popular woodworking - 011 -1983.pdf

8/17/2019 Popular Woodworking - 011 -1983.pdf

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rom th Publisher

As the woodworking field develops, we see more exhibi ts , shows andmeetings where woodworkers get together. Among the more popular aretrade shows, with seminars, exhibits,retail booths and more. But do weneed two shows on the sameweekend?

The first Western woodworkingt rade show for the individual workerwas the Excellence in Woodworkingshow in Los Angeles last May (seePacific Woodworker Issue 8), sponsored by a professional show promoter. At the show, many Nor thernCalifornia woodworkers suggested asimilar show in the San Franciscoarea; the Excellence in Woodworkingshow managers were unenthusiastic.

etters Your publication of Pacific Wood-

worker August/September 1982,contained an art icle on EstablishingA Woodworking Business that inspired me tremendously. I have decided to learn the woodworking tradeand hope to own a shop sometime inthe future. I forgot my goals andstarted getting very depressed becauseof the relatively small income. Thankyou for se tt ing me on the s tra igh t andnarrow.

Martin J .F. Lynn

Camarillo, CA

Pacific Woodworker welcomes youropinions pro or con about articlesand information we publish SendLetters to Editor Pacific Wood-worker P O Box 4 881 Santa RosaCA 95402 Letters may be editedfor publication

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So a group of Bay area woodworkers and merchants decided to setup their own woodworking show,aiming for a weekend a few weeksahead of the 1983 LA Excellence inWoodworking show, so they thought.This new group formed a non-profi torganizat ion in order to exhibi t in theprestigious Fort Mason exhibit hallin San Francisco, and they hiredanother professional show promoterto handle the details.

The How To s of Working Woodshow got of f to a fast s tart , signing upexhibitors, arranging seminars, etc.But meanwhile the Excellence inWoodworking show mana gementhad changed the date of their showto -you guessed i t - the same weekend as the San Francisco show. Nowwe have two shows for woodworkersat the same time.

Who benefits from this duplication? Not the show managers, as in

terest will be split between the twoshows, especially exhibitor interest.Th e exhibitors don t benefit from twosimultaneous shows, as many smallerexhibitors must choose one or theother show; they do not have theresources to staff booths at bothshows. Pacific Woodworker will tryto cover both shows with ou r smalls taff .) The individual woodworkersattending the shows may see fewer ex

hibits, fewer fellow woodworkers andfewer new products.

We feel trade shows for the individual woodworker are useful, educational and entertaining diversionsf rom the shop . Th e woodworker cansee what tools are available, and,more important, he can tryout thesetools , to see what he likes. The woodworker can compare products side byside, see and touch the wood surfacesafter planing, glance through books,

alk to knowledgeable and expen

enced manufacturers and vendors of

products for the woodworker, exam-ine the veneers, and meet with other

d

woo workers from other parts of thecountry.

But we feel woodworking showscan do more for the individual wood

worker. A show by and for woodworkers could provide many extrasthat professionally run shows excludeas not profitable: panel discussio Jsby successful woodworkers, i n f o r~

dquestion-an -answer sessions, meet-ings of various special interest groupswithin woodworking, exposure Ifquality woodworking to more poten-tial clients, etc.

The Woodworker s Foundation,

the non-profit group which will n~ -

fit from any profits of the tt

Mason show, is a start. But as ~

Foundation was set up in the i r~ t

place to qualify for the Fort s o~

space, it is to o early to tell if ~

Foundat ion will actually serve ~

needs of the woodworking popul J-

tion. There is no reason why an active

woodworking association (or t t~ r

yet, several associations workingtogether) shouldn t sponsor their o w~

woodworking show or convention.Many volunteer organizations sponsor similar shows, att ract ing exhib itors, speakers, and attendees, oftenearning significant funds for the localwoodworking association.

With the expansion of woodworking assoc iations on the West Coas t.isn t it time we had a woodworkiri gshow of. by and for the woodworker?

by Chod Harris

Pacific woodwork J


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acific Woodworker ISSN 0277-576 X) i sublished s ix times a year by Charles Harris,ox4881, Santa Rosa, CA 95402 .opyright © 1982by Charles arri s. Reroduction without prior perm ission i srohibited.

ubscription rates S9.95 per year, S15.95r two years. Single copy: SI .95. Add ress

ubscription inqu iries to Subsc ription Dept. ,acificWoodworker Box 4881 , Santa Rosa,A 95402 . Canadaadd S3 .00 per year . Ratesr subscript ions outside North Ame rica onquest . Unless a claim is made for nonceipt of an i ssue within sixmonths ofailing date , that i ssue will not be replacedee of charge. Allow 6 weeks for address

hanges.

nsolicited manuscrip ts, photographs, torkand other materials are accepted , butacific Woodworker cannot assume responbility for these materials . Submissionsust be accompanied by a self -addressed,

p envelope for return .

he opinion s expressed by the author s do notecessarily reflect the policy of Pacifi c

Woodworker . Edito rial correspondence i sncouraged, and ma y be edited for publit ion.

irect all ad vertising i nquiri es to:dvertis ing Manager , Pacifi c Wood workerox4881 , Santa Rosa , CA 9540207) 525-8494 .

eadlinefor Issue11 : Februar y 23, 1983

ulk mail postage paid at San ta Rosa, CArinted in U.S .A.

Staffean M. Davis Editorontributing Editors:Spike oydBill FarnsworthSheldon Harris

Wilsonok Reviews lan MarksNew Tools ob Schwarz

artoons Bill thertonlustrations Mark Hallockharles HarrisAdvertising Manager

ypographyN kels Graphics Dig;-Type

arlow Press Printing

harles Harris Publisher

ebruary/ March 1983

Pacif icW oodwor kpr

Volume 2, Number 5February/March 1983

Issue 11

Contents

2 From the Publisher2 Letters4 Is This Man Putting You On? by Jean Davis

A Pacific Woodworker Profile o f Bill Horgos9 Mail-Order Woodworking by Richard Rollf

A Guide to Woodworking Supplies by Moil12 Calendar Announcements14 Model Making in the Space Age by Charles Harris

Laser Technolog y Proves Crucial17 Marketing Estimating and Bidding

18 Wood Finishes by Robert D. Books22 West Marin Woodworking Show by Charles Harris

A Pacific Woodworker Show Review25 News Notes Postscript: Creation Pole26 Guide to Portable Routers, Part 228 Book Reviews by Alan Marks29 More News Notes30 The Fourth Corner by Bill Farnsworth

Impractical Woodworking?33 Woodworking Store Review

The Cutting Edge Lo s Angeles34 Amazonian Hardwoods, Part 4 by oward Waldron37 Classified Market40 Power an d Tool Wood Carving by Spike Boyd

Lesson 9

Cover Photography by Chod Harris

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Is This Man uttin You On

Pacific Woodworker Profile ill orgos

by Jean avis

You get the idea when you inter-view Bill Horgos that he doesn t takeanything-including himself-too

seriously. And the interviewer getsthe strong impression that Bill speakswith his tongue firmly planted incheek, all the time.

As an interviewer, you try to ask afew standard questions, to get thingsrolling : What s your favorite carv-ing that you ve ever done? you say .

Without even a pause Bill Horgosresponds, T he next one. You beginto realize he s going to be difficult topin down.

Later you try another question: W hy did you become a carver ofsmall figures rather than a finecabinetmaker? ,

I don t like to cut straight lines,Bill jokes.

So Billcarves contemporary carica-tures, figures which poke fun atalmost every aspect of contemporarylifestyle, perhaps especially that of hiscustomers. From his goldfish namedHoward Hughes, Because he is soelusive, Bill comments, to the subtleplacement of a pistol in his carving oftwo bears in a hot tub, Bill Horgos isprobably putting you on.

A great bear of a man on the out-side, Bill is a sensitive and perceptivestudent of modern life. His friendlynature and soft voice belie the emo-tions and conflict hidden inside him.

In his carvings, cats drape bone-lessly over pieces of furniture, bothfurniture and cats obviously modeledafter the same furniture and cats inhis home. Bears engage in some veryimprobable act iv it ies, inc luding

anatomically detailed bears filming aporno movie, and a flasher bear.

And if you asked Bill Horgos whathe d like to title your article, you ~the feeling he d respond, JuvenileDelinquent Makes Good, v~though he wasn t really a juven iledelinquent.

But to hear it from him, he mighthave been if his wood carving didn tprovide a legitimate emotional outletwhen he was growing up.

I m still rowdy. My work makes ,astatement. I carve street people, bagladies, amputees. I do my best workwhen I m angry-some of it is mean,angry, nasty. . . When I feel nicea dd

schmoozy it doesn t come out well.

It s an emotional outlet. But muchof his work is humorous as well.

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Bill Horgos does some his detailedcarving in the comfortable surroundings his livingroom with reference ooks n d light within easy reach

Pacific WOodwork


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BackgroundBill is a Hungarian native who ar

ved in Chicago in 1957. His accentclaims is Hungarian-Polish

merican because of the Polishmmigrants he hung around with inhicago.He started carving as a kid in Hunry, where his father was a butcher

nd there was always cutlery around.he knives fascinated him most atrst. W e had no TV, nothing else toeep busy except running away frommpires, he jokes. And he recalls

•at folk art 10 Hungary also en-u g him. He did embroidery

n sewing, not considered sissyere at all.He picked up carving techniquesetty much on his own, although he .d earn a B.F.A . at the San Fransco Academy of Art, where heu illustration, anatomy andesign.

In 1960 Bill went to Polytechnicigh School in San Francisco. Theree found wonderful woodshops withood equipment and teachers. Mostachers gave him the freedom to do

hat he wanted. They either likede or hated me, he laughs, Either

hey threw me out or let me do what In e One of his early efforts

here was a pistol carved completelyom wood.But he always could draw and

aint, too. Art school during the 60 serely tuned-up existing skills.

Workshop

Bill Horgos s shop, in a convertedarage, contains a hodgepodge, and

ells you a lot about the man. Forxample, he never throws anythingway, yet he retains a vague sense of

where everything is. And his junkpileutside seems to represent his aproach to life: a little of everything,ontented with someone else s castffs, getting along with little .in the

y of material symbols, always atep (or more) from the main stream.

ebruary March 98

It s fun here, Bill says, sitting inhis shop surrounded by items he collects, equipment, and current projects . I get a lot of work done here. Icall it a shop, not a studio . Heproudly calls himself a junk collector,making excursions to the dump topick things up. Old automobile parts-hubcaps, hood ornaments-oldtoys, animal parts including antlershe carves, a warthog skull, even awhale vertebra, hang from the ceilingand spill of f shelves in the shop.Drawer pulls are old nautical cleats.

