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On The Cover: Oscillating Spindle Sander

By: The Editors (April/May 2009)
Whether sanding curves or straightening edges, look to the oscillating spindle sander for a smooth performance. The oscillating spindle sanders looked at in this review includes: Triton, Delta, King, Craftex, and General. If you are in the market for such a sander, be sure to read this article and find out which sander was awarded Editor’s Choice and which one was chosen the Best Value.

Outdoor Project: Garden Bench

By: Michael Kampen
This garden bench will make a wonderful place to relax and ponder life’s mysteries. Whether you place this bench in a quiet corner of your garden or beside the door as a convenient place to rest when putting on your shoes or to set down your bags as you unlock the door, this simple project can be easily completed in a weekend. The bench is comprised of a top, apron and four legs; a shop-made template, bandsaw, and a portable hand sander are all you will need to make the curved legs. You’ll also need access to a jointer and thickness planer for the other parts. All the pieces for this project can be made from commonly available dimensional deck lumber. If you have trouble locating the thicker pieces, you can easily glue up thinner cedar fence boards. Michael’s design for this bench is stunning, and he leads you through the construction with easy-to-follow instructions, a detailed illustration with all of the necessary parts and measurements, and a complete materials list. He also includes a couple of excellent full colour photos showing how to secure the top with ‘Z’ clamps; and how to pull it all together with a ‘web clamp’.

Craft Project: Shaker Bentwood Box

By: DorothyDearborn
The Shaker tradition of simplicity in design continues to hold sway in Hampton, New Brunswick where Brent Rourke makes traditionally inspired oval boxes. In this article Dorothy takes you through the steps that Brent follows in making his brentwood boxes. She teaches you: How to Make the Forms; How to Prepare the Bands; How to Make the Lid and Base; How to Assemble the Box; and How to Finish the Box. She also provides 10 excellent step-by-step full colour photos, a detailed illustration showing all of the parts, and a complete materials list.

Furniture Project: Grass-Seat Chair

By: David Hill
This Nakashima style chair reflects the unadorned beauty of wood and other natural materials. Chairs are among the most complex and challenging woodworking projets to build. However, with patience and careful workmanship, it is well within the scope of anyone possessing intermediate level woodworking skills. In this article, David leads you through: The Seat Frame; Legs and Spindles; Assembly; Back Rest; Seat Construction; and Finishing. He also gives you 3 full colour photos, a detailed materials list, and 3 illustrations showing all of the chair’s parts and measurements.

Wood Finishing: Brushes

By: The Editors
Selecting the right brush, and properly maintaining it, will ensure that you get the best possible finish. Brushing on a finish is not a difficult proposition, but choosing the right brush for the finish being used; correctly loading the brush and then applying the material in an efficient manner will go a long way in helping to achieve a perfect result. Quality brushes represent a sizeable investment, and properly cleaning them will protect your investment and keep them in fine form for many years. In this article the editors do a great job filling you in on all that you need to know about finishing brushes. They explain: The Importance of the Bristles; How to Select the Right Brush for the Task at Hand; and Proper Techniques. They also provide 12 full colour photos, and 2 informative sidebars covering: The Enviro-Brush; and an important Finishing Tip.

Turning Project: Laminated Ring Stand

By: Allan Cusworth
A ring stand is the perfect gift idea for that special lady who needs a place to put her rings when retiring for the evening. This project is an opportunity to make a ring stand in which two pieces of contrasting coloured wood are laminated together, providing interesting colour variation as well as a strong design. This project combines spindle turning (making the ring post between lathe centers), and face turning (using a chuck) to make a base for the spindle to fit into. Allan makes this project very easy to follow with his detailed instruction, 15 full colour photos, and a supply checklist . Be sure to make more than one of these at a time, otherwise you will fall behind in your orders!

Woods To Know: Red Alder

By: Carl Duguay
Five species of alder grow in Canada. However, only the red alder (a.k.a. western alder) reaches tree size. In this article Carl talks red alder: Characteristics; Working Properties; Physical Properties; and Uses. Carl also includes a full colour photo of red alder and a beautiful illustration showing both the tree and its leaves, for easy identification.

Skill Builder: Wood Movement

By: Rob Brown
Understanding the interrelationship between wood and moisture is a fundamental prerequisite for every woodworker. If you don’t know this stuff already, run (don’t walk) to your nearest magazine retailer, and get this article. It is essential knowledge for anyone doing woodworking. If you already know this stuff, the article is a great reminder. It also provides an invaluable chart showing the shrinkage rates for common domestic and imported woods.

Product News: Metabo SXE450, Veritas DX60 and NX60 Block Planes, Varathane Nano Defence

By: The Editors
There are some hot tools hitting the market, and you can find out about them here. Tools announced include: the Metabo dual orbit random orbit sander with a six hole, six inch Velcro-faced backing pad; two new block planes from Veritas; and Varathane’s Nano Defence, the strongest, most durable floor finish on the market.

Router Skills: Jointing and Surfacing

By: Michael Kampen
Milling wide long stock on a six or eight inch jointer can be a real challenge. Here’s where you can rely on the versatility of your router. Michael teaches you how to set up and use your router to both joint and surface your lumber. The router is one of your most versatile tool – make sure that you are getting the most out of yours.

Shop Essentials: Moisture Meters

By: Rob Brown
Use a moisture meter to help you determine the precise moisture level of your lumber. In this article Rob teaches you: How Moisture Meters Work; Basic Differences Between Moisture Meters; and How to Use a Moisture Meter. It may seem like a lot of hassle: spending your hard earned money, taking the time to learn about your meter, obtaining a reading and then dong the adjustments. But, consider the time and energy that you put into a project. Imagine watching a finished piece of furniture develop weak joints due to gluing problems or expansion forces, and eventually fall apart. Learning a bit about the moisture content of the wood your working with will go a long way in preventing these problems from happening.

Skill Builder: Preparing Plane Irons

By: Vic Tesolin
Learn to prepare and maintain your plane irons, as a sharp iron can make the difference between frustration and enjoyment. Vic does a great job at simplifying this process. He gives easy-to-follow instructions, including: How to Flatten the Back; How to Hollow Grind a Bevel; How to Hone the Bevel; and How to Check for Sharpness. He also gives 6 full colour step-by-step photos, and an informative sidebar outlining ‘Flattening Waterstones’, complete with 3 full colour photos.

Shop Jig: Milling Table

By: Michael Kampen
Use this jig to mill boards too wide to run through your thickness planer. In fact, this jig is large enough to accommodate material up to 26” wide and almost 3’ long. Michael gives you easy-to-follow instruction, a full colour photo of the finished jig, a detailed illustration showing all of the parts and measurements a complete materials list and hardware list. Once again, the router is one of the most versatile tool in your shop. Be sure that you are getting the most out of it.

Wood Chuckle: Blitzkrieg To-The-Sea

By: Don Wilkinson
In this article, Don tries his hand at carving. Needless to say, the result is hilarious!

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