Mission Accomplished

The Christmas weekend is past and great memories were made. Good food, family and all sorts of fun. And for me, a milestone has been passed. I successfully made a set of custom chopsticks for my whole family. Chopsticks have been a bit of a great white whale for me. (In the past I have tried to make chopsticks for the family only to be thwarted by my preconceived notions of how to make them.) My original turning efforts were a disaster. But as you can see in the photo below, diligence and a ridiculously expensive jig setup put me across the finish line. The chopsticks were well appreciated in the bargain.

But I am not alone in successful holiday projects. In our Feedback section, you can see a bundle of gifts made by some Weekly readers. I have to say my chopsticks seem puny in comparison.

Now for the new year and new challenges. Let’s make 2022 a great one. (And yes, I will be “bringing my own” chopsticks to Asian restaurants. How cool will I be?)

Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal

Chiseling Picture Frame Corners Square

Chris Marshall explains the process for squaring up the corners of a routed picture frame, and how to keep your chisels sharp enough for the task with the Tormek T-4 sharpening system.

Band Saw Blade Holders

This reader was hard pressed to find an extra pair of hands (or two) to help change his band saw’s blade. He found a simple solution in his kitchen.

From Our Sponsor

Rockler is proud to work with the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship based in Rockport, Maine to share their immense, free library of in-depth woodworking videos. To kick things off, enjoy today’s video about cutting cabinet carcase miters. To learn more about the CFC, visit www.woodschool.org.