John's Jaunt

John Johnson

  This month's topic is what makes the Wisconsin Woodworker's Guild tick. That is, the volunteers; those that are visible or those that work behind the scenes. Without volunteers the programs don't happen, the workshops don't happen, there aren't refreshments, etc. You get the picture.

 Unfortunately, in the past year, we have been forced into the situation of having a few volunteers fulfilling two or three roles in order to keep things running. They are doing an admirable job but are overloaded.   In the near term, we need people to help out with refreshments. It is not a time consuming task and the needs are well documented. If enough people volunteer, each person only needs to bring refreshments a couple of times a year. Please let Mary Anderson know if you can help.   Two other named positions that are vacant are the Facilities Coordinator and the Secretary.

 The Facilities coordinator is primarily responsible for making sure that the presentation room is set up the same way every time, and that there are enough chairs out. The Secretary is primarily responsible for the P.O. Box and that required paper work gets filed like our state papers and our insurance. The Secretary is also responsible for the board meeting minutes that appear in the RIPSAW. As a result of the vacancy, the board meeting notes have occasionally been missing or incomplete as others try to fill in.  

    The bottom line is this: the Wisconsin Woodworker"s Guild is all about the membership getting together to share a common interest in woodworking and it takes volunteers to make it happen. Please give some thought as to how you can help, and contact one of the board members.

Board Briefs

WORKSHOPS 2005

SEPTEMBER 2005
Date:        Saturday, September 10, 2005
Event:        Workshop
Topic:        Inlay and Banding for an 18th Century Spice Box
Presenter:    Glen Huey
Location:    Scott Stanwyck Studio
Time:        9:00 am to 3 pm
enrollment:    Maximum 15,  Members Only
Fee:        $50
Presenter:    Glen Huey
Materials included in fee: Demonstration material and supplies. Equipment to be brought to workshop: TBD
Comments:  
    Glen Huey builds custom furniture in his shop in Ohio.   At the age of fourteen, with great help from Dad, he built his first furniture piece. It is a Sheraton Bed that he still has to this day. Sometime after graduating from the University of Cincinnati Glen decided to return to his passion - the building of 18th and 19th Century Reproduction furniture.
    In November of 1997 Glen had an article published for the first time in Popular Woodworking Magazine. After some additional articles on furniture and a few on techniques, he was asked to become a Contributing Editor with the publication.
    In December of 2001 he graced his first cover for the Pennsylvania Spice Box. Two issues later his father appeared on the cover for his second article which was an Ultimate Tool Cabinet. They both enjoy and look forward to more features in the magazine.
    In April of 2002 he had his first book published by Popular Woodworking Books. Titled Fine Furniture For A Lifetime, it is a "step by step" book that features ten selections from the 18th and 19th century which were built by the finest city and rural craftsman of their time, as well as furniture built by the Shakers with their simplistic designs.  Glen is also the author of a second book, Building Fine Furniture.
    Why 18th and 19th Century? First and most importantly, this is the era and style that Glen enjoys the most. This is the time period in our history that the best designs have been created. The development of Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Federal styles provided masterpiece designs for city patrons as well as the pieces that were copied by the rural craftsman. Add to this the Shaker movement with their distinct style, and who could ask for better craftsmanship to copy. Proven designs that are timeless.  
    In this workshop Glen will demonstrate the techniques to build your own inlay and banding such as that used on an 18th century spice box.  For an example see Glen"s article in Popular Woodworking issue 126.  With some jigs, patience, and tools you already have in your shop, you too can incorporate inlay and banding in your furniture.  Attendees will make chevron and circular inlay as well as practice with stringing

