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Canadian Woodworking eNewsletter #2 July 2004 |
The following companies make this free eNewsletter possible: | General Machinery | King Canada | House of Tools | | Porter-Cable | Delta Machinery | The Toronto Woodworking Show | Please visit and support our sponsors. |
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Table of Contents
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From the Publishers Desk By: Paul Fulcher Our first newsletter was a whopping success, if measured in terms of the volume of email that we received from our readers. There were a lot of suggestions on how we can improve the newsletter, and we´ll be implementing as many ideas as we can over the coming months.
Please continue sending in your suggestions and contributions. Enjoy, Paul You can see a complete list of wood shows here: |
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Canadian Woodworking Ranked Top Canadian SiteGoogle Loves CanadianWoodworking.comThanks to all of our readers activity on our site, Google consistently places Canadian Woodworking Magazine´s website as it´s top Canadian site.If you haven´t been to our site in a while, drop by and see what´s new. CLICK HERE to go to our homepage. CLICK HERE to see our most popular page. You might even want to bookmark this one, cause it´s the perfect starting point for any woodworking question. Woods to Know: Ash
Ash is easy to machine, but exercise caution when edge jointing and routing, as it has a tendency to splinter because of its long fibres. It holds screws well, but pre-drilling is recommended. It also glues up nicely. Ash is a very easy wood to stain and finish, much more so than red oak. When ebonized it looks stellar. (When a wood is ebonized it is stained to imitate ebony. Because ebony is so expensive, about $80 per pound, a lot of woodworkers will stain a wood to resemble ebony. Ash is one of the woods that looks particularly nice when stained black. Like any open grained wood you should use pore filler if you´re going for the high gloss finish. And yes, over time ash darkens slightly toward the light tan tones. You´ll find ash flat sawn and quarter cut, typically available as 1", 2" and 3" kiln dried rough boards. At about $.90 per square foot for veneer and $4 per board foot for lumber, this is affordable lumber. It has a specific gravity of 0.55, tangential movement of 7.80% and radial movement of 4.90%. Volumetric shrinkage is 13.30%.
Shop TipsI find it more economical and convenient to buy glue in gallon containers. For dispensing I use plastic mustard containers. It´s good practice to pour out only the amount of finish you need for a particular project, rather than applying directly from the quart or gallon can. Also, avoid possible contanimation by not reusing containers for different kinds of finishes. That´s why tuna or salmon cans come in so handy. They hold an ample supply of finish, have a wide mouth to accomodate a good size brush, and can be chucked out after each use. ----------------------------------------------------- Care Canada wants your used woodworking tools and machinery for use in developing countries. It´s a good inducement to clean up your shop; you´ll get a tax receipt that might come in handy next April; and you´ll feel good knowing that you´ve helped someone help themselves. You can get a list of what they need at: http://care.ca/make_a_dif/tls/tls_e.shtm.
Web ResourcesIf you´ve ever though of making your own spokeshave, take a look at John Gunterman´s well written and illustrated article at: www.shavings.net/TEACHSHAVE.HTM. www.tomboytools.ca is a new web site of tools designed for women by women. www.arts-crafts.com is the place to go for information about the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Spotlight on Canadian Suppliers
Royce Sales, better known as "The Sandpaper Specialists", will be setting a milestone of sorts in 2004: over 20 years meeting the sanding needs of Canadian woodworkers. If you´ve been to any of the annual wood shows held across Canada then you´ve likely met Roy and Shirley Steedman. Congratulations on a job well done! Based out of St. George, Ontario, Royce Sales offers a wide range of quality sanding products at competitive prices. You´ll find sanding sheets, belts, rolls, discs (both H&L and PSA), and stars. New for 2004 is the Kaindl see-through diamond grinding disc (which we review in an upcoming issue of Canadian Woodworking Magazine). Contact Royce Sales at 800-684-9262 or http://www.sandpaper.ca.
New Products
The name Veritas has become synonymous with exceptional quality in professional hand planes, so it´s no wonder we´re excited about their new Bullnose Shoulder Plane and Low-Angle Jack Plane. Expect a future review of these planes in an upcoming issue of Canadian Woodworking Magazine. www.leevalley.com
Shop Tested
Coming Up Next....Our next eNewsletter will include some of the ideas and suggestions that readers have sent in.Watch for more Shop Tips, and FREE woodworking plans and patterns in your next issue. Also, keep sending in your feedback. We´re always looking for content and suggestions. CLICK HERE to send me feedback, suggestions, or content. I am sending you this newsletter only after receiving
a request from you. |
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There
are about 70 species of ash, of which White Ash (also called American
Ash) is the most common. White Ash has off-white to pale yellow sapwood
and light to medium brown heartwood. The grain is fairly straight and
open. Ash is heavy, stiff, very hard (somewhat between oak and maple)
and has excellent strength to weight ratio. It is one of the more shock
resistant domestic hardwoods (hence its use in baseball bats and tool
handles) and is especially good for steam bending (so a favourite among
chair makers). 
