The combination of flame birch’s natural chatoyance and mahogany wood gives this side table a striking impact, especially when placed next to a bed or couch. Made out of solid hardwoods with mortise and tenon joinery by Jim Zink of Meredith, New Hampshire. The dovetailed drawer with hand turned mahogany pull glides effortlessly. Shellac and lacquer finish. Will give any room the “wow” factor. (Each custom piece is unique due to natural variations in grain patterns and color.)
Measures: W: 17 x D: 17 x H: 24
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CrushGrind Pepper Mill Mechanism
Matt Monaco designs his pepper mills to accept the CrushGrind mill mechanism, which he likes because it doesn’t require drilling through the top of the mill’s cap and having hardware exposed on top.
The DeWalt 735X produced two faces perfectly parallel to one another, with surfaces far superior to what the other machines produced, thanks to its two feed speeds. At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy, with spacious access to the cutterhead from the top and a gib screw wrench that doubles as a magnetic lift to remove the knives. The 735X also has great dust collection, thanks to an internal blower that helps evacuate chips. The port has a 2-1/2-in.-dia. opening, but has a built-in adapter for 4-in.-dia. hoses. My only complaint is the location of the dust port. It’s on the outfeed side of the machine, and exits straight back. If you don’t pull the hose to the side, it interferes with material as it leaves the machine. The top is large and flat, so it’s a great place to set material in between passes through the machine.
Bosch has produced another quality miter saw. It not only fits tight to the wall; it also has the shortest distance to the miter lock. The saw’s generous miter range is complemented by its large selection of miter detents. However, it falls short in a few areas. The handle is nicely ambidextrous, but its large size may make it cumbersome for all but large hands. I also found the miter and bevel controls, including their locks, stiff. The saw is the only model in the field with no light, either an LED or laser.
This saw performs as well as the others, but its price and inconveniences make it hard to recommend. As far as the positives go, the handle is comfortable to grip. In use, its power switch works for both righties and lefties. However, other ergonomics are OK at best. It’s also another saw with the bevel lock at the back, meaning it’s a reach to get to. The tool has good bevel and miter range. It’s the only worm-drive saw, but I did not notice any difference in cut. The saw cannot sit flush to a wall.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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