WOODSHOP ®

NEWS
TM
Shaping the Successful Shop
www.woodshopnews.com August 2018

Doing
it right
Mark Richey Woodworking
in Newburyport, Mass.,
adds to its legacy

Making safety
second nature

Are we
swapping tenons
for toolpaths?

Walnut continues
to be a top seller

NEW TOOLS
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 A Great Finish is Only the Beginning

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 47

Tools & Techniques

18 Felder introduces Creator 950
with Dual Movement System.
20 Stiles offers full range of
solid wood solutions at IWF.
22 Häfele’s connectors form
strong panel bond.
23 Sames Kremlin lightens
Xcite spray gun.
23
Departments
Columns 8 Taking Stock

24 PRO SHOP: 46 At the Galleries

Problem solving. 47 New Products
By David Getts
52 Calendar
26 THE CUTTING EDGE:
Vacuum pumps.
53 Classified
By R.W. Lee 56 Out of the Woodwork

Visit us online at www.woodshopnews.com

BLOGS
Over the
Workbench
Talkin’ shop with
former editor A.J. Hamler
This Business
about Woodworking
Share an opinion with
David DeCristoforo but don’t
expect to be right
n Contact Customer Service
www.woodshopnews.com/subscribe
n Tools & Machinery
www.woodshopnews.com/
tools-machines
n Contact the Staff
www.woodshopnews.com/contact-us
n Advertising Information
www.woodshopnews.com/advertise
n 2018 Online Resource Guide
http://resourceguide.woodshopnews.com

AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 7


TAKING STOCK
with JOHN ENGLISH
What’s the potential impact
of a trade war on woodshops?
O
ne doesn’t usually associate motorcy-
cles with woodworking, but a news
item in the last week of June made a
number of industries sit up and take
notice. The iconic American manufacturer Har-
ley-Davidson, which is based in Milwaukee, an-
nounced that it is moving some of its production
offshore to avoid tariffs that are being imposed
by the European Union. The new taxes increase
the cost of American made bikes being sold in
Europe by more than $2,000 apiece.
Financial industry analysts say that this is just
the tip of the iceberg.
One of the most telling chess moves that same
week was a step taken by China to cut existing
tariffs by about one-third in its trade with South
Korea, India and other neighbors. China is pre-
paring for a trade war with the U.S. which its
president, Xi Jinping, says will be a ‘brutal fight’.
Closer to home, Mid-Continent Steel and Wire
is the largest maker of steel nails in the U.S. The
company recently announced that it has laid off
60 of its 500 production people as a direct conse-
quence of the increased cost of raw materials –
specifically, the 25 percent tariff that the admin-
istration has added to Mexican and Canadian
steel. Company spokesperson James Glassman
told CNN that the firm could be completely out
of business by Labor Day. And the U.S. Cham-
ber of Commerce has issued a statement that
includes the dire prediction of 2.6 million Amer-
ican jobs being in jeopardy because of the ad-
ministration’s tariffs and the retaliation to them.
When the U.S. increases the cost of raw materi-
als by imposing import taxes, that’s the first shoe
to drop. When foreign governments respond to
those taxes by making it much harder to sell U.S.
products overseas, the second shoe is off.
Steel and aluminum tariffs are going to create
problems in the mainstream casework indus-
try, but there will be a trickle-down problem in
specialty markets, too. Take, for example, the
Working with tools and wood is inherently dangerous. We try to give our readers tips that will enhance their understanding of woodwork-
ing. But our best advice is to make safety your first priority. Always read your owner’s manuals, work with properly maintained equipment
and use safety devices such as blade guards, push sticks and eye protection. Don’t do things you’re not sure you can do safely, including
the techniques described in this publication or in others. Seek proper training if you have questions about woodworking techniques or the
functions of power machinery.
8 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM
WOODSHOP
®
Shaping the Successful ShopTM
NEWS
AUGUST 2018 VOL. XXXII, NO. 9
EDITOR TOD RIGGIO
ART DIRECTOR BRIANA SMITH
STAFF WRITER JENNIFER HICKS
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
BOB FLEXNER, JOHN ENGLISH, GREG WILLIAMS
WEB ADMINISTRATOR MARY LOU COOKE
SALES & MARKETING
PUBLISHER
RORY BEGLIN
860-767-3200 EXT. 242; rory@woodshopnews.com
recreational vehicle industry. Manufacturers
CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING
of those vehicles are dealing with significant 860-767-3200 EXT. 242; FAX: 860-767-1048
cost increases in metals, which will affect their marketplace@woodshopnews.com
retail prices, which will result in negative sales
numbers. Those companies buy casework – ev-
erything from cabinets and Murphy beds to din-
ing booths and dashboards. As they lose their
markets, so do woodshops.
It’s difficult to see where there is any advan-
GROUP PUBLISHER, GENERAL MANAGER GARY DE SANCTIS
tage to following this trade policy. Most of the VP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR BILL SISSON
people who should know have said something GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR DAVID POLLARD
VP, MARKETING AND EVENTS JULIE JARVIE
along the lines that these tariffs protect inef- VP DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT ERIC DALLIN
DIGITAL DIRECTOR IAN BOWEN
ficient industries and deter growth in efficient PRODUCTION MANAGER SUNITA PATEL
ones. USA Today estimates that for every job SENIOR PRODUCTION COORDINATOR CHRIS CIRILLI
PRODUCTION COORDINATORS AMY PINTO, JENNIFER WILLIAMS
created by tariffs, 18 will be lost (June 6). And TRAFFIC COORDINATOR SARA CARPENTER
GROUP CIRCULATION DIRECTOR DANA RAVEN
Brad Tuttle of Money Magazine wrote on June CIRCULATION, FULFILLMENT MANAGER CERISSE CARPENTER
26 that “analysts say that tens of thousands of IT SUPPORT COLLIN DEHNERT
American workers are likely to lose their jobs as
a direct consequence of the Trump administra-
tion’s trade policies, and the retaliatory tariffs
that follow.”
How many of those jobs will be in the cabinet
and furniture market is anyone’s guess. But
it’s safe to say that companies who buy or sell PRESIDENT & CEO ANDREW W. CLURMAN
directly with Canada, Europe and China are SVP, TREASURER & CFO MICHAEL HENRY
CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER JONATHAN DORN
already among the first to find out, and that VP AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT TOM MASTERSON
VP, CONTROLLER JOSEPH COHEN
every woodshop in North America is going to VP, IT NELSON SAENZ
feel the effects before long. The most immediate VP OF PEOPLE AND PLACES JOANN THOMAS
impact will be on metal elements such as drawer
AIM BOARD CHAIR EFREM ZIMBALIST III
slides, plus steel or aluminum drawer bodies,
hinges and pulls. But there will also be some
shockwaves in laminates and other plastic com-
HEADQUARTERS:
ponents, finishes, machines and software. 10 Bokum Road, Essex, CT 06426
(860) 767-3200 • Fax (860) 767-0642
Editorial E-mail: editorial@woodshopnews.com
Advertising E-mail: sales@woodshopnews.com
Technology impact Website: www.woodshopnews.com
Advertising Billing Questions: (661) 965-9925
For woodshops, a large part of the industry’s
most advanced machine and software technol-
ogy comes from either China or the E.U. Emerg-
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES:
ing news now indicates that the U.S. administra- For questions, problems, or changes to your Woodshop News subscription,
tion intends to bar Chinese companies from in- CALL: 800-243-9177
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vesting in U.S. industries that have what it calls WRITE: Woodshop News, PO Box 433212, Palm Coast, FL 32143-3212
Canada Post Return Address undeliverable to:
‘industrially significant technology’. This isn’t APC-PLI, P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek,
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6.
Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement No 40624074.
Woodshop News, (ISSN 0894-5403, U.S.P.S. 000-966),
Vol. XXXII, No. 9, is published monthly by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., an Active Interest Media
company. The known office of publication is: 10 Bokum Road, Essex, CT 06426. $21.95 for
one year; $35.95 for two years (Canadian subscribers add $12 per year for postage; U.S.
funds, foreign subscribers add $14 per year for postage; U.S. funds). Periodicals postage
paid at Essex, CT, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to
WOODSHOP NEWS, PO Box 37274, Boone, IA 50037-0274. Printed in the U.S.A.
AUGUST 2018
 FIND YOUR
MATCH! national defense related, but simply business
based. Whether it includes CAD/CAM, pro-
duction software or machine controls, nobody
knows yet. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin
added fuel to this particular fire when he tweet-
ed on June 25 that such measures are “not spe-
cific to China, but to all countries that are trying
to steal our technology.”
Among the machine companies that will need
to take a long, hard look at this issue are indus-
try stalwarts such as Felder, Altendorf, Casolin,
Doucet, Griggio, Homag, Logosol, Roblund and
Vitap. These businesses and hundreds like them
have overseas roots but a deep and abiding
presence in the woodshops of the United States.
The same is true of software suppliers such as
Alphacam, ArtCAM, Cabmaster, EfiCAD or
Vectric. And power tool suppliers such as AEG,
Lamello, Mafell and even Skil.
Then there’s the multinational angle. As with
automobiles, toolmakers often import compo-
nents from several different countries and as-
semble them in the U.S. (or in Mexico) for the
American market. Parts of almost everything
made by Bosch, Fein, Festool, Ryobi and just
about any other manufacturer come from over-
seas and have implications for both tariffs and
investment issues.
Made in China 2025
Most woodworkers are by now familiar with
Industry 4.0, an initiative that began in Germany
and has caught on well in the U.S. The AWFS
describes Industry 4.0 as technology that will
heavily influence the future of manufacturing,
including artificial intelligence, augmented and
6DPHGD\VKLSSLQJ virtual reality, robotics, 3D printing, cloud com-
puting, the Internet of Things (IOT), and the
Internet of Services (IOS).
39& YHQHHUEDQGLQJLQD Well, China has come up with its own version
ZLGHVHOHFWLRQRIFRORUV of the revolution. Called ‘Made in China 2025’, it
is a government led plan to drag Chinese indus-
try into the future by, in large part, producing
,QKRXVHFXVWRP more at home with home grown materials. Fo-
cusing on the most high-tech aspects of its own
VOLWWLQJ JOXLQJ economy, the plan wants to have 70 percent of
its raw materials produced within China’s bor-
6XSSO\LQJWKH86 ders by the year 2025.
This has been one of the major driving forces
&DQDGDIRUPRUH behind the U.S. administration’s rush to tariffs
and protectionism. In a compilation of 1,102
WKDQ\HDUV products subject to new tariffs, a May 29 press
release from the Office of the United States
Trade Representative specifically states that the
Questions? list “generally focuses on products from indus-
trial sectors that contribute to or benefit from
Call 800.727.0917 the Made in China 2025 industrial policy, which
include industries such as aerospace, informa-
to speak with a live, tion and communications technology, robotics,
non-automated industrial machinery, new materials, and auto-
mobiles”.
team member! On June 15, senior editor Powell Slaughter
wrote in Furniture Today that the administra-
tion’s list going into effect on July 6 includes
www.dc-dist.com
Fax: 888.633.5923
machinery and parts for woodworking shops,
and a further list currently undergoing refine-
ment will include drilling and mortising equip-
ment. Among the machines listed are those used
for planing, milling, molding, sanding, bending
and assembling. Tariffs are also being imposed
on particleboard and fiberboard manufacturing
presses, and some machines used to treat wood
for outdoor use.
Plus, robotics are included, although the ac-
tual parameters there are still a bit unclear. The
intent seems to be to discourage American com-
panies from buying Chinese machines that were
built in some part by reverse engineering U.S.
technologies.
In recent months there have been trade skir-
mishes in the wood industry, most notably
with China over plywood and Canada over
softwoods. Even though the tariffs imposed on
Chinese plywood as a result of that were post-
poned, prices have risen. And on the Canadian
issue, Randy Noel, the chairman of the National
Association of Home Builders, has expressed
some deep concerns about the 20 percent tariffs
on imported Canadian lumber.
“Lumber prices have risen sharply higher
than the tariff rate would indicate,” he said on
June 19, “and this is hurting housing affordabil-
ity in markets across the nation. Rising lumber
prices have increased the price of an average
single-family home by nearly $9,000 and added
more than $3,000 to the price of the average mul-
tifamily unit.”
However, that doesn’t seem to have had a
big impact yet on new home sales. HUD re-
ports that sales of newly built, single-family
homes rose 6.7 percent in May to a seasonally
adjusted annual rate of 689,000 units. That’s the
second highest monthly total since the end of
the recession. However, it takes a few months
for existing supplies to work their way through
the construction market, so it bears watching
over the next couple of fiscal quarters and lower
numbers are expected.
The bottom line here is that the woodwork-
ing industry is already paying higher prices for
wood and plywood and is now adding any-
thing made of steel or aluminum to the list. Plus,
things look a bit questionable for software, and
machine prices have already been hit.
The impact of this now-in-progress trade war
is that costs are skyrocketing, housing starts
will in all likelihood taper off or decline over the
next few quarters, and we’re still dealing with a
shortage of qualified workers and rising interest
rates.
What seems out of balance here is that the
industry is seeing a lot of downsides from the
tariffs, but there doesn’t seem to be much of an
upside. The only positive so far is that most cus-
tom shops don’t export cabinets overseas, so at
least their casework isn’t being hit by European
or Chinese import duties.
But that hardly seems like a fair trade.
NEWS DESK
Festool partners with
This Old House
By Jennifer Hicks

