w00D

October 2006, lssue 172

28 router-bit holder
32 kerfing
jig
for bending
plywood
38 ready-to-serve wine cabinet
tl6
amazing-space tool cabinet
This four-door cabinet occupies
just
7 square feet
of wall yet delivers 26 square feet of tool storage.
58 tones-of-fun tongue drum
62
graceful bowfront table
82 end-grain cutting board
98 more cutting-board designs
34
put an end to measuring mistakes
52 make any bandsaw a peak performer
Master woodworker Michael Fortune shows how
to tune-up and use this key shop tool.
68 making curved and tapered legs
76 cut straight edges on anything
Know your machining options for taking
the crook out of lessthan-perfect stock.
90
pack more workshop into less space
Discover 21 storage-savvy ways to address the
mess in your favorite hangout.
106 try gauge blocks for fast set-ups
Cut profiles of your router bits and use them for
quick adjustment when making these cuts again.
This seal is your assurance that we build
every project, verify every fact, and test every
reviewed tool in our workshop to guarantee
your success and complete satisfaction,
70 shop tested: air-tiltration systems
Purify your shop' s air with one of these 10 models.
1fit five shop-proven
products
6
8
12
20
112
editor's angle
sounding board
ask W00D
shop tips
what's ahead
Better Homes and Gardenso
w00D
0ctober 2006 Vol .23, No.5 l ssue N0.172
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BItt IGIER
Executive Editor Managing Editor
JIM HARROTD MARLEI{ IGMMEI
Editorial Manager, Tools and Techniques Senior Design Editor
DAVE CAMPBELL KEI'I}I BOYLE
TechniquesEditor TechniquesEditor
B0B Wltsotl B0B HUNTER
Projects Editor Projects Editor
OWEN OUVALL JAI{ SVEG
Design Editor Master Craftsman
JEFF MERTZ CHUCK HEDLU]ID
Associate Art Director Assistant Art Director
GREG SELTERS CHERYT A. CIBUI-A
Art Director
-"..""
KARL EHLERS
0wen constructed this i-
quartersawn white oak
i
cradle for a friend.
i
<..'.'...:
Karl built this clock from
issue 170 for his parents'
50th wedding anniverary.
Production/0fficeManager AdministrativeAssistant
MARGARET CTOSNER SHERYL MU]IIYON
! Photographers MARTY BALDWIN, SGoTT LITILE, BLAlllE MoATS, JAY WILDE
: lllustrators IIM GAHILL, L0RNA J0HNS0['1, ROXAI'll'lE [eM0lt{E
Technical Consultants JEFF HAL[, DEAN FIEI{E, PAT L0WRY
Contributing Craftsman JIM HEAVEY
Proofreaders BARBARA KIEIN, IRA LACHER, JIM SANDERS
CUST0MER SERVIGE: 800/374-9663
For more ways to reach us about specific matters, see page 10.
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SeniorVice PresidenVPublishing Director D0UG 0tS0N
Group Publisher TOM DAVIS
MEREDITH PUBTISHING GROUP
President JACK GRlFFlil
Finance & Administration KARLA JEFFRIES
Manufacturing BRUCE HEST0il
Consumer Marketing DAVID BALI
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zft"r*Ilt
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In Memoriam
-
E.L Mercdith lll (1933-2003)
@ Copyright Meredith Corporation 2006. All rights reserved. Printed in the U'S.A.
6
woodmagazine.com
^IPT
Circle No 50
editor' an le
Highsqhoolf
wobd shop:
',
alive andwell
(inplaces)
It's no secret: Wood shop is disappearing
from schools everywhere. But there are
innovative teachers who manage to buck
the trend. Here are two of them.
f you read the tool reviews in every
issue of this magazine, you already
know of Jeff Hall. He's been doing
independent tool tests for us-and doing
a first-rate job
of it-for the past several
years. What you may not know is that when
Jeff s not torturing tools, he's teaching
cabinetmaking at East High School here in
Des Moines. Recently, Jeff was honored
with the 20fl6Teacher of the Year Award
for Des Moines schools.
Like a lot of great teachers, Jeff cares
deeply about his students and is someone
they confide in. Plus, he expects quality
work from them. He actively keeps himself,
his students, and his program visible at the
school and in the community. For example,
when East High recently underwent
renovations, his students built donor plaques
and constructed new display cases. He
exposes his pupils to expert woodworkers
and set up a progrirm for his students to
become mentors in instructing children and
adults in pen turning.
Another "teacher of the year," for
Yavapai County, Arizona, is Tom Bockman
of Prescott. His program is exploding in
popularity with 9l students in20f.344,172
students in 2004{5, and}Dl students in
2005-06. For the first time, he had to turn
advanced students away this school year,
while adding another beginning class.
How does he do it? Tom chalks up
his success to several things. First, he
developed an interactive CD for 8th-grade
students. It gets the kids (and their parents)
excited about high school shop class by
showcasing in-class and job-site
activities.
Second, the Prescott sfudents conduct
attention-getting community projects such
during a bandsaw-blade test.
Tom Bockman (left) invited internationally
acclaimed woodturner Richard Raffan to
demonstrate for his woodshop class.
as a wishing well for the Make-A-Wish
Foundation. For these projects Tom is
tireless in pursuing publicity-another key
to the popularity of his program. Finally,
his students have the opportunity to make a
little money by selling projects to libraries,
furniture stores, private citizens, and the
school board. Their most ambitious project:
a school board conference table fully wired
for elecffical outlets, interfaces for laptop
computers, and lighting.
Of course I don't have enough space here
to mention all of the outstanding teachers
helping to pass along woodworking skills to
a generation less exposed to them than ever
before. But for several more examples of
young woodworkers doing great work, see
page 8.
To all of you who are mentoring
tomorrow's woodworkers. in a classroom or
your home shop, keep up the good work!
BilAJfte^_
ffi
I caught up with Jetf Hall (right)
WOODmagazine October2006
soundin
board
Our bulletin board for letters, comments, and timely updates
Wbodworking
lives on with today's youth
Although many high schools are cutting
back on vocational classes, there are still
some out there instructing students in
hands-on skills-such as woodworking-
that could lead to either a career or hobby.
AIWOODo magazine we applaud those
Juniata Valley students, from left, seniors Tyler Hall, Matt
Boone, and Gorey Lightne4 sophomore Corey Boone, and
junior
Nate Paterson, reengineered and built this game table.
Five of my high school woodshop students recently built a
modified version of the game table you featured in issue 167
(December/January
200512006). They wanted to make it
bigger to seat more friends, so they doubled its length, added
two legs to support the middle, and expanded the size of the
cup holders. Using cherry, they finished the table with a
natural cherry stain and four coats of polyurethane.
The group usually follows amagazine project's plans as
closely as possible, but after researching casino-style game
tables on the Internet, they elected to change the playing
surface. They recessed the top /q" to keep cards from sliding
off; added a layer of Vs" closed-cell foam under the surface
for padding; and used velveteen fabric, rather than felt,
because it's less likely to "pill" (develop tiny balls of fabric
that result from wear).
It took the group three weeks to make the table, working
two hours a day in class. (Incidentally, students in another
class made the four-seat game table as shown in your
magazine.) Thanks for the project and plans.
-Tony
Payne, lndustrialArts and Technology teache4
Juniata Valley High School, Alexandria,
pa.
adults who teach the next generation, as
well as those young people who are eager
to learn the craft.
Dovi Hirsch, left, and lan Marsan
built a dozen dining chairs for their
senior project.
Anna and Paul Timmerberg
show off their version of the
Tudor birdhouse.
ED
o

o
E
E
F
.9
f
G
J
o
E
o-
i High schoolers fulfill their
mission to craft dining chairs
Two students in our
cabinetmaking class
recently built 12
mission-style dining
chairs from the design
you published in issue
154 (March 2004).
Dovi Hirsch, 18, and
Ian Marsan,17, worked
together to build the chairs
from cherry for their senior
project. (Last year they
built a cherry dining table.)
The only difference in
their chairs is the seat: Ian
wanted red fabric
upholstery on his six, while
Dovi preferred black vinyl for his. Because Ian's dad works as an
upholsterer, he helped out with that aspect. Working about four
hours each day, the guys completed the chairs in about seven weeks.
Dovi, who graduated as valedictorian in his class, also operates
his own Web site business, dhpens.com. There he sells custom-
turned pens as well as other office and kitchen accessories.
-Joe
Markt and Roland Bessette, cabinetmaking instructors,
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School, South Easton, Mass.
Father tutors daughter
with Tudor birdhouse
My lO-year-old daughter, Anna, likes
to look through WOOD@ magazine
and has been asking me to build
something with her for some time.
The Tirdor birdhouse plans in issue
169 (April/May 2006) seemed like
the right project, so I decided to set
aside some time with her and build it.
We made some changes because
she didn't want to wait for delivery
of the copper foil for the roof. I had
cedar shakes lyrng around, so we
used them for the roof. She did all the painting, nailing, and design
changes, with help from me on the power tools. She is so proud of
the birdhouse and looks out the window every morning in hopes of
seeing its first tenants.
-Paul
Timmerberg, St. Louis
continuedonpage I0
WOOD magazine October 2006
soundi ng board
Pegboard sides add
extra tool storage to cart
I loved your design for the rolling
workshop storage unit in issue 167
(December/January 2005 12006). I made
it even more useful by adding perforated
hardboard to the two sides from which I
hang tools. I simply cttt Vq" grooves in the
top and bottom 2x2 cleatl and added extra
2x2 cleats with grooves vertically to hold
the Vq" perforated hardboard.
-Steve
VoldaL Eden Prairie. Minn.
/r"
$loovs
1/2"
deep,
3/a"
lrom front face
11/z X' 11/2 X 293/q"
cleat
1t / zx 1t l z x 68" cl eat
th
x 29s/e x 652/a" perforated hardboard i
Putting reclaimed wood
back to work-in a bench
After many years of intending to build a
workbench for my shop, I recently built
your workbench from issue 166
(November 2005). I particularly liked the
use of top stretchers, which makes for a
stiffer frame.
I built mine almost entirely of reclaimed
wood. I made the top from salvaged maple
flooring boards set on edge, with the
tongues and grooves cut off, using the
equivalent of 60 square feet of flooring.
The rest of
the bench
I made
from pine
reclaimed
from old
buildings. I turned the
vise handle from a salvaged piece of
maple. The maple for the vise jaws
turned
out to be the ,"rr:;;"_:lr:;,f;:rifjl),i;
i "Logtt
on to this Web site
i After reading your article on master
: woodworker Jeffry Lohr in issue 167
i (December/January 2005 12006), I
; wanted to share a Web site devoted to
i those who enjoy wood in its rougher
i
stages. Jeffry suggests finding a local
! sawyer to obtain rough lumber or to have
i
your logs custom sawn, and folks can do
Article updates
lssue 169 (AprillMay 2006)
I The article "Fasteners for a lasting,
firm hold" on pages 64-65 described our
finishing trim screw as a decking screw;
however, it's designed for finish carpen-
try applications. We recommend our R4
multi-purpose screw and RT trim-head
screw for fastening deck boards. Sec-
ond, a photo referred to a competitor's
screw as a "W-Cut," which is a trade-
mark of GRK Fasteners and refers to
one of many patents owned by GRK.
For more information on our product line
please visit grkfasteners.com.
-Dr.
Mirco Walther, president
& co-owner,
GRK Fasteners, Thunder Bay, Ont.
that by going to forestryforum.com and
using the locator link to find what they
need. There are more than 3,000
members on this Web site discussing
forestry, sawmilling, drying, construction,
safety, and many other woodworking-
related areas.
-Dave
Kish, 0neida, N.Y.
lssue 169 (AprillMay 2006)
I lf you're building the planter box on
pages 56-59, you've probably noticed a
few missing dimensions from the
stretcher (part O). The correct
dimensions are shown, below.
r
5To
I-
Tri m to fi t
duri ng i nstal l ati on.
r
For woodworking advice:
Post your woodworking questions
fioinery,
finishing, tools, turning, general woodwork-
ing, etc.) on one of 20+ online forums at
woodmagazine.com/f orums.
r To contact our editors:
Send your comments via E-mail to
[email protected]; or call
800/374-9663 and press
option 2; or write
to W00D magazine, 1716 Locust St.,
LS-221, Des Moines, lA 50309.
r
Subscription assistance:
To notify us of an address change, or to
get help with your
subscription, go to
woodmagazine.com/service; call
800/374-9663 and press option 1. 0utside
the U.S., call 5151247-2981. 0r write to
W00D magazine, P.0. Box 37439, Boone, lA
50037-0439. Please enclose your address
labelfrom a recent magazine issue.
r
To find past
articles:
See our index at woodmagazine.com/index.
r
To order past issues and articles:
0rder past issues of W00D magazine, our
special issues, or downloadable articles from
issue 100 to present Visit our online store at
woodmagazine.com/store, or call 888/636-
4478. Some issues are sold out.
r
Updates to previously published projects:
For an up-to-date listing of changes in
dimensions and buying-guide sources
from issue 1 through today, go to
woodmagazine.com/editorial.
