Caleb James’ Folding Lounge Chair – an homage to Hans Wegner – is the cover story for the June issue in the first of a two-parter. Here, he shows you how to build the frame of this Danish Modern-inspired piece (in the August 2017 issue, he’ll show how to weave the paper cord seat and back).
Alf Sharp shares his technique for a French polish that looks traditional but takes a shortcut – plus, he cuts through some of the mystery surrounding this historic finish.
In Dovetailed Dustpan, Christopher Schwarz teaches some of tricks for better dovetails as he builds a practical and stylish shop project – and no worries if your joinery isn’t perfect. Either way, it’ll end up in the trash (so to speak).
Chairmaker Greg Pennington shows how to drill compound angles correctly every time with the help of inexpensive line lasers – plus an excerpt from Peter Galbert’s “Chairmaker’s Notebook” helps you get the best grind on your drill bits to make the mortising work go smoothly.
Meet Robert and Yvonne Van Norman and take a tour of Inside Passage – their British Columbia school for cabinetmakers that is inspired by the legendary James Krenov.
Plus, we take a look a Axe Carbide turning tools, 3M deburring wheels and Buck Bros. chisels in Tool Test; Peter Follansbee shares his new shop in Arts & Mysteries; Bob Flexner comments on the EPA and regulations on paint strippers; and Daniel Clausen writes about his experience taking a beginner woodworking class in End Grain.
Shop-made hardware and precision joinery are the foundation for this Danish-inspired folding seat. by Caleb James pages 23-32 Danish furniture is making a comeback these days. It’s been a favorite of mine from the moment I discovered the style. It had all the hallmarks I wanted in furniture: simple, beautiful design and construction. Nothing...
Plus: Add a touch of glaze to create a century (or more!) of wear. by Alfred Sharp pages 33-37 Shellac forms the basis for one of the finest wood finishes ever devised – French polish. The soft, smooth luster appears to be more like highly polished wood than a thick, plasticy coating. Add some...
Forget plastic or metal pans – a wooden one looks nicer and works better. by Christopher Schwarz pages 38-41 Some time during the last 25 years of prowling around workshops, museums and antique stores, I spotted a wooden dustpan. The encounter made me slap my forehead – why do I have a plastic pan...
Affordable line lasers and a simple setup make for perfect angled drilling. by Greg Pennington pages 42-46 I’m a 21st-century Windsor chairmaker. I build chairs using mostly hand tools: froes, drawknives, spokeshaves, travishers, scorps, an adze and other tools that, even in the fast-paced computer age, still comprise the most efficient way to follow...
A gifted teacher preserves and shares the legacy of James Krenov. by Asa Christiana pages 47-51 To reach the Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking, you head northwest from Vancouver, B.C., leaving behind the glass-towered city to board the ferry at Horseshoe Bay. Pull up your collar and stand alone on deck as the...
This “bonus section” is comprised of “legacy material” – that is, articles from back issues of the magazine, and included as bound-in black-and-white pages in the newsstand print edition of the June 2017 issue. We’re offering it free here, in case you’re a newer subscriber who’s not read all the back issues (or would...
Fit, finish and registration flats combine for a solid turning experience. by James McConnell page 18 If you feel like wasting an entire afternoon, just type “carbide vs. high speed steel turning tools” into your favorite internet search engine. If you would rather spend that time making something beautiful and functional on a lathe,...
by Megan Fitzpatrick page 20 Someone saw this deburring wheel on Instagram and clued me in to it; sold. It’s really a metal-working tool for knocking off sharp edges and small bits of metal. But if, like me, you have rusty old tools sitting around your shop (say inherited chisels that haven’t been used...
by Megan Fitzpatrick page 20 If you’re frugal when it comes to tool purchases, check out the U.S.-made Buck Bros. “Professional Wood Chisels,” available at Home Depot. A set of three (1/2″, 3/4″ and 1″) is less than $20. (I bought several sets from three locations for comparison purposes.) While nowhere near the fit...
