Issue 176
Issue 176
I Said, “It’s Bubinga, Bubba!”
Do any of you share my personal dilemma? I know that is too broad of a question, so specifically, do you have a hard time telling sapele from bubinga? Iroko from say – jacaranda? When I started woodworking, my family’s cabinet shop used oak and birch and maple for 90 percent of its work. We did spread our wings and use ash and cherry… pretty hoity-toity stuff…from time to time, but that was about it. All domestic hardwood and all of it very common. (Okay, mahogany was common, and it was from overseas, but you get my drift.)
When I learned the trade of luthiery, I worked with some exotic hardwoods – ebony and rosewoods of various types, but again, the selections were limited. Not anymore. Now there are so many kinds of wood available that it makes my head spin just to think about it. But while I have to confess that I don’t know as much about these exotic wood species as I likely should, I also think that it will be fun doing the learning. In some ways, it is like I am a kid in my dad’s shop again asking “What kind of wood is that? What’s it good for?” But my dilemma remains – where do I start? Bubinga or jacaranda?
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
What's In Store
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CompuCarve: High-Tech, High-Detail Carving for the Home Shop
If you’re the type of gadget-obsessed woodworker who likes to push buttons, the Craftsman CompuCarve System may be for you.
Today's Woodworker
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David Hurwitz: Taffy Mirrors and Twisted Spoons
Some of us get our first taste of woodworking at a late stage in life, but furniture maker and designer David…
Q & A
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Using the Twin Tenon
At what width would you suggest a twin tenon becomes advisable?
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Priming OSB
What can I use to prime OSB so I can paint it without loosening the outer flakes?
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Oils on Cedar
I read that the oils in cedar will break down both water- and oil- based finishes. Is this true?
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Drill Press Vibration
I tried brute force and cleaning the taper with paint thinner, but the chuck falls off my new drill press with any vibration. What can I do?
Industry Interviews
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Alowood: The Exotic-Looking Wood Next Door
Is there any way to dye solid wood all the way through?
Feedback
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Of Cutting…Boards?
n the last issue, we asked you woodworkers whether you were loyal to wood cutting boards or partial to plastic. In some homes, it seems the dishwasher influences the decision.
