of wood, finish etc., and is signed and dated. It’s well received by my customers, and adds to the value of their purchase. —Gene Rugh, Wright City, MO…

For 27 years, the Wharton Esherick Museum in Paoli, PA has sponsored a themed woodworking competition. These juried exhibitions have historically focused on a piece of furniture (a stool, or lamp, for example) that Esherick himself had made. This year’s theme, however, is much broader, focusing on wood’s interplay with other materials. How might you complete the phrase “Wood and…”? Wood and glass? Wood and plastic? Wood and silver? The possibilities are endless! The deadline for entries is July 1, 2020. The show opens in mid-September and runs through the Christmas season. Visit whartonesherickmuseum.org for more information. —staff…