September 2007 Volume 19 No. 1 Basic Frame & Panel Doors

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Founded 1990 www.gnhw.org The Newsletter of the Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers

10 undeniable truths • tool review • jointers & planers Sept 8 Period Furniture homemade hollowing tools • m&m dispenser

Sept 16 Luthiers photo by Patrice Martin Sept 22 Annual Meeting Sept 29 GSWT – new date Oct 6 BIG Oct 20 Small Meetings Nov 10 Period Furniture Nov 17 Guild Meeting Nov 18 Luthiers Nov 24 GSWT Dec 1 BIG Jan 12 Period Furniture Jan 20 Luthiers Jan 26 GSWT Feb 2 BIG Feb 16 Guild Meeting Mar 8 Period Furniture Mar 15 Small Meetings Mar 16 Luthiers Mar 22 GSWT Apr 5 BIG Apr TBA Finishing Symposium May 10 Period Furniture May 18 Luthiers Jon Siegel – spindle turning basics May 24 GSWT Jun 7 BIG A Better Way to Practice Jun 14 Summer Trip president’s message by Dave Anderson A New Year

ummer is on its way out now with We also have a report from the of Technical Sthe Guild trip behind us and Long Range Planning Committee. Education at Sunapee just a memory. It’s time to As I said a few issues ago, growth has Pinkerton Academy. Jack has served start planning for the cooler weather of both opportunities and challenges. over ten years in a variety of positions autumn, shop time, and the start of a The committee looked at both, and including Program Coordinator, Vice new guild season. their suggestions show some potential President, and President of the Guild. We have a couple of growth related directions for us to move toward as His contributions and wise counsel articles in this issue of The Old Saw. expected growth continues. Please will be sorely missed. George Saridakis Dave Frechette, our Vice-President, has understand that this report was not has also resigned from the Steering issued a call for volunteers and listed a designed to be a blueprint for the future, Committee to take on the challenges of number of opportunities where you may it was designed to look at possibilities being a member of the board of directors be of service and take a more active roll and show us some of the many avenues of the League of NH Craftsman. Guild in the guild. No experience you say…it’s we can explore. Much of our future charter member and former President not a problem. We’ll be there to assist will be guided by you, our members. John McAlevey has resigned as head of you and help you learn as you go. In an Your participation, your interests, your the Scholarship Committee citing time all volunteer organization, we are limited donation of time, and your suggestions and distance. To all of these three people only by the number of folks who take an will all shape the sculpture that becomes who have unstintingly offered their time, active roll. the Guild of the future. counsel, and countless hours of work At this point, I on behalf of our organization, I am have to offer thank extremely grateful. They exemplify what you and single out can be achieved by volunteers. Again, some members thank you. who have resigned As a final short note, I strongly suggest from guild jobs. Jack that you attend the Annual Meeting on Grube has resigned September 22nd. The article on the next from the Steering page gives the details and should whet Committee to your appetite. This will be an outstanding allow him to devote program in a great location and you will The Guild Craftsmen’s Fair booth effort at Sunapee is a good example more time to his be enthralled by Sanborn Mills Farm. of what can be accomplished by a vibrant volunteer organization. new job as Director I’ll see you there. U IL D E G OF TH W IRE OO SH D P W O M R

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President Dave Anderson 603-887-6267 [email protected] • • Vice President David Frechette 802-633-2561 [email protected] SubGroups Secretary Greg Benulis 978-314-5815 [email protected] BIG Bob LaCivita 603-942-1240 [email protected] Treasurer Peter James 603-435-8133 [email protected] Granite State Woodturners Jon Siegel 603-768-5882 [email protected] At Large Peter Breu 603-647-2327 [email protected] Luthier John Whiteside 603-679-5443 [email protected] At Large Jon Siegel 603-768-5882 [email protected] Period Furniture John Whiteside 603-679-5443 [email protected] At Large Bob LaCivita 603-942-1240 [email protected] At Large Andy Young 603-672-9558 [email protected] At Large Caleb Dietrich 603-556-1629 [email protected] Volunteer Positions At Large John Whiteside 603-679-5443 [email protected] Books Tony Immorlica 603-673-9629 [email protected] Old Saw Editor Jim Seroskie 603-673-2123 [email protected] Membership DJ Delorie 603-463-5996 [email protected] Past President Roger Myers 603-773-9634 [email protected] Old Saw Mailing Syd Lorandeau 603-542-5295 slorandeau@verizon. net Programs Sal Morgani 603-772-1006 [email protected] Shirts/Hats Peter James 603-435-8133 [email protected] Small Meetings Open Position Scholarship Committee Sunapee Fair Coordinator Wendy Mullett 603-332-1039 [email protected] Chairman Peter Breu 603-647-2327 [email protected] Sunapee Raffle Coordinator Jim Dimick 603-228-1131 [email protected] Member David Frechette 802-633-2561 [email protected] Video Librarian John Pitrone 603-894-5893 [email protected] Member Open Position Video Recording Peter Bloch 603-526-6152 [email protected] — Please send all applications to Peter Breu, Selection Committee Chair Web Master DJ Delorie 603-463-5996 [email protected]

The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers – Bringing together the diverse interests of the New Hampshire woodworking community. “The Old Saw” is published five times per year. To join the Guild, go towww.gnhw.org and click on “Membership “ to download an application form.

 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers announcements

Saturday, September 22nd, 2007 – 9:00 am Annual Meeting at Sanborn Mills Farm in Canterbury, NH

here did the year go? Minassian is scaling back on WIt seems that only a his woodworking and has couple of turned bowls and donated some great wooden a small table ago that we planes and other items. were at the annual meeting. Next comes the annual Directions to Sanborn Mills Farm – Canterbury, NH Well here we are and its time meeting where you find out • From Concord – Turn onto RT 106 North and go 3.8 miles to RT 129, again. what is happening and how turn right and go 5.2 miles (on a very curvy, twisty road) you will see Be sure to block out the Guild is doing and most a sign with an arrow pointing to Pittsford, turn right on Pittsford Rd Sept. 22nd on your calendar important have your input as and go ½ mile and turn left onto Sanborn Rd (see below) as that is the day of many to what you feel we need to • From Laconia – Turn onto RT 107 South and go about 13 miles to exciting events. We will change, add on to or delete. where RT 107 crosses RT 129, stay on RT 107 for ½ mile and turn left start by meeting at Sanborn Next we will have a onto Sanborn Rd (see below) Mills Farm in Canterbury little break for lunch. As • Continue in on Sanborn Rd for 0.3 mile past the main house on at 9:00 am. Just visiting the Sanborn Mills is in the the left, past the sawmill on the right, past the Red House on the Sanborn Mills site is worth picturesque area of Loudon, right, past the corn crib and grand barn to the parking sign on the the trip – for a quick preview there are no stores or eating right. For those with items for the auction, stop at the Grand Barn to go to www.sanbornmills.org. establishments nearby so be unload your stuff and continue on to the parking area. The day will start with sure to bring your lunch and our annual auction which drinks. Remember to bring a is only made possible by favorite chair too. you bringing those unused After lunch, our generous th tools, wood, antiques or host Colin Cabot is going to Saturday, October 20 , 2007 overstocked items for us to fire-up the water powered auction off. Get out to your sawmill and generate some Five Small Meetings shop, garage, storage space, prime lumber. As we can wherever and clean them only accommodate a limited out as it is a two fold reward. number at a time and we he Guild’s small meeting format has met with much success, You help the Guild and give want to give all a tour of the Tso we hope you are able to take advantage of seeing some yourself some much needed Sanborn Mills Farm land and other shops where the venue is focused to individual interests. space. Please come early so numerous buildings (water You must register as there is often limited shop space in each we can display your goodies powered grist mill, workshop, workshop. for all to see and play with forge shop, to mention a few) The fall Small Meetings will be held on Saturday, October before the auction. We have those details presently are a 20th. Times will generally be from 10 am to noon, but presenters a good head start this year as work in progress. Now I bet have the option of changing this as they firm up their schedules. Hugh Williams has moved you will circle Sept. 22nd on Five small meeting are scheduled. They are as follows: to Florida and donated your calendar! some nice items; and Jack • Dave Anderson, Chester, NH – Orientation to the Guild for New Members, Limit none, Time 1 pm - 3 pm • Peter James, Barnstead, NH – Tuning Woodworking Machinery, Limit 8, Some of the items in this year’s auction Time 9 am - Noon • Garrett Hack, Thetford, VT – When to do it by Hand and When to use the Machine, Limit 20, 10 am - Noon • Lenny Chaisson, Bow, NH – Carving Letters, Limit 6, Time 10 am - Noon • Syd Lorandeau, Claremont, NH – Joining Curved Pieces of Corian and Wood, Limit 5, 9 am - Noon (contact Syd directly @ [email protected])

If you would like to attend one of the sessions, please email (preferred) or call me to register. I will confirm that you have a place and provide you with directions to the shop. Dave Frechette: 802-633-2561 or [email protected]

The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers  Write to [email protected] with your questions 

Bowl Blanks – What is the all those little dings that work there way polish with a soft cloth. Q process of turning found into the project during assembly, it also tree parts into usable bowl blanks? highlights glue spots. When dry, sand to Notes: – Anon 180 then wet again and hand sand with • During the wet sanding process, the fine 180. That grittiness after a few seasons is sanding dust will mix with the oil and form Jon Siegel replies: If you are trying to the humidity raising the grain. It is more a thick slurry which is wiped into the pores make bowl blanks, then you would cut apparent with an oil finish than with a with a soft cloth and thus filling the pores. the log into lengths slightly greater than topcoat. The reason is that a top coat lies • More than two coats of oil may be applied for the diameter, then split these chunks in on the surface and essentially traps those more build if desired. half through the center. Within hours tiny wood fibers in the finish. • Minwax Antique Oil appears to build more of of cutting, seal the end grain with An oil finish penetrates the wood and a surface finish and be harder than Watco oil, Anchorseal (brush-on end grain sealer), cures in the wood itself. Its also not as however both give a long-lasting finish that or if they’re not too big, dip the end moisture resistant as a top coat. As the is easily repaired. grain in hot paraffin. The sealing of the oil slowly oxidizes over time it looses its end grain will buy you some time, but grip on that fuzz and it swells up in high This is the easiest finish to use and it is best not to try to dry the chunks humid. my favorite. whole. Keep them outdoors, but out of The same goes for Walnut however the sun. walnut is much softer and more open Glue-up – What is the best You have the choice of the once- grained than cherry, therefore the fuzz Q method of jointing and gluing turned or the twice-turned methods. you get after wetting will be much a 3” bench top? – Roger Bradley Either way, when you’re ready to start coarser. turning, bandsaw the blanks into a circle. Apply the oil with 400 or 600 grit Will Neptune replies: I would get 8/4 In the once-turned method, you simply wet/dry sandpaper. The abrasive will cut maple or beech. Look for flat sawn stock turn the wood wet, sand it, and let it do off the raised feathers of grain and make with the rings parallel to the face. Rip it whatever it wants to do in the drying a slurry that will level and fill the surface into pieces 31/4˝ or more. The idea is for stage. If no part is too thick, your bowl of the wood. Subsequent coats can be the edges to become the bench top. The probably will dry without cracking, but applied with a Scotchbrite pad and then edges will be close to quarter sawn grain the final result will not be round or a a rag. which will make the top more stable. perfectly smooth surface. In the twice Mill all the pieces and mark the correct turned method, you rough out the bowl Roy Noyes replies: I have used oil planing direction of the edges which will to a thickness of about one inch, then finishes on Butternut, Maple and Walnut become the top surface. Depending on let it dry (about one year). If it cracks, for many years with no problems of grain your skill and inclination, you can skim you will probably discard it, and you raising using the following procedure: the surfaces to be glued with a handplane haven’t lost much. If the dry blank looks • Sand to 150 grit or be sure to use a sharp set of knives in good, turn it again to get the finished • Apply a coat of Watco Oil or the jointer and planer. product. Minwax Antique Oil liberally and Be very wary of snipe because all the let stand for 10 to 20 minutes. snipes accumulate at the end, making it Raising Grain – Is it a good • Reapply the oil to any dry spots, sand impossible to clamp the ends shut. It’s Q idea to “raise the grain” with with 220 grit wet or dry sandpaper, easier to get jointers to not snipe than water even if the finish is an oil finish? wipe vigorously with a soft cloth planers, so one way out is to take one I’ve observed that some cherry items and let stand for at least 24 hours. jointer pass on the planer-cut face to which initially have a very smooth • Reapply the oil and sand with 400 eliminate any snipe. finish can lose some smoothness and grit wet or dry paper, wipe vigorously Then glue up sections. Make all the feel “grainy” after a couple seasons of with a clean dry cloth and let dry for pieces have the same cutting direction. high humidity. Is the humidity slowly several days. Glue up sections that will fit your jointer raising the grain? – Stuart Blanchard • Apply one or more coats of Butchers and planer. You can clamp top and bowling alley wax (or any other hard bottom cauls along the length or the Joe Barry replies: I’ll sand up to wax). pieces to hold the pieces in alignment 150 grit then wet the wood. This not • Allow the wax to dry for when you glue up. only raises the grain but it brings out approximately 30 minutes and then Continued on Page 13  The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers beginner’s corner by Bob Oswald Jointers and Planers

