Popular Woodworking - 018 - 1984 PDF
Popular Woodworking - 018 - 1984 PDF
Popular Woodworking - 018 - 1984 PDF
oodwor
April/May 1984
Issue 18
$1.95
Crispin Hollinshead,
Miniature Maker
Inside this issue:
How To Sharpen
Carving Tools
Marketing: Selling
Through Galleries
and Stores
Andy Goldman's
Stave
Constructed
Bowls
PleKA SAW
THE QUALITY YOU WANT AT A PRICE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS!
JET TILTING
ARBOR TABLESAW
v.s.
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enclosing all moving parts
to ensure safe operation,
with the extra rigid ity necessarry for day-in, day-outworkloads.
Biesemeyer' s superb .
TSQ fence mounted
on jets 10", 3 HP saw.
$1,399 0 0
(w ooden extension table not included)
$1 , 199
SPECIFICATIONS:
CTAS-1Q-1 ,
Stock No .:
CTAS-103
Stock No ,:
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3 Phose
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Depth
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of Cut at 45:
2"'Tobie in Ffont of
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tv'oximumWd1h
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13/16-
TABLE:
Height
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34-
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36-
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Overall Dimensions
(mm:imum)
Spjnd~ Speed
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MotOl' ( WIth
magnet ic control
switCh)
4.200
3 HP.
501. Phose.
115/230 V
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$50
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(Complete)
Brokering
Purchase plans
Call for our listing of
Used
Custom Financing
New
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Pacific Woodworker
Pacific
W ood"\Vor~er
Volume 3, Number 6
April/May 1984
Issue 18
Contents
4 Letters
6 Working Small by Charles Harris
Crispin Hollin shead, Miniature Maker
21 Store Review
Staff
Jean M. Davis, Editor
Contributing Editors:
Bill Farnsworth
William H. McMaster
David Paul Eck
Book Reviews , Alan Marks
Cartoons, Bill Atherton ,
Bill Horgos
Wayne Lin
Advertising Manager
T ypograph y
Nickels Graphics , digi-t ype
Ovid Bell Press, Printing
EGW Publishing Co.,
Publisher
Charles Harris
Publishing Consultant
April/May 1984
28
30
33
34 Northern California Woodworkers Association News
35 News & Notes: New Products
36 The Fourth Corner by Bill Farnsworth
Communing with Wood
44 Classified Market
Letters . . .
Woodworkers NeedTraining
The following letter was received as a
response to the Reader Survey we conducted last summer. We think Pacific
Woodworker readers will be interested in
Matt Lambert's provocative comments.
Someone has got to start a school for
training people how to work in a trade
shop. I was exposed to my grandfather's
business as an eight year old with polio
unable to go to school. They taught you
how to assist , how to think along and be
prepared to hand the next tool, jig, or
board. Youwent through a year's program
where they evaluated whether you could
work in a shop-blend in, integrate into the
flow of work. They taught you how to
evaluate , not criticize; how to know when
you were starting to make a mistake. It
would be really interesting to develop a
program or manual for people working in
a shop. It is a lost art or skill.
Matt Lambert
San Mateo , CA
As a hobby I have built a fair sized bandsaw mill. With it logs as large as four feet
Pacific Woodworker
Working Small
Crispin Hollinshead Combines Engineering Skills and
Woodworking Creativity in Handcrafted Miniatures
by Charles Harris
Crispin Hollinshead's 6-foot-plus frame
towers over most normal-sized furni ture,
but even his hands alone dwarf his own
creations : miniature reproductions at a
scale of I " to a foot. Cris has combined a
background in mechanical engineering
and drafting with a feel for and a love of
wood to produce finel y crafted furniture
pieces only a few inche s high.
Cris went to school and worked in San
Diego , but soon found that engineering
and drafting were too limiting for his
creative urges. A hobby of model making
provided an outlet for awhile, but Cris
finally abandoned city life in Southern
California for the trees and fresh air of
Mendocino farther north .
He first worked as a "gofer" at loca l
constructio n sites, grad ually acquiring the
man ual skills needed for regular em ploymen t as a carpenter. One of the friends he
made in Me ndoci no was woodworker
Brian Lee. Brian turned Cris on to the joys
and frustration s of fine woodworking, and
together the pair started the Mendocino
Woodwo rker s Assocation .
Cri s's first wood creations were spinning wheels for home spinners. The n,
using his backgro und as a model maker, he
produced a scale model clipper ship. The
ship didn 't sell for years, until he built a
custom display case for the ship. Then the
ship and case sold quickly. The final step
in his tran sition to miniature maker ca me
when Cri s built a scale dollhouse for the
po pula r show held by the Mend ocino
Pacific Woodworker
Selection of Wood
'I'm getting picky about my wood ," Cri s
explains. He selects wood with very tight
grain, with no open pore s, which would
look like gopher holes at the scale he uses.
His favorite wood is local madrone , which
he calls Western cherry. He also uses tan
oak, pine and maple. "But it's hard to find .
rock maple that has tight enough grain ," he
adds.
A tiny check or split in a piece of wood
would be magnified 12 times in a miniature. " But that's from the point of view of
'big'. I don't get flaws that size. If I have a
flaw that big in the wood, I cut around it,
and throwaway that part ." One of the benefits of working small is low material costs.
Much of his lumber inventor y can be collected from the scraps and ends from other
area woodworkers. " I benefit from others'
waste wood ," jokes Cri s.
