Woodworker's Journal October 2021

My father used to tell me about going to the movie theater as a young boy and paying 5 cents to watch the latest episode of the currently running serial. Whether it was The Shadow or The Amazing Exploits of the Clutching Hand, Saturday mornings had cartoons, newsreels and the main attraction. Those days are gone, but Rockler, with help from the gang here at Woodworker’s Journal, has started up an even better Saturday morning event! Each Saturday, Rockler features an online demo video that teaches a woodworking technique, builds a small project or highlights a new product. These are fun and informative — but you’ll need to bring your own popcorn. —Rob Johnstone…

In Praise of Proportion WITH AGE COMES WISDOM Over a lifetime I have owned some professional tools that were as heavy and as expensive as some automobiles. Others have been obscure tools that are hard to describe. For example, I own a cutting tool that shapes a perfectly tapered hole for a violin peg and a pencil sharpener-looking thing that tapers the pegs. Who wouldn’t need that? For years if I saw a tool that struck my fancy, I was on a mission to get one … Lord willing and the creeks don’t rise. But those days are mostly past. Recently I have been rethinking how to approach many tasks that I previously would have only completed by “going big or going home.” Here’s what I mean: since I have moved into a smaller…

Ruler Reminder I like the blade height gauge tip that Gerald Welf sent in [Tricks, April 2021]. But all should be aware that most printers don’t make a true 1:1 copy of a ruler face. Instead, I would order self-adhesive tape from a woodworking supplier such as Rockler. It’s a great trick idea though. All-thread Source? I like the segmented bowl cover project in the April 2021 issue. I tried to buy some 5/16" x 8"-long all-thread bolts to make the clamping press shown in the article. Of course, no luck whatsoever. Where can you buy fully threaded bolts of that length? Also, is 8" the right length for the clamp that Chris made for his bowl? Larry Malohn via the Internet Chris Marshall Responds: All-thread is sold in long steel rods, not as bolts.…

Raised-panel Storage Cabinet Here’s a storage cabinet I built for my son from birch and walnut. I used all mortise-and-tenon joints with supporting cleats. The raised-panel doors were made with a Rockler raised-panel bit set, which I love. I have used these bits on a number of projects. Corey J Smith Bristow, Virginia Bench to Porch Swing Conversion Here’s my modification to the June 2020 English Garden Bench project. By shortening the legs, relocating the leg stretchers and adding eyebolts for the chains, your bench design has become a very sturdy covered porch swing in our yard. I built it from cedar rather than mahogany and painted it. It was a great isolation project during the pandemic, and I have had numerous requests to build more. Dan Hendricks Snohomish, Washington…

Making custom-made kitchen cabinets is a goal of many woodworkers. We wanted to find out more. Have you ever built kitchen cabinets? Yes 50.13% No 48.87% Are you interested in building cabinets someday? Yes 52.82% No 47.18% Do you think you know enough to design and build your own set of kitchen cabinets without plans? Yes 56.88% No 43.12% Are you interested in upgrading your current kitchen with any of the following: Updated drawer slides 11.47% Updated door hinges 8.62% Pullout drawers 8.99% Pullout racking 9.96% Lazy Susan (corner hardware) 4.31% Updated cabinet pulls or handles 6.3% Under-cabinet lighting 10.45% Sink front tip-out shelves 3.18% Refacing current cabinets 5.12% Updated doors or drawer fronts 7% Kitchen island 3.55% Not interested 19.17% Other 1.88%…

April Tool Redux? Readers Hone In Mike Walker’s T-handled tool with five adjustable cutters — our June mystery tool shown at right — prompted a variety of guesses from our devoted Woodworker’s Journal “sleuthers” as to its possible purpose. Several of you believe that it might have woodworking applications. “This item is a good candidate for a dowel threader,” says David Killingsworth. B. Estes and Scott Kapich both suspect that perhaps it’s a countersinking or counter-boring tool of some sort. “This tool looks like it could be a plug cutter or it could possibly cut a round tenon on the end of a board,” offers John Soprano, and Randy Wolfe believes it could be an adjustable hole cutter. A good many of you, however, think this tool actually belongs in a plumber’s or pipe-fitter’s…