volume 24 issue 6 february · the saskatchewan woodworker february 4 saskatchewan woodworkers’...
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Volume 24 Issue 9 May 2021
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IN THIS ISSUE
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ........................ 2 CALENDAR OF EVENTS.......................... 3 MAY REGULAR MEETING MINUTES ...... 4 VIRTUAL SHOW AND TELL ..................... 6 WEIRD AND WONDERFUL LOCAL WOOD PART 2 .......................................... 9 VIRTURAL WOODSHOW ....................... 13 FROM CAL’S MESSY DESK ............... 14 SHAVINGS .............................................. 16 CLASSIFIEDS ......................................... 20
GUILD LIBRARY ..................................... 21
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE -submitted by Paul Perron
We are coming close to our guild year of meetings before summer. This means we will be looking for people to help volunteer for the upcoming year. One area we are looking for someone to commit to will be to assist our treasurer as sort of an apprentice. It is not an onerous position, but if someone is better prepared and eases into the position, the transition for everyone is much easier to handle. Also, if anyone would like to get involved but would like to ease into things, let me know and we will see what can work. We are all hoping to get back to meeting in person in the school again soon, by then our membership as a group will be ready and raring to go full bore once again.
With the onset of summer around the corner, this normally signals the summer gatherings for particular disciplines of our club. It would be very premature to assume these events will go ahead. However, the organizers of the events will keep tabs on the provincial health guidelines to return to normal and keep in touch with the groups involved. In simpler terms, as an organizer of the July carving event, I will keep in touch with the regular carvers and the potential of running the events albeit within guidelines of the provincial health directives. This would include, but not limited to, limited group size, social distancing etc. My final topic of discussion is our club library. Your executive is still working on various aspects of needing to remove the library from Great West Saw current location, and finding storage and a new permanent solution. We have a number of members who have indicated their willingness to help with the initial removal, and if anyone wants to add their name to the list, feel free to contact me. We are also looking for help in finding a permanent solution for our library. In the interim, your executive is looking as various storage solutions. This might include acquiring a shipping container and storage location. A container would be a capital expenditure which we can later dispose of and recoup cost. But we need a place to store said container. Any members who may have ideas or space, please contact me and let me know – your executive will discuss any and all possibilities.
Publishers Information This newsletter is published 10 times per year except for the months of July and August by the Saskatchewan Woodworkers Guild, Box 7196, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 4J2 PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 0040029385 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE MAIL DATA REPORT TO: [email protected] Commercial advertising is available. Advertising rates are $40 per quarter printed page, $75 per half printed page or $120 per full printed page. Contact the newsletter editor at [email protected] for details. Deadline for submissions for the newsletter is the executive meeting for each month. These dates are listed in the calendar of events.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May June July Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
30 31
Tuesday, May 4th 2021 SWG Executive Meeting 7:30 pm online Monday, May 10th 2021 Hub City Turners regular meeting online Thursday, May 20th 2021 SWG regular meeting 7:30 pm online
Tuesday, June 1st 2021 SWG Executive Meeting 7:30 pm online Monday, June 7th 2021 Hub City Turners regular meeting online Thursday, June 17th 2021 SWG regular meeting 7:30 pm online
If you know of any woodworking related events that may be of interest to members and that could be listed on this page, please contact the editor at [email protected]
The Next Regular Meeting will be on the third Thursday of May, at 7:30 PM. The meeting location will be set up online on Zoom.
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SASKATCHEWAN WOODWORKERS’ GUILD REGULAR MEETING – APRIL 15TH, 2021 ZOOM
MEETING
1. Call to order by Paul Perron at 7:30 p.m.
2. There were 1 guest and 26 members in attendance.
3. Paul went over the Zoom meeting rules.
4. Reports:
a. VP – Mark Noete: i. Mark said that we have 2 - $25 Lee Valley gift card door prizes for this meeting
and those attending tonight’s meeting are in the draw. b. Wood show – James Dobson:
i. Nothing to add at this time. c. Treasurer/Membership - Gord Smith:
i. Gord said that things are going well so far and that we have 95 members so far.
ii. There were no questions for Gord.
d. Education – Indy Sambasivam (absent): i. No report
e. Demos – James Dobson:
i. If you want to do a demo please get in touch with James. The more lead time the
better.
ii. Tonight’s demo will be a video on making a birch bark canoe.
f. Community liaison – Paul Perron - i. As mentioned in the past, no events scheduled for this year or the foreseeable
future. g. Newsletter – Andrew Jack (absent)/James Dobson:
i. Nothing to report at this time.
h. Library – Rob Lavender: –
i. Rob has a bunch of magazines to put into the library.
