Geoff's Woodwork

Geoff Malthouse sends us this months web resource. Cheeky Brit, it's his web site. But that's ok with us, because Geoff's site is chalk full of interesting information. There's a good overview on how to use the cabinet makers triangle, a great primer on basic woodworking joints, a tips and tricks section, Geoff's recommendations for a basic tool kit, and links to other woodworking sites. Thanks Geoff.

Internet Movie Database

I recently found the motherload of movie databases. IMDB has it all. On most movies you can access trailers, and get information about the plot, actors, gossip, trivia, goofs, and quotes. There are lots of photos, and you can also find out what is coming down the tube - up to eight months from now. Not much to do with woodworking here, but we all need to relax once in a while, don't we?

JessEm Tool Company

If you do a lot of router work in your shop, then you'll want to take a look at the line of router table accessories from JessEm. Check out any of the magazine reviews of router lifts, table tops or fences, and you'll see that the JessEm products consistently rate at the top. (Check out our review of the Mast-R-Lift in Issue 23, Apr/May 2003 issue of Canadian Woodworking).

Using a router table is considerably safer and more convenient than using a hand held router. It makes for easier template routing, and enables you to use a much wider range of router bits, particularly panel raising bits.

JessEm's Rout-R-Lift and Mast-R-Lift allow you to change the height of the router bit from above the table top, and to make precise, incremental height adjustments.

The Mast-R-Top is a 3/4" PVC coated phenolic table top that is guaranteed to be flat and remain stable for eons. Used in conjunction with the Mast-R-Fence and Mast-R-Slide, you have the ultimate router table system. I use their fence, and wouldn't rout without it.

You'll pay more for JessEm products, but we think they offer excellent value for the money. Check out the product line at JessEm.

ProfiKits

Fein Canada has announced three new accessory kits for the MultiMaster 636. There is one for wood, flooring and tiling. The wood kit comes with 1 E-Cut 35mm blade, 1 E-Cut 65mm blade, 1 Bi-Metal E-Cut blade, 5 Pieces each of 60 and 120 grit sandpaper and 1 standard backing pad. Each kit is priced at $145. For the dealer nearest you contact Fein Canada.

The Fein ('fine') MultiMaster is a variable speed oscillating power tool that uses a broad assortment of accessory accessories and blades to handle dozens of manual tasks - sanding, cutting, scraping, polishing, the whole lot.

The secret is in its oscillating rather than rotating or orbiting action. We'll be showing you how to use the MultiMaster in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

Woodworker I is still #1

Forrest Manufacturing make what many woodworkers consider are the best saw blades on the market. Their "Woodworker I" blade has become the crosscut blade of choice with professional woodworkers and dedicated hobbyists because of the scratch-free, polished cuts it delivers in hardwoods, softwoods, or plywood veneers.

Forrest has 'tweaked' the design of the Woodworker I making it better than ever. It now features a new 30° ATB (Alternate Top Bevel) tooth design that eliminates all top and bottom splintering on ply veneers. In fact, the blade’s additional teeth (totaling 60) and less aggressive 5° face hook make it perform even better on plywood than Forrest’s all-purpose saw blade, the popular Woodworker II. While the Woodworker I gives a smooth, quiet cut on every type of table saw, it is especially good on radial arm saws.

Like all Forrest blades, the Woodworker I is manufactured using the highest quality blend of corrosion-resistant C-4 micrograin carbide. The blades feature exceptional perimeter concentricity and are hand straightened for perfect flatness. A side runout of +/- .001 further assures a precision cut. Best of all, there is a no risk guarantee - try the blade for 30 days, and if you don't like it, return it for a full refund. You can order these beauties direct at Forrest Blades.

Bosch Colt™ 1 HP Palm Router

Bosch makes good tools, no doubt about it. Their new 1 HP router looks to be a winner. Like a laminate router, the Bosch Colt looks to be an ideal router for trimming deck planks, hinge mortising, edge forming, slot cutting, dovetailing, window cutouts, decorative inlays, laminate trimming and more.

It features a 5.7 amp motor running at 35,000 RPM; an aluminum fixed base; a fast and precise depth adjustment system; unique finger support pockets for additional stability, especially when trimming edges; soft start; constant speed under load; a front lock spindle; quick clamp system; and a base that accepts bits up to 1-5/16" in diameter.