April/May 1984
Thrning
The only truly miniature tool Cris
employs is a Unimat model maker 's lathe.
" It's my main tool, a lovely machine," Cris
intones. This lightweight machine is accurate to a few thousandths of an inch,
enough for even Cris's exacting standards.
For scrape rs Cris uses 1/8" square by 2
1/2" blanks of high cobalt steel. The 1/8"
scrapers are the equivalent of I 1/2" in
scale . Trial and error led to his selection of
the proper steel for scrapers. "I started
with regular Brookstone tool steel
sc ra pe rs, but they didn't hold their
sharpness. I found I was spending an hour
and a half every six hours resharpening my
scrapers. I tried carbide blanks, but without a diamond grinding wheel, I couldn't
get them sharp enough , even though they
did hold their edge well. Finally I turned to
high cobalt steel, which I can sharpen , and
which holds its edge much better than tool
steel," Cri s explains.
Clamping
To hold the tiny pieces In proper
alignment as the glue sets, Cri s has
developed a frame similar to a picture
frame. Using parallel wedges, this jig puts
gentle , even pressure on all sides of the
piece. He also uses adhesive tape to hold a
joint; with such tiny surface s even the
holding power of the tape provides
adequate pressure to ensure a strong joint.
Selling Miniatures
Cri s readily admits that the market for
his products is quite limited. Most
dollhouse furniture is imported production
work, pieces selling for less than $50. The
number of potential customers for more
expensive, hand crafted , limited production pieces is small. " I have to pay
attention to what my clientele wants," Cris
explain s.
On the other hand, there are some distinct marketing advantage s to working in
the miniature field. "There are very few
people doing quality woodworking at this
scale," Cri s notes. " I feel comfortable
working at this scale , but some people go
bananas working at I " to a foot." Another
advantage: his work is purchased outright;
continued on page 45
Pacific Woodworker
Apr.6-S. Tempe, AZ .
Children's Toymaking class, afternoons . For information co ntact T he C utting Edge , 1836 Fourth St. ,
Berk eley, CA 94710 or (415) 548-6 011.
Children 's Woodcut Printing class, afternoons. For inform ation co ntact The Cutting Edge, 1836 Fourth St.,
Ber keley, CA 94710or (415) 548-6011 .
Chair Design workshop with Jeff Dale . For information co ntac t Th e Cutting Edge, 1836 Fou rth St. ,
continued
TABLE SLIDES
April/May 1984
FURNITURE LIGHTS
TRJM
HARDWARE
EURorEAN
HARDWARE
Ted C hase on Japanese Tools. For information contact The Cutting Edge, 1836Fourth St., Ber keley, CA
94710or (415) 548-6011.
INDUSTRIAL
SANBLADE
SANDS OUT SAW MARKS ASYOU CUT-all In one operationl Super smooth . .. eliminates sanding . .. planing
... increases production. Saves costly labor time . ..
and provides a clean, finished look.
CAREERS IN WOOD
~~.
il:::
able
fts
with practicing
nd industry
Rip or crosscut on hardwood, softwood, plys, veneers, parIIcleboard, laminates 1- or 2-slded (use 80 Tips), Corian,
hardboard, phenolics. 40 Tips are standard, 60 and 80
Tips available.
Factory sharpening , 3 days , $12.95.
' Trya SANBLADE for 30 days . If you don't like the results,we'll
buy It back! No quest ions asked .
10
Pacific Woodworker
Woodworking Show
in Pasadena
The Pasadena Convention Center is the
site of The Woodworkers Show April
13-15. The show features exhibits, free
seminars, demonstrations and prizes. Professional and aspiring fine woodworkers
can view the latest in tools and techniques.
Open noon to IOpm Friday, 10-10 Saturday
and 10-6pm Sunday. Conta ct Pat Dillon,
1516 S. Pontius Ave. , Los Angeles, CA
90025 or call (213) 477-8521.
April/May 1984
11
P'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'.I'1
Is~JD
Cal
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Co.
Featu ri ng -
~ BRUCE HAll
~
Oa~UB~~A~~rr
FOREST MANAGEMENT , IN C,
Marketing
~ Representative
~
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SHOPSMITH
OWNERS
~I
.,
..
IATHI
DUPIIIATDR
I
auides. Precision alumin um whpp! s.
~ . a Cuts to center 01 36 in . circle . 12in .
! deep throat. a Big 26 in.128 in . table .
ALSO:
I ..J
a WOOD SHAPER
a 9IN . BENCH SAW
a COMB . LATHE
DRILL PRESS
MAKE THIS
"SPUNKY"
ROCKER
~ I N . BELT SANDER
R OM
KITS F
'39.99 TO '194.99
W ith 5-Year Gua rantee
t:
PLANS}
00
with
,~ per
FULL SIZE
PIan
PATTERNS o.ductlbl.
Featured in Workbench . Popular Science . Mechanix tuustrated. Step-by-step plans. photos. tun-scalepatterns show
you how. No machining.no welding. Send$5 eachlor Plans
ptus $1 tor postage . stating tool plans wanted; Catalog inciucec. Or, send$1 lor Catalog!
12
Pacific Woodworker
by M artin Zschoche
14
I
I( ,
After the letters are traced only the two- laye red
wood venee r, the letters are carefully cut out wu h
a sca lpe l.
\ e,
A steady hand and gentle pressure helps in tracing the tiny letters out ofthe holly venee r.
