Canadian Woodworking 101 (April-May 2016)

21ST CENTURY
WRITING DESK
Build a
Canadian Quotes:
GARDEN SHED
WELDON GRAY
oodworking
W&
CANADIAN
APRIL/MAY 2016
ISSUE #101
HOME IMPROVEMENT
DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS
TOOL YOUR SHOP
BUILD YOUR DREAMS
Exotic Wood
Card Holder
oneTree
Exhibition Highlights
p.8
Know Your Tools:

Drill Press
p.10
p.40
Finer
Details:
Bosch
Lute
p.26
Black Walnut:
Furniture Favourite
$5.95
p.34
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W&oodworking CONTENTS
CANADIAN
HOME IMPROVEMENT
DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS
TOOL YOUR SHOP
BUILD YOUR DREAMS
A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 6
F E AT U R E S
8 OneTree Exhibit
by rob brown
When a large bigleaf maple tree had to be felled, the Robert

Bateman Gallery thought something special needed to be
done with it. View a selection of the pieces built from the
tree, and see more online.
14 Garden Shed
by mark salusbury
If stylish storage is on your to-do list this spring youre in

luck. Take a look at this tasteful and fully functional garden
shed then start dreaming big.
28 21st Century Writing Desk
by chris wong
Writing has changed a fair bit in the last century. The biggest
change is the advent of the computer. Because of the
computer, this desk uses a rarely incorporated design feature
for a desks surface texture.
34
14
12
Appreciation for Black Walnut

by jesse vernon trail
Learn about some of the lesser know facts about the black
walnut tree, and the wood that comes from it.
DEPARTM ENTS
2 Editors Letter
4 Letters, Coming Events
6 Web Shavings
10 Know Your Tools: Drill Press
12 Canadian Quotes: Weldon Gray
26 Finer Details: Bosch Lute
44 Top Ten: Metal Fasteners for Woodworking
48 Wood Chuckle
Back Cover: Lute by Weldon Gray
C OV E R S TO RY
Cover photo by Rob Brown
40 Make an Exotic Business Card Holder

Why not display your business cards in true style, with this
exotic wood business card holder. by rob brown
40
CanadianWoodworking.com
editor's letter
W&oodworking
CANADIAN
HOME IMPROVEMENT
DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS
TOOL YOUR SHOP
BUILD YOUR DREAMS
Issue #101
PUBLISHERS
ike life, editing a magazine often

throws some curves at you. Just
when I thought this issue was
wrapped up we got word that a few large
last-minute changes had to be made. Not a
big deal, as these things happen. Like Yogi
Berra said, Its not over till its over. I
[email protected]
think he would have been a great magazine
editor, by the way. Im used to making last-minute changes while making
furniture as well. Often, with projects nearing completion, I make a mistake or realize there are improvements to be made, so things get tweaked
as necessary. All furniture makers, even the pros, make mistakes. Its all
about how they get fixed or how they are made to look like they were put
there on purpose. A great furniture maker is comfortable with adjusting
on the fly to produce a piece that looks and works wonderfully.
Getting away from the philosophical side of magazine editing, I hope
you enjoy our latest issue, with all its last-minute changes. There is a wide
range of projects in our pages. Starting with the simplest a business card
holder I made with exotic veneers. Moving up the difficulty scale is Chris
Wongs 21st century writing desk. A textured top might at first seem the
wrong choice for a writing desk, but with computers leading the writing
world nowadays I think its a great idea. And the most-time consuming and expensive project weve run in some time is a garden shed. Mark
Salusbury built this shed with the help of his wife, and details how you
can do the same with someone.
Speaking of time-consuming and expensive, not to mention incredibly
impressive, is the work of Saskatchewan luthier Weldon Gray. His body
of work is jaw-dropping my jaw literally dropped when I saw his work
for the first time. I had no idea how he did some of the things he did. In
our Finer Details column, Gray shares the techniques he uses to create
one of his most awe-inspiring pieces; his version of the Bosch lute. In our
Canadian Quotes column, I share some of Grays thoughts about making
high-end instruments in Canada. You wont want to miss an online slideshow of his work. Go to the Videos section of our website to view it.
Rounding out the issue are our usual Community, Top 10, Know Your
Tools, and Woodchuckle columns, as well as an article on one of North
Americas most prized woods, black walnut.
Rob Brown
Paul Fulcher
Publisher & Advertising Director
pfulcher
@canadianwoodworking.com
Jennifer Taylor
Circulation
circdept
Carl Duguay
Web Editor
cduguay
Paul Fulcher, Linda Fulcher
EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
Rob Brown
Jonathan Cresswell-Jones
CONTRIBUTORS
Carl Duguay, Weldon Gray,
Mark Salusbury, Jesse Vernon Trail,
Don Wilkinson, Chris Wong
PREPRESS
PROOFREADER
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Errors &Omissions Excepted
New Westminster - Concord - Mississauga - Ottawa - London - Barrie - Pickering - Dartmouth N.S. - Calgary - Edmonton
letters
Rock On!
Just want to thank you for your article and plans
for the wonderful Charles Rohlf s rocking chair. I
just completed mine and it turned out just great.
I started with a couple of salvaged old2 inch
thick oak doors. I did have to buy oak boards for
the medalions, the back and therockers.
As you can see, I raised the rockers to 4 inches
and added a rock lock feature to protect little fingers and toes.
It was a very challengingprojectwith all the
curves and angles.
The result was well worth the effort.
Thanks again,
John M.
Coming Events
Great
Woodchuckle, Don!
I just read your article. Its
the first time Ive read any
of your work. Hilarious!
You have a wonderful way
with words. Love your sense
of humour!
Norma W. via email
Hi Norma,
Thank you for taking the
time to write me. I really
appreciate hearing frommy
readers and Im glad you
liked the article. All my
articles for the magazine are
availableat this link:
www.canadianwoodworking.
com/author/don-wilkinson
I hope you enjoy them,
and thank you once again
for writing me.
Don Wilkinson
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Kingston Woodworkers Association

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The Experts Signature
Techniques Explained
Frontenac Secondary School
April 16th, 2016
www.kingstonwoodworkers.ca
London Spring Home & Garden Show
Apr 16 - 17, 2016
Western Fair District AGRIPLEX
London, ON
The Made of Wood Show
Acton Mills Arts Center
April 16th to May 18th, 2016
www.madeofwoodshow.com
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May 28 - 30, 2016
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Mount Forest, ON
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webshavings
Tool Reviews
DeWALT 16-Gauge
Angled Cordless
Finish Nailer
FISCH Wave Cutter
Forstner Bits
Free Plan
Build an
Electric Guitar
Without the
Fancy Tools
View this plan and
more at:
canadianwoodworking.com/
free-plans
View these reviews and more at:

canadianwoodworking.com/reviews
Woods to Know
European (English) Walnut
Juglans regia
View these woods and more at:
canadianwoodworking.com/woods-know
Best Build
Check out the "Best Build"
subforum in our Woodworking
section of our forum for our
latest Best Build thread a
Queen Anne secretary desk. This
months winner, Craig Kosonen,
receives a Veritas dual marking gauge from Lee Valley.
Video Links
www.canadianwoodworking.com/videos
Phil Lowe:
How To Use
A Burnisher
Sharpening
Scrapers
oneTree
Exhibition
slideshow
Canadian
Quotes:
Weldon Gray
Slideshow
To find out more about this project, go to:

forum.canadianwoodworking.com
or simply go to CanadianWoodworking.com
and click FORUM.
CW&HI has a
newly revised home
improvement page!
www.canadianwoodworking.com/
home-improvement
Visit it for home improvement

news, free plans, tool reviews,
technical tips and more.
April/May 2016
There are many sides to sanding.

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community: Victoria
Philip Cottell
Regeneration
Neil Bosdet
Food Art
Maple
Mixed species
oneTree Exhibit
When a huge bigleaf maple tree in the Cowichan Valley had to be taken
down, it was sawn up into lumber and distributed between 46 artisans.
From November 2015 to January 2016, the completed pieces were on
display at the Robert Bateman Centre in Victoria, BC. Here are some of
the pieces in the exhibit.
BY ROB BROWN
Randy Mugford
oneTree Coffee Table/Bench
Photos by Robert Bateman Gallery
Concrete, wood
Reuben Forsland
Raven
Maple, holly, cedar
April/May 2016
John Lore
Tidepool
Dining Suite
Maple, walnut,
rock, glass
& Stephane
Demopoulos
LC 1.0
(chair set)
Maple
Robin
Shackleton
West
Coast
Celtic
Bodhran
Maple, yew,
goat skin
Scott Gillies
Convergence
Maple
Robert
Anderson
The oneTree
Violin
Mixed species
ROB BROWN
[email protected]
Steve Neil
Whiskey
Cabinet
Maple, black walnut
(Photo by Art Carlyle)
Go Online for More

RELATED ARTICLES: Saskatchewan Woodworkers Guilds
2014 Show (AugSept 2014)
SLIDESHOW: View a slideshow of all these pieces,
and many more, on our website.
production or retransmission.
CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT
knowyourtools
Drill Press
BY CARL DUGUAY
Pulleys
Belt
Motor
On/Off
Belt Locking
Lever
Depth
Adjustment
Feed Handle
Spindle
Chuck
Column
Table
Column Lock
Tilting Bolt
Table Height
Adjuster
Table Lock
To drill straight and true holes quickly,

easily, and consistently, youll need
a drill press. The model you choose
should be based on the type of drilling you do. For small-scale work (such
as box making, crafts, and toys), or
if you have limited shop space, a
bench-top model may be sufficient.
For furniture and cabinetry work, a
stationary model will likely be a better
choice. When buying a drill press, look
for a large swing (twice the distance
between the column and spindle
center) to more easily drill in the central portion of wide panels. A long
stroke (the distance the chuck travels
vertically) will make it easier to drill
through thick stock. You'll find that a
#2 Morse spindle taper, and a 3/8"
to 1/2" chuck is common. If you do a
lot of drilling, you'll save time with a
variable speed drill press rather than
having to manually switch belts.
Base
Get the Most Out of Your Drill Press

Bigger Tables are Better
Use the Right Bit
Drill in Stages
Watch Your Speed
Pimp Your Drill Press
A large table that moves up

and down smoothly on a
robust rack and pinion system
and locks easily and securely
in place is great to have. If
you dont have a large table,
a plywood one, with all the
bells and whistles, can be
made in your shop.
Sharp bits not only cut

smoother holes, but
also cut through stock
quickly. For general
drilling, twist, bradpoint, and spade bits
work well. For holes
with super-crisp rims
that are accurately
sized, use Forstner bits.
Keep holes from plugging

with wood chips by retracting the bit every 1/2" or
so of drilling depth. Bits
won't heat up as much,
and will maintain a cutting
edge longer. You'll find this
especially helpful if your
drill press has a 1/2 HP or
smaller motor.
For best results, match

drilling speed to the type
of material and size of
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Consult the drill speed
chart that comes with
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There are lots of ways to

enhance your productivity with a drill press,
including a mobile base, a
keyless chuck to speed up
bit installation, a mortising
attachment to speed up
mortise production, and a
sanding drum for smoothing curved stock.
April/May 2016
Illustration by Len Churchill Photos by Fisch & Lee Valley Tools
Price: $80$2,000
Swing: 824"
Stroke: 26"
Motor: 1/31-1/2 HP
Speed range: 1203,900 RPM
Chuck size: 3/83/4"
Spindle taper: MT2MT4
Canadianquotes
Weldon
Gray
68 years old, Graylore Lutes, www.graylorelutes.com

Location & size of studio double-car garage at my
home in Saskatoon
How long have you been building instruments?

