FINISHING BEGINS with WOOD SELECTION Ears Ago, As a Beginning Woodworker, I Chose Wood Can Be Expensive
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WOOD WORDS FEATURED THIS MONTH President’s Message .................... 1-3 Hobbservations ........................... 4-5 Membership Assistance Needed...... 6 Library Announcement ................... 7 Safety ............................................. 8 Education & Training .............. 13-14 Communications .......................... 20 PUBLISHED MONTHLY by The kansas ciTy woodworkers guild • 3189 mercier ST • kansas CITY • mo • 64111 FINISHING BEGINS WITH WOOD SELECTION ears ago, as a beginning woodworker, I chose Wood can be expensive. Better wood gives me Ymy wood with price in mind believing I could better results in my finished piece. In order to stain the wood to make it look better. get better finishing results, I pick better lumber Often, I was disappointed in the finished results of my project. I’d have uneven stain or blotching. Sometimes unexpected results caused by crazy grain patterns would be a distraction to the piece. Grain runout shows end grain and uneven stain absorption which would divert attention from the piece overall. Additionally, the color of each piece strip of wood may vary in a glued up panel resulting in a different stain color on the each piece of wood within that panel. And don’t get me started on sapwood! “If I’d only used straight grain wood for the top,” or, “Quartersawn wood is more appropriate for this piece, I should have used it,” or, “That and I’m prepared to pay more for it. I spend sapwood didn’t react to the steel wool and more time selecting my lumber. I evaluate color vinegar in the same way the heartwood did,” and grain direction going so far as to lay pieces were common thoughts I’d have. side by side on the floor and marking them with chalk before I commit to buying. Granted, it can Through experience, I learned the first step in good finishing starts at the lumberyard. Continued on Next Page (2) PAGE 1 oCTOBER 2019 • VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 10 wood words kansas ciTy woodworkers guild Continued from Previous Page (1) available knowing that when I cut the board drive the lumberyard nuts when I do this. And in order to be welcomed back again, I restack the lumber bunk often leaving it looking better than I found it. in two, I’ll have the same color and similar grain patterns when I glue up that panel. If my For table tops, I select as wide a board as is Continued on Next Page (3) PAGE 2 OCTOBER 2019 • VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 10 wood words kansas ciTy woodworkers guild Continued from Previous Page (2) lumber yard. And ask first if you can scrap the piece has a curved apron or stretcher, I may wood to see the grain beneath the bandsaw look for wood where the grain has a similar marks. This has saved me from buying a less- curve. I’ve even taken full-size patterns and than-desirable board once I saw the grain it on prospective boards looking for the ideal patterns. curve in the grain. If your lumber retailer has problems with you I often buy rough cut lumber as I prefer to laying out stock or scraping a small section of joint and plane the stock myself. I often get a a piece, you might want to spend your money little bit thicker dimension doing it this way. elsewhere. And some lumber retailers overplane the wood. Stock that is sold as “4/4” and is planed Be choosy when selecting your lumber, should measure 13/16” thick as an industry consider how the stain and topcoat will look standard. Often it’s thinner leaving me little on the lumber you’re purchasing. You’ll room to joint and plane to 3/4”. Keep in mind appreciate the piece long after you’ve forgotten that the lumber yard planes the wood to make the price of the it more appealing, they haven’t flatten the wood. Sincerely, stock, just made it thinner and a little prettier. Craig Arnold Jointers flatten wood, not a planer. President Kansas City Woodworkers’ Take a sharp card scraper with you to the Guild A FINANCIALLY HEALTHY GUILD WITH YOUR HELP LEADS TO A BETTER WOODWORKING EXPERIENCE he third quarter is over, which means 2019 is right now, Membership Director Wayne needs Talmost gone. The Guild is having a very good help processing membership renewals and other year financially. Bank balances have increased membership duties. If you can help out please contact more than $47,000 during the year. Membership, him at his guild email address: membership@ training, projects and storage are all doing better kcwoodworkersguild.org, NO EXPERIENCE than forecast, while expenses are below forecast. NECESSARY. We’ll also be looking for a Storage To all of you who are making this possible a big Room Czar to rule over the wood storage area in THANK YOU and keep it up in the fourth quarter. the back. The individual will work with me to keep track, collect rent and find wood storage space As I mentioned in the