And Bill s sense of humor isevident everywhere, from drawers

Bill Horgos in his tiny crowdedshop

labeled Previous failures I haven tthe heart to throwaway to Piece(sic) signs amidst drawers for screwsand bolts. One tiny drawer is labeled Band Saw.

Rough patterns for Bill s renownedchess set (shown on the back cover ofFine Woodworking Issue 34) gatherdust on a nearly-hidden ceiling beam.A pile of screws, washers and boltsoverflows onto the floor, yet Billknows just what he does and does not

have in his crowded workshop. Theredefinitely is not enough room in the

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workshop to swing one of the catsthat he carves so often.

Bill has been a full time carver forthe past twelve years, although hiswife's art also helps support the family. I like having my own littlespace, my own workshop, my owndecor, says Bill. My own littlespace is important.

But Bill is pragmatic in his approach to life as well. He will do somesign carving, one sign to pay hislawyer and another to pay his dentist.Besides signs, he does cabinetmakingoccasionally to help pay the bills.

But carving remains his main interest. I love it when I can geteveryone to leave me alone and I gointo my shop and I don't h v to do

anything, fix anything. I lookthrough my pile of wood and go towork. I like to come out here early inthe morning and rough out a piece,then in the winter I go inside whereit's warmer and carve.

Looking around his cluttered shop,he says Usually you can't see theconcrete floor in here. Lately, thoughI've been getting more into vacuuming. I don't want to kill myself with

the dust, you know. He gesturestoward a vacuum cleaner salvagedfrom the dump.

elling is Work

Bill got his start as a carver at theMarin County Renaissance Fair. Afriend was trying to exhibit some banners which were rejected. But thewoman judging the exhibits saw apipe that Bill had carved for thisfriend and she liked it. So she invitedhim to exhibit his pipes at the Fair.

At the time Bill was still in school,with financial support, and he didn'tneed to make a lot of money, so hecarved the pipes, then began tobranch out and carve other things, including scrimshaw. But mainly he didproduction work carving pipes.

Bored with the routine after a time,he would carve race cars or other

6

Bills sifts quickly through items rescued r o the nearby landfill . The pile drawfs hisconvertedgarage /workshop.

Bill s Sales Bear lays it on the line .

fu n things as a change of pa Then, when asked to do a galleryshow in New York City he sold couple of these fu n carvings andhe suddenly realized that peoplewould buy carvings as art, and thatthey would sell for more than the production pieces that bored him.

Later Bill exhibited carvings at theLos Angeles Renaissance Fair, wherethey were seen-and appreciated-b ya celebrity photographer. The pho-

tographer became friendly with Billand introduced him to a number ofcelebrities who also l iked-an dbought-Bill 's work. Among cele tirity clients are Stevie Wonder, Th

Beach Boys, and a movie producer ortwo. .

Now Bill shows his work mainly atgood crafts galleries in New Yor k,

San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He

does best either through galleries orby direct contact. Typical crafts faircustomers aren' t looking for woodcarving as art.

Bill has almost always worked onhis own, and he wouldn't be happyworking for someone else. Brieflyduring the '60s he worked rebuilding

places damaged by termites. While hedidn't like working as an employeeofsomeone else, he did learn a lot abo Jtwood from that experience .

I could have started a productionfactory in the late 60's, he r f l t but it wasn't the kind of life h bwanted. Th e people I admired the rl,

now you see them at shows and theydon't do anything fun. I' d rathe 'r

have fun than make a lot of money. Ilike to do what I like to do. He doesdo some Christmas orders and moreroutine work from time to time. Acarved bear wears a sandwich boardplacard which reads: Money talks,bullshit walks on one side, and Commissions considered on theother. Commissions considered,that reads, no t commissions

accepted necessarily. I make stuff, it comes out of my

head, and either people like it or the y

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Bill has carved carsand trucks including hisown pickup) u t the bears are everywhere.

7

Bill Horgos l oo ms over his M on da y N igh tFootball Bear lower left).

laughs. I spent several hours makingan aluminum bear t emplate to use onthe bandsaw. Then 1 realized it wastaking me longer to trace the templatethan to d ra w the bear freehand. Billdestroyed th e tem plat e so no one elsec ou ld c op y his wo rk.

An d he feels he's improving histechnique all the time. I 'm getting alot bet ter with hands and things, hesays, Although I 'm still working onwomen's faces. 1 do nice b oo bs a nd

since he has finished his wel l-knownchess set where he ha d to carve a lo tof people.

To do bears is so much fun, Billcommen ts. I t 's easy to translatehuman qualities into a bear- thehands, the face.

Bill does no t usually draw plans forhis pieces separately; he draws thefigure or design right on the wood.Sometimes,though, he doodles whenhe's not carving, and he's turned

some of those doodles into carvings. And one day 1 decided 1 was go

ing to make a mil lion dollars, he

rving Techniques

The Director Bear oversees one o Bill smorerisqul carvings.

on't, Bill explains simply. At theacific States Craft s Fair recently,eople said either Wonderful orYou re sickMany regular customers come back

ear after year to see his exhibit . Th eme person may see his work several

ears in a row an d finally buy.Many of his collectors are women,

Reaganettes, he calls them. Theyke cute, kinky things. Yet many ofs carvings poke fun at thei r way of

fe.The Pacific States Crafts Fair heldSan Francisco has used him for

u blicity for the p ast several years,ith TV appearances an d newspaperterviews, and that has been good

or business. My notoriety helps,e says.

His wife, Lilli Heart, sets the pricesr Bill s carvings. He would justve his things away, she claims.

Pe op le thin k his pieces are expen-ve, but if they tried to sit do wn an do it themselves they'd appreciateow hard it i s - the sti tches, the cutngers, the t rips to the hosp ita l, theood spilled on some of thoseeces.

Bill Horgos has always done bears,

ways liked them. They're an espea lly favorite subject these days,

ebruary March 983


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Bill often uses a finger protector when carving. I used to cut myself more often .. hesays ut the doctor s nurse would yell atme that / wassuicidal. So now everytime / dosomething dumb -- don t pay attention -- /canhear heryelling. ..

butts, b ut if you put an ugly face onit, forget it.Bill's carvings begin as small blocks

of various woods. He prefers boxwood, for its tight grain and ability to .hold carved details. Short pieces ofboxwood stick out at odd angles inhis over-crowded shop,

He showed us also a dark brownbear of persimmon wood from a treeabout to be hauled away to make a

shopping center. But he likes boxwood mainly, although it is hard toget.

But he finds another problem withboxwood. Some people don'tunderstand what boxwood is; theythink I carve up old packing crates,

8

he says. Bill overcame this difficultyby carving a plaque into a slice ofboxwood trunk: This is a genuinepiece of boxwood from a boxwoodtree. Again you get the idea thathe's putting you on. Perhaps next aboxwood box?

He works mainly with knives

designed by Ed Louchard fromWashington State . It took about 30knives before Bill started to find justthe right ones. Now he can tell hisfriend precisely what he wants. Theknives are made from old Volvo valvesprings, and Bill puts his own handleson the blades.

And Billdoes use a Foredom powercarving tool to rough out somepieces, and a Sand-a-Flex for some

finishing work.He also uses a finger pro tector for

his left index finger when he carves. Usually I put it on after I cutmyself, which is really smart , hejokes. Pointing to a recent scar hesays That one cost 123.

Often he uses a clamp which screwsright into the middle of his table topto work on small carvings. Currentlyhe's doing a cherry carving which will

mount on a fireplace in a new house.All the work is done by hand. Icould use a router for some of this,but it would take as much time to setup the machine as to do it by hand,he explains.

As far as finishing isconcerned, thesmaller pieces he smooths by handscraping, burnishing, or rubbing.And he uses Watco stain as part ofthe finishing process sometimes. Bu t my big trick, the ultimatefinish, he says, Is Kiwibrown shoepolish and rubbing . It 's both wax andcolor. For years he was not satisfiedwith the patina on his pieces, until hediscovered that shoe polish works sowell. I t 's so simple, it's right infront of your face, but you don't seeit he exclaims.

The blades o f Bill s carving knives were

custom-crafted by Ed Louchard from discarded automobile springs

To be a successful carver, says Bill,. I

To be happy, you have to be ascrounger. . Most of my tools Iscrounge. I get things at the dump. Igot a base for my sanding machine,

. I

my vacuum cleaner. Everything elec-trical that I've ever found at thedump has worked. He compares

this hobby to someone else's habit 9fgoing to play blackjack at a Casino in. I

Tahoe or Vegas, but he goes to thedump instead. That way I win everytime, he laughs. He finds l u m ~steel, springs for machinery, andmakes many of his own tools fro thsalvaged parts. He also sharpens a llhis own tools, hand filing his carvingchisels and knives using a gauge. I

Beginning carvers, says Bill, should

start off easy and don't get dis Icouraged. Carve an egg, or a banana.

I f you can do that you can carveanything. The rest is your imagination. Too many beginners, Billthinks, S ta rt o ff wanting to carve knaked lady on a Pegasus being carrie dof f into the clouds . They take achunk of wood and cut their handand just give up. I

I 'm an illustrator in wood, Bill

Horgos explains. I get a lot of m yideas from the news. I wouldn't callmyself political, but I like to do con L

temporary work in touch with thetimes. I never wanted to do birds o rPresident Lincoln. I

Which is perhaps just as well. Ishudder to think what Bill Horgo s

. Iwould do with such treasured na -tional symbols. I know it would makeme laugh, and perhaps make memad ,but I'll bet I would like it, too .

. - : . . •

- a A -r . \

t . . .