April/May 1984
15
Woodworker
CATALOG
SAVE VAST SUMS . Build, restore, refinish anything of wood! Here 's everything you need . Fine woods.
veneers , specialty tools . Cabinet
hardware . period & modern. Pro finIshes . Cane . Lamp parts . Uphol. supplies. Picture moldings.
Clock kit s. 100'5 of plans . Instruction books. Thousands of
hard-to-find woodworker products In big new catalog . Mall
ad for Catalog & 20 beautiful Wood Samples.
CONSTANTINE
Est. 1812
2061 Eastchester Road, Bronx, N.Y. 10461
o H~re"
O
Name
Address
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP
16
Pacific Woodworker
Shop Tips
Living with Murphy
Using Linseed Oil
from B. Beck
continued/ram page 12
April/May 1984
17
fA
Marketing
j\~.
1~w
Guide to Woodworking
Galleries and Stores
Part 1: Professional Attitude Increases Gallery Sales
by Jean M. Davisand Charles Harris
Woodworkers who want to sell their
work have several ways to do so: you can
work directly with clients, you can sell
through crafts fairs, and you can sell
through retailers like gaIleries and crafts
stores . Some woodworkers use all of these
approaches, but for many working with
galleries and stores has considerable
appeal.
For one thing , the gallery or store does
all the selling: dealing with the customers,
handling sales tax, advertising, arranging
special exhibits, etc. The woodworker is
free to spend more time on what he really
wants to do: work with wood. By spreading overhead costs among all the products
they sell , galleries can offer more
reasonable prices than a woodworker who
tries to maintain his own retail outlet.
GaIleries and stores offer other benefits
to the woodworker. A successful gallery
manager has considerable marketing expertise. He can provide invaluable advice
and suggestions about what to produce,
and what will sell. And a retailer can provide excellent exposure to the public for
any woodworker.
On the other hand, there are some drawbacks to seIling your work through galleries. You will receive less than the full retail
18
price for the piece. Typical gallery commissions are 30-40% on consignment
pieces; and when the gallery buys outright
the woodworker usuaIly gets about 50% of
the retail sales price. Another loss to the
woodworker is the absence of personal,
direct contact with customers. The woodworker misses the chance to explain the
design and construction details to the
potential customer (although this information can be committed to paper for the
gallery's use). And the woodworker loses
the direct feedback from the customer:
what he likes, and what he doesn't.
Despite these drawbacks, galleries and
crafts stores represent an attractive sales
outlet for many woodworkers. Based on
our recent survey of retail outlets in the
West, here are some pointers for dealing
with gaIleries and stores.
Professional Attitude
Galleries and crafts st ores are in
business to make money. In most cases
they are staffed by professional sales people, and they want to deal with professional
suppliers. Regardless of your status as a
woodworker (fuIl-time , part-time or just
beginning), your attitude and approach to
these stores is as important as the quality of
your designs and craftsmanship. Keys to a
What to Produce
One example of the difference between
an amateurish approach to gallery sales
and that of a professional is in the selection
of items to sell. A professional studies his
market: what does the gaIlery want? What
sells, in what price range? What are other
professional woodworkers making and
selling? In our survey, most stores and
galleries recommended smaller, less expensive items as those that sell most readily. "It is necessary, especially in the
beginning stages, to offer smaller items,
things people can take with them," says a
Washington state gallery owner. That
doesn't mean that you can't seIlfurniture or
large sculpture through a retail shop, but
you may have to look harder for galleries
that are located where large, expensive
items do sell, it may take longer to seIlyour
work and you'I1 probably need to establish
your own clientele as well.
Check with gallery managers about
their needs and suggestions. "Allow us to
have some input ," suggests a Hawaiian
gallery manager. An Oregon gallery
Pacific Woodworker
.Pricing Policies
Nearly every gallery and store we heard
D
D
D
1 Cleaner -
$6.00
2 cleaners -
$11.00
3 cleaners - $16.00
Postage paid. We will send you th e
name of the nearest distributor
lor subsequent order s.
April/May 1984
Name
Street Address
:::e::-rt;-:o-=anp",
.O'.~Bo::::x:;-)- -- - -(UPS will not de"liv
Clty
State
- - - -- -- - - - -- - - - - - - Zip
19
A Weekend Project
$495.
Solid Oak Rails
Sol-d Italian Slate
Pockets
Eliminate The Guesswork . All pocket cuts and all wood parts are pre-cut and
ready for easy assembly . You do the woodwork . The upholstery work Is done.
12 cloth colors to choose from
Stain, 011 or Wax to the color of your choice.
San Diego
FREE
FabriCraft
1934 E. University
Tempe, Arizona 85281
from expressed one major complaint in
working with woodworkers: unrealistic
and inconsistent prici ng. Gallery and store
owners feel that woodworkers often fail to
understand the overhead involved in running a retail business. (Woodwo rkers,
likewi se, may feel that the retailers don't
understand their overhead , but that's
another story.) Talk with the stores about
what they think are reasonable prices for
similar work. Participate in a woodworking association and talk to other woodworkers about pricing.
