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On The Cover: Telephone Table

By: HC Sackman (Dec/Jan 2006)
This table is essentially a small cabinet held between four legs. It makes a great place to locate your telephone, and perhaps an accent lamp. However, it provides ample storage for a lot more. It has a shallow drawer on top to store those things that you grab on the run, like your cell phone, MP3 player, purse, pocket change, keys and pens; a middle drawer to store a phone book or mail; and a bottom section with door access to store larger items, or the inevitable mess of daily life. In short, this is a compact and functional table you can place anywhere you need to store the accessories of everyday life. Sakman gives a beautiful full page, full colour photo of his finished piece. He also gives 4 detailed and labeled 3D exploded illustrations, showing all of the parts and how they are assembled. To help you along, he also provides 3 detailed material/cut lists, showing all of the measurements. and goes through the whole process with step-by-step instructions. This is one table that is sure to get lots of comments.

Furniture Project: Library Table

By: Michael Kampen
This library table, based on a Gustav Stickley design, is made of quarter-sawn white oak. Don’t be intimidated at how beautiful this table is. Michael has a special knack for simplifying his projects so that he makes you look like a pro, even if you aren’t. He gives clear and concise step-by-step instructions, a 3D exploded view of the library table with all of its parts (and assembly), a detailed materials list, and a gorgeous full page, full colour photo of the library table in use.

Shop Project: Drum Sander

By: Phil Main
Phil builds model ships and prefers to use thin pieces of exotic wood to add colour, rather than paint. He figured that a commercial sander would be too expensive and would take up a great deal of shop space. It would also be difficult to use for the shorter and thinner pieces needed to build models. Instead, he decided to build a sander to fit his needs. It is small and light, can be boted to the top of his workbench and the motor can be interchanged with other machines in his shop. An added dust hood collects most of the dust when attached to a vacuum cleaner and serves as a shield around the moving parts of the machine. Phil simplifies the construction with detailed step-by-step instruction, covering: The Frame; The Moveable Plate; Assembling the Adjustable Bolt; The Mounting Board; Attaching the Frame to the Mounting Board; Attaching the Pillow Blocks; Attaching the Sander to your Workbench; Safety Notes; Operating the Sander; Building the Thickness Gauge; and Dust Collector Hood. He also gives a detailed materials and hardware list, 3 full colour photos of the finished drum sander, and 2 3D exploded view illustrations, showing all of the parts and joinery.

Kitchen Project: Cutting Board

By: Michel Theriault
This cutting board, with the end grain showing on top, harkens back to the old style butcher block. Having the end grain exposed makes for a much more durable cutting surface. To create a contrasting design element, Michel used both maple and cherry for the board. He also included a groove around the edge for easy lifting. Michel leads you through the construction process with detailed step-by-step instructions and 6 full colour photos with captions. In addition to a detailed materials and supplies list, he also gives a list of the necessary tools and equipment you’ll need for the job. Once you see the beautiful full colour photo of his finished cutting board, you are sure to be upgrading the cutting board that you are using now.

Scroll Saw: Victoria

By: Marcus Cutler
This is the first in a series of scroll saw patterns that feature the Provincial Capitals of Canada. This particular pattern features a view overlooking the Chateau Victoria in the heart of the city. These patterns were designed exclusively for Canadian Woodworking Magazine, by renowned Canadian illustrator, Marcus Cutler. If you are into scroll sawing, or want to get started, check out this series. It is sure to be a popular set of patterns.

Turning Project: Spindles

By: Paul Ross
Many turners are not as fascinated with the art of spindle turning. There doesn’t seem to be as much fame and glory in it as there might be in bowl work, hollow forms, or as some people call it: wood art. In most of the courses that Paul teaches, half the time is spent on spindle turning. That is because gaining proficiency in spindle turning will help you with all other types of turning The tools and techniques of spindle turning can be, and often are, incorporated into other types of woodturning. In fact, Paul insists that if you are an accomplished spindle turner, all other forms of turning will come more naturally to you and you will be an all-round better wood turner for it. If you haven’t tried spindle turning yet, this is a perfect time to try it out. If you have already mastered the art of spindle turning, see if you can learn something new from Paul Ross’s technique.

Carving Skills: Sharpening for Carvers

By: David Bruce Johnson
Without a doubt, sharpening is a skill that many carvers (and other craftsmen who work with wood) pursue endlessly, with varying degrees of success. Until a carver finds ‘the’ method, hours of extra hard labour and frustration are inevitable. Unfortunately, many people simply stop carving because their tools just don’t work. After years of practice and experimentation, David has found a sharpening technique that is simple and effective. Find out how easy it is to sharpen your tools. You’ll be glad that you did.

Shop Tools: Tooling for the Bench Top Lathe

By: Carl Duguay
In our August/September 2005 issue (#37) we looked at the characteristics of the bench top lathe. In this issue Carl looks at some basic turning tools and accessories that go with the lathe. Carl covers: Turning Tools (gouges, skews, scrapers and parting tools); Basic Holding Tools (faceplate, sub-base, double sided tape); Advanced Holding Devices (chucking systems); and Safety Devices (face shield). He also covers, with the help of 3 excellent illustrations: Basic Turning Tool Shapes; Spindle Turning and Faceplate Turning. Carl finished the article off by listing 11 Canadian resources for lathes and their related accessories.