September newsletter for members. There are also other opportunities planning for 2020 has started. Budgets are being available so please worked on so if you have recommendations or get more involved. wants for next year contact any member of the Leadership Committee. Input is always welcome. Gart Mielke Your help is also always welcome and highly critical Treasurer PAGE 3 OCTOBER 2019 • VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 10 wood words kansas ciTy woodworkers guild “HOBBS”ERVATIONS here was a show I watched with my family each piece. Take something as simple as T last year where one of the characters a drawer. Choose a lipped or inset front. used to say, “the Devil is in the details.” My The edge detailing could be plain, a simple son in particular enjoyed this, so it became roundover and fillet, cockbeading, stringing, somewhat of a running joke in my house to etc. Like the original, the Thomas White desk say, “the Devil is in the details!” that I made had a scratch bead on the top When I think of ways to make my furniture of the drawer, only visible when the drawer pieces better, there are many things that was opened. It also had cockbeading on the come to mind. Good design and proportions front. In addition, the bottom was attached are where you start. Certainly crisp joinery a crude way, and the tops of the drawer is a must. Another would be careful and sides were roughly planed to a roundover. exacting surface prep. Superior wood And when we examined the Salem Bombe always improves a piece, and, of course, high chest at the Nelson on our Guild tour, a good smooth finish is a no doubter. So we (at least I!) were pleased to see the tops what else is left? The details. of the drawer sides to have a crisp double bead, as if the maker was just showing off! In the period styles that I typically prefer, there are many opportunities to enhance Continued on Next Page (5) PAGE 4 OCTOBER 2019 • VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 10 wood words kansas ciTy woodworkers guild Continued from Previous Page (4) pieces, when appropriate, and of course how passionate I am about getting the At case corners, regional characteristics right when carving I usually make ball and claw feet. Philadelphia feet do them square. On not work on Newport pieces, and a Boston a Philadelphia piece is just wrong without the raked back dressing table, side talon, like Tom Smoller has created I added turned for his Oxbow chest he’s currently working and fluted quarter on. columns. On a large chest on chest, I built What about moldings, fretwork, finials, it with chamfered hardware? Kumiko windows? Through corners with stop tenons? Upholstery? I could go on and fluting (explaining on, but I think you get my point. The main this would probably thing is this: on what you are currently require another working on or have up next, or are still article). I think each dreaming about, go ahead and think about decision improved the details. And when you admit that “the the piece. Devil is in the details,” you just might find How about ball and out that you are the devil! claw feet? Some of you who have Cal Hobbs taken a class or two Vice President with me know how Kansas City I enjoy adding ball Woodworkers’ and claw feet to my Guild BOW MAKING TO BE FEATURED AT THE OCTOBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING have been practicing the skill and sport of archery since wooden bows from local timber. Personally, I hope that II was pretty young. I even fletched my own arrows using we can work with Alan and IHEA to someday have a real turkey feathers and a jig made specifically for burning class in traditional wooden bow making. In the meantime, the feathers to the proper shape once they were glued onto come prepared to ask all of your questions about the the shaft. The one thing that I never did do was to make subject on October 16th. I know that I’ll be there listening my own traditional wooden bow, although, during my intently and asking questions. By career as a forester I certainly had access to all the timber the way, even if you don’t use a needed. The main thing that I lacked was the knowledge bow for archery, one made from necessary for making the bow starting from the trunk of a local timber including the crazy tree. Sometimes reading about it just isn’t good enough. curves, it sure would Matthew At the meeting in October, though, Alan Murdock, a make an interesting Nowak member of the Institute for Historical and Educational Arts piece of art to hang Director of (IHEA), will give us his take on how he builds traditional on the wall.” Programs PAGE 5 OCTOBER 2019 • VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 10 wood words kansas ciTy woodworkers guild MEMBERSHIP NOTES AND THOUGHTS Our Guild continues to grow, currently we are closing in on 900 members! The renewal period is drawing near – as we did last year, we will start taking renewals and new members for 2020 at the November meeting.