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Mail Order Woodworking

uide to Woodworking upplies il

ich rd ollf

There are many advantages to purasing woodworking tools and sup

es via mail-order. The majority ofail-order woodworking stores givependableservicewhilesellingqualitools at competitive prices. In someses you may even save money and

me considering the hassles involveddriving around to several lumberrds and hardware stores to pick upols and supplies. But the main adntage of mail-order is that you canll out your catalogs compare prices

d order whatever you need frome comfort of your home or office.ith mail-order catalogs you willve a larger and better selection ofols hardware lumber finishingpplies and hard-to-find items tooose from. Mail-order catalogsso provide a good source of infor-ation about the use and care ols woodworking tips and techques. My experience with mailder has been that of dependablervice and quality tools.Over the last two-and-a-half yearshave submitted over 7 orders toore than 25 woodworking mail-

ichard ollf a woodworker andmate at the Oregon State Peni-ntiary in Sa/em Oregon. n article

bout Richard appeared in Pacific

Woodworker Issue 8 August/Sepmber 1982

ebruary March 983

order companies for the purchase all my tools hardware lumber finish-

ing supplies and books. The biggestproblem for me has been overcomingmy own impatience but the majority orders have arrived in 4 to 6 weeks.Mail-order woodworking on a consistent basis requires some planningforethought and confidence in thecompany you are ordering from. Myexperience has taught me that mostdelays and problems with orders canbe eliminated by carefully studying

the catalog and the company s instructions about ordering.

One of the first companies I orderedfrom was U.S. General Tool Supply. I experienced problems with allthree of my orders ranging from incomplete orders to lengthy delays inreceiving orders. This company sellsgood quality tools but their serviceand dependability are unpredictable.I would only order from this companyas a last resort.

A much better mail-order store thatoffers a large variety of name brandhand tools power tools accessoriesand many hard to find items is SilvoHardware Co. Their 179-pagecatalogis full interesting tools. I have ordered from them 3 times; their serviceand the quality of their tools is verygood. My orders arrived in 3 to 4weeks. This catalog is well worthhaving.

Another dependable company isWoodcraft Supply Corp. This store s

1I2-page color catalog offers an exceptional selection over 3 500 finetools and woodworking supplies.There is a 9-page section professional size Swiss carving tools in awide range of gouges chisels veiners plus carving accessories. The next6 pages show a wide selection ofnatural and manmade sharpeningstones in a variety shapes andsizes. I ordered one the wood

turner slipstones and two theSorby turning tools. These are trulyfine tools. I ve ordered 5 times fromWoodcraft and my orders have always arrived in 4 or 5 weeks. TheWoodcraft tools are for the craftsman who wants the best and appreciates fine tools. Woodcraft offers aguarantee refund replacement orsubstitution if you re not satisfiedwith what you receive.

Another excellent source for carving tools rifflers sharpening stones

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caning supplies, drill bits, sandingsupplies and much more is Frog ToolCo. Their 98-page black and whitecatalog is loaded with quality handtools and accessories for the woodworker . An interesting section offersunique Japanese handsaws, measuring tools, handplanes and chisels.Each of my 5 orders arrived in about5 weeks. The service is dependable,the prices reasonable and they offeran iron-clad money-back guaranteeon the purchase of any tools.

excellent source for orderingwood screws, abrasives and clamps isthe Tool Works. Their 50-page catalog offers a comprehensive selectionof name brand clamping tools including Wetzler, Pony, and Jorgen

sen.

you re confused about sandpaper, this catalog has an excellentbreakdown and description clarifyingsandpaper grits, weights, and types ofabrasives. I ve ordered sandpaper,brass screws and rasps from the ToolWorks. My orders have all arrived inthe standard 4 to 5 week time . Theystill have a lot of clamps I d like tobuy and I l l continue to order sandpaper and screws from them.

Many more reliable tool companiesexist. The list that follows shouldhelp you find jus t about any type oftool or hardware you might want orneed.

Silvo Hardware Co.2205 Richmond St .Philadelphia, PA 19125

10.00 minimum order.179 page catalog 1.00.Power tools, hand tools,machinery, hardware, drill bits,screwdrivers, wrenches, sawblades, measuring tools andlevels. Guarantees merchandise.

Woodcraft Supply Corp.313 MontvaleWoburn, Mass 01888

112 page color catalog 2.50.Swiss made carving tools,

natural and manmade sharpeningstones, turning tools, log cabintools, drilling tools, handplanes,woodcraft project supplys,finishing supplies, and books.Guarantees merchandise .

The Tool Works1118thAve.New York, NY

50 page catalog 2.00Hand tools, sandpaper belts,clamps and steel brass screws.Guarantees merchandise .

Constantine and Sons2050 Eastchester Rd.Bronx, NY 10462

7.50 minimum order. 107-pagecatalog 1.00. Hand tools,foreign and domestic wood inrough and pre-cut sizes , veneers,turning squares, commercialinlays and overlays, finis hingsupplies, books, plans.Guarantees merchandise .

Craftsman Wood Service1735West Courtland Ct.Addison IL 60101

10.00 minimum order. 144 pagecolor catalog 1.50. Hobby tools,hand tools, hardware, domesticand foreign hardwood, veneers,commercial inlays, books and

plans . Guarantees merchandise.

The Princeton Co.P. O . Box 276Princeton, MA 54

10.00 minimum order. 79 pagecatalog sent upon request. Handtools, power tools, carving tools,forstner bits, clamps; sharpeningstones, carbide saw blades, raspsand files. Guarantees merchandise .

Leichtung Inc .4944 Commerce Pky.Cleveland, Ohio 44128 :5985

10 .00 minimum order. Catalog

sent upon request. Hand tools,Makita power tools, Brachtchisels and gouges, Greenleeturning tools, screwdrivers,Japanese tools, forstner bits,plug cutters. Guaranteesmerchandise.

The Tool RoomEast Oxbrow Rd.Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

10.00 minimum order. 50pagecatalog sent upon request. Handtools, dovetail marking gauge,shave hooks, brass backed saws ,Zyliss vise system. Guaranteesmerchandise.

Lee ValleyP.O. Box6295Ottawa, Ont. K2A 1T4

130-pagecatalog 2.00.The ultimate in fine woodworking tools . Very impressive first-

Pacific Woodworker


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class hand tools and accessories.Guarantees merchandise.

Woodworking MachineryManufacturers of America1900Arch StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103

Buyer's Guide Directory sent

upon request. Woodworkingmachines for sawmills, for plywood and veneer plants, forfurniture and casegoods manufacturing, and all other woodworking facilities throughout theworld.

oo

The availability and delivery

mes for domestic and foreignmber can vary from 4 weeks tomonths. You can save up to0 on hardwood through mail-der depending on the supplier

nd the number of board feet youder at one time . The following

give dependable service .

The WoodworksP.O. Box 79238Saginaw, TX 76179

IS-pagecatalog sent upon requestFurniture plugs buttons,sandedhardwood dowelsin birch,beech, maple, walnut, and oak,finials, spindles, toy wheels,hardwood pegs, hardwooddrawer knobs, and hardwoodballs Y2 to 2 diameter.Guarantees merchandise.

JohnsonsWorkbench

51315US - 33 Nor thSouthBend, IN 46637

Brochure of wood, prices andservices sent upon request.Domestic and foreign hardwoodand softwood, plywood, veneer,turning squares and machinework. No minimum. Guaranteesmerchandise.

Red Burl Esque1454Orchard Home Dr.Medford, OR 97501

bruary March 983

7-pageprice list sent upon request.Myrtle wood, Redwood, andBuckeye burl slabs. Myrtle andMaple dimensional lumber andturning stock. No minimum.Guarantees products.

Craftwoods7 Beaver Run Lane York Rd.Cockeysville, MD 21030

Price list 1.00.44 domestic and imported hardwoods, turning squares, veneers,cabinetplywood, picture framing,and misc. supplies. Small ordersaccepted.

Iowa-Missouri Walnut Co. Inc.2801 So. 2nd St.Box 66, Sta . ASt. Joseph, MO 64503

Price list sent upon request.Walnut lumber, squares, gunstock blanks, veneer.

Cryder Creek Wood ShoppeBox 19Whitesville, NY 14897

50cents for 12page price list.

10.00 minimum order.Hardwood turning squares androunds. Cherry, ash, maple,beech, butternut, oak and basswood. Free turning square witheach order. Ashley Isles turningtools. Guarantee.

Austin Hardwoods2125 GoodrichAustin, TX 78704

Price list sent upon request. 5.00minimum order. Domestic andimported lumber. Guarantee.

Blue MustangP.O. Box 173Racine , WI 53401

Price brochure sent upon request.No minimum. Kiln-dried basswood for carving and woodworking.

Broadhead GarrettP.O. Box 15528Sacramento, CA 95852-1528

1062page catalog 5.00. 25minimum order. Tools, foreignand domestic lumber. Thiscompany has the lowest prices forlumber. Unfortunately, you mayhave to wait up to 4 months toreceive your order for wood.Tools usually arrive in thestandard 4 to 6 week time.

Note: Two other mail-order supplierscontacted us with information abouttheir catalogs. We have had no directexperience with their services butwe d be happy to hear from readerswho have orderedfrom them.

Highland Hardware, Inc.1034N. Highland Ave, N.E.Atlanta, GA 30306

58 page catalog, 1.00.Power and hand tools, supplies,

books.Guarantees merchandise.Toll-free order number.

Carolina Craftsmen975 South Avocado St.Anaheim, CA 92805

4-color catalog, 3.00.Antique reproduction brass hardware. Hand polished hinges,

knobs, etc. Guaranteesmerchandise.


