Having developed many jigs over the years, I’ve often been tempted to enter a “Methods of Work” idea in FWW. Actually I did once send in an idea, and it was published (about two years ago – a jig for converting a beltsander into a blade grinder). Since then I have retained a passing curiosity about what seems to be the prize winning entrant each edition (no, I did not “win” at the time – beaten by a sandpaper storage cabinet).
It strikes me that anyone who wishes to enter and stand a chance of the tool prizes on offer should design storage for clamps or a bin for wood offcuts, the latter usually being the more popular item. Tools do not ever seem to feature. The current Tools & Shops gives top billing to a lumber rack. This must be one of a dozen such ideas that I have seen like this over the years – clearly the editorial staff views how one stores items in a workshop to be more important than the tools, per se. I always thought that Methods of Work would be about working wood and not watching it.
Is this my imagination?
Regards from Perth
Derek
Replies
I also wonder about the criteria for selection in "Methods of Work". I can't believe they wasted half a page (p. 14 in Tools and Shops 2008) about a chuck-key holder. They must have too few submissions to do something decent.
Senomozi
Derek, I share your mystification, but not just with FWW -- with all magazines. Wood awarded Best Tip to a guy who showed how he creates a straight edge on a rough piece of lumber by screwing it to a long piece of MDF and running it through the table saw, MDF against the fence. WHAT?! Sheesh. How many books have that general idea between their covers?
I've speculated to myself that it might pay to consider which magazine to submit any given tip to, depending on their audience. I have one sketched and hidden in a bank vault (that's a joke) for which I'm waffling between Wood and American WWer. Based on your experience, seems like FWW would be an even more iffy proposition.
Shop Notes might be a good one for your blade grinder, which I personally think is really cool.
There are only 358 "Methods of Work." They get generally recycled among all the magazines on a periodic basis. Seems to me we should also apply patent law: 1952 legislation mandated that an invention could not be patented if a "person having ordinary skill in the art" would consider it obvious.
I always thought that Methods of Work would be about working wood and not watching it.
Old saying around here.. I love work.. I can watch it all day!
We think a bit different 'up' here as you folks see things 'down'..
Just funnin ya!
Who knows what a bunch of old coot woodworkers come up with judging something especially after the typical lunch. Final judging is after lunch.
Manhattan
1 1/2 oz. Bourbon - we recommend the good stuff
1/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth or Dry Vermouth
dash Angostura Bitters (optional)
Garnish - Maraschino Cherry
Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a Cocktail glass.
What the... They can get your copy to Australia before before the can get mine to Canada?
What the... They can get your copy to Australia before before the can get mine to Canada?I'd bet the worker put the books in the sorter upside down!
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