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Apr 302007
 

Rust Removal & Prevention

Question: I have an old table saw & jointer that I inherited from my father. His father bought them in the 1950s and they still work great. However, the tools have developed some rust on the table surfaces. It’s not deeply imbedded rust, but there’s a significant amount of it on the tops. I’m not sure what the tables are made of, but they are a dark steel color and are not soft at all, so I suspect they are steel. What is the best way to remove the rust from the surfaces without damaging the tops & is there something I can apply to the surfaces to prevent further rust in the future?

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Apr 252007
 

FREE TT50 Truing & Dressing Tool! For a limited time only! While supplies last!

Tormek 2006 Supergrind Sharpener SpecialWe’ve never seen an easier, more efficient way to sharpen cabinetmaking tools, turning and carving tools, knives, and practically anything else to a razor edge—even jointer and planer knives. The Swedish-made Tormek 2006 Supergrind Sharpener runs a water-cooled 220-grit aluminum oxide grinding wheel which restores damaged edges and reshapes bevels with absolutely no risk of overheating and damaging even the most delicate steel. The wheel rotates at a genteel 90 rpm, slow enough to avoid slinging water at you but fast enough, given its 10″ diameter, to grind quite respectably. You could grind faster on a bench grinder with good wheels, but then you’d miss Tormek’s ingenious next step, turning the grinder into a sharpener and power strop which can polish any cutting edge to a mirror shine in seconds.

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Apr 242007
 

ToolBank Tool Drive at Highland Woodworking's One Day Sale

Saturday, May 5th
9am – 4pm

Bring in your used & extra tools to donate to the community & receive a tax deduction!

The Atlanta Community ToolBank will be at our retail store during our Spring One Day Sale accepting tool donations for their Tool Library, the country's largest tool lending program. The ToolBank provides tools to Atlanta’s nonprofit organizations for use in volunteer service projects. Don't miss this opportunity to clean out your shop & put your old tools to work for Atlanta!

Learn more about the ToolBank & Tool Drive

Visit the ToolBank website

Directions to our store

Apr 232007
 

The final goalHard as it may be to believe, it was once possible to buy an automobile whose body was made substantially out of wood. Yes, those old cars were known as Woodies, and today surviving specimens are both rare and priceless.
Sean Headrick, an Atlanta-area woodworker, is currently restoring the wooden bodywork on a dilapidated old 1948 Chevy Woody station wagon. On Saturday, June 16, he will demonstrate some of the special techniques he’s using to reproduce the wooden components on this old automobile while explaining the many challenges involved in such a difficult undertaking.
This free event will begin at 10am at Highland Woodworking at 1045 N. Highland Avenue, NE in Atlanta. The June 16 demo is part of the store’s outstanding Saturday Mornings at Highland series, a weekly experience that is free, fun and educational for anyone interested in woodworking. Topics will vary from week to week, ranging from refinishing furniture to sharpening tools to woodturning and carving and many other creative opportunities.
Visit Highland Woodworking for more information about the Saturday Mornings at Highland educational series.
For project photos, see Sean’s blog at : http://rebuildingchevywoody.blogspot.com
Read our Wood News Online interview with Sean and see a gallery of his work.

Apr 112007
 

Women in WoodworkingAlthough men have historically dominated the craft of woodworking, half of all new woodworking hobbyists are women, according to recently published reports.

Highland Woodworking, formerly known as Highland Hardware, has taught woodworking classes in Atlanta for the past 30 years. Popularity among women has increased to the extent that it now offers classes specifically for budding female woodworkers.

Marilyn MacEwen, author of Woodworking 101 for Women: How to Speak the Language, Buy the Tools & Build Fabulous Furniture from Start to Finish, will appear at Highland Woodworking’s retail store on Saturday, April 14, 2007, to speak about this growing phenomenon, as well as to demonstrate some of the key hand tool techniques she recommends for women, including cutting dovetails, basic use of hand saws and planes, and using marking and measuring tools.