OCTOBER 2005
Date:        Saturday, October 8, 2005
Event:        Workshop
Topic:        Dovetail workshop with Jeff Miller
Presenter:    Jeff Miller
Location:    Jerry Tackes Studio
Time:        9:00 am to 3 pm
Enrollment:    Maximum10,  Members only.
Fee:        $50
Sponsor:     Kevin Seigworth
Materials included in fee:  Demonstration material and supplies. Equipment to be brought to workshop: TBD
Comments:  
    Jeff Miller is a furniture designer, craftsman, teacher, and author of woodworking books and articles (he"s also a former classical musician and a dad). J. Miller Handcrafted Furniture is located at 1774 W. Lunt Avenue, Chicago, IL.   Jeff"s furniture has been shown in galleries and shows nationwide, and has won numerous awards. His furniture is in the Decorative Arts Collection of the Chicago Historical Society.
    Jeff"s first book, Chairmaking and Design, published by The Taunton Press, is available, along with a companion video, Chairmaking Techniques. Both won the 1998 Stanley Tools Awards for the best "how-to" book and video. Jeff"s second book, Beds,  was released by Taunton in the fall of 1999. And his third book, Children"s Furniture Projects was released in the fall of 2002.
    In this Dovetail Workshop, you"ll learn to cut dovetails two ways: by hand, and using the table saw and band saw (with a simple, terrifically versatile jig). A one-day, hands-on workshop devoted to this functional and sometimes frustrating joint. Why settle for the mechanical look of routed dovetails when you can learn to cut beautiful dovetails with these methods? Work on the key skills for hand-cut joints, and see how these skills can be applied elsewhere in your woodworking.

PROGRAMS

August 2005
Date:        Wednesday, August 6, 2005
Event:        Regular Monthly Meeting
Topic:        Show and Tell
Presenter:    Guild Members
Location:    Faith United Church of Christ
            4240 N. 78th St.    Milwaukee WI
Time:        7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Fee:        None. First Time Guests are Welcome
Comments:   
    An annual favorite to inspire others and brag about your work. Show pieces, Jigs and fixtures, tips and timesavers will be presented by Guild Members, explaining what they did, how it was done, and how it helps around the shop for all the tips.
    Always informative and fun, and great ideas to take home with you. Come and enjoy, get up and show your stuff! Signups at the next meeting to help schedule the time.

AUGUST 2005
Date:        Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Event:        Regular Monthly Meeting
Topic:        Workbench Program
Presenter:    Mark Bronkalla and Ken Bahr
Location:    Faith United Church of Christ
            4240 N. 78th St.    Milwaukee WI
Time:        7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Fee:        None. First time guests are welcome.
Comments:
    Woodworkers Workbench " The Center of The Workshop
    Now that the Guild finally has a very good workbench available for presentations, this program is designed to show every member that doesn"t have a workbench how to make one for their shop. Planning, construction, materials, and design will be covered. There will be some discussion on how much workbench you need and can afford.
    Several types of workbenches will be talked about, and there will be some details about a few upgrades and enhancements for those who already have a workbench or plan to make one.
    A Power Point presentation will be made to help visualize the options that are available, and questions and answers will add to the presentation as time allows. Should be a very informative evening for those who will be making or upgrading their workbenches.

SEPTEMBER 2005
Date:        Friday September 9, 2005
Event:        Regular Monthly Meeting
Topic:        18th Century Spice Box Construction
Presenter:    Glen Huey
Location:    Faith United Church of Christ
            4240 N. 78th St.    Milwaukee WI
Time:        7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Fee:        None. First time guests are welcome.
Comments:
    Glen Huey builds custom furniture in his shop in Ohio.   At the age of fourteen, with great help from Dad, he built his first furniture piece. It is a Sheraton Bed that he still has to this day.        Sometime after graduating from the University of Cincinnati, Glen decided to return to his passion - the building of 18th and 19th Century Reproduction furniture.
    In November of 1997 Glen had an article published for the first time in Popular Woodworking Magazine. After some additional articles on furniture and a few on techniques, he was asked to become a Contributing Editor with the publication.
    In December of 2001 he graced his first cover for the Pennsylvania Spice Box.  Two issues later his Father appeared on the cover for his second article which was an Ultimate Tool Cabinet. They both enjoy and look forward to more features in the magazine.
    In April of 2002 he had his first book published by Popular Woodworking Books. Titled Fine Furniture For A Lifetime., it is a "step by step" book that features ten selections from the 18th and 19th century which were built by the finest city and rural craftsman of their time, as well as furniture built by the Shakers with their simplistic designs.  Glen is also the author of a second book, Building Fine Furniture.
    Why 18th and 19th Century? First and most importantly, this is the era and style that he enjoys the most. This is the time period in our history that the best designs have been created. The development of Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Federal styles provided masterpiece designs for city patrons as well as the pieces that were copied by the rural craftsman. Add to this the Shaker movement with their distinct style, and who could ask for better craftsmanship to copy. Proven designs that are timeless.
    In this program, Glen will discuss 18th century spice boxes, their history, styles and construction techniques.  He will also discuss in depth the process and techniques used in building 18th and 19th century furniture reproductions including studying pieces, books and styles.  In the companion workshop, Glen will demonstrate making the banding and inlay used in construction of the spice box door.