F
estool has entered into a content part-
nership with This Old House, which
gives the tool company exclusive vid-
eos and participation from the televi-
sion show’s well-known hosts.
In an interview with Woodshop News,
Eric Thorkilsen, CEO of This Old House
Ventures, says Festool’s reputation for qual-
ity, innovation and performance led to the
partnership agreement.
“We talk about ourselves being in the ‘Do
it Right’ business but Festool is very much in
the ‘Do it Right’ business in terms of the qual-
ity and technology and features of those tools.
So, it made for a natural partnership and we
reached out to them,” says Thorkilsen.
“Our goal is to better acquaint our audience
with the advantages and features of these amaz-
ing tools and if you’re a woodworker or contrac-
tor, illuminate how they allow you to get the job
done better and faster to achieve a better result.”
Already, the partnership has created a series
of videos for the “Festool Tool School,” avail-
From left, Richard Trethewey, Kevin O’Connor, Norm Abram, Roger Cook and Tom Silva, the familiar
able online.
faces of This Old House.
Festool is now the exclusive tool sponsor
of the New Yankee Workshop video channel, cited to expand our relationship,” added Jim with their expertise, have a successfully long his-
launched in April. Maner, vice president of business develop- tory with craftsmen. They are an ideal partner.”
“We have been fans and friends of the This ment for Festool USA, in a statement. “This Old For more, visit www.festoolusa.com and www.
Old House team for many years and we’re ex- House is such a highly respected brand and thisoldhouse.com.

New home sales The inventory of new homes for sale was
299,000 in May, which is a 5.2-month supply
at the current sales pace. The median sales
peak in May price was $313,000.
“We saw a shift to more moderately priced
By Jennifer Hicks home sales this month, which is an encourag-
ing sign for newcomers to the market,” added

N
ew home sales have surged, accord-
ing to data from the U.S. Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sales of newly built, single-family homes
rose 6.7 percent in May to a seasonally ad-
justed annual rate of 689,000 units. This is the
second-highest sales report since the Great
Recession, according to an analysis by the Na-
tional Association of Home Builders.
“Sales numbers continue to grow, spurred
on by rising home equity, job growth and
reports of a greater number of millennials
entering the single-family housing market,”
Randy Noel, chairman of the NAHB, said in
a statement.
Michael Neal, NAHB senior economist. “Since
the end of the Great Recession, inventory has
tracked the pace of sales growth. While we ex-
pect continued gains in single-family housing
production, inventory may be partially con-
strained by ongoing price increases for lumber
and other construction materials.”
For more, visit www.nahb.org.

12 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

 Visit us at IWF Booth # 6081

Woodworking Machinery & Accessories

Pro Tools for Tool Pros

&DOOWRGD\IRUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQ
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NEWS DESK

Stiles Machinery hosts

digital solutions training
By Jennifer Hicks

S
tiles Machinery recently gathered
over 120 industry professionals for
three days of comprehensive educa-
tion and training on the latest soft-
ware and digital solutions. Held at Stiles’
Southeast Region showroom and the Guil-
ford Technical Community College in High
Point, N.C., the event also introduced the
distributor’s new training program, START.
START stands for Solutions, Trends, Ap-
plications and Readiness Training. The pro-
gram’s debut focused on the latest Industry
4.0 and advanced manufacturing trends, with
an emphasis on software and digital technol- Attendees listen to Elliot Germany
ogy for the woodworking industry. of Panel Specialists Inc.
“’START: Digital’ is a reflection of Stiles’
continual commitment to training and edu- ers of all sizes can better utilize digital industry, and Elliot Germany of Panel Special-
cating industry leaders in the latest trends tools and data to produce more efficient, ists Inc. Both speakers provided examples of
and innovations,” Doug Maat, director of cost-effective and eco-friendly manufactur- how the latest digital innovations are shaping
strategic sales at Stiles, said in a statement. ing practices.” their businesses and the manufacturing indus-
“Throughout the event, we took a closer Attendees also heard from Marc Sanderson try. Consultants were also on hand from RSA
look at the impact of Industry 4.0 and IoT of Innergy, an Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions, a software provider.
(Internet of Things) and how manufactur- (ERP) solution provider for the woodworking For more, visit www.stilesmachinery.com.

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For A Free Catalog Or To Find Your Local Woodcraft Store, Visit woodcraft.com Or Call 800-225-1153. Follow Us: 18WN08H

14 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

WOOD MARKETS
Walnut remains
‘white hot’
By Jennifer Hicks
C
utting to the chase, Eastern black
walnut (Juglans nigra) in an im-
mensely popular domestic hard-
wood. With all the interesting live-
edge table projects piquing consumer interest,
along with architectural and furniture projects
making use of this rich brown North Ameri-
can species, it seems everybody is jumping
into the game. All suppliers and producers
interviewed by Woodshop News confirmed
sales are thriving, no matter what facet of the
market they cater to.
At Pike Lumber Co. in Akron, Ind., a manu-
facturer of kiln-dried hardwood lumber, ex-
ecutive vice president Craig Brouyette says
walnut is clearly one of the company’s most
popular choices.
“We produce walnut lumber in 4/4 through
12/4 thicknesses. We operate our own steam
vats and dry kilns. All of our walnut lum-
ber is sold steamed and kiln-dried. We are a
wholesale distributor and our walnut custom-
ers prefer to have all of their walnut lumber
steamed,” says Brouyette.
“We ship our walnut lumber coast to coast
in the U.S., as well as export to Asia, Europe,
Canada, Central America, and the Middle
East. Our walnut customers consist primarily
of distribution yards, furniture manufacturers,
flooring manufacturers and high-end mill-
work shops. We do not see walnut demand
declining. We see it only increasing. It is a
%227+
16 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018
beautiful wood with dark, rich color. It is hard
to substitute for walnut. We believe walnut
will remain a very popular species for the
foreseeable future.”
Rick Hearne of Hearne Hardwoods in Ox-
ford, Pa., offers thicknesses of 4/4 to 16/4, and
boards over 6’ wide and up to 18’ long. The
company prepares about 95 percent of its wal-
nut unsteamed.
“Walnut is white hot right now. Our cus-
tomers tend to favor the unsteamed walnut
because it has a lot more life to it. You get
beige, red, gold, purples instead of one color,
which is why bigger manufacturers don’t
want it because everything needs to match,”
says Hearne.
He brings up a harsh reality, however, that
the species is at risk. The species is stricken
with widespread Thousand Cankers Disease,
carried by the walnut twig beetle.
“Thousand Cankers Disease is sweeping
across the country. It started in its native
Southwest and never use to travel because
of cold winters up here but with the climate
change it’s now found on the East and West
coasts,” Hearne says.
“There are professionals saying walnuts will
be gone in 20 years. I’m told a single piece of
firewood can have thousands of these beetles
on it. The problem is it’s very hard to spray for
the beetle because it puts humans at risk.”
Bruce Stevens of Highland Hardwoods, a
retailer and wholesaler of steamed walnut in
Brentwood, N.H., says the market is as strong
as it has ever been.
“Walnut continues to be in demand and due
to somewhat limited supply, prices are stay-
ing up and probably increasing all the time,”
says Stevens.
“Live edge is a very miniscule part of the
market for us. We sell a little bit of 2” live
sawn, but live edge is more of a specialty
wood for artsy projects. A fair amount of wal-
nut is used for flooring today – that’s where
half of ours goes, and the other half is for gen-
eral architectural woodworking.”
As for veneers, David Thomsson of Brook-
side Veneers in Cranbury, N.J., also endorses
walnut as a popular choice.
“On the sales side, there is no slackening in
demand for walnut. At the higher end of the
market where we are, sales are strong for both
quartered and flat cut walnut. We have been
in this design trend for several years and I
don’t see any change in the near future,” says
Thomsson.
 Booth #8383