12/44

alendar nnouncements

vents o interest to woo workers

Feb. I-Mar. 8. Los Angeles CA.The Business of W oodworking, instructorRichard Ritte r, si x Tuesda ys, 7-10 PM.Conta ct The Cutt ing Edge , 3871 Grand ViewBlvd ., Los Angeles 90066 or (213) 390-9723.Feb. 2-Mar.9. Los Angeles CA.Power T o ol Wood working class , instructorHoward Lew in. Si x Wedne sdays, 7-IOPM.Contact T he Cutting Edge , 3871 Grand ViewBlvd., Los Angeles 90066 or (213) 390-9723 .Feb.3-24. Mountain View CA.Beginning Wood Ca rving cl ass, instructorAll en Shaf fer. Fo ur Thu rsdays, IOAM-IPM .Cont act The Wood Too l Cen ter, 2545 ShowersDrive, Mountain View, CA 94040 or (415 )948-3844.Feb. 4. Berkeley CA.To shio Oda te Lecture, Japanese Woodworking 7 PM . Con tact The Cu tting Edge store,1836 Fourth St. , Berkeley , CA 94 710 or (415)

548-6011.Feb. 4. Los Angeles CA.Ian K irby Lecture, Combining HandPower Tool s for Fine Craftsmanship , 7 PM .Contac t The Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand ViewBlvd., Los Angeles 90066 or (213) 390-9723 .Feb.4-6. San Diego CA.Ian Kirby lecture and workshop. Contact TheCutt ing Edge , 7626 Miramar Rd . Suite 3500 ,San Diego 92126 or (619) 695-3990.Feb.S, San Diego CA.Je rry Glaser Woodturning Seminar, noon5PM . Conta ct The Cutting Edge, 7626Miramar Rd. Suite 3500 , San Diego 92126 or(619) 695 -3990.Feb.8. San Diego CA.Sharpening Woodworking Tools class, instructor s Paul Jacobsen and Chuck Masters,7-IOPM. Contact The Cutting Edge , 7626

Pacific Woodworker willpublicize events in-erest to woodworkers. Send complete infor-

mation to Pacific Woodworker Calendar POox4881 Santa Rosa CA 95402. Deadline for

Ifssue 12 is Feb . 25, 983 We would especi llIike to hear more from Western woodworkersand woodworking organizations outside ali

California. Let us help publicize your eventshows and classes

12

Miramar Rd . Suite 3500, San Diego 92126 or(619) 695-3990 . eb H Los Angeles CA.Sharpening Woodworking Tools class, instructor Jesse Barragan, 7 -IOPM. Contact The Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand View Blvd., LosAngeles 90066 or (213) 390-9723.Feb.H Mountain View CA.Southbay Shipmodelers meeting , 7PM.Contact The Wood Tool Center , 2545ShowersDrive, Mountain View, CA 94040 or (415)948-3844. First exhibit to be held Feb.12-13.Feb. H San Diego CA.Joseph Bavaro Lecture , T he Furniture ofGustav Stickley, 7:30 PM . Contact The Cutting Edge , 7626 M iramar Rd. Suit e 3500, SanDiego 92126 or (619) 695 -3990.Feb. H San Diego CA.Lecture, T he Furniture of Jo seph Stickley ,by Joseph Bavaro, 7 :30PM. Conta ct The Cut

ting Edge, 7626 Miramar Rd . Suit e 3500, SanDiego 92126 or (619) 695-3990 .Feb. H 18. Los Angeles CA.Joinery II-Mortise and Tenon class, instructorAndrew Cohen, 7-IOPM . Contact The CuttingEdge, 3871 Grand View Blvd ., Los Angeles90066 or (213) 390-9723.Feb.12. Mountain View CA.Doll House Construct ion class, instructorBarbara Jones. Contact The Wood Tool Center, 2545 Showers Drive, Mountain View , CA94040 or (415) 948 -3844.Feb.12. Palo Alto CA.Sharpening Workshop, 1-5PM. Contact PaloAlto Woodworking, 820 Ramon a St. , PaloAlto , CA 943 1 or (415) 327 -5335.Feb. I2-Mar. 5. Los Angeles.Stai ned glassworkshop, fou r Sa tur da ys, O :30AM-1: 30 PM, instructor Jesse Cogswell.Contact The Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand ViewBlvd., Los Angeles 90066 or (213) 390-9723 .Feb.14-Mar.14. Palo Alto CA.A Radical Approach to Woodworking course ,inst ruct or Brian Burns . Five Mondays ,7:3O-9:30PM. Contact Palo Alto Woodworking, 820 Ramona St., Palo Alto , CA 943 1 or(415) 327 5335 .

Feb.15-Mar.8. Mountain View CA.Beginning Wood Carving class, instructor

Allen Sha ffer . Four T uesdays, 7 -IOPM,Contact The Wood Tool Center, 2545Shower sDrive, Mounta in View, CA 94040 or (415 )948-3844 .Feb .15-Mar .8. Feb.15-Mar.22. San Diego CA.Introduc tion to Woodworking I class, instru tor Carl Johnson , Tuesday s 7-IOPM . ContactThe Cutting Edge , 7626 M iramar Rd . Suite3500, San Diego 9 2126 or (619) 695-3990. Feb.16. Berkeley CA.Sharpen ing s eminar with Vaughn Beckma n,7-IOPM . Contact Th e Cutting Edgestore , 1836Fou rth St. , Berkel ey, C A 94710 or (415)548 6 1

Feb. 16-Mar. 9. Los Angeles CA.Fin ishing a nd Re finishing II clas s, inst ructorOscar Ma cQuiddy, f our Wedne sdays, 7 -IOPM.Con tact T he Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand Vie wBlvd., Los Angele s 90066 or (213) 39 9723 .

Feb.16-Mar.16. Palo Alto CA.

Plane Ma king class, taught b y Brian Burn s.Five Wednesda ys, 7:3 O IOPM. Con tact Pal oAlto Woodwork ing, 820 Ramona St ., Pal oAlto, CA 943 1 or (415) 327-5335. Feb.16-Mar.23. Mountain View CA.Wood Inla y, Instructor Herman Novak , Wednesdays , 7-IOPM . Contact The Wood To dlCenter, 2545 Showers Dr ive, Mountain Vie JCA 94040 or (415) 948 -3844. Feb.17-Mar.17. Palo Alto CA.Hand Too l Woodwork ing class , instructorBrian Burn s. Five Thursda ys, :3O IOP M.Contact Palo A lto Woodworking , 820 m o n si., Palo Alto , CA 943 1 or (415) 327 5335 . ,Feb.18-Mar.18 . Palo Alto, CA. IBeginn ing Woodwork ing course , instructorBrian Burn s. Five Fridays, 7:30-IOP M.Contact Pa lo Alto Woodwo rking, 820Ramon aSt ., Palo Alto , CA 94 301 or (415) 32 7 5335 .Feb.19. Berkeley CA.Rou ter Do veta ils, clas s, instructo r Je ffDavison, IOAM -6PM. Contact The Cu ttingEdge s tore, 1836 Fourth St ., Berkele y, CA94710 o r (415) 548 6 1 1.

Feb.19. Palo Alto CA. Wood Co mes From Trees demonstrat ionworkshop on sawing yo ur own logs, 1 -5PM.

Contact Palo Alto Woodwo rking, 820 m o n St. , Palo Alto , CA 943 1 or (415) 327 5335 .

Pacific Woodworke r


13/44

eb.22. Los Angeles , CA.quipment demonst rations, free of charge ,IO PM. Conta ct The Cutt ing Edge , 3871and ViewBl vd., Los An geles 90066 o r 2130-9723 .eb.22-Mar.22. Palo Alto, CA.ower Too l Woodworking , instructor Brianurn s. Five Tue sdays, 7 :3Q IOPM. Contactalo Alto Woodworking , 820 Ramona S t. ,alo Alto, CA 943 1 or 415 32 7-5335.

eb.23-Mar.9. Berkeley, CA.he Router class , instructor J im Sweeney ,ednesdays, 7- IOPM. Conta ct The Cuttingdge store , 1836 Four th S t. , Berkeley , CA710or 415 548 -6011.

eb. 24. Los Angeles, CA.outing II, instructor Peter Shap iro, 7-10 PM .ontact The Cutting Edge , 3871 Grand Viewvd. , Los Angeles 90066 or 213 390-9723.eb. 24 Mar. 3. Los Angeles, CA.iner y l -Hand Dovetails class , instructorndrew Cohen, 7-IOPM. Contact The Cuttingdge, 3871 Grand View Blvd. , Los Angeles066 or 213 390-9723.

eb.24-Mar.17. Berkeley, CA.nishing and Refini shing class, instructorlian Kaye , Thur sdays 7-IOPM . Contact The

utting Ed ge st ore, 1836 Fourth St. , Berkeley ,A 94710 or 415 548 -6011.

eb,2S-Mar.n . Los Angeles, CA.inery Ill-F rame and Panel cla ss, i nstructor

ndrew Cohen , three Frida ys 7- IOPM.ontact The Cutting Edg e, 3871 Grand Viewvd., Los Angele s 90066 o r 213 390-9723 .eb.2S-Mar.2S. Mountain View, CA.inery Seminar, Friday s 7-10. Contact Theood Tool Cen ter, 2 545 Shower s Drive ,

ountain View , CA 94040 or 415 948-3844 .eb.26, Berkeley , CA.inter Swap Meet . Conta ct The Cu tting Edgeore, 1836Fourth St ., Berkele y, CA 94710 or15 548-6011.eb.26. Palo Alto, CA.eam Bending and Laminating show andmonstration by Art Espenet Carpenter,AM-4PM. Contact Palo Alto Woodworkg, 820 Ramona St. , Palo Alto , CA 94301 or15 327 -5335.eb. 26. San Diego, CA.Day with Sam Maloof a t His Workshop.

ontact The Cutting Edge , 7626 Miramar Rd.uite 3500,San Diego92126or 619 695-3990.eb.28 Mar.7. Los Angeles, CA.he Table Saw class, ins tructor Bill Kerr .ontact The Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand Viewvd . , Los Ange les 90066 or 213 390-9723 .eb.28-Mar.14. Berkeley, CA.eginn ing Woodca rving cl ass, instructor Benhaw, Monday s, 7- IOPM . Contact T he Cutng Edge store , 1836 Fourth St. , Berkeley, CA4710 or 415 548-6011.

Mar.I. Mountain View, CA.mateur Woodwo rkers Association meeting ,PM. Con tact The Wood Tool Center , 2545

howers Drive , Mountain View, CA 94040 or15 948-3844

ebruary/March 1983

Mar. 1 8. Los Angeles, CA.Planes I class, instructor Alan Boardman,Tue sdays 7-IOPM. Con tact The Cutting Edge,3871 Grand V iew Blvd., Los Angeles 90066 or 213 390-9723.Mar. 3-17. Los Angeles, CA.French Polishing class , instructor Kirk Kupiec ,three Thu rsdays, 7-IOPM. Contact The Cutting Edge , 3871 Grand View Bl vd., LosAngeles 90066 or 213 390-9723 .

Mar.3-24. San Diego, CA.Introduct ion to Woodcarving II, instructorDavid Frisk, Thursdays, 7-IOPM. Contact TheCutting Edge , 7626 Miramar Rd. Suite 3500 ,San Diego 92126 or 619 695 -3990.

Mar.S. Berkeley, CA.The Router class , instructor Jim Sweeney,IOAM-6PM . Contact The Cutting Edge store,1836Fourth St., Berkeley, CA 94710 or 415548-6011.Mar.S. Palo Alto, CA.Bandsaw Workshop , 1-5PM. Contact PaloAlto Woodworking , 820 Ramona St. , PaloAlto , CA 94301 or 415 327 -5335.

