The flood is starting already. In addition to launching a new web site (www.deltaportercable.com), Porter-Cable today announced the availability of a new plunge base for their 890-series routers. From their press release:  

The plunge base is offered as part of multi-base kits, models 893PK, 894PK and 895PK, as well as an accessory, model 8931. With machined brass brushings and steel guide rods, the upgraded base offers an extremely smooth and durable plunge stroke for greater user control and accuracy. In addition, a through-the-column dust collection system supports efficient dust removal, and yields improved bit and cut-line visibility when used with a durable, clear Lexan® sub-base and dust shroud, which come as standard.

To further enhance precision and ease of operation, the base features a six-position adjustable turret stop for stepped plunge cuts; a single, flat side on the base that allows routing to be done in tighter spaces while also providing a straight reference point; a lever release for quick motor transitions between bases; and rubber overmolded handles for a comfortable grip.

The versatile plunge base, which accommodates the existing 890 series motor, is ideal for a variety of woodworking applications, including general purpose cutting, dado stops, fluting, rabbetting stops, and hinge cutting. The plunge base, model 8931, and multi-base kits, models 893PK, 894PK and 895PK, will be available for purchase in July 2007 for $115, $269, $289 and $289, respectively.

Hey everyone, today we have the featureless friday!  More or less, I've been bitten by a bug and I've down for the count since tuesday.

But that's no excuse for not having a show and not giving away free schwag to the greatest listeners in the world!!!

So I have a few things to share with you and a little fever ridden rambling too!!

Don't forget!! Hendrik is back in September so get your questions in for our open Q&A session.  If you're planning on being at the IWF in Atlanta, anyone wanting to have a chat with Hendrik can leave a message for him in the Press Lounge.  Or, better yet, he'll be attending The Wood Whisperer's after-show get together Friday evening, August 22nd.

If you'd like to enter for free schwag or just have a comment, question or suggestion drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com or  head over to my website at 231 354-2338.

Listen to today's show by clicking on the player below

powered by Podbean.com

To download directly to your computer Right Click on direct download, choose "Save Target as"

It's the beginning of a brand new month and that can mean only one thing!!!  IT'S TIME FOR ROUTER BIT OF THE MONTH!

This month we have Whiteside's Thumbnail Table Edge Bit.  An elongated round over bit that gives an unique profile that a regular round over bit only wishes it could touch.

Not today's lucky winner, but you want to get your own Thumbnail Table Edge Bit? Click here to visit Woodcraft.com and order yours today.

Don't forget!! Hendrik is back in September so get your questions in for our open Q&A session.  

If you'd like to enter for free schwag or just have a comment, question or suggestion drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com or  head over to my website at 231 354-2338.

Listen to today's show by clicking on the player below

powered by Podbean.com

To download directly to your computer Right Click on direct download, choose "Save Target as"

アメリカ人の友人が、新しく発売された木工の道具だと言って、これを教えてくれました。
さすがアメリカ！
何だか分かりますか、これ。

Many of the short course dates are full but some have a significant amount of space.

Tool tuning, sharpening and plane use, is the ...

Click here to download latest episode

Status Report: Marc goes into a bit more detail on his Gadget Station: grain direction and acclimation. Matt is making his new bench out ofâââ.(drum roll)âââ.PLYWOOD!

Around the Web:
If you arenât on Twitter, you are missing out on the fun! We also review Charles Neils website, AntiquesBuiltDaily.com. Charles has a great collection of incredible videos and DVDs on all kinds of topics. We can all learn something from Charlesâ years of experience.

Safety reminder - Tablesaw injuries to remind us of what we learned during safety week.

Review of Final Cut Saw Blade and more info.

News:
Woodworking in America hands-on classes sell like hotcakes!!
Fine Woodworking starting to sell ebook versions of popular titles. Currently you can buy individual chapters downloadable as PDFs for $2 or buy the whole book (ebook version) for $15.

Hot Deals:
Pop WWâing 50% off back issues
Bessey K-Body Clamps 25% Off
Simple Green Cleaning towels (pop up container) almost 40% off.

Topics:
We discuss a recent article by Bob Flexner in the August issue of Popular Woodworking, titled â7 Myths of Polyurethaneâ

if you have a question or comment, you can email us at woodtalkonline@gmail.com or leave us a message at 623-242-2450.