For more information or to find a dealer, contact Bosch.

Accents Collection from Schlage

With the current “do-it-yourself” home improvement wave, Canadians are taking renewed interest in sprucing up their houses. One simple solution is upgrading a home’s locks and doors with more elegant designs and finishes.

The Accents collection consists of a number of new items including nine handle sets, three lever designs, two knob designs and one new deadbolt, all available in eight different finishes. Key features exclusive only to Accents include a simple installation process, reversible levers, and concealed screws for a clean look. The locks also come with snap-on levers and knobs that fit both right and left-handed doors and allows the consumer to change the finish or design.

The Accents collection also comes with an innovative Installation Assurance Program. Schlage is so confident that consumers won’t have any problems with the installation of their locks and door handles that they will send a certified locksmith free of charge if a problem persists. In addition, there is also a Lifetime Limited Guarantee that the lock will never tarnish, corrode or discolour and will always perform to the customer’s expectations. 

Check out the Schlage web site for more information or to find a dealer near you.

BCedar

If you are looking for outdoor cedar furniture kits, then check out this new Ontario based company. BCedar makes its furniture kits from quality western red cedar. These easy to build kits comes with the lumber precut lumber, all the hardware you need, and simple instructions on how to put it together. They offer gazebos, pagodas, and playhouses. Canadian grown and Canadian made - what could be better.

Paint Buddy

Nothing is more irritating than having to search through the basement for that gallon can of Flamingo pink, crack it open, stir it up, and find a paint brush, all just to cover up a couple of unsightly wall scuffs.

Paint Buddy, from Rubbermaid, makes image enhancing cover-ups an easy thing. It's a simple, yet clever device that serves as both a paint container and dispenser. The Paint Buddy has an air lock valve that keeps the paint fresh, and a foam roller to dispense the paint. It works only with latex or water-based paints and stains because the unit is made of plastic. Cleaning the roller is easy - just use water.

I found it worked well, and for $10.99 it was about the price of a new paintbrush. Rubbermaid doesn't instruct you to clean the dispenser when storing the unit. I let my Paint Buddy sit for about a week, then tried it again. Worked like a charm. Available from WalMart, Rona, Home Depot and Réno Dépôt.

Veritas Mk.II Honing Guide

When I received this item in the mail, my first response was, egad, yet another honing guide. The jig I've been using for years works great.

Well, I have to admit that the new Mk.II is a nice bit of die-cast zinc alloy. It's a complete re-work of the original Veritas honing guide and angle jig (item 05M02.10).

With this jig you can sharpen anything in your arsenal, from 1/4" to 2 7/8" wide and 1/2" thick blades or chisels. You can hone three bevel-angle ranges: high angles from 25° to 54° in seven increments; standard angles from 15° to 40° in six increments; and, back bevels from 10° to 20°. I don't think that there is any other jig on the market with this feature. You put a low-angle bevel on the back of a plane blade to increase the effective cutting angle of the blade. A higher angle (20°) is best for highly figured wood, while for day-to-day planing a 15° angle works well.

Using the jig is a piece of cake. There is a registration jig that quickly connects to the body of the jig with a few turns of a brass knob. You set the honing angle with a registration stop, insert and lock the blade in place, and remove the registration jig. The clamping bar is very effective even for tapered blades and Japanese style chisels. I had no problems honing a very narrow 4 mm chisel or my Japanese dovetail chisels. I'm glad that they have retained the innovative eccentric roller that made the original Veritas jig so distinctive. It's a great feature that enables you to hone a micro-bevel with the turn of a knob.

At $58.50 this is THE honing jig to buy if you don't already have one. No questions about it. If you already have a jig, and use it on a regular basis, give it to your nephew or niece and treat yourself to the ultimate in honing. Check it out at Lee Valley.

Woodworker's Pocket Reference

Charles Self , Fox Chapel Publishing, 2005, ISBN 1-56523-239-9, spiral bound, 175 pp, $20.95

If you are a novice woodworker, hobbyist, or just thinking of taking up the craft, then you'll want to get your hands on a copy of this new reference guide. In a 5" by 6 1/2" format, this guide will fit nicely in a shop apron pocket. There are ten sections in the guide, covering a nice range of topics, including: identification of more commonly used woods; data on mechanical fasteners (screws, nails, bolts); a primer on basic woodworking joints, clamping and adhesives; shop math; finishing; sharpening; safety; and hand and power tools.

