Drawing on experience
David Heim, author of “SketchUp Success for Woodworkers” recently released a series of nine self-guided video lessons on making the 3D design and modeling program work for woodworkers. The course runs 90 minutes and includes topics such as generating measured drawings and cut lists, and best practices for using SketchUp. The course is available at sketchupforwoodworkers.com for the cost of $49. Heim has taught SketchUp at the Brookfield Craft Center, Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking, and the Austin School of Furniture.
Jatoba jewelry box
I’m drooling over the cylindrical chest of drawers shown in last issue’s WoodSense (pg. 55, Feb/Mar 22). I can usually figure projects out on my own, but this chest has me going in circles. Are there plans for it? Or plans for plans? —David Miller, Golden, CO
Senior Editor Ken Burton replies:
That jewelry box graces the cover of my book, Table Saw Projects with Ken Burton, and plans for it are inside. You can still find the book online or at used book sellers. And we will be featuring a similarly cylindrical jewelry box in an upcoming issue of Woodcraft Magazine.
Giant loss to woodworking
Garry Knox Bennett passed away on January 28 at the age of 87. Bennett began his art career as a painter and sculptor before teaching himself woodworking and furniture-making, as well as metalwork. Bennett cut an imposing figure in the woodworking community due not only to his 6-foot-9 frame, but also to his experimental combination of fine woodwork with metal and more unconventional materials. He famously drove a 16d nail into the door of a finely finished padauk cabinet as an irreverent statement on the nature of studio furniture.
Big Feet
The dimensions listed in the Keepsake Box drawing (p. 33, Dec/Jan 22) incorrectly showed the length of the feet to be 3-1/2". That length should be 3", as shown in the Foot Pattern template above.
Puzzling Offcut
Making some of the cuts on the burr puzzle (Dec/Jan 22) left a small offcut trapped under the saw blade. I found that drilling a hole in the cradle gave that piece a place to go, preventing potential kickback.
Ted Garrett
Dayton, OH
Like oil and water
I went to my local craft supply store for paint markers to decorate the Turned Christmas Tree (Dec/Jan 22) and discovered there are two types. Oil- and water-based paint markers. Is there an advantage to one over the other?
Author Jim Kelly replies:
We’ve used both oil- and water-based paint markers successfully on the tree. Like acrylic paint, the water-based markers are water-soluble when wet but not when dry, so they’ll play nice with finishes such as water-based polyurethane. If you’re worried, virtually any finish can be made fast with a coat of spray shellac before applying paint. And of course, it’s always a good idea to test your finish combinations on scrap before applying them to your workpiece.
Less stuck in the web
The tip about attaching plywood fillers to the underside of tool tables to create a better clamping surface is great (Feb/Mar 22), but why epoxy the clamp blocks in place permanently? Instead, I counterbore the plywood and epoxy rare earth magnets into it. The magnets hold the plywood blocks in place but make them easy to remove and replace if they get damaged or worn out.
Kory Bricker
Loveland, CO
