This post is part of a blog series revealing the table of contents of upcoming Issue Nineteen. As is our custom, we’ll be discussing one article per weekday in order to give you a taste of what is to come.
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To get Issue Nineteen when it ships in early September, you can sign up for a subscription here. If you aren’t sure about your subscription status, you can reach out to Grace at info@mortiseandtenonmag.com. Keep in mind though, if you are set to auto-renew, you never have to worry about getting the next issue of Mortise & Tenon. Issue Eighteen is coming your way soon!
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Michael Updegraff – “The Magic of the Shrink Pot”
Some elements of green woodworking look like magic to those accustomed to dried-and-dimensioned lumber. The hardest of woods carve effortlessly when green, and they split along the grain with the greatest of ease. Another thing that wood does as it dries: it shrinks. This trait can induce fits of hysteria in woodworkers who have to deal with uneven shrinkage (warping) as a board adjusts to environmental conditions, but it has also been cleverly harnessed by artisans through the centuries for creative ends.
In Issue Nineteen, author Michael Updegraff shows how this greenwood magic has been utilized in one of the most ancient wooden containers known to humankind: the shrink pot. A form dating back thousands of years, the shrink pot was the forerunner to coopered vessels but was much more free-form: It followed the contours and curves of the tree from which it was shaped. A round or slab of green wood was hollowed, a groove cut inside one end, and a dry bottom fitted. As the container dried, it clamped down tightly on the captured bottom, creating a sturdy and extremely useful vessel. And the possibilities for artistic embellishment are endless.
Updegraff shares the process of making a shrink pot with simple tools, with a workflow that can take place in the shop or in the woods. From cutting rounds, to shaping, to fitting the bottom, to seasonal considerations, there is enough information and inspiration here to capture the magic of the shrink pot yourself.
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