 

If you have the time, please take the new listener survey at Matt's Basement Workshop and possibly win an iPod Touch.  Head over to the website to learn all about it.

The practice knot I carved when I started this project has a rounded look, like rope, but I tried something different with the final cross. Instead of creating rounded edges, they're chamfered, and I think it looks a lot nicer. (It's also a faster and easier technique.)

I used a gouge to chamfer the inside curves and cleaned them up with a small round file. All straight edges and outside curves were chamfered with a straight chisel.

Just another option if you plan to try this type of carving.

The outer wood (Oak) represents nobility of spirit and the inner base wood (Dyed Maple) represents imagination.

The dark wood is dyed to achieve the color much like dyed wool while the Oak is left natural.

I handcraft every ring to bring out the warmth and honesty of the wood. Each ring is hand formed from thin layers of wood chosen for its grain and durability.

See it here: http://www.simplywoodrings.com/ring_shop/

Jan 17…Building Drawers Using Drawer Joint Bits w/ Phil Huber

Jan 24 …Three Hand Planes Every Shop Should Have w/ Randy Maxey

Jan 31 …A Simple Shop-Made Jig for Cutting Tenons w/ Carol Beronich

Feb 7 …Table aw Set Up & Maintenance w/ Vince Ancona

Feb 14 …3 New Innovations in Joinery w/ Joel Hess

Feb 21 …12 Must-Have Finishing Supplies w/ Dennis Perkins

Feb 28 …5 Surprising Woodworking Techniques You Didn’t Know About w/ Doug Hicks

Mar 6 …Sharpening Basics: Man vs. Machine w/ Randy Maxey

Mar 13 …3 Fast Joints — All in One Hour w/ Ted Kralicek

Mar 20 …Scroll Saw Tips & Techniques w/ Linda Anderson

Mar 27 …Two Methods for Perfect Box Joints w/ Bryan Nelson

Apr 3 …Case Construction: Routing Rabbets, Dadoes & Grooves w/ Chris Fitch

Apr 10 …Mortise & Tenon — Two Variations for Making Doors w/ Dennis Perkins

Apr 17 …Hand Rubbing a Perfect Finish w/ Doug Hicks

Apr 24 …Building a Bookshelf: From Start to Finish, Part 1 w/ Phil Huber

May 1 …Building a Bookshelf: From Start to Finish, Part 2 w/ Phil Huber

Get the full schedule of upcoming seminars and descriptions at WoodworkingSeminars.com

The seminars start on January 17th and run through May 1st. Cost per seminar is $8, but the price includes a $5 $awbuck$ coupon good for any item in the Woodsmith Store (excluding seminar tickets and season tickets).

It’s no secret around the office and among my family members that I have an affinity for old tools.  It could be old hand tools or “old iron” power tools.  I have a couple of antique scroll saws and a very old three-wheel Craftsman band saw in my shop.  I guess I inherited this habit from my dad.  He’s always bringing home a “bargain” from the latest garage sale or auction.

Last week, he called me and told me he just “acquired” an old Craftsman planer (model 103.1801 made by King-Seeley).  He wanted me to research it and find out what I could about it.  Naturally, the first place I look for old manuals and history of old tools is www.owwm.com.  They’ve become the online library for photos, tool manuals, and company history for old tools.  You can submit photos of your old tools and scanned manuals and parts lists for the rest of the world to share.

As I was trying to research the history of dad’s planer and find a manual for it, I discovered that the OWWM web site was down “due to technical difficulty.”  I was heartbroken and afraid that something terrible had happened.  I thought perhaps all the data that had been accumulated over the years would be lost.  So I emailed the webmaster to get the scoop.  Here was his reply as of 10:00pm CST on Thursday, the 13th of March 2008:

We had some issue with our former host and changes that they made to their server that “broke” the code that runs our site. To resolve this problem, we decided that the best course of action was to invest in a new server, which we will own and control. This has turned into a longer process than we first anticipated. We first had to raise around $2,500 for the hardware and software to run our site. We fortunately were able to get the majority of this donated through our many members. Next, we had to order a server, which took several weeks to get built and delivered. The new server arrived at our new host late last Friday and they have been working hard this week getting it set up to run. We are very close to launching the new site - maybe by the end of this week but in reality, probably the first of next week. No data was lost, it is just taking us longer than we like to get everything up and running on the new server.