Mar.S. San Diego, CA.Winter swap meet. Contact The Cutting Edge,7626Miramar Rd . Suite 3500, San Diego92126or 619 695-3990.Mar. 10 17. Los Angeles, CA.Jo inery I l-Mortise and Tenon class , instructorAndrew Cohen, 7-IOPM. Contact The CuttingEdge, 3871 Grand View Blvd., Los Angeles90066 or 213 390-9723 .Mar n Berkeley, CA.Sharpen ing sem inar with Vaughn Beckman,7-IOPM . Contact The Cutting Edge store , 1836Fourth S t. , Berkeley, CA 94710 or 415

548 6 11 .Mar n Mountain View, CA.Southbay S hi pm od el er s me eting, 7PM .Contact The Wood Tool Center , 2545ShowersDrive, Mountain View, CA 94040 or 415948-3844.Mar.12. Palo Alto, CA.Building Your Own Power Tools class, 1-5PM.Contact Palo Alto Woodworking, 820 RamonaSt., Palo Alto, CA 943 1 or 415 327-5335 .

Mar. 12-26. Los Angeles, CA.Power Carving Techniques class, instructorHenry Magnin, three Saturdays, 10:30AM1:30PM. Contact The Cutting Edge, 3871Grand ViewBlvd., Los Angeles 90066 or 213390-9723.Mar.12-26. Berkeley, CA.French Polishing class, instructor Earle Stebben , three Saturday s. Contact The Cutt ingEdge , 7626Miramar Rd . Suite 3500, San Diego92126 or 619 695-3990 .Mar.12-Apr.17. Sacramento, CA.California Crafts XIII exhibit, Creative ArtsLeague of Sacramento , Crocker Art Museum,216 0 Street .Mar. 14-28. Los Angeles, CA.Woodturn ing Techniques class, instructor

Jerry Glaser, three Mondays, 7-IOPM . ContactThe Cutting Edge, 3871Grand ViewBlvd., Los

Angele s 90066 or 213 390 -9723 .Mar. 15-29. Los Angeles, CA.Plane s cla ss, instructor Alan Boa rdman ,Tuesdays 7 -IOPM. C ontact The Cuttin g E dge,3871Grand V iew Blvd., Los Angele s 90066 or 213 390-9723.Mar.lS-Aprii 5. Los Angeles, CA.Woodca rving cla ss, i nstructor Nora Lang ,Tuesda ys 7-IOPM. Contac t The Cutting Edge ,3871 G rand View Bl vd., Lo s Ang eles 90066 or 213 390-9723 .Mar.16. Los Angeles, CA.Sharpening Woodwor king Tool s cla ss, instructor Jesse Barragan, 7 -IOPM. Conta ct The Cutting Edge , 3871 Grand View Bl vd., LosAngeles 90066 or 213 390-9723.

Mar.19-20. Hemet, CA.California Car vers Guild show. Contact lo calcarvers or CCG , PO Bo x 1195 , Cambr ia, C A93428 for detail s.Mar.24-Apr.7. Los Angeles, CA.Joinery III-Frame and Panel cla ss, instructo rAndrew Cohen , three Thur sdays 7-IOPM.Contact The Cutting Edge, 3871 Grand Vie wBlvd ., Los Ang eles 90066 or 213 390-9723.March 26-27. Berkeley, CA.Grew Sher idan Chairmak ing Tw o Da yWorkshop , Saturda y 6-9 :30PM, Sunda yIOAM-5PM. Con tact The Cu tting Edge store,

cont inued on page

13


14/44

Model Making in theSpace ge

aser Technology Proves rucial

by harles arrisWhen sculptor Don Potts agreed to

furnish finely detailed woodenmodels of San Francisco s architecture, he had never heard of woodworking by laser. But by the time theexhibit featuring the models opened afew months later, Don was an ardentlaser enthusiast , eager to spread theword on this space-age woodworkingtechnique.

The project started early last year,when exhibit curators Marc Goldsteinan d Thomas Aidala enlisted the SanFrancisco Bay area sculptor to buildfive large wooden models of SanFrancisco architectural landmarks.The models would serve as f ocal

points of an exhibit marking theCentennial of the San Franciscochapter of the American Institute ofArchitects.

Each carefully crafted model illustrates one of the four themes of theexhibit. A m odel of the dome atopCity Hall protrays the theme of CivicPride, while the Golden Gate Bridgemodel symbolizes Utility. Pleasure isrepresented by the Golden Gate Park,and the theme of Home and Work isillustrated by two models: the Hallidie Building and a Victorian facade.

To build the models, Don Pottsorganized a group of more than 15woodworkers, some of whom had

never done wood modeling previou sly. For detailed plans they turned t 6nearby University of California J tBerkeley, where architectural -dents prepared careful drawings ~

Iplans for the models. Members of

IDon s team also took numerousphotographs of the buildings the -

selves to compare to their models. IDon quickly ran into problem s.

Time and money constraints seeme dto prohibit detailed carving on t ile

Imodels; he would have to suggest theornamentation rather then simply r Jduce it in scale. What about i n t r i~

I

bannisters and railings, the shieldsI

and decorations on City Hall, thetrees in Golden Gate Park? ~

I

could tiny details be carved of wood?Fortunately Don discovered Lase t

craft in Santa Rosa, California. Las Jrtechnology for reproducing intrica Iedetails in wood not only solved Don isproblems with the models; it also

d I

opene up new avenues III orname q-tation that have Don very excited . Laser really came into its own, 06this effort, Don relates. We re d -

I

ing things we thought were imposs i-ble. Now we can make everything o J tof wood, except for the plexiglasswindows on the Hallidie building.

Sculptor Don Potts positions a laser cut

balcony on the City Hall o m

Pacific Woodworke r


15/44

The model the south tower the GoldenGate Bridge stands more than feet tall.

Laser-crafted balconies nd decorations willcomplete this model the Ha/lidie Building,the first curtain-wallstructure.

l

of basswood veneer and run underthe laser beam. The laser burnedaway any wood not protected by themetal template leaving the desiredshape. Each template could be usedover and over providing mass production with precision accuracy.

This incredibly accurate process

can reproduce extremely fine detail.In fact the limiting factor in precision is the structure of the wooditself: the tiny pieces tend to breakapart when handled. The laser processnot only speeds the production ofidentical carvings. This process is sodelicate it can make cuts that are impossible to do any other way. Thinveneer would quickly break along thegrain if carved in a more traditional

fashion. In fact even the task of cutting the tiny pieces from their support after the laser work was completed frequently resulted inbreakage.

Don can t say enough about thelaser process. T he laser cutting wasfantastic fun. We would have been inbig troub le if we had to etch the littlerailings on the buildings out of brassand spray paint them to look likewood. This way i t s very beautifuland I like the idea that it s all wood.

For greater apparent depth on theCity Hall Dome and Golden GatePark models Don used several layersof laser-cut veneer glued into threedimensional forms.

Laser crafting of wood also solvedthe dilemma of how to make the treesin Golden Gate Park. Veneers laser

cut in a random pattern and carefullystacked produced the illusion of inscale foliage.

The use of lasers was not the onlyinnovative technique Don employedon this project. Thin strips of maplewere lam inated together to form thecontours of the park. The team thencut exact plexiglass templates of theroads and pathways in the parkbased on a full-sized drawing of the

13 foot model. The templates guidedrouters used to cut the roadways.

part ially assembled, the model thety Hall dome above closely reflects the

thing below across Van Ness venueom the San Francisco Museum Modernrt .

To make the complicated railingsd other detailed parts for theodels members of Don s groupst made a series of oversized drawgs of the desired shapes . They thenduced each shape and copied it ontonsparent overlays. The overlays

ere used to make a metal templateing a photo resist process. Themplate next was placed over a piece

ebruary March 983 5


16/44

Layers o f laser-cut veneer form threedimensional shapes on the Cit y Hall dome.

Cigarboxes sharp knives masking tape. gl ulsyringes and more cigar boxes crowd the model-maker s workbench.

ic k Donhauser explains the role o f Phot J

graphs in the model-makingprocess .

Models

Then a dozen or so 30/1000-inchthick maple veneers were verticallylaminated into each cut, to form thesurface of the road or path.

The exhibit, at the San FranciscoMuseum of Modern Art, featured themodels, photographs and graphics tocelebrate the buildings and builders

of San Francisco over the past century. But while this exhibit markedthe centennial of a professional architect s society, it also clearly demonstrated that woodworking has enteredthe space age.

The Golden Gate Bridge, South

Tower: The \ foot basswood structure, symbol of Utility, was constructed over a period of four monthsby Elaine O Sullivan.

Modelmaker Don Potts chose. maple and basswood for the models

because of the fine, subtle grain ofthese woods. The shape and form ofthe wood first grab the attention ofthe viewer. Only slowly does the factthat these models are of wood sink in.

A light coat of Krylon spray lacquercomplements the finely grainedwoods and shows the fine detailsclearly.

Hallidie Building: The HallidieBuilding was the first structure to usethe cur ta in wall technique of asolid wall of glass. In the model theglass wall is represented by a sheet ofPlexiglass. The balconies and railingsfit into routed grooves in the Plexiglass. Laser crafted railings and details finish the model.

City Hall Dome: The dome is cut inhalf to reveal interior details, including a spiral staircase between the twolayers of the dome. Model makersdesigned a special jig to cut the halfdome.

Golden Gate Park: Laser technology and other special techniquescreated this I3 foot model.

Keith Jefferds did much o f the design ndassembl y o f the laser work fo r the dome.

The model Golden Gate Park more than13 feet long .

The foliage in the Golden Gate Park model randomly cut veneer. Vertically laminatedveneers form the roadways .

Pacific W dW rk ,


17/44

stim ting and iddingOne of the most essential, yet ap

arently esoteric parts of landing a

oodworking job involves arriving atour bid o r price. Some experiencedabinetmakers can estimate the costf redoing a kitchen solely on theasis of the length of the cabinets.thers can just look at a job andrite down a figure within 7 of thenal cost. But many woodworkersnd estimat ing and bidding a perexing process .The process of estimating and pric

g was a subject of lively conversa-f hon at a recent meetmg 0 t e

onoma Count y (CA) Woodworkersssocia tion. SCWA members Timynon, Steven Higbee, John Keller

nd George Breck were among those

p e e n e woodworkers offeringv e at the meeting . Here are some

f their ideas and suggest ions.Materials: Don t forget the wastector in your lumber estimate. AsUch as a third of the wood may benuseable . The proportion of useableood increases with the use of plyood. Charge the current wholesale

ost for any wood used. you pickedp the wood at a good price, rememer to charge the replacement cost ofe wood, not what you paid for it.fter all, you could have kept thatargain wood and built something for

ourself with it. And be sure to inude expendable supplies, such as

ebruary March 983

arketing

sandpaper, as part of your costs.Labor: Many woodworking shops

have a standard shop rate to determine their labor and overhead costs.A typical 25/hour shop rate mightbreak down to 15/hour labor an d lO/hour shop costs, perhaps with anextra 5-10 for electricity, sharpening, etc. Steven Higbee suggestswoodworkers include the time spentcleaning and putting away the gluingclamps in their estimates.