OCTOBER 2005
Date:            Friday October 7, 2005
Event:          Regular Monthly Meeting
Topic:          Bed design and construction
Presenter:    Jeff Miller
Location:     Faith United Church of Christ
                   4240 N. 78th St.    Milwaukee WI
Time:          7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Fee:        None
Comments:  
    Jeff Miller is a furniture designer, craftsman, teacher, and author of woodworking books and articles (he"s also a former classical musician and a dad). J. Miller Handcrafted Furniture is located at 1774 W. Lunt Avenue, Chicago, IL. Jeff"s furniture has been shown in galleries and shows nationwide, and has won numerous awards. His furniture is in the Decorative Arts Collection of the Chicago Historical Society.
    Jeff"s first book, Chairmaking and Design, published by The Taunton Press, is available, along with a companion video, Chairmaking Techniques. Both won the 1998 Stanley Tools Awards for the best "how-to" book and video. Jeff"s second book, Beds was released by Taunton in the fall of 1999. And his third book, Children"s Furniture Projects was released in the fall of 2002.
    In this presentation, Jeff will review the considerations and techniques used to make any style of bed.  By changing a few details you can change the look of a bed from four-poster, to Arts and Crafts, or Shaker or Sleigh bed. If you have ever wanted to build a bed, this will be a great primer on the topic for you.


The Guild Roundtable

Dick Yezek Vice President


    In 1965 I purchased a toy box kit for my young daughter. The carton was marked "some assembly required" but on Dec. 24th I discovered the boards in the kit were all of different lengths; none were marked and the hardware was flimsy at best - but there was still time to get to Sears Roebuck. There I purchased better hardware and my first powered saw - a jig saw. After all, I needed something that would quickly cut those boards to size yet not make too much noise in an apartment. By 2 am on Dec. 25th I had learned a jig saw does not produce a fine, square, edge regardless of the blade used! A few years later I saw a man demonstrate compound cuts on a radial arm saw that were far better than any cut on the jig saw - so I bought my first stationary power tool, a DeWalt (then a division of Black & Decker) 10" radial arm saw.

    The radial arm saw was billed as being almost a complete shop in one machine - with attachments. I quickly learned that was not the case. While initial setup was easy, with any movement left or right the arm lost its 90" setting even though a hefty steel dog engaged 45" and 90" slots in a steel adjustment ring mounted on the column. In the store the saw had 8 foot clearance all around, which made ripping look easy, but in my shop the saw is positioned against a wall next to a workbench. Rip cuts were awkward at best and the carriage lock makes repeatable rip width setting wearisome. The fence is limited to the width of the table which is fine for short pieces in a demonstration but hardly adequate for 8 foot lengths of 2" oak. The fence is reduced to only a few inches when cutting a left hand 45" miter as the blade on a radial arm saw is always on the motor"s left side,. But runout on the motor shaft is near zero so once set at 90", the saw makes perfect crosscuts in 1" stock. It was a big step up from a jig saw and I still use it today - for crosscuts!