Thirteen years
What sort of instruments do you specialize in?
Ancient, medieval and Renaissance musical
instruments. These include the organistrum,
hurdy gurdys, psalteries, wire strung harp, oud,
various lutes, balalaikas and the vihuela.
on research , losing
track of time and joining
the circus.
Tell us a couple of interesting things about your

personal life.
I worked at a Hanna-Barbera theme park called
Flintstones Park sculpturing dinosaurs. Now I demonstrate and perform with the instruments I make.
BY ROB BROWN
If you were not a luthier what would you be?

A circus performer
Do you prefer hand tools or power tools?
Power tools
Solid wood or veneer?
Solid wood
Figured wood or straight grain?
Figured wood
Flowing curves or geometric shapes?
Both
Favourite wood?
Roasted curly maple
Photos by Trent Watts (Lead Photo by Weldon Gray)
Least favourite wood?

Bloodwood
Hurdy Gurdy Gray finds the hurdy

gurdy to be the most difficult instrument
to make. With many moving parts its
easy to understand why. Gray says that,
with a little imagination, it looks like
one of the warships in Star Wars.
April/May 2016
quotes
I have a 24 ft. x 32 ft. heated shop in my
attached garage. Its like a second home.
Sometimes I lose track of time and

wonder how the day went by so fast.
I have a large television, which is on

all the time. I watch sitcoms, documentaries and movies while I work.
I love my Dremel tools and chisels. I

also love carving.
To come up with the designs I make

I research ancient instruments, some of
which are extinct, on the internet. I also
use books that my wife buys for me.
I had wonderful art and woodshop

teachers in high school who helped me
get started.
I make a few instruments a year for

customers.
I started in woodshop classes in high

school. After high school, I worked in
construction framing houses and as a
carpenter.
My work as a luthier has been mainly

self-taught.
I joined the medieval group here in
Saskatoon and heard a local group of

musicians Troubadour du Bois play
at a concert. I wanted to buy a lute,
but soon realized that they were not
easy to find. So, having made a guitar
in high school, I thought I would try
to make a lute.
The very first musical instrument I

made was a double-neck solid-body
electric guitar in 1965. My first medieval instrument was a lute. I learn
something with every instrument I
build. I would like to think they are getting better.
I allow six months to make an instrument. That gives me lots of time and I
am under no pressure.
I like to find a piece in my research

that moves me; a piece that I dont see
commonly anymore. I find as many pictures and writings about it as I can and
draw pictures and plans, to figure out
the size and scale of the instrument. I
then find the wood that I would like to
use and away I go.
Some of the most common woods

I use are different kinds of maple for
bracing and foundational pieces, and
spruce for the soundboards.
Common questions are How long

did it take to make it?, and What is it
worth? I dont consider the time when
I make an instrument. I enjoy every
minute, figuring out how to do things
Go Online for More

RELATED ARTICLES: Lute of Illusions (AprMay 2016)
SLIDESHOW: View a slideshow of many of Grays pieces on our website.
Harp This harp is a replica of the Lady Lamont

Harp; the original is in the Museum of Scotland.
The 32 string shoes that the strings go through are
made of silica bronze, and were the hardest part
of the build.
and solving problems. Each instrument

is a challenge for me. This is a hobby
that I love. If I had to worry about what
it is worth, I probably wouldnt be interested in doing it.
I probably spend around 400 hours or

more on many instruments, but I dont
keep a log of hours. I enjoy working
with my wide-screen TV on, or listening
to Renaissance music on my iPad. I lose
all track of time.
I can work on something that interests me for a long time to get it perfect.
When I am in my shop the outside
world disappears and time stands still.
Otherwise, I like to get things done fast
and right away.
Most of my mistakes
end up as kindling for a
wiener roast.
ROB BROWN
rbrown@
canadianwoodworking.com
homeimprovement
INFO: DIFFICULTY 3/5, LENGTH/TIME 5/5, COST 5/5

GARDEN
SHED
From Concept
to Completion
BY MARK SALUSBURY
ou can only bang your head so often, stumbling

backwards out an overly low and narrow doorway
while trying to deftly guide a fistful of whatever
past obstacles to avoid the inevitable crashing avalanche of tools and pots before something has to give. Tin
garden huts are fine for storing small stuff, but if you want a
space you can spend time in, making a proper shed to suit your
needs and style is surprisingly easy.
Researching shed/barn styles online, in books and magazines reveals a lot of potentials, mostly defined by roof line:
gambrel, saltbox, colonial, etc. Deciding on a style, theres
plenty of scope to build and customize to suit your needs and

preferences.
Our total cost, including taxes, was about $5800. As for
timeline, from drawings to putting padlocks on the doors my
wife and I spent a little over two months building this shed. It
wasnt full-time work for us, as we had to work it around our
other commitments and the weather. Most of the work could
be done by one person, but a second pair of hands was necessary from time to time.
Building permit
We wanted a colonial style that matched the architecture of

our home and workshop and offered floor space, access and
April/May 2016
Photos by Mark Salusbury Illustration by Len Churchill
This versatile addition is a personalized sanctuary,

storage in style, covering a host of needs. Its also a
really satisfying one- or two-person project.
head-room to store our garden tractor and attachments, plus

garden tools and seasonal furniture and a bright space for tinkering or potting at a bench area. Double-doors at both ends
will provide ample access.
We photocopied a picture of the style of shed we were considering, along with a copy of our property survey, and headed
off to get a building permit at our township office. Working
with a permit has many advantages. You get setback, siting
and construction advice to meet local codes. Local officials
can be really helpful regarding taxation and new methods and
materials, often saving money, steps, materials and labour,
especially if you are new to building. For instance, we learned
that a building less than 200 square feet is not subject to municipal taxes in our area. Working with a permit is also valuable
with regard to insurance, plus it adds plenty of equity to your
property when it comes time to sell; realtors get the most from
a code-conforming property they can list confidently.
Time for drawings
Once permitted to build, drawings were the foundation for

everything to follow. Mainly an analog guy, I work to a scale
of 1"=1' on graph paper. First the floor plan showing joists
and rim joists under-laid by the skid foundation. With outside
dimensions established, I then drew the west window wall, the
height driven by my wish to use full 8' sheets of plywood cladding to extend from the rim of the top plate to overlap the floor
and joists 3-3/4" at the bottom. The 3/4" floor was drawn
3" up from the bottom. Next, the bottom plate was added,
then a double top-plate flush with the top. Double studs were
drawn in at each corner, 16" on center along the wall, then
sill plates, jack studs and headers for each window. Ill make
my own windows and doors so Im free to draw rough openings as I please; otherwise, factory-made elements would have
governed the size of rough openings. To keep labour manageable, I designed to build and assemble the wall in three parts
to be joined once erect. Next, I did a drawing for the windowless east wall, designed to go up in three sections. Lastly, the
identical north and south walls required only one drawing,
showing the 60" wide door opening. Knowing the final width
of the shed, drawing out the trusses and gable ends came next,
The Right Depth A moveable 4 wide board helps you to gauge the
depth of stone.
Level it Out By using future rim joists and a spirit level you can assure
the beds are flat and level.
showing all lengths, angles and components. Other drawings

would follow to plan and rehearse each phase of construction
and, most importantly, develop a materials list so we could
shop for supplies without waste or shortage.
Skid foundation
On site we staked out the sheds boundary with string; 10'

wide and 19'-9" long. The plot we selected is level with well
drained, firm soil and is away from the roots and branches
queen posts on
gable-end trusses only
roof sheathing
shingles
sub-fascia
gusset
shingle ridge cap
truss
fascia
30
wall
cladding
trim
TRUSS
2x4 wall
framing
soffit
roof sheathing
batten
truss
gable-end truss
extension
CROSS-SECTION
gable
cladding
fascia
sub-fascia
shingles
wall cladding
top plate
gable-end
vent
batten
header
jack stud
sill plate
plywood
floor
wall framing
floor joist
window frame assembly
rim joist
rebar
skid
sheathing
jamb
stop
glass
sill member
drip edge
stone bed
rafter
stop
H-clip
frame members
WINDOW FRAME DETAILS
ROOF SHEATHING H-CLIP DETAIL
April/May 2016
of trees; an excellent base for a stable foundation, unaffected