5. New business:
a. Great West Saw is moving to Cleveland Ave. and they will have no room in their new
building for our library.
b. We will need to start moving our library somewhere by the beginning of June. We need
to either move or store items until a space can be found.
c. We need the help of our younger members to help with this move as there are lots of
steps and books are heavy.
d. We will also need to be sure that all safety and other covid necessary precautions are
used.
e. Paul will have an email sent out to all members asking for ideas on where to store or
move the library to.
f. Cal Isaacson asked if Jeff Montgomery is still the owner of that building as he is the
original founder of the library.
g. Trent Watts said that he has rented two C-cans for $300 per month as storage for some
of his possessions and this might be a temporary solution.
h. Peter Christensen said that u-line boxes are good quality for packing items into and not
too expensive to purchase.
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i. James Dobson wondered if we could approach Maker Space to see if they have room in
exchange for sharing our items.
j. Paul went over some concerns with sharing outside our group.
k. Gord Smith was concerned that they may want to charge for the space and this would
deplete our funds over time. Hoped we can find a free space.
l. Up Morelli asked if we need to move everything, lights, fixtures, etc.
m. Leo Fritz said that lighting is wired into the area and would likely need to stay as very
difficult to remove.
n. Bernard Nagel said that maybe the owner will want that stuff stripped out. Paul will talk to
them about this.
o. Paul said we will for sure need to take the bookshelves. They were designed and built by Gary Jabusch for the library and are ours.
p. Mel Genge asked if we have a record of how much the library has been used over the
last 5 years.
q. Paul responded and said that there are lots of items in the library that cannot be found
on the internet and it is a resource/asset that helps draw new members.
r. James Dobson said that he visited 1-2 times a week when he was able to go there.
s. Mark Zlipko also said he used it a fair amount.
t. Rob Lavender said that the Fine Woodworking and turning magazines are the most used
items.
u. Bob Gander wondered if we need to store, what about a selfstorage unit. He did not
know what they cost.
v. Peter Christensen said that perhaps after hours or a Sunday may be the safest way to
do the move for GWS staff and our
members. He also said that Lee Valley may be a long shot for temporary storage.
6. Q&A:
a. Gord Smith has a small metal lathe, a Unimat, which he knows very little about operating
and asked if anyone that has some experience to give him a call.
b. Bernard Nagel said that perhaps Shane Hammer could be a resource.
c. Jack Magera said that he is a machinist by trade and glad to help Gord with any advice
he needs.
7. Door prizes – Marc:
a. Winners tonight are Paul Perron and Mark Zlipko.
8. Demo:
a. Demo tonight was a video called ‘My Last Canoe’ and was on the making of a birch bark canoe.
9. Reminders:
a. Paul reminded all that show & tell items should be sent to Cal and Sam as soon as possible for inclusion in the next newsletter.
10. Meeting was adjourned at 8:41. Paul thanked all for attending. Members were welcome to stay
online for a while to chat if they wanted to.
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VIRTUAL SHOW AND TELL - compiled by Sam Isaacson
Since we haven’t been having any regular guild meetings, we asked members to send us some photos and a brief description of woodworking projects they have been doing during this time of isolation. Thanks to those who submitted their stories and photos. The following are those we have received: James Dobson My latest project has been this set of six kumiko coasters. I made them from spruce in three different patterns: the familiar asanoha hemp leaf pattern, a hashtag pattern, and a mitred square pattern. They are 1/4" thick and a little over 5" square. Each coaster is made up of 38 - 42 pieces of wood. They nest in a simple pine box that features a milk-painted accent groove and a cutout on one side so you can easily remove the coasters. Coasters are finished with spray lacquer, the box with shellac. These were made for a customer living in England.
Ning Xu Heavy Duty Viking Bench: This heavy-duty Viking bench was made out of SPF lumber in 2018. The basic design was inspired by an article from "Family Handyman" (https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/heavy-duty-viking-bench/) but I made some modifications. The cross-inlay on the benchtop was made out of oak. A high gloss transparent polyurethane finish was applied after construction. Bench dimension: 154cm (L) x 46cm (W) x 43cm (H)
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Bob Gander Bob has several items to show us this month.