The guide is filled with practical information. For example, the 'Woodworking Adhesives Chart' on pages 66-69 provide you with everything you need to know for choosing and using the right adhesive. If you want to  draw an ellipse, page 75 shows you how to do it in four clear, illustrated, steps. Short, clear and concise best describes the content. And its what you want in a book like this. While no reference book can cover every topic, this one does a good job on the basics, and most of the time, that's all we need. As Sgt. Friday would say, "Just the facts, ma'am".

Wegner Revival

If you really like chairs, then you'll know about Hans Wegner, whose 1949 "Round Chair" became widely acknowledged as the most beautifully designed chair of its time. In fact, it's still commonly referred to as "The Chair".  Hans has been retired for a few decades now - yes, he's still alive, at 91, and still a Dane, from Copenhagen.

The beauty shown here, the "Elbow Chair" was designed in 1956, and is only being manufactured now. I guess it's like good wine or cheese, has to 'age' a bit before we can really appreciate it. In any event, you can now purchase a Wegner for around a grand. It's available in beech, oak or ash, with a variety of seat coverings.

Carl Hansen & Son are the official manufacturers of all things Wegner. In Central Canada you can order from Kiosk, while out here on the West Coast contact Inform Interiors.

Self Portrait
2003
Michael Hosaluk

Maple, steel, rubber, boxwood and acrylic paint
24 x 17 x 5 inches
Photo: Grant Kernan

Gale Force
2004

Peter Pierobon
Carved mahogany and glass table
24 x 78 x 30 inches
Photo: Goran Basaric

2005 Saidye Bronfman Award

Five finalists were recently announced for the $25,000 Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence in
the Fine Crafts, including two woodworkers: Michael Hosaluk and Peter Pierobon. The three other finalists are Louise Lemieux Bérubé, Gordon Peteran, and Anna Torma

The Saidye Bronfman Award is one of the largest individual visual arts prizes in Canada. In addition to the cash prize, works by the Award recipient are acquired by the Canadian Museum of Civilization for its permanent collection. In recent years, The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation has contributed over $250,000 for the purchase of works by previous Award recipients. The Canadian Museum of Civilization's fine craft collection is the largest public contemporary craft collection in Canada, with over 2,000 works by artists from across the country.

The Saidye Bronfman Award recipient will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Civilization on Thursday, September 29, 2005. An exhibition presenting works by this year's recipient will be on display at the Canadian Museum of Civilization from September 29, 2005 through April 2, 2006. The Award recipient will also be featured in a 30-second Artspots profile, created by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and presented on the national television network.

Michael Hosaluk lives near Saskatoon, and is recognized as one of the world's most creative woodturners. In 2004, he was awarded the Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governor's Award for Innovation in the Arts.

Peter Pierobon is an outstanding Canadian artist who has expanded the boundaries of furniture design beyond function, material and technique. Based in North Vancouver, Pierobon was a founding member of the Furniture Society: the voice of the studio furniture movement in the United States and Canada. He is an active member of the Wood Co-op in Vancouver.

You can see samples of work from all the finalists by clicking here.

Summer Wood Shows

The summer wood show season is half on and half off. The 8th Annual Lions Muskoka Woodworking Show will be held August 19 to 23.

The Barrie Woodworking Show, which was to run from August 12 to 14th is cancelled.

National Decoy Information Center

Steven Lloyd, Canada’s Foremost Authority on Historical Decoys, has established a National Decoy Information Center. The Center seeks to inform and educate people about the history and value of wooden decoys. For more information contact the Center at at 441 Elmwood Drive, Belleville, Ontario, Canada, K8N 4Z6; lqqklake@aol.com, 613-922-7000.

This corner cabinet was made by Jean-Jacques Martin ( Trois-Rivières, PQ). He uses it to store twenty years worth of National Geographic magazines. The cabinet is made from oak ply, with a purpleheart facing. To bring out the intense color of the purpleheart Jean-Jacques first put a coat of double boiled linseed oil on the wood. He applies the oil with a lint free pad, waits about 10 minutes, and then wipes off the excess with a dry cloth. He then follows this up with an application of clear shellac. If you're not too clear on using shellac see the "Wood Finishing - Shellac" article in Issue 28, Feb/Mar 2004 issue of Canadian Woodworking Magazine.

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