by movement and the damaging effects of roots, overhanging
branches and mould-promoting shade.
A skid foundation suits our site well, is easy and inexpensive to create and allows for adjustment and levelling precisely.
Getting the foundation perfectly aligned and level cannot be
over-stressed. Accuracy here will make all future steps easier
and more enduring.
To make the two skids, I use 20' stock. I laminated three
19'-9" lengths of pressure-treated (PT) 2 6" beams using
generous ribbons of PL Premium construction adhesive and
3" coated deck screws. These I assembled on the flat concrete floor of my garage for best alignment and left to cure
overnight.
From our sites center line length, we measured 40" on either
side and two 22' long trenches wider than our garden rake,
6" deep and 80" center to center. A flat-bladed transfer shovel
produced square-sided, flat bottomed trenches with no soil disturbance; keeping the soil firm beneath is important. Using a
4" wide board on edge as a fill gauge, we added 4" of crushed
limestone for drainage. With the gauge board removed, we
used our rim joists (same width as our skids) on edge to check
for elevation and level, both along the lengths and spanning
from trench to trench; tamping, levelling and re-tamping with
our garden rake, creating sound beds for each skid. Next, the
cured skids are accurately centered 81" apart on the stone beds
and anchored by hammering 24" lengths of rebar through previously drilled holes spaced about 30" apart. We then filled and
tamped around each skid with more gravel. Landscape cloth
was laid over the entire shed footprint and beyond to deter
plant growth.
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Floor joists
We spaced the 10' long PT floor joists 16" on center across

the tops of the skids, aligning marks at 40-1/2" from the center
of each joist with the center of each skid. Next we toe-screwed
only the two end joists to the skids using 3" construction
screws, leaving the remainder loose. We then bridged the end
joists with our rim joists, followed by screwing through the rim
joists into the ends of each floor joist, carefully aligning each
joist with the 16" center marks along each rim joists length.
All joists being equal lengths, its easy to produce a regular
shape once assembled, but we took our time measuring acrosscorners on both axes to assure a square footprint. Tweaking
can be done by unscrewing one end-joist from the skid, tapping the joist/rim joist assembly to perfection then re-screwing
once corner-to-corner lengths are identical. We stretched a
string taut over the rim joists length and tuned both perfectly
straight. Satisfied, we toe-screwed all joists to the skids, then
installed galvanized joist hangers, using coded hanger nails, at
each joist/rim-joist union and inside corner plates within the
outside corners.
We then installed 2 6" PT blocking between each floor
joist along the center of the framework and 4' on either side of
center. I plan on driving and parking machinery in our shed
so I want a floor thats strong and stiff, plus has good nailing
surface all around the 3/4" exterior-grade plywood flooring
Ready for Flooring With the joists spanning the skids, and capped by
the rim joists, you can add blocking, joist hangers and landscape cloth.
sheets. Sanded on one face, it will finish well and be very durable. We centered and laid full sheets of plywood parallel to the
joists, adding 2' strips parallel along each rim joist, each panel
applied with generous ribbons of PL deck adhesive along every
joist edge and 1-3/4" coated screws every 12". Then, where
needed, we trimmed the ply back 3/8" within the floor frame
margins using a circular saw and straightedge guide, assuring
good joist-to-cladding contact later.
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The First Wall Once it was built in three sections, and erected, Salusbury
joined them together and braced them.
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Make the roof trusses
The finished floor makes a perfect surface for jigging and

assembling the roof trusses. My design was for a 30 roof pitch
with the bottom chord 10' across, matching the sheds width.
Using a mitre saw with some stop blocks, I cut precise multiples of all the truss components. On the shed floor, we laid out
two rafters and a bottom chord exactly as they would be assembled, screwing them to the floor. Then we installed temporary
blocking at key points, forming a jig the rest of the assemblies
Second Wall With the second wall built in two sections it can be
positioned and screwed in place. Screws through cladding draw this wall
tight to the rim-joists. Notice the third wall on the floor, ready to be erected.
could be pressed into to yield 11 identical trusses. Fitted within

the jig, each set was joined using plywood gussets applied with
PL Premium and 1-1/4" coated screws, first on one side then
flipped to do the other, excepting the two gable end trusses,
which require gussets on only one side; they will receive gable
extensions later. Roof trusses are spaced 24" on centers so we
only needed 11 trusses in total.
Four walls
Truss Jig Salusbury laid the floor, then set up some blocking to assist with
assembling the trusses. Here, the first truss is ready to be removed.
With the trusses assembled and stacked out of the way, we

turned to making the walls. To keep them manageable we
made the west window-wall and the east solid wall in three
sections. The 2 6" headers and 2 4" corner studs were
laminated with 1/2" ply between, yielding strong units the
same thickness as the width of the studs they would join to.
Assembled and clad while lying on the shed floor, each section
went up one by one, drawn to the previous section by clamps
and initially held vertical with screws every 16" through the
cladding and into the rim joists followed by screwing the sections together top to bottom and temporarily bracing plumb.
April/May 2016
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End Walls The end walls are now secured in place, and both have the
upper layer of top plate installed. A temporary middle wall-bridge is also
installed.
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Upside Down Salusbury is now ready to flip the completed gable-end,

and extension, in place. It will be fixed in place with a temporary stop brace.
With the long walls erect and braced, the end walls were
framed on the shed floor, then lifted/swung, unsheathed,
into place snug between each of the long walls, replacing the
temporary braces one end at a time. To make these walls manageable during installation, we framed each with their bottom
plate running the full length of the wall, spanning the door
opening; these will be cut out later when the door is to be
installed. Leaving the end walls unclad until installed made
shopnews
them easier to heft. Once erect, the narrow cladding strips will
bridge the ends of the long wall and cladding, tying the walls
together.
Install the trusses
With the end walls installed, I capped the top plate with a
2 6 rather than a 2 4 so I could overlap at the corners for
a stiffer joint and a broader fastening surface for the trusses to
secure to. Then, with a spare 2 6, we temporarily bridged the
midpoints of the two long walls, maintaining a consistent distance between each along their lengths, making installation of
the trusses a snap.
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Small Notches To locate the trusses, Salusbury notched the cladding

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Before the trusses go up we make and add the gable extensions to the gable-end trusses. Six-inch blocks between 2 4
rafters cut the same as the rest of the truss rafters produces a
9" extension, complementary to the 14" deep soffits the trusses
will yield. The four extensions get fastened flush with the outer
face of the gable-end truss rafters.
To mount the trusses, we marked out where each of the
trusses would sit along the long walls top plates. As our structure is 19'-9" long to stay beneath 200 sq. ft., we measured 24"
on center in from each end then centered the middle truss.
Because the rafters will extend down 30 beyond the walls, I
nibbled out notches in the cladding where the trusses would
sit. To support the end gable truss, a temporary brace fastened
vertically above the door opening, left short enough to not
interfere with the gable end extension, is fastened first. Next,
the gable ends with extensions attached are lifted, inverted, one
rafter at a time, to straddle the walls top plates and roughly
centered. Hanging upside down with their extensions facing
inward, they are easily swung upward by two people until they
rest against the vertical brace, flush with the outside of the end
wall and nudged into place. With the trusses bottom chord
exactly matching the width of the structure, each truss dropped
in place and aligned effortlessly. Once located, toe-screw both
ends through the bottom chord into the top plates with 3" construction screws.
Once both gable end truss assemblies were installed, we
inverted and flipped the rest of the trusses, stacking half
Temporarily Secured Long material secured to the underside of the

rafters secures the trusses in place.
Sub-Fascia Sub-fascia on the ends of the rafters supports the sheathing

and soffit, and the soon-to-be-applied fascia.
against each end gable. Then it was a simple job to slide a truss
along the top plate to its location, align its chord tips to match
the top plate edges, quickly check for square and plumb
then screw it to the top plates. A low scaffold and a 10 ft. ladder were a big help during this part of the project and for
installing sheathing and roofing. Trusses installed, strapping
bridging all trusses near their peaks will hold them vertical and
equally spaced until the roof sheathing is applied.
April/May 2016
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Gable Ends Gable detail, showing soffits and rough-sawn trim and
battens stained to match the cladding. Notice the angled edge of the
horizontal member, aiding in water runoff.
Next we remove the oh-so useful temporary mid-wall bridging. Outside, we screwed 2 4 sub-fascia across all the rafter
ends, capping the rafter ends and providing support and a
nailing surface for the roof sheathing, plus a base for both the
soffit and fascia trim pieces.
Roof sheathing
We now applied the 1/2" ply roof sheathing, beginning with

temporarily attaching short blocks of 2 4 on edge to the subfascia as a gauge. We aligned the sheathing with the outer
face of the 2 4 so the sheathing will overhang the sub fascia
1-1/2"; 3/4" for fascia trim plus a 3/4" drip edge. We worked
from the center toward the gable ends and from the sub-fascia
upward to the peak. Each sheet was screwed down with coated
1-1/4" screws every 12", the vertical joints staggered and the
lateral joints reinforced with 1/2" H plywood sheathing clips
bridging the sheathing, centered between each truss.
Shingles
Shingling begins by laying a starter course of shingles

with the tabs directed inwards, along the roof edges and up
and over the gable ends. We secured them with four 1-1/4"
roofing nails per shingle, allowing the edge of this course
to overhang the sheathing 1/2". The first course of shingles is then applied with the joints staggered half a tab but
directly on top of the starter strip, the bottom edges aligned.
We worked our way the length of the roof, then started the
next course by shifting shingles half a tab upwards, aligning the bottom edge of the shingles just below the root of the
tabs of the previous course. Working accurately, we checked
our progress regularly by measuring the edges of the shingles
every couple of courses relative to a lateral sheathing joint,
ensuring we installed each course parallel to both the fascia
and roof peak.
At the ridge, I wrapped the shingles +/-2" over the peak and
nailed them down on the opposing face. The same resulted on
each side of the roof. Along the peak I then applied the ridge
course, cutting shingles into tab-width strips, applying one,
then overlapping each strip leaving about 5" of the previous
tab exposed. This course I nailed down with 2" roofing nails.
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Always be accurate
It was about at this point of construction we realized how

being accurate at each stage of construction makes it easier
to do the next step; the building actually helps you by being
just as you need it to complete the next phase. It was really
satisfying to realize we were gnats whisker accurate at the
completion of each stage of construction, building on previous
precision.
With the shingling completed and the gable end shingles
trimmed to a 1/2" overhang, its time to begin the trim phase
beginning with the soffits and eves vents. But now is a perfect time to paint the shed floor; while its drying we can make
and finish trim, doors and windows. Two coats of tan flooring
enamel will protect the floor and make cleaning up spills a snap.
A bit about painting
We choose to use wooden trim but dread repairing blistering, peeling paint, so we have adopted a couple solutions to
allay those fears: overall sealing and solid body stain. We first
used these methods when we built my wood-clad and trimmed
workshop 17 years ago, which has yet to require any paint
repairs anywhere. We prime/seal all surfaces of all wood, after
it has been cut to size, and prior to installation, using the most
appropriate sealer/primer for the material and its planned use.
For the pine trim we used exterior stain/pitch blocking primer
overall, then painted all faces, ends and edges that would be
exposed with two coats of quality exterior paint. For the 5/8"
plywood cladding, we primed all surfaces after it had been