The first one is “Woman at the Beach” This piece was created from mahogany and sand using edge tools, power carving and hand sanding. Finishes used were clear oil, black gesso and sanding sealer. Bob says “This piece is intended to celebrate a wider range of body types and ages than is usually seen. It was also an opportunity for me to work with folds in cloth.”
Bob’s second piece is a Bonaparte Gull carved with edge tools. WOODS/MATERIALS USED: gull: basswood, wire, 2-ply Japanese veneer plywood, and carving epoxy; poplar driftwood; base: birch FINISH USED: acrylic paint, black gesso, grey gesso, spray lacquer METHOD(S) USED: edge tools Bob says “I received some guidance and help from Rob Lavender particularly with the legs, feet and mounting. And no, I am not becoming a bird carver.”
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Bob’s third piece is a Trefoil Knot and Circle This piece is made from basswood and displayed on a turned birch base FINISH USED: clear oil, India ink METHOD(S) USED: lathe, edge tools and hand sanding OTHER NOTES: This is one of a series of carvings on a variety of geometric forms. The trefoil knot and circle are most frequently drawn, but when carved a more shallow 3D profile is used. The circle is usually carved as a captive ring. In that form it is often referred to as a trinity knot. In this case, I turned a sphere as the blank and chose to make the circle a rim. The carving is mounted on the base by means of a rare earth magnet and a steel washer. This was done to facilitate someone picking it up to enjoy it from various angles. Each loop of the knot has a ¼
twist which creates a solid object with only one surface. Someone has coined the term “Mobioid” for such objects.
Piece number four is “Appearances Can Be Deceiving” This piece is made from basswood and finished with acrylic paint and clear oil METHOD(S) USED: edge tools, power and hand sanding OTHER NOTES: Another in the series of geometric forms. The captive object is a regular hexahedron (6 equilateral triangles). The cage is a trefoil knot; this time it is carved more like a Celtic knot. The hexahedron is based on the shape and color of a mineral called cinnabar (not ruby; the first deception). Cinnabar was ground up in ancient times and used as a rouge (so skin appeared healthy; the second deception). But cinnabar is a compound of mercury and sulphur and is toxic (so it is actually unhealthy; the third deception).
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Weird and Wonderful Local Wood Part 2 -submitted by R. Gander
Harvesting: Storing:
1. Cutting into lengths
2. Splitting or planking
3. Drying Cal Isaacson and I did a video
presentation at the March meeting. Cal
then submitted an article on part of the
video. This is Part 2.
I will start with woods that can be carved using edge tools and then move onto harder woods. Birch and poplar are large trees (at least by Prairie standards) when fully grown. As such, they can be used for dimensioned lumber as well as carving and turning.
White Poplar Poplar is actually a large genus of trees that includes cottonwoods, aspens and poplars. Of course, common names can be used differently by different folks even in the same locale. I will describe what I know as white poplar, but is also referred to as aspen or quaking aspen. It grows as tall straight trees and the trunks can be a foot or more in diameter. (That is 30 cm or more for the younger members.) The wood is a light, creamy color typically with not much heartwood. It is close-grained but still relatively soft, although it feels a bit stringy while
carving. It doesn’t take stain uniformly, so the result is often blotchy.
White poplar –well aged
Interestingly, the wood is paler if it has been harvested from a dead tree. However, poplar is not rot resistant and is subject to boring insects once dead. So it doesn’t last long as standing dead snags. I prefer to harvest it green and get it under cover quickly.
Example of white poplar carved with edge tools.
White Birch White birch is native to the parkland and boreal forest. Usually what is found in urban settings are introduced species whose properties may be different from those of white birch.
White birch in the round
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Local birch is typically smaller in diameter than white poplar at maturity. It is even less rot resistant than poplar, and its thick, impervious bark keeps the moisture inside the harvested pieces. Therefore, it is important to split the wood down the center before storing it in a cool, dry place. (I had a large piece of birch, which had been split, standing on its end on a concrete floor. There was enough moisture for the fungus to “glue” the piece to the floor.)
Clear piece of white birch
The wood is typically light in color. It is tight grained and is typically harder than poplar, but carves more consistently. Because of the tendency to rot, there are often punky areas that are a different color and a little softer. There can also be spalting: dark streaks from the invading fungus that create pleasing decorative effects particularly on turned objects. Even without any punky areas, birch absorbs stain unevenly.
Spalted birch bowl
White birch is also susceptible to creating burls as it grows. These can be harvested without cutting down the whole tree. They are sought after by turners because of the interesting grain patterns that are exposed.