Keith Rucker
Tifton, GA 

Hopefully, they’ll be back up and running soon. 

Do you want to know how OWWM got started?  Well, you’ll have to wait until the web site is back up and running, but when it is, visit this page for a complete history of what got Keith started down this road.  It’s an interesting read.

Oh…by the way, Keith puts a lot of time and effort (and dollars) into this web site.  If you use and enjoy the content of www.owwm.com, why don’t you donate a few bucks to help him out? You’ll find donation links on the web site.

Before visiting the new Gettysburg Visitor Center, I didn't know that General Lee even had a medicine box.

The center's museum houses clothing and war relics from, and features short films about, the American Civil War. The layout is a conglomeration of displays in a dimly-lit maze of walls, media screens, and glass cases. Very atmospheric. You could easily spend hours admiring artifacts and reading and viewing film about the war.

Halfway through the museum I happened upon these unexpected gems—General Lee's medicine box and campaign desk.

The photos are out of focus because all pieces are behind glass and flash is not permitted.

The medicine box, I'm guessing, is about 14" tall,12" wide, and 12" deep, and is filled with little cubbies and tiny drawers. The cubby partitions are only about 3/32" thick. Both sides of the case are removable and were laying beside the cabinet. The front opens like a door and I believe the wood is cherry.

If you are a regular visitor you will notice that my website has a completely new design.

This is very exciting as it coincides ...

I'm looking at 3.71 Gb's of PDF files. By 'looking', I mean just that. Looking. I've reviewed them so many times, I think I have memorized the entire contents of...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Hey everyone it's the beginning of a brand new month and that means it's time for Router Bit of the Month!!

For the entire month of October Woodcraft is featuring Whiteside's 1/2" diameter Round Nose Core Box Bit.  A great grooving/veining profile for projects such as fluting, sign making, etc.

If you're not today's lucky winner of this great bit you can still take advantage of the sale price and add one to your collection just click here Woodcraft.com.

Also as mentioned in the show, is the SignPro Kit from Milescraft.

If you'd like to enter for free schwag, have a comment, question or suggestion, drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com or  head over to the website.  Or...leave a voicemail at 231 354-2338.

To download directly to your computer Right Click on direct download, choose "Save Target as"

It's Monday and we're starting this week off with the second half of our September visit with Hendrik Varju.  We pick up the discussion with Mike's question on cross-grain glue-ups.  Enjoy!!!

The article recommended by Hendrik for dealing with compound joinery is in the October 2002 #158 issue of Fine Woodworking Magazine, p.96 in the Masterclass section.

Also as a special announcement, exclusively here at MBW, Hendrik has just released his latest DVD "Revelations on Table Saw Set-up & Safety".  Now available for purchase at his website. 

If you'd like to enter for free schwag or just have a comment, question or suggestion drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com or  head over to my website at 231 354-2338.

Listen to today's show by clicking on the player below

powered by Podbean.com

To download directly to your computer Right Click on direct download, choose "Save Target as"

Here I am, this time with handmade jewerly, after a week posting about knitting and crochetting.

I get this beads and I start a very easy necklace. I embroider 12 little beads and 1 bigger bead… until I get the length I wanted.

After that I made the hook.

As you can see I made a hook using wire and modelate it with my pliers (clamps). I made the spiral structure and the hook.

I’ve nominated our website in The 2nd Annual Open Web Awards – Niche and Miscellaneous Social Networks category. The more nominations we get, the better our chance to make it into the voting rounds.

If you’re a fan of LJ.com you can submit your nomination now:

They use e-mail for a vote confirmation and for alerts about the Open Web Awards.

Thanks!

Hi Everyone...I was just informed by a very astute listener of the show that I posted the wrong file!!  Here is the correct one!

Sorry for the inconvience and thanks for listening!

 

Today we're talking Wood Science 101 with Hendrik Varju.  All of us have been, or should be at sometime concerned with what wood movement can do to our finished projects.  So understanding how and why wood moves is crucial to designing and building pieces that will last through the years.  So check out today's show, which is the first half of a two part discussion on one of the most crucial topics in woodworking.

I'd really like to thank Hendrik for agreeing to come back and talk with us again.  If you're interested in learning more about Hendrik or to order a copy of his DVD "Jointer and Planer Secrets" stop by his website at www.passionforwood.com .  