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Felder introduces
Creator 950 with Dual
Movement System
By Jennifer Hicks

T
he Felder Group introduced its
Format-4 Creator 950 CNC ma-
chine center at the German trade
Great pricing on replacement fair, Ligna. It will make its North
American debut at IWF 2018, where it’s a
knives for Terminus, Tersa, finalist for the Challengers Award for prod-
Centrolock, and Quick-lock uct innovation.
heads! The Creator 950 is available in four models
- Classic, Advanced, Premium and Complete
– and can be configured to meet a shop’s spe-
cific needs.
Order online at Florian Fleischmann, an area sales manager
for Felder, says the Creator can machine cabi-
www.shapertooling.com netry parts, doors, kitchen countertops and
and receive free shipping on orders over $50000 more. It can run aggregate heads and insert
dowels automatically. And it doesn’t take up
Or Call 800-228-8151 much space with a 53-sq.-ft. footprint.
“The Creator is a safe step into the world
of CNC with a new design to offer efficient
CNC processing at an entry-level price. It can
also act as an additional machine to relieve
the workload of other machines in the shop,”
says Fleishmann.
“The major advantage of the Creator th-
ru-feed CNC machine is that is has a Dual
Movement System for the workpieces and
no consoles or vacuum pods need to be po-
sitioned. Simply load the workpiece and it
starts working.”
Features include four-sided formatting, a
rear unloading option, and intuitive controls.
A Windows-based controller is compatible
with all leading software and Felder’s F4
Solutions package. The company also offers
onsite and online training.
For more, visit www.felder-group.com.

18 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

Woodshop News presents

WOODWORKERS SHOWCASE
$QHZ0DUNHWLQJVLWHFRQQHFWLQJSURIHVVLRQDOZRRGZRUNHUVZLWKTXDOLÀHGEX\HUV

Woodshop News introduces

Woodworkers Showcase,
a new website where artisans, furniture,
cabinet and architectural millwork shops
can market their work to an established audi-
ence of high-end buyers.
Woodworkers Showcase’s primary
audience are readers of other Active Inter-
est Media (publisher of Woodshop News)
titles, such as Craft Homes, Old House Jour-
nal, Log Home Living, Period Homes, Power
& Motoryacht, Yachts International, Sound-
ings, PassageMaker, Sail, and Angler’s Jour-
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COMBINED REACH
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Come visit us at Booth B460

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Häfele’s connectors form

strong panel bond
By Jennifer Hicks

H
ardware manufacturer Häfele
America Co. has a new hidden
fastener, the ixconnect Spreading
Connector (SC 8/25), chosen as a
finalist for an IWF 2018 Challengers Award.
The one-piece connector doesn’t
require specialized machinery or
tooling to insert, according to
product manager Jon Farlow.
“Manufacturers are looking
for a way to speed up assembly
without necessarily interrupt-
ing the way they’re producing The mechanical reaction of the new icxonnect
and the way they’re assembling Spreading Connectors from Häfele creates a
furniture these days,” he says. permanent bond between joints, without the
“So, we came up with some- need for glue.
thing that uses standard drilling. If niture. It’s quick in that
you’re using dowels and drilling 8mm, this you just insert the connec- “That spreading action is really where you
will fit perfectly in your production scheme. tor into one 8mm hole edge of a get that tensile strength. It’s designed to be
It only requires an 8mm bit. We just give you panel and face drill the opposite panel.” really a one-time connection. It’s not meant to
directions on drilling depth, and that certainly The joint is made as the connectors spread be taken apart,” adds Farlow.”
doesn’t take away how you’re designing fur- and lock into place. For more, visit www.hafele.com.

Until Automation Does it All

Do Something to Make Woodworking Faster, Safer, and Easier

Lift and position workpieces for Lift and position panels for easy T
Transport loads between work Automatically adjust the height
access to tops and bottoms one person feeding at saws, cells and vertically position of pallet loads as items are
without bending or reaching. planes, and CNC routers. them for easy unloading. added or removed.

For details call 800.743.1000, visit

SouthworthProducts.com/wood
or come see us at IWF booth #7714

View our video for tips on how to deal with the woodworking
labor shortage – www.SouthworthProducts.com/3ways making work faster, safer, and easier since 1890

22 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

 TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Sames Kremlin
lightens Xcite
spray gun
By Jennifer Hicks

S
ames Kremlin has made its Xcite Light Airmix manual
spray gun even lighter.
“It’s lighter in weight because we have removed the
fluid tube and swivel fitting,” says Tom Dean, regional
manager for Sames Kremlin. “It is ideal for large and small pro-
duction facilities requiring a high repeatable finish quality and
transfer efficiency.”
Sames Kremlin introduced Airmix in 1975. Airmix is a technol-
ogy combining quality finish and productivity with high transfer
efficiency to achieve minimal overspray, according to the company.
“Airmix technology delivers up to 86 percent transfer efficiency
and works well when spraying in recessed areas of parts. The
new Xcite Light delivers constant finish quality with no fan ad-
justments,” adds Dean.
For more, visit www.sames-kremlin.com.
 a business or plying your craft, something is

PRO SHOP wrong if they do not. It’s like friction. Whether

it’s a clashing of wills, or the resistance of one
material moving over the other, heat always

with DAVID GETTS

gets generated. The solution of how you deal
with that heat is what the focus needs to be. And
when you’re dealing with problem solving, the
easier you make it on yourself the better.
William of Ockham was a medieval philoso-

When a problem arises, pher. He is known for Occam’s razor, a prob-

lem-solving principle suggesting that the sim-
plest solution tends to be the right one. Aristotle
find the simplest solution wrote, “Nature operates in the shortest way pos-
sible.” Likewise, electricity finds the path of least

I
don’t know about you, but I have the ten-
dency to overthink things. If you’re a perfec-
tionist, you will no doubt labor over every
solution to a problem. You may find your-
self laboring for hours over things that could
have been solved in minutes.
Problems and situations will arise every day
that need to be resolved, and when running
resistance, traveling freely and quickly through
metal and bogging down in plastic. So why do
we complicate things by searching for complex
answers when the easy, obvious ones may be
staring us in the face? Are we supposed to dumb
ourselves down and look for whatever is easy?
By all means, no. It simply means finding a dif-
ferent approach to how you problem solve.
The term razor refers to distinguishing between
two hypotheses by shaving away unnecessary
assumptions, or cutting apart two similar conclu-
sions. In other words, Keep It Simple Stupid.

For example
Nothing is ever easy. Problem-solving is rare-
ly achieved by flippant metaphors. Experience
can teach you how to approach problems in an
easier way, but you still need to have a realistic
and measured approach when developing solu-
tions. And that’s where the key lies, in having a
repeatable system in place to organize possible
solutions. It’s the only way you’ll be able to sys-
tematically find the “shortest way possible”.
I love the term, Occam’s razor. Primarily, be-
cause it’s easy to remember that razors are sharp
and designed to cut. It helps us to embrace the
importance of shaving away unnecessary as-
sumptions. Last year our company took on a
large project that accounted for half of our an-
nual sales. It’s always scary to put so many eggs
in one basket. If not managed properly, your
company can bleed-out fairly quickly. Like all
our projects, we had a great management sys-
tem in place. It’s been proven to work through
many jobs for over a decade. Although this proj-
ect was larger and more complicated than most,
there was no reason to believe our system of
tracking cost, managing people and implement-
ing quality control measures wouldn’t work. In
preparation, I simply made some tweaks to ad-
just for the larger size and uncertainties we were
sure to face, and jumped into the project with
full confidence.
During the course of the six-month project, we
were faced with a number of dilemmas that al-
lowed us to exercise problem-solving techniques
on a weekly, and sometimes daily basis. Most of
the muscle-building exercise came in the form
of technical application. We were unfortunately

