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Paci
ic
oodwor
1 95
Inside this issue:
Guide
to
New Woodworking
Tools
The T Square Fence
Countertop
Assembly
Finishing Techniques
lder
oo
Craft
Shows
and
ore
New Technique: Through Lay
Special Issue ore Pages than Ever Before
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ORDER TO YI
THE FIRST
L SS
POSTAGE IS ON US
DeCristofaro
signs
27 82 Horseshoe Lane
Los Altos Hills 94 22
T KE
THIS
ue
FOR
ONLY2 5 1
We ll send
you
a
complete set of FULL-SIZE
plans for this wonderful action
toy and
itwill
only
cost
you
2.50 Plus we ll
send
you
our
catalog
of power
too
l
accessory
plans
YESI SEND THE DUCK
Enclosed is my check /M O for
5
ame _
Street _
Town State
_
~
Zip
Pacific Woodworker
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Volume 3, Number 4
December
1983/January
1984
Issue 16
PaCific
Woodwor-kpr
New Woodworking Machinery by Charles Harris
A Selection of
Itemsfrom
the LosAngeles Show
Letters
Focus
on
Carving
byWilliam H. McMaster
Carving Miniatures Part 2: Eight Steps
Reader Survey Results
Marketing
by Ray Jones
Crafts Shows: Displaying and Selling Your Work
Calendar
and
Announcements
Events
of
Interest to Woodworkers
Pacific Woodworker s
Shop Tip by Paul McClure
Drawing an Oval
The Biesemeyer Story
by Charles Harris
A ward Winning Saw Fence
Finishing Techniques
by Robert O. Briggs
Part
1:
Surface Preparation
The Del
Mar
Show
Brick Laid
Counter
Tops
by Patrick Warner
Widow s Lament by Linda A. Hynson
Humorous Essay
Store Review
Woodcraf ters in Bellevue Washington
The Fourth Corner
by BillFarnsworth
A Woodworker Comes Out of the Woods
Works
in
Wood
83
by
Paul
Gerhards
Williamette Valley Woodworking Show
ClassifiedMarket
Through-Lay
by Mary A. Cristy
A Pacific Woodworker Profile ofKathy Blair
Living with
Murphy
by Charles Harris
How To Fix Mistakes
Northern CaliforniaWoodworkers Association News
Wood Types by David Paul Eck
Alder
Books Reviews by Alan Marks
As I Was Building a Gazebo
by
Jeff
Taylor
24
38
50
51
33
47
26
28
31
41
42
45
22
32
18
13
14
10
11
Contents
e opinions expressed by the authors do not
reflect the policy
of Pacific
. Editorial correspondence is
uraged, and may be edited for publi
tion.
r Issue 17: December 23. 1983.
Staff
Davis Editor
ibuting Editors:
Bill Farnsworth
William H. McMaster
David Paul ck
ok Reviews lan Marks
rtoons Bill Atherton
Bill Horgos
rles Harris
AdvertisingManager
Nickels Graphics digi type
rlow Press Printing
rles Harris Publisher
t all advertising inquiries to:
vertising Manager , Pacific Woodworker
4881, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
) 525-8494.
lk mail postage paid at Santa Rosa, CA
ted in U.S.A.
licited manuscripts , photographs,
art
ork and other materials are accepted,
but
ific Woodworker
cannot assume respon
bility for these
mater
ials. Submissions
ust be accompanied by a self-addressed,
ed envelope for return.
ific Woodworker
(ISSN 0277-576X) is
lished six times a year by CharlesHarris,
4881, Santa Rosa. CA 95402.
yright © 1983by Charles Harris. Re
without
prior
permission is
ibited .
ription rates 9 .95 per year, 15.95
two years. Single copy: 1.95. Address
inquiries to SubscriptionDept.,
ci f
ic Woodworker
Box 4881,
Santa
Rosa,
95402.
Canada add
3.00 per year . Rates
subscriptions outside North America on
. Unless a claim is made for non
ipt
of
an issue within six months
of
ling date, that issue will not be replaced
of
charge. Allow 6 weeks for
add
ress
January 1984
Subscribe to Pacific Woodworker. See Reader Services
and
Back Issue Sales on page 46.
3
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w oodworking
achinery
election
of
tems from the
os
ngeles
Show
Christmas . in September With more
than 300,000 square feet of the latest in
woodworking machines, hardware and ac
cessories, the Woodworking Machinery
show was a woodworker s delight. Aisle
after
aisle
of nifty
machines
which
automatically cut a dozen cabinetdoors in
a single pass, programmed finish spraying
systems, edge banders and
more the
show had enough to make any small pro
duction woodworker green with envy. f
course, the five- and six-figure price tags
on some of these machines might make the
woodworker a little green around the gills
as well.
Perhaps
less obvious than these
monsters, but impressive nonetheless,
were a wide range of tools and accessories
designed to facilitate and improve limited
production and individual woodworking.
by harles Harris
4
ble
Saw
es
sories
Large production table saws are often
equipped with a power feed machanism
which prolongs tool andblade life, reduces
waste, provides a more accurate and
reproducible cut , and (properly used)
decreases the chance of injury. But until
now, a power feed machanism was so
heavy that only the largest saws were
solidly built and heavy enough to support
the weight of the feeder.
Now Rockwell has produced a light
weight (44 lb.), inexpensivepower feedat
tachment for their popular Unisaw and
other 3 HP table saws. The feedratevaries
from20-90 feetper minute, and the height
adjusts up to I 5/8 Single phase wiring
simplifies installation. The Unifeederalso
fits shapers, when combined with an op
tional accessory kit.
Rockwell s Unifeeder TM) brings powerfeed
into the small shop.
Pacific Woodworker
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anodizedblackguideof Rockwells new
TM slidesforwardand backward.
bothlargeand smallpieces.
rlier this year
Rockwell
introduced
Unifence (TM),a high-precision saw
efortheirU
nisaw.
(Thisnewproduct
similar to the Biesemeyer T-Square
elsewhere inthisissueofPacific
The
fence stays
squaretothe
asit slides acrossthetable,andlocks
lI64 accuracy withbothEnglishand
ric scales. The extruded aluminum
slides
forward
and
backward
through
locking
mechanism; this feature helps
minate kickbackby reducingpinching,
allowing a fulllengthfenceforlarge
cuts. Forcutting laminates, the
fence
flippedon itsside,so that itguides
veneer.
TheUnifence
Rockwell s
10 tiltingarborbench
and 10 contractor s saw. will sup
ttheUnifeederwhenequipedwithan
tional adapter. Priceof theUnifenceis
350.
98
Blackand Deckers PalmGriporbitalsander
extractsdusts throughsix holes in thebottom
the
sander.
A dust pick-up skin surroundsthe business end
Milwaukees orbitalsander.
ust less nding
Finish sanding produces quantities of
finesawdust,and preventing the spreadof
thisdust in the shopalways presentsprob
lems.A coupleofproductsdisplayed at the
sh0 f provide different approaches to the
dust problem.
MilwaukeeElectric Tool offersa Dust
Pick Up Kit: a plastic skirt and dust bag
which snaparound their new
6014
orbital
sander. The 12,000 orbit/min. sander
featuresball-bearingconstruction anda
4
1/2
x
sanding area.
Black and Decker uses a different
method tocollect thedust from their 4010
PalmGrip FinishingSander. Six holes in
the bottomof the sander extract the dust
from the actual sanding surface. The
12,000 orbit/min. sanderuses ,4 ofa stan
dard piece of sandpaper; a template and
punch included with the sander quickly
providethesixholesinanystandardpaper.
List price is 73.
s
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he solidmetalstopon Mertesradialarm saw
gaugeflips outof the wayfor longercuts.
notherSawGuide
looks like woodworking manufac
turers have started listening to wood
workers, and begun producing a range of
durable, high-precision cutting guides for
table and radial arm saws. With a built-in
measuring scale, always-square operation
and quick resettablity, these saw guides
decreasethe 'time needed for the cut, and
improve the accuracy. No wonder their
popularity is growing. The latestentrant
the field is the Mertes Manufacturing
LG500gauge for cut-off and radial arm
saws. A calibrated rod slides along a
plastic guide fastened to the table top,
•
while
the stop rolls along
the
front
aluminum fence on bearings. Flipping the
rear lever locks the gauge as required. The
stop also quickly flips out the wayfor other
cuts. Contact Mertes Manufacturing, 7330
Ethel Avenue, North Hollywood, CA
91605 or 213)
765-1490.
Compressedair does the hard workof clamping
withMBD sPorta Pnuematicpipe clamp.
6
lampsand lamping
Do you do a lot of clamping? All that
twisting is tough on the arm by the end of
the day, isn't it? you have an air com
pressor, you can let
it
do the hard work,
with the Porta-Pneumatic Bar Clamp.