Linden Linden is an introduced species that is sometimes used in urban landscaping. There are actually 2 species that may be encountered: big-leaf and little leaf. They are related to basswood, which is a favorite of carvers.
Linden rough sawn and with bark
The grain structure is variable. I have had pieces that were very similar to basswood, and others with a much more obvious grain and more brittle to carve. Again it is not rot resistant, so it must be put under cover in a dry place shortly after being harvested.
Carved big-leaf linden
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This was carved in the round, but no checks or cracks have developed in it. Usually you expect that a fully round piece will develop checks as the wood dries or even over time as the stresses in the wood get relieved. I have never tried to stain it, but I would pre-condition it as a precaution as it can be quite porous.
Shubert Chokecherry There are chokecherries native to North America that have clusters of dark berries, which are edible (best once cooked). However, they are similar to saskatoons in size and growth habit. As such, they aren’t used much in carving. The Shubert chokecherry is an introduced species used in urban landscapes. It can grow to 20 cm or more in diameter. The sapwood tends to be a narrow ring, so most of a log is a relatively uniform brown color, as seen below.
Shubert chokecherry split in half using a splitting wedge and sledge hammer.
It is a hard, close-grained wood. Again, I have never tried to stain it, but it takes other finishes well. In the previous article, Cal talked about several fruit woods and other harder woods. He showed some excellent examples of salad servers that he has carved with edge tools. However, I am inclined to use power carving tools (including a lathe) on the harder woods. I may use edge tools to texture a smoothed form.
Chokecherry turned and varnished
Green Ash Green ash is an introduced species that is relatively fast growing, so it is often used as a shade tree. Because of that fast growth, it is not as dense a wood as some others. It is also quite porous, and sometimes has the look of pale oak when finished. I have used it sparingly, such as a couple of strips in a laminated canoe paddle blade.
Green ash log split
Again, there is a native ash that grows on riverbanks and other sheltered places as a short clump tree. It has a tighter grain. In those same paddles, I used two slabs cut from a crooked branch that had broken off during a storm. The natural bend was almost perfect for a bent-shaft paddle. The paddles have stood up to use quite well, so it is a tough wood, perhaps a little reminiscent of hickory.
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Russian Olive This is another introduced species with a red-brown stringy bark and silver green leafs. It typically grows as a short clump tree. It is used as a landscaping tree. Its growth habit can be quite irregular.
Russian olive crotch and growth rings
The growth rings have marked color contrast between light and dark rings The marked color difference can create dramatic grain patterns in turned objects. I have only used oil on it, so I don’t know how it stains. It is quite hard, so I would only use power carving tools on it.
Harvesting and Storing If I have a choice, I prefer to harvest wood when the sap isn’t running (November thru March). This reduces the amount of checking that is likely to occur. [I prefer to harvest diamond willow when it is completely dead. Since the heartwood is rot resistant, it is in good shape and boring insects don’t usually eat their way into it.] However, if I am given a piece of wood or if part is available due to storm damage, then I just have to be quicker in getting into storage. I usually cut pieces into lengths that are roughly 2 to 3 times the diameter. If I know that it will be a turned bowl then 1.5 to 2 times is adequate. I then use a splitting wedge and sledge hammer to split the pieces in half down the center. The splitting wedge gives me greater control than I can achieve with an axe and it is less noisy than a chain saw. Splitting also has the advantage of following the grain of the piece. So you will know
right away if it is twisted or bent. It has the further advantage of speeding the drying process by allowing the inner core immediate access to the air. You can seal the ends of whole pieces with paraffin wax, wax mixed with oil paint, or commercial sealing products. I find that splitting eliminates or greatly reduces any checks because the wood can move to relieve the internal stresses that occur during drying,
Products used for storing and treating in wood: left is commercial sealer; middle are 2 different pre-conditioners to reduce blotching; right is a wood hardener for punky wood.
I then store the wood in a cool, dry place. The attic or rafters of a garage should not be used, as it will get too hot during the summer. The slower the wood dries the less movement there will be. The general rule of thumb is that sawn wood dries at approximately 1” (2.5 cm) per year. I suspect that with the drier climate on the Prairies our drying times are a little faster. Addition to Weird and Wonderful Local Wood Part 2 -submitted by Cal Isaacson
I use a different method for splitting my wood. I purchased a saw carriage called Little Ripper from Stockroom Supply at one of the
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Woodworking Tool and Hobby Shows a while back. It allows for clamping in of wood pieces of different shapes & sizes, knots and all. This allows the sawyer to set the carriage into the bandsaw table channel and guide it through the cut without fingers being anywhere near the blade.