10
WOOD magazlne October 2006
ask wood
lf you're looking for an answer to a woodworking
question, write to ASK W000, 1716 Locust St.,
LS-221, Des Moines, lA 50309-3023, or send us
an e-mail at [email protected]. For
immediate feedback from your fellow woodworkers,
post your questions
on one of our woodworking
forums at woodmagazine.com/forums.
Answers to
your questions
from letters, e-mails, and W00D 0nlineo
Sorting out a maple mix-up
af
1
t was given some maple : project and personal
\| r boards, but how can I tell if
j
preferences. To
they are hard or soft maple? Also,
j
preserve maple's
what's the best finish for each?
i
light color, apply a
-Robeft
King, High Ridge, Mo. i non-yellowing,
water-based finish.
A
rColor
and grain similarities make ! to bting out the
tA rhard maples-sometimes called i pattern in bird's-eye
sugar, rock, sweet, or black maple-tough : or curly maple while
to distinguish from soft maples, which i giving it a light
include red, silver, or swamp maple. For a i amber color, apply
simple test to tell the difference, Robert, i boiled linseed oil
mix two tablespoons of ferrous sulfate i and allow it to dry
(iron sulfate) in one cup of water and shake i for a week before
until dissolved. (You can find fenous
i
applying a clear film
sulfate at many lawn and garden stores.) i finish.
Wipe the solution onto a piece of the
i
If you want
unknown lumber and wait a minute for the i darker colors,
wood to change coror. soft mapre w'r''#
j
ffifri,3'fr'.r" ;.""T""il$tff Pl',gLHjifji:lHffi1T3ill'i:rds
turns th6 aon
a translucent blue-black color. On hard i instead of a
maple, the surface tums greenish gray.
i
pigmented stain. Maple's vnall pores don't
j pigments, dye wil fade with age, holr,ever,
Whether you have hard or soft maple, the i trap enough pigment to produce an even so apply a darker surface than you want for
"best finish" is just
the one that suits your
: color without blotching. Unlike stain the long term.
I
I
Patchinq a nuisance nail
|li
1l
diin't angte my air-pow-
\f r ered brad nailer right,
and the fastener blew out the
side of my project. Can I pull the
brad through, or do you have a
better idea?
-Shawn
Smith, Bridgeport, 1hio
A
rYou
can pull the brad through,
Fl lshawn, if the wood is sotl
enough, the brad head is small enough,
and you have enough room to attach a
pair of locking pliers to pull or pry it out.
Another option, shown atupper right,
is to break off the brad beneath the
surface and patch the hole. In this
instance, bending the loose end of the
brad back and forth broke it offjust
below the wood surface. Should the nail
break off slightly above the surface, use
a hammer and nail set to drive the
exposed portion beneath the surface.
After lightly sanding the damaged area,
fill the hole with putty, as shown at
lower right, to match the finished color
of the wood.
Kid-size table heights
fi
1t
want to build a 3x5' table
\f rfor kids to use, but I'm not
sure what height to make it. Any
advice?
-Shannon
Duff, Vancouvet Wash.
f, lHere's
a good way to measure table
tt rheight for kids, regardless of their
age, Shannon. Seat the child on a chair or
stool they'll use at the table. Measure from
a point just
below their ribs to the floor,
and use that dimension as the table-top
height. Adding a couple of inches will help
the table adapt to kids as they grow.
This play centerfrcm issue 167 (December/
January 2O05|20OG), pd9 76, stands 19" high
at the sides and 16" high at the table top.
conti nuedonpage 14
12 WOOD magazine October 2006
Ci r cl e No. 2039
14
WOOD magazine October 2006
ask wood
Wipe out stain streaks
fi a
I bui l t an oak si deboard from
g
TWOOD magazi ne pl ans i n
i ssue 155, page 66. When
appl yi ng the stai n, I acci dental l y l eft
a streak of stai n across the grai n.
Now, I can see that wi pe mark.
What can I do about i t?
-Dave
Parrish, Youngsville, N.C.
A
rYou
have three opportunities to
tA rremove such t-laws, Dave. An
accidental stain droplet or wiping mark on
a freshly stained surface can be masked by
applying enough stain to that area to
penetrate the wood as deeply as the droplet
or wiping mark. Then remove the surplus
stain, making your final passes with the
grain using a clean cloth. If the resulting
color is too dark, lightly wipe the whole
surface with a rag saturated in mineral
spirits.
As the binder in the stain dries, you can
still remove unwanted stain using mineral
spirits and a soft rag, as shown below. Wipe
the streaked area firmly.
Once the binder in the stain has dried
and locked the pigment in place, however,
you'll need to remove the mark with
sandpaper of the highest grit used for the
rest of the project. Then restain until you
match the color of the surrounding wood.
To lessen the impact of accidental stain
streaks and spots, apply stain working from
the bottom to the top of each surface. That
way, any accidental drips fall on previously
stained surfaces, where they're less likely to
show up if you wipe them away while still
wet. Wipe away excess stain before it
begins to dry, and work on one face at a
time to avoid leaving accidental streaks on
adjoining surfaces.-t
Holding together memories
fi
a
I have a questi on about the
\f r scrapbook project in WOOD
magazi ne i ssue 166, page 72. Do
you have a recommendati on for
sluins
f eather '\fo|fi
,,,rms, wichita, Kan.
A r
Any white or yellow wood glue
Fl r will bond most raw leather to
wood, Dudley. According to technical
specialist Dale Zimmerman at Franklin
International, that company's original
Titebond glue once was used to connect the
ends of leather drive belts for heavy
machinery in factories.
A scrapbook binding, such as the one
shown at right, won't face the same stresses,
but you'll need to take a few precautions.
Some leather treatments or colorings reduce
any glue's bonding ability, so test the bond
by gluing a leather scrap to a wood scrap
and giving it a light tug. Also, yellow glue
won't discolor most leathers. but check for
color transfer when gluing thin or lighr
colored leather. If there's a problem, switch
to a clear-drying white glue.
i,:A,Y I
irrr"rri*l{
continued on page 16
Shrinking a saw blade
arbor hole opens up options
fI
a
After recently buying a 12"
\f r mitersaw, I discovered the
bl ade that came wi th the saw has a
s/a"
arbor hole. I am trying to find a
repl acement bl ade, but they' re al l
made for a 1" arbor. Where can I
get a 12" bl ade wi th a 7e" hol e, or a
1"-t o-7e" bushi ng?
-Bill
Fisher, Vancouver, Wash.
A
.A
bushing will expand the blade
tt roptions for your saw, Bill. These
bushings, which look like carefully
machined washers, slip into the l" arbor
hole on a12" blade, as shown below.That
reduces the hole size to fit your saw's
5/8"
arbor. Freud makes a bushing,(no.
BL71MCE9) for downsizing 1" blade holes
to fit your saw. Make certain the saw's
blade mounting washers and arbor nut
place pressure against the blade body, not
the bushing, to keep the blade from
spinning loosely on the arbor. Before you
buy a bushing, though, make certain the
saw didn't come with a bushing that's
jammed
onto the original blade or arbor.
woodrnagazine.com
ask wood
Upping the amps
I
When my 14.4-vol t cordl ess
r dri l l batteri es gave out, I
f ound I coul d buy a new
cordl ess dri l l wi th two
batteri es and a charger
for about the same pri ce
as two repl acement
batteries, so that's what
I did. The new batter-
i es were marked 2.6
Ah, whi l e my ol d dr i l l ' s
batteries were marked 2
Ah. The sal esman sai d I
coul d use the 2.6-Ah bat-
t eri es i n my ol d dri l l . l s
thi s correct?
-John
Watkins. )zark. Ark.
A .So
i ong as the new
tt roarre' es uL rnro tne ol q
drill and are the same voltage,
they' ll work just fine, John.
Batteries with higher ampere-
hour (Ah) ratings store more
energy than batteries with
lower Ah ratings. Your old
drill will run roughly 30
ffi
a
a
uffi
Mmsffi
m@offiffidb
,s
a
percent longer with your new 2.6-Ah
batteries than with the old ones.
One
qood
turn..,
fi
rT'.
satisfied with my
\f r bandsaw. except for the
bl ade tensi oni ng knob. The 2t/2"
di amet er knob i s t oo smal l f or my
hands and i t' s too cl ose to the
housi ng. Has anyone f ound a l arger
knob, handl e, or crank t hat makes
tensi on adj ustment easi er?
-Bob
Rufener, Hartford, Wis.
A
.You' ll
need only five minutes to
tA lreplace that knob with an easy-to-
turn crank, Bob. That' s how long it took us
to install the
Quik-Crank
bandsaw
tensioner (Rockler no. 20410, $35,
800 /27 9
-
4441 or rockler.com), which
works on most 14" bandsaws. Just unscrew
the original threaded tensioning rod and
knob, add the replacement rod and nut, and
attach the crank using the set screw and
allen wrench provided, as shown below.
If you need a more heavy-duty option,
install a Spinner 3 tensioning crank
(Highland Hardware no. 189102, $60,
800 124l-67 48 or tools-for-woodworking.
com). This retrofit uses a 5" chromed cast-
iron crank wheel attached to a3/s" acme-
threaded rod and bronze nut designed to
keep the tension setting from slipping. Both
types fit most brands of 14" bandsaws.
|l
De a l e r i n q u i r i e s we l c o me
@
c opy r i ght 2006
Ci r c l e No. 929
WOOD magazine October 2006
sho
ti
Helping
you
work faster, smarter, and safer
No-brainer setups
for feather boards
Feather boards add both
safety and consistency to
many cuts on the router
table and tablesaw. But
there' s a fi ne l i ne
between too much and
too little pressure, and
fi ndi ng that l i ne used to
dri ve me hal f nuts. That
was before I made a few
feather-board setup
sticks from scraps of
hardwood.
After perfecting the
feather-board tension for
a
s/+"-thick
workpiece, I made a setup
stick by planing down a scrap of stock a
l i ttl e at a ti me unti l i t
j ust
sl i d easi l y under
that feather board. Then, I labeled the
stick so I' d know which thickness of
material it works for.
Now, when I need to set the feather
board, I si mpl y sl i de the appropri ate
setup stick against the fence, stand the
feather board on top of it, as shown
above, and clamp the feather board to
the fence. The setup stick also ensures
that the feather board stays parallel to
the tabl e top, appl yi ng uni form pressure
al ong i ts l ength.
-John
Ducey, Lawrence, Kan.
A recent newcomer to woodworking,
John Ducey is
just
starting to set up
shop. Other than his tablesaw, he
owns a router that he received for
Chri stmas a year ago. He then bui l t
the router table, shown above,thal
i nspi red thi s i ssue' s Top Shop Ti p.
For sendi ng the Top Shop Ti p of thi s i ssue,
we' re doubl i ng the number of routers i n
John Ducey' s shop by shi ppi ng to hi m
a Porter-Cabl e 895PK 2-hp router ki t.
Attaboy, John!
Describe how you've solved a workshop
stumper, and you'll get $75 if we print it.
And, if your tip garners Top Shop Tip
honors, we'll also reward you with tool
treasures worth at least $250.
Send your best tips, along with photos
or illustrations and your daytime phone
number, to: Shop Tips, WOOD
Magazine,lT16 Locust St., LS-221,
Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Or e-mail
tips to: shopti1rs Gtr u ooclnragazine.corrt.
Remember to include your contact info
in the e-mail as well.
Because we publish only original tips,
please send your tips only to WOOD
magazine. Sorry, submitted materials
can't be returned.
continued on page 22
E
G
=
o
(I
Microadjust your fence with a turnbuckle
Making superfine adjustments to my
router table fence was hit-or-miss until I
came up with my own microadjustment
system, shown below. With this system, I
si mpl y cl amp one end of the fence and
make fine adjustments to the other end,
that the fence doesn' t move once you' ve
got it perfect, clamp the turnbuckle end
of the fence down. When not in use, you
can leave the pivot bolt and eyes in place
and remove the turnbuckle. Then store
the fence and the starting block.
-Wayne
Donovan, Kansas City, Mo. fore or aft, with the turnbuckle.
To add a turnbuckle to your
fence. use the hardware shown
to add a pivot bolt to both the
fence and the starting block.
Use a turnbuckl e wi th eyes
l arge enough to fi t snugl y over
the bolts. lf the eyes are too
large, fill them with epoxy, let it
cure, and then dri l l out the
epoxy to fit the bolts. Use a
washer on either side of the eye,
and ti ghten the assembl y
together.
