AWW Issue 204 March-April 2019

Table of Contents

Features

Safer Lichtenberg or Fractal Burning
by Max Perez
With its fascinating patterns, Lichtenberg woodburning has become an online sensation in recent years. However it is a technique that has lead to the death of a number woodworkers. A licensed electrician, Max shunned the crude apparatus commonly used and developed a set-up he considers safe enough for him to use.

Club Drumbeat
Caloundra Woodworking Club (QLD) has around 30 lady members and over 70 years between their youngest and oldest Club members, Kiama Woodcraft Group Inc (NSW) regularly exhibits at the Old Kiama Fire Station Gallery and the Albury-Wodonga Woodcrafters Inc contributed to the decorative parquetry floor in the National Arboretum in Canberra.

Hourglass Woodwork
When you are in a business meeting and can’t remember what’s been said, it may be time to choose a different career. Anthony Cox describes his transition from an executive in a major accounting firm to having his own business as a designer/maker

Australian Woodworking in the 1880s
by Paul Gregson (Associate Editor)
An 1878 invoice concealed in a box under a church altar for over a 100 years provides a link back to Hudson Bros, one of the largest firms of its kind in Australia at the time.

Drawn Mortice & Tenon Joints
In this 52nd instalment of our Beginners’ Series, we look at a combination of the dowel and mortice & tenon joints – the Drawn Mortice & Tenon Joint. This uses one or more dowels to pull the tenon tight into the mortice and lock it in place, producing an exceptionally strong joint.

The Animated Carapace
by Newton Williams
Another Derek Hugger animated design, the Carapace is a stylised turtle with lifelike swimming motion. Newton builds two versions, one is all wooden while the other is motorised.

Projects

Marketwares #32
by Arnold Barker
Large dice can be decorative and functional, though Arnold is pretty certain the ones he makes end up on a sideboard or hall table as a decoration. They are good conversation starters.

Two End Grain Cutting Boards
by John Swinkels
John cuts and joins timber to form two very different types of end-grain laminated cutting boards. One is a circular hardwood board with feet for use in the kitchen, while the other is a large rectangular softwood cutting board for craft use.

Inserts and Decoration
by Don Phillips
Don discusses how to add the ‘wow’ factor to box designs by adding trim of a contrasting colour. He looks at inserts, corner trim, tackling hexagonal and octagonal boxes, and making use of laminated and segmented material.

Notes on Woodturning Part 45 – Making a Cello Stand
by John Ewart
Every cellist would appreciate a turned wooden stand for their prized instrument and a similar design would suit a number of other stringed instruments. This stand was made by David Foster without having the actual cello to work to. John discusses the design parameters, the making of the stand and the challenges arising from not having access to the cello until the stand was complete.

How I Turn My Tops
by Mike Darlow
There are a number of different wooden tops that can be turned. In this article Mike describes how he turns the top shape called a twirler, typically three at a time from a single blank. He includes pointers on top size and how to effectively spin the top for best results.

Treasure Box with Secret Locking – 2
by Richard Collins
In this second instalment Richard explains the construction and function of an inertia release lock which can be applied to most box designs with a hinged top. The physics of the inertia release lock require the hinged box mechanism to be more complex than one for a sliding lid. Instead of a single locking rod, there is also a spring-loaded buffer rod to prevent ‘accidental’ opening of the box.

Easter Bunny
by Carolyn McCully
This is a relatively simple design which can be adapted to various applications having an Easter theme. In this case Carolyn has converted a bare paint palette into an attractive decorative piece. She suggests that the design could be used to introduce children or grandchildren to pyrography, or you may wish to burn the image and the children can then add the colour for an Easter momento.

Other Features

New Products