For future reference: Keep very ac

curate records of your materials costsand the time it takes you to accomplish a task, such as gluing up a tabletop. This will prove invaluable in preparing future bids.

Fudge Factor: Beware of site problems. Is the floor level? Are the wallsplumb? is the ceiling straight? Any ofthese problems can turn a simple installation into a week-long nightmare. You can check out these problems in advance, or include a set installation time in the bid. Then youcan adjust the contract as needed tohandle s ite problems ; John Kellertells the customer the highest amountthat the installation will cost; oftenthe cost is less, greatly pleasing thecustomer .

Profit: You are selling woodworking knowledge and years of experi

ence, not just your time. So include aprofi t figure over an d above your

materials and labor. George Brecksuggests woodworkers include a design fee in their estimates. A lot oftime an d effort goes into the design;shouldn t you be paid for this?

The upper limit: Don t priceyourself ou t of the market. Checkaround to see what your quality of

workmanship brings in the local area .If, to make any profi t on the job, youfind you must charge 2000 for aproduct that sells locally for about 1000, maybe it' s time you investigated another line of work.

Finally, don t be squeamish aboutthe cost. Quality woodworking is expensive. Don t look at the client andbid the jo b at a loss because he lookspoor. At the very start you mightwant to bid low to get work, but youare cheating yourself if you continuethis practice.

Sonoma County CA WoodworkersAssociation m m r John Keller right ,during a discussion o f the business aspectso f woodworking .

7


18/44

oo inish s

y o ert D oo s

Varn ish, lacquer, shellac, waterbased, oil based , penetrating, non

penetrating, Danish oil, tung oil,linseed oil, vinyl, acrylic, alkyd, urethane, latex, emulsions .. . On and ongoes the list of the d ifferent types andcombinations wood finishes. Someare good and some are bad dependingon the applicat ion and use. How do Iknow which one to use? In thisarticle, we will explore some of themore basic types wood finishes.

What Is a o o Finish?A wood finish basically is made

up of a vehicle (non-volatiles orsolids), a solvent (volatiles), andadditives (driers, anti-skinning agentswetting agents, etc.).

The vehicle is the film former thatis either in solution or emulsion form. is a vehicle that imparts characteristics toughness, durability, drytime and beauty of the wood finish.The veh icle is what remains after thesolvents have evaporated and the finish is dried. There are many differenttypes vehicles used today . Mostwood finishes are blends severaldifferen t types to take advantage ofthe differen t qualities and characteristics that could not be obtained byusing just one vehicle. Some thedifferen t vehicles used are oils, alkyd

resins, latex emulsions, acrylic resins,vinyl resins, natural resins, urethane

8

resins, phenolic resins, and epoxies.The solvents (volatiles ) primary

function is to dissolve the vehicle orfilm formers to produce a finishsuitable for application . The choiceof solvents greatly influences viscosity, flowing properties and dryingrate. The properties that mainly determine the usefulness a solvent areits solvency, volatility, odor and toxicity. The solvencycan effect how wellthe vehicle is dispersed, wh ich in turncan also effect the flexibility, hard

ness, strength and exterior durability the final film. The volatility of thesolvent is the property that largelygoverns the evaporation rate. Evaporation rate influences leveling, flowing, sagging and gloss. The optimumevaporation rate varies greatly with

Robert D . Books is president General Finishes. General Finisheshas been a pioneer in wipe-on woodfinishes r craftsmen r over 50years and is the developer and manufacturer the Sealace// 1-2-3 woodfinishing process see Pacific Woodworker Issue 10 r a Test Reporton the Sealace// process . GeneralFinishes provides a booklet onBeautiful Wood Finishing free charge by sending a stamped se/j

addressed envelope to P. O. Box 4363 Milwaukee, WI 53214.

the method of application, from fas test for spraying to intermediate f dr

brushing, and slowest for flowcoatin kor dipping . Additives are used to further e n

hance the final properties of the nish or are aids used for control i hthe manufacturing process . Some ofthe additives are suspending agent s,driers, anti-skinning agents, wettingagents, anti-foaming agents, coale scing agents, thickeners, v iscosity control agents and many, many more .

Which Finish

Should I Use? Many wood finishers have their

own pet formulas or mixes that t h ~

have developed over the years an dmany of them work very well. has been said that successful woo dfinish formulations are 10 scienc band 900 0 art, and when the indust r t

brings it up to 15 science, greatprogress will have been made . I dhnot know whether I can agree wit h

that or not, but I do know that yo ujust cannot go into the lab and hav eyour chemists, with all of their knowledge and equipment, crank out a formula that you can guarantee to besuccessful. All good and s u s s~ wood finish formulas are developedwith many alterations and change s

over a period of time (that is t h~art part) .

Pacific Woodworker


19/44

Wood finishing is done to protecte wood, enhance its beauty, andcrease its durability. Beauty ino o d finishing, as in anything else, isthe eye of the beholder. Some likesatin finish, others a high gloss.

ome like open grain texture, otherse the grain filled and perfectlyo ot

Some like to leave the huestural, others like to enhance themth stains. Everyone wants to have

e wood properly preserved and asurable as possible. Durability is anen larger factor if you are finishg the top of a table or doing a woodoor. At other times, durability can

compromised when a project ist subject to wear. Most experienced

o o dfinishers know that with the

op selection of a wood finish younot have to sacrifice beauty for

rability.Probably the most consideration

ven to wood finishing is ease ofplication. The type of finish and

ow it is applied can result in extremefferences in the final beauty as welldurability .Some finishes requre special equipent and dust free rooms to apply,

me a brush, and others just simplyp e o nAlmost all wood finishes, as

as finishers, have special techq ue to obtain optimum results. Allthese things - protection, beauty,

urability, and ease of applicationave to be considered when choosingwood finish.

hellacShellac is unique because its resinof animal origin. The shellac resin s from a tiny insect about oneenty-fifth of an inch in length, calledTrachardia Lacca or Lac. Thesesects swarm twice a year and duringis time are harvested and turnedto shellac resin by crushing them

removing impurities. takesbout seventy-two hundred of thesemall insects just to make one gal-nof liquid shellacresin.This resin is then dissolved in

ebruary March 983

denatured alcohol and forms anorange shellac. Pure white shellac isproduced by bleaching the resin.Various grades of shellac are available in cuts The word cu t isthe amount of shellac resin dissolvedin a gal lon. A four pound cut,which is four pounds of resin dis

solved in one gallonof

alcohol, produces about 1.4 gallons. Therefore,the amount of resin in one gallon ofa four pound cut is about threepounds.

The milky appearance of shellac iscaused by the natural 4 wax it contains. When this wax is removed it becomes a transparent shellac called ref ined shellac or French varnish .

During the nineteenth century shellac was used almost exclusively; today it finds use as a sealer and an inexpensive finish. Shellac produces abeautiful sheen but is one of the leastdurable finishes with little or noresistance to wear, alkaline water,detergents and alcohol. To test for ashellac finish on a piece of furniture, rub a small area with a softcloth that has been dipped into de

natured alcohol. the finish dissolves, it is shellac. Applying shellacrequires the use of a fine brush.Always brush in one direction. Nevershake the shellac, as shaking createsbubbles. Other techniques for applying shellac are the same as formost surface finishes like lacquer orvarnish, and these techniques are bestlearned by doing.

LacquersAt the close of the World War 1,

there were great quantities of smokeless powder doomed to uselessnessunless they could be adapted to someuse. This powder was nitrocellulose,chemically known as cellulose nitr at e . The result of scientific research to find a use for this materialwas nitrocellulose lacquer.

Thetenn lacquer hascometo mean

No matter which finish yo u use the surfaceo the wood must be properly prepared

Penetrating oi/finishesare rubbed into thewood then the excess wiped o

ס ס Steel wool is often used between coatso finish

a finishing material which driesquickly by evaporation and forms a

protective film from its non-volatilesolids. The lacquer finish, normallyapplied by spraying, produces a veryhard and durable finish. One of thedisadvantages of this finish is its inability to produce a heavy film.Because of the low solids contents oflacquer, more coats of lacquer are required to produce an adequate thick- :ness of film. There are high solidlacquers available today that give ahigh build, but they must be heated

9


20/44

Woo d o is tu re e ters

I

• i n o m 143 45 NE Morris Ct .• Por t land . OR 97235 J 257· 8957

and applied hot. Lacquers today 'aremade with other syntheticresins addedto the nitrocellulose, such as acrylics,phenolics, urea-formaldehydes, vinyls, aminos, polystyrenes, and plasticizers . Cellulose lacquers have theadvantages that they are quick dryingvery hard and durable, waterproof,resistant to high temperatures, resistant to soaps, alcohols, and do notyellow. Their disadvantages are thatthey are difficult to apply by brushand are normally applied by a spraygun in a dust free environment. Thecost of lacquer is about three timesthat of other common finishes mostlybecause lacquer requires more thanone coat to produce an acceptablefinish. Lacquer, because it is a sur

face coat only, also has someof

thecommon disadvantages that all surface finishes share.

OilsThe oils used in finishes today are

naturally occurring materials ofvegetable or fish origin. The variousoils differ greatly in drying propertiesand other characteristics. Theproperties that determine their value

and use in wood finishesare the speedin which they dry and their dried filmcharacteristics . The use of just an oilas the sole or main film former hasbeen narrowing steadily today because of the relatively soft film andslow drying time oils give. They are

Pocket·Slze

NL1GNOonly

11

Incl. Case .Batteries andP inslor / and 7 .

~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ f l ~

used extensively, however, withcombinations of other resins andhardeners to provide some of the bestwood finishes available.

The two best known finishing oilsare linseed and tung. Tung oil or Chinawood Oil is obtained fromthe nuts of the Chinawood tree. Thistree was cultivated in the southernUnited States, but through frost andother environmental factors it isalmost non-existent today. Todaymuch of our tung oil comes fromArgentina and China. Tung oil has agreater hardness than does linseed oiland dries faster. aso has greateralkaline and water resistance.