The turnbuckle works best on
the "push" stroke, so always
make final adjustments by
driving the fence away from the
starting block to take out any
slack in the threads. To ensure
WOOD magazine October 2006
shop tips
Laid-back sander sharpens knives and chisels
As a wood carver, I spend a litile more
time sharpening my knives and chisels
than most woodworkers. And while I
could justify
spending up to
$S00 on a
dedicated sharpening system, a few
dollars and a little ingenuity allowed me
to turn my strip sander into one of the
best sharpening systems I've ever used.
Begi n by bui l di ng the dual sander
base, as shown in the drawing. Be sure
to add hardwood feet to the sharpening
base to create a space for the tool rest
hardware. Next, mount the sander to the
base. Finally, build the tool rest, as shown,
trom3/a" threaded rod and a piece of 1x1"
al umi num angl e.
The base allows you to tip the sander onto
its back so the belt will travel horizontally
and away from you. This position is ideal
for sharpening tools. Fine sanding belts of
400 to 600 grit will work for many sharp-
ening chores. For more versatility, a
leather belt is also available that, when
treated with an abrasive, will do an excel
lent
job
of stropping gouges and chisels.
-Gene
Carey, Cicero, N.Y.
Mounti ng bol t
45o brace
3/tx3/rx
16" hardwood foot
rhe
Uachlne
ETFX5(D'"
...|t's what
.D
you'ue
come to
fiPEO
fron Arrow!
Keeplng Amedcostrong
Available at home centers, lumberyards, and fine hardware stores wherever professional
tools are soldl
Arrow Fastener Co.. ln<., 271 Mayhill Street, Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07G63
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park,
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C20O2 Arrow FattenerCo., In(
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continued on page 25
WOOD m,agazine October 2006
shop tips
A slick solution for
portable-tool bases
When cutting soft woods with my
jigsaw,
the steel
shoe (base) always left unsightly marks on the
workpiece. So I bought some self-adhesive polyester
film (such as Mylar) at a crafts and hobby shop, and
fit a piece to my saw's shoe. After thoroughly
cleaning the shoe with alcoholto remove any oil or
grease, I applied the sheet to the shoe, being careful
not to trap any air bubbles.
Now my
jigsaw glides on the workpiece without
marring it. You could use the same material on your
circular saw's shoe to protect the wood underneath.
-RusU
lngram, Cedar Grove, N.J.
Suspended storage
saves steps
Workbenches work best when they're in
the middle of the shop so you can move
around the project. The problem: Your
tools are usually stored around the
perimeter of the shop. The solution: the
tool storage shelf, shown below.lt not
only makes use of vacant overhead
space-it saves time and labor. Shaped
like a stirrup and mounted to the ceiling
joists, you can configure it to your needs
to hold small hand tools, clamps,
screwdrivers, and whatever else you
want to keep handy.
-Bud
Beck, Jr., Land 0' Lakes, Fla.
continued on page 26
YorrRE Pnonesrv
Jusr
As Ananrrrous.
Whether you are a do-it-
yourselfer, a professional
woodworker or somewhere
in between, you have a world
full of projects in the home
or i n the shop that wi l l be
easier and more enjoyable to
compl ete when you use
qual -
ity clamps, bench vises and
miter boxes/saws from the
Adjustable Clamp Company.
Look for them under the
Jorgensen, Adjustable and
Pony braqd names wherever
fi ne tool s are sol d.
&fiustable -
"
&*tut":"' hng"'
Made in the USA by the Adjustable Clamp Co.,
433 North Ashland Ave., Chicago, lL 60622,
wood.magazine.corn
-,--
Notch
Supports for dust-
collection ductwork
I needed a good way to install the
mai n duct runs of my dust-
collection system, and I wasn' t
looking forward to the prospect of
trying to raise a network of pipes to
the cei l i ng by mysel f. The system
shown at right, using 50" cable
"zi p"
ti es and furri ng stri ps,
provi ded the sol uti on.
I started by screwing furring
strips to the
joists
along the path I
wanted the ducts to take. I then
l ai d the zi p ti es across the notches
i n the furri ng stri ps and zi pped the
ti es i nto l arge l oops. Next, I fed the
duct parts through the l oops and
j oi ned
them. Wi th the ductwork sti l l
hangi ng l ow, I had no probl em
seal i ng al l the way around the
j oi nts.
Once the duct was
j oi ned
and seal ed, I rai sed the enti re
l abyri nth up to the cei l i ng by sl owl y
ratchetins uP the ztp,'lln";,f,0,*r,
r,ro.
26 WOOD rnagazine October 2006
,':-tY000lV0.n[$
ProMAX"
@
sT* cK NO. 40- 887
PToMAX Compl et e Rout er Tabl e
comes with PToMAX cast iron router table
(#40-031). PTIMAX End Cap (#40-044),
PT)MAX Professional Cabinet (#40-074).
Fmi"l|00llW0.BlGI
,* Only full-size cast iron router table in the marketplace.
> lntegrated router bit storage with pull-out she/yes.
? Drawer option with full extension ball bearing slides.
* Fence and cabinet made in USA.
> Unique cubby for storing your routers.
v Router table includes award-winning 28" ProFence.
> Bolt and cross dowel construction and
steel hardware for the ultimate in strenoth.
> lncludes 4" dust port.
> Components available separately.
* Curved side panels for better ergonomics.
> So/ld Baltic birch panel construction.
> Table size: 27" x 20", height: 35%".
M
@rmons
PToMAX Compl ete Router Tabl e
shown with optional Cab-Loc mobile base. No
PT)MAX products include Cab-Loc moblie base.
"f#i!:;#-,"iziliy;
ffi
DffiT
ffi
Ff_lffinFrsr,
rTa
Fr, I
I JI QI
f#;t9c
5O' ' MODEL
s' t ocK t i c 40- 685
PRO- BENCH 5O' Model
includes 50" Top (#40-088),
3' Cabinet (#40-089), and
two Standard vises (40-090).
Note: Optional Quick release
vlse ls a/so available for this model.
Z2' ' MODEL
$ TOc K NO 4 f i - 0 8 6
PRO-BENCH 72, Model
includes 72" Top (#40-092), 4' Cabinet
(#40-093), Quick release vise (t140-091),
and Standard vise (#40-090).
Ci rcl e No. 1870
PToMAX Compl ete Router Tabl e
shown with the following options:
Cab-loc mobile base (#40-008),
Door Pack (#40-084) and
Drawer Pack (#40-083)
Pull-out router
bit storage is fast
and convenient.
ffiffi
Lower cubby is Comes with
pefiect for spare 4" dust pott.
router storage.
P R 0
-
B E 1l C ll
-
:',;: :: :i:: ::":::::, ::i
"
f a,,e n, h a n m a p e
-
> Hi -l ostorage she/yes
PRO-BENCH models below are shown with
the following options:
Cabloc mobile base (M0-008),
Door Pack (#40-084)
Drawer Pack (#40-083)
*' Rear storage area for tools and clamps
> Cabinelstyle base
> Mobile base ready
> Front row bench dog holes
* Premium vises
great
ideas for your
shop
router-bit
holdet
and profile
display
The best edge
treatment is but a
glance away.
ee instantly what profile
each of your router bits
create by building this
handy bit display with matching
profiles. You can sit the bit
support on your workbench or
build the optional wall mount and
secure it to a vertical surface. The
bit support shown at right
measures 8" long, but can be
lengthened to hold more bits and
profiles. Add lV2" for each additional bit
you wish to add. For large-diameter bits,
such as a panel raiser, you'll need to
lengthen it even more. For smaller-diameter
bits, an extra inch per bit should suffice.
We built our wall mount extra long for
adding more bit supports in the future.
To form the angled bit support, start with
a piece of lVzx2/qx8" stock. Using a
pushstick for safety, bevel-rip it at 18o, and
Stick the waste stock to the bit support, and
dri l l the
t/2"
hol es.
t/2"-r,
, \ 4-
- a l
#8x2" F. H. wood screw
centered over stud
\*
t/c"
hardboard
/2" hole /2" deep
! t ,
use cloth-backed, double-faced tape to stick
the two pieces together in the configuration
shown in the photo atleft. Then drillVz"
holes W' deep into the support, and
separate the support from the scrap.
To create a profile for each bit you'll
house in the bit support, cut blanks 8" long,
and drill aW'hole centered side to side and
W' from one end. Now, rout each 8"-long
7gz" shank hol e, countersunk on back si de
_-.az-#8
x 1" F.H. wood screw
24',
b
EXPLODED VIEW
blank with a different bit. Crosscut a
1"-long section from each blank, and glue
in a piece of W'dowel W'longin the
previously drilled hole. The profiles can be
removed from the base so you can hold
them up to an edge needing routing. It also
gives you the flexibility to replace bits and
move them as future needs dictate.al
Project design: Kevin Boyle
28
WOOD magazine October 2006
kerfing
jig
To bend plyrood or solid stock
you need to saw many uniformly
spaced kerfs.You'll quickly plow
through them with this simple
jig.
utting closely spaced kerfs into
the back of a piece of stock and
leavine a thin web of wood on
the front allows the workpiece to bend-
ideal for forming a curved part. (For a kerf-
bending anatomy, see the photo at right.)
Whether bending solid stock or plywood,
uniform kerf spacing guarantees the best
results. Here's how to make a
jig
for your
tablesaw miter gauge that'll accomplish the
job with speed and accuracy.
First, from plywood, particleboard, or
MDF, cut a
t/qx2Vqxl6"
miter-gauge
extension. Then cut a
t/a"
saw kerf
r/c"
deep
centered in the extension, where shown at
right. Now rip aVe"-wide strip from the
edge of a Vq"-thtckpiece of stock, cut a
7t/2"-longpiece, glue it into the extension
kerf, and sand chamfers, where shown at
right. (Centering the pin in the extension
provides ample support on both the
"infeed" and "outfeed"
sides of the pin
when kerfing a long strip of wood.)
Put the
jig
to work
To prevent chip-out at the back edge of the
workpiece, fit your tablesaw with a zero-
Position the pin
tA"
trom the blade, and fas-
ten the extensi on to the mi ter gauge.
quick
and easy
iig
clearance insert. Then adjust the cutting
height of the blade. For solid stock, adjust
the blade so the cut leaves a %"-thick web.
For plywood, adjust the blade so it slightly
cuts into the crossband directly under the
face veneer, leaving atAs-Vs"-thick web.
/ra-Vs" web
Now set the kerf spacing and cut the kerfs,
as shown in the photos below.
[The
photos
show setting up and cutting
t/+"-spaced
kerfs for the aprons (F) of the bow-front
table on page 62lrP
Gl ue pi n i nt o kerf ,
fl ush at the back.
KERFING JIG
/e" saw kert
t/q"
deep
Pl ace one end of the workpi ece agai nst the
pin, and cut the first saw kerf.
Sand sl i ght chamfers
al ong top edges.
l/q
x 11/2" PIN
Dropping each successive saw kerf over the
pi n, kerf the enti re l ength of the workpi ece.
32 WOOD magazine October 2006
rrvorkshop
goofs
put the kibos.h on
rneasurrng
rnistakes
It
ccuracy in woodworking often boils down to
Iil*"uruiing correctly before machining anything.
The following five tips should help you avoid common measuring
goofs. First, though, we offer a few nuggets that apply to all work in
your shop:
r Double-check measurements before cutting.
r Use the same measuring tape throughout your project, when
possible, because minor inconsistencies from tape to tape can add up
to major headaches. Sometimes, however, you might need specialty
tapes, such as for center-finding or left-right reading. We'll show you
these tapes and tell you where to find them.
r Before you do any cutting, check and adjust machines and
accessories to make sure they are square.
r Dry-fit your project before glue-up. That way you'll get a chance to
find and correct assembly problems without being pressured by
drying glue.
Mistake: You've miscalculated while trying to find a workpiece's center.
Sotution: Eliminate the chance for errors in math by using a measuring
tape with a half-scale on the lower level. This board measures 29{a" in
length, fop. The bottom row on the tape indicates that the halfway point
i s 14r%e' . To mark the mi dpoi nt, go back to the top row, fi nd 14ttAe" and
make your mark, bottom.
Measi rePro 1 6' centeri ng tape, $1 5, Pri ceC utter.co m
;
8881 288-2487
Mistake: You measured from the 1" mark ("burning" the first
inch), then forgot to add an inch when marking.
Solution: First, use a steel rule or folding rule that doesn't have
the play of a retractable tape's hook. Second, if you must burn
that inch, make your mark, top, then double-check it by mea-
suring again using the hook, bottom. This example shows how
burning that inch resulted in greater accuracy' as the bottom
measurement is 7o+" shorter than the tape indicates.
Mistake: When you hold the tape in your left hand so you can
mark with your right hand, the numbers on most tapes read up-
side down. That can lead to confusion, especially for unmarked
fractions.
Solution: Rather than try to figure out which mark is
3/a
a;nd
which is,
s/e
for example, get a left-reading measuring tape or one
that reads from both sides, as shown below.