If you find you can't prod uce the prod uct
for a competitive amount of money, you'll
need to consider changing your production
method s, reducing your own overhead,
finding another way to sell, or taking up
another line of work . If you are serious
about selling your woodworking, you are
going to have to be serious abo ut keeping
your costs low enough to price your work
realistically. " Don't put so much time into a piece that it is priced out of the
market ," recommends the owner of an
20
Warehouses in:
Los Angeles
Marin County
Phoenix
- -
Address:
~/t~
- -
Phone:
State: _ _ Zip:
I
_
Production Schedule
Another common problem galleries
have in dealing with woodworkers is inability to keep to a realistic production
schedule. Be sure you can make what you
promise, within the timetable you establish. " It is essential to fulfill obligation s
voluntarily assumed with galleries and
stores. Few businesses which work with a
sc hedule can accomodate erratic
deliveries," states an Arizona gallery
manager. Work out your lead times and
shipping dates, include some extra time for
Murphy's Law, and provide information
about your schedule on your price sheet.
If some unforeseen problem does come
up, notify the retailer right away. If the
price of koa doubles overnight, a fire
sweeps through your shop, or the finance
company repossesses your table saw, concontinued on page32
Store Review
bench . The Shop has a tool buyers ' program where hand tool purchase s are recorded; after the customer has bought
$250 worth of tools he gets a 5 % discount
and a $10 gift certificate.
Plans for the future include a mail order
catalog for boatbuilding mater ials and the
prospect of car rying some hardwoods and
sponsoring classes.
The Wooden Boat Shop is open from 9
to 5 :30 on weekdays. Saturday mornings
there are demonstrations of the Inca line of
power tools. For more information contact
the owners at The Wooden Boat Shop,
1007 Northeast Boat Street , Seattle, WA
98105, telephone (206) 634-3600.
April/May 1984
21
~t?
We
RESPECTED
We have been cho sen by som e of the most respected names in the woodw orking cutting tool industry to manufacture for them . You may have used
our blades over the years and know us by many different names other than
our own.
QUALITY
You will never see the rockwell hardn ess of our plate bodies, expans ion slo ts,
precision grinding, super hard carbide or run ou t toleran ces o f our saw blades
listed as our special features,sim ply becau se these are. o ur normal standa rds.
We don 't have to send yo u thou sand s of test cut s in our order to prove our
po int. We can sho w it to y o u in onl~ three or four.,
.
GUARANTEE
Rather tha n our claim ing to be "The World's Best"; w hy not stop in and see us
at the National Working W ith W ood Show, or The Int ernation al
Woodworking Fair m Atlanta~ and make up your own mind abo ut us, In the
event you are unable to sto p in and see us, plea se fill in the coupon and we
will send you more information , Next time yo u are consi dermq the purchase
of a high q uality guaranteed tungsten carbide tipped cutt ing too l and no t
m erely a saw blade, yo u can turn to us w ith comp lete con fidence .
About the blade p ictured on this page ,../f you are taking the cha llenge
pl ease fill in the coupon below with yo ur answer attached.
'Worklng W ith Wood Show , SF, CA
The Concour se
April 6-8
Booth # 1714
Brooklyn NY I '2 03
i0
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EYERLAST
HOTLINE
W e have a craftsman ho tline 1-800-221-0885 to answer any techn ical questionsyou may have,
to give you ge neral in formation or the nam e o f a dealer near yo u,
WE STCOAST WAREHOUSE/Westates Agents, Inc" 3245 Judah
22
Pacific Woodworker
by M arlen Kemmet
April/May 1984
23
Finishing
After the final turning of the bowl, Andy
sands it by hand while it is still on the lathe.
Starting with a 60-80 grit sandpaper, he
advances to a 150grit , then finishes sanding with 320 silicone carbide. The bowl is
then dusted and finished with tung oil burnished in while the bowl is turning on the
lathe. After this the bowl is removed from
the lathe and branded with his initials
"ADG." As Andy says, "The brand is not
only to remind people who made the bowl
but to show my patrons how proud 1am of
my work and that I stand behind all of my
products." The final step before sale is a
light coat of lemon oil to highlight the
wood 's luster.
The Bowlathe
Andy uses an antique lathe called a
"Bowlathe" to turn his bowls . He found
24
Pacific Woodworker
April/May 1984
25
Finishing Techniques
Pari 3: Applying Lacquer
Mistakes: How To Avoid Them, How To Correct Them
by Robert O. Briggs
I never wanted to be a finisher. I wanted
to dovetail drawers, make miters and mortises ; to carve, perc hance a masterpiece,
and then turn it over to another craftsman
for that perfect glowing finish. What a
dreamer! I quickly discovered that any
finisher that good had a year 's worth of
work backed up, and couldn't possibly get
to my project before next Christmas.
I resisted learning for years, but in one
month , both of the good finishers I knew
decid ed to sell out their shops. So there I
was, forced to do something.
Atmospheric Conditions
If it is cold or damp when you spray, the
lacquer will blush . Moisture in the mi x
turn s milky blue-white almost immediately as it drie s, especially in places where the
lacquer build s up the most , like along the
edge s of a tabletop. Blushing usuall y is a
surface phenomenon which often can be
26
April/May 1984
Silicone
The worst thing that ever happened to a
good finish was Lemon Pledge. This and
other spray polishes containing silicone
make the furniture shiny and not smudgy.
They make it glow and radiate warmth.
Unfortunate ly, they also turn the lacquer to
jelly within ten to fifteen years of regular
use. They cut the life of a good fini sh in
half, or even to a third of normal. They are
the scourge and torment of every good refinisher, because they settle into the wood.
