Chalk the Line

A Countdown to the Big Buildoff

comments (3) February 3rd, 2010 in Blogs

Charles Bickford, senior editor

5 users recommend

The Fine Woodworking/Fine Homebuilding shop has been taken over by the set for our planned FWW/FHB Buildoff.
It goes fast when youre just building a three-sided box.

The shop manager, Bob Nash, is my building partner.

Deck complete, in under an hour. (Like I said, its been a while...) Note how woodworkers store their stock.

The Fine Woodworking/Fine Homebuilding shop has been taken over by the set for our planned FWW/FHB Buildoff.

It goes fast when you're just building a three-sided box.

Add Comment
Print

Even though the staffs of Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking labor nearly cheek by jowl, our work is entirely separate. Until now, that is.

Starting on Feb. 16, Fine Woodworking author Tony O'Malley and Fine Homebuilding author Gary Streigler will be having a friendly building competition. The buildoff will be a look at how each author (and by extension, each magazine) would approach the task of constructing a mudroom built-in.

Building the set
The competition will take place here at Fine Homebuilding/Woodworking World Headquarters and Convention Center (left), and my first job is to help build the set that we'll use. I'll be posting photos and if I can coerce a web person, possibly videos of the job as it progresses. Or not. It's been a while since I framed anything bigger than wooden boxes that resemble guitars. Stay tuned!

Join us live from the set on Feb. 17!
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, tune in for a live video chat from the set of the Buildoff with Streigler and O'Malley and some of the editors from each magazine. We'll be chatting over lunch about the different approaches to building between trim carpenters and fine woodworkers. And we'll be taking questions.

Oh, and the picture above? OK, so it's not the real headquarters of Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking—yet.

Trim Complete
by Greg Kossow Expert advice on a wide array of trim and molding projects $21.95 more info...

posted in: Blogs, remodeling, built-ins, storage, mudroom, buildoff

Add Comment Print

Wooden Pallets as Building Materials

Back to List

Your Gem of a Story Could Win You a Jewel of a Tool

Comments (3)

Guy H writes: I have every issue of Fine Woodworking! Please stay away from this “reality crap” if that is where your competition is heading. David Mark’s show has disappeared, New Yankee …too. Now we have reality shows, this crash and that crash demonstrating sometimes very foolish acts and teaching very little. Please, keep you fine magazines far away from such foolishness. We don’t need time-limited competitions to teach us or inspire us. You are doing fine as well as a few other publications in the US and UK.

At 56 I have been collecting and learning to use tools for most all my life; my first real tool box at age seven. I need to learn more and more; reading, doing and watching. I live in a neighborhood of late 30’s and 40’s, it seems most of them can’t do anything,keep teaching us, this reality competition stuff has got to blow over, don’t you think, please keep it pure. Thanks for the decades of very fine publications. Guy

Posted: 9:13 am on February 14th