you must steady the work my humble opinion, it’s pretty nearly in some way so that you impossible for anyone but a professional don’t just rock the board to surface a wide board on a narrow through the jointer. This jointer. is the subject of a different article, but you basically So again, which would I buy? I vote for still want to hold pressure the jointer. It’s most common to have ablesaws leave marks as they rip. on the outfeed table as soon edge warp on a board you buy. With the TThere are several ways to clean up as possible. If it’s a very long board, this jointer, you can true up the edge, rip it to those marks including sanding, scraping, can be tricky. However, the jointer is width and smooth the second edge on jointing and planing. Sanding and still the right tool – it just takes more the jointer. While it won’t be guaranteed scraping work if there is not too much to technique if the wood is badly curved. to be perfectly parallel, it will typically remove. Hand planes work well if you’re The planer is used to make the top be very close. It’s also common to have doing edges. If you’re cleaning up large surface exactly parallel to the bottom warp along the flat surface. However flat surfaces, a lot more skill is required surface. The bottom surface must be most lumber comes well surfaced on with a hand plane. perfectly flat before going through the both sides, so it usually works to pull planer. Otherwise, the top surface will out the bend with clamps and glue So if I can only buy one tool – a planer or be cut to match the bottom surface. when you assemble your work. And flat a jointer – which one should it be? First let’s If your only tool is a jointer, you can surfaces yield a little easier to sanding. understand the differences. They are make the first edge straight and you can But without straight edges you can’t get significant. A jointer is used to put a make the opposite edge straight, but tight joints. straight surface (typically an edge) on a they likely will not be parallel. The best I lived with neither for many years, piece of wood. A planer is designed to you can do is joint one edge; then rip it and my work showed it. I bought the make the top surface of a board parallel to width on the table saw; then joint the jointer first and was delighted to get to the bottom surface. other edge. straight edges. When you sight down the edge Now what about those flat surfaces? When I finally bought the planer, I before jointing, you will likely see a curve Well most ‘hobby’ jointers are 6 inches knew I was in heaven. Now all surfaces along the edge. After a successful jointer wide, so you will have a difficult time are within my control. By the way, I also pass, you will sight down it and it will be surfacing a 10˝ wide board. You can flip run the boards edgewise through the perfectly straight (it may take more than it side to side but there are significant planer to make the second edge smooth one pass). If you run a bowed piece of issues with where the cutter ends in and parallel, within the limits of the wood through a planar and sight down the middle of the board and also the planer height adjustment of course. it after it has passed through, it will grain being reversed in one direction. In Now, off to the shop… have nearly the same curve as before but both edges will be parallel, a perfectly Direction of Travel matched curve. As you can see in the jointer diagrams, Outfeed Table Infeed Table the wood in contact with the infeed table is held as consistently flat as possible until it hits the outfeed table. It hits the cutter, which trues it, and it cruises out

onto the outfeed table at just the right Direction of Travel height. You should transfer your pressure Outfeed Table to hold the work against the outfeed Infeed Table table as soon as possible Now the jointer is not all forgiving. If drawings by Bob Oswald you plane a board with a bad curve in it, The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers  tool review by Peter Breu Something Big Something Small…

hat’s new in my shop? Two attachment for the “Pro” model allows Jointer/Planer – Now, for the big baby in Wgreat new tools – a combination for down pressure too which I have my shop. I have had another combination jointer/planer from MiniMax and a never had on the offcut side of a board. A jointer/planer machine and I really like magnetic featherboard. simple twist of the magnet engages it. I the extra space that this affords. But I have also found that it will easily bridge was not happy with several aspects. Featherboard – I’ll start with the one the miter gauge slot too. This new MiniMax FS 30 Smart is everyone should have and can easily I must own four different quite a machine. You may well have read afford. The Magswitch featherboard featherboards and I almost never used the review of it in Fine Woodworking in system is remarkable from several any of them since they took some time the March/April 2007 issue (#190) and standpoints, but most importantly, this and fiddling to attach. Often they did that is what caught my attention. is so quick and easy to use, you will no not work since they relied on the miter First and foremost, as the article longer hesitate to use a featherboard gauge slot and the work was too wide explains, this machine works beautifully. making your work safer. On any steel or narrow. Now, however, I use this In an ideal world, I would have both surface, this magnetic featherboard Magswitch all the time and rarely cut separate machines and each would works instantly, and importantly, releases without it. handle 20˝. However, this is a great instantly as well. Positioning is lightning The “Pro” model is available from compromise. fast and the magnets are strong enough Woodcraft for about $50 and the vertical The best thing about the machine to really hold it in place. A vertical attachment is another $12. There are a is the ease of knife change. The Tersa few smaller models too which would cutterhead allows for two minute total come in handy if you have a steel rip time knife change. And they instantly Magswitch Featherboard Pro fence (or face of the fence.) This is a align themselves perfectly from surprising winner! Continued on Page 7

“Pro” model vertical attachment adds down pressure

MiniMax FS30 Smart Jointer/Planer

Lightning fast positioning and release 12˝ Jointer/Planer combination machine

 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers Update by Marcel Durette Woodturning Symposium 2009

symposium. Also Peter Bloch, • One day event only with lunch buyer leaves with a machine who has served as “Overall provided. used only by the professional Coordinator” announced his • Format of the day will remain artist assigned to it. Want it intention to “step back” from unchanged except for more autographed? Arrangements the primary lead guy to a time allowed for shopping and can be made! Call Peter Breu or “consultant” sent more shock viewing of the “Instant Gallery”. Marcel Durette for details. waves through the system. • Youth symposium to be held We held a meeting to on the day before the event. Assistance will be needed sort it all out. After some • Outdoor vendor space under on the day before to set up discussion, it became tents to facilitate the transfer the rooms, lights and chairs. apparent that Peter Breu is of materials. The room coordinators will the “heir apparent” and he • Each room will have an play a vital role in ensuring will continue to carry the appointed “Room Coordinator” that each room is properly banner. Graham Oakes, as whose responsibilities afford furnished and lit on the “Sight Coordinator” agreed close access to the presenter day of the event and the to serve as intermediary and the inside track. Interested assistance of anyone will be with Pinkerton Academy in this? Contact Peter Breu or needed at the end of the day and Marcel Durette will Marcel Durette. to return the classrooms to try to hold the whole thing • Topics for presentations are their ‘normal’ state. ollowing the GSWT together! Dick Batchelder still pliable and changeable. I have worked on several Fcritique meeting in will assist with videotaping Your input now will allow us of these events. Each one July, a discussion was held and Scott Ruesswick with enough time to nail down is different. Every time is to weigh the significance of Bob Coleman will have the the most interesting and memorable. I know that by recent events which affect enviable task of ensuring knowledgeable authorities my involvement in the activity the symposium. that all the equipment and in whatever subject you may that my appreciation of the Jack Grube’s status required stock is in the right choose. day is enhanced and that I elevation within the ranks place at the right time! • Oneway lathe purchases am better for the experience. of the governing body at Our 6th symposium will are always available. The Give it a shot. Call me and let Pinkerton Academy could be the best yet, but we will symposium traditionally me sign you up as a volunteer. have been catastrophic to need your help. Some of the uses pre-purchased lathes – Marcel Durette: 603-669-2995 our location for the next givens are as follows: from Oneway after which the

Tool Review – continued centrifugal force. No longer and very quick to adjust. of changing over from one mine, and it made all the do I hesitate to change knives Another feature that I do not machine to the other. It only difference to see and hear when they are dull or if I want use is the optional horizontal takes a minute, but if you it run and put some wood to use a different knife (three mortiser. This is an expensive are switching back and forth through it. steels are available.) The ($1000) accessory which between operations, it can get As you might guess, cost of replacing the double I have not seen or used so annoying. The blade guard this sort of quality doesn’t sided knives is the same as cannot make comment on it. is not practical and I never come cheaply ($4000). But sharpening my old blades, So, what is not to like? installed it. And that is the the cost of two similar and if there are nicks in the Since this is a combination entire list of my complaints! stand alone machines knives, they can easily be slid machine, the tables are not I have used the machine would be more. If you are a bit to offset the nick. as long as a stand alone for several months now and considering a combination The planer handles up to machine. I have learned to would be more than happy machine give me a call! 9” thick stock which I rarely live with this drawback, but to let you test it. Another – Peter Breu: 603- 647-2327 use, but it is a nice capability. it is perhaps the most obvious. MiniMax owner allowed me The jointer fence is solid Another is the simple process that courtesy before I bought The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers  by Mike Dunbar

10Undeniable Truths

e woodworkers are only will not work well if dull, and some won’t be expensive. When you do try to cut human, and as a result, our work at all. This forces woodworkers to corners by buying the low cost brand, or nature often leads us to resort to methods that are frequently lower quality materials, you are setting approach our work in ways more awkward and clumsy. Knowing yourself up for disappointment. that are contrary to good practice and common sense. These tendencies are WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED THE Wthings over which we have control. 4 WOODWORK, YOU’RE ONLY HALF Often, we just choose the path of least WAY DONE While we love to work wood, resistance. As a result, we frequently get most of us dread finishing. We enjoy ourselves into trouble. being precise and finicky when making Woodworking always goes a project, but we hate the sanding and most smoothly when we resist our clean up required for a perfect finish. human nature and remember these However, when we skimp, we get poor 10 Undeniable Truths of Woodworking. results. We have flaws in surfaces that They are called undeniable, because if are supposed to be perfectly flat. We you ignore them, too often they will have glue spills that suddenly show up come back and bite you. as the finish is applied. how to sharpen is a gateway that opens I can’t tell you how many woodworkers DON’T RUSH Do not confuse working to lots of skills and techniques that are I know who have left a project in the 1 quickly with rushing. Due to years faster and easier cutting down on the of skill and practice, the best craftsman impulse to rush. always appear to Most woodworkers admit they do work very fast, not know how to sharpen. A sizeable but they are not minority of us think they know how, but rushing. You are really don’t. When handed a truly sharp rushing when tool, they cannot believe the difference you are focused between it and those they have been on getting the using. job done by a Do not be intimidated by sharpening. certain time or It is not hard nor is it complicated. in less time. It’s However, it is a lot easier if you find an impulse we someone to show you how it is done. No all feel. Pros matter how many times you read that have deadlines a sharp tool will cut wood cleanly and raw wood rather than go through the and hourly rates effortlessly, you cannot envision this. You effort of finishing it. I too, am guilty of to meet. Because of work and family, have to experience it. this. I make something for the house amateurs always have limited shop time. and frequently choose a quick and easy Rushing causes more injuries than any USUALLY, YOU GET oil finish that looks disappointing a other bad habit. It also results in more 3 WHAT YOU PAY FOR couple years later. I keep telling myself mistakes. When you are focused on the Most of us have limits on that one of these days I will do a more completion time you will always be less our woodworking budget permanent finish over the oil, but I don’t. attentive to the work and the process. that cause us to think The undeniable truth is that finishing twice about paying the long dollar for is as important as the woodwork and it YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO SHARPEN equipment or materials. However, quality frequently takes almost as long. 2 Sharpening is a skill that too few in either new or used machines or hand woodworkers ever master. Most tools tools always has been and always will  The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers shop photos by Jim Seroskie

YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE all want wiggle room and forgiveness. is those who will (or 5 Whenever we decide to While there are sometimes ways to can) only use machines. undertake a new project we correct mistakes, these should4 never Their opposite extreme can’t wait to jump right in be thought of as ways to get around is those that insist on and get to work. However, good workmanship. When it comes to doing everything woodworking is a securing two or more pieces of wood to by hand. bundle of each other, having the work hold up over When it skills that you the long haul, and looking good, nothing comes to doing learn by doing replaces properly fitting joints. If a joint an operation only and practicing. isn’t right, do it over again. Otherwise, it once or twice, After all, that is why will come back to haunt you. it is frequently o u r parents and teachers told us ad faster and easier nauseam “Practice makes perfect.” It YOUR ROUTER WON’T DO EVERYTHING to work by hand. does. The undeniable truth is that the 8 While we all wish it were so, there The same applies to quality of our projects is better if we do is no universal wonder tool that will delicate work like fitting joints. not learn skills on the job. That’s why you do everything perfectly and effortlessly. On the other hand, some woodworkers get better results if you hone your skills It’s an undeniable truth that our craft regard woodworking as an alternative to cutting and dovetailing on scrap lumber the gym. Who would want to spend an before tackling a Queen Anne highboy. afternoon thicknessing one inch boards to 3/4 inch with a jack plane just because DRY FIT BEFORE GLUE UP While we they did it that way in the old days? I 6 do this most often when rushing, would rather spend twenty minutes failing to check ourselves before gluing at the thickness planer and save my up or doing something else permanent precious shop time for the fun parts. The reality is that an efficient and effective woodworker knows how to use both machines and hand tools.

