Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 i Australian Wood Review

The journey, not the destination I have a confession to make. I’m the sort of person who enjoys the practice more than the performance, the process better than the result. For me, it’s more about the journey. This very much applies to our annual Maker of the Year Awards, this year presented by Carbatec. Seeing each entry come in is a delightful thing – I like to see the good points of everything. As soon as we start on the judgment trail it becomes a matter of balance. Weighing up the relative worth of the good points is not so enjoyable, for me at least, because we’re not talking ‘science’ here – there are human beings attached and people put a lot of thought, time and love into the things…

Increasingly I’m leaving white and yellow glues behind (along with short open-times and associated glue-up stress) and reaching for two-part epoxy and polyurethane glue. Let me tell you how I use them. Epoxy Unlike white and yellow glues, epoxy does not grab on contact, and its longer open-time (approx. 20–30 mins) makes for more peaceful glue-ups. It exhibits outstanding waterproofing and gap-filling characteristics. I use it for all kinds of joinery, from chairs to tabletops, drawers, box making, and so forth. I particularly appreciate being able to control the viscosity of epoxy by using fillers designed to enhance gap-filling and strength. These fillers usually consist of microfibres mixed into the epoxy before use. Perhaps the most pertinent downside is the perception that a two-part glue is ‘trouble’. Mixing is not…

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Using dovetail keys across wood splits was showcased by George Nakashima many years ago. It is a very popular technique today used particularly across splits and defects in slabs used for tabletops. Many makers use contrasting coloured woods for this and it works well. A Melbourne based woodwork supply company does however have available brass or copper ‘butterfly bowties’ as they call them, which are laser cut and 3.5mm thick. These come in three sizes up to 75mm long and sell for $15 to $19. At 3.5mm thick they may not be enough to restrain some larger or wider splits. What I did on a 45mm thick Huon pine tabletop was to inlay a large wood dovetail key for strength and then cover that with a brass key. To avoid…

WINNER: JESS HUMPSTON ‘Ch-air is an exploration in visual and structural lightness allowing for unobstructed views of a vista/table beyond. The form is inspired by traditional stick chairs with the typical solid timber seat subtracted from the structure. Its strength comes from the triangulation of router formed dowel elements, timber selection and a hand woven monofilament seat kept in place with fluted detailing.’ Photos: Greg Piper WHAT THE JUDGES SAID This for me is the best piece in all the categories I have judged, it shows real visual maturity. It’s innovative but not gimmicky. The whole design comes together, and the chosen materials offer a stunning contrast. The mixture of design, art and furniture could not be more explored than in this piece. Modern, fresh, original, unique, contemporary, stunning. Marc…

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID Gary Rizzolo’s Teardrop Archtop shows immense skill and understanding of musical instruments. Anyone able to make a guitar I am in awe of. The piece has a great aesthetic and shows some really interesting details. Marc Fish Aptly named, this piece is a masterclass of instrument building. Clinically approached, carefully considered and without a foot out of place this piece speaks for itself. An array of complex curves makes it a beautiful object in its own right. The closer you look, the more there is to discover. William Bayliss Music to the eyes…and ears. This work is virtuoso performance of craftsmanship, and a deep understanding of history and tradition while still finding room for innovation. Flawless detail in every way. Will Matthysen WINNER: GARY RIZZOLO RUNNER-UP:…

WINNER: JACK VUKASOVIĆ The Kings School, NSW; teacher Julia Laman WHAT THE JUDGES SAID With an array of advanced techniques and layers of surprise throughout, Jack Vukasović’s Standing Tambour Cabinet shows a great understanding of materials and a great design flare with good proportions and faithful motifs. William Bayliss RUNNER-UP: JAYDEN NEW Calrossy Anglican School, NSW; teacher Ian Scott WHAT THE JUDGES SAID Fun, functional and very well executed. Great fit and finish. William Bayliss WHAT THE JUDGES SAID Congratulations to the award winners and indeed, to all participants. When it is not possible to actually see, touch and walk around the submissions and experience their physical presence, it is so helpful to have good photographs of the finished work from a number of overall views as well as of…

