Popular Woodworking July/August 2021

It’s funny. If you look into the past issues of Popular Woodworking, you will find a long lineage of Editor in Chiefs. Now, stepping into that role and counting them as my peers feels surreal. Everyone that’s contributed to this magazine has put a little bit of themselves into these pages. And while the magazine’s content has shifted to reflect the people working on it, I always felt there was a “golden era” of Popular Woodworking that made it what it was: a top woodworking magazine full of character. So here’s my goal—bring back the soul and get this magazine its identity back. I want you to look forward to each issue. To want to sit down to read it. Every project, technique, or tool may not interest you. And that’s…

Epilog Laser has just released their new Fusion Edge 24 laser system. It features a 24" x 24" x 10" engraving area. It’s available in 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80-watt configurations. The Fusion Edge 24 also features Epilog’s IRIS™ Camera System, which gives a live image of the engraving table so they can quickly and accurately position their artwork on whatever product they are engraving. “The response to the IRIS™ Camera System on the Fusion Pro series was incredible, so we’re very excited to make this technology available in the new Fusion Edge systems,” said Mike Dean, vice president of sales and marketing for Epilog Laser. “It’s an invaluable tool that makes it that much easier for our customers to get up and running faster than ever.” Additional features of the Fusion…

Easy Pour Spout When finishing, I prefer to always pour just the amount of finish I need into a smaller container. To avoid a mess when pouring, I use a trick taught to me by a professional painter that was working on my house. Use a couple of strips of painter's tape to form a “v.” It will act like a spout and avoid spilled finish. — Logan Wittmer Power-Grip Handles After 37 years of pushing pencils and typing on a keyboard at the office, my grip is not what it used to be. So I found an easy way to get a powerful yet comfortable grip on my clamp handles. First, I wrap the handle with athletic tape. Then I stretch on a piece of bicycle inner tube that is slightly smaller…

How did you get started woodworking? Who were your mentors? I am a self-taught maker. My first project was a platform bed that I made in 2003 with a borrowed drill and battery-powered screwdriver. My bed was inspired by a photo from a magazine, and I couldn’t afford the bed. From there I took on other small projects and learned how to use each tool through trial and error. There were bookcases and more beds. I read a lot of books and watched the Woodsmith Shop and This Old House on the weekends to gain useful insight. Everywhere I went, I picked up a bit of knowledge about tools, techniques, and processes. Soon my circle of friends expanded and our conversations centered around making and resources. Once I get an idea…

PROJECT #2110_ Skill Level: Intermediate Time: 3 Days Cost: $300 Rocking chairs are great things to have around the house. There’s just something relaxing about a rocker, especially if it has the right proportions to be both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. Add some soft chenille cushions, and this rocker makes a pretty nice spot to read a book or chat with a friend. This rocker is modeled after a Charles Limbert design circa 1914. In 1915 a new catalog debuted a line of “Ebon-Oak” furniture, which added dark wood inlays to existing Limbert Furniture Company’s offerings, as well as introduced some new inlaid pieces. Interestingly, this rocker was not included in the company’s printed catalog. One standout feature of this chair is the single corbel found under each armrest. Limbert was known to incorporate single…

The quadrant hinge is a lovely thing, bringing both class and strength to the operation of a fine box. But after having gone to great lengths to perfect a box, the installation of a complex hinge can be risky. Who wants to run the risk of destroying something when you’ve gotten so close to completion? For that reason, the quadrant hinge is often purchased but left hiding in the parts drawer unused. The other aspect of quadrant hinges is that they’re often sold with an expensive routing template that will apply only to the use of that particular hinge. A third point is that I find it awkward to balance a large router on the edge of my finely crafted, nearly completed box. It’s an anxiety causing endeavor. For many years…