A professional woodworker since 1980, MacEwen builds furniture and home accessories at her studio in Fairview, North Carolina, where she draws upon her love of the forests, mountains, rivers and wildlife surrounding her home to inspire her unique furniture designs. Her customer base extends throughout the country and abroad.

The event on April 14 is part of an ongoing series of free demonstrations known as “Saturday Mornings at Highland”. At 10 AM each Saturday of the year, the Virginia-Highland store offers a free, live, 90-minute demonstration of woodworking skills, tools and techniques presented by instructors from its knowledgeable staff, local woodworking clubs and guilds, manufacturer’s representatives, guest authors, and others.

A schedule describing other upcoming Saturday Mornings at Highland is available online, or you may call the store at 404-872-4466 for information about the current week’s event. Each demonstration is free of charge, and no registration is necessary. Anyone interested in expanding skills and exploring new woodworking techniques is invited to drop in the store at 1045 N. Highland Avenue, NE in Atlanta any Saturday at 10 AM.

Directions to Highland Woodworking’s retail store

Apr 022007
 

Finishing a Cutting BoardI made a cutting board for my daughter, but am uncertain as to how to finish it. What do you recommend?

Oiling wooden boards and bowls helps seal the grain against stains, odors and moisture. However, you want to use a product that’s edible, flavorless and won’t turn rancid. Pure mineral oil, such as Butcher Block Oil, is a good choice because unlike vegetable oils or olive oil, it doesn’t turn rancid and remains safe throughout its life.

Apply the oil with a soft cloth in the direction of the grain, flooding the surface and allowing it to soak in for a few minutes. Then remove any excess oil remaining on the surface with a clean, dry cloth. The oil will reduce the penetration of moisture into the pores of the wood. Some folks prefer to warm the oil slightly before applying it. Beeswax may also be added to the oil to create a tougher finish. Just shave about 1/2 teaspoon of pure beeswax into a cup of mineral oil and warm until the wax shavings have dissolved. Then apply to the piece while still warm in the same manner as described above. It’s also a good idea to oil the surface after it’s washed or weekly to replenish the oil removed by washing and disinfecting.

Walnut oil is another popular choice for items intended for food use. Unlike mineral oil, it is a drying oil that reacts with the air and eventually hardens and will not evaporate over time. Mahoney Walnut Utility Oil Finish is a pure California walnut oil which is heat-treated to penetrate deep into the wood. Like raw walnut oil, it imparts little or no flavor or odor, nor will it go rancid. Wipe on or immerse the piece in the oil and let harden for 24 hours. Mahoney Oil Wax Finish is a blend of heat-treated walnut oil, beeswax and carnauba wax in paste wax form that may be used alone or in conjunction with the Mahoney Utility Finish. Regardless of the oil you choose to use, keep in mind that it is more of a "treatment" than a "finish", and will require maintenance. Apply periodically for maximum effectiveness.

Mar 302007
 

The Home & Design ShowThe national Home & Design Show, an event featuring remodeling, home improvement and decorating products and services, has invited Highland Woodworking to share our knowledge and passion about woodworking and fine furniture in their “Designs in Wood” booth.

There will be an interesting blend of work on display by Highland Woodworking employees, customers and friends, including Curtis Buchanan, Michael Gilmartin, Sean Headrick, Ken Mattie, Sabiha Mujtaba and Marion Smith. The eclectic mix of creations ranges from a reproduction of a late Colonial American table to pieces of contemporary "art furniture".

If you plan to be in the Atlanta area this weekend, come by the Cobb Galleria and enjoy the show. We’ll have our new spring catalog on hand featuring new products as well as upcoming classes and seminars. Be sure to check out future home and design events in other key markets near you such as Boston, San Diego, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Orlando, Vancouver and Toronto.

Atlanta Home & Design Show
Cobb Galleria
March 30 – April 1, 2007
www.atlhomeanddesignshow.com