Stripper won't touch them, sanding won't
remove them; they causefisheye. This is a
situation where the lacquer simply flows
away from spots on the wood surface like
water off a duck's back and will not stick
there no matter how many coats of finish
are spraye d. The result is a miniature
moonscape of craters-a ruined finish.
There is a product called 'Smoothie '
which can be added to a lacquer mix to
make the lacquer flow and stick to a
siliconed surface. It must be added to every
coat offinish, or the trouble recurs . Ifyou
see fish eye forming as you spray, you can
race across the shop, pump a double shot
of 'Smoothie' into the cup , race back and
shoot an extra heavy coat of lacquer over
27
Making the
Mitchell Air Rifle
by Paul Gerhards
28
Pacific Woodworker
April/May 1984
29
focus on Carving
30
Pacific Woodworker
Reflection
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31
3lmporteb
Qfuropean
J$arbbJare
Model VC4750
Swivel & Tilt
Mechanism
Bell
Sl eeve hub
ORDER NOWI
SATISFACTION
GUARANTEED
I!I -.
'.(1'>-
rS'
- - JlI
",p~
FREE CATALOG
VALLE Y CREEK WOODWORKS. Box 68 PW
Lake lend . M lnne.om 66043
VISA/MC accepted
MN residents pleaseadd tax
R. SORSKY
BOOKSELLER
Box P2
3845 N. Bla cks to ne
Fresno, Cali f. U.S.A. 93726
Member American Booksellers Assn .
Gallery Guide
tact the gallery and explain your predicament. Don't wait until your delivery date,
and don't wait for the gallery to contact you
about the promised goods.
In short, show that you understand the
gallery's needs, demonstrate your profes'sional abilities and you'll find acceptance
of your work.
19 14, 8 75 78 ' 7
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BOll56. Dept .
. Milwaukee . WI 53201
KL A M P K IT S
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32
Pacific Woodworke r
~w
Sam Maloof: Woodworker by Sam
Maloof, Kodansha International, 10
East 53rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10022,
1983, $49.95.
Graphically this book sets a new standard for aspiring woodworking authors.
For those of us who appreciate and admire
the sculpted look of Maloofs pieces it offers an opportunity to examine a vast portfolio of his life's work seen from the best of
angles, an experience previously possible
only at galleries or museums . It also provides an intimate picture of Sam Maloof
and his ideals.
Maloofs autobiographical documentary
will interest readers intent on following his
development from the very start. He begins by writing that even as a child ". . . I
ca rved all sorts of things including
beautiful pistols with cylinders that actually turned . I made a paddle when I was
eleven for taking bread out of the oven.
Someone once pointed out that it was constructed on surprisingly sophisticated lines
for an eleven year old : it had a dado joi nt
and was so well built it is still ~sed by my
sisters." In organizing SamMaloof: UVodworker, a title reminiscent of James
Krenov Worker in UVod by James Krenov,
Maloof divided his anecdote-laced pages
into five sections . "Starting Out" deals
with the birth of his career, describing the
way he climbed by increments to everhigher plateaus of recognition, building
upon earlier successes . As he sums up instructively later in his book: "All exhibitions open up contacts and enrich the
world of the craftsman." Next comes
"Sharing," a chapter that describes his
relationship with his clients, how the demand for his work has grown impressively
large (the size of his largest commission:
April/May 1984
Books . . .
Sam Maloof: Woodworker
Reviewed by Alan Marks
33
neios/etree ~
Northern California
Woodworkers Association
The Northern Californ ia Woodworker's
Association was formed in April of 1983 to
support the eight regional associations in
North ern California ; to provide a network
connecting these local groups; and to facilitate communications and services for
all woodwor kers in the area .
Memb ership is open to anyone and includes : participation in all future NCWA
shows and seminars; a listing in a central
resources directory; eligibility for showing
work in "The Craftsman's Touch" Gallery
on Pier 39 in San Francisco ; and a one
year's subscription to Pacific Woodworker.
Dues are $20 per year for persons who
are members of one of the regional associations and $35 per year for those who are
not. Our address is: NCWA, P.O. Box 832,
Marshall , CA 94940.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Northern California Woodworker's Association
P.O. Box 832, Marshall, CA 94940
_ Address
Name
Telephone Home
Work
_
City/State
Zip _ _
) Enclosed are $35.00 dues for a one-year membership. I am not a member of a local association.
) Enclosed are $20.00 dues for a one-year membership. I am a member of:
(Name of local association)
Signed
34
Date
Pacific Woodworker
New Products
Craft Alliance Exhibit Catalog
continued on page 45
April/May 1984
35
- )?
THE~/ l
FOURTH )
J '"
Ji}
.
I'> 'W
~I ' \
~~ER
by Bill Farnsworth
36
nature-with trees and wood in particular- percolate back up from some substratum of my consciousness. For my
aging mind such moments are rare, but
unmistakable when they happen. I suspect these occasional odd feelings are
one inexplicable reason why I am fated
against all sane judgement to be a
woodworker.
As a kid I was always a little daft. I'd
spend untold hours singing nonsense
songs to my pet cats under a fabulously
lightning-blasted catalpatree in our yard.
(Then I affectionatelycalled it "the cigar
tree" because of its foot-long seed pods.)
Back then I also wasted a solid half of my
summer vacationdaylighthours building
forts in the New England woods near my
home , playing 1950's versions of
Dungeons and Dragons where certain
twisted oaks and maples were the dragons. Some time later, as a college
student, I would hike up to a groveof old
eucalyptus trees high in the Berkeley,
California hills when I wanted solitude. I
vividly remember the sensation of time
standing still within their drooping
branches, a feeling of being "unstuck" in
time and place.