KEEP YOUR SHOP CLEAN This could 10 also be expressed as Think of involves a lot of skills and techniques your shop as a tool. Keep it tuned and well that work out best if you have and use the maintained. right equipment. However, in an effort to We all get so involved in our work that do it all with one machine, woodworkers our bench and every other flat surface in often end up working in ways that are the shop is quickly covered with clutter. cumbersome and time consuming. They Cleaning up as you work is a habit you end up wasting precious shop time have to develop. A messy, cluttered shop building elaborate jigs to do with their is dangerous for you, for your tools and router what can be done so much more easily and simply with the right tool. can also be the result of over confidence For example, I recently read a or forgetfulness. No matter the reason, description of how to joint boards with dry fitting or testing our work saves a a router. While the technique sounded lot of grief. Racing against setting glue like it would work, I can’t imagine why while driving an assembly apart is no fun. anyone would bother when it is so much It usually results in damage or broken easier and faster to do on a jointer or parts. even with a hand plane. However, that requires practice, which is another THERE IS NO GLUE undeniable truth. 7 SO STRONG OR for your project. I am hardly a paragon SO GAP FILLING THAT YOU CAN’T WORK COMPLETELY BY of virtue when it comes to cleaning, but IT MAKES UP FOR POOR 9 MACHINE, AND DOING IT ALL BY HAND every time I reach for a tool, I like to look JOINERY Being human, IS A LOT OF WORK Woodworkers come in at the bench and see if there is anything things go wrong in two extremes and those extremes exert a I can put away. This is a lot easier than our woodworking. lot of influence on what we think is the forcing myself to stop and do a general When they do, we correct way to work. The first extreme cleaning. The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers  at the lathe by Jon Siegel spindle turning basics A Better Way to Practice

he best way to learn woodturning is to Tnot make anything at all. RIVEN WOOD – A froe Just make shavings. Turning, like any skill, is mastered by practice and is struck with a wooden repetition, and at first, the best practice would be that which involves no maul to make riven investment or risk. Make a trip out to the firewood pile for some 2˝ to 4˝ rounds (preferably maple) for practice wood. In New Hampshire, it wood blanks for turning. should not be a problem to find a pile of firewood, but if you can’t, just cut down a maple sapling. Working with free material will give you the opportunity to test the limits of the chisels without worrying about ruining an expensive piece of wood. Only by pushing the limits, and making mistakes, will you learn what works and what does not, and thus gaining confidence and skill. Starting Out Practice wood comes in three forms…

Round logs from the firewood pile. A log is easy to rough out since 1 it is round to begin with. Be sure to remove any loose bark before starting the lathe. You don’t want big pieces of bark flying around. If the bark seems tight, leave it on and just start turning. Most logs are not perfectly round or straight, so they do not have a BLANKS – Riven and round log practice blanks from the firewood. true center. Use common sense when mounting a log on the lathe. Get it as close to center as possible and remember it is not critical. split easily. If you do not have a froe, you can use a hatchet. Do not strike either a froe or a hatchet with Pieces split (riven) from the firewood pile can be triangular, square any kind of metal hammer. If you don’t have a wooden 2 or any polygon. If you have a froe and a mall, you can rive very neat maul (large mallet), it is a fun project to make one. blanks for the lathe. For centuries, bodgers used this method to make After turning any kind of wet wood, wipe the parts for Windsor chairs. shavings off your chisels and lathe bed to prevent Since your practice pieces will only be about 10˝ long, they should rust.

Efficient Practice

CONVENTIONAL METHOD – Allows you to make 8 or 10 beads after which A BETTER WAY – Hundreds of practice strokes on a piece before it is the practice piece is consumed. consumed.

10 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers photos by Patrice Martin, drawings by Jon Siegel

Squares of dry wood, although (smallest diameter) is about half A Better Way to Practice 3 expensive, will give you the the original diameter. Avoid feel of working with the kind of the temptation to go deeper on material you will eventually be successive cuts. using for furniture, etc. Squares are necessary for Exercise 5. Try pine, Practice Sequence poplar and maple in that order to The ball shape and the reverse get the experience of increasing curve come first because when ROUGHING – Use a 3/4˝ spindle roughing gouge. Notice my degrees of hardness. making these cuts, the chisel starts hand on top of the chisel and my fingers deflecting the chips out with the bevel in contact with Efficient Practice the surface. This is the “sliding away from my face. Reduce the shapes down entry.” to their simplest elements and The cove and shoulder cuts practice them independently. begin with the chisel supported Most authors advocate that only by the tool rest and the hand, beginners practice by making thus making a “piercing entry”. complete shapes, like a series of The latter requires the chisel be beads. The emphasis is on the held at precisely the correct angle finished product. My approach is on initial contact to prevent a catch. to put the emphasis on the process, You will find a discussion of the and the end products are simply causes of catches in the November, chips and a remaining rough core. 2006 issue of The Old Saw. All directions below are given General Guidelines for the right side. Reverse these Cut your practice pieces to directions when doing the left length about 2˝ shorter than your side. tool rest. Then you will not have to worry about your chisel going off The Five Basic Exercises the end of the tool rest. If you have I teach five basic learning a mini/midi lathe with a 6˝ tool exercises… rest, your pieces would be only STARTING THE LEFT SIDE – Stay clear of the spur center when 4˝ long by this rule. This may be The Ball Shape is the basic form impractical, so I would cut them 1 of all beads and convex shapes, working the left side. longer and be careful to only work and can be made with the gouge near the middle of the tool rest. or the skew. Pages could be written Use a spindle roughing gouge about which is better. It is easier to (preferably 3/4˝) to bring your blank round the top of the bead with a down to a cylinder. Try to get as gouge, but only a skew can make smooth a surface as possible on a clean inside corner. In theory, the final pass. making the bead with the skew and Every stroke needs to be completing the corners, all with a practiced on both the right and single tool is expeditious, however left side. When working the left I prefer to shape the bead with a side, stay clear of the spur center gouge, and then finish the inside by an inch or two. corners in a second operation with The proper thickness of shaving a skew. (depth of cut) will vary with the Begin with the medium gouge hardness of the wood. If you take angled about 10° to the right, and about 1/16˝ for each stroke, then the with the flute straight up (12 piece will allow at least 50 strokes o’clock). As the cut progresses, the on each side before you meet in handle is swung to the right, the the middle. chisel is rolled clockwise until the THE BALL SHAPE – Swing the handle smoothly to the right, and On each stroke strive to reach flute is on the right (3 o’clock), and a depth so that the core diameter the handle is raised slightly. rotate the chisel clockwise. The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 11 THE REVERSE CURVE – At the inflection point, halfway down, the curve THE COVE CUT – Start the gouge with the flute facing about 3 o’clock with reverses from a convex to a concave form. the edge tangent to the cutting circle. Slice in, and then move the handle to the left while rotating to 12 o’clock as you reach the bottom.

The Reverse Curve is a complex on the left, counterclockwise. Do 2 form with a high point, a low not rotate so much that the edge point and an inflection point. For comes in contact with the side, as a complete discussion of this curve, this will result in a catch. Take the see my article in the February, correct thickness of cut. In most 2006 issue of The Old Saw. cases, this will be about 1/32˝ to 1/16˝ With a small gouge, begin the depending on the hardness of the cut exactly as in the ball shape, but wood. when you reach a point about half way down, reverse the curvature by The Shoulder Cut Into a Square swinging the handle to the left and 5 (transition cut) is the most up and rolling the flute back to the difficult of the beginner’s exercises. straight up position (12 o’clock) to It is included here because it is finish. required in nearly all forms of furniture and architectural work The Cove Cut requires a piercing except the Windsor style. Almost 3 entry. This means that the every table leg begins with the edge of the gouge is tangent to the transition cut. In principle, it is THE END POINT ANGLE – Keep the end point angles between cutting circle at the point of contact, exactly the same as Exercise 4 but 10° and 20°. and slices into the workpiece like because the cut is intermittent, it a knife. Because the cutting edge is harder to maintain the stability is a curve, it is not always easy of the chisel, and it is much more to see the correct angle to hold difficult to see where to begin the gouge and a catch can result. the cut. Good light and a dark When you get the edge tangent, background (black paper) will help simultaneously orient the handle you see the profile of the wood of the chisel so the bevel will cause more clearly. the chisel to enter at a 10° to 20° A common error is trying to end point angle. force the bevel against the side of the cut in an effort to stabilize The Shoulder Cut is made it. But because the surface is 4 with the toe of the skew intermittent, this only causes more chisel. A very slow feed rate will vibration. create a surface which is perfectly Instead, concentrate on pushing smooth and cannot be improved the chisel straight ahead, and if by sanding. you have rotated to the correct Rotate the chisel so the edge is angle, it will simply follow its nose. almost in contact with the wall of If you have trouble, go back to the cone shape being cut. On the Exercise 4. right side, rotate the skew clockwise, THE SHOULDER CUT – The toe of the skew does the cutting. 12 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers THE TRANSITION CUT – Sometimes called the “pommel” cut, this skill is TRANSITION CUT STOPPED – In this photo, the lathe is stopped and the necessary for most furniture. chisel replaced to show the cutting position.

After you have achieved mastery of these basic elements, you will combine into a limitless variety of designs for your spindle have acquired a “vocabulary of shapes” which you can now turning projects.

Ask This Old Saw! – continued When dry, you can now mill these Doing reproduction work as I do, again after 400 grit. When dry, I’ll sand sections flat and carefully join several moulding planes, rabbet and plow planes again lightly with 400 grit. sections together to get your final width, and wooden coffin smoothers also come Here’s something to think about with minimal clean up. You can also take in handy. – If you sand one board to 150 grit and the finished piece to a shop and have it The hand plane is the most difficult one board to 400 grit then apply an oil sanded clean and flat. Don’t forget to put hand tool to get to work perfectly. Find a varnish mix to both, I think you will find the same finish on the top and bottom. good article on tuning planes and follow that the board sanded to 150 will take it. A lot of emphasis has been put on more finish than the one sanded to 400… Planes – What planes would flattening the sole, but I have to admit to so which one is better protected? Q you suggest as a minimum for never having done it to any of my steel basic woodworking? – Allen Everett planes. Hard & Soft Maple – In Q making kitchen cabinets, I Al Breed replies: Even if you will Marty Milkovits replies: At the very use both soft and hard maple as the do virtually no handwork, I think a low minimum, #5 Jack plane, block plane, situation calls for. I’m interested to angle block plane is a must for cleaning low angle block plane, shoulder plane, know how they can be distinguished up joints and other small smoothing card scraper, and #80 Stanley scraper. before being milled, and which types tasks. If you want to plane off machine of figure are typically found in hard marks before sanding with fine (400 Sanding – In the process of and which, if any, can only be found grit) paper, a #5 or higher (I use a #7) Q finishing cherry, what grit in soft. – Caleb Dietrich steel bench plane is useful. Close up the sandpaper should you sand to – 150, throat by moving the frog towards the 180, 220? How about walnut? – Steve Marty Milkovits replies: If the log front of the plane and these planes will Colello still has the bark on is the surest way – if plane anything without tearing. not, then weight and hardness. If a lot of Specialty planes are too numerous Ted Blachly replies: For cherry I figure is showing on live edge, its a good to list them all, but I use a skew low usually sand to 400 grit (wet or dry guess that its soft. Typically, soft maples angle block plane to fit tenons, a router paper). I’ll do the same for walnut. In are prone to having more figure than plane to back out around carving and a both cases I’ll raise the grain by wiping hard maple. Both varieties can have all shooting plane to do mitres and square the piece with a wet rag after sanding types of figure known to man, and even off small pieces, such as clock parts. with 220 garnet paper and then maybe some that defy description. The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 13 by Caleb Dietrich Frame & Panel Doors efficient methods save time and avoid mistakes