24 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

handicapped from the beginning with a set of
architectural drawings that did a great job in
design utilization but fell far short in technical
application. Not only were the wrong materials
specified, but the technique in which they were
drawn could have easily created huge problems
for us down the road since they ignored three of
the manufacturer’s warranty protocols.
From the beginning something didn’t feel
right, but since the system we were fabricating
was new territory to both my subcontractors
and myself, none of us caught it right away.
However, the system we had in place provided
a logical sequence to follow when those detail
problems that needed solving arose. By follow-
ing the process, many sleepless nights later, a
solution was found that allowed the project to
move forward with assurance.
Because I was expecting technical problems to
arise, the inaccurate detail glitch did not come
as a surprise, but rather disappointment. Espe-
cially since it occurred in the first few weeks of
the project’s duration. Although our solutions
provided a sense of accomplishment and satis-
faction, I was still left with a sinking feeling that
we had used up our mulligan card too early in
the game. About halfway through the project,
my CEO client quit signing Change Orders, but
continued to pay the invoices without pause or
complaint. Because I’m a stickler for paperwork
(born from a liability standpoint), I was still
bothered that although things were progressing,
the paper trail of approvals was not being met.
I also discovered two other nuances about
our client. First, when the client was sent our
standard Cost-Plus itemized report of progress
(which included those sticky Change Orders),
payment was delayed. I immediately simpli-
fied the invoicing process and payments began
Woodcraft names Jack Bigger President/CEO
Jody Garrett, Woodcraft President and
Chief Executive Officer, has announced the
promotion of Jack Bigger to President and
Chief Operating Officer, effective July 1.
Bigger has served as Vice President of Sales
and Marketing at Woodcraft since his pro-
motion in June 2017.
“In his new position, Jack will be respon-
sible for all aspects of the business, except
for accounting/finance, which will continue
to report to me for the immediate future,”
Garrett said in a statement. “Jack is an ex-
cellent team builder, and this competency,
combined with his excellent retail merchan-
dising, retail operational and overall sales/
marketing skill set, will serve him well in
this position.”
Garrett, who has been President and Chief
Executive Officer of Woodcraft since May
to flow freely again. And second, when I cor-
responded via email her responses were either
very slow or non-existent. This one took me lon-
ger to figure out because it made no sense to me
from my perspective. Home of the
It wasn’t until I met with another extremely
busy, high-profile client that I figured it out. This
new client told me right from the get-go to text her
Low Angle Pocket
instead of emailing. Her reason was simple. Emails
were part of her public domain, so responses were
slow or non-existent (hmmm, sounds familiar), but
texts she would respond to immediately.
Takeaways
The next time a problem arises:
Have a fresh set of eyes. Problem solving,
especially in difficult situations, can cloud your
mind numbing the ability for clear thinking.
It’s always good to walk away from the task
when you’ve hit a brick wall and come back to
it when you’ve been able to shed the stress of
finding a solution. That’s where the term, “sleep
on it”, came from. And what’s even better than
setting it on a shelf for a while is to garner some-
one’s else opinion. Oftentimes, it’s helpful to ask
someone who is not even remotely associated
with the situation. They will give you the most
objective viewpoint, and that is something that
is critical for formulating any answer.
Look and listen for the signs. Answers have a
way of coming into your conscious in the most
unusual ways. They can take the form of a gut
feeling, a dream, or even a coincidence. These
are things that can shake the fruit from the tree. “This is so perfect and it’s so
If you have the choice to gather the fruit on the strong you don’t need to use
ground rather than climbing the tree, do it.
clamps...just use a Castle”
David Getts is a certified kitchen designer and owner
of David Getts Designer Builder Inc. in Seattle.
~ Ramon Lara, Foreman
Custom Craft Cabinets, Newark CA
2012, will continue as CEO, concentrating
on completing the office systems upgrade
and retail point-of-sale conversion projects
he initiated while President. He will also as- CASTLE POCKET METHOD
sist Bigger in identifying strategic opportu- /RZžVFUHZDQJOH
nities to strengthen Woodcraft’s retail pres-
ence in the marketplace.
“I am honored and humbled to be select-
ed to lead a company as fine as Woodcraft,”
Bigger said. “From Woodcraft employees to DRILL TUB BORINGO G METHOD
O
our Franchises to our suppliers, we all have 6WHHSVFUHZDQJOHFRQWULEXWHVWRMRLQWVKLIWLQJ
the same goal of promoting woodworking DVVFUHZLVWLJKWHQLQJ
as a source of enjoyment and fulfillment
in people’s lives. It doesn’t get much bet-
ter than that. I plan to continue the lega-
cy of shaping long-term relationships and
strengthening this community as we build
our future together.” %RRWK
For more, www.woodcraft.com.
Call today or visit us online
ZZZFDVWOHXVDFRP

THE CUTTING EDGE
with R.W. LEE
Choosing and maintaining
a CNC’s vacuum pump
Liquid-ring and rotary vane pumps have advantages over those with
a regenerative blower, but a major overhaul is best left to a specialist
A
s with most machines in a wood-
shop, performance can decrease
with time and failure is always an
option. Downtime then occurs as
you are forced to consider repair, overhaul or
replacement options.
A critical component of a CNC router is the
vacuum pump, used to hold material to the
spoil board or in a fixture. So, it is important
to have and follow a preventative mainte-
nance program to lengthen its life. The single
most important action is to keep the filters
between the vacuum distribution system and
pump clear, dry and intact.
A physical inspection is one method to
check the condition of the filters. Another is
a gauge or sensor that measures the amount
of vacuum and/or air flow. Measurements
from a gauge should be recorded daily. A
sensor emits an audible sound or can disable
the router when the vacuum or air flow drops
below a certain range.
Filters eventually have to be replaced based
on a manufacturer’s recommendations or a
failed inspection. But the cost is minimal, es-
pecially when compared to the downtime
caused by a disabled vacuum pump.
Some vacuum pumps require regular oil
changes, simply because they are in a dusty
environment. It doesn’t matter if your pump is
well protected or isolated; the fine dust gener-
ated from a CNC router will infiltrate even
the smallest cavities. The continued buildup
of impurities lowers the oil’s viscosity, which
will cause a failure of the pump’s bearings and
other mechanical parts.
Overhauling a vacuum pump is best left
to a specialist. Kits are widely available to
accomplish the task, but a specialist has the
advantage of having the right tools and vast
experience. A specialist is also likely to offer
a warranty.
In my experience, a vacuum pump with a
regenerative blower is seldom worth the time
or expense of overhauling. A regenerative
blower generates high air flow with lower
vacuum and is ideal for a CNC router that
machines sheet goods. But their low cost and
tendencies for catastrophic failures make them
rather disposable.
Regenerative blowers fail for two common
reasons. First, a foreign matter gets stuck be-
tween the impeller and its housing, causing
the impeller to lock up and eventually disin-
PHOTO: MICHAEL GORDON
As a high-end shop and steward
of the environment, Mark Richey
Woodworking adds to its legacy with
a recent acquisition and continued
zeal for complex projects.
By Jennifer Hicks
 t’s hard to believe Mark Richey “I’d done all types of woodwork-

I Woodworking in Newburypo-
rt, Mass., started as a one-man
shop. Specializing in architec-
tural millwork, the company has 110
full-time employees and anywhere
ing but that was fascinating to me
because it’s so detail intensive and
the quality was so high. In many
ways it was my most important
training. These are hand-made in-
from 50 to 300 subcontractors on the struments with thousands of parts
payroll. Its management has invest- and the quality resonated with me
ed millions into automated machin- and inspired me,” says Richey.
ery, as well as sustainable energy so- “I was only there two years. After
lutions to give the facility a greener that I worked for a timber framer
footprint for generations ahead. and small furniture maker and start-
MRW generates $30 to $40 million Project engineer Paul Buttrick, left, and Dave Jasneski, look at plans ed my own business in ’81,” says
in volume of work annually. Its work and veneer samples. Richey, also a student of architec-
can be found in corporate offices, ture, a skill that has allowed his
public spaces, educational settings, restaurants, retailers and homes company to solve some tough design challenges over the years. He and
across the country. Key management includes president Mark Richey, Teresa married in 1985 and they grew the business, which started out
COO Greg Porfido, and CFO Teresa Richey. making custom furniture and kitchen cabinets.
Mark Richey has summited Mount Everest so it’s no surprise that his “Growth came for a bunch of reasons,” he says. “Certainly, from the
namesake business continues to scale new heights. The company’s mar- beginning, I never thought I’d have a woodworking business like this.
ket is basically North American and beyond. It never even occurred to me. I did have dreams of building exquisite
“We’ve done work all over the country, and a smattering overseas in furniture and having a shop with highly skilled craftspeople. We kind
Germany, the Caribbean islands, South America, and Canada. We’ve of gravitated into custom architectural work because that’s frankly how
talked about trying to do more. We’d love to maybe go to the (United you make a living in this industry doing custom work.”
Arab) Emirates or Saudi Arabia,” he says. Porfido joined the team in 1988. A graduate of the North Bennett
Street School in Boston, where Richey posted a help-wanted notice, he
THE BEGINNINGS quickly settled into the role of running the day-to-day operations. This
After high school, Richey spent some time making doors and took an allowed Richey to spend three months climbing Everest.
apprenticeship with William Dowd, a master harpsichord builder in “It was the first time I was able to leave the company for such a long
Cambridge, Mass. amount of time. Greg was a newer employee but had affinity for man-

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32 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

 agement and was interested in the big picture of MRW,” says Richey.
Back then, communications were extremely limited, requiring run-
ners to descend into town and deliver messages to and from climbers.
Richey was touched when Teresa trekked out to visit him at base camp,
toting a video that Porfido had made to show him what was happening
in the shop.
“I was so excited to get the news they had started a new project we
hadn’t started when I left. They were making chairs for a table and
Greg was in the video showing me the joinery,” says Richey.