VIRTURAL WOODSHOW The Wood Show is finally ready for you to send in photos of your projects. Below is a list of 10 tips for taking a picture of your item. If you have any questions, you can contact the committee through the guild's website (contact SWG Woodshow Chair) or by emailing [email protected]. Please email your photos and the photo's information to: [email protected] In your email, include the following information:
• Project name (if wanted)
• Wood used
• Finishes used
• Your first and last name (if you are comfortable)
• Project's sell value (if you wish to have someone contact you to buy)
• Project builder's contact information (phone number, website, and/or email if you wish to sell)
• Pictures of your project. Please note that some photos may be grouped, due to limits on maximum number of photos or if you have several angles to show off one item.
Please note that we will be updating the website about once a week so your pictures may take a few days before they are incorporated. If you are concerned your project has been missed, please let us know. Photo Tips: 1. Avoid harsh direct sunlight. If possible, use a
room with lots of light but not direct (e.g. a room on the North side of house).
2. Tape a bed sheet (preferably white) to a wall
so you have a seamless background (a large roll of paper can also work for this). You can drape it over a table if your item is small. That way you do not have to be on your hands and knees. Shooting a table or larger furniture would probably be easier on the floor. Here is an example:
3. Set the object on the sheet and turn it to get
the best view.
4. Decide on how high you want the camera by
looking at the object through the lens and viewing the object.
5. If you are using the camera on your phone,
you may get a wide-angle view which might distort the object. Try different distances from
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the object and see what looks better. If you are uncertain, feel free to send several pictures to the show's committee to pick from.
6. If you are using a digital camera and the colour
looks wrong, you might be able to adjust the white balance. That will depend on your level of expertise and your camera. If you struggle with this, send your pictures to the show's committee anyway but let them know the colour is off. If possible, they will try to adjust it for you.
7. Try to frame the object in the camera without
a lot of extra background so you have less to crop before you send the picture. Here is an example a small border of white space around the object.
8. If you have a bit more interest you can also adjust brightness, shadows, highlights, etc. with a photo editing program. This can often really improve your image. 9. When your image is ready to send be sure you
do not email a full-sized version as that may
create problems for the person on the other end of the email. If you are unsure, send one email with the picture and all your information. Send a second email as a follow up (without any attachments) asking if the first email came through.
10. Have fun with this. Most of us are not
photographers, just do your best. If there is an issue with the picture, the committee will notify you and try to work with you to fix the issue.
FROM CAL’S MESSY DESK -submitted by Cal Isaacson
Upcoming Classes
Just a reminder that classes listed here are other than those sponsored by the Guild. Bill Judt Carving Classes Bill will be holding relief-carving workshops. Contact Bill by phone at 306-715-4919 or by email at [email protected] Black Forest Wood Co. Located at Bay 7, 603 – 77th Ave SE, Calgary, AB For information on classes or to register, please call (403) 255-6044. Descriptions of classes can also be found on their website www.blackforestwood.com All classes have been POSTPONED until further notice Lee Valley Tools Lee Valley Tools presents many different in-store seminars at their stores. Check out their website at www.leevalley.com for a listing of the seminars for each outlet. All seminars have been CANCELLED until further notice due to the COVID-19 crisis. Saskatchewan Polytechnic Several levels of carpentry classes are offered through Saskatchewan Polytechnic. For more information, check their website at www.saskpolytech.ca Saskatoon Makerspace Check out the website at https://saskatoonmakerspace.com to find what
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classes are available. You may also contact them by email at [email protected] or by phone at 306-291-6494 Saskatoon Trades & Skills Centre Construction classes are available. Please check their website at www.saskatoontradesandskills.ca for information on courses offered. Furniture Making and Cabinet Making Courses Those interested in travelling further afield to obtain instruction on a wide range of woodworking courses should check out the following websites: Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking in Roberts Creek, BC www.insidepassage.ca Northern Alberta Institute of Technology www.nait.ca Port Townsend School of Woodworking www.ptwoodschool.com Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, USA www.woodschool.org Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking www.schoolofwoodworking.com GoggleWorks 12-Week Intensive Workshop for fine woodworking taught by Craig Vandall Stevens in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA www.goggleworks.org