Hook your compressor up to the back of
the
clamp then gently increase the
pressure with the optional squeeze valve.
When you remove the air supply, the
clamp stays tight by means of an internal
diaphragm. The Pneumatic clamp also
comes in a band clamp model. List price
for the basic clamp is 129, plus
29
for the
air injector. Contact MBD Inc. PO Box
8548,
Grand Rapids, MI
49508
or 616)
957-1176.
he
A.H.Ottcornerclamppulistwo pieces of
woodtog th r endto end.
How do you pull two pieces of wood
together, edge to edge?The Comer/Cross
clamp from A.H.Ott is one answer. The
high-quality (and heavy ) clamp has foam
rubber jaw surfaces for the two side grips.
Between is a ratchet mechanism strangely
reminiscent of the VW bug tire jack. Just
crank the jack handle, and the two pieces
ofwoo slide together Beautifullysmooth
and very solidly made, list price for this
tool is 193 from International Wood
working Equipment,
11577
A Slater Ave.
ountain Grove, CA
92708
or 714)
549-3446.
Pacific Woodworker
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Biscuit Jointer
Of the many ways to join two pieces of
edge-to-edge, the biscuit jointer is
e of the best. Traditional dowelling is
-consuming , and intolerantoftiny er
s. The biscuit method is very fast,
d allows some adjustment of the joint
final assembly.
Elu's DS 140jointer and groover uses a
5 HP, 220v motor to turn a 4 blade at
out 7500 rpm. Touse the jointer, set the
nce for the thickness ofwood used, rest
e DS 140 against the wood and gently
ress the motor housing. The blade ex
nds through the base plate , leaving a
ved groove. Water based glue causes
beech biscuits to swell, firmly lock
g the joint.
The Jointer lists for 395 with case, and
e biscuits sell for about three cents each.
ntact Elu Corp. , 9040 Dutton Dr ive,
, Ohio 44087 or (216) 425-3135.
1MElu Biscuit joimerdramatically reduces
dowelling time.
Is Craftsmanship Dead?
Afterattending the show in LosAngeles
artin Zschoche sent us the following
ofa small shop woodworker.
One
can hardly attend such
a
nomenal event without recalling The
oar of the Greasepaint and the Smell of
e Crowd, a classic play about show
ess. Indeed this Woodworking Fair
s complete with bright lights and pretty
rls. The technology was enough to bog
e anymind and cause a small town
wood-
orker like myselfto drool with envy at
capabilities packaged into highly com
zed hardware. There were robots to
your painting and massive contraptions
at would take any rough cut board and
m itintoa f n y moulding or cabriole leg
matter of seconds. Days of hand work
ere compressed into a mere fraction of
. One man with one machine could
any
master craftsman
a
usandfold. Frankly, I hadn't known that
is type ofequipment existed outside of a
ck Rogers version of woodworking.
Besides machinery from around the
rld, not to be ignored were the supplies
r/January 1984
of fastene
rs
hardware veneer and
upholstery, all displayed in the most pro
fessional way. Once knocking out all the
parts for your Queen Anne Highboy
y
the
computerized method, it would be no
problem to find high class polished brass
hardware that would defy detection as
copies.
After the initial country-boy shock
had worn off and I had become somewhat
acclimatized to the rarefied air of the mass
production world, I had to sit down for a
moment and ponder what my own place
was in the midst of all this carnival-likeat
mosphere. Where was the woodworking
craftsmanship and care
to be found?
Where was the master craf tsman who
poured his very life and soul into each and
every
piece he made?
Certainly
the
machinery had been carefully crafted.
Of
that there was no doubt. But did t have a
place in real woodworking, or
maybe it was who no longer had a place
in
our
advanced world of computers and
mechanization? The world has changed so
much from the days when all things were
made
y
hand. There are more people and,
therefore, more households than ever, all
of whom legitimately are in need of fur-
niture .
everything had to bemade
y
old
fashioned methods, admittedly, time and
expense would be prohibitive.
So, where is the answer? Perhaps there
are places for both ofus-the bigmachines
and the one man craftsman. Mass produc
tion woodwork does meet the needs of
many people. But I feelcomputerized copy
furniture can never equal the
feel
n
spirit
of handcraftsmanship. It may even be
because
ofmass production work that we
craftsmen still have a place. The contrast
still shows up and those customers with the
taste and ability to pay for the genuine
arti cle will grow weary of imitations.
Stapled joints are a long way from handcut
dovetails, and solid walnut is not even
comparable to a walnut colored plastic
coating over particleboard.
Our
greatest enemy in our continued
struggle to maintain craftsmanship is
discouragement when seeing how quickly
a s imil ar p roduct can be made by a
machine. There still is a valued virtue in
long hours
of
tedious work and unique
rewards available only to the few who try
it. I was fascinated by the marvels of
technology, but frankly, I'd rather do
t
myself.
7
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h
Lyon lexPolyvalUniversalMortiser
a
gold medalfor best newtechnologyin Lyon
r nce
8
RockwellsSawbuckcombinesthefunctions ofa
powermiterbox anda radialarm saw
ulti Purpose achines
Universal woodworkingmachines oftop
quality attracted lots ofwoodworkers at the
show. Among the noteworthy pieces of
equipment was the Lyon Flex Polyval
Universal Mortiser Ins
tantly
inter-
changeable heads chisel, chain sawor bore
slots and mortises, with high precision, as
the table slides into the stationary cutting
instrument. A 3 HP motor provides plenty
of
cutting power. The machine sells for
5695 from International Woodworking
Equipment,
77
A Slater Ave., Fountain
Grove, CA 92708 or (714)549-3446.
ontractor ower Tools
Makita has added a new contractor
grade table saw to their extensive power
tool line. The Model 2708saw sports a 12
amp. 2 HP motor, holds an 8 1/4 blade,
and weighs only 35 pounds. Boththe saw
fence and the miter adjustment lock
quickly from the front of the saw. Sug
gested list price is 268.
Rockwell's new Sawbuck frame and
trim saw also attracted much attention at
the show.The Sawbuck combines manyof
the features of a radial arm saw with the
quick, accurate adjustments of a power
miter box. The amp motor rides ontwo
solid steel guides, above the work. The
motor tilts for bevel cuts, and the entire
head and grooved lower guide
tum
for
miters. A large 20 ring allows accurate
miter cuts. The 8 blade will handle 2
thick stock, as wide as 16 (in the 90
degree position) . The lightweight saw
folds into a compact package, complete
with wheels, for easy handling.
MakitaS contractortablesawfeatures quick
lockingleverson bothfence and bevel
Pacific Woodworker
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9/52
DIVI
A Subsidiary of
Y V R M O N T M R I C N ORPOR TION
1350S.15thSt., Louisville,
y
40210
502
587 6851
r January 984
9
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10/52
Lumber Mill Wanted
I have been able to obtain some Calif
ornia Walnut and need to find a lumber
mill that willsawthis timberinto slabs and
a fewboards. Also, unless I can finda kiln
that would dry the woodfor me, I will of
necessity have to air dry the lumber.
Marvin Smith
Castro
Valley
, CA
Most commercial mills won t touchan
individual slogs. because
of
the possible
nails. bits offence and other metal which
willdestroythesawmill sblades. The last
mill that we know of catering to the in
dividual woodworkerin the Bayarea has
ceasedoperations. an anyof our
readers
help fin a portable mil l or
oth r
assistancefor Mr. Smith?See also
Pacific
WoodworkerIssue I for plansfor a solar
drying kiln.
Where ToBuy Alder s
MAG-PAD
In our
st Report
of
the Alder MAG
PAD seePacific Woodworker, Issue 14,
August/September 1983) we neglected to
include the addresses
of
two Western
dealers whocarry the product. Th
ey
are:
D
D Saw
Supply. 6 6 Mission Gorge
Rd.•SanDiego,
C492120
7
4)
280-9320;
also The UbodTool Center. 545 Showers
Dr., Mountain View,
C4
94040
415)
948-3844.
McMaster Responds: Optii/isor is
manufactured by Donegan Optical Com
pany, 15549 10Bth
Street, Lenexa. KS
66219 andis carried by eyeglasssuppliers
such as Franklin Optical. jewelry supply
houses such as Otto Frei, and lapidary
supply houses. A similar viewerissold by
Brookstone, 127
~ s
Farm Road. Peter
borough , NH 03458 C
-3510
H
eadban
d
magnifier
15
.95). I personallypreferthe
OptiVisor I amsureyou canfind itat one
of
the companies referred to above inSan
Francisco.
Where To Find OptiVisor
I enjoyedWilliamMcMaster s first col
umn
Pa
cific WoodworkerIssue ). I do
mini-turnings, and I would likeinforma
tionon a source forOptit/isoras mention
ed in yourcolumn.