For more events and news sign up to AWR fortnightly newsletters at: www.woodreview.com.au 19 NOVEMBER–4 DECEMBER Cambium Sturt School for Wood Graduate Exhibition Cnr Range Road & Waverley Parade, Mittagong, NSW www.sturt.nsw.edu.au 26 NOVEMBER–28 MAY Jimmy Possum chairmaking tradition c.1872 – 2022 A survey of Australia’s foremost vernacular furniture making tradition, including works by the eponym, subsequent historical makers and prominent contemporary artisans. Queen Victoria Art Gallery at Royal Park, Launceston, Tasmania https://www.qvmag.tas.gov.au 26–27 NOVEMBER Woodturners Society of Queensland Exhibition and sales at Mt Coot-tha, Brisbane http://wsqld.org.au 28 NOVEMBER–16 DECEMBER Design & development program with Michael Fortune A three week course for intermediate students that looks at exploring new forms and processes. Centre for Fine Woodworking, Nelson, New Zealand www.cfw.co.nz 2023 10–13 FEBRUARY Australian Wooden Boat Festival A celebration of…

This 25-piece set of HSS twist drills from Würth is stunning. The set ranges in size from 1.0–13.0mm in 0.5mm increments, and all sizes from 2.5mm up have the ‘Smart-Step’ tip that makes this set unique. Designed for premium quality drilling in a great range of materials including wood, plastics and non-ferrous metals, I’ve had a set for a while now and can report a vast improvement in the cut quality in both soft and hard woods over even premium-quality standard twist drills. The Würth drills give clean, consistent hole diameters and very little upwards lifting of fibres at the entrance to the hole. The Smart-Step tip acts as a self-centring feature with no need to pre-mark the hole location with a brad awl for example. You can confidently drill…

The high school I went to in Hobart’s inner north in the 1970s was formerly a technical college. At the time, nearly half of the school was dedicated to workshops of one trade or another. There were classrooms exclusively set up for technical drawing, workshops for woodworking and metalwork, and there was a forge shop.Some of the more privileged kids went on an interstate trip in their final year. My parents didn’t have that sort of disposable income, however they did allow me the privilege of buying the materials to make a wood lathe as my Year 10 metalwork project. This lathe has been a constant in my life and I’ve used it for over 40 years. When I discovered chairmaking it seemed such a natural fit for me. I…

WINNER: DANIEL LITTLE ‘Inspired by Scandinavian and Japanese modernism with the hope of achieving warmth and balance, the end product is a minimalist and elegant piece. ‘The tambour doors stretch around the curved ends with alternating flat and curved hardwood pieces chosen to create a sweeping textural aesthetic. Removable side and back panels facilitate tambour removal and repair over time. ‘The frame was weighted with a large apron on the back and top sides for stability with lighter stretchers on the front and bottom to maintain the lean aesthetic.’ WHAT THE JUDGES SAID This is a finely wrought piece with a light understated style. The joinery is well executed in the dovetail drawer and the tambour is interesting in texture and looks to be well fitted. Ruth Thompson I felt…

WINNER: LOUEN PINPIN WHAT THE JUDGES SAID I was particularly taken by the inventiveness of the flexible lid, its presence when closed is not evident but reveals itself so well upon opening. Overall a well considered piece that has been constructed to a high standard. Marc Fish A beautifully crafted pair of boxes with a sunburst pattern that invites one to explore further. How do you open the box? With a lid that follows the curve of wave about to land on the beach. Will Matthysen Louen Pinpin’s pair of boxes are playful and unique with an unorthodox yet genius opening method. The sister pair act as almost a call and response to each other and create complex visual relationship. William Bayliss RUNNER-UP: LINDSAY ATHORN ‘The bookmatched bark edge top…

What to give the person who has everything? In middle age I have frequently encountered this problem. Over the years, I have made and given pens, boxes, clocks and chopping boards. But this year, I found the holy grail of presents.Where once I might have given a bottle of whisky, now I can add a personal touch. This whisky cabinet is not only easy and quick to make, it is a statement piece that can sit proudly on a mantle piece. The carcase is a box with a recessed platform that the bottle sits in, a spine or back piece, and a top – all of which sit on a bevelled pedestal. Gull-wing doors open to reveal and frame the contents within. This project is relatively simple but you can…