Design – Part of being efficient the finished length of the stiles so the 1 is knowing when to slow down. doors can be squared up once assembled. Whether you are making a piece of The length of the rails can be found by furniture and do a full sized drawing, adding the length of both tenons to the or are designing a kitchen at a smaller length from shoulder to shoulder. Or if scale, the design will make or break your your stiles are all the same width, you efforts. It is well worth spending time to can subtract a number from the width be thorough. of the door that will give the length of When making doors, there are a the rails.. number of details your design must If the stiles are 21/4˝ wide and the include. Some general examples are: tenons are 3/8˝ long, this number can be found by combining the width of the • Width, height, and thickness of the door stiles and subtracting the length of both • Width of the rails and stiles – whether tenons. In this case 41/2˝ - 3/4˝ = 33/4˝. The they are all kept to the same width or finished width of the door minus 33/4˝ their proportions are varied to create an gives you the length of your rails. architectural effect. With the length of your frame parts • The profile to be used on the cope and stick figured out, you can refer to your design frame – the details of the floating panel for the widths. At this point I add 1/16˝ to the finished width of all the parts. The When designing with unfamiliar added width will be used later in the cutters, it is helpful/necessary to have a cut process to clean up the routed edge of sample of both the cope and stick profile, the frame parts. You should also keep and the shaped panel. The samples are in mind that an additional 1/16˝ will be vital to creating a cross-sectional view of taken from the top and bottom rails the door, and establishing the necessary when the 1/8˝ you added to the length of thickness for the stock to be used. the stiles is used to square up the door. If A flat panel will be straight forward, you wish to compensate for the loss, you while a raised panel or a reversed raised must add 1/16˝ width. panel might influence the placement of the cope and stick profile. fter making a fair number of Generally, I don’t make true raised Acabinet doors in a small two paneled doors – a door in which the person cabinet shop, I feel that I have panel surface is proud of the frame. Most refined the process I use to the point it often the surface of the panel is kept 1/16˝ might be useful to others. I find virtue below the face of the frame. This allows in being able to do quality woodworking the frame to be sanded or hand planed in an efficient manner. The specific task without the panel interfering. of making cabinet doors is one that Regardless of the design, it is demands a streamlined process to ensure important you don’t move forward until consistent quality results. you have a full understanding of how When making a large number of things will come together. doors, as one would for a kitchen, an unnecessary minute spent on each of Cut List – This is a make or break sixty doors wastes an hour of time. The 2 moment in the process of making key for me has been to continually revise doors. the process I use in order to avoid both When figuring a cut list for a door, I wasting time and making mistakes. work from the outside in. I add 1/8˝ to 14 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers As an example, a cut list for a don’t have a drum sander that will door 12˝ by 24˝ with 21/4˝ rails and quickly smooth uneven panels, I stiles plus 3/8˝ long tenons will look suggest you tighten the tolerances like this: and give special care to aligning the boards during glue up. Top Rail ...... 23/8˝ x 81/4˝ The boards are ready to be Bottom Rail . . . . . 23/8˝ x 81/4˝ edge jointed. I joint each edge, Left Stile ...... 25/16˝ x 241/8˝ not trusting one that had been Right Stile . . . . . 25/16˝ x 241/8˝ straightened before. As I go, I dry fit each panel to be sure the joints In order to figure the fit well together. dimensions of the panel, you must When gluing panels, I use decide how you will deal with its a pipe clamp every 12˝ to 18˝ A three tiered shelving unit on casters is essential to keeping expansion and contraction. In the alternating every other one under parts organized when moving from workstation to workstation. shop we use rubber space balls and over. C-clamps work well to which are inserted into the dado align abutting boards along both of the frame. Two on each side of ends, and a rubber mallet can a moderately sized panel will both persuade misaligned boards as hold the panel in place and allow clamping pressure is applied. plenty of room for movement. The Be sure you have everything you rubber balls that we use call for need before you apply the glue. I a 5/32˝ gap. All sides considered, stand all but the last board on edge the panel should be 5/16˝ shorter and run a generous bead on each and 5/16˝ narrower than the full board. I give each bead a quick measured height and width inside wipe to keep it from dripping, lay the frame’s dado. the boards flat and slide them slowly back and forth against each Be sure to have clamps at the Glue Ups – If the panels need other to gain full glue coverage. 3 to be glued up, that is where I set the “C” clamps on one ready when gluing up panels. I begin. Your process of selecting side and proceed along towards stock will depend on the project the other, aligning the boards with at hand. If I am gluing up 35 soft the mallet, and adding pipe clamps maple panels for a painted kitchen, spanning over the panel. The I look for significant defects that squeeze out can be allowed to bead. Use the cabinetmaker’s could not be fixed in the finishing In 45 minutes, when I remove the process. If I am making doors for a clamps, the beads will have dried triangle to give the orientation walnut island, I will be much more enough to be scraped away easily. of the rails and stiles. selective. For our purposes we try not to Rails and Stiles – I like to use pieces over 5˝ wide for fear of 4 use the drying time to get cupping. As I work to joint and the rails and stiles ready. When rip stock, I group pieces that work ripping stock, I joint one edge to well together. I will often glue up give a straight reference against the a plank two or three panels long if tablesaw’s fence. I cut out the extra the widths are similar. step of jointing the inside edge of At this point the boards are the stock—the edge that will be jointed on one side and sawn dadoed for the panel—since it will on the other. I line them up and be cleaned up later. mark them with a cabinetmaker’s I cross-cut the parts on a chop triangle on the best face. saw set up with a positive stop. The stock can then be passed The set up is not fancy and the through the planer if it is too thick. saw is a simple Hitachi locked I take material from the backs at 90 degrees. It makes accurate, of the panels to avoid defects repeatable cuts. I begin with the emerging on the face. I leave stiles because they are usually the boards 1/16˝ thicker than the longer, and many can be cut to panel’s finished thickness. If you common lengths. For instance, a Route tenons with the cabinetmaker’s triangle down. The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 15 kitchen will have a standard length stile Another pass on the shaper leaves a clean on the lower cabinets, and a standard for and straight profile. the uppers, while the rails tend to vary a Before I move on, I use a sanding bit more. block to ease the sharp and splintery As I cut a pair to length, I align them edges of the dado. I insert two rubber with the sawn edge in and mark them space balls into each piece of the frame, with a cabinetmakers triangle on the and they are ready for assembly. face. Hold the rails horizontally and the stiles vertically when marking them, so Shaping Panels – The panels were the triangle will tell of their orientation. 5 set aside after being unclamped I keep the rails separate because they and scraped. I pick up where I left off will have tenons routed into them. In the by running them through the wide belt shop we have three shapers, one for each sander. I flatten them with 80 grit and job in the door making process. If you finish with a few light passes using a 180 only have one, set up the tenoning cutter grit belt. first. Test it on a scrap piece to be sure it When sizing the panels, I start by matches the cross section you designed. jointing an edge, and ripping them Using a miter gauge, along with a piece down to width on the tablesaw. They A power feed makes cutting the dado safe & fast. of scrap to back up your work (in order can then be cut to length using a sliding to avoid tear out), cut the tenons into table attachment or an auxiliary sled, but the ends of each rail. Be sure to always in the shop I use a large panel saw with keep the cabinetmaker’s triangle down. positive stops to accomplish the task. It marks the front face of the frame, and I use the largest of our shapers when serves as the reference point throughout raising panels. With cutters often over the shaping process. 5˝ in diameter, I am very cautious to be Routing the tenons first allows you sure everything is properly set up. I have to easily back the work up with a square made jigs to quickly and consistently piece of stock. Even if there is minor tear set the fence up for our common panel out, it will be cleaned up when the inside raising cutters. edge is routed with the opposite profile, I set the height of the cutter and use and also when the doors are squared a cut off as a test piece. I look to see that after assembly. the full profile of the cutter is being cut Always test machine setup on scrap into the scrap piece, and then check to Sand the inside edges of the dado with a block. pieces. Each piece of the frame will be sure it fits into the dado in the frame. Insert rubber space balls and the frame parts need the inside edge routed to accept You do not want the panel to be the panel. Depending on your setup, you sloppy but if it’s too tight, you will have are ready for assembly. may need to make multiple passes. We problems when assembling the doors. use a humble old 11/2 hp Jet with a 1 hp The panel should slide freely but not be power feed. Both are wired for 220 volts able to rock back and forth in the dado. and they get the job done in one pass. The rubber space balls allow for a little When cutting the profile on the inside leeway, since they will hold the panel in edge, make use of the cabinetmaker’s place. Also remember that finish applied triangle. Set the marked face down to the panel before assembly can add to against the table top with the open end the overall thickness. of the triangle towards the fence. Also Having established the shaper setting, remember that the inside edge is not yet I will back it off a few cranks for my jointed. The profile is being cut into a initial pass, lowering it back for a second sawn edge. pass to leave a clean finished cut. On a After cutting the profile in one pass less powerful shaper, a number of passes with the use of a power feed, there will is recommended. You can easily creep up inevitably be tear out. By adding an extra on the finished depth. 1/16˝ in width when making the cut list, When passing the panels through, I we were able to account for the issue. use a sled I made especially for making To clean up the edges, I set the the end grain cuts on long narrow jointer to take a 1/32˝ deep cut, and pass panels. The sled rides in the track for the inside edge of each piece over twice. the miter gauge it replaces. You can use Panels are smoothed on the wide belt sander. a miter gauge, but ours did not have the 16 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers clearance to pass by the large diameter in flush with the ends of the stiles. The cutter heads. reason they were given the 1/8˝ overhang, The end grain cuts must be made first and the reason to be careful tapping them so that the tear out will be cleaned up in is the same: they are very difficult to when the passes are made with the grain. tap back out if they are allowed to creep I run the ends of all the long narrow in too far. panels. I set the sled aside and pass the I check for three things before I panels through, cutting with the grain. set the door aside. I first compare the Once all the sides have been shaped, I diagonal measurements from corner to drop the cutter back down to the finished corner to be sure the door is square. I depth and run the final pass. then check with a straight edge to be Setting the dado in the frame and sure the face of the frame is all on the the thickness of the panel to assure the same plane. And finally I clean up any A panel saw or a tablesaw can be used to face of the frame is 1/16˝ proud of the face glue that might have seeped out of the of the panel allows you to completely joint. accurately square up the panels. sand the panel prior to assembly. At this point, I sand all surfaces with 220 grit Sizing – When making the cut list except the profile cut into the end grain. 7 we added 1/8˝ to the length of the I prefer to work those areas with 320 grit doors. Once assembled the 1/8˝ is used to avoid visible scratches. to be sure the door is absolutely square. Again, at work I use a panel saw to Assembly – Assembly can be accomplish this task, but it can easily 6 intimidating, but an organized be done on a table saw. Whether using approach can save you a lot of anxiety. a sled or a sliding table, be sure to back Before I begin, I group the parts for each up the trailing corner with scrap to avoid door since they have been separated to tear out. this point by the work that has been If the doors are inset, I work off done to them. measurements that will leave the door A piece of 8/4 scrap with a few 11/4˝ 1/16˝ smaller than the opening. Once holes drilled halfway through serves well assembled, each door is individually fit as a glue pot. I fill it up and set a small to its opening using an edge sander and brush nearby. You will also want a rag the jointer. Use caution when shaping panels. I also use a and a bucket of water to clean up squeeze out—especially if the doors will receive a Hinging – The final step before set of feather boards not shown in the picture. natural or stained finish. Other tools to 8 sanding is setting the hinges. When attached they help to cover the cutter. have available include a rubber mallet, a Whether you need to mortise for butt tape measure, and straight edge. hinges, drill for euros or predrill for a I lay two pipe clamps out on the surface mount, I like to do it before the workbench and set the two stiles across final sand. them with the routed edge facing up. I then brush glue onto the tenons of the Sanding & Planing – In the shop, I rails, and a little into the dado at each 9 sand both the front and back end of the stiles. From there, I drop the of the doors with a light 180 grit pass bottom rail partially into the end of the through the wide belt sander. Without stile, but am sure to leave it slid out 1/8˝ one available, I would use a hand plane from the end of the stile. The L shape to smooth the joints. I would hesitate helps to hold the panel as I insert the to use an orbital sander, for fear of top rail which is also left 1/8˝ out from rounding an edge or doing noticeable the end of the stile. damage to the profile cut into the frame. With the door up on its edge, I drop I much prefer hand sanding with 220 the other stile onto the tenons and align grit or using a block plane. I thoroughly the panel into the dado. Here again the work over each door and am sure to ease rails are left spread 1/8˝ out from the ends sharp corners plus smooth jointer and of the stile. I lay the door on its back, and saw marks on the outside edges. Once I use a rubber mallet to flush the rails up to the begin to draw it together with the two they have been sanded you need only to pipe clamps. As I do so, I work gently wipe them down with a tack cloth, and ends of the stiles when gluing up the doors. with the rubber mallet to tap the rails you’re ready for finish. The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 17 by John Nitzsche A Crosscut Sled

John Nitzsche is a member of the Eastern Massachusetts Guild of Woodworkers. This article is reprinted from the Guild newsletter with permission. You may find more information on the EMGW at www.emgw.org.