Glen-Drake ToolWorks, who make the venerable "Tite-Mark", arguably the best marking gauge on the market, have introduced two new tools. The Chisel hammer is milled from solid brass and has one face domed and the other flat. It comes in four sizes from 6 oz to 14 oz, starting at $39US. The Plane hammer is made of hardened steel, with one face slightly domed for adjusting plane blades and the other ground to a shape that fits the breaker screw. It´s available in 3.5oz, 4.5oz and 5.5oz, from $39US. Wonderful tools built to last a lifetime. 
The latest issue of "DA: A Journal of the Printing Arts" features a very interesting and highly readable profile on the tools and techniques specific to wood engraving. George Walker is a talented engraver, perhaps best knows for the illustrations he has done for the Cheshire Cat Press. He has also illustrated Alice´s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. If you are at all interested in carving or engraving, this makes a great read. You should be able to order a copy of the journal from your local newsstand or book dealer. If not: 519-833-9158 or 
Mirka is a Finnish company well known for their line of superior sanding products, including the Abralon flexible sanding pads. They´ve just introduced the Abranet, a unique abrasive that reduces air-borne
Festool has announced a new router, the OF2000. This high end variable speed router features a 3 1/2 HP, 16.7 amp motor, 1/2" collet, speed range of 12000-22000 rpm, and an adjustment accuracy of 1/256 inch. This German made router is top of the line. $770 CDN introductory price (includes shipping and taxes). 
The Joy-Block and Joy-Stick ($12.99 US each) are two new shop safety aides. The Joy-Block measures about 3" high by 3" wide and 7" long, and has a retractable heel, which extends about ¼". The unit is made from co-polymer plastic, has a high friction bottom, and four thumb supports on its moulded handle. This is a very well designed tool, comfortable to hold and use, and with its bright yellow color, won´t be hard to find in the shop. Great value. However, I found the Joy-Stick awkward to use; the handle curves over the tip of the stick and feels unbalanced. Available from Woodworkers Supply, 800-645-9292, 
The Measure Level ($29.99 US) is a combination level, straight edge and scribing tool. It measures ½" by 1" by 24" and is made of aluminium. There are two stainless steel marker/pivot points, one which can be fixed to either end of the tool, the other which slides freely along the bar, and a sliding bubble level, which can also be used as a marker. A handy tool for measuring arcs and circles up to 47" diameter. A major drawback is that the markings are only in 1/8" increments, and do not run to the edge of the bar. Suitable as a general shop tool, but not for precision measuring. 
North Safety Products (Montreal), the largest manufacturer of safety and personal protective equipment in the world, recently announced a new respirator, the CFR-1. It offers the best mix between a cartridge respirator and a disposable mask. It´s comfortable to wear, comes in three sizes (S, M, L), has a built-in exhalation valve, an elastomeric seal, adjustable harness, is cost effective, and takes either N95 or P95 filters. The respirator is priced at $16.95 and N95 filters are $19.95 per box of 20. An excellent product that we can highly recommend. Call 888-212-7233 for a dealer or visit 
Looking for cabinet screws? Then check out the V-REX® line from Viscan. These screws have a star-head design (accept both Phillips and Robertson drivers), which makes stripping the head virtually impossible, and dramatically increases holding power while driving the screw. The screws are self-tapping, with deep cut threads, and are lubricated. I really liked these screws. Prices are very competitive, but there are minimum order sizes, so you may want to get a group order going. Call Oliver Rousseau at 800-567-5247 for info or sales or visit 
Wood Essence is now distributing one of the finest waxes known to man - Liberon "Black Bison" waxes. They contain a blend of natural and mineral waxes, but no silicone or toluene. The waxes come in 15 different shades (plus clear and neutral), and you can use them over any finish. They provide a longer-lasting shine and increased wear protection on finished surfaces (much better than liquid furniture polishes). I´ve been using the Dark Oak, and it´s great. $13.95 for 150ml or $22.95 for 500ml.