installed so we could seal the interior wall studs at the same
time, followed by a colour coat of exterior solid-body stain,
rather than paint for its breathability; white on the interior
surfaces and coloured outside. The battens, ripped from 7/8"
utility pine, were primed/sealed overall with the same pitch
blocking product as the pine trim, then stained, overall, with
the same breathable exterior solid-body stain as the exterior of
the ply cladding. By sealing all faces and ends prior to installation, the wood is almost impervious to absorbing atmospheric
moisture inside or out, plus it is kept in equilibrium, minimizing the potential for movement, warping or bowing over time.
For air flow, we chose continuous soffit vent strips as intake
and gable-end vents for exhaust. With the 2" vent strips in
hand we measured and ripped 1/2" ply parts to make the soffit stock, which we trimmed to length and fit once primed and
painted. At the same time, we painted the two store-bought
gable end vents and installed them.
We then cut, dry-fit, numbered, primed and painted the fascia parts and installed that all around. As the fascia stock is
the same sort of material as the trim for windows and doors
we cut it roughly to length, eased the edges and primed and
painted it at the same time, setting it aside for later, cut ends to
be sealed just prior to installation.
Meanwhile, batten stock and edge trim for under the soffit,
and to bridge the joint between the top of the end walls and the
gable-end was ripped, primed and stained. Once it was ready,
we installed it 16" on center directly opposite the wall studs
within, except for those that would meet the yet-to-be-made
doors and windows.
Edge Alignment Plywood splines align and strengthen joints between

door planks.
Door and window details
Doorways and windows are simple sub-assemblies. A doorway is a jamb supporting the door(s); a window is a jamb
supporting a sash. The doorjamb consists of a head jamb, two
side jambs and a threshold. A window is the same, short of
swapping a sill for a threshold. Both are based on the sheds
rough opening dimensions.
Completed Doors Doors are ready for installation, with their inner faces
shown at left, and outer faces shown at right.
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April/May 2016
Machined Window Frames Window sills, jambs and stops are ready
Finished Frames Machined and assembled jambs and sills. The sills
for assembly.
overlap the exterior of the shed, and provide a pleasing visual detail.
For jamb stock, 4-1/2" wide 1 x 5 material will span the

walls thickness of 3-1/2" studs plus the 5/8" thick cladding
plus 3/8" for the thickness of potential interior wall board. I
chose select pine for this application.
sealing strip applied inside each left-hand door for the righthand door to close against. The mid-brace is centered and
the upper and lower ones located 6" in from the doors ends,
thus all diagonal braces could be cut exactly the same length
and angle to fit snuggly. Titebond III glue and 1-1/4" coated
screws fasten the braces across the door planks. I feel pine
is elastic enough to get away with this; if I had used a hardwood, I would have allowed for seasonal movement across
the planks, merely screwing the braces on through expansion
slots. After priming and painting, 6" T-hinges will be screwed
Make door jambs
To make door jambs, I took my 78" tall x 60" wide rough

opening and subtracted 1/4" for shimming the top and each
side. Side jamb elements then are to be 77-3/4" tall and head
jamb 58-3/4" to set into 3/8" deep dados in the side jambs,
yielding an inner jamb height of 76-1/2" and inner and outer
jamb widths of 58" and 59-1/2", respectively. As my threshold
will be within the side jamb, I know to trim it to 58" once Ive
ripped and planed its profile.
Thresholds must serve several functions. They have to be
durable; offer a broad outer face for the doors to seal against,
blocking wind, weather and rodents; they need a ramping
profile inside so stuff can roll over them easily, plus provide a
broad flat top surface to support a pair of portable ramps I use
to drive rolling stock from ground level up into the shed. From
rough 8/4 flat-sawn ash milled to 1-3/4" x 6", I created a 1"
external vertical face crowned by a 5/8" wide x 30 chamfer
transitioning to a 4" wide top surface then a 1-3/4" wide x 30
downward slope leading to a 5/8" internal vertical face.
Make the doors
To keep the entry as wide as possible, the doors will overlap

the jamb and threshold; 3/8" top and each side and 3-3/4"
below the threshold to align with the bottom of the wall cladding once installed. Allowing for 1/8" clearance above and
on the sides of each door, my 77-3/4" tall doors combined
outside width will be 58-3/8", making the individual doors
29-3/16". I ripped each door plank to 7-5/16" for equality.
Next, using a dado set, I ripped 3/8" 1/2" deep rabbets in
what would be the joined edges to receive 1" wide continuous splines ripped from 3/8" exterior-grade fir ply. With the
planks joined and excess glue pared away, I selected
4-1/2" 3/4" pine for the Z braces. All cross braces are
the same length, cut 4" short of each doors width allowing
clearance along each edge for the jamb overlap and a 2" wide
23
16-ATLAS QuarterAd_Jan V2.indd 1 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

2016-01-27 12:24 PM
Window Details Once the window trim is secured in place you can see
how the sill extensions play into the overall look. Notice the drip edge under
the sill.
Installed Doors Nicely fitting doors are installed and ready for use.
to the doors face, opposing the center line of the cross braces
for plenty of screw depth using 1-1/2" #12 screws.
Construct the windows
With the doors drying, I made the three matching awning

style windows. Again beginning with the rough opening
dimensions, 24" tall and 48" wide and again using 1 x 5 stock
to make the side and head jamb elements. To begin, I cut the
head jambs 47-1/2" long, then cross-cut a 3/8" 3/4" rabbet
on each end to receive the side jambs.
Next, the sills must be of thicker stock so a 10 slope can
be ripped on the outer face to shed moisture and a 1/4" deep
drip groove ripped underneath to stop moisture migration.
Considering wall thickness, from straight-grained, rough 6/4
select pine, I dressed it down to 1-1/4" 5-3/4". For length,
by adding 6" to my 48" rough opening, I can create 3" sill
extensions on each side, totalling 54". Extensions visually
support window side trim plus an apron beneath. Next, measuring 23" either side from the center, I lay out for 1/2" deep
x 3/4" wide dados to receive the side jambs. With the dados
cross-cut, at the bandsaw its time to cut away the sill material beyond the dados the
same 4-1/2" width as the
jambs to produce the sill
extensions.
Now I know the length
to cut the side jambs to
Personalized Details
Salusbury decided to add
a trio of small squares to the
corners of the door frames.
It is details like these that
you and others will notice
for years to come.
No Critters Critter screening allows airflow, but deters unwanted

occupants.
produce an overall jamb/sill height of 23-1/2".

With all parts cut to length, I ripped a 3/8" deep by 3/4"
wide groove in all to receive 3/4" 3/4" strips for the window
stops. Here I want the outer face of the stops to be 1-1/2" in
from the outer face of the jamb, the thickness of my planned
sash.
I assemble, glue and screw the jamb and sill assemblies
together, aligning the stop channels by dry fitting 3/4" stock
into each corner during assembly. Stop stock will be trimmed
to length and fitted once the frame has cured.
From my completed jamb dimensions, I can make my sashes
from select straight-grained stock milled 1-1/2" thick. Upper
and lower sash rails will be 2-1/2" wide to carry hinges and
locking hardware and also offer a broad joint surface at each
corner. Side stiles will be 1-1/2" wide. An awning-style window with 3 mm glass of this size is quite light so theres no
need to make it more robust. Ill be making precise open mortise and tenon joinery with 3/4" tenons, so I trimmed rails and
stiles the full inside width and height dimensions of the jambs
less 1/4", taking my stiles measurement from under the head
jamb to where the side jambs contact the slope on the sill outside. Once the rails and stiles were assembled, squared and
glued with Titebond III, I ripped the lower rail to mate with
April/May 2016
the sill angle. I then routed a 3/8" 1" rabbet within the sash,
squaring the corners with a chisel to receive the glass, which,
once bedded will be backed with 3/8" 3/4" pine strips. After
mating each sash to a jamb, I located and marked out my
hinges along the top sash rail, transferred the marks to the mating jamb, routed and pared the hinge mortises then fitted and
installed the hinges. After fitting and refining the sashes for a
fine fit within each jamb, all were disassembled, primed and
painted, ready to receive glass once dry.
Time for trim
With windows and doors completed, its time to install each,

trim them, and install the final battens. After weeks of preparation its all about to come together in a flurry. Windows first...
From inside the shed I drilled holes through the cladding
exactly within each corner of the rough openings. Outside, I
joined the holes with a pencil line and straightedge. Cutting
along each line, I opened the rough opening for the first time
to receive the windows. The sill extensions stop the window
at the bottom and a temporary block installed outside, once
the window was slid into place, will keep the window on the
same plane as the cladding during installation. Shims (laminate counter-top samples) between the sash and frame keep
the sash centered while cedar shims are inserted between the
frame and rough opening. Once square and plumb, the frames
are screwed into place with a couple of 3" construction screws
spaced along each frame face and into the rough opening. An
hour later I had three windows installed. With the trim already
cut to length, primed and painted, in another hour I had all the
windows trimmed and ready for the remaining battens to be
cut and installed. Each batten, above and below each window,
was measured and cut from already prepared longer batten
stock. Once dry fit, I sealed the cut ends and secured them into
place, 16" on center as before using coated 1-3/4" screws.
A slightly different process was required for the doors. Because
the hinges had to mount on top of the trim, the trim had to be
precisely installed first for proper clearance around each pair
of doors. With the jamb/threshold assemblies installed within
the rough opening, I lightly marked the exact center of the finished opening on the face of the head jamb. I then centered and
secured the head trim followed by the side trim, overlapping the
jamb 3/8", resulting in a working clearance 3/8" wider than the
combined doors width. To install the doors, I secured a temporary ledger flush with the bottom of the wall cladding. The doors
rest on this, creating horizontal alignment and 1/8" clearance
on top, while allowing me to center and space the doors laterally one by one. I had applied the hinges to the doors previously
so all I needed to do was align a door between the center of the
opening and the edge of the side trim then mark, drill and screw
the hinges in place; left door first then the overlapping right door.
Lastly, to deter critters from taking up residency under
our shed, yet offer our structure generous drying airflow, we
applied screening all around the shed. From a roll of 1/2"
1/2" squared galvanized wire fencing we cut strips wide
enough to cover the exposed vertical face of the joists, down
to the ground then out about 8", flush with the margins of
the landscapers cloth wed spread when we secured the skids.
These we fitted and stapled all around the shed, folding the
surplus out, flush with the ground, overlapping each strip generously at their ends. Using landscapers nails, we secured the
screening to the ground at regular intervals then covered the
top of the screening along the joists with strips of 3" 5/8"
shop-made trim from the same PT as the joists. Well cover the
screening with rocks when we landscape ... air in, critters out!
Finishing touches ... personalizing anything you create makes
it unique and reminds you its yours every time you see it. I
included a cluster of three squares, proud of the surface of my
trim above each window and door. Like the
glint in an eye, they add life. We were so pleased
that our building inspector noticed them first
and commented favourably before giving our
project a resounding pass.
MARK SALUSBURY
[email protected]
Go Online for More