Runners attacted to separate & adjustable left & right bases create a design able to accomodate changing shop conditions.

fter some weeks of years ago – I have since front brace must be adjustable long pieces, the wood to be idleness, I attempted adopted the habit of dating to make a perfect right angle cut is to my left, and a wider Ato make use of my my jigs. I now realize that to the direction of the cut. base provides more support. crosscut sled only to find a better material would be Having bolts in the rear I did extend both bases a bit that it wouldn’t slide at all. MDO. I believe MDO was brace allows the bases and to the front. This provides Upon close examination, it developed for outdoor sign their runners to be adjusted extended support for the was found to be noticeably making which means, I hope, relative to each other. runners as the sled is pushed distorted. Apparently that it will be significantly The braces from the through the cutting blade. the changing humidity more immune to changes original sled could be reused. The final dimensions are conditions in my basement in humidity. Three-quarter- All that was necessary was to – 181/2˝ deep (board capacity) had impacted this important inch MDO has seven wood joint the edges that contacted – 30˝ total base width – 171/2˝ tool. Furthermore, I realized layers and is quite flat. Just the bases and then plane wide, left base. that I had constructed this to be sure, I purchased a the front brace flat where The sled was constructed sled so that the runners piece at Boulter Plywood in it supported the wood that with both bases as a single could not be adjusted relative Somerville, MA – they seem was to be cut. I also took this piece. The first pass through to each other; I had used to keep their stock flatter opportunity to round-over all the saw would separate screws to attach the back than the local lumber yards. the brace edges which might them. The bolt holes in the brace to the left and right The back brace, as well as be grabbed. base were stepped so that base, preventing adjustment. the front brace, would have There was no need to the bolt heads would not The time had come to design to be attached to the right make the sled any deeper; contact the table saw surface. a new one. and left bases with sturdy this was not to be used for After locating the holes, I The base of the distorted bolts. The bolt holes in the wide pieces of plywood. I did drilled through the MDO sled had been constructed braces would be rather loose decide to make the left base base with a very small drill out of birch plywood several to allow for adjustability. The somewhat wider. When I cut thus marking the exact hole 18 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers center on both sides. This allowed me to drill from both sides with Forstner bits eliminating the possibility of tearout. The runners were made out of maple, sized to run smoothly but snugly through the slots on the table saw. I placed the runners in the slots each on top of a strip of wood that caused the Maple runners are glued to the sled bottom while the runners are set in the tablesaw slots. runners to protrude ever so slightly above the surface blade exits the sled. The rear of the tablesaw. I applied a piece of the box is oak; this is thin bead of PVC glue in the what the blade will hit if the center of the runners. I then sled is pushed way beyond placed the assembled sled on the necessary distance. The top of the runners positioned top acrylic piece allows the accurately where I wanted it operator to see the blade; it relative to the runners and slides out for easy cleaning. the saw blade. While cutting the top for Forty-five minutes later, the safety box, I discovered I removed the sled from how to make really clean the table, and cleaned up cuts in acrylic. The secret is the glue from the table saw. to use a finishing blade and Using a chisel and a damp to make several shallow cuts. paper towel, I cleaned up The first scoring cut was only the excess glue on the sled. about a 1/32˝ deep. The second A couple of hours later, I cut was set to about 2/3 of the ran the sled across the table acrylic thickness. The third with the saw below the table cut was just at the surface; surface. It was quite smooth and the fourth was just over Running the sled through the saw separates the left and right bases. and tracked exactly. the surface. The result was When I adjusted the very clean. sled for cutting accuracy I discovered that two bolts on A safety box protects the fingers. each brace were not sufficient to prevent racking of the sled. I added two bolts to the rear brace to solve this problem. The sled worked out very Subsequent adjustment well. A few months ago, for sliding and accuracy demonstrated that this sled after it wasn’t used for some provides accurate and easy time, it was somewhat sticky. crosscutting. Only time will demonstrate whether my While it was on the saw, I other design goals were met. simply loosened the bolts Thanks to a suggestion from Chris Kovacs, I on the right side, and then added a safety box to the tightened them up. Just like front brace. This prevents inadvertent positioning of new. the hand/fingers where the The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 19 Homemade by Graham Oakes

type of steel I’m using here is a 3/8˝ solid round stock. The length of the shaft depends on your personal taste. It should be relative to the size hollow forms you will be turning. As a rule of thumb, you should select a length as short as you can get Hollowing Tools away with and a diameter as large as possible. If you are turning a hollow form with an opening 1’˝ in diameter and a body 6˝ deep, you should use a hollowing tool with a shaft that is at least 1/2˝ or 5/8˝ in diameter. The reason for this is it reduces vibration and increases tool control. Most of my tools have a shaft ollowing is regarded as one scraper. The second and more specialized length of 10˝ to 14˝. Hof the most difficult forms of tool is a bent tool. This is used for turning You also need to think about how woodturning. A technique this advanced the corner or undercutting the edge on a far the shaft needs to be drilled into the certainly cannot be accomplished hollow form. This undercutting is where handle. I try to insert the shaft no less with a rusty steel bar and an Allen practice is required as the woodturner than 4˝. This means you will need to add wrench – or can it? I learned early cannot see the wood he is removing. 4˝ onto the length of your shaft. on in my woodturning career that a Begin making your hollowing tool with a When ready to cut your 6 foot person’s imagination and creativity piece of turning stock or firewood about grounding rod or other solid rod size, is more important than any piece of 21/2˝ to 3˝ in diameter and 12˝ to 20˝ use a cheap hacksaw. Use a grinder to woodworking equipment. Woodturning long. The longer you make the handle bevel the cut edge just enough to get rid tools can be very expensive. of your tool the heavier it will be. You of any burr on the edge. One of my mentors, Beth Ireland, will get better cuts with less vibration. In Now that you have a turned handle was the first person to teach me how this case, bigger is better. The purpose of and a shaft, we drill the handle in order to create and use my own tools. Beth the handle is to add weight and absorb to attach the shaft. One method is to explained a woodworking tool has only vibration. You may choose any shape clamp the handle and carefully drill with one purpose, to remove wood. With you like, but I like a simple design. I a hand drill. You should use a drill bit newfound inspiration I went to work leave my handles unfinished saving me that matches the diameter of your shaft. making and using my own tools and time and money. A detail that must be For instance, if you have a 3/16˝ shaft, you learning that these tools were simple to considered is to make sure that the front should use a 3/16˝ drill bit. A detail here is make and use. of the handle is facing towards the tail stock. to mark the depth of the hole you drilled The tools I made were simple scrapers. This gives you a center point for drilling and transfer that mark to the end of your Scrapers have a sharp edge to scrape the blank later. shaft. This way you will know exactly wood away rather than cut wood away The next part of the hollowing tool when your shaft is seated in the handle. like a hand plane. is the shaft and cutting head. The shaft A better method is to turn a foot on The construction of these tools is should be made of round or square solid the end of your handle, insert the handle simple. Even the most complicated steel or iron stock. Home Depot or local into a scroll chuck and use a Jacobs’s homemade tool only has four parts. hardware stores carry solid round stock chuck in the tail stock with a drill bit Making hollowing tools requires up to 1/2˝ thick. For larger diameters, you to drill out the handle. The benefit of minimal machinery and one could do will probably have to go to a specialty is that you get a perfectly straight hole with a bench grinder, a lathe and a drill store or order it off the internet. every time. bit. One way to avoid expensive solid When drilling with the hand drill, I make two main types of hollowing tools. stock is to buy grounding rod. This is 1/2˝ you must be very careful to drill straight. The first type is a straight tool, used to thick copper plated, solid stock. It will It is easy to drill at a slight angle, and bore to the bottom of a hollow form. This provide you with 4-6 tool shafts. The that will make the shaft angled from is a crude version of the round-nosed the handle. This does not affect the 20 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers performance of the tool, but make sure wrench, use a drill bit the same size as difference in the way the tool performs. you don’t show it to your friends! your Allen wrench piece. For example, If you grind it too far back, you will be Finally, we need to attach the cutting use a 3/16˝ drill bit for a 3/16˝ Allen wrench. sharpening constantly, and if it is too head. There are many different ways of When you are done drilling, you will blunt, you won’t get an aggressive cut doing this, but I prefer to do it the same notice that the Allen wrench still won’t when needed. way as the handle and shaft – just drill it. fit. This is because the Allen wrench has Before grinding the head, make sure The first step is to grind a bevel on the corners and they need to be ground off. you are grinding the top side of the head end of the shaft. This bevel is where you Regardless of what type of cutting head and that the head is facing to the left. will be drilling a hole to fit the cutting you elect to use, grind it until it fits into This will prevent accidentally making an head. The angle of the bevel and the angle the hole. A big detail here is to grind upside down hollowing tool. in which you drill through the shaft must no more than 1/2˝ up the cutting head. The only thing your be considered. I always choose an angle You want the cutting head to snugly fit hollowing tool needs close to 45°. It is not necessary to get this into the hole and seat nicely. Once the now is a dab of CA glue angle exact – just eyeball it. You may elect cutting head is seated, I use a hammer to around the cutting head to change the angle some. Closer to 90° further seat the cutting head. and behind it. To remove will have a more aggressive cut and the Next, grind the cutting head flat and the cutting head and closer you get to zero, the less aggressive grind a bevel. The top of the cutting head place a new one in, clamp your tool will cut. When you drill, be sure should be flat. You should be able to the shaft of your tool to a to use a drill bit the same size or a little feel a burr all the way down the cutting bench, and use a pair of smaller than the diameter of your cutting head. The shape of the bevel is another vice grips to twist it out. head. factor to consider. Pointy bevels are more Now that you have The cutting head itself is made from a 11/2˝ aggressive. I choose a bevel shape very a completed hollowing long piece of 3/16˝ Allen wrench. I use an similar to a spoon or half an oval. This tool all that is needed Allen wrench because it is hardened steel shape will allow control while hollowing is some practice. These and will require less frequent sharpening, but gives you enough point to rough out tools can be made quickly but you can use any high speed or the piece quickly. and inexpensively. Happy hardened steel. If you are using an Allen Also, the angle of the bevel makes a turning!

The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 21 by Dave Frechette

One hour project – a hit with kids – considerable “testing” required M&M Dispenser

have seen something like this dispenser at craft stores and had to have it for my grandchildren. But I am too cheap to buy them. Making the M&M dispenser is a quick and fun project which will make the candy lover’s eyes light up. It does require considerable tasting in the shop. You can whip one of these up in under an hour or you can spend a number of hours honing basic skills. You can also get rid of those pesky scraps that you can not bear to throw away. Materials Consider using contrasting woods, etc. One body piece - 1˝ to 3/4˝ x 21/4˝ x 10˝ wood One slide piece - 1/4˝ to 3/8˝ x 21/4˝ x 10˝ wood One knob piece (for two knobs) - 11/4˝ x 11/4˝ x 5˝ wood One canning jar with a 2˝ lid with a removable center substitute as needed Screws – 2 small screws from the extra screw box or hardware store

Body and Slide Body – Here is an opportunity to practice your skills. Take a rough board and square and plane it flat by hand or use your jointer, planer and tablesaw to do the same thing. Follow this by plowing a 3/4˝ groove down the center for the slide. You can do this with a plow plane, router or tablesaw with or without a dado blade – I choose the latter. On the first few I made, I removed the saw marks in the groove with a shoulder plane but then I decided I liked them and left them. No one really sees them because they are too busy getting M&Ms. Slide – Measure your groove and make a slide to fit. It should move easily. The slide will require five operations on the drill press. Two3/8 ˝ wide and deep holes centered and 1˝ from each end for the knobs, a 3/4˝ wide and 5/16˝ deep hole for the M&M to drop into (this should have curved sides for easy M&M removal) and two holes for the screws holding on the lid. Use the holes in the lid to mark the locations – see below. The M&M receiving hole is the challenge here. You could practice your basic skills by carving but I choose to use a 3/4˝ round nose router bit (Carb-Tech 02-52) in the drill press. The work should be clamped down for this operation or you will get a lot of chatter and a rough cut. Knobs – You can go to the hardware store and pick up a couple of knobs or fire up the lathe and make your own. I decided this is where I 22 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers would work on my basic skills and get better at using the skew and also practice making balls. Round the blank and mark out the centers and ends of the two balls as well as the location of the two shafts. Take a 1˝ drill bit and drill a hole in each end of a piece of scrap. Then cut the ends off the scrap leaving a one-third and one-quarter arc on each end of the scrap – now transformed into a precision measuring instrument. Using the parting tool, bring both ends of the balls down near 3/8˝. Sharpen your skew and begin peeling fine shavings off as you shape the ball. Put your measuring tool on the turning frequently to see where you need to remove more material. When the profiles match, you are done. Turn the shafts to 3/8˝ and bring the ball profile to the shaft. Bring the other end of the ball down even more but leave enough so you can sand. You will not need to sand much if you have had success with the skew. Now gradually part the remaining excess. Put a chuck in the lathe and put the shaft of one ball in the chuck and finish the end of the ball. I found that a little sanding was all that was required. The Jar Discard the center of the lid and drill two holes for the screws across from each other in the top surface of the threaded piece. If you are using a jar without a removable center, you will need to bore out the existing center. Use care because you must remove most of the lid or the M&Ms will not fall into the hole well. It turns out that the motion of the slide against the bottoms of the M&Ms causes them to shift and come down. If the whole is not much bigger than an M&M, there will be no M&M edges hanging down for the slide to hit and nothing will shift so nothing will get dispensed. There was lot of trial and error before the light came on and I threw away the center piece. Assembly & Finishing: Knock off any sharp edges. Glue the knobs in place and finish the slide and body with the finish of your choice. I used a wipe on varnish. When the finish is dry, fill the jar with M&Ms and screw it onto the lid. Test repeatedly. The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 23 by Dave Frechette

