WOOD Magazine September 2022

It was 25 years ago this month that I came home after my airshift at the radio station to find my latest issue of WOOD® magazine had arrived. There, on page 4, I stumbled upon an invitation to become general-interest editor for the magazine, a job for which I possessed none of the required qualifications except “knowledge of woodworking processes and an interest in woodworking tools.” So, I applied. The worst they could do was say no. They didn’t. So, on the day after my 35th birthday, I started my new career in publishing, which I figured might last a year before the boss—or I—recognized the abject horror of the situation and I returned to radio. To my surprise, every person on the WOOD staff treated me with respect even when I…

DEEP CUTS Hey, ladies and SERPs! (Google it.) We’re coming to you today from the Deep Cuts Department of WOOD® magazine, where we dig way down into the catalog to unearth seldom-seen nuggets of woodworking knowledge. Where we dare to plumb the unplumbed and sing of the unsung. This is the corner of our vast information infrastructure that the great Googley eyes of the Internet rarely alight on. You won’t find these on page one of the search results. Hey, it ain’t obscure; it’s erudite! (Google it.) Sure, you could brush on a coat of poly. First: Just don’t. Use one of these three finishes instead. woodmagazine.com/aintpoly Second: Lose the brush, too. Wipe instead. woodmagazine.com/wipeywipey Deep cut: Use a bundle of lint-free cloth to apply the secretions of the lac beetle (Kerria lacca), which have been ground…

YOUR VOICE 99 Problems, but a Bench Ain’t One I recently made a couple of Adirondack chairs with footrests from your plans in issue 219 (July 2013, and at woodstore.net/adirondackrest). But, as with most chairs of this style, some “less flexible” family members have difficulty getting in and out of them. So when I saw the Cozy Outdoor Bench on the cover of issue 275 (July 2021), I knew it would be a great companion to that set. To make it match the Adirondack chairs better, I redesigned the armrests and back to look more thematically correct. The set is a big hit with the family for nights at the fire pit. Thanks for the inspiration —Randall Pope Binghamton, N.Y. When We Say Jump, You Say… I dog-ear pages of magazines to remember articles for reference. Your article…

Put the Squeeze on Excess Glue Q What is the best way to deal with glue squeeze-out when assembling a project? I’m fed up with discovering errant glue spots and fingerprints when I apply finish. —Brian Albone, Biloxi, Miss. A Squeeze-out defines any well-glued joint, Brian, so every woodworker should know how to deal with it. Follow these tips to avoid overlooked spots of dried glue showing up during finishing like DNA evidence under a crime-scene black light. Effective glue removal comes down to the timing. Wipe it off too soon and you just force it into the pores of the wood, making it more difficult to remove; but wait too long and you risk tearing out chunks of wood along with the hardened glue. Instead, wait about 30 minutes after applying clamps and…

Rip Strips in Steps With Fewer Setups I’ve seen lots of techniques for ripping consistent, thin strips at the tablesaw. But by using a combination square and drill bits for saw setup, I can quickly and precisely cut strips of different thicknesses by simply varying the size of the bit. After fitting a ¾×¾" hardwood strip in the saw’s miter slot, butt the head of a combination square against it, extend the rule to touch a saw tooth, and lock it in place. Now, insert a drill bit that matches the desired strip thickness between the square and wood strip, as shown. Finally, slide the rip fence over until the workpiece touches the rule and lock the fence. Remove the square and bit, then rip a strip. Repeat the process for subsequent strips. —Bill…

Boiling a rocking chair down to its essence, Design Editor John Olson came up with an easy-to-build piece that sits comfortably and looks perfect indoors or out. The cherry version shown here suits a family room or nursery. For outdoors, choose white oak, mahogany, or cedar—woods that tolerate dampness, heat, and cold. Templates make it easy to get all the angles and curves just right before you start cutting your project stock. Loose-tenon joinery, cut with your router and a simple jig, withstands the stresses a relaxing occupant places on a rocking chair. Ready to build your own? Then let’s rock. Templates Are on Your Side 1 Referring to Drawing 1, make templates from ¼" sheet goods of the legs (A, B), back (C), and rocker (D). Don’t bother marking mortise locations yet. A…