MWA Podcast Episode #3 - Fine Woodworking Live, Asa Christiana Interview

The Woodworking Shows - Atlanta

A few weeks ago The Woodworking Shows were here in Atlanta.  Upon, hearing about the show coming to Atlanta I just had to ask if we could get a booth and they were nice to offer a space.  The show was on March 9-11 and delivered a great turnout.

Many of our local members helped me at the booth and a few even brought their own projects to show off, such as Bill's 3 legged stool and bowls.

The patrons attending the show were great and I had a lot of wonderful conversations with woodworkers from all backgrounds.  With so many people all talking about woodworking it is easy for me to get excited about what we are trying to do.  In the end it is all about helping getting others involved in not just MWA but in woodworking.

I also, had the opportunity to talk with many of the local woodworking guilds here such as the Woodworkers Guild of Georgia, Tom Risoli the president of the local chapter was nice enough to stop by and offer his support and encouragement that we are all striving towards the same goal.

As usual for The Woodworking Shows the event was packed with vendors and tool demonstration.  I must have watch Alex Snodgrass with his Bandsaw Clinic take apart and put back together his bandsaw 20 times with him right across from our booth.  Lee Valley had their usual set up that allowed hands on trial of their tools.  Jim Heavey of Wood Magazine was a great guy to talk to and gives
fantastic information sessions.  And the Crazy Canadian is well...crazy with his chainsaw/tablesaw?!

I look forward to attending the event next year and hope to see you all there. 

So, Asa, I was wondering . . .

This week we'll be interviewiewing Asa Christiana, editor of Fine Woodworking about the upcoming Fine Woodworking Live event.

Please comment with any questions you have about the event and we'll do our best to get them answered.

#woodchat transcript for March 14, 2012

Apologies for the belated transcript posting. Another great conversation at #woodchat:

Here is the link:  #woodchat transcript for March 14, 2012

                                                                                                                                                   

If you're not a part of woodchat yet, get yourself a twitter account and join us Wed Nights (9P EST/6P Pacific Time) in Tweetchat.

A couple of notes:

• This transcript reads top to bottom chronologically, and the times shown are GMT (+5hrs from Eastern Time).  
• For those waiting for #woodchat migration to Google+, it's coming with a users guide.  Start by adding woodchat to your circles.  More to follow on that. 
• Lastly, please visit this page and add your topic suggestions by filling out the poll at the bottom in the "other" box.  The more topics we have, the better #woodchat gets!

Impromptu Boston Chapter Meetup

Saturday March 24th, 2PM

Craft Boston is at the Seaport World Trade Center.

We'll be checking out the furniture offerings, talking to some of the makers, & getting inspired.
Afterwards (3:30 - 4ish) we'll grab some fresca or beer (or other beverage of your choice) at a local place (venue TBD). If you're planning on joining us for the second part, but not the first, let me know by email, twitter (@mansfinefurn) or phone (see contact us  page) so I can let you know where we'll be afterwards. Contact me with questions.

See you there!
Nick

Hopefully you've helped Marc already

I'm embarrassingly late to this post, but for any of you who's shop's wifi was out recently, our good friend and mentor Marc Spagnuolo has been under a DDoS attack recently. As we learned during the Guild chat yesterday, the attack continues.

We're all Modern and we all help.

There are many ways we can help:

First and foremost, join the Guild. Beyond the support it shows Marc, it's a welcoming community of woodworker that you'll be proud to belong to.

Second, and this one's cutting it close, Chris Schwarz and his Lost Art Press are auctioning a copy of "With Hammer in Hand." The auction ends at midnight tonight, so place your bids in the comments of Chris' post and enjoy a classic while supporting our friend.

Finally, learn something cool with a Cyber Class from Andy Chidwick. Andy runs the Chickwick School of Fine Woodworking. I've personally attended one of Andy's lectures and I'll tell you this guy knows his furniture.  To support Marc, Andy is generously donating $20.00 from each Cyber Class fee to help Marc fight the DDoS.