Alec
Yuill
-Thornton
San Francisco, CA
• •
tt rs
R.H. Grimes
Atlanta, GA
Reader Recommends Vicks
Reading Andy And erso n s letter re
cracks in fingersdue to loss ofoil working
with wood: I ve found rubbing in Vicks
Vapo ub notonly oils but seemsto aidthe
healing process faster than lotions.
Betty R. Truitt
~ o u n t L a g u n a
C
Georgian Found
Calendar Helpful
I picked up a couple issues of Pacific
Woodworker
while I was visiting Calif
ornia . Thanks to the information in your
Calendar, I droveup to Mendocino for the
woodworkingshowsand the schoolat Fort
Bragg. It really made my trip to the West
Coast.
Pacific Woodworker welcomes your
comments. pro orcon. aboutarticles and
informationwe publish. Sendyour letters
to
Editor, Pacific Woodworker.
PO Box
488/. SantaRosa.
C4
95402. Lettersmay
be editedfor publication.
-
10
Pacific Woodworker
•
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11/52
byWilliam H. McMaster
o us
rving
i ht Steps in arving iniatures
issue Idiscussedthetoolsyou
find useful in carving miniatures. In
s issue I willoutline the eightsteps in-
in carving miniatures.
One: Choice of Wood
hen carving miniatures it is best to
se fine-textured wood without open
res. In general, the smaller the details
harder the wood should be. Strong
n variations should be avoided since
y will fight the details, making them
der to see. An open-pored wood is
desirable because a cut can open a pore
t where you are trying to carve fine
ail and require starting over.
mecommon woods which work well
th hand tools are boxwood, cherry,
rtle, and walnut. Open-pored woods
has padauk and teak are very difficult
carving small details.
Two: Pattern Making
hen making
standard miniature
it is useful to work
from
. Iflucky, youwill havemore
McMaster ofLivermore California
chief of the Education Division of the
lifornia Carvers Guild and a regular
of woodcarving classes.
Wood-
rvinghas been Bill s avocationfor the
st seven years; he has won numerous
ardsat juried shows held by the li f
a Carvers Guild.
/January 1984
than one view Knowingthe full size, make
a
1 12th scale pattern using the squares
method to transfer the design from the
photograph to your pattern. Transparent
grids of different scales are sold in art
supply stores and are indispensable for
transferring designs. Youcan also easily
make your own transparent grids using a
clear sheet of plastic and a permanent
marking pen .
When the pattern ismade, make a copy
of it on a piece of clear plastic. There are
several brands of feltpenswhich will write
on plastic. Two of these are Sanford s
Sharpie brand and the Pilot fine point pen.
This transparency will be used tocheck the .
results against the pattern as you proceed
with
the
carving .
hile
carving
periodically view your piece through this
transparent pattern to be sure you are not
deviating from your design .
Next, transfer the pattern to the wood,
using carbon paper. necessary, use a
pencil to darken the lines on the wood.
Neveruseinkor afeltpen since inkwould
be absorbed into the open grain and could
ruin your carving. When putting the pat
tern on the wood, be sure that the grain is
lined up with the thin sections of your
carving to give them more strength.
Three: Clay Model
Unless you already havea model or can
easily visualize three-dimensional form, it
is best to develop the basic form in clay
first. For this, use oil-based Plastilina
modeling clay.This claycomes inwhite or
grey-green. I recommend the white, to
avoidtransferring color toyour clothing. In
the white you havea choice of two grades
of hardness: 2 (medium) or 4 (firm).
The hardness you use depends upon the
amount ofdetail you plan to put in the clay
model. The idea here is to develop the
basic shape in the clay first before arriving
at Step 5.This procedure enables you to
make design changes which could not be
made if working inthe wood first. It is not
necessary tomake the claymodel the same
size as the carving. In fact, since you are
carving a miniature, itis better tomake the
11
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
12/52
MET L
P RTS
KITS
lOW
F TORY
DIS OUNT
PRICES-SAVE 50
TO
500
SEE You can build a Quali ty band saw
from .a kit m Sept .-Oct . 1978
WORKBEN CH.
12-IN . BAND SAW
• Ball beari ng
drive
. • Ball beari ng
blade guides. • Precision aluminum
wheels . • Big 2 ·in.•20 ·in . table .
18-IN. BAND SAW
• Ball bearing
drive
. • Ball bearing blade
Ruides. • Precision aluminum whH 'ls.
, • Cuts to c en te r
01 36·in
. circle . 12·in .
deep t hr oa t. • Big 26 ·in.•2S·in . table.
O-IN. TILT/ARBOR SAW
• Ball beari ng arbor . • 27 29 ·;n .
table . • Floor model 34·in. high .
Sold
lo r
37Yur• .
ALSO:
• WOOD SHAPER
• 9·IN . BENCH SAW
• COMB. LATHE·
DRILL PRESS
-IN . BELT SANDER
• Use 6· in.• 4S·in. belts .
• Sealed ball bearing drive.
• Belt operates eit her
vertical or horizontal.
KITS FROM
PLANS
00
with tl
*39.99 TO *194.99
FULL·SIZE PIan
With SoYear
Guarantee
PATTERNS
Deductible
Featured in Workbench,
Popular
Science,
Mechan
i. illus
trated. Step-by-step plans, photos, full-scale patternsshow
you how. No machining, no weldng. Send$5 eachfor
Plan
s
plus $1 for postage, stating tool plans wanted;
Catalog
in'
eluded. Or, send$1for catalogI
GILLIOM
MFG.
INC.;
Dept. PW·12
1700Scherer
kwy
St.Charlss MO 63301
12
clay
modellarzerthan
thecarving. During
carving, you can compare the twobyusing
a proportional caliper in the reducing
mode.
Four: Remove Waste Wood
Because you start with more wood than
the pattern will use up, youwantto remove
as much excess as you can before starting
to carve. The easiest and quickest way to
do this is by band sawing. Using the pat
tern, band saw out the shape , staying a
small fraction ofan inchaway from the pat
tern . Do not forget to leave some waste
wood for holding the block in your vise.
This is best done by leaving a square col
umn of wood below the main part of the
piece. This column is cut square to
facilitate turning it in the visejawswithout
needlessly changing their setting. It should
be located so that it provides sufficient
holding strength while you are carving the
extremities.
Internal voids can be removed using an
electric hand drill or, betteryet, one ofthe
power tools. However, if the voids are in
delicate regions , you should wait until you
begin carving the details in Step 6 .
Five: Carve the Basic Form
First, it is important to develop the
overall basic shape inthe wood. The whole
object should be shaped before any detail
carving isdone. Otherwise, it istoo easyto
make an irreversible error. For this step,
use the largest ofyour carving tools able to
make the cut you want. Large amounts of
wood are first removed using the deep
gouges. Then smooth surfaces are ob
tained using the large No 3 sweeps.
Six: Carve the Details
Details should not be started until the
basic shape has been achieved and the
various levels established. Otherwise you
may either waste your effort or make an
error
in the basic shape. While doing the
detailing, keep all parts of the carving
equally developed. This will greatly help
you obtain a coordinated piece. Hint: by
observing your carving in a mirror you
will get a new view which will help you
detect any errors
Seven: Prepare the Surface
Surface preparation requires a combina
tion of fine grades of sandpaper and fine
jewelers riffler files. Start with 180grit
sandpaper and proceed to the next finer
grades. Do not make a large jump in
grades from coarse to fine, or you will
leave a surface which takes the finish
unevenly, nomatter howsmooth the wood
feels to your touch. I find that open cut
garnet paper works best. The paper should
be reinforced with plastic tapeon the back
before cutting the sheet into smaller sizes.
Small, hard-to-reach regions can be
smoothed using riffler files.
As
with all
abrading, do not use a heavy hand or you
will cause scratches.
When finished, the carving should be
wiped clean with a lint-free cloth and then
vacuumed to remove all dust particles . A
hard toothbrush is useful in cleaning out
crevices.
Light-coloredwoods getdirty easilyand
readily absorb oils from your hands.
Therefore, in the final stages of preparing
the surface it is best to wear gloves. Thin
cotton photographers gloves or thin latex
ones used by painters work well for this
purpose.
Eight: Finishing
Most miniatures carved in light woods
such as basswood may be finished by
coloring with either oil or acrylic paints.
Remember not touse a heavy opaque coat
of paint , as this will obscure the fact that
you havedone a wood carving. The wood
grain showing through the colors greatly
enhances the appearance of the final
product .
A clear varnish suchas McCloskeyEgg
Shell works well both as an undercoat for
the painting or as the final surface coat by
itself.
In my next
column
I will discuss
specific carv ing techniques for miniature
work.
Parts this column have appeared
previously in
The Log,
a publication
the
California Carvers Guild
Pacific Woodworker
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13/52
Reader
Survey Results
What are Pacific Woodworker s readers
?This past summerwe
asked a sample
our subscribers who you are and what
uwantto read. The results are in, and I'd
to tell you what we found out.