Volunteers are the heart of the Guild

Volunteer Openings Volunteers • Small Meeting Coordinator(s) • Turning Symposium Coordinator • Demonstrators for symposia, meetings and Sunapee…our numbers are dwindling • Donors to the raffle at Sunapee, especially he Guild runs on volunteers and the meeting also has a the feature item TSteering Committee felt that it was meeting coordinator • Authors for The Old Saw appropriate to review the work done by who makes sure it • Leaders for new subgroups our members and to let our members goes smoothly and • Audio/Visual volunteers…recording/editing know what positions need to be filled. gets volunteers to do • Labor for symposia and for Sunapee…not a Some are new and some are old but the audio/video, an lot of time/skill required but need for lots of vacant none the less. As you will see, auctioneer and five bodies there are a lot of opportunities to help or six people to run • Scholarship committee…1 or 2 vacancies the guild and many people do multiple items, keep track of jobs. things and collect New or never filled positions The Steering Committee consists money. The meeting • Year Two Symposium Coordinator of ten to sixteen members. This group Coordinator and/or • Year Three Symposium Coordinator makes general policy for the Guild Program Coordinator • Assistant Treasurer as well as handling administrative also visit the site • Old Saw editor backup…must be familiar with matters. Four are elected officiers the day before, help computer graphics programs (President, Vice-President, Secretary clean the shop, • November Meeting Coordinator and Treasurer), The Old Saw Editor, check on seating • February Meeting Coordinator the Most Recent Past President, the and toilets, rent Programs Coordinator, and currently tents, etc. A reporter • April Meeting Coordinator six At Large members. At the moment, and photographer three of the At Large members are are recruited. We leaders of our four subgroups – Granite currently do not State Woodturners, Period Furniture, have meeting coordinators for the other Beginners & Intermediate Group meetings. While there is not as much our video volunteer needs from one per and the Luthiers. One of the Steering work involved (no auction, smaller meeting to three or more. Committee members now coordinates turnout), we are looking for volunteers The Small Meetings are held in the the Small Meetings – currently a vacant for the November, February and April October and March and there are usually seat. meetings. four sessions on a given Saturday with The membership educational The Steering Committee would like limited attendance available. They provide component consists of regular meetings to upgrade our handling of the audio and an opportunity to get into the smaller held four times a year, Small Meetings visual portions of the meetings. There is shops of Guild members. We currently held twice a year, the summer trip, some interest in an AV Subgroup that are seeking one or two volunteers to symposia and the subgroup meetings as would run more than one camera so that organize the Small Meetings. The Small well as The Old Saw. details of demonstrations can be seen on Meetings Coordinator would coordinate Regular meeting content is selected by screens at the meetings and the DVDs with the Program Coordinator to make the Program Coordinator in conjunction could be improved. This would increase content appropriate and would contact with the Steering Committee. The annual Continued on Page 28 24 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers by Jim Seroskie from the editor

You may have noticed some changes in our newsletter.

This membership year begins my fourth to the bottom of each page where they a first class newsletter distributed in as editor. Early on, I began by simply will seldom be obscured. a paper format. This gives many more attempting to copy the black and white John Greene at Minuteman Press in Nashua members and others an opportunity to style we had been using for a while. This has been our printer since that first color share their special skills and talents with was followed by color, saddle stitching issue of my tenure in February, 2005. the full membership. (booklet format), trimming (to eliminate John has always had a long term interest Each newsletter involves the creep from the folding process) and a in high end printing – but on a budget. contributions of 25-30 individuals. It slow evolution of stylistic adjustments. He prints a dozen or so book titles each would never happen without you! For me personally, this has been a year under Oak Manor Publishing, Inc. We are always looking for new creative and enjoyable process. (www.OakManorPublishing.com). This material. Writing an article on a With this issue, we are taking a significant is not a vanity or subsidy press. OMP subject you know is not hard. And you step forward by going to a full bleed layout. is always considering new authors of all never know, we have had five authors A full bleed is sometimes referred to as genres. discovered through the pages of The “magazine” style. It is laying out images The arrival of a new digital press this Old Saw by Fine Woodworking magazine and graphic elements to sometimes spring made improvements in print over the last couple of years. One such print beyond the edge of the page. This resolution, color accuracy and depth, author’s firstOld Saw article landed him eliminates the need for a white border print speed and perhaps most important on the cover of FWW (Feb, 2007 – look around three of the four sides of each to John – automation. Newsletters are it up to see who it was) and he now has page. It can be the foundation of a more printed, collated, folded and stapled by more articles in the FWW pipeline. dynamic and expansive layout. You can this machine. It is a wonder to behold We are looking for items of all either print on a larger paper and trim as it spits out completed newsletters types – articles for beginners, advanced back to waste the “bleed” or simply without intervention. All that remains is techniques, tips, inspirational pieces, accept a somewhat smaller page size by a manual trim on the right side of the gallery items and human interest. We trimming without using larger paper. folded assembly. A full bleed involves cover finishing, casework, turning, This issue is printed on 11˝x17˝ paper two additional trims at the top and carving, chairmaking, inlay – just about which has been trimmed on three sides bottom which John has offered to do any type woodworking topic you can after assembly. The format is smaller at no additional cost. Actually, printing imagine. than in the past while retaining the costs per page remain the same as last Our aim is to be a general publication. same number of column-inches. We year. However, postal costs did rise some However, we are still a newsletter first. print closer to the edges just as many this past May. This means guild announcements and magazines do. I have been surprised in The Steering Committee authorizes reports get priority. At our current page experimenting with this to see that text a newsletter budget each spring. The count, The Old Saw is one third guild often fits in the same column count as budget for 2007/2008 allows up to affairs and two thirds feature articles. A before even though images may be larger. 180 pages spread over five issues. This good way to get started is to volunteer for The page is smaller, but the white space enables us to run our usual guild news a meeting writeup. This is a mainstay of around each page can now be used for plus approximately 60 feature articles. the newsletter and we are always looking larger graphics. The amount of content Our page count will probably vary with for people who attend a general meeting remains about the same; we get larger each issue this year – larger in November or subgroup to report on the event. images and graphics at no additional cost; and February and smaller in the spring. Doing the newsletter is something and the page has a more dynamic free-flow Total cost per member is $28 per year I hope to do for years to come. The feel. including printing, postage, envelope willingness of the membership Other format changes include moving and label. to contribute has been the real the commercial ads to the inside back two The prime mission of any guild is encouragement. If you have an interest pages and printing all advertisements in education – the sharing of knowledge. in participating, drop me a line at each issue, featuring a short article on Many guilds spend the bulk of their the address below. I look forward the back cover, and finally an admittedly general fund on speakers toward this end. to hearing from you. – Jim Seroskie: small item – moving the page numbers Instead, our guild has chosen to support [email protected] The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 25 Small meetings – There has not been enough emphasis on small meetings and the group felt that these should be strengthened to get members into each Long Range others shops. Subgroups – Subgroups should be encouraged by the Guild. A formal mechanism of setting up a subgroup Planning Report should be created. Subgroups should be approved by the Steering Committee. Membership in a subgroup does not Members are recruited by word of mouth, at Sunapee and through the distribution of pamphlets. require Guild membership but member- ship in the Guild is encouraged.

he mission of the Long Range • Less down time at the meetings by having Key Personnel – There is a concern that TPlanning Committee was to brief morning presentations or subgroup several positions requiring specialized determine the effects of continued rapid meetings at the same location as the Guild knowledge are not backed up. Positions growth of the Guild, and to examine meeting so that members may see the identified include treasurer,Old Saw edi- what, if any changes in procedure or subgroups in action tor, Sunapee coordinator and symposium organization might be required to meet • Having a symposium every year coordinator(s). It would be appropriate that challenge. • Adequate parking for key positions to have documentation • Adequate toilet facilities in place of what the job entails and to General Meetings – There was concern have some training for an assistant or that with continued rapid growth and There should be a rotation of locations back up in case of illness, etc. a projection of a doubling of Guild with three out of four meetings in the members in the next 3-5 years, that we I-93 corridor and the fourth moving Membership Recruitment – Currently, would not be able to hold meetings and around the state. members are recruited by word of mouth, accommodate the membership in the The Steering Committee is at Sunapee and by the distribution of type of spaces we have been using. committed to retaining the current pamphlets. There does not appear to be Currently, only a relatively small “feel” of the Guild but does not feel that a need to increase the recruiting effort percentage of the membership attend membership need be restricted as we do nor does there appear to be a need to meetings and these attendees tend to have alternative ways to have meetings if limit it. be the same people each time. Therefore, we outgrow our current venues. There is while attendance will go up, it will no plan for an immediate change in the Ladder membership – Allow members probably not go up as rapidly as the way we hold meetings. to pay more for membership as a con- overall membership unless the meetings are improved. If meeting attendance increases, it should be possible to hold GNHW Membership meetings in venues such as auditoriums 550 that will have greater capacity. By using audiovisual aids, we will allow all to see 500 the demonstrations. The majority of the

meetings in the recent past would have 450 been amenable to presentations in an auditorium. Some would still require a 400 shop space with multiple machines. Several ideas for meeting 350 improvements were brought forth. All involve bringing the meeting quality equal to that of The Old Saw. They 300 include: 528 Members – 8/27/07 250 • Adequate seating

• Good acoustics 200 • Visualization of the demonstration for all using S-03 J-04 M-04 S-04 J-05 M-05 S-05 J-06 M-06 S-06 J-07 M-07 S-07 closed circuit television

26 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers tribution similar to the methods person would lessen the volun- Did you know? used by public radio and other teer response. The committee has The Old Saw is Available On-line charitable groups. The Steering no recommendation on this. The Committee did not feel there was Steering Committee did not feel You can choose Not a need for this and suggested that that this was the appropriate time to get paper copies of we remind members that they may to begin hiring staff. The Old Saw! – saves make charitable donations to the the Guild money and Guild. Other items considered and dis- cussed with considerable passion you can still download Administration without recommendation the newsletter. To – The Guild may – Return choose this option, go now be large enough to support a of a juried show. The Steering to the Guild web site part time person to handle orga- Committee will follow up on this. at www.gnhw.org and nizational matters particularly to Auction of Guild Work to click on “Members organize meetings, symposia, trips, benefit the makers. This was Area”. After signing in, Sunapee, etc. That person would not felt to be within the Guild’s you will see this option not actually do the work but would mission. at the top of the page. ensure that volunteers were avail- Vendor booths at meetings and able to handle the activity. There symposia. – Dave Frechette was concern that having a paid Cash Flow Report – 9/1/06 to 8/14/07

General Operating Fund Beginning Balance 18,246.71

Income Treasurer’s Report Books, Clothing, Video 4,063.23 Donations & Grants 750.00 Dues 14,560.00 his has been a quiet year for Misc Income 1,980.75 Tyour treasurer without a big Money Market Interest 684.58 symposium to deal with. The Total Income 22,038.56 finances have been tracking just Expenses about as we had budgeted and Awards -450.00 when the fiscal year closes at the Banking Expense -125.99 end of August, I expect that we Books, Clothing, Video -3,671.00 will be a little ahead of last year. Insurance -500.00 The only unknown variable is Internet Expense -360.00 when people actually pay their Meeting Expenses -1,119.13 Membership Expense -304.74 dues and whether they go into this Misc Expense -98.40 year or next. As was expected, The Old Saw -13,363.64 Old Saw was our biggest expense, solvent. The Old Saw cost plus the Sunapee Expenses -106.47 but those expenses stayed within $5 per member that goes to the Total Expenses -20,099.37

the budgeted amount adjusted scholarship fund uses up most Transfer $5 per member to Scholarship -2,500.00 for the extra pages the Steering of the $30 dues cost. We cover Ending Balance 17,685.90 Committee authorized for recent almost all the rest of our expenses YTD Gain/Loss -560.81 issues. with income from the auction at The Sunapee raffle for the the annual meeting, auctions the Scholarship scholarship fund was up over 44% Granite State Woodturners have Beginning Balance 12,054.11 from last year’s record. This big during the year, and almost $700 $5 per member to Scholarship 2,500.00 increase will give the Scholarship in interest that our money market Raffle Tickets 5,926.87 Scholarship Donations 78.00 Committee some extra funds to account earns. Scholarships & grants -3,807.00 use for additional educational The sales of books, videos, and Ending Balance 16,751.98 purposes. clothing are revenue neutral and Net change 4,697.87 The final year-end figures will do not affect our financial position. be in my report at the annual The cost of materials is covered by Equipment Capital Reserve Fund meeting in September. This sales. Beginning Balance 2,033.74 No Change 0.00 report will include some Sunapee Again it has been my pleasure Ending Balance 2,033.74 expenses not yet reported. to be your treasurer for this my As you can see from the third year. – C. Peter James Total Cash Assets as of 08/15/07 36,461.62 numbers, we continue to be The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 27 U I L D E G OF TH W Jerry Burt (left) & Al Stirt (right) IRE OO SH D P W O M R A