Linseed oil comes from the flaxplant, is used more widely than tungoil, and has a longer history in woodfinishing . Linseed oil, like tung oil, isbest used as a wood finish with otherresins and hardeners. Linseed oilfinishes usually have yellowingproblems and the film is softer thantung oil films. The wetting propertiesof linseed oil make its use with apenetrating wood sealer veryvaluable.

Boiled linseed oil is simply regularlinseed oil with metallic driers added,

often reduced to500/0

non-volatilesby the addition of petroleum distillates. The term boiled is a verymisleading term because the use ofheat to incorporate the metallicdriers is not necessary and most oftenit is done at room temperature.

H30

Double boiled simply means that thelinseed oil contains an extra amoun tof driers. I

Almost all oil wood finishes containmetallic driers. Metallic driers r~added to oils to make the drying fas tenough to be practicable . Importantdriers are metallic soaps of manganese,cobalt, calcium and zirconium Cobaltand manganese are usually thought o fas surface driers. Calcium and zirconium alone have no drying actionbut promote thorough drying whe ricombined with cobalt and manganesedriers.

Danish ilsDanish oil finish is usually a

mixture of oils and mineral s p i r i t~with driers added . They are applied in

the same manner as other o ilfinishes and generally have the samecharacteristics. I arnish

Varnishes used to be made b ycooking drying oils (linseed, tung ]soya, etc.) and natural resins such as

I

Kauri, Borea, Conga, Pontianak andthen reducing t h ~.with petroleumdistillates with driers and othe rmaterial added . The amount of oil i rithe resin generally determined th J

I

toughness, durability and elasticity o fthe finish. the oil content wasless than 30 it was called a longoil resin. The short oil resins wer eused where maximum hardness essential and long oil resins in Sparvarnishes because of the need fo rflexibility. I

. Early in the twentieth century

chemists analyzed these natural resin sand found that they were composedof a peculiar acid and alcohol. The yfurther discovered that they could ge t

I

this acid by oxidizing moth balls, an dthat they could get the peculiaralcohol called glycerin, from soa pmakers. They also found that if the ycooked these two together they coul dget a resin similar to the Cong d

I

resin, one of the hardest natur al

Icontinued onpage

20 Pacific woodwork JI


21/44

example : 10 40 tooth rip blade $42.90

HIGH SPEED GRINDINGWITHRIMAJIG

With th is jig , the bottom lip holdsthe tool at the same bevel at alltimes . By using a light touch andslid ing the jig from side to s ideyou will find that the tool w ill notoverheat. It is not necessary toquench the tool in water .

HIGH SPEED GRINDING FREE HANDWhen gr inding ch isels or planei rons you tend to squeeze hard soas to not lose your pos ition thatmay change the beve l. Now yo uhave a tendency to bear hardagainst the whee l, caus ing t hetool to ove rheat and burn.

NEW IMPROVE MO EL NO . PW3

CHISELSHARPENING MADEEASYAnyone can do it withthisjig - Money back guarantee

IDEAL GRINDING TOOLPerfect Hollow ground bevels on blades to V wide ,

aluminum cons 't., brass screws , nylon washers and rubber

no -slip c lamp surfaces. Only 41/4 ozs . $10 .50 ppd.Check or Money Orderonly

RIMA MFG. CO.P o Box 99 Quaker H ill. Conn . 06375

i

A WOODWORKER SBEST KEPT SECRET

WAT C O ®Danish Oil

WOO INISHYou, too , can discover the modernadaptation of the finest of oldtime hand -rubbed fin ishing byusing world·famous WatcoDanish Oil Wood Finish .

Watco is the original Danish O ilused by woodworkers and do-It -yourselt

professionals for more than fifty years .What makes Watco so remarkable are the beautiful , natural

resul ts you can obta in eas ily, without all the t ir ing hours ofhand ·rubbing.

In one easy applica tion , Watco Dan ish Oil pr imes , seals ,fin ishes, hardens , and protects wood . . . never needingref inishing or resand ing, and requir ing litt l e maintenance .

Watco Danish Oil F inish is ava ilable in Natural , and in Med i-um , Dark , and Black _Walnut Shades . And f Send for your F REE How To Be autifully Inow , four new ly add- I Fin ish Wood boo kfet and th e name of youred colors in Cherry , nea rest Wa tco d istributor . IGolden Oak , Fru it- I WATCo-OENNISCORP.,1756-22ndSt. Iwood , and English Santa Monica CA 90404 Dept. PW23Oak allow one-step I Ifinishing without Name _pre-stalnlnq . I Address I

Be sure it 's WatcoDanish Oil Finish ,

ICity

Ithe original since I State Zip I1927 and stili theL best I 213/870·4781 • 829·2226 I

Phone (916) 891- 686

R. Silvera imz g o o t ~

PO Box 310 . Durham . C ali fornia 959 38 03 10

• Less Strain On the Machinerymaking any machine more efficient

• Closer Bookmatcheswith smoother surfaces that require lessclean-up

SEND FOR PRICE LIST AND INFORMATION TO:

• Only Half The Cutting Resistancewith less power needed to drive the saw

TSUMURAsaws are thin; only half thethickness of western made saws. This combinedwith special tooth grinds means:

You ll immediately feel the difference.

TSUMURA

• Only Half The Wastesaving you money on expensive materials

TSUMURA

The TSUMURAcarbide tipped saw isan excitingnew discovery from Japan

Made In the town famous for producing some ofJapan 's finest woodworking tools, the TSUMURAhigh precision blades slice through wood like noother saw you've ever tried.

Thin kerf circular saws

INTRODUCING

Dealer InquiriesInvited

.ebruary Marcb 1983


22/44

est arin W

Can a small, relatively isolatedwoodworkers' association stage asuccessful exhibit of quality wood-working? The members o the WestMarin (CA) Woodworking Associa-tion (WMWA) believe it 's possible,and recently they staged their secondannual show to prove the point.

o r two weeks at the end ofNovember, the Adraskand Gallery inPoint Reyes Station (CA) exhibited

Top left : Stuart Welch s birch an d walnutdresser, with carved wooden drawer pulls.Below Striking purpleheart and maplewriting desk left) an d walnut desk with an-gico inlays right), both by WMW Presi-dent Stuart Welch.

several dozen samples of lo cal wood-workers' products. Tiny Pt. ReyesStation sits smack upon the SanAndreas fault, and was the epicentero the destructive 1906 earthquake.More recently it has attracted visitorsas the gateway to the new Point ReyesSeashore National Park . Its location,

on the scenic coastal road, must begood: the WMWA member s garneredmore than 20,000 o business in their 9 show

The West Marin Woodworkers in-corporated several interesting ideas intheir recent show. The 1982show wasjuried, as was the previous year's

show. But the selection of jurors wasunique. WMWA members and visi -tors voted for their favorite pieces inthe 9 show. Those woodworkerswhose pieces received the most vote formed the ju ry for the 1982 show Those selected were: Dennis Young(see Pacific Woodworker, Issue 9) ,

Stuart Welch (President of theWMWA) and Thomas Mabie . Amajor goal of the exhibit was to get a smany WMWA members as possibleto show their work. To accomplis hthis, the jurors made specific, positivesuggestions to their members on ho Jto improve the quality of workman


23/44

ow vi w

harles arris

rkingShow

ip to meet the exacting standards ofe show.Another inno vation in the show

as the awarding of cash prizes to theest piece s ba sed on member voting.he West Marin group approachedree area woodworking stores toonsor these prizes. Woodline in

lameda the Cutting Edge in Berkey and Handlogging InternationalSausalito provided the cash awards

o: Jeff Dale for his wardrobe; StuartWelch for his purpleheart desk; and

ennis Young for a settee.The West Marin group also worked

ut a mutually beneficial arrange-

ment wit h the Adraskand Gallery.The Gallery donated space for theshow keeping costs low for the smallassociation. Further the Galleryfeatured an exhibit of fine Orientalrugs at the same time as the woodworking show. The Oriental rugshelped attract the right kind of poten

tial clientele for the woodworkerswhile the fine furni ture helped showthe rugs in a more natural setting.The only problem with this arrangement resulted from too much furniture crowded around the wood stovein the back room.

Among the other woodworking

pieces on display were some finelyturned tripodae by Bruce Mitchellinteresting wooden jiq-saw puzzles by annah Garrett and a computer deskby Mark Nelson and Bob Darr. Alarge conference table by the lattertwo woodworkers dominated the second room of the exhibit.

Mark Nelson described the table: T he . pepperwood also known as

bove Jeff Dale puts afinal coat o f wax onhis prize-winning wardrobe. Below : MarkNelson points ou t the heavy oak undercarriageto control movement o f the conference table top left . Mark Nelson and BobDarr constructed the top o f two consecutiveslices from a pepperwoodtree right .

ebruary March 983 23


24/44

West arin Woodworkers ssociation

Right: Pa inted w alnut puzzle withkoaframeby Hannah Garrett Left: Computer tablewith filing boxes cherry and baylaurel b y Mark Nelson and Bob Darr

Pacific woodwork J

working topic, such as adhesives finishing. They have had guest lec jtures by Art Carpenter and others jMembers range from full time u r ~ ture builders to part-time woodworkers and wood carvers , includ ing cab iinet makers , a reti red pat ternmaker ,architect, etc. They accept anyon dwith an interest in woodworking.

Fo r further information on the

West Marin Woodwork ing Association, contact them at P .O.Box 847 ,Pt . Reyes Stat ion, CA 94956 or ca ll(415) 663-1775 .

The West Marin WoodworkersAssociation was founded about 2Y2years ago, to bring toget her woodworkers in the Pt . Reyes StationMarshall a rea of western MarinCounty. The Association now has 28members, including four women,which at about 5 7 is probably thehighest percentage of women in suchan association.