Other Activities Hub City Turners The turners meet at Persephone Theatre shop the second Monday of each month. From time to time, location or date may be changed. ALL in-person MEETINGS have been CANCELLED until further notice. They have been meeting via Zoom on a fairly regular basis. For more information, contact Don Buck at 1-306-371-5875 or by email at [email protected] Razertip Gallery The Razertip Gallery is calling for exhibit proposals. Any artist, or group of artists, may submit a proposal to exhibit their work at the gallery. Gallery space is offered to the artist(s) free of charge if the exhibit proposal is accepted
by Razertip. Cam has an information sheet outlining expectations and guidelines for exhibitors. The information is too lengthy to print here in full so please contact Cam Merkle at 306-931-0889 or email [email protected] for further information. Richmond Carvers Virtual Woodcarving Show & Competition Richmond Carvers Society hosted a “Virtual Woodcarving Show” on May 31, 2020 in lieu of their Annual Show. Guild members Connie and Garry Rector have several carvings in this show. Also local carvers Reuben Unger and Logan Merkle (student) have pieces in the show, A photo album of their virtual show can be viewed on their website www.richmondcarvers.com. Visions in Wood 2020 (A Story of Creativity) Usually, every two years, the Vancouver Island Woodworkers’ Guild holds a show of works created by its approximately 150 members. Like everything else in 2020, Covid-19 changed how their show could be held. They have set up a Virtual Show this year. To view all the pieces in the virtual show, go to https://viwg.com ; scroll down to Guild Events Calendar Bulletin Board and select Visions in Wood 2020. Pacific Brant Carving and Art Show The 2021 show has been cancelled. Prairie Canada Carving Championship Show and Competition The Prairie Canada Board met on April 20th and has decided that the 2021 Virtual Show will be cancelled. Covid-19 concerns with variants, increasing cases, slow vaccination uptake, restrictions on organized events, and a measure of caution, prompt this decision. Studio Trail Tours Tugaske Studio Trail This studio trail includes artist studios, showrooms, and galleries in Elbow, Tugaske, Eyebrow, Central Butte, Buffalo Pound Lake, Mortlach, Moose Jaw and Craik. This tour is different as you’re invited to visit any time of the year. Hours vary with each studio so phone ahead to confirm availability. Check out their website at www.tugaske.com (under Tourist info)
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for their brochure with phone numbers and other information. South Saskatchewan Woodturners Guild 2021 Collaboration Project Check out their website http://southsaskwoodturners.ca/2021-collaborative-turnings to see the results. Very impressive!
SHAVINGS -submitted by Glen Friesen
Well, the end of this Guild year is fast approaching. To me, it seems like an eternity ago that I wrote the September issue of Shavings. There have been a lot of changes that have taken place during the last nine months. We have been through various stages of lock down and had numerous plans cancelled, I am hoping that by the time you are reading this that we can see the end of the measures to combat Covid 19. As far as work goes, I am still commuting between two or three schools. This will continue to until the middle of April when at that time, I will be finished at Laird School and will continue to work in Hepburn in the morning and in Waldheim in the afternoon. I have to admit that it will be good to be working in a real shop again. When the province started to immunize people for Covid-19, I was cautiously optimistic that next year, schools would get back to normal. But plans are already being made and the next school year looks like it will be another Covid year. It makes me wonder what good my getting vaccinated did. I was under the impression that once 70 percent of the population was immunized, heard immunity was achieved and things could return to normal. But, I fear that this is not the case. Maybe it never ends? One thing that has not changed is my effort to make my shop more organized. Right now, my shop is a disaster. I should not really be working in it, it is such a mess, but I have continued to make the cabinetry necessary to store all of my equipment. While I have made good progress this year, there is still quite a bit to be done.
I started this year by building a clamp rack. I learned a number of things from making that project. The most important being that if you have a place to properly store your clamps, you will put them away when you have finished using them and your area stays organized. This has also been true for my portable power tool storage cabinet. Although I do not always get the tools back into their designated spot, they always make it back into the cabinet somewhere. Unfortunately, the countertop remains a mess, but when I complete the cabinet that I am currently working on it should help with the clutter. When I was planning where to locate my hand tool cabinet in my shop, it became apparent that I did not have a spot suitable for a traditional tool cabinet. I simply do not have the necessary wall space to build what I saw on the internet. Again, I went to YouTube to look for ideas that I could modify to meet my needs. The typical cabinet looked to be about 4 to 6 feet wide and about 3 feet tall. They also open in several stages. So, there are different “levels” available to store tools in. This is a picture of what they typically look like.