K by Jerry Burt H

E

R

W

E S

N

• • Scholarship My Learning Bowl woodworker friend, knowing of method wasn’t the smartest way. So then to have made many Amy lack of woodturning education, I’d do it his way…and of course his way nice bowls using encouraged me in August of last year to was better than mine. Perhaps the most wrong methods apply to the Guild, for an educational valuable aspect of his instruction was in and wrong tools. scholarship. bowl hollowing. I had always cut with Even so, I wasted After 23 years of self-taught turning, the left side of the gouge which was extra time with this seemed like a timely idea. So I applied, mostly scary and often produced digs extra sanding, and my application was accepted. and caused extra sanding! Hollowing dig-ins, etc., from lack of education. The instructor I wanted was Alan with the right center part of the gauge Now I’ll be able to haul out some Stirt in Enosburg Falls, Vermont. He’s is now a pleasure! So that lesson was unfinished bowls that I had set aside very busy with teaching, traveling and huge for me. We finished that first bowl because I didn’t have the solutions demonstrating. So we had to agree on which sits in my bay window – with the needed for their completion. a window of time that suited us both. inscription “Learning Bowl by Al Stirt I wish I’d had the impetus to seek October 21 and 22 were open days for and Jerry Burt.” help years ago. As the old-timer said, us both. I was fortunate to be able to stay Al showed me how to use all of his “It’s never too late to get smart.” with a dowser friend in the town next to cutting tools some of which had angles My closing thought is this – if you Al’s – just 15 minutes away. I’d never seen. I was able to try all of need help, ask around, find a teacher and Instruction began in Al’s shop at them and thus get a feel for just how then apply for a GNHW scholarship. 8:30 am and ended at 4:30 pm, with a well these various angles performed. We I feel thankful to the people who have lunch hour at noon. Al’s shop is four spent a lot of time discussing ways to worked to make these scholarships times larger than my old milk-house hold tools and how/where to stand and available. For sure, I’ll continue to help (farm) shop. We agreed to begin by the turner’s “dance”, etc. With out Al’s with our symposiums, donate to our turning a complete bowl, together. He patient instruction, I might never have raffle at Sunapee, and help GNHW and started the various cuts, his way, and thought or dared to regrind my tools to GSWT in whatever ways I’m able. then I’d show him how I’d been doing his angles. My sincere thanks to our GNHW it. We’d stop and he’d explain why my In retrospect, I’ve been very fortunate Scholarship Committee.

Volunteers – continued the demonstrators, make sure there is Someone handles publicity. There is a raffle items, and set up and take down parking, etc. and handle the registration person to interact with vendors and with crews. It takes about 75 volunteers to for the meetings. the facility. In total, a symposium takes do Sunapee although some of this is cut Currently we have the turning 50 or more volunteers. down by people doing multiple days. symposia every third year. On one of The subgroups run themselves so the The Old Saw has an editor and a the two off years, we have had another Guild does not need to provide labor but stuffer/mailer. We would like to identify symposia. The Steering Committee quite obviously, the subgroup members some individuals familiar with computer would like to have a symposia, an all day volunteer to do the same activities as the editing who could help the editor as event with multiple speakers, every year. Guild as a whole. needed. The content is also all volunteer These symposia require a lot of work. Beyond membership education and if you look at The Old Saw, you Currently, a number of the turning and meetings, the Guild gives out will see approximately 20 articles or organizers are moving on to other things. scholarships and raises money at the reports. Some of these are part of other Ideally, we would like to recruit three League of NH Craftsman’s Fair at job descriptions but half or more are symposia leaders to each run a symposia Sunapee, puts out a newsletter and has volunteer authors. The Old Saw comes every third year. We need twelve to a number of single person jobs. out five times a year so that is 120 sixteen demonstrators. To do the video The Scholarship Committee is set at submissions. now requires eight people working a half three (but the makeup is in flux) and do We also have a number of one person day plus a coordinator. Several people do most of their work by phone or email. jobs such a web master, membership, registration. Each demonstrator gets an Sunapee is a major ten day undertaking book discounts, DVD library and aide to make sure their needs are met. with a Coordinator, Raffle Coordinator, clothing sales. There are five or six people designated booth captains, demonstrators (4-5 a Contributing money to the Guild is as set up and clean up crews. Several day), raffle ticket sellers (4-5 a day), great, but contributing time will get you people manage the instant gallery. raffle item donors (~20), shippers of into Heaven. 28 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers June 10th, 2007

Luthiers by John Whiteside meeting at John Whiteside’s shop in Fremont, NH

Alan Carruth, master luthier, brought his “Winter” guitar which is one of a series of four instruments representing the four seasons. Brooks Tanner is Paul Miller planning to enter the guitar-making business commercially. Chuck Munroe demonstrated one of his instruments. third Sunday of September, November, Terry Moore (who has agreed to serve January, March and May, from 1-4 pm as our honorary chairman) is a New at various member’s shops around the Hampshire Furniture Master and a luthier. state. We decided to try and have a Terry builds two guitars a year during the presentation at each meeting and also to winter when the weather indoors is more devote a part of each meeting to playing suitable for this humidity sensitive art. our instruments. We did a bit of this at Paul Miller is studying guitar-making at this first meeting even though everyone Alan Carruth’s school in Newport, NH was nervous about playing in front of (www.alcarruthluthier.com) with the strangers. Hopefully this nervousness help of a Guild scholarship. You can see will diminish and we might even work Paul’s progress on his first guitar after up some numbers. one year of work. This should tell you If you are already into lutherie, then Alan Carruth that lutherie is not for the impatient. this group is for you. Many attendees At this first organizational meeting, commented how friendly everyone was we did not have a presentation but instead and how freely they exchanged tips and he newly formed Luthiers Group discussed how we wanted to proceed. information. This openness is of course Theld its first organizational meeting We decided to welcome participants a Guild tradition. If you love wood but on June 10th. Thirteen founding members of all levels of expertise, including have not tried lutherie, you might want attended and decided that the group beginners, and to meet five times a year. to consider it. You will get to know wood would promote the building of stringed Since a number of members attend at a whole different level. Not only do instruments and be open to members of Alan Carruth’s guitar making classes on you have to consider appearance and all skill levels. Violin and guitar making Saturdays, we decided to meet on the structure, you also have to consider were represented. sound quality. Stringed instruments stretch woodworking to its limits. The strings exert considerable force on the instruments, yet the more lightly constructed, the better the sound. So it is a considerable design and construction challenge. In fact, it is said that the best sounding guitar is one that is built so lightly that it is just on the verge of collapse. Our next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 16, from 1-4 pm. If you would like to be included on the meeting notification list, contact John Whiteside at [email protected] or 603-679-5443. Bear in mind that we decided that our e-mail list i s shared amongst all members, so that we may Joe Munroe Terry Moore contact one another.

The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 29 May 26th & July 28th, 2007 photos by James Fogg, DJ Delorie, Brad Weeks

Granite State Woodturners by Marcel Durette may & july meetings… at The Homestead School in Newmarket, NH & Peter Block’s shop in New London, NH

s I write this, the Sunapee Fair lathe. Awareness of the bevel contact form the whole. Dick Batchelder’s cherry Ahas come and gone, the Patriot’s with the material is vital to a smooth bowl with gold leaf carved rim as well as have played their first exhibition game and fluid cutting action from the tool. the small bead defining the bowl from and the “Back to School” sales are in full And once the cutting is smooth and the rim was a great source of comments. swing. Where did the summer go? fluid, the “righteousness” of woodturning The details set one piece apart from the Back to Basics – Part of mine was becomes your master. The constant rest of the market and serve to make spent at the Homestead School for striving toward a higher standard is the it more appealing and therefore more a Woodturners’ meeting with Peter righteousness of the craft. Some pretty valued. Bloch and Jon Siegel presenting “Back heady stuff for anyone! If you have never attended a critique to Basics.” This was the meeting held Annual Critique – Fast forward to the for whatever reason, you do yourself at the end of May. I couldn’t think of a end of July and you find us at Slocumb a great injustice. Whether you bring better pair of presenters to be matched Hall, Proctor Academy in Andover, NH something of your making or not, you will together to give such a broad subject for our annual critique meeting. This learn a great deal. The critique meeting is, some added depth for the experienced year’s invited ‘guest’ was Mr. David for me, the symbol of the message of the turners and serious foundation material Pellerin of New London, NH. David Guild, sharing expertise and knowledge for the beginner. Jon said, “An expert is a juried ceramist with the League of to the benefit of the individual and the is someone who has an opinion” after NH Craftsmen and really knows his way whole. The next critique meeting will be expounding on the dizzying array of around objects, form, texture and space. held on the last Saturday of July in 2008. equipment that is available to us. Jon His knowledge of the market gave us We’ll let you know of the location in then illustrated the point by noting that an insider’s view of the monetary value ample time so make plans now to attend he is back to five and the ‘sale-ability’ of the pieces shown, this very unique and totally exhilarating or six tools that while his appreciation of function and experience. he uses everyday. form gave great insight into the artistry And so summer moves ahead and I Peter then said that goes into any handmade object. He look forward to the September meeting. “…tools are not paid great attention to every piece that When you next see me, ask me about the solution.” was presented to him and gave us his Sunapee and the Guild presence at the Skill, brought insight on how well each one was made Fair. Peter Bloch & Jon Siegel presented on by hours of or how it could be improved upon. “Back to Basics” at the May meeting practice was the David was completely unaware of message of the what types of pieces were coming his day. Awareness way for comment and he was expected of the geometry to evaluate each one at a glance. His of the tool/wood thoughts and comments were thoughtful intersection is and sensitive both to the artist as well as vital to a good the piece. His lack of knowledge of the technician at the material (wood), to my mind, afforded David Pellerin led the annual him the gift of innocence to the material critique at Proctor Academy which forced his analysis to form, function, color and texture. Scott Ruesswick’s oak bowl showed real artistry in the choice of color on the oak and the masterful technique in centering the piece to balance the grain and the form to create a simple bowl which shimmered with beauty. Les Huckins’ lidded ash bowl started quite a commentary on the mechanics and the esthetics of the lid and the bowl and the relationship that the two pieces share to 30 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers by Sal Morgani photos by Roger Myers

Harrelson Stanley’s “Japanese Tools” in Pepperell MA

around. The second floor has all his tools, came away with a better understanding DVDs and books displayed, and is also of the ways of a Japanese master the office for his web-based business. craftsman. And yes, some members On the first floor in the corner is came away with some beautiful tools a ten-foot square platform that is his that they purchased. work area. In the Japanese tradition, it is extremely simple, a short-legged plank for a bench and a few tools hung on the June 24th, 2007 wall. Harrelson sat on the floor, without shoes of course, and displayed a tray he had made which was dug out of one Summer Trip board. It has beautiful and precise curves and a hand rubbed finish. He then discussed the apprenticeship schooling in Japan and explained the mindset of une 24th was one of those perfect the Japanese master craftsmen. Jsummer days…temperature in the After lunch, the afternoon was 70s, blue sky with white puffy clouds spent sharpening. After Harrelson and a slight breeze. Twentytwo Guild demonstrated the members took advantage of the beautiful proper method of day to drive through the countryside to sharpening edge Pepperell, MA to the home and shop of tools and flattening Harrelson Stanley. His shop and store water stones we is known simply as “Japanese Tools.” were all given the Harrelson’s building is set back from the opportunity to try road a few hundred yards and is built in it ourselves on the the Japanese style with special joinery and stations he set up timber frame construction. A separate for us. By the end of building on the site is for his Shizutani the day we learned School where master craftsman visiting proper waterstone from Japan give classes on everything s h a r p e n i n g from plane making to timber framing. techniques and His shop is an open room two-story structure with a massive beam hoist so he can move his heavy equipment