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS: View this article on our website
to see a number of 2D illustrations of the shed with measurements. RELATED ARTICLES: Materials for the Great
Outdoors (Oct/Nov 2012), Build a Grill House (Apr/May
2015), Board and Batten Wood Siding (Feb/Mar 2016)
finerdetails
The original Bosch Lute was made in

the 1500s. There is only one of them
in the world, but a skilled luthier from
Saskatoon completed a very similar
lute. Learn how he assembled all the
pieces that make up the back of his
version of the Bosch Lute.
Lute of
Illusions
Assemble the form
If I just shaped and glued together the triangles, not only

would the resulting shape be too weak, but it would be very
difficult to obtain the properly curved surface. I decided to
create a base from thin strips of curved spruce that were
glued together to form the perfect shape to work on top of.
Once the pieces were shaped with a jig and hand plane, I
used small blocks to attach small ties to and bring the parts
together.
hen I saw a picture of the Bosch Lute, with the

illusion pattern on the back, I decided to take up
the challenge of figuring out how it was made.
Not only was it an intricate pattern, but it was
also done over an unevenly rounded surface. The original is in
the Museum of Music in Paris, France.
After studying the picture I realized I had to ignore the predominant star pattern and concentrate on the vertical and
diagonal lines, and how they intersect. It has an algorithm that
never repeats itself. No two stars are the same size, and no two
triangles that make up the stars are the same size. The surface
area of the body changes throughout the back as it curves. It
becomes smaller at the top, wider in the middle and smaller
again near the base. Because of the compound curve each triangle must be carved individually. I started in the middle and
worked in circles until the entire oblong egg-shaped sphere was
covered with the triangles that made up the stars.
Spruce Strips After building a wedge-shaped jig to work to, Gray

bends a thin spruce strip around its curved edge and flushes the sides of
the spruce strip with a block plane. These strips are for the base that the
triangular pieces will be glued to.
April/May 2016
Photos by Weldon Gray (Lead Photo by Trent Watts)
BY WELDON GRAY
Careful Glue-up With all the strips cut, Gray uses

temporary applied blocks and twist ties to assist with
gluing them all together. This specific glue-up was for a
different lute, though the process is the same.
Lots of Lines The first set of lines are

created by the edge joints between the spruce
strips. The second group of lines were added at
a 60 angle to the first lines; then the shorter
line segments were added.
Draw layout lines
Once dry I used the joint lines running the length of the base
to help lay out the pattern. The other lines were laid out more
by eye than anything. These lines are not parallel, and could
only be partially guided by a flexible straightedge.
Before I start shaping pieces I create a master species template so I can keep the four wood species organized. To start,
I mark the species initial on each triangle of the spruce form,
near the center of the pattern. As I work I add more initials as
needed.
Shape the parts
Each piece is measured against the lines I marked, as well as

the existing pieces already in place. The triangles at the center
of the lute are larger than those towards the edges of the lute;
no two pieces are the same size or shape. I use a simple shopmade jig and a power sander to shape each piece until it is the
perfectly shaped triangle I require. A concave shape is also
added to the undersurface of each triangle with another jig
and drum sander. This concave surface allows each piece to fit
snugly against the spruce base. I continue this tedious process
until all the parts have been fitted and glued to the spruce base.
One of a Kind Gray cuts each piece to fit the

other pieces, and the layout lines. No two pieces are
the same.
Proper Pattern Once all the lines are

on Gray adds some letters so that he is sure
to shape the correct species of wood for each
triangular location. One mistake would be
heartbreaking if it wasnt caught right away.
Smooth the surface
With all the triangles fixed to the base I used 40-grit sandpaper to level the outer surface of the lute. I couldnt sand the lute
any further as the ebony dust would contaminate the holly. To
smooth the surface for a finish, I scraped the pattern, generally working in the direction of each individual pieces grain.
Another tedious task.
WELDON GRAY
[email protected] www.graylorelutes.com
Weldon enjoys performing on stage as the Wacky
Wizard, a family-entertaining magician, or playing
and talking about his medieval instruments at the
local 100-year-old Roxy Theatre.He also enjoys
going out for coffee with his wife Alice.
Go Online for More

RELATED ARTICLES: Canadian Quotes: Weldon Gray
(Apr/May 2016), Making a Louis Cube Design (Dec/Jan 2016),
Inspired by Icicles (Oct/Nov 2010)
Perfect Triangle A simple shop-made

jig allows Gray to shape each piece by hand
with his disk sander.
Concave Underneath A second jig holds the

piece while Gray uses a drum sander to add a concave
surface to the underside of each piece, in order for it to
mate cleanly with the spruce base.
homeproject

SPECIAL TOOLS: SHARP CARVING GOUGES
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: TEXTURING, PATTERN ROUTING
BY CHRIS WONG
he table can be broken into three

sets of components: the top;
side assemblies (each consisting of two legs and two side stretchers);
and two long stretchers. Lets revisit the
build to see how I did it.
An inspiring top
Writing Desk
Transform Simple, Straight Lines
into an Elegant Flowing Form
Although the design of this table may appear
complicated, the construction is remarkably
straightforward. Simple and reliable techniques
make it easy to taper the legs and flow them
into the side stretchers.
The base
complements the top
To complement the top I wanted to

create a delicate-looking base. It also
had to be well built to avoid racking
and stable enough to avoid being tippy.
One of my preferred ways to make table
bases that are strong and rack-resistant is to use sturdy legs and stretchers
attached with mortises and tenons. To
make them delicate, I minimize the
width and thickness of the components
and remove material where possible
with tapered or concave cuts. The trick
is to do this while maintaining the
structural integrity of the parts. Its a
April/May 2016
Photos by Chris Wong Illustration by Len Churchill
21 Century
st
Making the top was the most enjoyable part of the build. It was also the
starting point, and I later designed the
base to complement it. I started by milling two mahogany boards 3/4" thick
and gluing them together to make a
13" 26" surface.
Using a #7/12 gouge across the grain,
I took small scoops out of the surface,
creating a random pattern across the
entire surface from corner to corner.
Working across the grain eliminated
any tendency for the wood to want
to tear out, and the sharp gouge cut
cleanly with little force required.
To prevent the workpiece from sliding backwards as I carved, I clamped
a scrap of wood to my bench directly
behind it. I used a scrap the same thickness as the top to provide support while
carving near the front edge.
It was a slow but enjoyable process,
and I took frequent breaks to mitigate
fatigue and strop my gouge. When the
textured top was complete, I cut it to
final size with my table saw.
SO MUCH TO ENJOY!
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Texturing the Top With a sharp carving gouge Wong evenly covers the tops surface with shallow
hollows. Its slow going, but is very rewarding, and is what defines the piece when its complete.
balancing game, and knowledge of the

physical properties of the materials being
used is key.
I based the design and dimensions of
the base on the size of the top. The top
was small to begin with and making the
base much smaller could make it too
tight to put ones knees under comfortably, or potentially make it tippy.
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Start with strong joinery
After milling the base parts to size I

looked at joinery options. Since the size
of the structural components was limited,
strong joinery was especially important.
I opted for double tenons at each joint,
which provided solid registration and a
substantial amount of long-grain glue
surface.
I chose to use my Festool Domino
Joiner and floating tenons. I selected the
appropriate tenon thickness by stacking five of them next to my material
and comparing the height of each - the
closer they were, the more strength the
joint would have. The 6 mm thick tenons
looked like a good choice.
Using the Domino Joiner, I prepared a
sample set of mortises in an off-cut from
a stretcher to check their exact placement.
This not only served as a test to ensure
adequate spacing between the tenons, but
as a reference for future shaping operations. One of the downsides of floating
tenons was that the likelihood of exposing
the joint while shaping was more likely
than with traditional mortises and tenons,
as there were twice as many mortises.
Online Library
Double Mortises To ensure strong joints

Wong spaced the mortises out so the distance
between mortises was about equal to the
thickness of the mortises themselves.
When I was satisfied with the set-up,

I cut all the joinery required to assemble
the two side assemblies and glued them
up one at a time. Anticipating further
shaping around the joints, it was important to keep the mating components flat
(dont undercut them) and to apply glue
to all the mating surfaces not just the
tenon faces and mortise walls.
Smart, simple shaping
While the glue dried, I began to get

things ready to taper the legs and create
the curves that made the side stretchers appear to flow right out of the legs.
This process relied on a set of specially-cut shims, a rabbeting bit, and
a bearing-guided straight bit (either a
flush trim bit, with bearing on the tip,
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Customercare_June2015.indd 1
2015-06-03 10:50 AM
top
stretcher
floating tenons
side rail
leg
DESK TOP
stretcher
1-1/4
side rail
2-1/2
7/8
rabbet bit
work
piece
bearing
shim
work table
ROUTING STEP 1
pattern/flush
trim routing bit
flipped
work
piece
7/8
4-5/8
bearing
work
table
7-1/8
7/8
ROUTING STEP 2
How Wide Are the Shims? The shims need to span the distance from
the lower face of the leg assembly to just above the location of the router bit
bearing in this case 7/8" wide.
LEG TAPER DETAILS
SIDE VIEW
An Even Taper With a board longer than required Wong adds a pencil
mark at the 17" point. As the jointer is on, and set to cut 3/8" deep, he
lowers the pencil mark over the blade and proceeds to cut a taper into the
side of the board.
April/May 2016
Materials List
Cut the Shim Off Fresh from the jointer,