The association conduct s its meetings with a seminar format. After ashort business meeting, the assembledgroup focuses on a partic ular wood-

24

bay laurel) top consists of two consecutive slices from the same log, butterfly matched. The to p halves arenearly 2Y2 feet wide at the widest, andwith only six months' seasoning, werenearly green when worked. So we expected the to p to expand an d contracta lot. We incorporat ed a \ inch gapbetween the two halves into thedesign. Last week I gave the table itsannual ' tune up' and adjusted the gapback to \ inch; it was nearly twice

that. r Bolts lagged into the undersideof th e to p rest in wide slots in thecross pieces, to allow movement. Infact, we added several more crossmembers than you would normal lyexpect, because of the anticipatedmovement. Th e unde rcar ri ag e is

heavy, well seasoned oak.Th e

strength an d weight of the oa k help _hold the to p flat, and the seasonedoa k is rigid enough not to wa rp on itsown. Otherwise the table could walkright ou t of the room

Among this reviewer s favoritepieces in the show was the finelycrafted walnut writing desk byWMWA Pre sident Stuart Welch.Carefully inlaid strips of angico wood

look like subtle coving on the tablelegs . Th e illusion of depth continuesunder close examination, an d one hasto touch the leg to dispel it.

What will the small West Maringroup produce in time for next year sexhibit? I don't know, bu t I 'm sure itwill be well worth the trip to PointReyes Station to find out


25/44

Finally the finished pole stands in place,surrounded by student carvers, on theCollege s Oakland, California campus.

ws and ot s

The pole was raised to commemorate the

75th anniversary the California College rt s and Crafts.

Last summer June/July Issue,1982 Pacific Woodworker an-

nounced the woodcarving projectsponsored by the California Collegeof Arts and Crafts to commemorateits 75th anniversary. A creationpole was to be carved and raised oncampus. These photographs providea postscript to that project.

Redwood logover30feet long depictscreationmyths carved into the wood. The pole is across between a Maypole an d a totem pole.

Postscript: CCAC Creation o l

e hugepole wasdonated by Georgiacific Lumber Company, which also paid tock the pole from Mendocino County tokland, California . Exxon donatedoil usedkeep the polefrom drying out until theved wood stabilizes. Later the pole wasined with aniline dyes thinned withr p n t i n

organna Malloff, woodsculptor fromspar, California, coordinated the project .the more than ten students who workedthe pole, only one had carved previously.ainsaws were used fo r rough cutting, thend adzes and axes, then large hand chisels

d gouges, and finally smaller chisels anduges.

ebruary March 983 25


26/44

Guide to

Portable Routers art Two

In our last issue, Pacific Wood-

worker ran the first par t of our guideto this important powertool, providing information on the Bosch, PorterCable, and Sears portable routers.With this issue, we conclude theRouter Guide by covering the Milwaukee, Makita, and Hitachi portable routers.

The Milwaukee router family usesa single base assembly, with threemotor options. Milwaukee s heavyduty base has large cutouts which increase visibility. The power cordcomes out of the side in all threemotor options, so these routers canrest on their flat tops for easy bitchanging.

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp .

warranties its tools against defectiveworkmanship and materials, withouta time limit A wide network for service centers and authorized servicestations helps cut transit time formaintenance and repairs.

The two smaller Makita routers aresimilar to the other models we havediscussed in this series, with roundmotor assemblies and a micrometertype depth adjustment. Both are double insulated and feature ball bearingconstruction for durability.

Makita s top-of-the-line portablerouter, however, uses a differentdepth adjustment. Its motor assemblyis square, and moves up and down on

steel rods attached to the base.

large knob on the top of the r u t ~controls the depth, making preciseadjustments easy. A stop block l t the plunging motion of the router biat one of two specified depths, idesired.

Makita offers its top-of-the-line 2HP router in two types, identical ex tcept for base configurations. The

3600B has a square base, and the

3600BR features a round base. The

depth control knob protrudes fromthe tops of these routers, so they can tnot rest on their tops for bit chang jing. However, their square motor srest easily on their sides for t i

procedure.

ROUTER GUIDE, PART 2 NU · MODEL SPEED COLLET WEIGHT FEATURES LIST

FACTURER NUMBER RPM SIZES LBS PRICE

HITACHI T R 8 • 24,000 1/4 6.4 3 depth stops •T R 1 2 • 22,000 1/ 4 - 2 12.3 3 depth stops •

MAKITA 3608B 3/ 4 23,000 1/ 4 - 3/8 5.0 118.003601B 13/8 23,000 1/ 4 - 1/2 8.0 D-handle 196.003600B 2 22,000 1/ 4 - 1/2 11.0 square base

Top depth adj. 299.003600BR 2 22,000 1/4 112 11.0 2 depth stops 284.00

(identical to 3600B but with round base)MILWAUKEE 5620 1 23,000 1/ 4 - 3/8 8.0 •

5660 1.5 24,500 1/ 4 - 1/2 8.5 •5680 2 26,000 1/ 4 - 1/2 8.75 •

• not supplied by manufacturer

Pacific Woodworker


27/44

Like Makita s both Hitachiters also slide down steel guides

depth adjustment. Instead of aob on top for adjustment how-r each Hitachi router has a scalethe body of the motor. A brass rod

be locked with a small knob tontrol depth . The rod rests on a

pper block adjustable to three difent settings.Th e H itachi routers includeaight guides template guides andde bars as s tanda rd equipment.

These features are optional accesso-ries with o ther manufactu rers . TheHitachi guarantee is for 12 months .

Despite repeated contacts withHitachi Power Tools USA Ltd.Pacific Woodworker was unable toobtain price info rmation or photo-graphs of the Hitachi routers . We re-

gret t hat Hitachi failed to make thisinformation available for you.

Th e accompanying table providesquick reference to important featuresof each rout er model. We have also

included a summary of informationo n t he -t op -o f- th e- li ne portablerouters f rom both parts of PacificWoodworker s Router Guide. Wehope you will find this Guide usefulwhen you select a portable router.

cific oodworker Comparison o op o the Line RoutersMODEL HP SPEED WEIGHT FEATURES LIST PRICE

BOSCH 90300 3.25 21 000 14PORTER CABLE 514 2.5 22 000 15.5

HITACHI TR 12 2 22 000 12.3

MAKITA 3600B

MILWAUKEE 5680

not supplied by manufacturer

2

2

22 000

26 000

11.0

8.75

Square side on baseFailure protected motor

Plunge router with 3depth stops

Plunge router with 2depth stops

490.00435.00

•299.00

•

he Milwaukee routers have fl t tops to ease bit changes andwide open bases to increase visibility ll three modelsshare theame base

ROUTERS

1.00 H.P. NO . 56201.50 H.P. NO. 56602.00 H.P . NO. 5680

ebruary March 1983

The knob on the right adjusts the heightin the Makita router Therouter willplunge to two predetermineddepths The straight guideis an optionalaccessory

27


28/44

ooks

by lan arks

Furniture o the merican rts andCrafts Movement by David M. Cathers, Tbe New American Library,Inc., 1663 Broadway, New York, NY10019,1981,519.95.

This book is subtitled Stickley andRoycroft Mission Oak Though Roycroft furniture, as that of GustavStickley, remained in vogue throughout the first decade o f this century , it

isby far the lesser of the two .We learn that Roycroft furniture,

designer or designers unknown, resulted from the efforts of Elbert Hubbard, a charismatic New York entrepreneur whose interests extended tographics, wrought metal, leatherwork and pottery as well. Less than adozen of the Roycroft pieces are showncompared with around seventy of theGustav Stickley ones. Seen side by

side, the relatively scarce Roycroftpieces appear in some cases morechunkily over-dimensioned than theStickleys. In the remaining instancesthey seem characterized by squareleg S that taper toward the ground,then swell to a bulbous blip of afoot. Identifying them is child's play.The Roycroft logo, an orb and cross,or alternately, the name Roycroftincised in large Gothic script, wasconspicuously placed as a decora-

28

tive feature. Stickley furniture, incontrast, presents more of a problem.He stipulated modestly that his markbe stamped in an unobstrusiveplace . To find it you usually have tocrawl beneath a table or overturn aheavy oak chair. Useful exercise, aspinoff benefit even Gustav Stickley(a sometime visionary) may not haveanticipated...

Stickley's two bothers branched

out independently and formed the L.and J.G. Stockley Co. A dozen or soof their designs appear as well witha separate chapter dedicated to theirwork. Roycroft, too, receivesa singlechapter, while Gustav Stockley occupies the bulk of the text and photosThe black and white photographs arelarge and well done for the mostpart; each piece receivesa full page.

Clearly aimed at the collector,Furniture o the merican rts andCrafts Movement contains lots ofpertinent facts and even interestingones, though they fall short of beinginterestingly presented. Nonetheless itdocuments the events surrounding theCrafts era so well and gives such acomplete photographic catalog ofStickley furniture that it behoovesanyone interested in the period toown it. Designers and designer/craftsmen intrigued by the simple,

:1:_ styl Ieennnear mission e an Its sparse,austere ornamentation will find i t themost complete source of visualmaterial currently available .

The Furniture o Gustav Stickley byJosepb J. Bavaro and Tbomas .

. IMossman, Van Nostrand Reinbol

ICo., 135 West 50tb Street, NewYork, NY10020,1982,518.95. I

II

To my knowledge this excellen tbook is the first to offer its reader sdetailed plans for reconstructingStickley furniture. Nine constructionprojects, including drawings, cuttinglists, and assembly instructions covetan array of furniture types, w h i l~another section describes m t r i

and special methods used by t h~Imanufacturer.

co nt nued on pa ge 36 I

Woodworkers Weekendsan rancisco

3 days 2 nightsReserva tion s a re no w bei ng taken for a weekend 'nSa n Fra nc isc o to a ttend a nat iona l woodworkingshow : The Ho w To s Of Worki ng With Wood Show o n Ap ril 22 -24, 1983

Packages Includes :Hotel and Meal AccommodationsAdmission to ShowSeminars and Demonstrations

Se nd d ep o sit to :Jan M. a ~ l I a d c rShow Coordinator , 3217 Jefferson AYe ., Redwood Oly, CA94062 (415) 366-5033 .

PlAN 1 8 9 .95 pe r pe rso n 2 ghls . 3 days 1dblCX:CUOdncy ); mea ls ,ncluded ( 2 breddfast , 21unch . 2d,nners ), 3 days pass to woodw()l'k lng show. 1adm SS Ionto needl W Yk S W ng show . 1 lect ure ()I' 1 oemorsnenon of you r cnoce , treeshuttle SCM ce to trom woodworl


29/44

News ot s

w

teaching, to requests for morfhands-on opportunities as part offuture programs .

The College's Extended Studiesand Wood Design programs plan tosponsor a Second Western Woodturning Conference next fall.

Goodfellow CatalogsAccepting Applications

Woodturning Conference A SuccessThe First Western Woodturningnference, held last September at

California College of Arts andafts in Oakland, was a small butpula

popular woodworking - 011 -1983.pdf

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