NO JOB TOO BIG

Remember, MRW made the jump from traditional woodworking,
using benches and hand tools, to tackling large-scale projects. This, of
course, required an investment in cutting-edge technologies and a hir-
ing frenzy. There are currently about 65 cross-trained craftspeople, and
about 45 on the management, drafting, engineering, estimating, admin-
istrative and marketing teams.
“We have a large company to feed, so we go after some very com-
plex, higher-end projects, and we look for opportunities where we can
bring our design-assist knowledge to the table. That is what separates
us even more,” says Richey.
Porfido says the shop doesn’t do vanilla projects. “We’re not going to
do a major hospital job with a bunch of plastic laminate and nurses’ sta-
PHOTOS: MICHAEL GORDON

tions in Houston. So many people can do that. It’s too competitive. We

want things that are complex in nature, at least a component of it. This
way we can be very competitive.”
Clients include general contractors, architects and property owners.
With all that’s going on, problems and questions pop up constantly.
Decisions need to be made quickly and often, and of course, with on Kevin Ward (top) loads the shop’s Schelling beam saw; Ryan Gosselin
point accuracy. changes heads on the SCM Routech 5-axis CNC.

Cabinet Makers Produce Profit

Using ShopBot CNC
Cabinet and closet makers have been using ShopBot tools in their businesses
for years. They depend on their tools for day-in, day-out production, and
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AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 33

MRW projects include the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts in Kansas City, Mo., and the headquarters of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
in Cambridge, Mass.
“The wind turbine has a 25-year life cycle. That’s probably well be-
yond my tenure here as president and maybe even Greg’s, so we’re
looking to build a legacy here and hope it continues for several genera-
tions for people here and their kids,” says Richey.
INTRODUCING A NEW DIVISION
Recently, MRW purchased the corporate furniture brand, WallGold-
finger Inc., to begin offering custom furniture with its diverse architec-
tural offerings. Sales, estimating, engineering and project management
will be overseen at WallGoldfinger’s facility in Northfield, Vt.
“What’s interesting is that Greg and I have talked about doing this
for years. We have furniture backgrounds and have always loved fur-
niture, but never had time to build a separate brand and furniture divi-
sion. The architects and associates we work with have been asking, but
the sales process in general happens separately from the architectural
side. Buying the WallGoldfinger brand and then hiring their people
gave us the ability to have that sales process.”
MRW is a member of the Architectural Woodworker Institute and
U.S. Green Building Council. Outreach efforts are made to local schools
and organizations by offering facility tours and other programs that
highlight the eco-friendly nature of the business.
But Porfido says MRW is not about to rest on its laurels. It’s actively
looking for the next wave of talent and ideas. “What’s happening
is we’ve been in business 35 years and people are starting to retire.
We really are looking for people, and top people. We’re looking for
people in every department, from finishing to sales and estimating,”
he says.
Contact: Mark Richey Woodworking, 40 Parker St., Newburyport,
MA 01950. Tel: 978-499-3800. www.markrichey.com
AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 35
 FINDING THAT
MAGIC NUMBER
 DESIGN
TRI
FECTA
Design Trifecta, a cabinet and furniture
shop in San Francisco, got the ball rolling
by adding a third product
By Jennifer Hicks

H
enry and Sara Leggett run Design Trifecta, a name chosen for
their belief that a woodworking business needs three sources
of income to operate successfully. The San Francisco shop
produces custom cabinetry, original furniture and a rotating
magnetic knife block.
The knife blocks provide a somewhat steady income, averaging sales
of one to five a day at base price of $299.
“It gives us a consistent revenue stream. Every month we get two
checks from Amazon that covers our overhead. So, when we get a cabi-
net job, we see the profit,” says Sara.
But getting to this point meant facing a barrage of hurdles and chal-
lenges over the years that today can be chalked up to good old-fash-
ioned learning experiences.

LONDON CALLED
Originally from England, Henry earned a Higher National Diploma
from the London Guild Hall in 2002. Over the next two years, he
worked as a carpenter in London’s Kings Cross area while earning a
Master’s in Furniture design at the London Guild Hall which was in the
process of merging with London Metropolitan University. By 2006, he
found himself working in the picturesque English countryside of Cots-
wolds for Dominic Ash building high-end residential custom cabinetry.
“I didn’t see my future in woodworking when I was younger. I start-
ed doing IT work with computers, then went traveling. Then I decided
to follow my passion for woodworking, which was much better for me,
working with my hands,” he says.
Sara, who holds a business degree from the University of Puget
Sound, and Henry married in 2007 and eventually moved to San Fran-
cisco, where Henry started working for Berkeley Mills, a high-end cabi-
Henry Leggett. net shop in Berkeley, Calif.
“What I picked up from them is they do super high-end Arts and

AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 37


The shop promotes itself as where “technology meets craftsmanship”.
Crafts furniture, but they also take advantage of high-tech CNC ma-
chinery and software even though they’re a small company. I worked
in their kitchen department, but they made all types of furniture. I
ended up being their project manager, coordinating between the design
team and install team to improve efficiencies,” says Henry.
“While I was there I also got to learn about the systems they used
for running their CNC. It was really interesting because they had an
office where they were designing and doing everything on computers
and someone operating the machine where it would come through re-
ally smoothly.”
After three years, Henry and another Berkeley Mills carpenter started
a company called Barbary Coast Woodcraft, building and finishing
custom cabinetry and kitchens for contractors. The venture lasted two
38 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018
years. Then, after a series of odd jobs, he co-founded Design
Trifecta in a co-op shop.
“The other artists there were really highly skilled woodwork-
ers,” says Henry. “Some were much older, and we’d learn off
each other. It’s also nice to see people when you leave the house
for the day. We got to discussing pricing, getting suppliers, and
did some collaborations and projects, too.”
Sara also got the ball rolling by designing a first-class website.
“We worked with clients to get Yelp reviews, posted to Etsy,
Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram, Facebook, anything we could do
to try and get more business. Of course, none of these made a
huge difference on their own but having a deep web presence is
important so now when people look for Design Trifecta we are
everywhere,” she says.
“We applied MBA business principles to Henry’s woodwork
and as a result steered away from customer direct sales. Just
finalizing design plans, materials, finish, etc., took weeks of labor that
our clients now pay interior designers to do.”
With regular custom cabinetry work from a couple contractors, they
added the magnetic knife block, which displays and secures the knives
for convenient access. The prototypes and necessary parts were funded
through a Kickstarter campaign. Then, they bought a ShopSabre CNC.
“We were still in the co-op space and had no idea where we
would put it,” Henry admits. “We were able expand into a neigh-
boring space.”
THE BIG BREAK
With a product to move, they exhibited at the International House-
wares Show in Chicago. “We went with six knife blocks and a prayer,”
 Design Tifecta’s 360 knife blocks are available in several wood species.
says Sara. “We were advised to take advantage of everything offered
to first-time exhibitors and did. We signed up for every contest and
award. We were in a new product showcase and got on a local morning
television show the first day.
“America’s Test Kitchen stopped by and said they were testing knife
blocks. They brought the product and said they couldn’t tell us more.
Other than that, we didn’t sell anything. We met with big companies
but for what they wanted to pay us, the margins weren’t there.”
Then, an endorsement from Cooks Illustrated helped move about 100
knife holders in two months.
“It’s been really consistent ever since and we sell on Amazon direct and
that’s how we’re able to make a quality product and make money,” says Sara.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Knockoffs have been a problem.
“Companies cheat around our trademarks and patents, but their prod-
uct is not the same,” says Henry.
The couple has bought commercial property in Kitsap County,
Wash., where they will build a new shop.
“We’ve run out of space, so we bought land and we’re moving up
to Washington state on the other side of Puget Sound from Seattle. It’s
close to a major market. The Seattle market is growing and there’s lots
of building happening,” says Sara.
Contact: Design Trifecta, 1785 Egbert Ave., Unit B, San Francisco, CA
94124. Tel: 425-306-9676. www.designtrifecta.com
AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 39
It’s an interesting question as we explore the training opportunities available to aspiring woodworkers
By John English
he U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that there are 163,500 pro-
T fessional woodworkers in America, and as of May 2017 their av-
erage pay is $30,850 a year. The bureau defines woodworkers as
people who “manufacture a variety of products such as cabinets
and furniture, using wood, veneers, and laminates. They often combine
and incorporate different materials into wood.”
That’s a pretty unromantic definition of a woodworker. Most people,
when they hear the term, tend to think of the kinds of artisans who
belong to groups such as The Furniture Society, and who care as much
about the art in their craft as they do about simply making a living.
Widening those parameters, the government says there are a hair
over a million professional carpenters in the country (it fluctuates de-
pending on the season) and they make on average just over $45,000 a
year. And CNC operators, according to the Feds, take home significant-
40 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018
ly more, with an average gross of $55,770.
Those numbers are important when discussing woodshop educa-
tion and training, because of the changing nature of the work. A few
years ago, a woodworker was more in tune with that romantic notion
– essentially somebody who used table saws, clamps and hand tools
to build casework and furniture. Today, those artisans are fewer and
farther between, as the vast majority of professional woodworkers are
either assembling outsourced RTA casework, or using CAD/CAM tech-
nologies to program CNC machines to make parts.
And herein lies the rub. A strong background in traditional wood-
working is still a desirable attribute for custom cabinetmakers and
furniture builders. However, a knowledge of mortises and movement
seems increasingly unnecessary for a new generation of cabinet build-
ers who essentially load sheet stock into one end of a machine and snap
 Contact your
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As Bob Dylan used to say, the times they are a-changing …