Slight ly more than half of you are
bbyist woodworkers or carvers; the rest
evenly divided between part-time and
woodworkers
,
plus
a few
hers, suppliers, and manufacturers.
the next year, the average
bscriber plans on spending 2 5 on
od and tools. The most popular tool
oices are band saws, table saws, sanders
all kinds, planers, router s, lathes,
wblades and jointers Most
of
you
eady own table saws, band saws and
, so many purchases will be to
lace or upgrade equipment.
While about half ofour subscribers earn
s than $500 each year from wood
ojects, some 13percent manage to make
0,000 a year or
more
from wood
king. (Please write in and tell us your
Yourfavoritearticles in themagazine are
nical features, test reports, and equip
ent guides, so you'll be seeing these
ore often in future issues of Pacific
. You'llbe pleased to note our
s on finishing techniques starting
this issue, as well as a new column on
types . And you should find our
port on newproducts exhibited at the Los
geles Woodworking, Machinery
&
rniture Supply Fair interesting reading.
also wantmore projects and how-to
. We'll try to provide them.
Because manyof you would like to hear
other readers on short-cuts, jigs, and
op hints, we've kicked off a series on
op tips with this issue (see page 21).And
r/January 1984
wewant your input for this regular feature.
Pacific Woodworkerwill pay for readers'
tips published in the magazine. Contact me
at PO Box 4881, Santa Rosa , CA 95402
with your shop hints and a diagram or
photograph, if appropriate.
For those
of
you who received and
answered the survey questionnaire, thanks
for your help with this project. And for
those who did not receive a questionnaire,
we'd still like to
hear
from you . One
, ( 2
• Justout -New 72page catalog .
•
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movements . dials .
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• 25
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plans
designed
forthe
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•
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is$2.50. refundable
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5 .00
order. Add $2.00for first class
postage
.
Turncraft is known
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and excellent service
TURNCRAFT LO K
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especially gratifying finding from this
research was that almost every part
ofthe
magazine was appreciated bya percentage
of
the readers , and almost every article
we've published in the past year was men
tioned by someone as especially in
teresting or informative. f we didn't hear
from you, write and let us know what you
like, or don't like, and what you would like
to read in Pacific
Woodworker.
- Jean Davis Editor
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by Ray Jones
rketing
Getting Started in the
rafts ow usiness
isplaying n elling Your Work
In myprevious article about working the
crafts show
circuit
, I covered the
preliminary steps : finding and choosing
shows, applying successfully, and obtain
ing the necessary permits (see Pacific
Woodworker Issue 14,August/September
1983). Because many ofyou may be doing
your first show during the
hristmas
season , it seems appropriate now to
discuss some more of the basics involved
in displaying and selling your work .
ispl ys
A craftsworker s display is very impor
tant.
must present the work,to its best ad
vantage in order to
attract
potential
customers.
The
types of displays wood
workers build are as varied as the types of
woodwork they are selling. A furniture
maker may have no other display than the
furniture itself, whi le a craf tsman who
sells miniature turningsmay need a large ,
elaborate display
to
catch the eye and focus
attention on his work.
Often the design and construction of a
display is the last thing done before a show,
when, unfortunately, insufficient time re
mains to do the best job. is a common
tendency to spend too much time making
Ray Jones
of
Granada Hills alifornia
has
run his ownwoodcrafts business since
98
and
is a
frequent crafts show
exhibitor
things to sell and not enough time making
a display to sell them on, even though it is
the display that must first attract attention.
A good first step toward designing a
display involves visiting a few craft shows
toget ideas. Some criteria to keep inmind
while designing a display are: presentation
of the work, appearance, protection from
the elements, storage space, and portabil
ity.Probably the simplest type of display is
a table with a cloth covering. This provides
an elevated surface on which to display
your work, with a concealed storage area
underneath. But unless the pieces
are
fairly large , customers passing by may
look over and past your items, seeing what
is behind your booth instead. Also, the
typical card table used may be too low for
customers who will be standing when
viewing your work.
Alternatives to the covered table include
bookshelf-type displays , walls with can
tilevered shelves, or any number of com
binations and variations of these.
The appearance of your display is im
por tant not only in catching potential
customers attention, but also in gaining
entry into shows. Some promoters weigh
booth appearance quite heavily as an ac
ceptance criterion.
Woodworkers who participate in out
door shows may want to protect theirwork
from direct sunlight or the unexpected
rainshower bymeans of a roof or canopy.
Another danger at outdoor shows, often
overlooked by the novice, comes from
wind. What seems like a light breeze can
exert considerable force on a vertical sur
face, and strong gusts can do an amazing
amount ofdamage. So protection for items
which might topple easily should be pro
vided for in the display,and displayswhich
might blow over should be weighteddown
or otherwise secured.
The portability of thedisplay shouldalso
be kept in mind. The display must, of
course, fit into the vehicle which will
transport it, while allowing room for
carrying the work to be sold. The booth
should also be fairly easy to set upand take
down. At outdoor shows, displays are
usually taken down at the end ofeach day.
Since shows often run three or more days
in a row, this time can add up to quite a bit
of work.
Participants at indoor shows don t have
to worry about wind, rain, or sun and can
usually leave their displays set up for the
duration of the show. However, they may
be required to
provide their own lighting if
the promoters keep the auditorium dimly
lit in the interest of atmosphere. Also,
participants at indoor shows and even
someoutdoor shows may be required to
have any
clo th used
in
their
display
flameproofed.
Pacific Woodworker
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Shelvesas well as verticaldisplayareasshow
GreggJonessmarquetryat the
1983
Crafts
in uscan Arizona Note that the
es raise the work a better viewing
ight than woulda table
Flameproofing companies can be found
the telephone book yellow pages. Some
mpanies sell a s olu ti on to spray on or
merse the fabric in; others will only do
e flameproofing themselves. It s a good
to check with a flameproofing
mpany for information about shrinkage,
reaking, and discoloration before pur-
fabric.
The effects of the
meproofing agent vary with the type of
te ri al . N at ur al f iber s g ene ra ll y are
r to treat than synthetics.
Youshould consider also the
surface
ad, ground, or floor-your display will
set up on. your booth is in a street or
arki ng lot, the s ur face may be cov ered
th oil and grease, and itmight be worth-
hile to use a carpet or mat for your
area
.
Use
of a
mat
may be
s ir abl e as well on hard but clean con -
ete floors at indoor shows, to minimize
e wear and tear on feet that comes if you
ll be standing on a hard surface for days
a time. Be advised that you may be re-
ired totape down the edges of your floor
vering with duct tape.
Doing Shows
Deciding how many items to make for
ch show and how often to do shows are
terrelated considerations. In general, the
ore you have at a show, the better.
The
ore work you
display the
more
oti ceable it will be and the mor e likely
ach s ho ppe r will be to find s om ethin g
ich suits his or her taste and price range.
h opp er s tend to want a s elect io n from
hich to c ho os e, and will s om et im es
ypass a booth offering only a few items,
ven if those items are of the highest
How often to do shows depends on how
A boothspecializingin one type
w pro-
ductora line
relateditems canappeal
customers HereEd Eberledisplaysa com-
pleteline laminatedkitchenutensils
January 1984
long it takes you to p ro du ce y our w ork ,
how much time you can devote to it, and
how much you can sell at each show, It is
nearly imposs ible to
determine
the
number
of shows you should do until you
have done a few. t mig ht be wise to s tart
out slowly, allowing plenty of time be-
tween shows , since it always seems to take
l on ger than ant icip at ed to s to ck up. Of
course, how often you attend shows also
depends on the availability ofgood shows .
A craftsperson may do only a few shows in
the first several months of the year, while
doing a show every weekend from Thanks-
gi ving until C hr is tm as . As with other
forms of retailing, it s probably true that
craft sp eo pl e mak e a large p ro po rt io n of
their sales during the holiday season.
Handling Money
Caution
is the most important concern
of craftspeople about handling money at
shows . Craftspeople are easy targets for
thieves , since a portable booth often lacks
a place to keep cash that is both secure and
easily accessible. At a recent show in
Southern
California
a
rash
of thefts
occurred where one or more people would
distract the seller with questions about the
w or k w hi le an accompl ice stole the cas h
box .
H avi ng a h el per at y ou r b oo th can h el p
avoid this situation. Working with a helper
also makes it possible never to leave your
booth unattended. And many craftspeople
prefer to keep their cash on their person, in
pocket or pouch, rather than a cash box.
15
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16/52
Many crafts show shoppers want to pay
for their purchases with credit cards. You
may be hesitant at first (as I was) to obtain
credit card service because of the added
complexity and cos t. But then you will
realize that yo.u a re losing bus ines s,
especially in the form of impulse buying of
more expensive pieces.
Most
banks offer
credit card
services.
