Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i Australian Wood Review

Point of origin The ‘river table’ is arguably the biggest woodworking trend of our generation. In simple terms, you take two slabs of live-edged timber and create an infill between them. Social media is awash with videos of brightly coloured resin pours as well as furniture where glass has been cut to fit curves. But once an idea or a design becomes popular, its point of origin may be lost – all of sudden that design becomes ‘generic’ and supposedly common property. When US furniture designer maker Greg Klassen decided to trademark his River Table design it became a hot button topic. He was decried for it, and yet how should designers and artists safeguard their intellectual property? Is it even possible in a digital world fuelled by downloads and…

We work in an industry where dust is inevitable, which is why every woodworker needs good dust protection. Machine sawing, sanding, routing or lathe turning will produce hazardous dust levels that we need to avoid. You can use a quality valved paper mask (which is acceptable), or go to the next level and use something like this 3M 6500QL series half face mask with filter cartridges. The benefit of the latter is much greater protection, as this sort of mask will give a better seal around your face, and the filter cartridges are far superior to paper style masks for filtering air. This particular mask is supplied as a kit that includes two sets of P2 filter cartridges which are rated for wood dust, masonry dust and even lead paint…

CNC laser cutting machines are now found in many workshops and used for cutting and engraving signage, templates and components in wood, plywood, acrylic, rubber, leather and paper. I initially purchased the RSX503050 Redsail laser cutter which has a 500 x 300mm bed size to cut costs for my business, Perth Cake Collective. I wanted to make my own cake toppers from acrylic and wood for a fraction of the cost I was purchasing them for. I knew the machine would pay itself off in no time, however it wasn’t long before I realised all the extra products I could create with it. The need for a larger machine was soon evident – I never imagined it would take a mere 10 months for me to upgrade to the larger…

In any woodworking project several processes are involved – typically sawing, joining, sanding and finishing. In this project however, I wanted to include as many woodworking processes as possible – traditional as well as modern technology. Also, I wanted to challenge the design to be as thin and light as possible in order to use the wood to its full potential. I had to build a steam bender, two moulds and several jigs. I used 3D printing, CAD drawing and sketching to reach the final result – a woven chair. Dynamic design The design process is as complicated and important as the making itself. I rarely doodle down a chair on a napkin, model it in 3D and follow the drawings. Instead, it’s a dynamic process that moves between sketching,…

This is a versatile machine that packs a real punch in such a small unit. Billed as a horizontal slot mortising unit, with some optional accessories and alternate tooling it is capable of so much more. I’ve had one for five years and find myself using it for more tasks every year. With a 2.6kw, 3x400 volt, 3000rpm, reversible motor that caters for left and right cutting bits and a solid quad-jaw chuck with clamping range from 0–20mm, this machine is able to securely hold and operate some significant tooling, ranging from 1/4" shank router bits, mortising cutters, hollow chisel mortising bits and even large plug cutters and forstner bits. There is an optional upgrade of a two-speed motor – I chose this option to allow for the slower speeds…

NORMALLY $52 (PRINT + DIGITAL) Spoil yourself or a loved one this Christmas with a subscription to Wood Review and never miss the latest woodworking tips, news and product reviews. WHY SUBSCRIBE? Only $31 for 4 issues (print + digital) Save 40% off the subscription price! Free delivery to your door Never miss an issue! ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? Simply extend your subscription to take advantage of this offer. TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW visit www.greatmagazines.com.au/christmas or CALL 1800 807 760 & QUOTE ADV/XM21 Conditions: These offers are open to new and current subscribers with an Australian postal address. Offers expire 31st January, 2022. The publishing frequency of the magazines vary so you may wait up to 12 weeks for delivery of your first magazine. Customer enquiries to subscriptions@yaffa.com.au.…

The ‘river table’ has become the biggest woodworking trend of our times. Many woodworkers regard it as such a ‘generic’ furniture form they don’t appreciate its origins stem from the designs of US maker Greg Klassen. Seeing the flood of lookalikes that appeared after he first ‘went public’ with his design some ten years ago, Greg sought to protect his intellectual property by trademarking his ‘River Tables’. The backlash of criticism he subsequently received was unexpected, and raised larger questions about the rights of artists to claim acknowledgement for and ownership of their designs. I spoke to Greg about the river table phenomenon and asked him how the concept came about, and the impact it’s had on his life. Who is Greg Klassen, and how did he become a furniture…

Shortly after moving from Tennessee to Southern California, I needed to resupply on my favourite finish. The closest store to carry it was an hour and a half away, but off I went. It was only upon arrival that I made a horrible discovery – some clean-air legislation enacted by my new state had removed it (and almost every other finish I’d ever used) from the shelves. I was displeased, to say the least, and not just because of the wasted drive. However, I wound up buying a bottle of tung oil – sans the also recommended citrus solvent– and thus began an entirely new finishing journey. Misconceptions Problems with tung oil mainly arise from poor technique, worsened by what you see on the internet. Pour on, mop around, wait…

Diary listings are free. Email to: linda@woodreview.com.au Note: Listings are current at time of printing but may be subject to change, especially with regard to COVID-19 restrictions. Always check details with organisers before planning to visit. UNTIL MAY 2022 Eucalpytusdom: Celebrating Australia’s gum trees Exhibition includes historical and newly commissioned works, performances, talks and masterclasses Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo, Sydney www.maas.museum/event/eucalyptusdom Oct 29–14 DECEMBER Transformation: Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre Annual Members exhibition Showcasing contemporary expressions of craft and design www.craftact.org.au 5–6 NOVEMBER Cooroora Woodcraft Show Cooroora Woodworkers Club Inc Cooroy Memorial Hall Steve Chapman: 0419 611 565 www.cooroorawoodworkersclub.com 20 NOVEMBER–5 DECEMBER FLOW: 2021 Graduating Exhibition Sturt School For Wood Cnr Range Road & Waverley Parade, Mittagong, NSW www.sturt.nsw.edu.au 9 DECEMBER–22 JANUARY Centre for Fine Woodworking Graduate…

This commission was a delight and very much an expression of a decision made at the start of my woodworking career almost 40 years ago. I wanted each piece to require techniques that were new for me, and I only wanted to make work for people who got how much heart went into each piece. My client had the idea of a folding screen that would display his wife’s paintings and be a surprise gift for her 80th birthday. She is a respected artist with particular skill in depicting Australian flora. He wanted the paintings to be easily changed, alternated as the mood and more recent work determined. Design decisions I immediately decided on the frames to be rounded to allude to plant stems, and then thought to char them…

Some of the lesser known timbers I have in my stash are too small for production runs, but too good to ignore. These are pieces of wood not processed to commercial dimensions but show fantastic character in terms of colour or grain that just screams for attention, so I adjusted the scale of my idea to suit material I had on hand. From small things I had some hooked needlewood (Hakea tephrosperma) that had been split radially from a log. With sapwood attached, the ends had been sealed and set aside for several years to season. What really attracted me to this wood were the fine flecks in its radiating grain and its pink colour. I find it difficult to remove material from a blank as every part seems too…