Wong adjusts his table saw to remove an evenly
tapered shim from the board.
or template bit, with a bearing on the

shank).
For this table, I used a 1-3/8" diameter rabbeting bit with a 3/8" offset. The
design called for the legs to taper from
full width just below the top stretcher to
3/8" less where it meets the top of the
lower stretcher. The leg, from the bottom up to the lower stretcher, was to be
reduced in width by 3/8".
Since my rabbeting bit automatically
cut to a width of 3/8", I needed to create shims to control the cut, which gets
Part
Top
Ltr Qty
A 1
T W L
3/4
12
25
Legs
Side Rails
Stretchers
Floating Tenons
B 4
C 4
D 2
E 28
1-1/4
1-1/4
1-1/4
6mm
wider towards the bottom. With the

router bit set at a depth to take a moderate cut into a leg assembly, I calculated
that a 7/8" wide shim provided the
best registration for the bearing. I took
a piece of wood about 6" wide with
parallel edges and 24" long (for manageability) and planed it down to 7/8"
thick for shim material.
Make the shim
To taper the legs, I needed shims

tapering from 3/8" thick to nothing over
17". I set the infeed table of my jointer
to 3/8". With the machine running, I
positioned the tail of the board over
the infeed table 17" away of the cutter
1-1/4
1-5/8
1-5/8
20mm
28-1/4
7-1/2
20-1/2
40mm
Material
Mahogany
Ash
Ash
Ash
Domino Tenons
head, tipped the tail end of the board

down onto the infeed table and made a
single pass to create a 3/8" x 17" taper.
To finish the shim, I carefully set my rip
fence then cut the shim from the board
at the table saw.
The bit needed to only cut into
the lower stretcher as much as was
required to allow the complete radius
to be shaped where it met the leg;
any deeper would have decreased the
stretchers strength and could have
exposed the joinery. To keep the router
from cutting excessively deep, I made
a non-tapered shim 5/16" wide and
7-1/2" long to fit above the lower rail
while I routed the rabbets.
Shims in Place Double-sided tape secures the shim to the inside of the leg, and a
straight spacer to the upper face of the lower stretcher so the rabbeting bit can work its
magic (top).
Using thin, double-sided tape, I secured the tapered shim

to the inside of the leg with the thickest part towards the top,
and the flat shim to the adjacent side of the lower stretcher.
Having only one tapered shim meant that I had to interrupt
the routing process to reposition the shim, but I could have
prevented this by making a second shim. I was confident that
I could start and stop the router without touching the top
stretchers, so I didnt make a shim to limit movement in that
direction.
I set up a router for the rabbeting, but a router table could
have easily been used as well, as it would guarantee no tilting of the cutter would have taken place. With the rabbeting
bits bearing registering off of the shims, I was able to easily
create an even ledge with nice radii around the inside of the
leg assemblies. I moved the 5/16" flat shim to the underside
of the lower stretcher and profiled the lower sections of the
leg assemblies too. I didnt use the tapered shim on the leg
below the stretcher.
The rabbet created a template, of sorts, for a piloted
straight bit to follow. I used a jigsaw to remove the bulk of
the waste, trying to stay about 1/8" away from the edge of
the rabbet. I then trimmed the rest of the waste off with a
router in my router table. I chose the largest diameter bit I
had for the smoothest cut.
More assembly
With the shaping of the side assemblies complete, it was

time to join them with the pair of long stretchers. One went
into the legs between the top two stretchers, and the other
was positioned between the lower stretchers, slightly towards
the back to allow for some extra leg room. When I was
happy with their placement, I cut double mortises at each
intersection just as I had before. You might consider placing the lower stretcher towards the back of the side stretcher,
or even joining the back legs, if you want a little more leg
room. A little glue, a couple of clamps, some sanding and
the base was complete.
Just Deep Enough Just Deep Enough Once the shims

are removed ensure the routed radius is continuous. If its not,
the spacer and/or shim must be made thinner.
Attaching the top to the base
I was aware of many ways to attach a table top to a base, but

most methods required aprons immediately below the table
top. Since this tables top was supported by the ends of the legs
only, my options were limited. My solution was to cut and glue
Domino tenons in mortises cut into the underside of the table
top and have them friction-fit into extra-wide mortises in the
tops of the legs. The friction fit, as well as gravity, allowed the
top to stay connected to the base, and the extra-wide mortises
allowed for seasonal movement. Had I not achieved a friction
fit, I was prepared to pin the tenons into the legs with 1/8"
dowels.
To cut the mortises, I started by turning the table top upside
down on a piece of cork to protect the carved surface. Then I
centered the base on the top using one combination square for
the left-right positioning and one for the front-back positioning. I traced the position of each leg onto the table top and
separated the two. From there, it was all about accurate layout
and cutting of mortises. Fortunately, the Domino Joiner makes
it easy with alignment marks on all surfaces.
No Domino Joiner?
If I didnt have a Domino Joiner, dowels would have

worked for positioning. I would have elongated the holes in
the back legs to allow for wood movement. Another solution
would have been to use store-bought metal hardware such as
Figure-8 connectors, screwed into the tops of the legs and bottom of the top. If you know of another way to attach the top
and allow for seasonal movement, share it on the Canadian
Woodworking forum or in the comments section of the online
version of this article.
Finishing
The carved table top left many of the pores open, so I

wanted to use a film finish to make the surface appear more
sealed. I brushed on three coats of water-based semi-gloss
polyurethane. The finish raised the grain of the sanded surfaces, so I sanded them smooth with a foam-backed 800-grit
April/May 2016
Straight Bit is Next To smooth the inside edges of the parts Wong
Secure the Top Friction fit mortises in the
uses a straight bit with a bearing. Its height must be set so the bearing runs
against the rabbeted surface. Wong removed most of the waste with a jigsaw
before performing this step.
tops of the legs, and underside of the top, housed

loose tenons and keep the top in place.
sanding pad after two coats. The carved top wasnt susceptible
to raised grain, so it didnt need this treatment.
I enjoy making interesting and original designs, and I am
very happy with the result. The table is lightweight, weighing less than 10 pounds, but still very stable. The top looks and
feels great, and I expect it to wear well over time. I might just
have to spend some more time with my laptop computer here
at my 21st Century Writing Desk.
CHRIS WONG
[email protected]
Go Online for More

RELATED ARTICLES: Mahogany Secretary Desk (Apr/May
2007), 12 Ways to Add Texture with Tools You Already Have
(Feb/Mar 2013), Patterns, Templates & Jigs (Oct/Nov 2007)
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33
woodknowledge
helicopters to take away the stolen trees

quickly. The trend continues even today.
The wood is just that valuable.
Early loggers would dig around the
roots of well-established trees, rather
than cutting the tree down. This would
expose the roots, which were then severed until the tree fell over. The shape
of this wood where roots meet stump at
ground level, had a natural curve to the
grain which made for strong, and highly
attractive gunstocks. Today, this market is limited. Now gunstocks can come
from any part of the tree, particularly
where fine figure is found.
An Appreciation
of
BLACK
WALNUT
Walnut is one of the most highly prized domestic

woods, and for good reason. For colour, grain,
figure, workability and other valuable attributes,
the wood is in a class all by itself among
domestic hardwoods.
BY JESSE VERNON TRAIL
t one time, long ago, there

were extensive, highly
impressive forested areas of
magnificent black walnut.
Besides being important for its highly
nutritious nuts, early European craftsmen cherished black walnut above all
other woods. Because of this, many
trees were felled. As a result, over time,
most of the wild black walnut trees

have all but disappeared from the North
America landscape. During the war
years and the depression, farmers, for
need of money, would cut down their
walnut trees as a source of income. Over
a long period, there were even so-called
walnut rustlers thieves that used
many illegal ways to cut down and steal
walnut trees, sometimes involving chainsaws, midnight cutting raids and even
In open areas, the black walnut is a

beautiful, stately tree, often with large
branches that fork low down on the
trunk, and a rounded crown of strong
ascending and spreading branches. The
crown covers most of the trees height,
but is open. In the forest, trees have a
long, clear trunk and smaller crown.
Leaves are compound, about 1' long,
with 15 to 23 leaflets. The familiar nuts
need no description here. Even the bark
on the black walnut tree is highly attractive. On young trees it is light brown,
and on mature trees, dark brown to
almost black, with rounded intersecting ridges. The trees grow to about 90
ft. tall, with a crown spread up to 80 ft.
Cultivated trees may only reach 50' or so
in height. The trunk diameter is usually
about 2-3'. Trees have a deep tap root,
as well as deeply set lateral roots. Black
walnuts prefer a deep, rich, well-drained
loam soil. Once plentiful in southern
Ontario, Quebec and areas of eastern
USA, wild trees are now rare in Canada.
Squirrels play an important role in
the natural reproduction of black walnut by gathering the nuts and hiding
them in the soil. The germination of
some of these buried walnuts is the principle means of distributing the species
throughout the forest. Of course, for
those wishing to start their own walnut
grove, the squirrels would pose a problem, but wire fencing and other control
means can easily be put in place.
Colour
Black walnut is highly prized for

its rich coloured heartwood. The
April/May 2016
Photos by Rob Brown Lead Photo by Louis Landry
The Trees
heartwood can range from a light pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker streaks, and can sometimes include
purplish to reddish hues. The sapwood is pale yellow to nearly
creamy white.
To steam or not to steam?
There are many woodworkers who do not consider the sapwood as being very valuable, and this is why most black walnut
in the US is steamed. Steaming is done in a steamer (like a
giant pressure cooker) shortly after the logs have been cut, and
the boards are left there for a few hours. This darkens the sapwood by forcing some of the dark heartwood pigments into
the sapwood. The result is a more uniform colour of lumber.
However, some woodworkers would say that this steaming basically homogenizes the colour of the lumber. They feel that the
natural, somewhat rainbow-like effect, of beautiful browns,
golds and creams is lost. It is rather ironic that the dark colour
of walnut wood is often favoured for contrasting with lighter
coloured species of wood, in certain projects. Its interesting that
Canadian-produced black walnut lumber is not steamed.
Alternate Leaves
Hardwoods can be divided
into two broad groups
alternate and opposite
depending on how their
leaves are arranged on the
branch. Though a quick
look can be deceiving,
the leaves on a black
walnut tree are spaced
alternately, meaning there
is space between where
each leafs stem attaches
to the branch. (Photo by
Louis Landry)
Lots of Contrast Highly prized black walnut heartwood is a rich

