Website Changes

The timeliness of the previous month's (January 2020) guild meeting topic ("Curved Furniture Components") couldn't be better.  Featured here is Mike Zwolinski's Bentwood Leg Table.

Mike, a guild member and professional woodworker (see his website), uses bent lamination (his reasons are provided in documented) for the table legs and the result is eye candy for the observer.

His easy to read document sends the reader on the project from start to finish with design, details, and even some discovery.  I'm sure you will be impressed with the workmanship and the steps taken to achieve this outstanding result.  This is Mike Zwolinski's first submission.  I hope to see more.

You can reach Mike at
mike.zwolinski@gmail.com.

See the Upcoming Non-Guild Events for February, 29 - March 1, 2020.

Phil Lowe, a long-time favorite presenter of the Guild, demonstrated how to achieve curved furniture components using the techniques of bricking, bent lamination, resawing the shape, block resaw, kerf cutting, and coopering.

Last month Andrew wrote about the general dilemma of building or buying the accessory to your workshop.  This month Andrew writes about his own dilemma with regard to his own workshop - the workbench.  The buy option pictured above is the  Sjoberg Elite 1500 workbench (showing the optional cabinet).

Andrew is deliberating over which approach (even a hybrid approach) to take.  Included in his article are suggestions he received from fellow guild members in response to a recent entry in the message forum.

This may be the first tool featured as the piece of the month.  We all have tools that are special to us woodworkers.  Some are a joy to use; some are gifts; some are extremely time efficient; some have unique uses; some have sentimental value.  I could go on but they have some sort of story behind them. 

In this case Scott writes about his first table saw.  It's not exactly the same as remembering your first kiss, but I bet you all have a memory of your first table saw. 

Reading Scott's article you will see why it's a special tool.

Chris Nassise, from the workshops of Sturbridge Village, demonstrated the processing of rough lumber into finished furniture using primarily hand tools.

This month Andrew discusses another dilemma for woodworkers - whether to make or buy the jig (or fixture).  Even beginners face this question, though admittedly some jigs may be beyond their skill set.

On the other end of the spectrum I know a clever woodworker who rarely considers the buy response.  In fact, he'll sell you a self-made jig at cost and materials in the single digits for $79.99.

So take a look at Andrew's article and see if his observations are familiar to you.

As evidenced by this month's featured piece this column is not devoted only to furniture.  Jigs, fixtures, tools, and other pieces related to woodworking are also welcome.

Jamey Pope was guest presenter demonstrating techniques and fixtures used to making the banjo and mandolin in W. Concord.

Before introducing Andrew's newest  issue, I'd like to mention that this is the three year anniversary of Andrew Davis' Bevel Cut column.  So congratulations and thanks to Andrew for his dedication, insights, and humor for highlighting both standard and niche woodworking topics. 

The topic that Andrew picked for this month's Bevel Cut issue is something that has bewildered me ever since the first time I ventured into the hand plane world.  So I give Andrew my personal thanks for beginning to sort out the number system, random as it seems, for hand plane sizes.