Coming up next month we're talking about dealing with twist, cup, bow and other wood problems.  So if you have questions drop us a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com and that's also where you can enter for the free schwag drawings too!!

 

 

The work of assembling and fitting the individual drawers into the drawer openings has begun. I work on one drawer at a time, assembling and fitting the back and bottom of the drawer. I also purposely leave the back a bit proud in order to tune the length of the drawer so that the drawer front is flush with the opening. The sides of each of the drawers are slightly proud also, just enough to be able to smooth the sides down uniformly with the drawer front. I find it important to orient the grain direction of the sides so that the grain is inwards from the front, this helps the handplaning part greatly. Also, these ever so slightly oversized measurements greatly reduce the chance for error in fitting and it all works out in the end.

I have also installed the rabbeted backs and pinned them to the sides, greatly enhancing the strength of the joint. The bottoms are custom fit to each drawer although most of the drawer bottom measurements are almost identical. I have oriented the grain of the drawer bottoms from front to back, this will allow for expansion and contraction of the bottom, or wood movement.

In the photo, the drawer at the front is the lipped drawer. I have left this one for last as fitting it involves an extra step of tuning the drawer front for a perfect fit with the lower drawer of the right hand drawer compartment. Most of my handplaning is done over at my bench at the other end of the shop and all of my dovetail work on this bench, I think it has mostly to do with the height of the benches, this lower one is more conducive to dovetailing, at least for me..

In a previous post, I talked about the new professional jig saw by Makita. Well, they’ve got two more they’re introducing to the market.

Both jig saws feature anti-vibration technology for over 40% reduced vibration and noise than competitive models. The Makita 4350FCT (shown at left) and 4351FCT (shown on the right) combine power and superior feel, with less vibration and noise. Both jig saws include three orbital settings plus a straight-cut setting, and are powered by a 6.3 AMP motor for cutting in all varieties of materials. The electronic variable speed control maintains consistent speed throughout the cut for superior results.

Makita also engineered comfort and control features into the new jig saws. An L.E.D. light illuminates the line of cut, while a built-in dust blower clears the line of cut for greater visibility. The ergonomically designed rubberized grip on both the top handle and barrel grip models provides greater comfort and control. The 4351FCT model features a rubberized barrel grip design to provide a closer grip to the work surface during cutting.

The patented tool-less blade change system provides fast and easy installation and removal of tang-shank blades. The die-cast aluminum base adjusts up to 45 degrees right or left with a positive stop at 90 degrees for solid cutting performance. An on-board hex wrench is included for fast, accurate bevel adjustments. Both models are ideal for professional woodworkers, cabinetry makers, and specialized residential construction workers. They include a blade set, anti-splintering device, cover plate, and tool case. 

I am a bit cheap. I appreciate quality tools. I also happen to live in a warm sub-tropical Caribbean climate. I want to make some "woodie" planes.

Basically, I want to make a whole set of planes. I intend to start with something like a Jointer or Fore plane and then do a smoothing plane and perhaps a scraper as well as a router. Sometime, I also want to make a Jack plane to replace the hopelessly cobbled together metal boat anchor, I mean finely fettled antique hand plane, that I have.  read more »

Start with a perfectly straight edge on a shortish board, say 15 to 20 inches long.

Take 10 full length, reasonably ...

It seems like part of being a woodworker is repairing old furniture, whether it’s your own or someone else’s. You’re probably already aware that working on old pieces like that can present some health concerns (lead paint exposure, for example).  As it turns out, there are some other things you should be concerned about when repairing or even moving some antiques.

Discovery News is citing some info from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) about the hazards of heavy metals in antiques.  Old mirrors may have been backed with mercury and tin. And clock pendulums or lamp bases may contain mercury. You know…it’s the stuff you used to play with when you were a kid. It’s since been found to be a health hazard.

I remember a few years ago, my wife and I found an old bottle of mercury that had belonged to my mother-in-law, a nurse.  Being the responsible citizen, I took it to our local township volunteer fire department/police station.  I was essentially told to “get it out of here…we’re not responsible if something happens…you’re on your own.”  Wow!  I explained that I had several children in the home and I didn’t want it in my house.  It didn’t matter.  They insisted I remove it from their premises immediately.  So, I took it home.  I ended up having to call the county hazardous materials department.  They sent a guy out.  Turns out he was an old classmate of mine in high school.  He laughed when I told him what my local fire department told me, but he donned heavy rubber gloves, removed the bottle from the house, wrapped it very carefully, and stored it in a well-insulated, shock-protected styrofoam cooler.