brown, while its often discarded sapwood is a pale, creamy white.
Though there is rarely a great reason to cut the sapwood off as scrap,
its todays trend.
Black Walnut
Nut About 2" in
diameter, walnut
nuts usually hang
in clusters of one
to three. They
mature and drop in
autumn. (Photo by
Louis Landry)
35
Grain, figure, texture
Black walnut wood has a greater variety of often exquisitely beautiful figure types than any other wood. This is often
a highly desirable feature. Figure grain in lumber refers to
the appearance of the wood, and can be strikingly beautiful.
Crotch figure from black walnut is cut from a part of the tree
where the trunk divides into smaller limbs and branches and
can be swirly in appearance. Burl figure is cut from a large
growth on the side of the trunk or branch where grain swirls
around. Curl figure refers to waviness or swirl in the wood
grain and can be found in several parts of a fine specimen tree.
More generally, the grain of black walnut lumber is usually
Figured Walnut Curly (left), crotch (center) and burl (right) are all
common, and gorgeous, figures that can be found in walnut.
(Photo by A&M Woods)
straight, fine and open, but can be irregular and more occasionally wavy or curly. The texture of the wood is rated as
medium with a moderate natural lustre that grows more lustrous with age.
Other Features
Black walnut wood is rated as very durable in decay resistance. It should be noted that black walnut trees can be tapped,
just like sugar maple, for a tasty syrup.
Veneer
Although the lumber is highly prized, today, because of

high costs and lessened availability of highest quality timber
specimen, walnut is mainly available as veneer. Even so, there
is a tremendous demand for walnut veneer for woodworking items like furniture, cabinetry, interior finishing and much
more. Black walnut veneer is often used to cover less expensive woods in many woodworking projects. Because of cost,
the veneer available today is usually much thinner than many
years ago. The best logs are often turned into veneer, though a
good veneer log is quite rare.
Workability
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If your woodworking project calls for strength and durability, then black walnut will meet your needs. It is easily worked
with either hand or machine tools, particularly when the grain
is straight and regular, and this includes turning and carving
projects. The wood has good dimensional stability and shock
resistance. It holds paint and stains very well (though walnut is
rarely stained), providing an exceptional finish that is readily
polished. It nails, screws and glues well. It also has good steam
bending characteristics and moderate bending and crushing
strength with low stiffness. Black walnut is quite a good wood for
carving, as it tends not to chip and isnt overly dense.
Price and Availability
Black walnut is one of the most valuable domestic hardwood

species and is of prime importance as a timber tree. In Canada
April/May 2016
Nice Grain The grain of black walnut board is usually fairly straight.
Small pores are visible on its surface.
Works Nicely With its even grain, and medium density, black walnut
is a nice wood to work with hand tools.
the supply is almost exhausted, so most of our black walnut

lumber comes from the US. Select US black walnut wood is
expensive; generally it is the highest priced domestic hardwood
in North America.
Due to overharvesting the availability of high quality black
walnut has diminished. Reforestation is a necessary part of
any plan to harvest and use the wood. If you have the means,
you could consider establishing your own walnut grove, but
consider the following first.
Black walnut currently accounts for less than 1 percent of
the hardwood production in the US. It represents about 2 percent of the total US hardwoods commercially available, and of
course much, much less in Canada. It is estimated that most
walnut logs only yield 20 percent select boards, as knots are
quite common in sawn boards.
As well as few top-grade boards per tree and the small
demand for Canadian walnut lumber, there is the cost of getting the trees to market. Cuts into your potential profits may
include items such as hiring a logging truck, a two-man crew
and possibly a skidder. Perhaps large acreages of walnut trees
for lumber are best.
Back to the positive a large diameter tree (about 18" or more
at breast height) with a tall, straight trunk can be worth tens of
thousands of dollars. The price per log triples from saw log to
veneer quality log. Going back to 1978, a veneer company paid
$39,000 for a single black walnut tree. The demand continues,
but perhaps not quite at this high a price. In a 1982 report, trees
of standard harvest size had sold for as much as $12,000. Then
think of the value of an old, huge walnut tree growing in an
open area with low branches for figure and much more.
Because of the demand for and value of black walnut wood,
considerable interest exists in improving the lumber production
through research and developing new cultivars. Black walnut is
truly a tree of great value for many woodworking projects.
Sign Up for our free
woodworking newsletters and

e-mail notification of special buys.
JESSE VERNON TRAIL
Visit us at
www.leevalley.com/newsletter
and sign up today.
Jesse is an author and instructor in environment, ecology,

sustainability, horticulture and natural history. Check out
his first book, Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids and Rock
Splitters: Remarkable Survival Strategies of Plants, at
www.ecwpress.com/products/quiver-trees
1-800-683-8170
1-800-683-8170
www.leevalley.com
www.leevalley.com
cww email sign up 1089.indd 1
Go Online for More

RELATED ARTICLES: Build a Walnut Sideboard (Aug/Sept
2013), Woods to Know Black Walnut (Feb/Mar 2006)
3/30/2011 11:29:09 AM
April/May 2016
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officeproject

Make a
Business
Card Holder
What better way to show off your woodworking skills, and start
a conversation, than with an eye-catching business card holder.
hen I started my business I had postcardsized business cards made up. One of the
first things I did was to make a nice holder
to display them while I was showing my
work at home and design shows. Though Im going to
detail a holder for a standard-sized business card holder
here, the same steps and techniques can be followed to
make a postcard-sized version.
While youre making one, it might be a good idea to make a
few more as gifts.
Design
Because this holder is quite small I wanted to keep the overall design simple. A rectangular piece, with gently curved
front, would provide a stable base, while straight uprights with
grooves hold the cards in place.
Materials
Solid wood is great, but for a punchy project like this,

figured veneer is even better. Two contrasting species and figures is what I feel works best, but Ill let you make the final
decision. I used MDF for the base and solid maple for the
uprights. If you dont enjoy working with MDF you can use
plywood or solid wood.
The veneer I chose had a tight figure to it. Since the areas
where the veneer will be seen are small, a larger pattern will
not look as powerful.
If you dont like the idea of using veneer, solid wood will
work out just fine for this project. I would reach for something
with figure, or a bold colour, though. It will actually be a much
quicker, easier build if you skip the veneer.
The base
Cut the base material to 5" wide 4" deep and draw a
centerline on its upper surface. With a set of trammel heads
April/May 2016
Photos by Rob Brown Illustration by Len Churchill
BY ROB BROWN
Even Curve When cutting the curve into the base Brown made sure to
use a smooth pressure to cut an even curve. Very little sanding was required.
and a beam add an 8" radius curve to the base, so the center
of the base is about 3" wide. Use your bandsaw to cut the
arc in the base, but dont throw away the offcut just yet.
Do your best to produce a smooth cut, as there will be
minimal sanding before applying the veneer to this edge.
Speaking of that rough-cut edge, gently smooth it, but dont
remove too much material. The offcut will act as a caul to
press the veneer in place while the glue is drying, and too
much sanding will produce variation between the two parts,
causing gaps.
Curved Caul With the offcut acting as a curved caul, Brown clamps
veneer on the curved edge of the base.
Add some veneer
Lay out and cut pieces of veneer to cover the top and bottom surfaces of the base, as well as the four sides. At least 1/8"
overhang is recommended, though even more is safer. Apply
the bottom veneer and trim it flush when dry.
The next step is to add veneer to the curved front edge of the
base. If there happens to be a gap after its been applied, the top
veneer will cover this up. Add glue to the curved edge, rub it in
and let it dry for a few minutes. This helps the final glue line
from being too starved and weak. Apply another layer of glue
Clamping
Technology
I Cutting
Technology
I Precision
Steel
Clamping
Technology
I Cutting
Technology
I Precision
Steel
BESSEY Auto-adjust toggle clamps
Automatically adjust to variations in work piece height while

maintaining clamping force.
Adaptable base plate for easy mounting in metric & imperial.
Large handle with soft insets for maximum comfort.
BESSEY Auto-Adjust Toggle Clamps offer a range of clamping force

and clamping height. One can replace a range of competitive clamps
for quicker set-ups, smaller tool cribs and consolidated inventories.
Try them all!
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41
Apply Veneer Sandwich the solid core between two slices of veneer,
Three Decorative Plugs Drill the holes with a 3/8 brad point bit,
and use a caul on each side to spread out the clamping pressure. This is the
technique Brown used to apply all the veneer.
then cut and install the plugs. Carefully flush them when dry.
to the edge, bring the strip of veneer into place and secure it
with some tape if needed. Bring the outer caul into position and
apply some clamps. As the caul is thin it should flex to close any
gaps nicely. Not much pressure is needed. Let the glue dry thoroughly before taking the clamps off and flushing the veneer with
a knife, block plane and sanding block.
Applying the back and side edges, in that order, is next.
Use short, straight cauls to apply even pressure, then flush the
veneer with the upper and lower surfaces. The upper veneer
can now be applied using cauls and clamps. When dry, trim
the overhanging veneer flush.
The three contrasting plugs are strictly for looks and should
be drilled, installed and flushed now.
Uprights
Break out a 12" long piece of non-porous hardwood to 5/8"

thick x 3/4" wide. Cut strips of oversized, contrasting veneer
for all four sides. The whole 12" length of this strip will not
be used in the final piece, but it makes machining much safer
and easier. Apply two opposing veneers with clamps and
cauls, let them dry, and then trim them flush before doing
the same with the other two sides.
The grooves that hold the business cards can now be cut.
Machine a 1/4" wide x 1/4" deep groove into the center
of the 5/8" wide edge. Break out the two uprights from the
stock by making one cut right in the center of the piece.
5"
veneer
5/8"
15
solid wood
upright
1/4" x 1/4 groove
5/8"
3"
1-3/4
decorative
plug
3/4"
veneer
glue area
8" rad.
TOP VIEW
MDF base
1/2
April/May 2016
grooves should be about 1/16" wider than the width of a

