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Roubo’s plate 11 poster arrived yesterday

September 29, 2010 By

I was unable to find André’s signature, though:

Inspecting Andre Roubo's plate.

I have a new project: make a frame to mount this beautiful print. Maybe when I return from Cincinnati?

I ordered my copy as soon as it was announced. If you plan to attend the Woodworking in America conference in Cincinnati later this week, you will be able to buy your own copy. If you will not be attending, you can place your order after you read this article by Christopher Schwarz. Or get the free wallpaper for computer screens:

— Al Navas

Filed Under: Blog, Popular Woodworking, Woodworking Magazine Tagged With: , ,

A little push for Woodworking in America – 17th century carving

September 28, 2010 By

If you are still on the fence about attending Woodworking in America this year, don’t wait any longer. I trust what follows will change your mind.

First, class sessions are sold out – you won’t be able to attend, as you simply cannot register for any courses. Registration closed a while back.

What is still available? The Exhibitor Marketplace, of course!  Click here to read an article by Christopher Schwarz – you will get to meet Tommy MacDonald, Rob Cosman, Reto Odermatt, and Don Webber; in fact, they will be “permanent fixtures” for the duration of the Marketplace!

And if you have not considered attending the conference this year, maybe this article will make you want to attend next year. For example, a 17th century carved box by Peter Follansbee, which he shared with us during his hands-on session at Valley Forge, in the 2009 edition of the conference:

Carved box by Peter Follansbee.

If looking at this box still does not sway you to plan to attend, maybe the following video will help change your mind. I extracted 20 minutes from Peter’s 90-minute hands-on session at Valley Forge. This is the value you get when you attend the conference: you get a unique chance to watch, and to work with, the principal woodworkers invited to lead the hands-on sessions. The close-up exchange of ideas, the question – answer environment, is a terrific way to learn during the conference.

Enjoy this video! And Please let me know if you like what you see – details of carving, Peter’s technique to quickly make a tenon using a large chisel, his drawboring technique, etc.  — Al Navas

I hope to meet many of you in Cincinnati. Have a safe drive!

Filed Under: Blog, Conference, Drawboring, Education, Joinery, Layout, Mortise, Popular Woodworking, Tenon, Tongue & groove, Valley Forge, Video, Woodworking in America, Woodworking Magazine Tagged With: , , , ,

Bow lathes by Gale Wollenberg

September 27, 2010 By

Meet Gale Wollenberg, as he set up shop with his bow lathes at the Tecumseh (Kansas) Heritage Day festivities. On Saturday, September 25, Sandy and I had a wonderful drive to Tecumseh, just outside Topeka, Kansas. And we had a chance to meet Gale Wollenberg (and his wife Betty).

Gale was easy-going, pleasant, and knowledgeable about bow lathes. I need a vest like his, especially during video shoots, and field photo sessions:

Gale Wollenberg, maker of bow lathes.

His large lathe, in bow drive mode:

The large lathe at work.

Gale at the small lathe; but notice the dual-pedal, string drive on the large lathe (Gale made the spool, holder, everything on his lathes):

The small lathe (notice the drive on the large one).


The pointed center on the tailstock is standard. However, Gale also made the cupped holder, to enable the user to turn small-diameter pieces:

The tailstock options on the small lathe.

I was able to pitch in and help Gale get additional information on 18th Century lathe holders from the Sloane-Stanley Museum in Kent, CT (with thanks to Barb Russ, Museum Assistant):

Work piece support, after the 1778 lathe at the Sloane-Stanley Museum.

The following is Gale’s version of the work piece holder, later confirmed by photos shared with us by Barb Russ at the Sloane-Stanley Museum:

New work piece support, front view.

Question: What makes the bow lathe run smoother?

Answer:  (From Gale) Pork fat or bees’ wax.

I received a gift from Gale before leaving on our return trip home – he gave me the piece he had been turning during the demo:

I accept a memento of our visit - the turned demo piece.

I struggled trying to decide the best way to show the gift from Gale. In the end, as I edited photos and video shot during our visit, I took the easy way out. I decided it was best to show off the turned piece in our office, as part of the editing work:

Getting a good angle on my memento piece.

If you are interested in buying a bow lathe from Gale, please contact him directly via e-mail, at gwollenberg@gmail.com. I won’t provide his phone number here, but he will gladly provide it if you are serious about a lathe purchase.

The following is the edited version of the video I shot during our visit. You will hear a lot of background noise, as the Heritage Day festivities took place all around us. Gale demonstrates the use of his lathes:

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I also thought it suitable to share the March 2010 YouTube video by Stuart King during a visit to Marrakech, Morocco:

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Let me know if you connect with Gale. I look forward to hearing about your experience with the wonderful bow lathe!

— Al Navas

Filed Under: Blog, Lathe Tagged With: , ,

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