Woodsmith October/November 2020

This issue sums up why I love woodworking. The projects hit for the cycle covering gifts, home furniture, shop-made tools, workshop upgrades, and heirloom classics. It’s worth reading each of the project articles even if you don’t plan on building it. There are so many lessons to learn that you can apply to the projects you do plan to make. I’ve been thinking about why I build things. There’s the joy of seeing people open gifts I’ve made and the delight in learning a new skill. But the deeper reason is it’s my way (albeit small) of seeing the world and making it a little better. And I hope you can make your world better, too.…

Q; What critters have you found in your shop? I’m always shooing birds from my garage, but I recently found a bird’s nest in the nail pocket of a tool belt that hangs on my pegboard. I guess it’s not seen much use. Again, my thanks to “Task Force Woodsmith” for the excellent content and being the woodworker’s best companion. I’m very much looking forward to what’s to come. — Andrew Brown New episodes of the ShopNotes podcast drop every week. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts or visit www.Woodsmith.com/podcast…

GO ONLINE If you have an original shop tip, we would like to hear from you and consider publishing your tip in one or more of our publications. So jump online and go to: SubmitWoodsmithTips.com You’ll be able to tell us all about your tip and upload your photos and drawings. You can also mail your tips to “Woodsmith Tips” at the editorial address shown on page 2. We will pay up to $200 if we publish your tip. THE WINNER! Congratulations to Paul DiPastena, the winner of a $100 Lee Valley gift card.…

Upscaled Screw Container One of my favorite brands of screws comes in click-top plastic containers in a couple of different sizes. On a recent trip to the hardware store, I noticed the screw display hanging up on pegboard hooks. This gave me an idea to store the containers in my shop. HANGING TOTE. As you can see in the photo above, I built a tote to store and mobilize the containers. On one side, there are three hooks to hang the smaller containers. The opposite side has two cubbies for the larger size screw containers. PLYWOOD. The tote is made from plywood. A handle is cut in the upright and the tote is assembled with butt joints. It’s the perfect way to store hardware, or Legos, as my kids discovered. James DeMira Creston, Iowa QUICK…

When it comes to versatile tools in the shop, the router is king. Whether hand-held or in a table, the router can tackle most shop tasks with ease. However, there are times when you need to outfit your router with a jig or an add-on to make a job a little easier. Here are two of my favorites. MOLDING JIG Large moldings can be made using a combination of router bits that fit the individual sections of the profile. For example, a fillet can be made with a straight bit. A cove can be formed with a core box bit. And a radius can be formed with an ovolo bit (a bearingless roundover bit). Straight sections of moldings can be made easily with an edge guide or at the router table. Things start…

Sharpening wood cutting tools is a subject that has been discussed many times in the past. And, I am sure, it will be discussed many times again in the future. Sharpening and “what is sharp?” is all relative to what you are cutting. Depending on the tool to be sharpened, and the method used, of which there are many, we are all looking for the same thing. A sharp edge to cut the wood efficiently. Woodturning has changed tremendously over the last 36 years that I have been teaching and demonstrating all over the world. The type of turning, the woods we have access to, as well as the tools and techniques have all evolved. TURNING THROUGH THE AGES Years ago, woodturning tools were made of carbon steel and one could achieve a really…