A site to behold
Woodcraft is pleased to announce the launch of a new, improved woodcraft.com. “The new site is fresh, modern and packed with new features that customers will love,” said Kyle Crabtree, Director of Marketing for Woodcraft Supply. In addition to all of the products woodworkers love, the new website will feature free articles from Woodcraft Magazine, improved local Woodcraft Store pages, and an overall better shopping experience.
Jig with a leg up
I enjoyed the Three-Legged Stool (Dec/Jan 2024) and the creative jigs it uses. I came up with my own jig similar to the leg mortise drilling ramp, with one advantage. Instead of drilling a hole in the bottom of the seat and rotating it on a peg mounted on the ramp, I have two small dowels at the bottom of the ramp, and a center alignment line between them. The seat sits on the ramp, supported by the dowels. I lay out my leg holes, align the bit with the ramp’s center alignment, clamp down the seat, and drill the leg hole. Then just rotate, and repeat. I don’t end up with a hole in the center of the seat. The stools I’ve made are round with 4 legs, but the jig would also work with the cam shaped seats portrayed in the article.
Jim Kelly
Trappe, PA
Chair troubles
The dimension given for the lower end of the Upholstered Club Chair’s leg was incorrectly given as 3-3/4” (Feb/Mar 2024, p. 33 Leg Detail). The correct dimension should have read 3-1/4”. Also, the length of the risers supporting the seat frame should be 3-5/16”, not 21-1/2” as printed.
Chestnut setback
Late last year, the American Chestnut Foundation announced it was withdrawing its support for the “Darling 58” genetically engineered American chestnut tree. After years of development and millions spent in research and publicity, recent studies have shown that the Darling 58 is no more resistant to the blight that has ravaged the wild American chestnut population. In fact, the GE trees exhibit stunted growth, brown leaves, and high mortality rates even in the absence of the blight fungus.
Baby on board
The Woodcraft Magazine family just got a little bit larger. On December 31, 2023. Associate Editor Sarah Marriage welcomed her latest build, a son named Warren Rose. Mother and baby are both doing well.
A life cut short
Erik Florip—husband, father, toolmaker, and Marine Corps veteran—passed away December 31, 2023 surrounded by friends and family. Erik founded Florip Toolworks in 2012 in his California garage, focusing on making high-quality saws at a price average hobbyists could afford. In 2015, he moved Florip Toolworks to a permanent shop near Empire, MI, where the company was able to expand its line. Along the way, he partnered with Woodcraft and other vendors to distribute Florip tools nationwide. In June, 2022, Erik was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, a brain cancer brought on by exposure to burn pits during his military service in Afghanistan. Despite chemotherapy and radiation treatment, he succumbed to the disease late last year. Erik is survived by his wife Temple, their daughter Ella, family, friends, and the woodworking community who benefited from his work and spirit.
Guitar stand goof
Two different measurements are given for the upright of the Bent-Lam Guitar Stand (April/May 2023). Page 47 lists it as 20” long but page 51 shows it being 24” long. Which is it?
Greg Griffin
via email
Associate Editor Derek Richmond replies:
We try diligently to make sure our measurements are accurate, clear, and consistent, but this one slipped by. The correct measurement for the upright is 24” as shown on page 51.
Here are a couple of programs we enjoy watching when we’re not making sawdust.
Making Fun
Grumpy craftsman Jimmy DiResta and a madcap band of makers gather in DiResta’s well-equipped shop to give life to fantasy projects suggested by children. Need a guitar-shaped boat that holds two passengers, plays music and actually floats? They built one. How about a 12-foot tall dinosaur that spits candy tacos? Yup, they did that, too. The more outlandish the suggestion the more these guys relish the challenge.
Streaming on Netflix.
The Craftsman
The Craftsman follows Eric Hollenbeck, septuagenarian self-taught woodworker, philosopher, and owner of Blue Ox Millworks as he goes about his business in Eureka, California. With his wife, daughters, and a small crew, Hollenbeck builds and restores architectural woodwork and other projects, much of it from the many Victorian-era buildings along California‘s redwood coast. Quintessentially old-school, the machines Hollenbeck uses range from an antique behemoth of a shaper to a pedal-powered scroll saw. Not only does The Craftsman celebrate Hollenbeck’s unique approach to woodworking and community, but it also delves into the challenges he has overcome as a severely dyslexic high school dropout.
Streaming on Max.