Fast0ap 16' LeftylRighty, $6, Amazon.com
WOOD magazine October 2006
avoiding workshop
goofs
Mi stake: You removed doubl e the i ntended amount when fi ne-
tuni ng a tenon to fi t a morti se, i nstead of hal f from each si de.
Sol uti on: To avoi d cutti ng too much off a tenon when maki ng
mi croadj ustments, l eave remi nders where they wi l l be seen. Wri te
the word "hal f" on the tenon cheeks and al so on a pi ece of tape
near the fi ne adj ustment knob of your tenoni ng
j i g, as shown.
Then spl i t the di fference between both si des when you need to
remove more. Si mi l ar errors can happen when machi ni ng hal f-
l aps, and the sol uti on works the same.
Mi stake: Indi vi dual l y measuri ng and cutti ng each one of mul ti pl e,
matchi ng workpi eces (pi cture frame si des, for exampl e), l eavi ng sl i ght
di screpanci es i n actual di mensi ons.
Sol uti on: El i mi nate cutti ng each pi ece to a penci l mark. Instead, use
a stopbl ock cl amped to a fence or mi ter gauge, as shown, to ensure
each workpi ece wi l l be exactl y the same l ength.
rF
WOOD rnagazine October 2006
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Convert your table saw into a moltler withthe }Iagie llokler.
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oready-to-servel
wiil6fcabinet
Keep your favorite wines, stemware,
and serving accessories handy
in this stylish unit.
on't let the sophisticated look of this project fool
you. With straightforward case and drawer con-
struction, a full-size pattern for forming the feet,
and easy-to-shape wineglass holders, you'll complete it in a
jiffy
and have plenty ofreasons to toast your success.
Start with the case
I
From
3/q"
cherry plywood, cut the sides (A), sub-top
I and shelf (B), and bottom (C) to the sizes listed in the
Materials List.
llCut
az/i' dado and rabbet
3/t"
deep across the inside face
hof eachside (A), where dimensioned on Drawing 1, to fit
the sub-top and shelf (B). Then, on the same face of each
side, cut aVi' rabbet3/a" deep along the back edge to house
the plywood back (I).
QFrom
3/+"-thick
cherry, cut the stiles (D) to size. Then
tfrout V+" chamfers, stopped 2" from the ends, along
both edges on the
front
faces of the stiles, where shown.
For an easy way to do this without tear-out, see the Shop
Tip, page 40, top.
i|Glue
and clamp the stiles (D) to the sides (A), where
'lshown
on Drawing 1, flush with the ends and outside
faces of the sides. After the glue dries, sand the assemblies
to 220 grit.
Ta" round-overs
al ong ends and front edge
to form a bul l nose profi l e
E
exploDED vtEW
pilot hole
t/2"
deep
Y_--
#10 flat washer
/l
I
\-
#8 x 1
1/+"
panhead screw
#8 x 11/q' F.H. wood screw
7o+" shank hol e, countersunk on back face,l vi th a
mati ng %+" pi l ot hol e 7e" deep i n parts@,@@
#4 xs/ a" F. H.
7/a+"
pilol hole 1t/q" deep
s/sz"
shank hol e, countersunk on bottom face
\--
#8 x 2" F.H. wood screw
_1
4Y2'
I
t/q" (abbel
Ta" deep
3/qu
/a'
7a" round-overs
wood
1
I
I
I
301/z'
dado
deep
El
nnl-TENoN DETATL
153/q"--
t/+"
chamfers stopped
2" from ends
woodrnagazine.com 39
Don't get burned routing
stopped chamfers
Ever experienced tear-out or burning when
routing a stopped chamfer? Tear-out can
happen if you rout the entire chamfer in one
pass. Burning occurs if the spinning bit
lingers in one spot, so you needto quickly
pull the partaway from the bit at the end of
the chamfer. Here's an easy way to avoid
these problems. With the part on edge and
against a stopblock, rotate the part into the
bit, as shown at right. Without hesitating,
rout about two-thirds the length of the
chamfer. Then flip the part end-for-end and
reposition it against the stopblock with the
face down and partially chamfered edge
toward the fence, as shown al far right.
Rout again, stopping when you pass the
previously chamfered area.
E
uppen cASE ASSEMBLY
Y4u
chamfers
t/e"
chamfers on front
end filed and sanded
7ae" shank hole, countersunk
on bottom face
/az" shank hole,
countersunk
on bottom face at 8o
t/e"
chamfers
EIn
the sub-top (B), drill apairof counter-
tf sunk mounting holes in the bottom face
and a pair of
sAt'expansion
slots
31"
long for
attaching the top (G) later, where dimen-
sioned on Drawing 2. Drill overlapping holes
to form the slots.
fiFrom
t/l'-thick
cherry planed to match
llthe thickness of the plywood bottom (C),
miter-cut the bottom front trim (E) and side
trim (F) to the sizes listed. Glue and clamp
the trim to the bottom, noting that the non-
mitered back ends of the side trim overhang
the bottom W'. Afterthe glue dries, routa3/s"
round-over along the top and bottom edges
of the trim. Sand the assembly smooth.
r]fFrom s/i'-tlick
edge-joined cherry, cut
I the top (G) to size. Then rout3/a" round-
overs along the top and bottom edges on the
ends and front to create a bullnose profile.
Sand the top srhooth.
Now glue the case together
I
Dry-assemble the sides/stiles (A/D) and
I sub-top and shelf (B), and verify that the
parts fit together correctly. Make any needed
adjustments. Then glue and clamp the parts
together, as shown in Photo A.
f
Measure between the stiles (D) for the
Eexactlength of the sub-top and shelf trim
(H), where shown on Drawings 1 and 2.
Then, from
r//'-thick
cherry resawn or planed
to Vd' and ripped to match the thickness of
thez/l'plywood sub-top and shelf (B), cross-
cut the tri.m to the measured length. Cut an
extrapiece from
s/t'
scrap tothe same length
for use as a spacer to complete the case
assembly. Glue and clamp the ffim in place,
flush with the top and bottom faces of the
sub-top and shelf. Sand smooth.
Rotate part into
bit and rout aboit
'
two-thirds of
chamfer length;
7ge" shank hole, countersunk
on bottom face
3%,'J
i
'\l/'ra'y' |
2Vr'
-
p[
OUTER HOLDER
SECTION VIEW DETAIL
f'
40 WOODrnagazine October2006
Glue and clamp the case together, ensuring
that the sub-top and shelf (B) are flush with
the rabbeted back edges of the sides (A).
Drill overlapping holes to form 1tZ" mortises
s/e"
deep in the face and edge of the foot
blank, where shown on the pattern.
QPosition
the case with the back down.
flUsing the spacer to maintain the correct
distance between the stiles (D) at the bottom,
clamp (do not glue) the bottonn/trim assem-
bly (C/E/F) and spacer to the case, as shown
in Photo B. Then drill mounting holes
through the bottom (C) and centered into the
sides (A), where shown on Drawing 1. Drive
the #8x2" flathead wood screws.
llTo
mount the top (G), position it with the
Abottomfaceup on your workbench. Then
place the case, with the sub-top (B) down,
on the top, centered side-to-side and flush at
the back. Mark the centers of the mounting
holes and slots in the sub-top on the top, as
shown in Photo G. Remove the case, and
drill pilot holes into the top at the marked
centerpoints. Reposition the case. Now, using
a short screwdriver, fasten the top with
#8xlyd' flathead wood screws and #8xl%'
panhead screws with#10 flat washers, where
shown on Drawing 1.
fFrom
r/+"
cherry plywood, cut the back
tr(I) to size to fit the rabbeted opening in
the case. Position the back in the case, tight
against the top (G). Drill mounting holes
through the back and into the case, where
woodmagazine,com
Clamp the bottom/trim assembly (G/E/D,
centered side-to-side, to the case, with the
spacer tight between the stiles (D).
Glue and clamp the feet (J) and rails (K)
together, keeping the top surfaces flush.
Measure the diagonals to verify square.
shown. Then remove
'the
back. sand it
smooth, and set it aside.
Move down to the base
I
From laminated
z/i'-thickcherry
(or lW'-
I thick stock), cut two 2x9W blanks to
form the feet (J). You'll get two feet from
each blank.
j)Make two copies of the full-size foot pat-
Atern from the WOOD Patternso insert.
Spray-adhere a pattern to each blank, folding
the pattern where shown. Using a W' brad-
point bit in your drill press, drlll lW' mortises
eAe"
deep in the face and edge of each blank,
where shown on the pattern and as shown in
Photo D. Then, using sharp chisels, square
the ends and sides of the mortises.
QBandsaw
and drum-sand each blank to
ffthe pattern lines, but do not separate the
feet. Using a %" round-over bit in your table-
mounted router, round over the edges and
ends of the blanks on both faces, where
shown on the pattern and Drawing 1. Sand
the routed edges smooth.
;l
Using an extension on your tablesaw
'fmiter
gauge for support, and a stopblock
to ensure identical lengths, crosscut two
Using aVgz" brad-point bit, mark the centers
of the mounting holes and slots in the sub-
top (B) on the bottom face of the top (G).
Glue and clamp the base (J/K) to the case
bottom (Cftln, with the base centered side-
to-side, and the feet (J) flush with the back.
4li'-Iongfeet from each blank, where shown
on the pattern.
fCut
the rails (K) to size. Using a dado
rfblade in vour tablesaw. form a W' tenon
Vz" longat each end of the rails, where shown
on Drawings 1 and la, to fit snugly into the
foot mortises. (We made test-cuts in cutoffs
to verify our setup before cutting the rail
tenons.) After cutting the tenon cheeks, set
the rails on the bottom edges and cut the ends
again to trim the lW':wide tenons to IW'.
QRefit
your tablesaw with a standard
t/s"-
lfkerf blade. Then cut a pair of Vz"-deep
grooves
1/r0"
from each face of the rails along
the top edges, where dimensioned on Draw-
ing 1a. The grooves capture glue squeeze-out
when mounting the base to the case. Sand
the rails smooth.
r]fDry-assemble
the feet (J) and rails (K),
I and verify that the parts fit together cor-
rectly. Then glue and clamp the base together,
as shown in Photo E.
(lPlace the case on the floor with the bot-
Oto- up. Apply glue to the area on the
rails (K) between the/s" grooves. Now posi-
tion and clamp the base (J/K) to the bottom
of the case. as shown.in Photo F.
41
El
onnwen
t/q"
dadoes
t/q"
deep
t/a"
from ends
170+"
hol e, centered
t/e"
chamfers
fr
47/'ta"
\ t
t
6$
vr\
1
47/'ra"
l-" r
#18 x
3/ q"
brad
)
STEP1
Auxi l i ary
-
wood fence
a / l l
,/4 -
t -
I
1/z'
i ",
'5
t : :
o
\
1' l '
n
H
- -raotJsaw
H
,r' dado blade
1
t/+"
sati n-ni ckel knob
E
uncHrNrNG THE DRAWER PARTS
tZ"
grooves
t/q"
deep
1/q"
trom bottom edge
QUsing
a 45" chamfer bit in your table-
9mounted router, rout a %" chamfer across
the ends and along the edges of the drawer
front (L) on the
front
face, where shown on
Drawing 3. Then drill an
rr,/o+"
hole, centered,
through the front for screw-mounting a lVq"
knob later.
,lllFrom
r/+"
cherry plywood, cut the bottom
'f
tOl
to size. Sand all of the drawer parts
smooth. Then glue and clamp the front (L),
back (M), and sides (N) together, keeping
the top edges of the back and sides flush.
Check for square. Now slide the bottom (do
not glue) in place, and secure it to the back
with#18xtA" brads.
Now head up to the drawer
I
From 7+"-thick cherry, cut the drawer
I front (L) to size. Then, from
-7+"
stock
planed to
t/2",
cut the back (M) and sides (N)
to size.
,Fit
your tablesaw with a V+" dado blade.
CrThen, referring to Drawings 3 and 3a and
the four-step Drawing 4, machine the
grooves, rabbets, and dadoes in the drawer
parts. When cutting the V+"-deep grooves /+"
from the bottom edges in the front (L) and
sides (N) to receive the
t/+"
plywood bottom
(O), switch to a standard %"-kerf blade and
cut the grooves to width in two passes to
snugly fit your plywood.
42
fFrom
%"-thick cherry, cut the drawer
9cleats (P) and stop (Q) to the sizes listed.
Position the cleats (without glue) in the case,
tight against the sides (A) and stiles (D).
Slide the drawer into place, and verify that it
moves smoothly. If tight, remove the drawer,
and plane or sand the cleats as needed to
achieve the desired fit. Then glue and clamp
the cleats into position.
