Issue 124, June 2000

	A preview of articles from Issue #124, June 2000 of WOOD® magazine

Wet-sanding Basics For most of us, finishing means applying varnish, polyurethane, or paint with a brush. The dream of a glass-smooth tabletop is always spoiled by brush marks and bits of dust and other debris. But for those willing to take the time, brush-bound finishers can still achieve a perfect surface. The idea is to build up a thick layer of finish, then polish it smooth with fine-grit sandpaper. This article tells how.

Spring Cleaning For efficiency and safety your shop should get a thorough cleaning annually. So why not time it with spring? Do some basic power-tool maintenance, too. Well-maintained and adjusted tools work better. They're safer, too. This article included several tips on making your shop a better place to work.

Real Jobs for Real Woodworkers Despite the tendency of high schools across the nation to cut back and in some cases even eliminate their woodworking programs, woodworking jobs do exist nationwide. In fact, of the 20,000 or more occupational descriptions listed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in their Dictionary of Occupational Titles, over 200 fall under woodworking. And according to that agency, in 1996 there were nearly 400,000 people filling those woodworking jobs. (About 10 percent of that number were self-employed.)

Roy King and His Scrollsaw Marquetry Like most of us, WOODŽ magazine reader and scrollsawyer extraordinaire Roy King has always found traditional marquetry methods, which require you to precisely cut and fit lots of tiny veneer pieces by hand, tricky and frustrating. Then he hit upon the idea of doing marquetry on his scrollsaw with beveled cuts in two 1/8"-thick pieces sandwiched together. Eureka! The technique yielded great-looking designs, and proved easy to master. Of course, Roy, who was featured in our February 1993 issue, couldn't wait to share his newest results with us. We were so impressed that we recently got together with Roy in our shop for a session of scrollsawn marquetry. This article tells what happened.

Brad Nailers Previously considered a tool of finish carpenters and cabinet shops, brad nailers have become a hot commodity in home shops, thanks to the proliferation of low-dough, Taiwanese-made models. All the nailers in our test cost less than $150 and require only a minimal compressor to bring fast fastening into your woodworking world.

Woodworking Associations The sweet satisfactions of woodworking needn't always be solitary, thanks to networks of like-minded folks who are eager to share knowledge, skills, and experience with one another. If you're seeking fellowship and camaraderie, you just might find it in one of these organizations.

Wood Worldwide In the 1900s, public attention focused on forests perhaps more than any other time in history. Media coverage of rain forest destruction disclosed what was going on in South America. In the United States, the concern to preserve endangered species, such as the spotted owl and the red cockaded woodpecker, slowed and sometimes even halted logging operations in areas of the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about the worldwide status of our forests in this intriguing article.

Pen Box Raising the lid lifts the pen and pencil right out of this handsome desktop box. It's perfect for turned wooden pens and pencils—you could even make the box from the same kind of wood as the writing instruments.

Plant Stand If you stumble over potted plants every time you step onto the porch or patio, you should build this sturdy stand to get that flora off the floor.  And, it's pretty enough to bring inside along with the plants for the winter.

Keepsake Mirror Sure to bring a smile from someone special, this graceful hand mirror will be a dressing-table treasure for years to come. A delicate-looking rose inlay enhances our mirror's classic beauty.

Turned Pen Light You'll be able to turn this novel penlight in a flash. It's just one more shining example of the fun you can have with your lathe.

Shop Stool We call our craft woodworking, but for most hobbyists,  being in the shop offers a chance to relax while they get immersed in a project. This custom shop stool can help you avoid the strain of being on your feet or bending over a workbench all day. And to help hone your skills, we'll show you step-by-step how to make the intersecting sliding dovetail joints that help lock the legs in place.