Some, however, do not provide this service
to merchants who work at
their
place of
residence, as many craftspeople do. In any
case, this
service
is not free. Besides a fee
for initiating the service, the bank charges
a percentage of gross credit card sales as a
Displaysincorporatingsheltersfrom sun or
rainprotectcraftsarticlesandprovidesome
comfortfor exhibitorswhoput in longhourson
the craftsshowcircuit
Customers
Ateach show you will come into contact
with hundreds or thousands ofpeople of all
ages and from all walks of life. You will
find that people like to touch woodwork.
you don t want your work to be handled,
you shouldmark it accordingly, or place it
out
of
reach.
If
you do allow handling of
your work, keep a watchful eye on it, not
only to avoid shopl if ting, but to prevent
damage by scratching fingernails, burning
cigarettes,
and-especially among
children-dirty,
sticky, or clumsy fingers.
Setting the
Pr
ice
When
pricing your work, you should
consider not only the materials and t ime
involved in making it, but also the
cost
of
selling it. Your costs include the entry fee
to the show, traveling expenses, and the
forth. Take the list along with you and
you ll probably find a number of items
you l l want to add to your list as you gain
experience.
The Rewards
After considering all the details, plans,
and potential hassles involved, you may
wonder ifthe crafts show business isworth
the effort. There s the obvious monetary
incentive, of course, but there are other
benefits as well. Woodworking tends to be
a sol itary occupat ion, and crafts shows
give woodworkers a chanceto rub elbows
with their peers. Besides, there are many
wood lovers who do not themselves work
with wood, but who appreciate fine crafts
manship when they see it. The strokes
these people give are nice to receive.
Crafts shows also give woodworkers an
opportunity to see how the general public
fee. In addit ion, an imprint ing machine
must be purchased
or rented.
Your best bet for setting up this service
is to deal with the
bank
that normally
handles your other bank services. Once set
up, as long as the
bank s
instructions
are
followed carefully, depositing credit slips
into your business accoun t is
just
like
depositing cash.
Personal checks are also often used to
pay for crafts purchases. When receiving
a check, make surethat it is filled out com
pletely and correctly, and write down the
purchaser s dr iver s l icense , check
guarantee card or credit card number on
the back. While I ve heard lots of horror
stories about bad checks, I haven t received
one yet in working the crafts show circuit.
16
time spent at the show as well as travel
time.
Many crafts show shoppers are looking
for bargains and may ask you to sell your
work at a lower price. Youcan handle this
by
padding
all your prices to allow for
haggling, or you can refuse to haggle at all.
Whichever extreme you choose, or if you
choose
to handle each case on an in
dividual basis, you should decide on your
approach before you open for business.
Organization Is y
Those who do shows often recommend
keeping a list
of
all the regular items you ll
need each time you go to a show. As you
pack, you
can
then easily make
sure
that
you haven t forgotten any of those little
details: tape, charge slips, change, and so
Rubbingelbowswiththepublic and fellow
craftspeopleprovidesmotivationfor someto
workthecrafts ir uit ommentsfrom
customersalsoprovidevaluablefeedbackfor the
oftensolitarywoodworker
reacts to their products. This exposureand
important feedback may lead to changes,
improvements, or even ideas for new
products.
While crafts shows Can be financially
rewarding, in most cases it would probably
be easier to make a living working for
someone else. But the satisfaction of being
one s own boss and controlling one s own
livelihood is difficult to put a pr ice on.
And, even if a fu ll-time wood crafts
business is not your goal right now, doing
a few crafts shows might at least pay for
those tools you ve always wanted.
Pacific Woodworker
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alendar nnouncements
w
Events
o
Interest to Woodworkers
. .
New Woodworking Gallery
The
Wood
Merchant
has recently
opened in La Conner, Washington. The
gallery specializes in handmade furniture
and gift wooden items. Stuart Hutt , pro
pr ieter of The Wood Merchant, seeks
quality woodpieces for sale on a commis
sion basis . Contact him at Box
5
,
La
Conner, WA
98257
or
(206) 466-4741.
Pacific Woodworker will publicize
events
o
interest to woodworkers
Send complete information to Pacific
Woodworker Calendar PO
ox
4881 Santa Rosa CA 954 2
Woodworking Shows in 1984
The Working Wood Show, originally
scheduled for Feb 3, 1983 at the San
Mateo fairgrounds , has been cancelled.
The WorkingWithWoodshow set for the
San Francisco Trade Center April 6-8,
1983
is still on.
Southern California s newentrant in the
field of consumer-oriented woodworking
shows is the Woodworking Show for
Craftsmen and Hobbyists, scheduled for
Apr il 3-15 at the Pasedena Convention
Center. For more information , contact
Ellen Sandler,
1516
S. Pontius Ave., Los
Angeles, CA 90025 or
213
) 477-8521.
through Dec. 1. San Rafael, CA.
BaulinesCraftsman s GuildShowMarinCountyCivic
Center, Box 4159, San Rafael. CA 949 3 or
415
)
499-7348or (415)499-7331.
through Dec.31. Los Angeles, CA.
Exhibit
, Tools ofthe
Wood Mlrker The Cutting
Edge
store.
3871
Grand ViewBlvd., LosAngeles 90066or
(2
13) 390-972
3.
Dec. 4 Tempe, AZ.
OldTownTempeFall Festival juriedinvitationalcrafts
show.
Dec.2-4 9-11,Alameda, CA.
Finishing\\brkshop. Contact
\\bodline, 73
1Clement
Avenu
e, Alameda, CA94501or (4
15)
521-
8
10
Dec.3. Alameda, CA.
Router Seminar. Contact Woodline.
173
1 Clement
Avenue
, Alameda, CA
94501
or (415) 521
810
.
18
Looking
or
That
ardTo ind
umiture
ardware
Part
The answer 's
elementary:
Send fo r Kemp Hardware 's
extensive
furniture
and woodworking
hardware
catalog. A supplier to furniture
fac tories for over 60 years,
Kemp
Hardware inventories over 2300
special ized furni ture hardware i tems,
until now
only avai lable to the
large furniture manufacturers.
In stock : tab le
slides, furniture
lights . trim hardware grills. industrial
woodworking
glue
, European
hardware,
table locks
.
waterbed
hardware and much more . Send 3.00 fo r a complete catalog, and
we ll refund your 3
.00
with the
first
order .
PacificWoodworker
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
19/52
c. 3. Berkeley, CA.
stmas Woodcraft exhibit and sale, The Cutting
,
1836
Fourth Street, Berkeley
94710
or
415)
.
. Alame
da
CA.
Tool MakingWorkshop. ContactWoodline, 7
Avenue
, Alameda,CA
94501
or 415) 521-1810.
c. 3. Los Angeles, CA.
istmas Woodcraft exhibit and sale, The Cutting
,
3871
GrandViewBlvd., LosAngeles
90066
or
390-
972
3.
Alameda
CA.
Template
SeminarContact
\\bodIine,
7 Cle
Avenue,
Alameda, CA
94501
or
415)
521-1810.
. Alame
da
CA.
Seminar. Contact Woodline 1731 Clement
Alameda,CA
94501
or
415)
5211810.
c. 3. Phoenix, AZ.
stmas Woodcraft exhibit and sale, The Cutting
store,
10844 N.
23rd Ave, Phoenix or 602)
1OOL.
c.3. Alame
da
CA.
ture Design
andConstruction. Contact
\\bodIine,
ClementAvenue, Alameda,CA94501 or 415)
1810
.
Woodworking Trip to Japan
A group ofAmerican woodworkers will
tour Japan fromApril l7-May 4, 1984. The
group will show their work in Japan and
attend workshops in Japanese furniture
design,
jo i
nery, lacquer finishing, temple
building and timber home construction.
For tour details, contact Doug Beckstein,
San ta Cruz Woodworkers Association,
406 DakotaAve., Apt. D, Santa Cruz, CA
9
5060
or 408) 423-0351. App lication
deadline is Jan . 15, 1984.
Dec.3-4. An
aheim
, CA.
5thAnnualAnaheimGiftFaire. 104 inLaPalmaPark,
Anaheim, CA. For informationcall 714) 999-5191.
Dec. 3, to. Berkeley, CA.
Workshop, Building Simple Musical Instruments
ContactThe Cutting Edgestore, 1836FourthStreet,
Berkeley
94710
or
415)
548-6011.
Dec.3-18.
Point
Reyes
Station,
CA.
3rdAnnualWestMarinWoodworkers Associationex
hibit and sale. AdraskandGallery, 5 Route
I,
Pt.
ReyesStation, CA 94956 or contact Richard Vacha
415)
663-1 iQ4.
Dec.to.
Alameda
CA.
FacePlateThming. ContactWoodline,
7
Clement
Avenue , Alameda, CA94501 or
415)
521
1810
.
Dec.tO-n .
