Woodworker's Journal February 2020

When you combine all the woodworking-based publishing experience mastered by art director Jeff Jacobson, senior editor Chris Marshall and publisher Rob Johnstone, it comes to more than 80 years (plus that awesome facial hair!). Why does that matter? The answer is that when we publish a story, answer a question or design a project, you can trust that we know what we are talking about. While it might be fun to see folks online trying to figure out how to build a cabinet or learn a technique, we can demonstrate those skills with confidence, seasoned with fun and a bit of humility. And with that woodworking knowledge, we can also communicate those skills with clarity and respect. We’re here for you … let us know what you need.…

Auger Bit Improvisation In the August 2019 issue’s Letters, Ernie Conover responded to Dean Shipley about the lack of a source for brad point auger bits. I would like to add another resolution to the problem: use a brad point bit that is a size smaller than the largest part of the screw point to drill a pilot hole for the auger bit. Then, maybe just allowing the last screw thread or two of the auger bit to follow the pilot hole, it would actually be as efficient as a brad point auger bit without the full pull of the complete screw point. I hope that this also could be an alternative to removing or damaging the bit’s screw point. Jim Sholtis St. Louis, Missouri Perfect Square Corner on Ply? How do I cut an…

THANK YOU FOR YOUR READERSHIP Without a doubt, this new turn of the calendar is not my first rodeo. In fact, I am clearly competing in the senior division now. Even so, that does not diminish my appreciation for all of you who read Woodworker’s Journal. It is our privilege to be invited into your homes and to be given the grace to share our love of the craft of woodworking with you. It is a blessing and a challenge that we take seriously. With that in mind, I want to draw your attention to a few “inside baseball” changes to our magazine for 2020. We have gently reconfigured what we refer to as “the front of the book” and combined a few departments together into what we now will be calling…

Stave Candle Holder I enjoyed the “Whiskey Barrel Candle Holder” gift project idea in the December 2019 issue. I ordered my set of three staves from Rockler and found out that they were in three different widths. The thinnest stave was too narrow for the tea lights, the middle one was perfect and the third would have to be cut to make a perfect one and a second thin one. Since the thin one was too narrow for the tea lights, I decided to make it into a tapered candle holder (see above). To further stabilize the candle holder, I added two 21⁄2" oval feet perpendicular to the stave. This prevents the candle holder from falling over. Bill Miller Delray Beach, Florida…

Slab lumber — often thick, with waney (natural) edges retained and exposed — is a material that’s been gaining popularity over the past few years. We want to know where you stand on the topic: Have you ever created a project with slab lumber? Yes: 39% No: 61% Would you like to cut down a tree and create your own slab lumber? Yes: 36% No: 41% Not an option for me: 23% Do you have a source for buying slab lumber? Yes: 50% No: 36% I don’t buy slab lumber: 14% Do you like the look of slab lumber and natural edges on projects? Yes: 54% No: 17% Don’t feel strongly either way: 29% There’s more online at woodworkersjournal.com Check online for more content covering the articles below: Woodturning (page 22): Turning tall hollow forms (video) Raised Panel Cabinet (page 36): Making a raised panel door using the table saw…

Sounding out a solution Our October Stumper has garnered some extremely sound responses, while others frankly added a degree of bafflement to the question. Ordinarily, we at the Journal hold to the maxim, “Brevity is golden.” In his very specific response, our reader John W. Kennedy of Texarkana, Texas, proved that every rule has its exception. His answer, “It’s a shorting tool,” left us short of context and understanding. Diligent searching on the interwebs indicated that it may have been used in shorting out a spark plug when doing engine repair — a shocking suggestion. Honk if you like car radios! The person who submitted this mystery tool provided a clue that many readers took to heart in their guesses — that it was once used in auto repair. We were stopped dead…