COLLEGES AND COURSES

Woodshop education comes in a number of formats. There is the
traditional on-the-job training that is sometimes formalized in a guild
or union hierarchy, and can run the gamut from apprentice through
journeyman to master. There are also many shops that train without Tenso P-14 Clamex P-14
Divario P-18
that structure, and simply rotate people through various stations until
they become accomplished. Then there are unaccredited courses that Self-clamping, invi- Self-clamping Detachable
are taught by professionals in their own woodshops, and unaccredited
sible connector for connectors as connectors with
schools of woodworking where a number of professionals form a core of
instruction so that they can offer more courses with specialized options. slide insertion gluing aid for all various options
There are also an increasing number of accredited college level cours- angles
es that cover everything from evening adult education classes to full
four-year degrees or two-year certificate programs. These are of special
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interest to professional custom shop own-
ers because the focus is often quite broad.
They can include some forestry and conser-
vation background (planting, harvesting,
sawing and drying); a detailed survey of
the physical attributes of timber (mois-
ture, movement, grain and color); hands-on
shop training in joinery, assembly and mill-
work; and more and more a strong immer-
sion in the technologies of CNC work.
Among the more vigorous of these is the
woodworking program at Cerritos Com-
munity College near Los Angeles (cms.
cerritos.edu), which offers classes in furni-
ture making, cabinetmaking, CNC wood-
working and related topics. The campus
includes 27,000 sq. ft. of shop space that’s
equipped with more than 100 machines.
Over 40 different classes cover topics in-
cluding face frame and frameless cabinet
construction, CNC woodworking, archi-
tectural millwork, table and case-good con-
struction, hand tools, turning and veneering.
Many larger colleges and universities are also wading into the world
of Industry 4.0. For example, Clemson University’s School of Architec-
ture in South Carolina includes a facility that is now home to two CNC
routers (an AXYZ 4008 and a Techno 4896) and instructs students in
programs such as RhinoCAM, V-Carve and MasterCAM. Northcentral
Tech in Wausau, Wisc., offers a CNC router certificate program that
earns eight credits toward a full degree, and teaches students how to
design in AutoCAD, then program and operate a CNC router. And
it’s not just community colleges – Auburn, Fullerton, San Jose State,
Pensacola State, Indiana University, Northern Michigan, University of
New Hampshire, Oregon State, Virginia Tech and George Washington
University among others all offer either wood science, CNC, luthier or
general woodworking courses.
Almost every city of any size in America boasts at least a two-year
college and/or some trade schools. Nowadays, virtually all of them
offer CNC or CAD/CAM instruction, even if they don’t have a pro-
gram that caters specifically to woodworking.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Woodshop owners often want their CAD/CAM people to under-
stand something of the materials they use, and the logic behind various
methods and techniques. Wood isn’t as predictable as plastic or metal,
and it’s good to know how it may behave. Those businesses may wish
to send employees to a hands-on, short-term course that explains the
basics, and also delivers a modicum of experience in a matter of days.
Among the most respected schools are Gary Rogowski’s Northwest
Studio in Oregon, Yestermorrow in Vermont, Arrowmont and also
Lonnie Bird’s school in Tennessee, the John C. Campbell Folk School
in North Carolina, and Peters Valley Craft Center in New Jersey. Mis-
sissippi State hosts the Franklin Furniture Institute, which is a multi-
disciplinary effort involving the colleges of Business, Forest Resources,
Engineering and Architecture. Few institutions can rival the craftsman-
ship of the North Bennet Street School in Boston, which offers full-time
and part-time courses in cabinetmaking, furniture building, carpentry
and violin making, or the Furniture Making Program at the Furniture
Institute of Massachusetts.
In Maine, Peter Korn and his team have assembled one of the world’s
best woodworking programs at the Center for Furniture Craftsman-
ship in Rockport. The campus offers courses in furniture making and
related skills such as carving, turning, marquetry and finishing. There’s
everything from weekend community classes to an intensive eight
or 12-week course, or a nine-month comprehensive. College credit
42 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018
for courses taken at the Center is available
through the University of Southern Maine.
The number of credits is determined by
the duration of the course and a student’s
meeting some specific educational goals.
The Marc Adams School of Woodwork-
ing in Franklin, Ind., is celebrating 25 years
this summer and has nearly 40,000 sq. ft. of
space. It includes four large bench rooms,
three tool rooms, a dedicated turning center
and a multimedia room, among other fa-
cilities. Each instructor’s bench is outfitted
with a video system.
The Anderson Ranch Arts Center in
Snowmass Village, Colo., offers an array
of instruction is almost every art form, in-
cluding woodturning and furniture design.
Over the years, almost every notable name
in furniture has appeared somewhere in
the catalog, either as an instructor or as a
visiting artist. Sam Maloof, for example,
had a long and fruitful association with
the Ranch. Located about eight miles west of Aspen, it’s a place where
woodworkers go to enhance existing skills, primarily with hand tools
and small machines. The atmosphere makes one contemplate design
and technique more than production values.
In California, dozens of notable facilities are headlined by institu-
tions such as the William Ng School in Anaheim, Palomar College’s
cabinet and furniture technology program, David J. Mark’s studio in
Santa Rosa, and the woodworking program at College of the Redwoods
founded by Jim Krenov.
OTHER OPTIONS
Most software and hardware suppliers have some form of online in-
struction available, and it’s usually related to a specific purchase. Most
machines and design packages have user groups online that address
just about anything that comes up. However, those don’t generally
cover basic instruction, and are no substitute for hands-on learning or
having a human instructor in the room. They fill a need but are often
more of a two-dimensional solution to a three-dimensional challenge.
For smaller shops, many retail stores have an ongoing program
where they present short classes on specific techniques.
Educational programs and instruction can be found through a num-
ber of professional organizations such as the Architectural Woodwork
Institute, Cabinet Makers Association, Forest Products Society, The
Furniture Society, Guild of American Luthiers, National Hardwood
Lumber Association, Society of American Period Furniture Makers,
Stairbuilders and Manufacturers’ Association, United Brotherhood of
Carpenters and Joiners, and Woodwork Institute. These groups vari-
ously offer online education and training materials, some classes, tours
of businesses, lecture series, publications, trade shows and other ven-
ues and events where woodworkers come together and learn from each
other, or from experts in various aspects of the industry.
One of the most productive ways for employees (especially new
ones) to learn is to offer them full use of the shop on their own time,
after work hours. Many shops do this in the evenings or on weekends,
as long as there’s a supervisor or shop foreman on hand too, who is
working on his/her private projects. This generous approach allows
woodworkers to explore options and solutions that don’t always pres-
ent themselves in the normal workday – especially in businesses that
tend to stick to a fairly tight design portfolio. It lets experienced people
show newcomers how to run machines that they don’t always get to
use during the workday. And it often allows the new guys to teach the
old pros how to run a CNC to make more than flat panel doors.
The slow one now will later be fast.
PHOTO: MICHAEL GORDON

AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 43

 Skip the boring lectures and start building a culture where safety is
By John English
O
ver the years, the word ‘left’ has become somewhat syn-
onymous with liberal politics. But for woodworkers of a
certain age, it refers to being able to play the piano in your
nineties. Back then, LEFT used to refer to the four areas of
concern when it came to safety in the woodshop – Lungs, Eyes, Fin-
gers and Trails.
Lungs included a good central dust collection system plus masks,
filters, blast gates and collection at the tool. Eyes referred to goggles
or full-face shields - especially when working on machines that create
airborne particles, such as lathes and chainsaws. Fingers was all about
push sticks, using only flat and straight boards, outfeed support, carv-
ing gloves, no jewelry, and using techniques that kept fingers away
from bits and blades. And Trails meant having and maintaining an es-
cape route in the event there was a fire, keeping aisles clear and floors
clean so nobody tripped or fell, and proper lifting techniques.
Nowadays, we probably need a longer acronym. Personal safety
can include avoiding online identity theft or treating coworkers
with respect and dignity, hearing protection, and using VOC and
formaldehyde-free finishes and adhesives, for example. It might also
encompass avoiding machines when using prescription drugs (legally
or illegally) or when suffering from depression or anxiety.
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44 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018
A NEW APPROACH
Some things haven’t changed. The biggest problem with safety in
the woodshop isn’t forgetting some basic rule. It’s still about managing
to make the issue either interesting or automatic.
Somehow, discussions about personal safety always end up becom-
ing self-righteous and boring lectures. The boss starts out well at the
monthly meeting and everyone is paying attention, but five minutes
in heads are bobbing and hands are hiding yawns. You can only tell
people so many times that sharp cutters are safer, or to unplug the ma-
chine before changing the bit.
Instead, it’s wise to start breeding a culture in the workplace that
treats safety as an essential element of lean manufacturing. Make it
second nature, rather than something one needs to remember. For ex-
ample, instead of telling an employee several times not to reach over
a saw blade to retrieve cut-offs, the shop could install a large guard so
that such an action becomes physically impossible. If somebody is feel-
ing overly tired or distracted, make it culturally okay for him to take a
break, or change tasks to something less dangerous. Have a dress code
on the shop floor that includes safety glasses and allows no exceptions.
Set up an alarm bell or flashing light that triggers if somebody re-
moves a guard on a machine. Insist that nobody goes home until their
+DOO%
%RRWK
foot-rotated turntable small footprint trimmer
viewed as an essential element to your shop’s daily best practices
workstation is clean, and give them enough time to accomplish this, on
the clock, as a daily routine.
It’s a slightly different way of thinking about safety. Instead of post-
ers and signs everywhere shouting time-worn instructions, it relies on
quiet but intelligent consistency.
OBSTACLE COURSES
Woodshops can create an environment where almost every task
with a degree of peril has some kind of safeguard built in, whether it’s
mechanical or procedural. One simple approach is to create an obstacle
that forces the operator to perform some task.
For example, a machine can be set up so that it won’t start until
the dust collection port has been opened. Or perhaps parts can’t be
slid across a table until a particular feather-board or hold-down has
been installed correctly. An amateur woodworker had one of these
on his table saw decades ago, long before we could video it with a
phone. It attached to the table with a single bolt that was screwed
into a hole he tapped in the cast iron top. When the saw wasn’t
being used, it was installed backwards so that it blocked the path in
front of the blade. It took just a few seconds to reverse it and make
it operable: the bottom rested in the miter saw groove and the bolt
locked it down.
It takes a little imagination, but most shops only have a handful
of potentially dangerous machines, so it’s not an endless task. And
the more sophisticated pieces of equipment such as CNCs and edge-
banders already have some pretty advanced protection and a degree
of remoteness built in. It’s the simple things that get us, such as drill
presses, band saws and small table or miter saws. Outfoxing their
dangers is usually a matter of turning something casual into a rou-
tine. For example, if you have a machine with a removable key for
the On/Off switch, store it behind a push stick so that the employee
has to physically pick up the safety device every time before he can
turn on the machine. One can set up a drill press or router table with
a pressure sensitive foot pedal so they stop running when the opera-
tor steps away.
It’s a relatively easy task to add built-in obstructions to jointers and
router tables where the wood can pass through, but hands can’t get
closer than three or four inches to the bit or knives. One can design
the obstacle so that somebody has to use a sled or a push stick every
time to complete the cut. Yes, there will be an occasional part that is
too large or awkward to work that system, but in that case two things
happen: the operator has to remove the device, making him much
more aware of the danger; and the part is usually large enough to keep
fingers out of the red zone.
The point here is not to give blanket solutions, but to start shop
owners thinking about ways to remove the possibility of human error
from each equation. Routines can be a big part of that. For example,
the shop can have one or two people whose job is to check every single
machine and tool for sharp cutters, bits and knives. That’s a lot easier
and far more reliable than trying to train 30 employees how to recog-
nize a dull edge.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Most of the suggestions above revolve around making it physi-
cally more difficult to do something in a dangerous way than in a safe
way. Most of them also try to replace the need to remember with an
automatic or built-in method. But we still have to think about what
we’re doing, if we want to be safe. Most of the suggestions below are
ones that the old hands may have forgotten and the new guys might
not have heard yet. A few of them are intentionally vague, just so you
have to think for a second.
s The edge against the fence needs to be straight.
s The work needs to be tight against the fence.
s The face of the work that rides on the table needs to be flat.
s Fingers should never be closer than a finger length to anything
that can make them shorter.
s Constantly clean the floor in front of machines.
s Get a hair tie, or even a haircut.
s Jewelry and long sleeves can cause short fingers.
s Remove the chuck key before starting the drill press.
s Remove the chuck pins before starting the lathe.
s On variable-speed machines, take the time to learn about and
select the correct speed.
s When ripping, remember that you’re not a catcher and stay out
of the strike zone.
s Bits and blades can still cut you when they’re not running, so
blow or brush dust away rather than sliding your hand across a
machine.
s The next person probably won’t realize that you walked away
from a machine without turning it off.
s Install featherboards before the bit or blade, so they don’t push
the work sideways into the cutter.
s Short parts cause accidents. If necessary, use a sled.
s If possible, mill or shape on a wide board and then rip it to
width.
s Set the table saw blade height so that the bottoms of the gullets
clear the top of the work, and no higher.
s If you can’t clearly see each tooth, the blade hasn’t quite
stopped.
s The table saw top is not a storage device: it should be empty ex-
cept for the part being cut.
s Lift with your legs, not your back.
s Feed into the cutter. Climbing cuts on router tables are a recipe
for disaster.
s Don’t feed parts between a router bit and the fence.
s Slow down, but not too much. If you’re feeding too fast or too
slow, you’ll burn the wood, overheat the blade and/or motor,
and possibly cause kickback. Going too fast on a band saw will
usually cause the cut to wander. One exception is the jointer:
going slow generally delivers a cleaner cut.
s Don’t pull work out of a cut. Hold the work firmly, turn off the
machine and wait for the cutter to completely stop before re-
moving the wood.
s Don’t smoke in or near a woodshop.
s Know where the first aid kit is.
s Where does everyone meet outside if the fire alarm sounds?
s And yes, it really is true: sharp blades are safer.
AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 45
AT THE GALLERIES

The Wendell Castle exhibit at the

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Castle’s last works in

Kansas City exhibit
By Jennifer Hicks

T
he Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo., opened
“Wendell Castle: Shifting Vocabularies”, on June 23 featuring
the last works by the iconic studio furniture maker.
Castle, who died in January at the age of 85, was a first-time
exhibitor at a Nelson-Atkins show in 1960. The current exhibit includes
five large works in the museum’s Bloch Building and four on the lawn
of the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park. It is scheduled to be on display
through Jan. 20, 2019.
“Wendell Castle was an innovator who turned furniture into an art
form and an experience,” Stefanie Kae Dlugosz-Acton, the museum’s
assistant curator, said in a statement. “The strength of his work lies in
subtlety, and there’s a coyness about it that’s so interesting. The organic
nature of his art is a clear response to both materials and form.”
Born in Emporia, Kansas in 1932, Castle is considered the father of
the art furniture movement, and he continually pushed boundaries
during his prolific career of more than 60 years. Trained as an indus-
trial designer and sculptor at the University of Kansas, Castle moved to
New York in the early 1960s to teach at the School of American Crafts-
men at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He set up a
studio in nearby Scottsville, and began his professional career making The “New Work by Faculty” exhibit includes this cabinet by Owain Harris
sculptural furniture with a chainsaw. Castle developed a stack lamina- and guitar by Jim Macdonald.
tion process, allowing him to create virtually any shape out of wood.
For more, visit nelson-atkins.org. Rousseau of Appleton; Jacques Vesery of Damariscotta, and Ken Wise
of Brunswick.
Faculty exhibit International exhibitors include Canada’s Adrian Ferrazzutti, Eng-
The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, is hold- land’s Tom Kealy and Chris Pye, Aled Lewis of Wales, and Austraiia’s
ing its annual “New Work by Faculty” show through Sept. 12. David Upfill-Brown of Australia.
PHOTO: DANA ANDERSON (TOP)

“As we celebrate the Center’s 25th year, the summer faculty show high-
lights the ongoing vitality of design and craftsmanship in wood,” said
Peter Korn, the center’s director. “A new generation of makers has clearly
found its voice, and easily shares the floor with internationally renowned
woodworkers who have been the backbone of our faculty for decades.”
Several of the faculty exhibitors reside in Maine, including Linden
Frederick of Belfast; Mark Juliana of Rockland; Jim Macdonald of Burn-
ham; Mason McBrien of Union; Michaela Crie Stone of Rockport; Tim
Other exhibitors include Shannon Bowser and Reed Hansuld of
Brooklyn, N.Y.; Jonathan Brower of Newport, R.I.; Mark Gardner of
Saluda, N.C.; Garrett Hack of Thetford Center, Vt.; Owain Harris of
Center Barnstead, N.H.; Beth Ireland of St. Petersburg, Fla.; Clark Kel-
logg of Houston; Jerry Kermode of Sebastapol, Calif.; Mike Korsak
of Pittsburgh; Kristin LeVier of Moscow, Idaho, and Joshua Vogel of
Kingston, N.Y.
For more, visit www.woodschool.org

46 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

NEW
PRODUCTS

 BOSCH introduces the Blaze

Outdoor GLM400C Con-
nected Laser Measure with View-
finder and the Blaze Outdoor GLM-
400CL Connected Laser Measure
with Camera. Both models rely on
a 5.0-megapixel, 8X zoom camera
with scratch-proof screen to find the
laser target at up to 400 ft. in bright
conditions, expansive indoor space
or against busy backdrops, accord-
ing to the company. For more, visit
www.boschtools.com.
NEW PRODUCTS

 SJÖBERGS introduces the Elite

2500C, a combination workbench
and clamping platform, made from European beech.
The clamping platform can be detached from the work-
bench and placed on a wall to act as a separate work-
space. In addition, a large variety of accessories can
be added to the platform both on top and around the
skirt, including jaw cushions, a steel anvil, the Sjöbergs
ST-11 Holdfast and more. The bench retails for $2,760.
For more, visit www.affinitytool.com.

VACUUM PRESSING SYSTEMS, INC.

VENEERING AND
LAMINATING WITH VACUUM
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48 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

 NEW PRODUCTS

TABLELEGS.COM presents Circa
heirloom-quality round wood table legs and
furniture feet, from a 4” foot all the way up
to a 36” kitchen leg. The furniture feet come
with a choice of fast and easy attachment
options. The legs come with the company’s
new Wood Mounting Blocks that eliminate
the need for table aprons. For more, visit
www.tablelegs.com.


MILWAUKEE TOOL is introduc-

ing heated gloves designed to sur-  MILWAUKEE is adding low-profile
organizers and tool bags to its Packout
vive the jobsite and outlast the elements. Modular Storage System. Each organizer has
The USB Rechargeable Heated Gloves removeable bin dividers and no-travel bin
provide up to six hours of runtime and seals to keep products from shifting around.
are designed with features to improve In addition, the organizers are IP65 rated to
overall dexterity and mobility. The keep water and jobsite debris out, according
gloves also feature three heat settings to the company. The new 15” and 20” tool
(low, medium and high) and fully heat bags unzip to reveal large open space for
up in just 2-1/2 minutes, according to tools, and have cushioned shoulder straps,
the company. For more, visit www.mil- top handles, and side handles for flexible
waukeetool.com. carry. For more, visit www.milwaukeetool.com.

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AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 49

NEW PRODUCTS

 ROCKLER has introduced

a ceiling track system for
the garage and shop that reduces
benchtop clutter by enabling users
to position cords, hoses and other
items from above. The system
features interchangeable ring and
hook attachments that thread into
two available types of wheeled
trolleys, which in turn roll in the
dedicated ceiling-mounted track.
Adjustable stops secure in the
track to allow users to limit the
trolleys’ movement, if desired, as
well as prevent the trolleys from
rolling out of the track. The ring
and hooks also can be used in ap-
plications such as suspending cab-
inet doors so all sides can be spray
finished at once. For more, visit
www.rockler.com.