(A typical hand tool cabinet from the internet.) I finally choose which wall would receive my cabinet and there was only about 2 feet of space available for it. This caused me to think outside the box just a little bit. I decided that I would construct two cabinets and place one on each side of one of my shop window. The door would be hinged on the window side and the door would open, covering part of the window. So instead of making one cabinet where the doors meet in the middle, I am making two cabinets where the doors open to cover part of the larger
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window. For now, I am working on one cabinet and the second one will probably have to wait until next winter. I am not sure if I will get the one cabinet completely done by the time this article is due, but I will try and if I do not finish the cabinet, I already know what I am going to store in each section and how the storage will look so I and can still write about it.
(My cabinet with the door on and closed.)
(The door opens to about 170 degrees.)
(The mid-section also opens 180 degrees.)
What I basically did was take the traditional cabinet, cut it in half and installed the left side of it on the right side of the window. The cabinet and door that open, open over the counter and into the window. The plan is to make another cabinet and mount it on the other side of the window. On the side that I am working on, I intend to store my hand planes in the first level, chisels in the next section, layout tools in the next section and scrapers on the back of the door. Since most of my hand tools will fit in the cabinet under construction, I also have plans on what I will store in the next cabinet that I build. The back of the second cabinet will host the hand planes that I do not intend to use. They each have some sentimental value and I need a place to store them where they will be safe. Other than that, I intend to store my router accessories and bits. I also am planning to store my biscuit joiner accessories and other power tool accessories. These two cabinets will go a long way to getting my hand tools and power tool accessories in one place. Building the Box: Since the cabinet size was dictated by location, the width is 25 inches and the height is 36 inches. The first section of the cabinet is 7 ½ inches deep. I decided on this depth because the cabinet has to cover a piece of conduit, so there is a piece of ½ inch fir good one side an inch and a half from the back to cover the conduit. The sides of the cabinet are constructed from solid pine. The next section of the cabinet is also constructed from pine and is 5 ½ inches in depth and the same outer dimensions as the base cabinet. It is divided into two sections by another piece of ½ inch fir plywood. The door is a raised panel door that measures 24 5/8 inches by 35 5/8 inches. The stiles are 3 ½ inches wide. The raised panel is 5/8 inches thick and fits into a ¼ inch groove. The Hinges: The hinges that I used are pretty basic. The first set is just a ¾ inch butt hinge. There are three of them to handle the weight. The raised panel
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door is held onto the cabinet with three traditional cabinet hinges.
(Installing the but hinges between sections of the cabinet.)
(A view of both types of hinges. It was important to me that both sets of hinges opened 180 degrees.) The Latch: To keep the first and second compartments together when the cabinet is closed, I installed an over centre latch to hold the cabinet closed. The simple latch that I installed seems to work very well.
(A simple latch from my local lumberyard.) The Cabinet Door: I felt that it was important that the outer cabinet door match the other cabinet doors that already exist in the shop. I decided that the stiles and rails should be 3 ½ inches wide. This made the raised panel about 18 inches wide. This is a good width because it easily goes through the thickness sander. This allows the panel to be glued up in one piece before surfacing it to the desired thickness. I surfaced the panel to about 5/8 of an inch. I intended to use my panel raising bit to sculpt the edges of the panel. Unfortunately, I could not find my bit when I needed it and was forced to go to the school shop and use theirs. The profile is slightly different and I may have to do the door for the second cabinet at the school shop so that they are the same. As luck would have it, as soon as I hung the door on the cabinet, I found my bit. Oh well, that is the way it is. Eventually I will install a small “T” shaped pull to open the door. I have used these on all the other cabinet doors in the shop.
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(The back side of the pine door. I am thinking of making a place to store my cabinet scrapers on the back of this door.) Hand Plane Storage: I did quite a bit of research on how to store my hand planes. I came to the conclusion that the planes needed to be perfectly vertical, no slant to help hold the planes. I felt that the cabinet would get too deep if I stored the planes at a bit of an angle. I have just completed the prototype and it seems to work well. I have designed a method that holds both the heel and the toe in place. These strips of wood must be placed so that when the plane is lifted to remove it, it slides into the top far enough so the bottom can be lifted from the mount. The prototype that I constructed is pictured below.