business card. A standard business card is 3-1/2" wide, but I
would check yours before proceeding.
Position the uprights on top of the base in the correct location, and pencil in a light outline. Drill two clearance holes
in the base, and a pilot hole in the bottom of each upright.
Install the uprights and check the width with a business card.
If the distance is too small it will likely be easier to deepen a
groove in an upright than to reposition one of them. A 1/4"
wide chisel or the edge of a flat file will help out here.
Add a finish
Angled Clamping Once the two uprights are separated from each
other, and cut on an angle, Brown applied veneer to their ends. One of the
uprights was oriented with the groove facing up and the other had its groove
facing down. With one upright clamped to a flat board that had a small notch
cut into it, Brown brought the two uprights together, with their angled ends
almost touching. He then inserted a metal rule between the parts to act as a
caul to spread clamping pressure, and used a longer clamp to bring the two
parts towards each other.
Its probably easiest to apply a finish to all the parts before

they get assembled. Once all the pieces are sanded, add a
small piece of masking tape where the uprights will meet
the base. This will protect any finish from weakening the
joint between the uprights and the base after assembly. Just
be sure the tape is only under where the uprights will be
located.
I wiped on many coats of shellac until I was happy with
the look and feel of the parts.
Assembly
Remove the tape on the base and rub a bit of glue into the
lower end of the uprights. Again, this will fill up the end
grain and produce a stronger joint. After a few minutes add a
bit more glue to the joints and drive home the two screws to
secure the uprights. This might be the simplest, most stressfree assembly ever.
Apply an adhesive bumper under each corner of the holder
and fill it will business cards.
Postcard holder
Add a Finish With the parts complete, sand them and apply a finish
to each part, before gluing and screwing the uprights to the base. Brown
padded on shellac, as its quick and easy. A piece of tape over each screw
hole will keep finish off the wood, and provide a better surface for gluing
down the road.
Those two cut surfaces will be the base of the uprights. Now
cut the two uprights to length, with a 15 angle on their
upper ends. Ensure the angle is cut the correct direction,
relative to the groove, with the longer edge towards the center of the holder. Add a small piece of veneer to the upper
edges, then trim it flush with a sharp knife and straight file.
Joining the parts
The width between the uprights depends largely on the

depth of the grooves you machined into the sides of the
uprights. The distance between the two inner faces of the
If you have postcard-size business cards the basic process

to make a holder is exactly the same. The overall dimensions of the base I made were 8" x 3", and the uprights were
2-3/4" long; all the other details were the same as the standard-size business card holder I outlined here.
With this business card holder on your desk the person
who notices it will surely be impressed with how gorgeous
it is. With any luck they will actually be a woodworker too,
starting a conversation, and possibly making a solid business
connection.
How do you display your business cards? If

youve made another type of card holder share
it with others at the end of this article on our
website.
ROB BROWN
[email protected]
Go Online for More

RELATED ARTICLES: Fancy Business Card Case (Apr/May
2013), Pocket Business Card Holder (Dec/Jan 2008)
43
topten
10
Top
Metal
Fasteners
There are dozens out there, but some
are crucial to have on hand, while
others are in the nice to have category.
Make sure you have the following items
in your shop at all times.
BY ROB BROWN
1 Flat-Head Robertson Wood Screws
Though
they come in many sizes and materials, all woodworkers and
DIYers need to have a very healthy selection of screws on hand.
Avoid Phillips and slot heads, unless you enjoy getting angry. Heres
my breakdown, by screw diameter, length and material/use:
#4 x 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" steel and brass
#6 x 5/8", 3/4", 1", 2" steel
#8 x 1" to 4" steel
#10 x 2-1/2", 4" steel
#8 x 1-5/8" 3" exterior
as the glue is starting to dry on a jig youre building. Grab a selection of different lengths in the gauges you require.
6 Lag Bolts
These hefty beasts are far from a fine woodworking fastener, though they work wonders around the
shop. Right now I have most of my large storage fixtures attached
to the wall with lag bolts. I also have some clamps, storage brackets and a host of other items held in place with these monster
screws. As a general rule, longer is better, though a selection of
lengths from 1-1/2" to 4" will come in handy.
7 L-Brackets
Whether its shop storage cabinets, basement shelving or some shop jigs and fixtures, L-brackets are
a time saver. Even though they are ugly, theyre simple and strong,
and thats sometimes the most important part of the job. The 3/4"
x 3/4" L-brackets are sometimes small enough to be hidden behind
rails and the larger versions are almost bombproof. Grab some of
both.
8 Nuts and Bolts
Its a shame there are so many

widths and lengths of bolts, as you almost need a backpack
to carry them home. But thats also what makes them so useful.
Grab a variety of lengths and widths of standard nuts and bolts, as
well as a few exterior-grade ones.
2 Miscellaneous Screw Eyes and Hooks
Tiny
ones for hanging small photos, to huge ones for heavy tasks
around the shop. I often hang lights from my shop ceiling while
taking photos of my work, and large hooks are strong and easy to
move where needed.
9 Washers
3 Large Shelf Brackets
Adding shelving high on the

walls is going to allow you to store seldom-used items out
of your way. When in doubt, go strong. The last thing you need is
to realize you shouldnt have put that last board on the shelf, high
above your head, after all.
10 Magnets
4 Finishing Nails
These long, thin helpers are great

for the obvious tasks of nailing pieces in place with minimal
visual distraction, but theyre also good for more exciting tasks like
unplugging glue bottles and making pivot points for trammel arms.
5 Pneumatic Pins, Brads and Nails
Now that you

have your compressor and nailer youve realized how valuable they are. The only trouble is that youre going through pins,
brads and nails like crazy. You dont want to be left empty-handed
A selection of flat washers work great with

the nuts and bolts you just decided you need more of, but I
find their assistance as spacers quite satisfying too. Keep your eyes
peeled for the cup washers both the zinc and brass types. If you
really want to go over the top, buy some countersunk washers.
Clean a small drawer or tray out and fill
it with standard and rare earth magnets of all types and
sizes. And grab some dedicated washers that can be screwed to
a mating piece if needed, as the combo is attractive and versatile.
Magnets are just fun to have around.
Drywall anchors? Tabletop mounting clamps?

Do you think a metal fastener should have
been included in this list? Share your thoughts
in the comments section, at the end of this
online article.
Photos by Rob Brown
for Woodworking
ROB BROWN
[email protected]
April/May 2016
B.C.W.
1158 Colborne St. E., Brantford, ON
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47
woodchuckle
Basement
Boatbuilding
Part 4
oday, as I write this, it is

December 1st. This meansthat,
yet again, I have missed the
deadline for submitting my
Christmas-themed story. Now, normally,
this could be a problem in the publishing world, but because this is Canadian
Woodworking Magazine and I have a very
understanding editor, Im not going to let
it bother me. Besides, its his fault for not
giving me a heads-up as to when the real
deadline was. And another besides: this
way I can finally wind up thekayak story.
That is, unless Ive used up too much of
my word count with this preamble. (They
only allow me so many words per article
before they start deducting from my pay; I
still owe for an article back in 2013).
In the last issue, as far as I know, I had
successfully completed drilling the several
thousand tiny holes needed throughout
the mahogany plywood hull and deck. I
assumed with that many holes to choose
from, at least somewould be more or less
in the correct location. Time would tell.
As would any possible leaks. Maybe Id
let The Boy test-paddle it first. After all,
this kind of situation was the very reason
we had him in the first place. And he did
fairly well testing my hang-glider, I recall,
even if he cant.
In spite of everything and by everything, I mean me the kayak ended up
looking pretty much like a kayak is supposed to andI was ready to apply the
fibreglass that should bind the entire thing
together and hopefully make it a viable
and float-worthy craft. I wasconfident
that with enough epoxy, it would float.
Heck, with the amount I used, pretty
much anything would float. Well, maybe
not your average American, but

anything else, for sure.
Unbelievably and I still have
a hard time with this the fibreglassing went without a hitch and
by the end of the weekend I was
totally whacked out of my mind.
(A little hint for those who wish
to build your own kayak: Dont
do it in a basement without lots of ventilation. And be sure the tiny blue hippos
stay out as well, even if they are wearing
their tuxedos.)
A few more weeks went by as I attached
lines, fitted the rudder and installed the
seat. Finally, the kayak was ready for its
debut sea trials and I anxiously awaited the
coming Thursday. (That was the day my
new life insurance kicked in.)In the meantime, I had to somehow get thekayak out
of the basement.
After carefully lifting the gleaming masterpiece from the cradles that,
well, cradled it, I backed the boat out of
the room and promptly ran it through
the glass doors in the dining room.
Apparently backing out wasnt going to
do the trick. I attempted to swing the bow
around to make the turn into the hall and
discovered that its fairly awkward to turn
a 19' boat around a 90 corner into a 3'
wide hallway. And dont even think about
going up the stairs. In retrospect, it might
have been a good idea to consider these
issues prior to building the boat in the
basement.
Luckily, I had an alternative solution.
No, two. No wait, three. The first two,
Kelly promptly rejected. Apparently I
cant be trusted with a jackhammer or a
chainsaw.
She then pointed out withgreat

derision, and what I considered an
unwarrantedair of superiority, that there
was a window located above the kitchen
sink. According to her infinite wisdom, the kayak could be carried straight
through the dining room, into the kitchen
and then right out the window.
Im still not sure exactly why I was so
happy when, after measuring the width of
the kayak, I discovered the window opening was precisely about two inches too
narrow.I gleefully pointed out this flaw in
Kellys suggestion.
Then Kelly pointed out that I ownednot
one but two recip saws. Surely one of them
should be able to remove the window frame
from the concrete opening. Sure enough,
she was right once again and almost too
soon, and much too easily, the window was
out and the kayak slipped gracefully, and
with surprisingly few scrapes and/or swearing, through the opening.
Okay, I admit it, Kelly is smarter
than me.
Maybe Ill let her be the
first to try out the kayak,
as her reward.
P.S. Merry Christmas!
DON WILKINSON
[email protected]
April/May 2016
Illustration by Mike Del Rizzo
BY DON WILKINSON
Weldon Gray
Lute
The body of this

eight course single
string lute is made
from roasted curly
maple, while the
soundboard is made
of Lutz spruce. On
the back of the neck
is a medieval design
carved into it, for aesthetics. This is Grays
favourite lute to play.
Turn to page 12 to read a collection
of Weldon Gray quotes, and learn
how you can view an online slideshow of his work.

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