Turning for Beginners: Basic Techniques

By: JP Rapattoni
Turning can be very rewarding, but for the beginner, it can also be very frustrating. While you won’t get any better if you don’t practice, it is inevitable that practicing poor technique will lead to frustration. Practice the techniques that JP gives you in this article and you are sure to become a better wood turner. JP covers: Stance; First Cuts; Roughing the Blank; Rubbing the Bevel; Scraper; and Supporting the Cut. He also provides some insightful illustrations showing the right and the wrong way to perform a supported cut

Design Review: Telephone Table

By: Clive Smith
Sometimes when you are leafing through a magazine (or website) such as this one, a picture of a piece of furniture catches your attention. You realize that it is attractive, but may not take the time to understand what caught your eye. A design review analyzes the piece to reveal the devices that make it attractive. In this design review, Clive looks at HC Sakman’s Telephone Table that is featured in this issue. In it, he covers: function; form; background colour; contrast character; and period reference. I really liked the look of Sakman’s table, but it wasn’t until I read Clive’s review that I knew why! I’m sure that you will enjoy Clive’s insights. If you are like me, you will find yourself looking back and forth between the two articles, as you see for your self what makes the table so attractive.

Wood Joinery: Finger Joint

By: Michel Theriault
The finger joint is a router joint that not only adds strength to glued-up boards, it can extend your scraps by joining them together end to end for use in a hidden area. This is the method used to make inexpensive pine moulding that is meant to be painted. In this article, Michel covers: What you Need; and How to Make the Joint. He also gives 3 full colour step-by-step photos, with detailed instruction. He shows the finger joint router bit as well as a sample of the joint.

Wood Finishing: Stains

By: Carl Duguay
A stain is a liquid substance that, when applied to wood, imparts a rich colour. The two most common types of stains are pigments (which cover the wood), and dyes (which penetrate the wood). In this article, Carl covers: Pigments; Dyes; Chemical Stains; Minwax Stains; and Staining Tips. He also shows 2 full colour photos that show the effect of applying: Water based; Wood Stain; Gel Stain; and Polyshades

Shop Tested: Laminate Trimmer

By: Carl Duguay
Laminate trimmers (also called trim or palm routers) are the mighty mouse of the router kingdom. While they excel at trimming laminates and veneers, you’ll find that they are suitable for a surprising amount of routing work. Carl uses his for: cutting hinge mortises; inlaying and pattern work; cutting butterfly keys; trimming edge banding; and cutting narrow rabbets and dadoes. In fact, he uses one where ever he needs a high degree of accuracy and precision for light routing. Find out all about this incredibly under-used tool, and see how you can make best use of one in your shop. Carl includes 7 Canadian resources for laminate trimmers and accessories.

Tool Selection: Contractor Style Table Saws

By: Hendrik Varju
A contractor saw is generally a 10” table saw with an open stand and outboard motor. The motor hangs out the back and drives the arbor with a belt. It is called a ‘contractor’ saw because it can be loaded into a truck for on-site work, although this is a bit of an exaggeration. While a contractor saw is lighter than a full-sized cabinet saw, it can still weigh upwards of 300 lbs. In this very informative article, Hendrik takes a look at contractor saws and covers: Why a Conractor Saw?; Features to Look For; Table Top and Winds; Stand; Motor; Blade Guard; Fence System; Right vs Left Tilt; and Safety. He also gives you 15 important resources for contractor saws, blades and accessories. If you are in the market for a contractor saw, or if you want to know more about them, Hendrik tells you what you need to know.

Tool Specs: Contractor Saws

By: Graham McCulloch
In this comparative chart, Graham line up 8 different contractor saws and compares their features. Contractor saws compared include: Ryobi; Delta; Craftex; King; Ridgid; CanWood; General; and DeWalt. See how your favourite saw compares.

Woods to Know: Basswood

By: Laura Morris
Basswood, also known as American linden or lime, is part of the Tiliaceae family and is found in Asia and Europe, as well as North America. There are about 20 species of Tilia, but only one grows in Canada. Find out more about this fascinating tree, including: Uses; Physical Properties; and Working Characteristics.

Pens for Peacekeepers: A Personalized Thank-you For Our Troops

By: Jim Shaver
Jim has always respected the men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces. That’ why he came up with a great way to recognize and thank them for their efforts. Jim has started ‘Pens for Canadian Peacekeepers’. He now makes pens and wraps them in a personalized letter of appreciation. He then sends them off as a ‘thank-you’ to those serving over seas. For more info, see: http://www.pensforcanadianpeacekeepers.com

Wood Wisdom: Building Confidence with Hand Tools

By: Clive Smith
Woodworking fundamentals are deceptively simple, but if you do not follow them, the results will be disastrous. You cannot construct a successful piece of furniture with crooked pieces of wood. If crooked wood cannot be used, how do we know it’s crooked? This aspect needs to be clearly understood because it affects all the steps that follow, especially because woodworking is largely a preparation of pieces, which will be assembled into a project. If you are currently working with hand tools and want to improve, or if you are not currently using hand tools, but want to be, then read this insightful article. It will give you a new understanding of, and a new confidence with using hand tools.

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