(The method that I am planning to use to hold my planes in the cabinet. This is as far as I got before the deadline. Now that I know what I am doing, it should not take long to do.) The exception to this method would be storing my Stanley 45 planes. I suspect that they will just hang on hooks on the back of the cabinet. I included a small space for a drawer in the lower right-hand corner of the cabinet. I plan to store all the cutters for my Stanley 45’s in that drawer. Chisel Storage: I have lots of chisels. Many years ago, my wife bought me a set of Marples chisels and I had a Record set that I used when I was in business. Then Lee Valley started selling sets of Narex chisels. Don’t ask me why, but I bought all the sets that they sold and have only used a couple of them yet. Most of my Narex chisels have a 1 inch end with a metal ring wrapped around it. I drilled a 1 1/8 inch hole about 5/8 of an inch deep in a piece of oak. Holding the chisel in place is a ½ inch diameter rare earth magnet recessed into a ¾ inch thick piece of pine. Again, now that I have storage for one chisel that works, replicating it is easy. It just takes time. All the chisels, regardless of how the handle is made will end up with a variation of this method.
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(I have a few chisels to store.)
(The prototype for my chisel storage. Now I just need to finish it.) Layout and Marking Tools: I have not given as much thought to this as I have to the other aspects of this cabinet, but I think that this will be quite simple and the tools in this area will just hang on supports that will be fastened to the back of this section.
(While I do not have a set of layout tools as depicted in the picture, I suspect that my storage will look a lot like this.) Hand Saws: While I only have a few Japanese hand saws, I still need a place to store them. I have not given much thought to this yet, but I will either put them together with the layout tool section or place them with the scrapers on the back of the raised panel. Final Thoughts: With all that is going on in my life right now, I thought it was important to finish this article regardless of whether I had completed the storage aspects of the cabinet or not. I hope to finish it before I need to send this column off to get into the May newsletter. If I do not get enough time to finish it in April and update this article, I may explain what I did in the June issue of Shavings. In the June issue, I will tie up a bunch of loose ends from the columns that I have written over the year. Have a good May everyone.
CLASSIFIEDS From Mel - A lady by the name of Mary is looking for someone to make her a cutting board her phone number is 306 384 -5112
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GUILD LIBRARY Our library has been house at Great West Saw for a number of years. Great West Saw is in the process of moving their retail operations to a new location and expanding their business. Unfortunately, there will be no provision for our library at their new location. We have until early June to come up with a solution for a new location or short term storage of our library. This includes books, shelving, pamphlets, table and library supplies. We are imploring from our membership for ideas for location or storage. We will also require manpower from our members, ideally the younger members. The move will require books to be packed up and moved from the current location to another location or storage. Our next exec meeting is May 4 and some decisions and plans need to be implemented. If you have any ideas for library location or storage, we want to hear them. Also, we will be looking for volunteers to help with the move. The more able bodied volunteers we have, the easier it is for those who do volunteer, and things get done quickly. Any ideas or volunteers can contact Paul Perron at [email protected]. If you have any further questions, feel free to email also. If you wish to discuss potential ideas, send Paul an email and a number to contact you at and we will talk. Thanks
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Space Saskatoon
• Doors open at 7:00 PM.
• Door prizes (one loonie entry) will include donations from Lee Valley, RONA and the late House of Tools.
• Coffee and donut available at $0.50 each
2019 – 2020 Executive and Committees
a) Executive officers President: Paul Perron [email protected] Vice-president: Mark Noete [email protected] Past-president: Kevin Brehon [email protected] Secretary: Doug Cox [email protected] Treasurer: Gordon Smith [email protected] Directors at large:
Up Morelli [email protected] Andrew Jack [email protected] Rob Lavender [email protected] Indy Sambasivam [email protected] Kelly-Robyn Bellamy [email protected] James Dobson [email protected]
b) Committee chairs Education: Indy Sambasivam [email protected] Demo/Shop visits: James Dobson [email protected] Library: Rob Lavender [email protected] Newsletter: Andrew Jack and James Dobson [email protected] Woodshow: Kelly-Robyn Bellamy [email protected] Web: Doug Cox [email protected] Community liaison: Paul Perron [email protected] Grants and Awards: Up Morelli [email protected] Guild Photographer: Cal Isaacson [email protected] c) Ad hoc committees Coffee: d) Newsletter Contributors Messy Desk, Shop Visit and SWG photographer: Cal Isaacson Show & Tell and Demo: Sam Isaacson Shavings: Glen Friesen
Membership in The Saskatchewan Woodworkers’ Guild is open to the public. The annual fee for membership is $40, payable to the Saskatchewan Woodworkers’ Guild.
Meetings are generally held on the third Thursday of each month
***** NOTE ***** Saskatchewan Woodworkers’ Guild Web Page
http://www.saskwoodguild.ca