Then there was the local elementary school that had to shut down for a day when a child dropped a mercury thermometer on the front steps while returning from an outdoor science class.  You would have thought there had been a bomb blast with all the emergency vehicles and personnel.

So, the next time you need to move Aunt Sue’s antique clock, exercise caution.

Shop classes are fast becoming an endangered species in the United States. I suppose that the beginning of the end was when the name changed from ?shop class? to ?industrial arts.? When I was in 7th & 8th grades, all boys had to take wood shop, plastics shop and drafting class. All girls had to take home economics but the sexism inherent in our educational system is a different article.

In the 7th grade I didn?t care much about shop class. It just didn?t interest me. I did the work I had to do to make the little treasure chest project we were assigned but there was no joy in it for me. Surprising only because of my current love for working wood. More surprising however, is a dark secret I?ve hidden for nearly 35 years. My wife doesn?t know. I don?t think my parents know. In fact, I don?t think I?ve ever told anybody. You?re the first. Here it is: I was kicked out of wood shop.

Since most of you don?t know me very well that statement might not surprise you. So let me tell you, I wasn?t the kind of kid who got kicked out of classes. That was the one and only time in my scholastic career. I wouldn?t go so far as to say that I was scarred by the event but here I sit more than 30 years later writing about it. So what happened you may ask?

The shop teacher at our school was a man named Delbert Lumbert. I couldn?t make that up. No, really. Knock it off, I?m serious. OK. Mr. Lumbert seemed somewhat less interested in teaching the class than I was in taking it. I certainly don?t envy someone the task of shepherding 30 mostly uninterested kids through a minefield of sharp, spinning steel. All the same, he didn?t seem to be enjoying his chosen career. Maybe the years had gotten to him. Maybe he could see the coming extinction of his kind. Maybe he just needed a hug. But I don?t think I ever saw the man smile.

So one day I?m waiting to use the band saw. Another student is cutting something. When the offcut is free of his work piece, I reach over and remove it from the table for him. I wasn?t trying to challenge authority, I was just trying to be helpful. Of course, I recognize now that it was dangerous. Mr. Lumbert recognized it then and, as luck would have it, he saw me do it.

I can?t know the underlying cause of Mr. Lumbert?s reaction. We didn?t discuss his feelings. We didn?t discuss anything. He yelled. Loudly. I cowered. He told me to get out. I did. I don?t remember where I went but I?ll never forget walking out that door. I wish I could say that after he cooled off he reviewed shop safety with me (or the entire class). Or that he called my parents to make sure that they were aware and could remind me to be careful. But that didn?t happen. We never spoke of it again.

I have no idea what became of Mr. Lumbert. I?m sure he?s long since retired. Our brief, unhappy encounter caused no lasting damage. Who knows, maybe it was even positive. It?s not how I would want to handle such a situation but it?s hard to argue with results. After all, the lesson was well learned. Later (much later) I became an enthusiastic hobbyist woodworker. And so far, I can still count to ten without removing a shoe.

I now have the three drawers fitted and installed into their respective compartments, masking tape serving as temporary pulls :) The partial vertical divider I referred to earlier is also installed with the correct grain orientation which follows every other part of the drawer compartments. I like the idea of the divider as it separates the two halves of the interior. I have designed the drawer compartments to be accessible with one door open, so this makes more sense now. The transfer of light between the left and right areas is also a consideration, at least to me. I don't want to compartmentalize the individual areas above the drawers. Next, I need to decide on drawer pulls, I'll probably go with dual pulls per drawer to avoid any racking issues since the drawers are fairly wide.

Tapering, pattern cutting, coves, kerf bending, and raised panels. Those are just 5 of the things you may not have realized you could do with your table saw. During the Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar podcast, Ted Raife, associate editor for Woodsmith and ShopNotes, gives us safe, fast, and efficient tips on completing all five techniques.

Be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store. If you’re interested in picking up a downloadable copy of the seminar guide, so you can follow along during the podcast, you’ll find it there. Plus, there’s a link to a good deal on the Forrest Woodworker II Premium table saw blade that Ted used during the seminar.