Let's rally round the Wood Whisperer (and any other online woodworking friend attacked in such a manner) and show these DDoS idiots that they've taken on a hole community.

Bill's Chinese Stool Build - Part 1

Bill Akins has been with our Atlanta chapter since day one and makes it out to every event.  He is a great supporter and I am excited to post part 1 of Bill's chinese stool build.  After, watching the compilation video to The Anarchist Tool Chest, Bill just had to try his skills at the 3 legged stool shown.  I had a chance to take a seat at one of the stools this weekend and can tell you that he did a great job.  

Here is part 1 of the video series, enjoy.

Kicking back on the stool

MWA Podcast #2 - Woodworking Magazines

Shop Efficiency with Mike Pekovich

We concluded the recent Fine Woodworking Office and Shop tour with our hosts, Matt Kenney and Mike Pekovich providing us with shot demonstrations of how they stay efficient in the shop.

Professor Pekovich

Whereas Matt spoke mostly of hand tools and achieving an efficient flow and rhythm with bench appliances (read about his demonstration here), Mike’s demonstration included the use of a cabinet saw and custom ground blade and focused primarily on cutting dovetails.

Here are my (imperfect) notes on Mike’s demonstation:

• Get in the shop every day
• Thinking can and should be done outside the shop
• Figure out what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it outside the shop
• Work is for in the shop
• Dovetails
• Have a saw blade ground to the dovetails angle. This will cut and clean out the corners of tails beautifully and quickly.
• To square the tail board on the pin board for marking the pins, let your thumbs tell you when the two (2) boards are even with each other.
• Use a plane on it’s side or a scrap board to set the pin board’s height in the vise and to hold the far end of the tail board while marking.
• Saw with confidence.
• Gaps are more likely to occur when paring then when sawing.
• When you’re not confident you’ll cut straight
• Cheat in from the line
• Steer away from the line
• Sawing Pins
• Get setup in a stance, start sawing and let the saw go (in terms of steering, you still have to hold on).
• Keep your arm straight and tight to your body.
• Practice cutting all the way down to the spine of the saw.
• Make all the pin cuts in one direction, then change stance and make the cuts in the other direction.
• By cutting the tails first, the pins are able to absorb the slop.

Mikes test board for setting the angle of the saw and the custom ground blade.

Cutting tails o the table saw.

Set the pin board height and support the tail board with a plane on its side.
Align the tail board with your thumbs.

Cut all the pin cuts of one directions first, then change your stance
and then cut the other direction cuts.

See the full gallery here

A fragmented online WW community? #Woodchat Transcript 3-7-12

#woodchat transcript for 3/7/2012

It was a lively and animated discussion with all kinds of #woodchat-ers talking about an observation of factions and fragmentation in the online (and fofline) woodworking community, the 'pro' designation, the good and the bad that comes with the community, and how we can build bridges (not of wood, the metaphoric kind)

 Here is a link to the transcript of the chat for March 7, 2012 

                                                                                                                                                   

If you're not a part of woodchat yet, get yourself a twitter account and join us Wed Nights (9P EST/6P Pacific Time) in Tweetchat.

A couple of notes:

• This transcript reads top to bottom chronologically, and the times shown are GMT (+5hrs from Eastern Time).  
• For those waiting for #woodchat migration to Google+, it's coming with a users guide.  Start by adding woodchat to your circles.  More to follow on that. 
• Lastly, please visit this page and add your topic suggestions by filling out the poll at the bottom in the "other" box.  The more topics we have, the better #woodchat gets!

The Woodworking Shows in Atlanta

Here is a quick reminder that if you are in the Atlanta area this weekend be sure to stop by The Woodworking Shows.  MWA will have a booth setup and I will be there all weekend so stop by and say hello and introduce yourself if we haven't already met.