The potential and versatility of this product is evident right out of the box. Designed for increasing safety and cut quality by applying consistent pressure to keep the workpiece solidly registered against the fence, this device does just that. A hybrid concept between a traditional featherboard and contemporary roller guides, the engineers at Harvey have gone above and beyond to make this an extremely effective and versatile accessory. It has been designed for use on router tables, bandsaws and tablesaws. There are two versions available – the RG-1 has one pajr of wheels and is suitable for stock thicknesses between 1.6mm and 50.8mm, while the RG-2 has a second stacked pair of wheels and a thicker body, and will accommodate stock from 1.6mm to 101.6mm. Made from first class materials…

Sanding is often called the woodworkers bane, although I have heard of some fringe makers who enjoy the activity. Either way, one of the main issues is the dust that it creates, particularly with power sanding. However nowadays we are blessed with the latest innovations and these new sanding discs from 3M are a great help. Made with an open mesh of ceramic abrasive, 3M Xtract Cubitron discs are available in common diameters and sanding grits from 80 to 320. The open mesh is hook and loop and allows far better dust extraction than paper discs with punched holes on random orbit sanders. Expect to pay around $1.10 per disc putting them on a par with paper-backed discs. A recent review of sanding discs by Jonathan Katz-Moses apparently had these…

This Nakaya Ryoba combination saw is beautifully made. It is a traditional Japanese saw with rip teeth on one edge and cross cut teeth on the other, meaning you can use the one saw to rip to width and then cut to length. This sample has a 210mm long blade, but longer blades of 240mm and 270mm are available. It has a simple and comfortable bamboo handle which is normal for this type of saw. The machining of this sawblade itself appears to be perfect. In fact the middle of the blade is scraped, making it thinner than the kerf so it won’t jam in the cut, if you saw straight of course. The crosscut edge has 20tpi (teeth per inch) giving a fine to medium cut which is excellent…

A chair that speaks of tradition and also modernity A is the piece that has propelled Jess Humpston into the limelight as this year’s Maker of the Year 2022. Her winning entry, Ch-air, not only looks back to Windsor peg and mortise technology, but through the use of monofilament also connects to an Australian ‘tradition’ as it recalls the influence of George Ingham, a designer and educator who had a huge influence on Australian woodworkers from the early 80s onwards. Although categories were individually judged, Jess’s work was shortlisted in three of the four categories she entered, an additional reflection of the excellence of her work. As an early career designer maker, we congratulate Jess on her hard work. Maker of the Year is much more than a means of…

WINNER: BRANDON HARRISON Sturt School for Wood, teacher David Upfill-Brown WHAT THE JUDGES SAID The brief to create a visually light piece has been elegantly achieved. The references to modernism are sensitively approached. The use of rock maple and the grain direction on the drawers emphasise the lightness of the piece, the shadow lines reinforce the illusion of lightness. Ruth Thompson Brandon Harrison’s desk is geometric, sleek and at a glance looks to defy physics. The complex structure and angled joinery look effortless. With a beautiful drawer pull solution this piece is well resolved and very well executed. William Bayliss RUNNER-UP SCOTT STOREY Centre for Fine Woodworking, New Zealand, tutor David Haig WHAT THE JUDGES SAID A visually light piece, with strong emphasis on the floating horizontal shelves achieved through…

The Jimmy Possum chairmaking tradition of Northern Tasmania is not a lost trade, nor a rare trade – it is a living, unbroken tradition. This unbroken tradition is the title and theme of a survey exhibition at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) which runs until May 2023. The tradition speaks of Australia’s history, aesthetics, and make-do creativity. In a time when furniture makers cram their workspaces with machinery, tools, and jigs, this 150-year-old tradition’s simple work practices and technologies provide a beacon for sustainable production. Jimmy Possum chairmaking is Australia’s foremost vernacular furniture-making tradition. It is bound to the people, landscape, and history of the Meander Valley; its geographic specificity is a unique material cultural expression in this country. Unlike other furniture making traditions, the Jimmy Possum…