The Woodworker - Autumn 2016

Robin trying out his bench under a new leadlight window
Robin trying out his bench under a new leadlight window

Welcome to our Autumn Special, which as ever, is packed full of a variety of content to keep you entertained over the coming month. The star of this month's cover is Owen Jones, who is single-handedly keeping the South Cumbrian tradition of swill making alive. Continuing to make these oak and hazel baskets by hand, find out how he defied the sweeping hand of fate to become the last oak swill maker in the area, and most likely the country. We also have a brand-new project from Robin Gates, who this month, desperately seeking shed windows, goes skip-diving for old cabinet doors, repairs Victorian leadlights, makes trim from a maple log and tries a Japanese saw.

The function of Mike Riley's thingamajig is admittedly ambiguous, but he's sure it'll see some kind of use!
The function of Mike Riley's thingamajig is admittedly ambiguous, but he's sure it'll see some kind of use!

In terms of other projects and technical articles, Michael Forster is back, this time discussing the machining of flat panels, where he shows that producing a wide, solid tabletop that won't warp doesn't need to be difficult, as he looks into the causes and the solutions. We also have an interesting article from Mark Griffiths who looks at the art of wainscoting, and in the process offers advice on how to go about panelling a room, before Mike Riley challenges himself to try something different and makes something unnecessary - behold, the thingamajig!

Colin Simpson's stunning textured and airbrushed bowl
Colin Simpson's stunning textured and airbrushed bowl

In our turning section, Bob Chapman kicks off with a very useful and enlightening article on the setting up of a turning workshop. If you're about to start out and require some expert hints and tips, then look no further than this indispensable guide. Colin Simpson also undertakes an exercise in texture and experiments with texture paste and airbrushing to create a piece that looks as if it is emerging from a shell. And lastly, buying turning tools can be costly, so how about making your own? Niall Yates takes you through the steps for making a basic set, from sourcing the steel, tempering and hardening it, to turning your own custom tool handles.

The colour cover of Hobbies Handbook showed models of Big Ben and the TSS Mauretania (described in detail within) plus father and son woodworkers

The colour cover of Hobbies Handbook showed models of Big Ben and the TSS Mauretania (described in detail within) plus father and son woodworkers

We also have a very special one-off article for you this month, which looks at hobbyist woodworking during World War II. Looking back through archive copies of Hobbies Handbook, Francine Kirsch shares some of the wonderful content with us and shows that despite the wartime risk, people were still woodworking and making a variety of projects.

The Editor wearing his Blaklader craftsman kilt and polo shirt
The Editor wearing his Blaklader craftsman kilt and polo shirt

In terms of tests, we have a varied bunch for you as usual, including Andy Standing's account of the Axminster AHRD16B bench radial drill; the Editor puts a range of Blaklader workwear through its paces before looking at the Wolf Professional 20V combi drill & impact driver kit, and finally, Andy King thinks that Trend's Adjustable Trade Lock Jig is an absolute cracker.

To top this issue off, we also have a special competition, which gives 15 lucky readers the chance to each win a workshop essentials prize bundle, including a Bosch Robust Line Jigsaw Blades Set, Bosch 34-piece X-Line Accessory Set, Stanley Combination Square, Faithfull Screwdriver Set, and much more! Answer a simple question to be in with the chance of winning - good luck!

And don't forget, there's still time to enter our Felder 60th anniversary competition. Just make a piece of furniture, enter it, and you could be in with the chance of getting your hands on some top Felder kit - see inside this issue for further details on both.

As well as all this, we also have your usual favourite pages, including our timber suppliers directory, readers' letters, AOB, archive and marketplace.

All this and much more in the The Woodworker Autumn Special, which is now on sale!

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