Popular Woodworking 2006-02 № 153, страница 16

Letters

Hay Shop Worth the Price of Membership

Patience Just One of Their Virtues

Thank you for your article in the November 2005 issue (#151) about the Anthony Hay Cabinet Shop in Colonial Williamsburg. It is a real treasure. I am fortunate enough to live within a short driving distance from Wil-liamsburg and am able to take advantage of this wonderful resource. The craftsmen at the shop are not only masters of their art, they are more than willing to talk with amateurs like me. They have infinite patience and really appear to enjoy helping others. They are one of the main reasons I maintain an annual membership.

Mike Garner Richmond, Virginia

Were Wiping Varnish Photos Reversed?

I liked the article by Bob Flexner on wiping varnish ("The Basics of Wiping Varnish," November 2005) and I believe that he is the world guru on finishing.

However, the picture on page 73 is totally reversed and upside down. It looks like you rotated the image of the wood samples and showed the first coat of finish as the fourth coat. Also, the 25 percent- and 75 percent-photos are reversed.

Dave Kraatz Gladstone, Missouri

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Letters • Popular Woodworking 4700 E. Galbraith Road Cincinnati, OH 45236

Actually the photos on page 73 are correct. We checked them three times (and had Bob check them as well) because there was some confusion on the staff at first, too.

In our new shop here in Cincinnati we don't have a spray booth anymore, so we use a lot of wiping varnish when finishing projects. What's shown in those photos is exactly how wiping varnish behaves for me.The first coat is dark and dull. Then as the sheen comes up in successive coats it appears lighter to the eye, although it's not, really. It's just a trick of the sheen.

— Christopher Schwarz, editor

Left-tilt Table Saws Were Made by Companies Other Than Powermatic

Your answer to "Right-tilt? Left-Tilt? Should I Care" ("Q&A," December 2005, issue #152) has the statement that, "Until about 10 years ago, the Powermatic was the only saw that leaned to the left."

Actually, Sears also sold a left tilt-table way back when. It was manufactured by Emerson Electric Co.

I own a Craftsman 100 saw " Serial #11329990" with a vintage date of about 1960. I can't yet pin that date down for sure. However, it is definitely a left-tilt saw. It also has another number stamped on the tag, 1257, that is not identified. My guess is that maybe that's a production number.

I use it ever day and still use the original miter gauge and rip fence, which are very accurate. (Might I also add that I bought it at a flea market for $100.)

John Timms via e-mail

Oops! I wasn't aware of the Sears saw, although a quick check on eBay revealed one for sale (at time of publication). I'm going to do some digging to find out when it was made.

— Robert L. Lang, senior editor

Lonnie Bird's Chest(s) of Drawers: The Story Behind the Story

Lonnie Bird's chest of drawers on the cover of the November 2005 issue and the accompanying article raised some questions on one of the Internet newsgroups and we wanted to share the story with you here.

In the article, Lonnie comments on his being able to use a single 22"-wide board for the sides and top of the chest. The question arose from the cover photo, which obviously shows a two-piece side on the case.

There is, of course, a fine explanation.

The chest on the cover is actually one of two matching pieces that Lonnie made for his two daughters. The pieces were made from a tree that had special meaning to the family, so having all the wood come from that one tree for both chests was important. Even more important was making sure that both daughters felt the pieces were equally special. (Those of you with children will surely understand this.) Lonnie had enough of the wide lumber to make two single-board tops and two sides. To be fair, each chest ended up with a single-board top and one single-board side. Unfortunately, the photo angle that we needed for the cover showed the pieced board on this chest, while the other side is a single board.

Also, during our printing process, the cover photo came out a lot more reddish and with a lot more contrast than the original.

Here's a photo from Lonnie that shows one of the finished cases with the single-board side showing and (we hope) more accurate color reproduction. PW

— PW Editors

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Popular Woodworking February 2006