QDry-clamp
the stop (Q) to the shelf (B),
lfcentered side-to-side and flush at the
back. Slide the drawer into the case until it
contacts the stop. Verify that the front (L)
overhangs the shelf trim (H)
t/8",
where
shown on Drawing 5. If the overhang is
greater than %", trim the stop width, as
needed. If the overhang is less than %", posi-
tion the drawer with a %" overhang, and glue
and clamp the block to the shell tight against
the drawer back (M). Remove the drawer.
t/+"
rabbets
t/q"
deep
EE
onnwER-JorNT DETATL
--v^a-l
t-T FI,
I I l--i-l
L4-J
t
't/nu
t/e"
chamfer
43/q" 1
STEP 2
Auxi l i ary
wood
outsi de
fence-r
face
I
l
1/2"
ffi
ITT
L-+.t
o
I-
Tabl dsaw
{--t_
t/a"
dado bl ade
El
cnse srDE sEcroN vrEW
WOOD magazine October 2006
Shape the wineglass holders in 4 quick steps
It's sasy to cut th6 rabbots in the wineglass holders and chamter the edges using a standard blade in your tablesaw. Here's how.
STEP 1 Raise your blade 1tl2" above a zero-clearance insert, and
posi ti on the fence l q" trom the i nsrUe of the bl ade. Usi ng a pushbl ock,
pushstick, and feather board for safety, rip the outer holders (S) along
one edge and i nner hol ders (R) al ong bofh edges, keepi ng the same
face against the fence.
STEP 2 Lower the blade to lz", and reposition the fence 2rh" from the
i nsi de of the bl ade. Wi th the top face of an i nner hol der (R) down, cut
the pi ece, turn i t end-for-end, and cut i t agai n to compl ete the rabbets.
For stability, keep the pushblock centered on the holder. Repeat for
the other i nner hol der.
STEP 3 With the blade height still at
t/2",
reposition the fence
3/q"
from
the i nsi de of the bl ade. Keepi ng an outer hol der (S) ti ght agai nst the
fence with the top face down, cut the piece to complete the rabbet.
Hol d the pushbl ock snug to the fence to keep the part stabl e. Repeat
for the other holder.
Add the wineglass holders
I
From
zA"-thick
cherry, cut the wineglass
I inner and outer holders (R, S) to the sizes
listed. Using a standard blade in your
tablesaw, cut lVz" rabbets
r/2"
deep in the
holders, where shown on Drawing 2, making
two cuts to form each rabbet. Then bevel-rip
a Vs" chamfer along the edges (not ends) of
the holders, where shown. For help with cur
ting the rabbets and chamfers, see the side-
bar, "Shape the wineglass holders in 4 quick
steps," above.
!)Using
a wood or cabinet file, form a %"
Erchamfer on the front ends of the inner
woodmagazine.com
STEP 4 To chamfer the edges of the holders, switch to your standard
bl ade i nsert. Ti l t the bl ade to 45o, and rai se i t
eZ".
Posi ti on the fence,
as shown, and cut al s" chamfer al ong both edges of the i nner hol d-
ers (R). Then reposi ti on the fence, and chamfer the i nsi de edge of the
outer hol ders (S).
and outer holders (R, S), where shown on
Drawing 2.
QDrill
countersunk mounting holes in the
9bottom faces of the holders (R, S), angling
the holes in the outer holders (S) at 8o, where
shown on Drawing 2a. Sand the holders.
ATo
mount the holders (R, S) in the case,
'lposition
the case with the top (G) down
and supported on 4x4 spacers for clamp
clearance, as shown in Photo G. From 7+"
With the inner and outer holders (R, S)
clamped in position with 1%0"-wide spacers
between them, drill pilot holes into the shelf
(B)and drive the screws.
43
scrap, cutalVtexl2" piece. Then crosscut six
l3/+"-long pieces for spacers. Position the
holders (without glue) on the shelf (B), flush
at the back edge, with the lVro"-wide spacers
between them, as shown. Clamp the holders
into place. Using the mounting holes in the
holders as guides, drill pilot holes into the
shelf. Drive the screws. For easy finishing
later, remove the screws and holders, mark
the holder locations. and set them aside.
Time for the shelves
I
From
3/q"
cherry plywood, cut the shelves
f (T) and dividers (U) to the sizes listed.
Then, from3A"-thick cherry planed to match
the plywood thickness, cut the shelf trim (V)
and divider trim (W) to the given sizes.
D
At you did for the base rails (K), cut a
fpair of
t,/s"
glue-relief grooves along the
top edges of the dividers (U), where shown
on Drawing 1.
QGlue
and clamp the shelf trim (V) to the
lJshelves (T), and the divider trim
(W)
to
the dividers (U), keeping the ends and edges
flush. Sand smooth. Then glue and clamp the
dividers (U/W) to the bottom of the shelves
(T/V) where dimensioned, keeping the parts
flush at the back. (The shelf trim overhangs
the divider trim Vq" at the front.)
Finish up
I
Ar needed, sand any areas of the case,
I back, drawer, wineglass holders, and
shelves to 220 grit and remove the dust.
D
Appty a stain, if you wish, and clear fin-
Erish.
(We
applied Varathane Premium
Wood Stain No. 245 Traditional Cherry, fol-
lowed by two coats of satin AquaZar Water-
Based Polyurethane, sanding to 320 grit
between coats.)
Qwhen
the finish dries, remount the wine-
tfglass holders (R, S).Then fasten the back
to the case with #4xs/s" flathead wood
screws. Attach a lVq" knob to the drawer
using the screw supplied with the knob. For a
smooth-gliding drawer, apply paraffin wax
to the cleats (P) and bottom edges of the sides
(N).
Install the drawer and shelves in the
case. Now fill the cabinet with your favorite
wines, wineglasses, and accessories, pop a
cork, and celebrate your fine work! i
Wri tten by Owen Duval l wi th Chuck Hedl und
Project design: Kevin Boyle
l l l ustrati ons: Roxanne LeMoi ne: Lorna Johnson
3/q'
16' 301/z' CP 2 sides
o
subtop
-
and shelf
3/+"
153/a' 16" c P2
C bottom /+' 16/e' 161/2" CP
D stiles
34"
11/zu 301/2' C
E bottom fronttrim
3/au 3/q'
F bottom side trim
3/+u 3/cu
17/e" c
G top
3/q'
173/a' 18" EC
u
sub-topand
"
shelf trim
1/t" 3/t,
133/+' C
I back
1/+u
16"
' 31V4'
CP
3/q,
1t/zu 143/4'
3/q"
47Aa" 135/a'
M back
l/zu
4u 13t/a' C
N sides Vz' 47Aa" 14s/q' C
0 bottom
1/+u
131/8' 141/2' CP
P cleats
3/+u 13Aa,,
153/q'
3/tu
11/au
inner holders
outer holders
shelves
3/4"
1413/16" 15sA6" CP
U dividers
3/q"
14eAa" 4u c P6
V shelf trim
3/q' 3/q,
153/a" C
W divider trim
3/+' 3/tu
4u
.Part
initially cut oversize. See the instructions.
Materials key CP-cherry plyrood, C-cherry,
EO-edge-joined cherry, L0-laminated cherry.
Supplies: #8x2" flathead wood screws (6), #8x1%" flathead
wood screws (14), #8x'l/0" panhead screws (2), #4xs/e"
flathead wood screws (12), #10 flat washers (2), spray adhe-
sive, #18x3/a" brads, 1tl+" satin-nickel knob (available at your
local home center or hardware store), paraffin wax.
Blade and bits: Dado-blade set,
t/s"
and %" round-over and
45" chamfer router bits,
t/t"
and 7ez" brad-point bits.
@
e
t/q
x 48 x 48" Cherry plywood
feet
rails
front
stop
Cutting Diagrarn
e/a
x7t/q x 96" Cherry (5.3 bd. ft.)
*Pl ane
or resaw to the thi cknesses l i sted i n the Materi al s Li st.
3/ q
x71/ q x 96" Cher r y ( 5. 3 bd. f t . )
3/q
x 51/z x 48" Cherry (2 bd. ft.)
g/+
x 48 x 96" Cherry plywood
44 WOOD rnagazine October 2006
shop-in-a-box
todlcab:
Keep tools, hardware, and supplies organized in this space-
saving, 4-door cabinet. Though it occupies little more than
7 square feet of wall area, it offers a full26 square feet
of storage on the perforated-hardboard panels alone !
ooking for an easy-to-build project
that makes a really big impact on
reducing shop clutter and improving
work efficiency? Here it is. With identical
case and door constructi on usi ng si mpl e
rabbet-and-groove joinery, you can make this
cabinet in a few evenings or a weekend. For
materi al s, you need onl y a 4x8 sheet each of
t/+"
perforated hardboard and
./+"
plywood,
plus a quarter-sheet of /+" hardboard.
Start with the case
I
From /+" plywood, cut the sides (A) and
I top and bottom (B) to the sizes listed in
the Materials List. (We used Baltic birch
plywood, which we found at a local home
center, and applied a clear finish. If you plan
to paint the unit, you can use less-expensive
type AC or BC plywood.) Because the
thickness of plywood varies, you may need
46
to slightly adjust the sizes of some parts and
the mating dadoes and rabbets.
)Mark
centerpoints for
t/+"
holes /s" deep
Erfor shelf supports on the insicle faces of
the sides (A), where dimensioned on Draw-
ing 1. Drill the holes using a brad-point bit
in your drill press. Adjust the depth stop for
consistent drilling depth.
QFit
your tablesaw with an auxiliary fence
tJand dado blade that matches the thick-
ness of your 7+" plywood. Then cut a /s"-deep
rabbet across the inside faces of the sides
(A)
at each end. as shown in Photo A.
ATo
cut a
t/t"
groove /s" deep in the sides
' ltnt
and top and bottom (B) to fit your
t/+"
perforated hardboard for the back (C),
where dimensioned on Drawings 1 and 2,
switch to a standard %"-kerf blade in your
tablesaw. Position the fence /+" from the
inside of the blade. Then cut a sroove alons
Though t he case measures j ust 127e" deep,
i t houses al l f our doors when cl osed.
ffi
WOOD magazine October 2006
E
cnse stDE
(lnside face of left side shown)
s/q"
rabbet 7e" deep
/a" hi nge
cl earance
Location of
outer-door
cont i nuous
hi nge
Location of
i nner-door
cont i nuous
hi nge
V+" hole
Te" deep
1/+"
groove
e/e"
degp
3/q"
trom
back edge
Keepi ng a si de (A)ti ght agai nst an auxi l i ary
fence and miter-gauge extension, cut a
rabbet across each end on the inside tace.
the back edges of the sides, top, and
bottom on the inside faces. Now repo-
sition the fence, as needed, and cut the
grooves to final width to snugly fit
the hardboard. Sand the parts smooth
to 180 grit.
fFrom
V+" perforated hardboard,
rJcut a 3lz/+"-square piece for the
back (C). Then dry-assemble the sides
(A), top and bottom (B), and back,
and check that the parts fit together
correctly. Make any needed adjust-
ments. Now glue and clamp the case
together, measuring for equal diago-
nals to verify square. Drill mounting
holes through the sides and into the
top and bottom, where shown on
Drawing 2, and drive the screws.
EFrom
3/+"
birch plywood, cut the
lJshelf (D) to size. Then, fiom your
V+" perforated-hardboard cutoffs, cut
two 4x5Vz" spacers. Position the shelf
in the case on the 5W'-tall spacers, as
shown in Photo B. Drill the mounting
holes, where dimensioned on Draw-
ing 1, and drive the screws.
!f
From
t/+"
plywood, cut the mount-
I ing cleats (E) and spacer (F) to
IVzx3l". Bevel-rip one edge of each
cleat at 45", leaving a V8" flat, where
shown on Drawing 2a.
flPosition
the case on your work-
lJbench with the back (C) up. Then
glue and clamp a mounting cleat (E)
in place on the back, tight against the
top (B), in the orientation shown on
Drawing 2a. From inside the case,
drill mounting holes, centered in the
holes in the perforated-hardboard
back, into the mounting cleat, where
shown on Drawing 2, and drive the
#8x3A" flathead wood screws to fur-
ther strengthen the attachment. In the
woodmagazine.com
Wi th the shel f (D)on Stl 2"-tal l spacers and
ti ght agai nst the back (C), dri l l mounti ng
hol es through the si des (A) i nto the shel f.
Locations of
conti nuous
hi nges
51/z'
Magneti c catches
#8 x 3" F.H. wood screw dri ven i nto wal l stud
41/e"-
7se" shank i
hol es,
i
countersunk
j
on outsi de i
face
j
e/q"
rabbel
7e" deep
Not e: Ri ght si de@i s a mi rror i mage.
E
cnse
r/+"
groove 7a" deep
3/q"
trom back edge
1/2"
| ----_--.