Pacific Woodworke r
April/May 1984
BERKELEY CA 94710
1836 Fourth St.
(415) 548-6011
I
PHOENIX, AZ 85029
10844 N. 23rd Ave.
(602) 997-8665
human brains , for example, are both constructed of the same DNA molecules,
and according to Darwin we both share a
common ancestor in the primordial algae
of some billion or so years ago. All trees
and all woodworkers are, thus, distant ly
related. Trees are smarter than you might
think, too. Recent stud ies by botanists at
the University of Washington have indicated that some trees can communicate
with each other, transmitting chemicals
through the air to warn of approaching
dangers such as insects. These chemical
transmissions actually stimulate increased production of natural insecticides in neighboring trees.
Ideas go in and out of fashion, but that
correspondence Emerson spoke of between trees (wood) and something deep
inside us persists. It wasn't first observed
and felt in the Concord woods, either. Sir
James Fraser's classic , The Golden
Bough, documents in lengthy detail the
existence of tree - and tree - spirit worship
in cultures ranging from the Egyptians to
37
the Col onial Dutch auth orities ha s stands of timber. We've lost a certain
ordered them to cut down their dwell- sensitivity to the natural world and the
ings. The Druidic " tree alphabet" was mater ials we draw from it. If trees can
ance stor to the Celtic and modern Irish communicate with each other, I feel it is
alph abets, in which each letter is still also likely they can communicate with us,
the name of a specific tree. To this day too, in some very real but subliminal way.
our Christmas tre e and the Mayp ole
Yet the wood that I now fabricat e into
rema in with us as seaso nal reminders of furn iture and cabin ets doesn't speak very
earl y Druid tree ritu als .
loudly to me most of the time. I can relate
It is said that less than a millenium ago to Sam Maloofs comment in this regard:
a squirrel could have leaped from tree to ". . . there are so many more pieces of
tree all the way from the Rhine to Siberi a . wood in my future that I have no time for
Vast forest s of oaks, elm s, pine s and lei su rel y con ver sati ons with a single
ch estnuts onc e covered most of now , piece. My communications with wood,
barren Italy and Gree ce. The desert hills th erefore , ar e ve ry eff icie ntly con of Lebanon we see on our nightly news- densed." In my last column I closed by
casts wer e once den se cedar wood s. stating that I needed to fall in love with
Clo ser to home , concrete-clad Oakland , my work again, and I now realize that
California was in fact an oak land until much of the lovers' quarrel I have had
the 19th centu ry shipbuilders put their with woodworkin g resulted from a total
axes to it. (As someone once said , la ck of di al ogu e with my c hose n
America is a place where they cut down medium. As with any relation ship, you
all the tree s and name streets after them .) have to keep the magic alive.
I can't help but think that we've lost
Yes, there is some kind of wonderful
something else along with those thick
continued on page 32
Learn fine
woodworking and
furniture
design.
An intensive full-time learning
situation emphasizing traditional technique as well as
modern methods of woodworking ,
Individual level instruction ,
ample work areas and an industrially furnished machine
room provide a stimulating
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Write or call :
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401 West Railroad 51.
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Pacific Woodworker
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(213)318-2491 Telex 181872
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Rough & Ready, CA 95975
April/May 1984
IIodel 46-201
cIw Cai:liI'let -
CATALOGUE
(Um/ted quantJtJa
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National Carvers Museum fo under and President Harry Meech. with one of the 10,000carvings on display at the Colorado museum.
40
Pacific Woodworker
profit National Carvers Museum Foundation in Colorado. Throu gh his own promotional effort s and tho se of a carefully
selected board of directors, Harry built the
Museum's membership up to the point
where construction of the building could
begin . In the spring of 1972 , ground was
broken for the unusual build ing ; the
museum opened its doors to the publ ic a
year later. Meanwhile, Harry per sonally
loaded hundreds of donated and loaned
carvings into his car and drove them from
Ch icago to Colorado for display.
Since the official dedication of the
Museum on July 14, 1974, the original
mortgage on the building has been paid
off. Now, plans are underway for the con struction of an educational wing as an addition to the original 10,000 square foot
structure.
Since the beginning all funding has been
through private donation s and due s; no
state or federal monies have been used .
Thanks to the efforts of such notable wood
carvers as radio personal ity Paul Harvey
a nd as t ro naut Scott Carp enter, the
museum is prospering. The Foundation
now has more than 27,000 members, including 3,000 Life Members.
The mu seum att rac ts thousands of
visitors each year. Among the 10,000-plus
carvings on display are a series of more
than 100birds from the International Wood
Collectors Association, each carved of a
different wood. The walls of the upper
level of the building are covered with
helpful , step-by-step example s of many
popular carving techniques. The visitor
can follow each stage in the carving of a
caricature, a wooden chain and others.
One of the largest carvings on display is an
'ifl' continuous chain , carved over a period
of 35 years from a single ponderosa pine
stump by George Clark of Colorado. Pro minently displayed on the main level is a
massive bear, carved by Dugo Nore of
California, and "The Spirit of '76" by Art
McKellips of Oregon (see photo).
dl~ ~:~8t
'VsllSSr
P.O. Box 06243
Portland, Oregon 97206
(503) 7772291
c:!.tors
CJ
RETAIL VENEER
Clipping & Jointing
$2.50 sample kit available
(refunded with first order)
Send for free price list.