Anaheim
C
A.
ChristmasGift Fair, GanahlLumberCo., 1220East
Ball
Rd.,
Anaheim.Open9amto4pm.ContactValerie
Bloomat
714)
772-5444.
Dec
. Alameda CA.
TheStickyPoints ofGluingUpwithDonBraden. Con
tact Woodline, 7 Clement Avenue Alameda, CA
94501
or
415) 521-1810
.
Dec.n . Berkeley, CA.
Christmas Woodcraft exhibit and sale, The Cutting
Edge, 1836 Fourth Street, Berkeley
94710
or 415)
548-6011.
Dec.U. Santa Cruz, CA.
RegularmeetingofSantaCruzWoodworkers, open to
all.ContactGary Benaquisto, WhisperingWindsHard
woods,565B7thAve ., SantaCruz, CA95063or 408)
476-9030
Dec.t7. Alamed
a
CA.
Advanced
TableSawSeminar. Contact
Woodline
,
7
ClementAvenue, Alameda,CA
94501
or 415)521-1810.
Dec. t7. Al
amed
a
CA.
BasicTableSawSeminar Contact
Woodline,
7 Cle
ment Avenue, Alameda, CA94501or
415)
521-1810.
continued
t
c \ ason
ullivan
GRE T CLOCK
FROM THE
INSIDE OUT
Any good clockbuilder knows that when you're
building an heirloom you start with a great movement.
Mason & Sullivan has been selling the finest
movements available since 1947 and we back that
statement up on our best brass movements with a 36
month guarantee against defects in workmansh ip.
After 35 years in the business, Mason & Sullivan has
the know-how to assist you in every phase of your pro
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We want to make you a great clockbuilder too.
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Send 1 today for our 4S-page color catalogue.
Includes clock kits, dials, movements, hard
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~ a s o n u l l i v a n
Fine Clo makers Since 9 T
Dept. 4403, W. Yarmouth, Cape Cod,
MA
02673
cember/January 1984
19
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
20/52
Dec.l9-21. San Diego, CA.
BeginningWoodworking for kids. ContactWoodline,
11844
RanchoBernardoRoad, SanDiego, CA
92128
or 619) 485-7907.
Jan
6.Los
Angeles, CA.
Japanese\\bodworking100ls
workshop
, Fridays
to
Jan.
71. The Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand ViewBlvd., Los
Angeles, CA90066or 213)390-9723 .
Jan 7. Berkeley, CA.
SimpleMusicallnsuument workshop Sats. to Jan28.
The
Cutting
Edge,
1983
4thSt.,
Berkeley,
CA
947lO
or
415)
548-6011
.
Jan 7. Berkeley, CA.
Carving a Rocking Horse workshop with Anton
Lignell. Sats.
to
Jan. 28.The Cutting Edge, 19834th
St., Berkeley CA
94710
or 415)
548-6011.
J
an n
Los Angeles, CA.
Dry BentLaminationworkshopwithMartha Rising.
\\eds. to Feb. I. TheCutting Edge,
3871 Grand ViewBlvd., LosAngeles,CA 90066or
213
)
390-9723.
J
an
.n . San Diego, CA.
Panel Discussion on Wood Finishing. Contact
San
DiegoFineWoodworkers, Box99656,
San
Diego, CA
92109
Jan. 13and 15.
Berk
eley, CA.
Traditional African Wood Carving workshop with
Geoffery Nwogu. The Cutting Edge,
1983
4th St. ,
Berkeley CA94710 or 415)548-6011.
Ja n . 14. Alameda CA.
\\bodworking demonstration. ContactWoodline , 1731
Clement
Avenue
, Alameda,CA
94501
or 415
521 1810
Jan
. 14.
Los
Angeles, CA.
A Day with SamMaloof. The Cutting Edge, 3871
Grand ViewBlvd., LosAngeles,CA90066or 213)
390-9723
.
Jan
26.
Berkeley, CA.
Untraditional Furnitureworkshop withGarryBennett
The utting
Edge, 19834thSt., BerkeleyCA947lO or
415)
548-6011.
Ja n . 3O-Feb.
3.Ber
keley, CA.
Buildinga LapstrakeSailboatworkshopwithSimon
Watts.
TheCuttingEdge,
1983
4thSI., Berkeley CA
94710
or
415 548-6011.
Feb.
6-10. Berk
eley, CA.
Buildinga LapstrakeSailboatworkshopwith Simon
Watts
. TheCuttingEdge,
1983
4thSI., Berkeley, CA
94710
or
415 548-6011.
Feb.7-Apr.lo.
Oakland
, CA.
eginning
woodworking class. ContactCaliforniaCol
lege of Arts and Crafts,
5212
Broadway at College,
Oakland, CA
94618
or
415
653-8
118
Feb.9-Apr.12.
Oakland
, CA.
Continuing woodworking class. Contact California
Collegeof
Arts
andCrafts,
5212 Broadway
atCollege,
Oakland, CA
94618
or
415
653-8
118
Feb. 18-19.Berkeley, CA.
Grew-SheridanChairmakingSeminar.The Cutting
Edge, 19834th St. , Berkeley, CA
94710
or 415)
548-6011
.
Feb. 20-24. Los Angeles, CA.
Buildinga LapstrakeSailboatworkshopwithSimon
Watts.TheCuttingEdge,3871 GrandViewBlvd, Los
Angeles,CA 90066or 213 390-9723.
Feb. 2S.San Diego, CA.
DryBentLaminationworkshopwithMarthaRising.
The
utting
Edge 7626MiramarRoad
San
Diego,
CA
92126or 619) 695-3990
Feb. 2S-Mar. 31. SanDiego, CA.
Comprehensive Cabinetmaking with UCSD.) The
Cutting Edge, 7626Miramar Road, San Diego CA
92126or 619) 695-3990.
Feb. 27. Berkeley, CA.
Shaker BoxesworkshopwithJohn
Kassay
. Mons. to
Mar. 12
The
CuttingEdge, 19834thSI., Berkeley,CA
94710 or
415
548-6011.
Feb. 27-Mar. 2. Los Angeles, CA.
Buildinga LapstrakeSailboatworkshopwithSimon
Watts
.The
CuttingEdge,
3871
GrandViewBlvd., Los
Angeles, CA90066 or
213
)
390 lJ723
Mar.lo.
San
Francisco, CA.
Applicationdeadline for AceCraftfairfor Sept. 84.
ContactAmericanCraft Enterprises,
Inc.,
256Main
Street, New Paltz, N.Y, 12561 or 914 255-0093.
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
SEND ONE OOLLAR FOR
FULL COLOR CATALOG AND
NAME OF NEAREST DEALER.
schel pach
woodworking
machm.
Un6eatable
value
for
m o n y
When you compare Scheppach specifications, the choice of attachments and the price Wth any
other you ll understand instantly, why they are recognized as America s finest-value-for-money
machines. Put one in your workshop
Planer Attachments to drive off the HM2
VARIABLE SPEED Vertical Thicknesser Kombl PlanerlThlcknesser.
Bandsaw Spindle Moulder HMO
; : :
Sio l
l I I ~ ~ ~ ~ ; : :
Attachmenl
-
SCHEPPACH, U.S.A.
: J: llill
P.O. BOX
222827,
CARMEL, CA
93922 . (408) 625-4239
GERMAN PR
E ISION
PORTABLE
POWER
TOOLS
20
Pacific
oo wor
ker
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
21/52
by
Paul McClure
Shop Tips
Drawing an Oval
A
Simple Way
to
rawthe Perfect
Oval
Figure
2.
Connect correspondingly numbered
marksforyour P
r
ect Oval
overall length of oval 2 A 2)
Ideas Wanted
Do
you
have a time- or money-saving
hint, idea or jig? Share it with
Pacific
Woodworker
and win a free subscription,
a set of back issues or a woodworking
book. Send your previously unpublished
suggestions to Box 4881, Santa Rosa CA
95402. (Thanks to Gene Kampa of Sun
nyvale, California for this idea.)
marks as on the long side. (See Fig..I.
Finally, connect marks with the same
number: 1to 1, 2 t o 2 , etc. with a straight
line. (See Fig. 2.) The result is a smooth
curve l/4 of your perfect oval.
Youcan lay this drawing out on a scrap
of wood, cut out the resulting curve and
use it as a pattern to cut the actual oval.
C
., D
.,
.,
Figure
1.
