STL187: Desert Island Dream Projects
Tom, Mike, and Ben discuss milling wide thin stock, the ethics of selling projects someone else designed, and Tom comes packing a plethora of smooth moves.
Question 1:
From Paul:
Heide Martin’s serving trays in the May/June 2018 are beautiful and I have since made a couple. My question is about keeping the bottom boards flat. I cut some walnut that had been air dried for probably 20 years. In an hour or two both boards cupped. I then sequentially tried wetting one side, wetting both sides, soaking in water, soaking in fabric softener, each time clamping the boards to keep them flat and leaving for days and days to dry out. None of these things worked and in the end I ended up using some walnut plywood instead. How do you folks keep wide, thin boards flat?
- Working with Warped Panels by Christian Becksvoort #205–May/June 2009 Issue
- Video Series: Veneering Basics by Bob Van Dyke
Question 2:
From Richard:
In reality we all have limited amount of shop time available. However, if the amount of time you could work on a project was not limited what one piece would you choose to make?
- A Journey to Bombé – Veteran woodworker Dan Faia plunges into the project of a lifetime
by Thomas McKenna #234–July/Aug 2013 Issue
Segment: All-Time Favorite Technique
Mike: Using pocket holes to quickly make and change full-size mockups
Tom: Beveling an edge of a workpiece with a handplane
Ben: Riding the back of the blade to start a cut on the edge of workpiece
Question 3:
From Mark:
I have been building furniture full-time for just over a year. Is it legal and/or ethical to build something from the magazine or a video workshop and then sell it? For instance, if a client asks me to build 4 Adirondack chairs, my thought is build them loosely based on what I find at Fine Woodworking, vs. reinventing the wheel with my own design every-time.
Question 4:
From John:
I was reading a FWW article by Steve Latta in issue #241 about draw-bored tenons where he said, “I make pins from riftsawn or quartersawn stock…”. If you’re making dowels, how can it possibly make any difference whatsoever if you use quartersawn or plain sawn boards?
I still like Steve Latta, btw. Keep up the great work, see y’all at FWWlive!
Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking‘s biweekly podcast. Send your woodworking questions to [email protected] for consideration in the regular broadcast! Our continued existence relies upon listener support. So if you enjoy the show, be sure to leave us a five-star rating and maybe even a nice comment on our iTunes page.
Comments
Interesting question about what project to spend the rest of your life on... Although I love the process of woodworking, the answer the best part of any project is the completion and then enjoyment of it! So spending "forever" on a project is more like hell...
To find center of a dowel this is what I did. Using 3/8 in. dowel as an example. I drilled a approx. 2 in. long & 3/8 in. dia. hole in a block of hardwood (maple) using a drill press. Then insert a good quality 3/8 in. brad point bit in one end ( should fit snugly to a 1 in. depth) and insert a series of dowels through opposite end to mark centers. Brad point bit serves as a punch and marks the center ( similar to a fine awl). Thx, Norman
In regard to flying drill press chuck keys: Install a locking switch guard and a momentary contact, normally open toggle switch on the case, next to the manufacturers on/off switch.
The switch is spring loaded, and will return to the open position, killing the power to the motor if not held in the closed position. You use the handle of the chuck, through the holes of the switch guard to keep the switch pushed into the closed position. There is no way to start the machine with the chuck key still in the chuck.
Re copying other peoples work. I once was reading an interview with Sam Maloof. He was complaining about other woodworkers stealing his design for cabinet handles.
I had to laugh to myself: I have pieces made by my great grandfather, and grandfather, in the 1900 to 1940 period, which had an identical style of handle.
All woodworking is derivative. Most accomplished woodworkers, and very good at solving problems. So, many techniques and designs occur repeatedly, from many designer/builders.
The only truly original works I have ever seen, were done by the Eames, in their use of plywood, and form pressed plywoods. They had the advantage of doing specialized work in a relatively new medium.
Put a sturdy tether on the chuck key. If it does get slung off, it'll be stopped by the tether. Hopefully before beaning someone. Also, no lost chuck keys. Also, the tether makes it much more visually obvious that the chuck key is still engaged.
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