FURNITURE KITS
Unique Q ueen
Anne and
C hippe nda le
fu rnitu re kits of
solid walnut .
che rry. and
ma hogany. For
complete full color
brochure send
$ 1.00 to :
1~
11 WINDSOR
'(;"' CLASSICS LTD.
15937 Washington S t. Dept. G l
Gurnee, II 600 31
iiAliD (jAW
The 10,000 square foo t museum houses educa tiona l displa ys, memorial exhibits and dona ted
carvings. 17,e museum also includes a store
which sells books, patterns and some carvings.
April/May 1984
41
Wood Types
BigleafMaple
Ifthere is a tree that I am especially fond it might de nt fairly easi ly on tables and
of , it is the bigleaf maple. It is both a desk tops ; given the right plank , though, I
beautiful tree to live with and a fine wood wouldn't hesitate to use it.
Although Western maple machines easto work . Common here in the Pacific
Northwest and fast growing like the
slende r alder, the bigleaf maple matures
into a broad striking shape. The tree
Armoi re of l{0stem maple and aromati c ceda r,
develops a large trunk leading to stout
by DOlland Darr y Cameron ofPortland,
branches that reach outward , eventually
Oregon .
terminating at hugh five-fingered leaves. In
the winter the maple tree pre sents an
ominous shape against the sky ; in the fall
it splashes the Northwest's green forest s
with gorgeous orange and gold co lor.
Beneath its grey furrowed bark, however, there is more. The wood of the
Western map le is a soft, subtle material.
When finis hed with oil or she llac its surface radiates with warmth and intimacy.
Harder than alder, but co nsiderably softer
than the Eastern sugar maple, the bigleaf
maple has the reputation of being somewhat unstable, a characteristic typical of
the Northwest' s fast growing hardwoods.
When resawing or ripping Western maple ,
allow for more waste and expect a bit of
cupping or bending.
Even after Western maple has been finished , it is still very sensitive to moisture.
Take care in allowing for movement and be ~
extremely cautious when using this wood ~
in thin members (suchas in chairs).
j
Bigleaf maple makes a nice choice of ..,~
wood for casework: armoi res, showcases, ~
chests, dre ssers and the like. Be aware that @
42
Pacific Woodworker
can get to the maple tree before the splitting maul does, it is well worth the effort to
flitch-cut and dry this common wood ,
figured or not.
Despite its rather dubious reputation as
an unstable wood , Western maple has its
place. I don 't expect the maple to do
anything it doe sn't do well , and it returns
the favor by providing beautiful trees
around my shop, heat for my home, and its
finest planks for my furniture. As a craftsman , I couldn't ask for more.
STACKING BOOKCASE!
BARRISTER'S BOOKCASE!!
LAWYER'S BOOKCASE!!!
Whatever you call
it...you can build
this beautiful
bookcase with
stack ing shelves,
each with its own
glass door that
lifts up and slides
back .
No spec ial hardware required .
Step-by-step
plans - detailed
3 sh elf unit
illustrations.
37"w x 44-1/4 "h x
l2 -1/2 "d
You have the tools .
(table saw and
Order Plan 004 router) All you
need is the plan II
$14.00
Wood Toy
Parts &
Patterns
*
*
Wheels. Spindles
Balls. Knobs
Shaker pegs. And more!
Since 19271 Send $1.00 for Catalog.
. ""'w,
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P:ItO:OO,@lIriS; crQ.
Largest Selection
The "Standard of the
Industry"
since 1972
U"pIIA
P.o. Box U
Ventura, CA 93002
Wholesale
Catalog Free
Toys, Inc.
only
$110
Incl. Case.
Batteries,
and Pins
for 3/'6" and
Measuring Depth.
Size: l "x 24"X 5112"
u==
April/May 1984
PO Box 30145pw
Portland O R 97230
503257-8957
boo th at Ihe
Natrona: Wo rk ing With Wood Show
In New York and San Francsco
VISI! OUf
43
(tASSIFIED ~
~W
MARKET
WOODS
WOOD PRODUCTS
MAKE TOYS-Plans, Kits-Hardwood Wheels ,
Parts, Dowels. Catalog $1.00-Cherry TreeToys,
Belmont Ohio 43718.
TOOLS
THE TOOL GUY - Used tools of all kindsspec ializing in woodwork ing tools. Over 600
planes in stock, 500 chisels, 100hand saws,
braces , bits, wood rules , etc. Stan ley planes
#55 with cutters-$350, #45- $100, #2 $125, #3-$30, #4-$15, #5-$20, #6-$30,
#7- $ 40, #8-$ 60, #9 8 and #9 9 side
rabbet-$80. Mail Orders and want lists
welcome. Satisfaction guaranteed . Call for
appo intment or come by. Dave Paling , (415)
334-7295,227 Ney St. , San Franc isco , CA
94112.
A high ly refined doub le-edged crooked knife is
now available to carvers, sculptors and others
who work in a flowing line. Ever work with a properly designed crooked knife? You won't believe
it! Send stamp for informat ion. Kestrel Tool Rt.l ,
Box 1762, Lopez , WA 98261.