    Crosscutting 2" stock on a 10" radial arm saw requires plenty of muscle to control the saw"s tendency to, without warning, climb in the kerf. This can actually stop the 13 amp 110V motor; when it happens the force of the blade"s wedging action in the kerf actually deflects the arm upwards. You then must let go of the stock to shut the motor off, a rather scary operation in itself. I tried an attachment just once on this saw - a three cutter 4" molding head. The climb cut action was severe on even light cuts! Once and for all I learned an attachment can never replace a purpose designed machine. A radial arm saw is designed to crosscut wood, not act as a shaper, surface planer, etc., regardless of descriptions in the instruction manual! The column is the source of this saw"s 90" alignment issues. Tiny set screws hold brass gibs against the column but when the arm is moved, torque deforms the gibs slightly and the column rotates just enough to lose its 90" setting.  

    Years later I purchased a table saw - a Delta 10" Unisaw. The triple belt arbor has near zero runout and is driven by a 3 HP motor on a 20 amp 220V circuit. It has no trouble ripping 2" stock but I found it difficult to make a crosscut near the end of a long length without the use of a sled so I continue to use a radial arm saw for 90" crosscuts whenever possible. Professional woodworking establishments like Fillinger or Kettle Moraine Hardwoods both use radial arm saws - set in the middle of 32 foot workbenches - and both have table saws with massive tables augmented with extensions on each side and to the rear. Those setups give operators unparalleled control over large work pieces,  before, during, and after a cut!

    Before the arrival of sliding compound miter boxes I bought a 12" turret arm Delta radial arm saw with a 3 HP 220V motor as the 45" and 90" settings on this saw are repeatable; there are no gibs and since the overarm is fixed, column torque is zero. The turret arm"s 90" setting is made via a heavy steel plate triple bolted in the overarm. It crosscuts 2" stock easier but any radial arm saw has a tendency to climb into a cut. However there is about 1" runout on this saw (within limits according to Delta) and its table is 2" lower than the table on the Unisaw - which is no problem in a professional setting - but in a small shop like mine it means the saw must be blocked up if larger pieces are to clear nearby machines. So before you buy a stationary power tool, measure your shop and read the machine"s instruction book. It will describe limitations not obvious in sales literature and be wary of claims made for attachments that convert basic functions, e.g., sawing to shaping!




Top Ten Rules of Thumb (Excerpted from article by Mike Dunbar in Fine Woodworking Sept./Oct. 2002)

  1. Don't rush. Rushing causes more injuries than any other bad habit.
  2. Learn to sharpen. It opens the door to faster, easier techniques and better results.
  3. You get what you pay for. Get the best you can afford.
  4. Finishing is half the battle. When you finish with the woodwork, you"re only half way done.
  5. Practice makes perfect. The quality of your work is better if you are not learning the skills on the job.
  6. Dry-fit before glue-up. Find out which components to put together first, which clamps to use and where to put them.
  7. Glue won't rescue poor joinery. There is no glue so strong or so gap-filling that it makes up for sloppy joinery.
  8. Your router won't do everything. There is no universal wonderful tool that will do everything perfectly and effortlessly.
  9. Use both hand and power tools. An efficient, effective woodworker knows how to use both machines and hand tools.
  10. Keep your shop clean. Think of you shop as a tool. Keep it tuned up and well-maintained.


Classified

For Sale

Doors: Six oak veneered hollow core interior flat panel doors.Each is 80" long and vary in width from 28" - 36". (Could be used to make lightweight assembly tables.) Incinerator: Warm Morning Gas Disposer with a timer made by the Locke Stove Company. It"s about 30 years old and measures approximately 36"h x 16"w x 16"d. Alan Clapp

Jointer: Six-inch Jointer. If interested, please contact Jerry Veenendaal

Lathe: Large wood lathe, 3 phase, originally from a high school, runs good, no tools or steady rest, asking $500 or best offer, in Shebogan area Lou