7ez" shank hol e,
countersunk
#8 xe/ q" F. H.
wood screw
Shel f support
#8xs/ +" F. H.
wood screw
41/q"
#8 x 2" F. H.
wood screw
ur 1
r
321/z'
Location
of part
EE!
cunr MoUNTTNG DETATL
#8 x 3" F. H.
wood screw
dri ven i nto
wal l st ud
7o+" pi l ot hol e
17a" deep
3t7u'-{
1/q"
gtoove 7a" deep
3/q"
ttom back edge
25/e"
47
Align the inner-door hinge with the marked
lines, and press the taped hinge in place.
Then drillthe mounting holes.
same way, glue and screw the spacer (F) to
the back, tight against the bottom (B).
(fFrom W' hardboard, cut a Vzx3I" strrp
r/for the bin stop (G). Glue and clamp the
stop to the bottom (B),4V4' from the front
edge, where dimensioned on Drawing 2.
t 0
[1]?
l,i":*:::ft ,:11 *ioil"*'
Now build the doors
I
Tlo ensure that the outer and inner doors
I fit into the case with Vs" clearance at the
top and bottom, where shown on Drawing 1,
measure the openings between the top and
bottom (B) for the outer doors and the top
and shelf (D) for the inner doors. Then,
from
3/l'
plywood, cut the outer-door sides
(I) and inner-door sides (J) to the sizes listed
and lengths equal to your measured open-
ings minus 1/+". (Our sides measured 3}z/l'
for the outer doors and 24W' for the inner
doors.) Also, cut the tops and bottoms (K)
for the outer and inner doors to size.
QFrom
Vt" pertorated hardboard, cut the
Etouter- and inner-door panels (L, M) to
the sizes listed.
QUsing
a dado blade in your tablesaw, cut
9a3/q" rabbet
3/a"
deep across the ends of
each outer- and inner-door side (I, J) on the
inside face, where shown on Drawing 3.
ATo
c\t Vq" grooves
3/a"
deep in the door
Esides (I, J) and tops and bottoms (K),
where dimensioned on Drawing 3a, switch
to a standard %"-kerf blade. Position the
fence lW' fromthe inside of the blade. Then
cut a pair of grooves along the inside face of
each part, rotating the part end to end
between cuts. Now move the fence away
from the blade as needed, and cut the parts
again to widen the grooves and achieve a
snug fit with your perforated-hardboard
panels (L, M).
Sand the door sides (I, J), tops and bot-
toms (K), and panels (L, M) to 180 grit.
Posi ti on a hi nge on an i nner-door si de (J)
with a Va" overhang. Measure from the back
to the hinge to find the spacer width.
7se" shank hol e,
countersunk
E
ooon
(Left
door shown, viewed from
7/a+"
pilolhole 17a" O"\
Glamp the spacer to the door, flush with the
back edge. With the hinge tight against the
spacer, dri l l the mounti ng hol es.
back)
1tl2" continuous hinge
307+" long for outer door
24Vz" long for inner door
t/+"
grooves
Te" deep
V+" rabbel
s/e"
deep
@
ooon cRoovE DETATL
Location of
strike
plate
on part
@ 1
sYs'
J
Then glue and clamp each door together,
checking for square. Drill mounting holes
through the sides and into the tops and bot-
toms, where shown on Drawing 3, and drive
the screws. For ease in mounting the hinges
and installing the doors later, identify the
top (K) of each door and the side (I, J) that
you'll hinge-mount to the case.
_t
Vc"
I
Vc" tabbelVa"
\ l
)t
#8 x 2" F. H.
48 WOOD magazine October 2006
Posi ti on the ri ght i nner door i n the case,
al i gni ng the hi nge wi th the previ ousl y dri l l ed
mounti ng hol es. Dri ve the screws.
Add the easy-to-make bins
I
From
3/q"
plywood, cut the fronts (N)
I and backs (O) for the eight bins to the
sizes listed. Then, from Vc" hardboard, cut
the sides (P) and bottoms (Q) to size.
DLuy
out the angled edge on a side (P),
Elwhere dimensioned on Drawing 4.
Bandsaw or scrollsaw to the marked line,
and sand smooth. Using this piece as a tem-
plate, mark the angle on the remaining side
pieces, and cut and sand them to shape.
QSand
the fronts (N), backs (O), sides (P),
tJand bottoms (Q) to 180 grit. Then glue
and clamp the parts together in the configu-
ration shown.
Sandn then apply the finish
I
If needed, fill any voids in the plywood
I edges with a paintable wood putty, and
sand smooth when dry. Theri sand any areas
of the case, doors, shelves, and bins that
need it to 180 grit, and ease any sharp edges.
Remove the dust.
D
Appty two coats of a clear finish, sand-
Ering between coats. (We applied
Varathane Diamond Water-Based Polyure-
thane, satin finish, sanding to 320 grit
between coats.)
Gomplete the assembly
I
Measure the lengths of the outer- and
I inner-door sides (I, J). Then, from two
IVzx48" continuous hinges for the outer
doors and two lVzx3}" hinges for the inner
doors, hacksaw the pieces to the measured
lengths. To maintain the correct orientation
of the hinges during assembly, mark the
manufactured (uncut) ends "top."
DTo
position the hinges on the case sides
Er(A), where dimensioned on Drawing 1,
place the case on the left side. Draw align-
ment lines on masking tape Vs" fromthe top
and bottom (B) for the outer-door hinge and
woodmagazine.corn
Align the mounting flange of the magnetic
catch with the marked centerline on the
shelf (D). Mark the centers of the slots.
%" from the top and shelf (D) for the inner-
door hinge to center the hinges top-to-bottom.
Then, to position the barrel of the inner-door
hinge %" from the front of the shelf so the
door closes flush with the shelf, adjust a
combination square to the distance from the
front edge of the side to the shelf less /a".
(We set our square to 4Va".) Now mark inter-
secting lines using the square.
2To
mount the inner-door hinge, apply a
tJfew small pieces of cloth-backed double-
faced tape to the case-side hinge leaf. With
the hinge leaves positioned at 90o and the
marked top end of the hinge correctly ori-
ented, align the hinge with the marks, as
shown in Photo C, and press it in place. Using
a self-centering bit, dritl the mounting holes.
Drive the screws, supplied with the hinge, in
the two top and bottom holes to prethread
them for easier
mounting of rhe E
CngtNgf
door later. Then
remove the screws,
hinge, and tape.
In the same way,
mount the outer-
door hinge, except
position it so that
the barrel over-
hangs the front
edge of the case
%". Use a combi-
VB" hardboard as
an alignment aid
to set the hinge
overhang. Now
E
erll
ATo
mount the hinges on the doors, where
'f
shown on Drawing 5, place a hinge for
an inner door along the
front
edge of the
side (J) identified for hinge-mounting to
the case. With the hinge leaves positioned at
90", the top of the hinge at the top of the
door, and the ends flush, align the hinge so
that the barrel overhangs the edge %".
Next, to easily keep the hinge aligned,
measure from the back of the door to the
hinge for a spacer, as shown in Photo D.
(We measured 3ala".) Then, from Vq" hard-
board, cut a 2O"-long piece to your measured
width. Now clamp the spacer to the door
and mount the hinge, as shown in Photo E,
driving all of the screws. Repeat for the
other doors.
f
Position the case on the right side (A),
rJand screw-mount the right inner door, as
shown in Photo F. Raise the door to the
closed position. Then mount the right outer
door. Using a helper, reposition the case on
the left side. Mount the remaining doors.
reposition the case Outer
on the right side
door
(A), and repeat the
hinge marking and
mounting process.
1tl 2" conti nuous hi nge 24V2" l ong Inner doors
15"-_i
1tl 2" conti nuous hi nge
30 /r" long
Note: Right outer door removed for clarity.
fr-tzu7"
49
ATo
mount magnetic catches to hold the
lJdoors closed, where shown on Drawing 2,
position the strike plates on the back edges
of the inside door sides (I, J), where dimen-
sioned on Drawing 3, noting the different
locations for the outer and inner doors. Drill
the pilot holes, and drive the screws supplied
with the catches.
Next, mark the center of the shelf (D) on
a piece of masking tape positioned behind
the inner doors, as shown in Photo G. Mate
a catch to the strike plate on the left inner
door. Holding the front of the door and shelf
flush, align the catch with the centerline, as
shown. Mark the centers of the mounting
slots. Drill the holes, remove the tape, and
screw-mount the catch. In the same way,
mount the catch for the right inner door,
tight against the left-door catch. Then mark
the center of the shelf (D) on the bottomface
at the front edge. Now mount the catches for
the outer doors, aligning the catches with
the centerline.
7To
mount the unit, hold the remaining
I mounting cleat (E) level on your wall
with the beveled edge positioned where
shown on Drawings 2 and 2a. Drill counter-
Lock hooks to perforated
hardboard in a snap
Here' s a simple and inexpensive way to secure
standard, nonlocking hooks to perforated
hardboard so they won' t come out. Strap them in
place with M-style hook holders. Just center a
holder over the hook shank, and press the barbed
ends into an adjacent pair of holes, as shown.
You easily can release the holders to reposition
the hooks. The holders fit standard 9-gauge and
heavy-duty S-gauge hooks used in
' r/a"
and' r/+"
hardboard with
-slo"
or
s/sz"
holes spaced 1" apart.
A bag of 50 cl i ps, no. 1169485, costs
$11.89 from
McMaster- Carr, 4041346-7000, mcmaster.com.
sunk mounting holes through the cleat into
the wall studs, and fasten with #8x2Vz" flat-
head wood screws. Using a helper, hang the
unit. Then, from inside the cabinet, drill
mounting holes, centered in holes in the
back (C), through the case mounting cleat
(E) and spacer (F) into the studs to anchor
the assembly to the wall.
filFinally,
install the shelves (H), where
lJyou wish, using Vq" shelf supports. Place
the bins in the cabinet behind the bin stop
(G), where shown on Drawing 5. Now tidy
up your shop by filling the cabinet with
tools, hardware, and supplies, hanging items
on the perforated-hardboard panels using
suitable V+" metal hooks, available at your
local home center or hardware store. For a
simple way to keep hooks securely in place,
see the sidebar, above.lF
Written by Owen Duvall
Project design: Jeff Mertz
lllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine, Lorna Johnson
sides
3/qu
12s/a' 321/z'
B top and bottom
3/q'
12s/a' 31/+' BP 2
C back
t/+"
313/c' 313/q' PH
D shelf
3/q'
73/a' 31"
E mounting cleats
3/+"
1V2' 31"
F spacer
3/q'
11/zu 31" B P 1
G bin stop
1/c" 1/2'
31"
shelves
outer-door sides
3/cu
41/a"
J inner-door sides
3/+u
41/8" 241/z' BP 4
n
topsand
"
bottoms
3/t"
41/e" 141/c' BP
g
,_
outer-door
paneF
1/+"
14Y4' 30" P H4
M
inner-door
pane6
1/+"
141/+" 233/+' PH 4
l/q
x 48 x 96" Perforated hardboard
See more FREE
si mpl e shop
project plans
at
woodma gazi
ne. com/wbproiects
fronts
0 backs
3/t,
31/q' 41/+" BP
g
P sides
1/+"
414' 6V+'
Q bottoms 33/qu 63/+"
Materials key: BP-Baltic birch plywood, PH-perforated
hardboard, H-hardboard.
Supplies: #8x%" flathead wood screws (6); #8x2" flathead
wood screws (48)i #8x2r/2" flathead wood screws
(2):
#8x3"
flathead wood screws (4); cloth-backed, doubleJaced tape;
11/2x48" continuous hinges (2) and 1tl2x30" continuous
hinges (2); paintable wood putty; magnetic catches (4);
%" shelf supports (8);
t/+"
perforated-hardboard hooks.
Blade and bit Dado-blade sel. /+" brad-ooint bit.
50
3/q
x 48 x 96" Baltic birch plywood
1/c
x 24 x 48" Hardboard
WOOD rnagazine October 2006
#ri.
MichaelFortune
resaws with precision
on his perfectly,tuned
and modeetly priced
Ridgid bandsaw.
ry
q
kay, so maybe you couldn't afford
that $1,000 bandsaw. Perhaps you
had to settle for an el cheapo that
you hide in a dark corner of your shop when
your woodworking buddies come calling. No
need to feel shame-with the right TLC and a
few clever add-ons, you can tune up and trick
52
out a low-cost tool and make it deliver clean,
precise cuts with every flick of the switch.
How's that possible? We let one of North
America's premier master craftsmen, Michael
Fortune, tackle that question. (See more on
Michael, above right.) During a recent visit
to his workshop in Lakefield, Ontario,
*
Michael introduced us to one of the stars of
his tool lineup, a modest 14" Ridgid bandsaw,
model BS14000, with a
3/+-hp,1l0-volt
motor,
purchased for around $350.
"That's plenty of
saw for a one-man shop," he says, "provided
you set it up properly." Noq you can do the
same with your low-dough bandsaw.