The show should be a blast we will be having 3 small sessions each day demonstrating the use of Google SketchUp in woodworking.  With the help of Aaron Marshall we have made a handout that can be used to cut out the pieces for the ABC Block that I made for my daughter over Christmas.  The handout also has our contact info and when and where we hold the regular Atlanta meetings.

The show is at the North Atlanta Trade Center and last Friday through Sunday.  The address is listed below.  If you are planning to attend and want to help out with the booth just let me know if you haven't done so already.

Hope to see many of you there!


North Atlanta Trade Center 
1700 Jeurgens Ct Norcross, GA 30093

Shop Efficiency with Matt Kenney

Matt behind the Fine Woodworking shop bench

As you may well know, dear readers, the Modern Woodworkers Association was recently treated to a tour of the Fine Woodworking offices and shop. At the close of the tour our hosts, Matt Kenney & Mike Pekovich provide us with demonstrations on how they stay efficient in the shop.

Matt’s demonstration was about how he uses three (3) bench appliances (a saw hook, planing stop & shooting board) to quickly efficiently breakdown small parts for the items he builds.


Matt’s points (as hastily written down by me):

• Go to the shop with a specific goal that can be accomplished in the time you have.

• Between big furniture projects, stay active with smaller projects. Smaller projects are quicker, cheaper and keep you in the shop.

• The most efficient and accurate way for final part milling, adjustment and dialing in is with the use of a saw hook, plane stop & shooting board.
• Keep all three (3) right next to each other on the bench for less movement and higher efficiency

• Preparing for finish before joinery will eliminate slop which results from planing the face after dovetailing.

Matt shows Steve Branam how is groove planes work.

See the full gallery here.

Anyone Have Questions about Fine Woodworking Live?

Fine Woodworking's inaugural conference, Fine Woodworking Live will soon be upon us. While any gathering of woodworkers to talk about woodworking is sure to be a success, I'll soon be talking with Asa Christiana, the Editor of Fine Woodworking, to find out more about Fine Woodworking Live and see what his vision for the event it.

I'd love to hear what you think before I speak with Asa. If there's anything you've been looking to find out about Fine Woodworking Live let me know in the comments so I can find out.

Also, don't forget that we'll be having a Modern Woodworkers Association meetup on the opening Thursday night of Fine Woodworking Live. Everyone's welcome.

MWA Meeting 3 Seattle

This last Saturday was the 3rd meet-up of the Seattle Chapter of MWA.  This meeting was a special event, because it coincided with a Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event in Seattle.  The Event was at the Seattle Central Community College - Wood Construction Center.  This has become a yearly event for Lie-Nielsen.  For those of you who missed this Hand Tool Event, Lie-Nielsen has also been coming to the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival the past few years.  The Wooden Boat Festival is September 7 - 9 this year.  Although Lie-Nielsen’s event calendar doesn’t go out that far yet, I’m hoping they will be back this year.

Besides Lie-Nielsen, Blue Spruce Toolworks and Glen-Drake Toolworks were at the event.  I love that Lie-Nielsen has other toolmakers at their events!

After everyone had time to play with some tools and watch a couple demos, we headed out for some lunch.  We ended up at Jones Barbecue.  What could be better than BBQ and Tools!  Lunch was a great time.  Again, I think we could have stayed there a couple more hours talking!

Not shown in the pictures is Ian. Ian did make it to the the Hand Tool Event, but had to head out to a hockey game he was coaching.  I should have checked with Ian to see if they won!

Glenn, Fred, Ananda

Mike, Marilyn, Jim

Other Hand Tool Event news, yours truly won a door-prize at the event! Soon I will be the proud owner of a Lie-Nielsen Small Bronze Spokeshaves! Luck would have it, I don't have one yet.

Our next meet-up will be on March 31.  I’m looking for a place to have breakfast meet-up near Woodcraft in Seattle.  I’ll send out more information when I have that finalized.