Woodworker's Journal 1985-9-6, страница 6

Woodworker

Letters

We welcome opinions and comments (both pro and con) from our readers. Address correspondence to: Letters Department, The Woodworker's Journal. P.O. Box 1629. New Milford. CT 06776.

1 enjoyed reading the article in your March/April 1992 issue that described how to make the Salt and Pepper Shaker Combo. In fact, I ordered a tap and die set, and the Forsiner bits needed to make the project. However, I'm having problems lapping threads in the holes, which were bored into the end grain. Am I doing something wrong, or is my tap defective?

Al Westbrook. Bellmore, N.Y.

Although it's difficult to tell from the project photo and art. the tap holes are bored into the edge-grain of the stock, not the end-grain. That means, when looking at the photo on page 42. the grain is running side-to-side on the page, as opposed to top-to-hottom.

Grain direction is important here because, as ire learned when «v contacted the folks at American Machine and Tool (AMTt—who manufactures wood cutting taps and dies—it's just about impossible to rap a thread in a hole that's bored at to end grain.

Once you get the grain running in the right direction, your tap should cur the threads with a minimum of fuss. By the way. based on the above, you might think a die would be unable to cut a thread on a dowel, which has nothing bur end-grain. But, because rlie basic culling action of a die differs from iliat of a tap. a dowel will thread with little difficulty.

1 am making The Big Rig Tractor/ Trailer Toy from your July/August 1992 issue, but am unable to locate the Preserve iNatural Non-Toxic Nut Oil you used for a finish. Can you give me the name of a supplier'.'

Allan J. Fairlev. Urbandale. Iowa

Presen t\ which is sold in an S-ounce squeeze bottle, is available from Woodcraft. 210 Wood County Industrial Park, P.O. Box 16H6, Parkersburg. WY 26102-1686; tel. l-8(H)-225-l 153, or Woodworker's Supply, 5604 Alameda Place N.E.. Albuquerque. NM 87113; tel. 1-800-645-9292.

It's been quite a while since Walker-Turner tools have been sold. Would you know where to get parts lor any of those old machines'.'

Ed Collins. Coshocton, Ohio

There's a good chance you can get parts (or parrs lists) for old Walker-Turner tools by writing or calling Robert Archer. Discontinued Product Specialist. Delta Machinery Co.. 4290 East Raines Road. Memphis. TN 38118; tel. \90h 363-2843. Delta purchased Rockwell Tools a few years ago, several years after Rockwell purchased Walker-Turner.

HOW TO GET STUCK WITH WOOD ADHESIVE.

Buy the traditional yellow glue. It runs. It streaks. It makes the job messy. And adds steps like cleaning and sanding

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that you really don't have time for.

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