WOOD magazine October 2006
More on the expert
Artist, award-wi nn i n g f u rn iture-desi g ner, teacher,
accomplished woodworker-Michael Fortune fits all
of these descriptions. His designs have appeared in
museums and exhi bi ti ons worl dwi de and can be
seen on hi s Web si te at mi chael fortune.com. In
addi ti on, Mi chael teaches desi gn workshops at
universities and woodworking schools throughout
North America. You can catch him teaching bandsaw
and other woodworking-related workshops at The
Woodworking Shows and the Marc Adams School of
Woodworking. For more on the Marc Adams School,
call317/535-4013; or go to marcadams.com.
Made from
Macassar ebony
with silver and
mother-of-pearl
inlay, Michael's
signature
chairs consist of
steam-bent and
laminated parts,
held together
by mortise-and-
tenon
joinery.
They command a
price that only the
affluent can fork up.
big assignments faster, as when resawing 4"
or wider hardwood boards, for example.
I Top-quality blade. According to
Michael, "New saws typically come with
bad blades that need to be replaced." That's
the first thing he does. And while he's tried
all kinds of blades, he always comes back to
his favorite-l
t/2"
skip-tooth, carbon steel,
coarse blade having three teeth per inch and
a large gullet. "I found a fine-tooth blade
isn't really better than a coarse blade for
clean, straight cuts," he says. Equally impor-
tant is the quality of the weJd. "For trueness
and durability of their welds, I rely on BC
Saw & Tool, Inc.
[call
888/251-2236, or
visit bcsaw.coml for all the bandsaw blades
in my shop."
I Stock support. Finally, due to the
small size of bandsaw tables, Michael engi-
neered a simple adjustable work support
system that includes an inexpensive ball-
bearing roller stand (minus one leg), a wood
support rail attached to the saw's base, and
a lockable, adjustable wood arm that con-
nects the stand to the saw. With this add-on
he can saw boards 10'long.
Begin with a good basic tool
ichael has five bandsaws in his shop,
all rigged similarly to the two shown
here-his Ridgid and a more expensive 14"
General International (GI) (about
$800). He
isolates five key ingredients that a top-per-
forming cutting machine should include:
I Rock-solid base. A vibration-free
bandsaw, Michael says, "starts with a solid
base that sits firmly on the floor." He does
not rest his bandsaws on wheeled mobile
bases. Instead, he installed a piece of ply-
wood with rounded-over edges beneath the
GI . Beneath it. he attached four Teflon slid-
ers
(sometimes
call furniture
movers) that he purchased at a
local hardware store. These
give the tool full contact with
the floor and let him slide it
around with relative ease. The
legs on his Ridgid and several
other stationary tools alsb
have sliders beneath them for
quick and occasional reloca-
tion. End result: The solution
is dirt cheap, and it meets the
woodworker's needs!
I Dust disposal. An effi-
cient machine provides one
or more dust-collection ports
attached to a vacuum to keep
the wheel housing from fill-
ing up with sawdust and
interfering with the saw's
operation. Michael especially
likes the built-in dust collec-
tion of the GI because it
eliminates having to work
around a shop vacuum or
large dust-collector hose.
I Adequate power.
'A
Vr-hp bandsaw motor works
fine for most workshop jobs,"
Michael says. But he agrees
that a bigger motor handles
woodrnagazine.corn
Tricked out and tuned up, Michael's 14" Ridgid (left) and 14" General International bandsaws are equals
when it comes to precision cutting, though the General Internatioal costs hundreds of dollars more.
53
Set up your
saw for success
lf
ccurate bandsaw adjustments make all the difference between
Ita so-so cut and one that requires little cleanup. Here are
Michael's secrets for achieving great results.
I Center the blade for centered cuts. First, with the saw's
power off, spin the upper wheel by hand to ensure the blade stays on
the tire, turning the top-wheel adjustment knob as shown. Then,
with the cover slightly
ajar-enough to see the
wheel and blade-turn
on the saw and fine-tune
the wheel angle to center
the blade perfectly on the
crown of the tire. This
will cause the blade to
center on the lower tire
as well, provided the
bearing and guide blocks
are correctly adjusted.
(Michael never adjusts
the lower wheel.) Make a
test cut in scrap, and then
compare it to the draw-
ing at right to determine
if your blade is centered.
I f,pply the right blade tensioning. Michael
applies just
enough tension to allow him to deflect
the blade Vq" with finger pressure as shown. "When
tensioning the blade, I get better results by adjusting
it lower than the settings marked on the saw," he
says. "For a W' blade, for instance, I adjust the ten-
sion to the
3/e"
setting." After sawing, Michael
releases the blade tension to avoid creating a tire-
damaging track and forming abend in the blade that
could stress the weld over time.
I Use a wheel bnrsh for a clean sweep. Too much sawdust
buildup on the wheel could move the blade off the crown, affecting
cut quality. A simple brush located on the lower wheel keeps saw-
dust from compacting on the tire. on one bandsaw in Michael's
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR BLADE IS CENTERED
Blade saws straight:
Blade centered on crown of wheel.
Cut drifts as shown when
blade is too far back on wheel
Cut drifts as shown
when blade is too
far fonruard on wheel.
Upper
bandsaw
wheel
Front of saw
shop, he fastened a small piece of wooden push broom inside the
lower housing, letting the stiff bristles do the dirty work. Another
option: Purchase a wheel brush from Rockler, no. 28299,$5.99 plus
shipping. (Call 800/279-4441, or visit rockler.com.)
54
WOOD m,agazine October 2006
I Set low-tolerance
guide blocks. The
ideal setting for guide
blocks, according to
Michael, removes any
side-to-side play in the
blade without rubbing
constantly on it. "I fold a
thin piece of tracing
paper that measures
l/rooo"
thick around the
backedge of the blade to
establish the needed
clearance," he advises.
"Too much play could
let the blade twist and
score the blocks when
cutting tight curves."
I Trick the table and tnre the fence.
Michael offers a neat trick that simplifies
leveling the table. First, he reverses the 0"
table stop bolt underneath the table, thread-
ing it from the bottom up instead of the
typical top down. He then bores a
546"-
diameter hole 1" deep in alW' length of W'
brass or aluminum rod, and sands the solid
end flat. Next, he slips this
'tap"
over the
bolt's threaded end, as shown at right, and
adjusts the now easily accessible locking nut
and bolt head,
far
right, until the square
shows the blade at 90o to the table. This lets
him tilt the table to the left by removing the
cap, and return it to 90o by adding the cap.
I A good fence
=
good cuts. Michael
always keeps an auxiliary wood fence
attachedto hisbandsaw's metal fence. Why?
So the blade doesn't abrade the metal fence,
to support wider stock when resawing, and
because it is so much faster to square an
auxiliary fence to the table. To adjust the
wood fence, Michael simply removes it and
adheres one or more lengths of masking
tape along either the bottom or top edge of
the saw's metal fence, as shown below.
l.Ediust the thnrst
bearing. Michael slips a
6" metal rule that mea-
sures Vsl' thick between
the back edge of the blade
and the thrust bearing, as
shown atright, to establish
proper clearance. He then
locks the setting in place
with a few turns on the
hexhead bolt using a
wrench. Make the same
adjustment below the saw
table. Spin the wheel by
hand anddo avisual check
to ensure the correct clear-
ance is established at both
locations.
i I Tightenyourbelt. Here's anotheridea
i for some bandsaw models. To ensure a well-
! tensioned belt between the motor and saw,
i Michael loosens the bolts holding the motor
i down, and then drives opposing wedges
, between the motor and saw base, as shown
i below. With the slack removed, he retight-
i ens the motor's bolts. This results in a belt
I
that delivers maximum power and doesn't
i
rtip.Note also the l"-thick plywood added
i to the steel base to reduce vibration.
I Keep tools within easy reach.
Michael likes his tools close at hand. For
quick adjustments, he employs a pair of
rare-earth magnets to hold a wrench to the
upper wheel metal housing. (From Rockler:
t/s"-thick
magnets, Vi' diam., no. 30810,
$6.69
for 10, plus shipping; call 8OUn9'
444I, or visit rockler.com.)
A hole in his pushstick keeps it hanging at
arm's reach on thb upper housing knob,
where shown below.
wood.rnagazine.corn
55
4 common bandsaw cuts made easy
IlTith
your bandsaw tuned up and ready
UU for action. follow Michael's lead and
try these basic cuts. They tune up your saw-
ing skills as well.
I night-on rip cuts
Michael prepares a length of rough-cut lum-
ber by ripping it to size on his bandsaw. "I
haven't used a tablesaw to rip boards to
width for at least 30 years. I do it all on the
bandsaw," he says. "It's more efficient
because it creates less waste while using
less energy." He first freehand cuts one
rough-sawn edge working closely along a
marked cutline. He then joints
that edge.
Next, he places the
jointed
edge against
the fence and trims off the remaining rough
edge, as shown near right The cut remains
true for the entire length, barring any blade
drift problem. He finishes by jointing this
edge to clean it up. Note how he sets the
guide blocks just
Vq" above the workpiece to
eliminate blade movement from side to side.
and to maximize control.
"l haven't used a
tablesaw to rip boards
to width for at least
30 years."
3 Cot curiles with confidence
For curves or freehand cutting, Michael starts the saw blade just
%2"
to
t/oq"
outside the cutline, maintaining that distance throughout. (If
your cut requires turning a sharp radius, be sure you use the correct
blade width, as shown in the drawing at right.) For best control, the
trick lies in applying side pressure on the workpiece and blade from
the concave side of the cutline, where indicated by the arrows in the
photo below. Later, Michael staples a strip of sandpaper to the
curved cutoff and uses it to sand the curved edge on the workpiece,
as shown below right.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BLADE FOR CUTTING CURVES
Bl ade wi dth
'/2
R=21/2"
R=3/e"
R=l/a"
2 Straigtrt-up resawing
With his saw set up as described earlier,
Michael can resaw with perfection, using
the most inexpensive bandsaw in his shop,
as shown below and on page 52. Here, he
switches to a taller auxiliary fence to pro-
vide full support as he moves the blade
through the workpiece. He keeps his push-
stick handy to safely complete the cut.
3/a"
'/4
3Aa
a / l l
'/a
56 WOOD magazine October 2006
4ltup to cut in the round
Michael's circle-cutting
jig consists of a piece of Vz" plywood
with a dovetailed key glued into a centered dado. Into the
dovetailed slot slides a matching dovetailed key with a dowel
pivot pin at one end as shown in the drawing below.
To use the jig, determine the radius of the circle you want.
Then, with the
jig
clamped to the bandsaw table, move the
dovetail key until the distance between the right-hand tooth
of the blade and the center of the pivot pin equals that radius.
Clamp a stopblock on the key at the end of the dovetail slot,
as shown at right. Drill a Vq" hole centered on the underside
of the workpiece. Slide the key back, and fit the workpiece
onto the pivot pin. Turn on the saw, and slide the dovetail key
and workpiece toward the blade. Rotate the workpiece clock-
wise into the blade, applying slight side and forward pressure
until the stopblock abuts the end of the dovetail slot. At this
point you will begin cutting a perfectly round circle, with the
side and forward pressure keeping the dovetail key in place
for the duration of the cut.
Simple but effective
shop-made T-fence
Many times the new (or used) bandsaw you buy
does not come with a fence. That was the case
wi th thi s smal l benchtop model i n Mi chael ' s shop.
The sol uti on: Make a si mpl e T-fence usi ng two
pieces of straight plywood scrap. (Here, Michael
used Baltic birch plywood.) He saws %e" kerfs
i nto the ends of the edge gui de to qui ckl y cl amp
the T-fence to the table using a pair of spring
clamps. Then he glues and screws the two
pieces together at a right angle to form the T.
To use the T-fence,
just
locate it the needed
distance from the blade. Remove one
jaw
cover
from each clamp, and slip the uncovered
jaws
into the kerfs when securing the fence to the front
edge of the saw table, as shown at right.Q
woodmagazine.com
Written by Jim Harrold
lllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson
CIRCLE.CUTTING JIG
1
t/e"-wide
dovetail slot
tA"
dowel
r/2"
long
s / e x 2 x 1 6 " ' \
th"
hole,
centered
3/+
x 11/e x 4" stopblock clamped
or double-faced taped to key
57
slitted top of this six-note, easy-to-build instrument.
tones-of-fun
.y.,4
'i,4,,
, 1. . : '
58
.]."
a few hours and
I using iust
a tablesaw,
-jigsaq and drill press,
you can build this modern
version of an ancient
instrument. The project-
designed by craftsman and
musician Steve Roberts of
Chico, California-uses
simple butt
joinery and
assembles with glue only.
The tone quality of each
drum is unique. See the
sidebar,
'About
tongue
drums," page 61, to learn
more about them, and go
to tonguedrum.com to hear
what one sounds like and
see video clips.
Start with the
drum parts
I
From as/c"-thick hard-
I wood free ofknots, cracks, and checking,
cut the top (A) to the size listed in the Materi-
als List. (We used padauk and red oak for the
project. Other suitable woods are purpleheart,
mahogany, rosewood, birch, and maple. If
you wish, you can make all of the drum parts
from one type of wood.)