44
WOODS
FO REI GN A ND DO ME STIC LUM BE RBocote, Padouk, Teak, Purpleheart , Shedua ,
Koa, Mansonia , lrnbula, Oak, Lignum Vitae,
Cherry, Cocobolo, Walnut , Basswood ,
Mahogany and mo re. AUS TI N HARDWOODS -TACOMA3622 96th SW . Tacoma,
WA. 98499 , (206) 582-5454
EXOTIC & DOMESTIC WOODS- Rosewood
Specialists: logs and lumber available, cut to any
dimension , no minimum , sam ples mailed .
Musical instrument and turnin g stock . Air dr ied/Kiln -dried , Great selection . Call (206)
671 -8123 or 647-1136or write : Su nFree Woods,
219 Prospect Street , Bell ingham, WA 98225 .
BRIARWOOD-Gree k br iar. Plateau x ,
ebauchon and souche . Highest quality, bargain
prices . Write for information and price list.
J. Mar iner, P.O. Box 175, EI Dorado Hills , CA
95630 .
FOR SALE
Child's Kum-apart chair plans full size $3.00. No
nails, screws, glue. Manyothe rfurn iture, novelty,
toy plans. Woodshap ers, 5227 SE Drake, Hillsboro, OR 97123.
WOODCR AFTS-Veteran craftsman has experienced $1000 Crafts Shows, will send plans
for 6 best selling wood items for $5.00. Bennett
Woodwor king , Rt.8, Box 680-S, Pensacola, FL
32506.
60 BEAUTIFUL BARN PLANS . Ga rages,
Workshops , Sheds , Homes . Catalog $3. (Refund able). Ashlandbarns, 990PW Butlercreek,
Ashland , OR 97520
BA NDSAW OWNERS, Produce $100 a day
making bandsaw puzzle boxes. Plans $5.95 includes four styles. Bennett Woodworking , Rt.8,
Box 680-S, Pensacola, FL 32506
Pacific Wo odworker
Splinter Remover
MISCELLANEOUS
ATTENTION CRAFTSPEOPLE-The Goodfellow Catalog Press, publishers of The Goodfellow Catalog of Wonderful Th ings No.3, is
sponsor ing a crafts fair at Oakland 's Festival at
the Lake on June 1,2 , and 3, 1984. Attendance
in excess of 50,000, low booth fee, excellent fair.
Limited space. For an application , write now:
Festival Craft Market , c/o Goodfellow Catalog ,
Box 4520, Berkeley, CA 94704. (415)428-0142.
Crafts cooperative proposed : Craftsmen
wanted to join retired college professor (owner
of 10 commercial & 40 residential lots) in
" CRAFTSCENTRE" in Frazier Mountain Park
(Halfway between Los Angeles &Bakersfield , 3
miles off 1-5). Large community center and
county park near by. John Luther, 1175 Kipling
Ave, Los Angeles , CA 90041.
FREEl Information on 100 Satellite Television
Channels plus free catalog of proven do-ityourself plans/kits for easy, low-cost, attractive
satellite antennas . Also, wholesale electronic
components. GFI-13, Box 9108, Missoula, MT
59807. 406-642-3405 . "Consumer Guide to
Satellite Television" - $6.95. .
April/May 1984
Working Small
continued from page 8
he doesn't have to deal with the consignment process most custom woodworkers
encounter. "A woodworker 'WOrking under
consignment can have thousands of dollars
tied up, with nothing coming in. The potential is always there for a big check out of
the blue, but it is a very iffy proposition .
And if the piece gets dinged up, it's the
woodworker's problem ."
Miniatures are Cris's primary work, but
occasionally he branches out into other
fields. His display cases (see photo) are a
perennial best seller. Constructed entirely
of madrone, tan oak and other local woods,
the cases have no right angles . Every
Bimex Tools
corner and side is an engineering marvel.
Bimex has a line of custom-designed "I like the appeal to geometry in these
tools said to have long life when used in complicated cases," he says. Again, Cris
diverse materials such as soft or hard makes extensive use of temporary jigs to
woods, particleboard, plywood and plas- produce a few cases at a time. He also
tics . A 64- page catalog includes saw- produces some wooden puzzles . In fact, he
blades, router bits, drill bits, corrugated holds a copyright on a puzzle he invented
back knife bars and solid carbide knife in- 10 years ago. "Puzzles are a product I
sert cutters. The catalog is available free enjoy making," Cris notes.
from Bimex" Inc., 3617Shallowford Rd.,
Although he's been successful in selling
Atlanta, GA 30340.
his work , Cris still faces squarely the
problems of a narrow market that he feels
all woodworkers doing quality work eventually must confront. The average person
may appreciate his work, but can 't afford
it. "It's difficult to do what you want to do
creatively and spiritually and still survive."
He has considered developing a "bread
and butter" item for a volume market, a
dependable production item to help support the work he prefers to do. But he's
aware of the contradictions involved: "A
Smaller Carbide Shaper Cutters bread and butter item can be contrary to
Freeborn Tool Company has added a the quality of the other things you make. If
Mini-Pro line of carbide shaper cutters to I start getting tired of it or bored with it, it
its cutter selection . The new cutters are- would show up in the work." Thus far, Cris
almost all less then 3" in diameter, and sell Hollinshead has blended his creative
for less than larger cutters. All are OSHA energy, high standards of workmanship
orange for good visibility. Custom shapes and a mechanical talent to produce his
are also available. Contact Freeborn Tool delicate miniatures and the other pieces he
Company, 3355 East Trent Ave., Spokane. makes without compromising on the approach and lifestyle he has chosen.
WA 99202 or (509) 535-3075.
45
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