Starting witha scrap board with length
and widthonehalfo final oval, mark equally
spacedpoints on two sides. then number them as
shown.
smaller in the same proportion as the
sides. D
=C
x (B/A). In the example ,
therefore, the marks on the shorter side are
I x 15120 = 3/4 apart. Number these
s an easy way to draw a visually
singovalof anydimension, using only
ncil and straight edge. First determine
overall size of the oval (A long x B
). Nowdivide each of these dimen
s by 2, producing a rectangle A/2 x
f the finished ovalwill be40 x30 ,
template will be 20 x 15 . Next,
ide the longer side into 10-20 equal
(C). For example, mark the 20 long
at I intervals. Number these marks
one end .
rk theshorter side w t
thesame
o
marks
as used on the longer
. f you used 20 equal marks on the
side, use 20 on the short side. The
ance between each
mark
will be
, 10
f 11 I J I 4 «r
, , ,
q
Woodworker
C A T A L O G
SAVE VAST SUMS. Build. restore. re
finish anything of woodl Here 's ev
erything you need. Fine woods,
veneers . special ly tools. Cab inet
hardware. period
modern . Pro fin
ishes. Cane. Lamp parts . Uphol . supplies. Picture moldings.
Clock klls .
l00 s
of plans. Instruction books. Thousands of
hard-to-find woodworker products in b ig new catalog. Mall
ad for Catalog 20 beauti ful Wood Sampies .
CONSTANnNI Est. 1812
2061 Eastchester Road, Bronx, N.Y. 10461
o
Here . 51.
SeM
104
er
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O
52 eaclosed.
SeDd
er Cala10l
.....
:Ill Wood
Samples 51 lO ref oa
ht
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order.
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ber/January 1984
21
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
22/52
h iesemeyer tory
ward Winning Saw en e
by harles arris
For 35 years Bill Biesemeyer worked in
cabinet shops, and for 35 years he cursed
the inaccurate, time-eonsuming fences that
re
standard equ ipment on table saws. I
was f up with trying tocut wood with the
old fences, he remembers. Bill finally
found time to build a saw fence which
eliminated some of the problems with a
standard fence ,
but
even this was not
enough to satisfy Bill's exacting demands.
A second version ofhis custom saw fence
22
proved more useful , and he used it in his
shop for a few years.
he
story may haveended there, except
that about five years ago a back injury
sidelined Bill. With this enforced break
from woodworking, Bill spent the time
perfecting his T-Square saw fence, then
started to sell the new fence in the Phoenix
area.
At first , he sold each fence
person lly-
making each sale, installing the fence, and
checking back later to handle any prob
lems . A few woodshops recognized the
value of the fence for improving accuracy
and speed , but for the most part , wood
workers remained unconvinced oftheneed
for a better saw fence. Woodworkers were
so used to the old system of measuring,
squaring up, measuring again and then
cutting (and measuring once more , to
check); they simply didn' t believe you
could set the hairline, lock the fence down
with a single motion, and cut.
Bill, however, w so certain of the value
of the T-Square fence that he offered a uni
que marketing pledge: customers were in
vited to buy a fence, install it, and try itfor
a while.
the customer
w
notcompletely
satisfied
with the fence, he could return it
for a full refund , including shipping both
directions. Once a woodworker got the
fence on the saw and used it a few times, I
knew he'd never take it off the saw
Bill
said confidently. Apparently his faith was
well placed; no customer has ever re
quested a refund
ill iesemeyerescapes thepressures of
businessby building radiocontrolled model
airplanes in his shop
Pacific Woodworker
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23/52
Old habits died hard, however. Bill still
und resistance to the ideaof the T-Square
nce, evenamong woodworkers who had
one .
They
would set the
irline, then take out their tape measures
d measure top and bottom. After the cut,
wouldmeasure again Bill recollects.
y justwouldn't believe you could set
hairline, lock itdown and cut , perfectly
uare and accurate to 1/64' One wood
orker said he had to leave his tape
asure on the other side of the shop, to
sist the temptation to measure again and
Bill's perseverance finally began to pay
f. News of the improved accuracy and
se of operation of the T-Square fence
wly filtered through the woodworking
. Business began to grow.
I
alized that we needed a talented person
market the fence Bill explains. We
und him in Roger Thompson, nowpart
r and part owner. Roger set up a dealer
twork throughout the United States and
We re
picky
about
choosing
ou r
lers, explains Gloria Lorts, Roger 's
This company is very service
ented, and we look for dealers that will
ke the time to really help the customer.
This commitment to quality and ser
ce is a trademark of the company. We
rt with the highest quality ofmaterials,
d Bill personally supervises the opera
on a day-to-day basis, Gloria
If
a customer is having dif
lty with the fence, weask him to send
k, and we'll replace itwith a new one.
we simply gave him a 'quick fix', he
ight have problems again later, and we
uld rather havea satisfied customer.
part such as the locking handle fails
probably got hit with a fork lift truck,
llmurmurs) Biesemeyer will replace it,
Biesemeyer T quare fence
Biesemeyer inventorof the T quare per-
oversees theproduction ofthefences
98
without charge. But thanks to good design,
quality materials and careful attention to
detail , problems seldom occur.
O ur
fences really hang in there, Bill explains
proudly.
The internat ional woodworking
machinery industry thought somuch ofthe
design that the group recently awarded its
coveted Chal lenger Award to Biesemeyer
for the T-Square. This award isgiven to the
woodworking machine or process which
has made the greatest contribution to the
woodworking machinery industry over the
past two years. The T-Square fence com
peted for the prize with more than 300
other entrants from around the world , in
cluding automated machines with lots of
whistles and be lls tha t
cost
tens
of
thousands of dollars. The judges selected
the T-Square fence because of its simplic
ity of design and because it provided so
many benefits for the woodworker with
such a small investment. (The T-Square's
list price is in the 300 range, less if pur
chased as part of a saw package.)
This formal recognition by the wood
working machinery industry ofthe value of
a fast, accurate fence has spurred a host of
othermanufacturers to put auxiliary fences
on the market , such as Rockwell's new
Unifence. But Bill Biesemeyer isn't wor
ried about the imitations. Well aware that
imitation is the sincerest form
of flattery,
Bill is confident that the T-Square fence
can hold its own against all competition.
The
T-Square fence has already proven its
reliability and strength over several years .
And its track record is not the only ad
vantage of the T-Square fence. We have
to 80 patterns out in the shop for all kinds
of new and old table saws. Or a customer
can send inthe dimensions of his saw, and
we'll engineer a T-Square fence to fit Bill
says confidently. Woodworkers can in
stall the T-Square on other types of sawsas
well: radial arm saws, band saws. There's
a guy who wants to add a T-Square guide
a large panel saw, to aid in cutting smaller
pieces.
Besides the T-Square, Biesemeyer also
manufactures a stop gauge for radial arm
saws, auxiliary tables for the fence and
miter stop, and will soon marketlaminate
covered throat plates for table saws, for
precision work. For more information on
Biesemeyerproducts , or for the location of
the dealer nearest you, contact Biesemeyer
Manufacturing Corp. , 216 South Alam
School Road, Mesa, Arizona 85202, or
(602) 835-9300.
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
24/52
inishing echniques
rt ne
Surface Preparation
by obert O. Briggs
The finish will hide nomistakes. Every
scratch is amplified, every dent becomes
more obvious
,
every tool
mark
is
highlighted when the stain goes on. The
more care that is taken in the sanding
phase, the better will be the final finish. No
amount of extra effort in the later stages
can be as productive as good care taken in
sanding.
While planing and scraping produce a
fine quality surface, these techniques are
not sui table for all ci rcumstances and
wood types . Nor has every woodworker
acquired the specialized skills required.
So
most
woodworkers use sandpaper to
prepare thewood for finishing. When san
ding , choose the right paper for a quick,
clean job.
Leveling Uneven Joints:
50-60 grit
I havea lot ofwood to move, for exam
ple when I level a glued up panel , I use a
hand plane or 50-60 gri t belts on a 4 x
24 belt sander.
A belt sander is useful, too, to level mis
aligned panel joints. Uneven laminations
can be leveled quickly and efficiently.
I ll take you through the process as I do
it. First, I start at one corner and sand in
parallel, overlapping strokes on a diagonal
to the grain , keeping the sander inmotion
at
all
times. Then I start at the other corner,
sanding on the otherdiagonal. I repeat the
process until the panel is flat.
he
criss
crossing marks I then take out with the
Thisarticle beginsa series onFinishing
Techniques byRobert
O.
Briggs, toappear
in the next several issues
Pacific
Woodworker.
About the author: RobertBriggs is a
professional woodworker from Rancho
Santa e California.
orm
erly a wood-
working instructor, Robert now designs
andbuildsfurniture andalsodoes restora-
tion workfor museums. An article about
him appeared in Issue
December
January 983 Pacific Woodworker.
same 50-60 grit paper, sanding with the
grain.
With practice, you can learn to handle
the sander soas not togougethework. Just
spend some time, and you ll get it.
Removing ToolMarks:
80 grit
80 grit paper on a belt or orbital sander
will remove marks caused by any of the
following: 50-6Ogritsanding marks, table
saw marks, hand saw and hand plane
marks , router marks and loads of others
caused by well-operated tools.