The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 31 bulletin board

Discounted Woodworking Note that we do not mail Jeffrey Cooper, Henry Fox, Pine twenty-five years ago is Books – Annual Sale books to members homes. Garrett Hack, Howard Hatch, now Old Ways Traditions. Each year in the Fall All email orders will be David Lamb, Wayne Marcoux, Old Ways Traditions now we have an opportunity acknowledged within one Tom McLaughlin, Terry Moore, includes a craft and furniture to purchase high quality week. So if you do not get Brian Sargent, William Thomas studio, art gallery, antique woodworking books at a response, please call me. I and David Upfill-Brown. shop and music venue, hiking group discounts averaging have vigorous anti-spam This year’s event kicks trails, antique steam engines 40% off the list price. This software. I’ll email you off at 3:30 pm with a “Meet operating lathes, treadle year, I have downselected to with the net cost when the the Masters” preview and lathes for the kids to try, etc. two publishers – Taunton books arrive. Payment is due continues on at 4:30 pm with Also included are bluegrass Press, publisher of Fine immediately and the books the traditional gala reception and old time music, spring Woodworking magazine, and are not returnable. This and silent auction. Following pole lathe in action, hands- Fox Chapel. Fox Chapel is a gives us a premium discount. the silent auction, the live on shingle making, wood publisher but also sells books Happy hunting for some auction gets underway. cutting, spindle turning, from other publishers we really good woodworking Tickets to the event are and apple sauce and butter have used in the past such as books. $75 per person and entitle making for all ages together. Sterling, Stackpole, Schiffer Discounted magazine the holder to attend the Kids have always been and Penguin/Putnam. subscriptions, also an annual reception and auction and some of Dave’s most Consolidating all our event, takes place in the receive a 2007, four-color appreciative audiences in 25 titles between these two February time frame – watch commemorative auction years of demonstrating at publishers will insure that we the November Old Saw for catalogue. To purchase Canterbury Shaker Village. maximize our discounts. details. tickets or obtain additional And they love the operating I will have catalogs Tony Immorlica – Book information, visit the old machinery at Old Ways and take orders at Guild Coordinator: Association’s website at Traditions. Time to let them meetings, or you can view 603-673-9629 (evenings) or www.furnituremasters.org or have at it! titles on the publishers’ web [email protected] – new email telephone 603-898-0242. We look forward to sites (www.taunton.com and address working with you if you www.foxchapelpublishing.com) Old Ways Days – Oct 20 & 21 work with kids. Come and and email your order to me. NH Furniture Masters Old Ways Days is a enjoy Old Ways, share what If you email your order, you Association Auction brand new event featuring we have. We look forward must include the following The 2007 NHFMA hands-on experiences for to your support and the in addition to your name and Auction will take place on all generations (together), opportunity to share our telephone number: Sunday, October 21 and will working, cooking, crafting, in country work heritage. For Taunton: The exact title, again be held at the beautiful traditional ways. Old Ways David Emerson: 603-783 4403 author, type of item (hard Wentworth-by-the-Sea has a long tradition and deep evenings or [email protected] or soft cover book, video or Hotel in New Castle, NH. roots. Seventeen years ago, 418 Shaker Rd. Canterbury, NH DVD), the list price and the As they have each year Dave Emerson started Wood 03224 Taunton Product Code (not since 1996, the auction jury Days at Canterbury Shaker the ISBN #). has chosen a select group Village with the help of the Bench Space Available For Fox Chapel: The exact of NHFMA members as Guild of New Hampshire Bench space is available in title, author, type of item exhibitors. This year’s auction Woodworkers, of which my workshop in Portsmouth, (hard or soft cover book, features original creations he is a founding member. NH for anyone willing to video or DVD), list price and from eighteen craftsmen – Wood Days had lots of share rent and overheads. the ISBN #. fourteen masters; three guest traditional woodworking Jeffrey Cooper: Orders will be accepted artists (Leonard Bellanca, demonstrations and plenty At home – 603-433 8549 or at the fall Guild Meetings Aurelio Bolognesi, and Brian of good music. [email protected] starting with the annual Reid); and one emerging Dave lives 11/4 miles At work – 603-436 7945 or meeting in September. The master (Marty Milkovits) North of Shaker Village on [email protected] last chance to place an order as well as one work by a part of a 1785 farm where his will be at the November participant in the Prison family moved 52 years ago Beginner & Intermediate Guild meeting. Books Outreach Program (Allen – back when old ways were Group should be available in early Eason). mostly the only ways. Almost BIG, the Beginner and December for pick up at my The 2007 participating everyone in town more or less Intermediate group, meets home in Mont Vernon, NH, masters are: Ted Blachly, Jon was a subsistence farmer. His the first Saturday of the even or at a future guild meeting. Brooks, Timothy Coleman, business, started as Shaker numbered months from 32 The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers bulletin board

October to June. Oct. 6th at 0.25 mile and the shop is 16th from 1 to 4 pm. If you will focus on whatever parts 9:30 am is the first meeting on the right. The name and would like to be included on we ask him to, for example, date. This is a demonstration number are on the board. the meeting notification list, decorative spindles for session and there is no hands Please contact me if you contact: Queen Anne chairs. on. plan to attend. John Whiteside: 603-679-5443 or The meeting is scheduled I will continue to make the Bob LaCivita: 603-942-1240 or [email protected] for Saturday, Sept. 8 from apple wall hung cabinet and [email protected] 9 am to noon in Fremont, will be working on the doors Period Furniture NH (near Exeter). in the Oct. meeting. Starting Granite State Woodturners The kickoff meeting To get on the email (or in April, I will begin a series The next meeting of the for the 2007-2008 Period phone) list to receive meeting on drawer construction and Granite State Woodturners Furniture Group season is a notifications, contact: hanging drawers. We will will be Sept. 29th from special one. NH Furniture John Whiteside: 603-679-5443 or explore a number of ways to 9 am to noon. The location Master and expert turner Jon [email protected] build and hang drawers and and topic is TBA. Contact Siegel has offered to give us this will take place over a year DJ Delorie to be added to a demonstration on turning or so. the e-mail notification list. period furniture parts. Jon This year will be a little DJ Delorie: [email protected] different. BIG will be Granite State Woodcarvers meeting at Steve Colello’s Personal Notes shop at 119 Flynn Road, This small group of Sanbornville, NH. dedicated woodcarvers meets Long time guild member Edward Thursday nights at Rundlett F. Jones, 74, died June 18th at the Directions – Flynn Rd. is in Middle School in Concord, Concord Regional Visiting Nurse North Wakefield off of route NH. Meetings are 6-9 pm Hospice House from cancer. Ed 16. It is 6.0 miles north of the during the school year. For was our Secretary and a member intersection of route 16 and info or directions contact… of the Steering Committee until 109 and 5.7 miles south of Lou Barchey: 603-753-2708 or his failing health forced him to the intersection of route 16 [email protected] resign. He was born and raised in and route 28. Going north, it Swampscott, MA and attended is a right hand turn and going Luthiers Dartmouth College where he south, it is a left hand turn. Our next meeting is was a member of the ski team. Once on Flynn Rd, go scheduled for Sunday, Sept. During his school years he and his family summered on family land in Hopkinton NH, which in later years became the site Free where he built his own home. He served 23 years in the US Air Force attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Grandmother Clock Ed’s interests included hiking with his family and he finally had the opportunity to complete his NH 4000 Footers with Many years ago, a friend at our the Appalachian Mountain Club about 3 years ago. His skiing church explained to me that she was a lifetime interest and his partners can attest to both the had a “grandmother” clock that her enthusiasm and the speed with which he attacked the slopes. As a father had started building and never Guild member, Ed was active in the Period Furniture Group and finished. He had died and she asked the Granite State Woodturners, seldom missing a meeting. if I had any interest in finishing it. I His engineer’s eye was constantly improving upon things, said I would take a look at it thinking and a benchtop bench featured in Fine Woodworking was I might finish it and donate it to the redesigned and presented at a Period Furniture meeting to the church raffle, and the rest is history. delight of many members. The case is well underway, the His house in Hopkinton was a work of his own design works are partially installed, and as far and construction. Much of the furniture in the house was as I know, all the parts are there. I do built by Ed and the crowning achievement is a tall case clock not have the plans for it. reproduced from an original in the Hopkinton Town Library. I would love to give it to someone This clock, complete with Federal brass finials, was his gift to who would like to finish it – no money his wife Natalie upon their 50th anniversary. or strings attached. I’m in the process We will miss Ed for his quiet cheerful disposition, his of moving and I can’t bear to throw it contributions to our community, and his subtle sense of humor. out. – Alan Mitchell: 603-659-2345 – Dave Anderson The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 33 Router, Planes, Bandsaw… Walnuts… Norris type Footprint Plane, 173/4˝ long x 3˝ wide I‘ll be having a bumper crop of Black Walnuts For Sale sole. 1/8˝ and 3/16˝ thick blades. Solid heavy duty this year. Free to whoever comes for them or I’m Tablesaw Purchase… plane – LIKE NEW – $120 – Cost more than willing to mail with you paying postage. The double that. nut, planted in 1990, is now a 40 ft tree, giving as Pinkerton Academy is interested in being the fiscal many as 300 nuts in the fall. agent for a group purchase of Saw Stop saws. We Norris type Footprint Plane, same as above, but 22” plan on purchasing four machines for use in our long – LIKE NEW – $135 Jerry Burt: [email protected] or woodworking and building construction programs Walker Turner 16˝ cast iron bandsaw, 11/HP 675-6141 in Plainfield, NH and am looking for the best pricing. If you are 110/220V motor, new bearings, very good Shopsmith… interested in purchasing a saw in late October, condition. With 3 like-new saw blades – $700 Mark V – a great multipurpose woodworking tool please let me know. You will be able to spec Porter Cable 893PK Router Kit. 21/4 HP, fixed and (drill press, lathe, table saw, disk sander, horizontal the saw of your choice but it will be delivered to plunge bases, with extra fixed base for mounting boring) in excellent condition. These tools now Pinkerton. under table, and vacuum handle. Three bases total. list for over $3000 and have changed little since Jack Grube: [email protected] New, never mounted or used. Was not subject to the Mark V came out. Asking or 603-437-5200 x1176 electrical recall. – $140 $900/b.o., includes caster set. Drill Press … These items are priced to sell, and must be picked- Tony Immorlica: Delta 161˝ floor drill press, 12 speed, 115/220V, up at my home in Hollis, NH. For the time being, I 603-673-9629 evenings. Buy 3/4 HP. Like new. Must be seen to appreciate – $250 cannot drive to meetings. Neat Stuff Calvin S. Louks: 603-893-8286 Jack Minassian: 603 465-9066

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The Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers 35 The 74th Annual C raftsmen’s Fair he 74th Annual New Hampshire League of Craftsmen’s Fair was held from August 4th to August 12th at Mount Sunapee donated by Lester State Park. It is the finest, oldest, and Huckins generated most prestigious craft fair in all of the country. Well a huge interest in terms of raffle known for having the most exquisite merchandise ticket sales. We are grateful to made by some of the most talented artisan’s around, everyone who donated their time produced these wands. You guys it attracts more than 30,000 attendees from all over to make something for the raffle. “rock” according to one kid. the eastern seaboard. And once again the Guild of It probably comes as no surprise The most difficult task in New Hampshire Woodworkers had a 20´ x 40´ booth that one of the most interesting coordinating an event like this is there to do woodworking demonstrations, talk with demos to watch is woodturning. getting enough people willing to those attendees who were interested in Our turners donate their time to support it. woodworking, and to raise almost always Although the Guild is over 500 money for our scholarship had a large members strong, only 34 such fund through a raffle. crowd gathered. members offered to help out, (not Overall, you couldn’t A l t h o u g h counting the people who helped complain about the weather we don’t sell by donating the raffle items). (especially if you are a New anything, some Members like Len Chaisson, Englander). Given that it was of the turners Ron Singerman, Dave Gibson, what is typically the hottest have made and Peter Scheffer volunteered and most humid month of the little trinkets for the entire 9 days! Without year, we were fortunate to have to hand out such kindness and generosity we only one day like that. When to the kids wouldn’t be able to have a presence an event is held in the outdoors who were at Sunapee. over a period of nine days, the standing there, There were many who were weather plays a critical role fascinated by involved behind the scenes with respect to the number of it all. as well. Members like Alan attendees, and of course sales. I’m told Mitchell provided a number of That being said, we did that one year lathes and workbenches for the remarkably well with our raffle it was little toy demonstrations, and Jim Dimick sales this year. We grossed tops, another who coordinated the raffle almost $2,000 over the previous year it was donations, and Jim Seroskie who year for a total of $5,926. But it baseball bats, designed and produced Guild wouldn’t have happened without and this year it was Harry badges for everyone to wear. I am the wonderful 25 raffle items that were donated by Potter wands! Yes, you should feel grateful to each and every one of some of our members, a few of whom donated more sorry for those guys given the you and to all of those members than one item. Some of these items, like the Sackback popularity and recent release of who took the time to volunteer Windsor Chair donated by Bob St. Laurent, the the last of the novels. My heartfelt by either demonstrating or by cherry table donated by Jim Seroskie, the jewelry thanks goes out to Peter Scheffer, helping to sell raffle tickets. This boxes donated by Jeff Neils, the bird house donated Lou Zabohonski, Marcel Durette event wouldn’t have been possible photos by Roger Myers, Jim Seroskie Roger Myers, by photos by Marcel Durette and the enormous spruce bowl and any of the other turners who without you. – Wendy Mullet