WOOD Magazine December/January 2018-19

we all need a john

Maybe it’s the time of the year, or maybe it’s the time of man, but I find myself reflecting on childhood memories more and more these days.My earliest memory—I couldn’t have been more than 4 years old—is of my older brother, Steve, shaking me awake one Saturday morning, saying, “We’re getting a bar!” I popped out of bed and raced with him to the kitchen, where Dad and another man were reviewing plans for a dining-room addition to the house, which included a breakfast bar. (I was so disappointed. I thought I was getting a candy bar!)Next thing I remember, I’m driving nails into the kitchen floor, “helping” a man I’ve always called “Carpenter John,” who was assisting Dad with parts of the remodel. I can’t imagine I was very…

you’ve got questions. we’ve got answers.

Need to know where babies come from? Ask your mom. Which candidate to vote for? Ask your neighbor Larry, after a few beers. But if you’ve got woodworking questions, we’ve got you covered. These woodworkers weren’t afraid to raise their hands and ask. Email your questions to askwood@woodmagazine.com and see your answers in our Ask WOOD section on page 16 and at woodmagazine.com.Do I need both a drawknife and a spokeshave? Our answer pares away any doubt. woodmagazine.com/shaveorknifeWhat’s the best outdoor finish? We don’t gloss over the details. woodmagazine.com/whichfinishHow do I avoid tear-out when milling wood? Discover the plane truth. woodmagazine.com/nixtearout ■…

your voice

Will the real first sliding mitersaw please stand?While reading your review of sliding compound mitersaws in issue 256 (October 2018), I was fascinated with some of the improvements in this technology. But the margin note on page 45 about the first slide saw is incorrect: The first one was actually the Rockwell/Delta Sawbuck, and I worked on it during its development and introduction in the late 70’s and early 80's.The Sawbuck was the precursor of the whole slide-saw genre. We used front and rear trunnions that required the user to slide the wood in from the side. (The Sawbuck is still the only saw capable of a 16" crosscut.) Our customers loved it because it was the first “radial-arm saw” that could be easily taken to a job site. It had…

your projects

Rather than buying for his dad an “ugly plastic medical-style” shower seat, Martin Heuer, of St. Petersburg, Fla., designed and built this one from red oak, using mostly hand tools. Splines at both ends keep the seat wedges aligned; the frame joinery is mortise-and-tenon.After a neck injury forced Nick King, of New River, Ariz., to scale down his projects, he began making canes, which he gives to military veterans in need. He’s also made six elaborate snake canes, like this one made of mesquite with an ironwood handle. He hand-carved the snake from aspen.Curtis Luker, of Sweet Water, Ala., adapted the High-style Adirondack Pair plans in issue 254 (July 2018) to build this dining table and chairs out of southern red cedar, harvested in Marengo County, Ala. The table measures…

your shop

Dream Shop on the LakeDennis Bosch credits WOOD® magazine for much of the design of his workshop and many of the projects he makes. The shop incorporates features from other readers’ shops, including equipment layout and a floating wood floor that hides the dust-collection ductwork.Dennis also put a lot of his own thought and effort into organizing the shop space for efficiency and storage. He built the cabinets, including a wall cabinet with sliding pegboard panels, and added multiple drawers under workbenches. Cleaning chores are handled by a wall-mounted Bissell central vac system with a 40' hose for picking up what’s missed by the in-floor dust ports of his dust-collection system. An outdoor shed houses the dust collector and air compressor, which are operated by wireless remotes.Both of his workbenches…

ask wood

With both bits spinning at 25,000 rpm, the edge of one travels much faster than the other. Like a larger wheel that covers more ground with each revolution compared with a small wheel, the tips of large router bits move much faster than the tips of small bits.Q Be in the know about when to go slowI’ve gotten by with a fixed-speed (25,000 rpm) router but am wondering if I can improve my results, and use a wider variety of bits, by buying a variable-speed router that runs as slow as 8,000 rpm. When and how might I benefit from owning a variable-speed router?—Jack Purdy, SeattleA By varying the speed of a router bit, Jack, you can improve operating safety and comfort, ramp up cut quality and control, and possibly…