50 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

 NEW PRODUCTS

 ROCKLER has created

a way to increase work
space without taking up more
floor space: an easy-to-install re-
movable worktop that quickly
converts a router table into a us-
able surface for non-routing proj-
ects. The Rockler Router Table
Worktop is sized to fit Rockler’s
24” x 32” router table tops, pro-
viding more than 5 sq. ft. of work
surface while also protecting the
router table. When it’s not in use,
the worktop hangs conveniently
on two included brackets. Slots
on the worktop are spaced to
match the slots on Rockler router
table fences. The worktop sells
for $69.99. For more, visit www.
rockler.com.

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AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 51

CALENDAR
ALABAMA
Sept. 29 & 30 — Gulf States Chapter of the
Society of American Period Furniture Mak-
ers’ fall event, hosted by 2016 Cartouche
Award winner Ronnie Young. For registra-
tion and location information, email: Ben
Purvis at benpurvis12@gmail.com or Scott
Wetter at swetter@bellsouth.net.
CALIFORNIA
Monthly — San Fernando Valley Wood-
workers meetings are held on the third
Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Bal-
boa Park Sports Complex, Gym Building, in
Encino. www.sfvw.org
GEORGIA
Aug. 21 — Cabinet Makers Association
shop tours. Held prior to the IWF show, the
event includes tours of local manufacturing
facilities throughout Atlanta. www.cabinet-
makers.org
Aug. 22-25 — International Woodwork-
ing Fair. Biennial woodworking industry
trade show featuring the latest products
from hundreds of exhibitors and dozens of
seminars to help woodworking business op-
erations achieve maximum production, prof-
it and efficiency. Location: Georgia World
Congress Center in Atlanta. www.iwfatlanta.
com
MARYLAND
Monthly — The Howard County Wood-
workers Guild meets the first Saturdays of
the month at the Bain Senior Center at 5470
Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, Md. from 9
a.m. to 12 p.m. Open to all those working in
wood. For information, email Manny Fleck-
er at aaron0641@hotmail.com
MASSACHUSETTS
Sept. 12-16, Oct. 10-14, Nov. 8-12 — Five-
day Bare Bones of Wood Carving Work-
shops. Location: Calvo Studio in Gloucester.
www.davidcalvo.com
Sept. 15-16, Oct. 13-14 — Two-day Bare
Bones of Wood Carving Workshops. Loca-
tion: Calvo Studio in Gloucester. www.david-
calvo.com
MINNESOTA
Oct. 1-3 — Wood Machinery Manufactur-
ers of America regional networking meet-
ing. Location: Loews Minneapolis Hotel.
www.wmma.org
NEW YORK
Monthly — Sawdust and Woodchips
Woodworking Association meetings are
held on the first Wednesday of each month
at 6:30 p.m. at the Cold Springs Fire Depart-
ment in Baldwinsville. www.sawdustwood-
chips.org
Monthly — Northeast Woodworkers As-
sociation meetings held on second Thursday
of the month at various locations in Albany
area. www.woodworker.org
PENNSYLVANIA
Sept. 28 & 29 — Eastool Auction & Expo
featuring new tools, product demos, and
contests. Location: Solanco Area Fair-
grounds in Quarryville. For more, call 717-
661-9767.
RHODE ISLAND
Nov. 9-11 — 23rd annual Fine Furnishings
Show featuring dozens of exhibitors offering
handcrafted furniture and accessories. Loca-
tion: Waterfire Arts Center in Providence.
www.finefurnishingsshows.com
WISCONSIN
Oct. 8-10 — Wood Components Manu-
facturers Association’s fall conference and
plant tour in Wausau. www.wcma.com

List your Events in

SMART HOME
our Calendar
NEW MADE EASY Woodshop News welcomes event
notices. Entries must be received by the 15th
Häfele is always thinking
ahead, and with the Häfele of the month, three months prior to the event.
Connect app, any Loox
LED lighting can be easily
controlled by a Bluetooth
enabled smartphone or
tablet—a system like never Mail to: Calendar,
before. The Häfele Connect
app allows users to easily Woodshop News, 10 Bokum Road, Essex, CT 06426
bring smart home technology
to their home and work spaces. Fax to: Calendar, 860-767-0642
E-mail: j.hicks@woodshopnews.com
LET OUR EXPERTS
HELP GET YOUR NEXT Subject: Calendar Item
PROJECT STARTED!
Online & Livechat:
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The events are also listed at no charge on the Internet:
Phone: 800.325.6202
Email: experts@hafele.us www.woodshopnews.com
Be sure to include: event name, date, location, sponsor,
contact name and telephone number, and Web Site URL if applicable.

52 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018

 ADVERTISING INDEX
Find everything you need
Amana Tool ..............................................www.amanatool.com ............................C4
to build your dream log or timber Beaver Tools ............................................www.beavertools.com ................. 26, 47
home — all under one roof! Berkshire Products ..............................www.BerkProducts.com .....................51
BESSEY Tools North America .........www.besseytools.com .........................32
Boaters University.................................wwwboatersuniversity.com ...............C3
Cabinet Pro LLC .....................................www.cabinetpro.com ............................27
Cantek America Inc ..............................www.cantekamerica.com ...................34
Castaly Machine.....................................www.lobomachine.com ........................17
Castle, Inc .................................................www.castleusa.com ..............................25
Chemcraft .................................................www.chemcraft.com................................6
CNC Warehouse LLC ..........................www.cnc-warehouse.com......................1
Colonial Saw .............................................www.scaw.com ........................................41
Connecticut Saw & Tool .....................www.ctsaw.com ......................................23
DC Distributing .......................................www.dc-dist.com .....................................10
Eastool LLC ...............................................……………………. ...............................................39
Easy Lift Assembly.................................…….. ................................................................49
Festool USA..............................................www.festoolusa.com ................................4
Grizzly Industrial, Inc ............................www.grizzly.com ......................... 9, 28-29
Hafele America Co. ...............................www.hafele.com/us ..............................52
Hearne Hardwoods ..............................www.hearnehardwoods.com ............38
Hoffmann Machine Company ..........www.hoffmann-usa.com ......................49
IWF Atlanta ..............................................www.iwfatlanta.com ..............................19
Laguna Tools Inc. ...................................www.lagunatools.com ..........................35
Lignomat USA, LTD ..............................www.lignomat.com ................................16
Limtech Industries ................................www.limtechindustries.com ..............20
MARLBOROUGH, MA
MARTIN Woodworking Machines Corp ....................................................................
October 26-28 ........................................................................www.martin-usa.com ...........................2-3
New England Drawer ...........................www.newenglanddrawer.com ..........48
ASHEVILLE, NC
Oneida Air Systems Inc .....................www.oneida-air.com .................................7
November 2-4 Precision Drive Systems, PDS.........www.PDSspindles.com ...........................5
RIKON Power Tools ..............................www.rikontools.com ..............................13
CHANTILLY, ,VA Scm Group ..............................................www.scmgroupna.com ........................24
November 9-11 Senco Products, Inc. ............................www.senco.com ......................................11
ShopBot Tools, Inc ...............................www.shopbottools.com .......................33
SMARTECH .............................................www.smartechonline.com ..................44
BECOME A Southworth Products Corp .............www.southworthproducts.com .......22

KNOW-IT-ALL! Vacuum Pressing Systems...............www.vacupress.com .............................48

Visit www.thelogandtimbershow.
com/university to learn more
presented by
Visit LogHome.com/shows or call 931-596-2992
for current locations, times & special offers.
Ventless Inc. .............................................www.ventless.ca......................................51
Virutex .........................................................www.virutex.com .....................................15
W. Moore Profiles Ltd .......................www.wmooreprofiles.com ..................18
WalzCraft Industries Inc. ...................www.WalzCraft.com .............................50
Woodcraft Supply LLC ........................www.woodcraft.com .............................14
Woodstock International ...................www.woodstockinternational.com..C2
Woodworker’s Showcase ................…………………… ................................................21
WPMA - Wood Products Manufacturers Association.......................................
........................................................................www.WPMA.org .....................................50

AUGUST 2018 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM 55

OUT OF THE WOODWORK
This coffee table by OSO
DIY, a project sharing web-
site, took first place in the
Rockler Plywood Challenge.
Out from under
E
ven plywood gets its moment of
fame from time to time, thanks to
a recent contest hosted through
a partnership between Rockler
Woodworking and Hardware and The
Modern Maker Podcast.
The Rockler Plywood Challenge –
known as #RocklerPlywoodChallenge
in social media speak – invited par-
ticipants to make something using one
sheet of plywood and then post their
entry on Instagram.
The top three winning pieces were
announced in June and, obviously, im-
pressed the judges: Chris Salomone and
Mike Montgomery of Modern Builds,
56 WWW.WOODSHOPNEWS.COM AUGUST 2018
Side table by HomeMadeModern This bentwood chair by
served as an example for contestants. Sami Chi took second
(above), and Standup
Paddleboard by PC
Makes was third.
60 Grit Rough humor by Steve Spiro
and Ben Uyeda of HomeMade Mod-
ern, Rockler’s content partners.
“I think I speak for Mike and Ben
when I say we were absolutely floored
by the quality and the quantity of par-
ticipation that this challenge garnered.
And when I think about the thought and
execution that went into some of these
projects, it blows my mind,” Salomone
said in a statement.
“It’s as if every participant challenged
themselves to transform a basic building
material into a work of art,” said Nathan
Ensminger, Rockler’s marketing man-
ager. “Building something from a single
sheet of plywood might sound simple,
but the projects shared by the commu-
nity were anything but basic.” FRED FIGURED HE DIDN’T REALLY NEED
For more, visit www.rockler.com. A DUST COLLECTIN SYSTEM.
 A
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