Fine Woodworking

I’ve been making shoji lamps for the past few years. Most woodworkers secure the side panels in the structure with a friction fit, which is tricky to pull off. I use “space balls” instead, which hold the panel securely, even if the fit isn’t absolutely perfect. I use the 1/4-in.-dia. variety of these rubber balls, which are used in cabinet-door frames to keep panels centered and rattle-free while allowing expansion. For this application, I drill 1/4-in.-dia.

To keep my brushes from drying out between coats—and make them easier to clean afterward—I suspend them in water or solvent (depending on which paint or finish I’m using). To do that, I drill a hole above the ferrule just large enough to fit a thin dowel or barbecue skewer. I slide the dowel or skewer through the hole and rest it on the rim of the jar or cup.

UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month. This intimate video series follows legendary woodworker Tim Coleman as he designs and builds a cabinet on stand—a timeless form made famous by his teacher, James Krenov. Filmed over the course of four months, the series captures the making of a career-defining piece that embodies both tradition and innovation.

Bow Products 5-pc. Bandsaw Resaw Master Pack $324.90 (parts also available individually) infinitytools.com Manufactured by Bow Products and sold as a kit by Infinity Tools, these cleverly designed accessories can also be purchased individually. Although they will get most of their use on bandsaws, some of the components will also work well on table saws and router tables. Bow’s XT Xtender Fence is slotted at the back to accept a pair of T-track clamps that attach it to an existing fence. At 5 in.

Revealing just a small brass knuckle to the viewer, the knife hinge is the least obtrusive type of hinge hardware for fine furniture. It’s also the most durable type. Knife hinges allow a door to open fully, whether it overlays the sides of the cabinet or is inset between them. To allow that functionality, there are two types of knife hinges: straight and offset. I’ll show you here how to install the straight type, for overlay doors.

In my article in #318, on pp. 46–53, I show how to install straight knife hinges, which are used with overlay doors. Here, I’ll explain everything else you need to know to install the offset type of knife hinges, which are used for inset doors. There are a few extra steps involved, but the process isn’t any more difficult. I’ll be skipping over some of the steps described in the main article, so be sure to read that one carefully before working your way through this one.

Gary’s favorite bandsaws: From Curtis: I’m planning to build an oak kitchen table with a shop-sawn veneer top. I expect the table will see a fair amount of wear and I want to be able to refinish it down the line if it gets too beat up. Is it possible to go as thick as a quarter inch with the veneer? Assuming a stable substrate, at what thickness does cross-grain wood movement start to become a concern? From Butch: You discuss scrappers a lot and mention StewMac often.

Sometimes a door is just a door. But at a certain medical clinic in Wisconsin where researchers are seeking remedies for PTSD and severe depression, there’s a 7-ft.-high, 12-ft.-wide sliding door between the kitchen and dining room that features a marquetry mural by Spider Johnson and Cindy Goldman. The mural was designed specifically for the space and specifically for the purpose of offering solace and hope to people recovering from deep trauma—a door out of the dark.

For several thousand years flax has been grown so that its supple fibers can be woven into linen cloth and its bitter seeds pressed into a slow-drying oil—linseed oil—that has proved perfect for mixing with “earth colors.” This is traditional oil-based paint: just oil and pigment. Later on some alchemists began blending in ground-up resins (dried tree sap) like amber, frankincense, and copal to fortify the linseed oil and create the film-forming coatings we call varnish.

In this segment from our eLearning course, Mike Mascelli demonstrates his tips and tricks for applying an oil-based varnish. Bob Van Dyke found a clever way to visualize the layout of federal style inlays on tabletops: a pair of mirrors, held at a right angle, helps him see into the future. Jonathan Binzen interviews Jomo Tariku, a designer and woodworker whose work is inspired by African design. Take a look into his recent solo exhibition at Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia.