Woodcraft Magazine December 2021/January 2022 (104)

Attention may be the most valuable investment we can make in our work. We are all made better wood workers by recognizing the reliability of a good combination square or noticing when a well-crafted chair beckons you to sit and invites your fingers to find the subtle details in its armrests. So learn to observe the heft of a bench plane, the way your hand wraps around the rosewood tote. Acknowledge its purpose, its maker. Take a breath as you step to your table saw. Give this machine the respect it deserves. Notice its accuracy, its dead-flat surface. Pause to regard the smooth surface of a freshly ripped edge with your thumb. Being mindful during these moments brings appreciation for your tools and the craft at large. When busy in your…

We love hearing from readers! And there are all kinds of reasons to get in touch with the crew at Woodcraft Magazine. Check out the details below. General information: 4420 Emerson Ave., Suite A P.O. Box 7020 Parkersburg, WV 26102 800-542-9125 Share a slick tip to win cash or a prize. Here’s your chance to help someone become a better woodworker and get rewarded for the effort. Published tips become the property of Woodcraft Magazine. Email us at tips@woodcraftmagazine.com and put “Tips & Tricks” in the subject line or visit woodcraftmagazine.com, and click on Contact. Important: Please include your phone number, as an editor may need to call you if your trick is considered for publication. Have a tough woodworking question? We’ll do our best to find the expert and provide the answer. Email us at editor@woodcraftmagazine.com and put “Expert Answers”…

Time for more information I’m interested in building the Arts & Crafts Wall Clock (Oct/Nov, 2021) and found the mechanism listed in the Buyers Guide, but the article doesn’t seem to specify the threaded post length. —David Noack, via email Associate Editor Derek Richmond replies: Apologies for the omission. The clock uses a 7/16" threaded post. I chose a 2½"-long minute hand to match the radius of the time track on the dial. I used a 2¾" diameter pendulum bob, although since the movement isn’t mechanical, you could use a 2⅛" bob for a lighter look. Felled by DNA Federal prosecutors in Washington used DNA from a big leaf maple tree to convict 39-year old Justin Wilke of five offenses related to an illegal logging operation. That operation also ignited a fire that burned 3,300 acres…

DAVE JANOS, CORVALLIS, OR Quali-tea table. Longtime reader Dave Janos crafted this tea table for his home. The bookmatched canarywood top measures 28" × 15" and sits 22" high atop mahogany legs. The matching aprons feature inlaid rosewood and maple banding. Janos formed the curved rosewood edge molding around the tabletop by creating a segmented ring, trammel routing the profile into the top edge, then cutting it into quarters and inserting straight sections between the curves. We think it’s beau-tea-ful! DAN MARTIN, COLUMBUS, OH Case Claused. Hearkening to ghosts of Christmas past, Martin crafted this intarsia Santa featured in Issue 38 (Dec/Jan 2011). The project’s palette came from natural colors in the aspen and red cedar parts. After assembling the intarsia, Martin wrapped it in a glass-fronted maple shadow box lit with integral…

When Hitachi introduced the first sliding compound miter saw in 1988 it was a real game-changer, offering much more crosscut capacity than regular chopsaws. After rebranding as Metabo HPT (Hitachi Power Tools) in 2018, the company brought out a new line of Multivolt cordless tools including this new iteration of its venerable slider. The tool is sold in kits with either a MultiVolt battery (4.0 Ah at 36 volts) and charger, an AC adapter, or as a “bare tool” with neither power source, for users who already have other Metabo batteries (see the Buyers Guide, p 62). I tested the saw with both power sources. The saw’s dual power options offer great flexibility for jobsite tasks such as installing trim or deck building. The battery charged quickly and powered several hours…

TIP TOP Bar clamp hold-down During a recent project, I realized that I needed a bench hold-down. I’ve seen commercially available toggle-style holddowns that fit in ¾"-diameter bench dog holes like mine but wanted the kind of extra strength that a screw clamp can apply. I couldn’t find what I wanted, so I created one by modifying a clamp I already have. I began by sawing the head off of a 12"-long F-style clamp that has a ¾"-wide bar. Then, using an angle grinder outfitted with a 1/16" disk, I ground a dozen or so pairs of opposing notches about ⅛" apart at the end of the bar, angling them at about 60°. Finally, I filed the sharp edges of the notched section for safety and for an easier fit in…