Although 80 grit on an orbital sander
will leave visible swirls, these will be
sanded away in the next step. And it is
much faster to use 80g and then 120gthan
to try the frustratingly slow process of
removing tool marks with the finer paper.
Removing 80 grit Marks:
120grit
I use 120grit only to remove 80g sand
ing marks. Years of experimenting have
taught me that it is not worth the time to
sand out toolmarks with this grit.
It
can be
done, but itis too slow. Go to80 grit, then
come back here to remove 80 grit marks.
120 grit will leave visible swirls in wood
used on an orbital sander.
Removing 120grit Marks:
220 grit
When used on an orbital sander, 220g
seldom leaves visible swirls in the wood.
Pacific Woodworker
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25/52
Fine Sanding:
400 and 600 grit
final finesanding,which
thegrainclear,
unrnuddied
look
a goodfinish.
and Tricks of the Trade
ring sanding, some of the grains of
od compress into the surface. These
ll sometimes swell when stain is ap
d. A once silky smooth surface turns
-tongue rough. By flaringoffbetween
paper grits you can eliminate the
. Wipe the entire surface of the
dwith a clean rag soggy with fresh
This causestheoffending grains to
themtobesandedoffwith
Wait tillthe
wood
driesbefore
, so thepaperdoesn tdisintegrate.
sand byhandwithmy final grit
er I haveused it on the sander just to
any stray swirls which may have
eaked onto my otherwise perfect
t waste yourtimetryingtosqueeze
last bit ofgood from a worn piece of
per.When itgetsdull, throw it out and
toa newone.
AWord About
Hand
Held
Power Sanders
Like many a poor but honest wood
, I don t wantto spendmore money
haveto.Ontheother hand, I hateto
yfor a tool, then find it isn t adequate.
yousaveyourmoneylong enoughto
4 x24 belt sander,youwon thave
annoyance of a smaller tool which
ecember January
1984
spends most of its time simpering on a
shelfeatingchocolates. Likewise selectan
orbitalsanderwithat leasta 3.0ampmotor
and
10 000
orbits per minute. Makita,
Black
Decker, Rockwell, and others
make a good tool, and my favorite
is the
Bosch20,000o.p.m. The Sears DualAc
tion4,000o.p.m. isso slowthatI can sand
fasterby hand.
Last Step
Before Applying Finish
Havingsanded thoroughly, I clean the
wood witha tackrag,a slightly stickycloth
available at paint and hardware stores
which
removes
thesmallesttracesofdust.
youfollow thestepsI veoutlinedhere,
youshould havea finelyprepared surface
ready for the next stage, applying the
finish. In the next issue ofPacific
od-
worker I willtalkaboutsomeof the types
of products you maywant to use: stains,
dyes, bleaches, wood filler, lacquer, and
varnish.
r
1
I
~ ~ ~
I
I
I
I
iv
a
Gift
I
it hat
asts
II I
II
ear ~
I
Give
a
Subscription
of
I
fi
p t kef
I
Iw ~ ~ ~ o r i t e
I
I
woodworker I
I I
One Year
II
S Issues)
it
I
n y 9
95
I I
I I
Tw o Years S
S 2 Issues) S
I
only 5
95
I
I
I I
We ll send a card S
n
your
name,
I
R of charge.
I
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See coupon
on
page
46
I
~ I I I I I I I I I
25
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
26/52
Nick Disparti s roll top desk featured inlays
of
walnut. olive and nectarine burls constructed
otherwise
of
avocado wood with lacquerfi nish.
Nick. who teaches woodworking at a local com-
munity college. has also developed a film strip
on the desk s construction.
Oval cabinet
by
Lee Covill.
A
cific l
o
h ~
San iego ine oodworke
ent Johnson ssculpted stereo st n wasan in-
triguing use offlowi ng sculptural elements to
create a piece verys trictly defin ed by its fun c-
tion. Thewalnut piece wasdesigned to ac-
comodate albums . receiver and turntable. with a
drawer for accessories. These square elements
are housed efficiently between the curves ofthe
skeletal structure. Thepiece used stack lamina -
tion techniques and wasfinished with an oil/var-
nish
mix.
For the second year in a row, wood-
workers in San Diego County, California,
have staged a highly successful exhibit.
This year saw several changes in the ex-
hibit , which was sponsored by the San
Diego Fine Woodworkers Association at
the Southern California Exposition in Del
ar
. After its initial success last year (see
Pacific
oo wor
ker Issue 9), this year's
show moved to larger, more
central
quarters. A panel of three juried the show,
awarding cash prizes in four categories.
Last year pieces were selected by a sole
juror
and no prizes were offered .
he sixty pieces in the 1983 show
covered a wide spectrum of functional
work from table s, seating pieces, ac-
cessory items and turnings, to cabinets and
chests and even two boats. The award
categories were: best p
contemporary piece; best turning
of show. Although there were f
in the turning and historical c
competition was keener in the
I
categories, and the jury chose to
the prizes. The 100award for be
went to Larry Breedlove for hi
porary wall hung cabin
photograph).
The show was dramat ically I
this year by the use of a dozen
and white photos of selected era
work . The 16 x 20 photogra
mountedand hung nextto the ap
pieces along with a quotation
art ist. Personalizing the woo
creations in this waygave the sho
Pacific Woodworker
8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 016 -1984.pdf
27/52
LarryBreedlove'scontemporarywallhung
cabinetwonthe Best Showaward.
Mar Show
i
n
andcreatedasenseofgroupenergy
indtheentirebodyof work on
display
bitalso included a display board
turingabout sixty wood samples from
und the world.
the whole the quality of work ac-
was quitegood thisyear.The show
d several well conceived original
signs several impeccably crafted
ces and a few works which achieved
. Visitor reaction as well as the
ponse from the Del Mar Fair Board
reboth quite positive.
h this second successful
show
the
Woodworkers Association
nstratedthatthe localareahouses
menproducingenough high
work to sustainan ongoing effortto
nsor thisannual exhibit.
anu
ary 984
Infonnationfor thisarticlewasobtained
withthekindassistance SheldonHarris
andKentJohnson.
PeterTao s end table of CentralAmericanZura
wasbeautifullyproportionedandexecuted. It
wasmadealmostentirelywitha router withim
provisedtemplatesand jigs. AccordingtoPeter,
thedesigngrewout ofa desireto find an in
terestingwayto attacha topona smalltable
piece. h top floats on tenonsthatpenetrate
the two side-supportpieces. Finishwastungoil.
Del Cover'srocker Windsorinfluencefeatured
delicateand elegantlines in rich. darkcocobolo
wood. Builtat thesame time as two other varia
tionson a theme,this piece soldfor 950andat
tractedsomeother commissions.
7
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28/52
rick aid Counter Tops
y
Patrick Warner
On several occasions I ve made long,
wide, thick surfaces for desks, bars, and
general counter service. There are two
waysto approach these counter tops: full
length planks or shorts (less than
pieces). I usually choose short lengths
because flat, first-quality, thick, long
lengths are both uncommon and hard to
prepare. On the other hand, short lengths,
because they are less desirable for many
other purposes, are plentiful, cheap, and
easy to machine. A surface built up with
these shorter boards laid on end like
bricks, i.e. brick-laid, can be striking
and beautiful. And, if the joinery is crisp
and the parts well-milled, the counter will
be sound; in fact, it probably will be
stronger than a full-length plank assembly
surface.
Four factors contribute to top quality
counters: excellent surfacingand jointing,
scrupulous edge glue joint treatment,
some means of end squaring, and use of a
panel glue press.
Getting Started
I begin by determining the length, _
width, and thickness ofthe bricks. The
number of bricks per total length is ar
bitrary, but some considerations include:
jointer-planercapacities, quality of stock,
size ofglue press, methodofedgejoining,
and length of time available for the job. I
havelearned, from a practical viewpoint,
touse as fewbricks as possible. ypically
5. completed brick-laid countertopmakes
gooduse of smallerpieceso lum er Notethe
useofdecorativesplineson thefrontedgeof the
counter, to eliminatetwisting
1. The
assembledpressframeof
6/4
ash.
The
centerbeamsare tenonedanddowelledintothe
side rails.
The
endbeamsaregluejointedand
throughdowelled. Thickpadsofash toppedwith
plastic laminatecoverall but theclampscrew
side. Detail: thenotchesfor theclampscut
primarilythroughthepads; thenotchesonly
er
tend
1/2
into
the
frameitself.)
28
Pacific Woodworker
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29/52
5
I
/6
1
/7
I
/2 .
I
I
/
8
I
9
I
10
I
5
I
6
I
7
i
/
I
2-
I
3
2 he pressframeloadedwithI beamclamps
Notethatthe counterrestson theplastic
laminatepads not on theclamps
se two basic lengths, computed by
ding the overall counter length
by
2, 3,
I alternate the number ofbricks i