E
exploDED vrEW
Self-adhesive rubber bumper --P
With the top (A) on a backer board to prevent tear-out,
drill two 7a" start holes for your jigsaw through the top,
where shown on the pattern.
From start hole 1,
jigsaw
along the round end and
outside of tongue 1. Then, from the round end, cut
along the lnside of the tongue.
2To
form the tongues in the top, fit your
rfjigsaw with a blade that has 20 teeth per
inch for a smooth curve cut. Beginning at
start hole #1 and following the pattern lines,
cut around tongue 1, as shown in Photo B.
Then cut around tongues 2 and 3, as shown
f
Photocopy the full-size top pattern from
frthe WOOD Patternsa insert. Spray-
adhere the pattern to the top. Using a twist bit
in your drill press or portable drill, drill two
3/s"
start holes for your jigsaw through the
top, where shown on the pattern and as
shown in Photo A.
lEl
reer LocAroN DETAIL
(Viewed from bottom)
51A',
I
\
;=' A,ror
woodmagazine.corn
1"-di am. rubber bal l
After j i gsawi ng
tongue 1 to shape, cut around the top and al ong the
i nsi de of tongue 2. Then cut around tongue 3.
in Photo G. Now switch to start hole #2, and
cut tongues 6, 5, and4 in the same way.
1llFrom3A"-thick,
defect-free stock, cut the
'lends
(B), bottom (C), sides (D), large
glue blocks (E), and small glue block (F) to
the sizes listed.
Now assemble the drum
I
Glue and clamp the ends (B) to the bot-
I tom (C), where shown on Drawing 1,
keeping the edges flush. To prevent loss of
resonance, make sure you clamp all of the
drum parts tightly together. After the glue
dries, glue and clamp a side (D) in place
against the ends and bottom.
Appl y gl ue to the exposed edges of the drum, and cl amp the remai n-
i ng si de (D) i n pl ace to compl ete the assembl y.
)Cut
a
5Ae"
groove
sAe"
deep, centered,
Eralong an edge of each handle (G), where
shown on Drawing 1, to receive the mallet
handles (I) for storage.
QMiter-cut
a Vz" chamfer on each end of
tfthe handles (G) and the four blanks for
the feet (H), where shown. Then miter-cut a
2Vs"-Iong foot from each end of the blanks,
flipping the blanks end to end between cuts
to ensure correct orientation of the mitered
ends for each pair of feet. Sand the handles to
220 grit.
ATo
attach the handle$ (G) to the drum,
'f
cut a lVzxl2" sDacer from
r/q"
hardboard.
Draw lines acrosr th. rpu..r Ls/e" from both
ends on one face. Position the drum on a flat
surface with the bottom (C) up. Using the
spacer, glue and clamp a handle to a side (D),
as shown in Photo E. Repeat to glue the
remaining handle to the other side.
f
Glue together four pairs of feet (H) in the
rJconfiguration shown on Drawing 1. (We
wrapped masking tape around each pair of
feet to keep the mitered corner tight until the
glue dried.)
ATo
mount the feet to the drum with as/s"
lfoverhang, where dimensioned on Draw-
ing la, cut four
3A"-square
spacers from Vq"
hardboard. Rub the edges of the spacers
with paraffin wax to prevent glue squeeze-
out from sticking. Using double-faced tape,
adhere a spacer at each corner of the drum
blocks (E) and small
glue block (F) to the
ends (B), bottom (C),
and side (D), where
shown. Next, glue and
clamp the top (A) in
place. Then glue and
clamp the remaining
side (D) in position, as
shown in Photo D.
Add handles
and feet
I
From
zA'-thickstock,
f cut a7t/qx8t/i' blank
to form the handles (G)
and feet (H). Rip two 1"-
wide pieces for the han-
dles and four /+'-wide
pieces for the feet from
the blank. (You'll get two
feet from each piece.)
60
Usi ng the spacer to posi ti on a handl e (G), gl ue and
cl amp the handl e to a si de (D)wi th the handl e ends
al i gned wi th the spacer l i nes.
With the chamfered ends down, glue and clamp the feet
(H) to the bottom of the drum, tight against the spacers
at the corners.
WOOD magazine October 2006
With each rubber ball positioned in a %" hole in scrap and held with
a cfamp, drill a Vq" hole lz" deep in the ball.
Using sandpaper folded into thirds, sand the kerfs and openings
between the tongues, progressi ng from 120 to 150 and 180 gri t.
on the bottom, flush with the edges. Sand
the feet smooth. Then, with the drum placed
on 2"-tall spacers to provide clamp clear-
ance, glue the feet to the drum, as shown in
Photo F.
Time for the mallets
I
From aVc"-diameter oak dowel 36" long,
I cut two l2Vz"-long pieces for the mallet
handles (I).
DTo
drill centered holes in l"-diameter
Crrubber balls for mounting on the ends
of the mallet handles (I), where shown on
Drawing 1, chuck a3/q" Forstner bit in your
drill press. Clamp a piece of
3/+"
scrap to
the table, and bore a hole
,through
the
scrap to position each ball for drilling.
Rechuck with a V+" brad-point bit. Then,
holding each ball in the
3/+"
hote, drill a
Vz"-deep hole in the ball, as shown in
Photo G. Use medium-hard rubber balls,
such as SuperBallso, available at your
Gutting Diagrarn
local toy, hobby, or crafts supply store.
Now glue the balls to the mallet handles
with rubber cement.
finish up
I
Scrape off any glue squeeze-out. Then
I finish-sand the drum to220 grit, remov-
ing any sharp edges.
DTo
remove splinters that can inhibit free
Amovement of the tongues and to create
clean edges for the best appearance, sand the
saw kerfs and openings between the tongues,
as shown in Photo H.
QFinally,
remove the dust. Then apply
9three coats of a clear finish. (We applied
satin polyurethane, sanding to 220 grit
between coats.) To prevent slippage of the
drum and adjacent surfaces from vibrating,
install self-adhesive rubber bumpers on the
feet (H), where shown on Drawing 1. Now
grab your mallets, and check out the drum's
amazingsounds.
ll
Written by Owen Duvall
Project design: Steve Roberts
lllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson
About tongue drums
Tongue drums-also known as slit, log,
and xylo drums-have been used in
African, Asian, and North and South
American cultures for hundreds of years
for communi cati on, ceremoni al , and
other purposes. Though ori gi nal l y made
from a hollowed-out log with a narrow
openi ng (sl i t) i n the top or si de, modern
tongue drums consi st of a wood encl o-
sure with a slitted top, typically having
from 4 to 14 tongues. When struck, a
tongue vibrates, and the tone that' s
produced resonates in the enclosure.
The tone qual i ty and frequency depend
on the l ength, wi dth, and thi ckness of
the tongue, the densi ty of the wood, and
the size of the enclosure.
B ends 5Y4'
C bottom V+' 6u 101/2' O
D sides
E large glue blocK {q" 6u 41/2"
F smallglue block Y4" 6u
*G
handles vl ' 1u
*H
feet T+u V+' 21/e'
I malfet handles
1/t"-diam.
121/2" OD 2
-Parts
initially cut oversize, See the instructions.
Materials key: P-padauk, O-red oak, OD-oak dowel.
Supplies: Spray adhesive; double{aced tape; paraffin wax;
1"-diameter medium-hard rubber balls (2), available at toy,
hobby, and crafts supply stores; rubber cement;
self-adhesive rubber bumpers (4).
Blades and bits: Jigsaw blade with 20 teeth per inch,
dado-blade sel, 7+" Forstner andtA" brad-point bits.
Vcx71A x 60" Oak (3. 3 bd. f t . )
--*- -
e
---
't/+"-diam.
Oak dowel 36" long
woodmagazine.com
s/ +x7l Ax24"
Padauk ( 1. 3 bd. f t . )
61
I Overall dimensions are 353/q' wide x
127/e' deep x 327+" hi gh.
I For the board feet of lumber and
other items needed to build this project,
see page 66.
he delicately curved legs and ellipti-
cal shape of this table make it a real
attention-grabber. And the wall-
hugging design fits easily into any entry or
hallway. Build it and you'll learn how easy it
is to make the curved and tapered legs and
kerf-bent plywood aprons. You'll also dis-
cover how to lay out an ellipse of any size.
Start with the legs
From l:/+" stock, cut three 3x32" blanks for
the legs (A), and plane them to lVz" thick.
(We used maple.) You also can laminate the
leg blanks from3/c" stock. To form the legs,
see page 68.
Build the table body
For the body panels (B), cut a
z/qx24x32"
plywood blank. Then cut the short ribs (C),
E
uc SPAcERS
Rear edge
Left spacer
long ribs (D), and leg spacers (E) to the srzes
listed on the Materials List onpage 66.Drill
sAi'
countersunk shank holes and
3/s"
holes
in the leg spacers, where dimensioned on
Drawing 1. Make sure the right and left
spacers are mirror images with the
3/s"
holes
offset from center, as shown. Mark the rear
edges of these two spacers. Now lay out,
cut, sand, and drill the body panels, and
assemble the body, as shown in Steps 1-8
of Drawing 2. To lay out an ellipse of any
size, see the Shop Tip below.
I
1t 7o"
I
Center spacer Ri ght spacer
Draw ellipses the easy wa]4 one-quarter at a time
Here' s how to draw an ellipse of any size, using a scrap of
wood, a pencil, two nails, and a framing square (or a piece of
plywood with a square corner).
Lay out the major axis and minor axis of the ellipse on the
workpiece, where shown below. Then to make an ellipse
trammef
,
cul at/zxs/+" scrapwood strip to the length indicated
at bottom. Mark a hole center for a pencil and points A and B
for two nails, where shown. Drill a snug hole for the pencil, and
drive the nails through the strip. File or grind away the points
ELLIPSE LAYOUT
one-hatf major axis
ELLIPSE TRAMMEL
4d nails with points
fi l ed or ground away
A
of the nails. Next align the outside edges of a framing square
with the major and minor axes drawn on the workpiece, and
secure it with double{aced tape. Place nail A at the corner of
the square and nail B against the edge of the square aligned
with the major axis. Now rotate the trammel, moving nail A
al ong the edge of the square al i gned wi th the mi nor axi s and
nail B along the edge aligned with the major axis, and draw
the ellipse in quarters, as shown below. To see a video clip of
how to draw an el l i pse, go to woodmagazi ne.com/el l i pse.
{lo^"-nat
maJor axrs
woodmagazine.com
One-hal f maj or axi s pl us 3"
63
@
Oraw paral l el l i nes,
BODY BLANK
E
eulLo rHE TABLE BoDy
STEP 1 Draw gui del i nes.
STEP 3 Lay out a hal f el l i pse.
STEP 5 Lay out and dri l l cl amp head hol es.
@Vark
the first hole center.
15Aa' \
23/a"
31/q\
Mi rror the hol e l ayout on the
other si de of the centerl i ne.
STEP 2 Make an el l i pse trammel .
151/+'
4d nai l
Gri nd or fi l e away nai l poi nts.
1/ zx3/ a
x 18l h" t r ammel beam
STEP 4 Bandsaw the body panel s.
@
Vart< strai ght l i nes.
@eanOsaw; t hen
sand to the l i ne.
O
nOnere the bl ank hal ves wi th doubl e-faced tape.
STEP 6 Dri l l shank hol es.
31/z'
Mark the hol e
R
l l
fil
t|l
lll
p"n.ir
lll ,t
fiv
t4
v
,-"r1j
@Step
off four addi ti onal hol e centers.
1" Forst ner bi t .
Mark a gui del i ne
1" f rom t he edge.
1 "
Combi nati on
square
Hol e si zed
f or a snug f i t
Location of
Shank hol e
at intersection
of l i nes
Location of
centers, and dri l l
7se" hol es through
both panel s.
Shank hol e centered
between 1" hol es
Di sc-sand a fl at area.
4d nai l
Qnonere
a frami ng square
(or piece of plywood
@E
wi th a square corner)
to the body bl ank wi th
doubl e-faced tape.
@
ff i p the square, and draw the
-.
second. quarter el l i pse.
@S"*
the body
bl ank i n hal f.
Draw the fi rst quarter el l i pse.
64
@
oritt the hotes with a
Mark the panel ori entati on.
WOOD magazine October 2006
and dri l l screw-access hol es.
STEP 7 Countersi nk the shank hol es,
GREEN: Count ersi nk on t op f ace.
RED: Countersi nk on bottom face.
BLUE: Enl arge hol e to
1/2"
for screw access.
STEP 8 Assembl e the body.
31/a'
7/aq"
pilol hole
s/+"
deep
#8 x 1
1/z'
F.H. wood screw
@Ctue
andlcrew the
spacers
@
,o the panels
@.
Q
ctue and screw
t hg r i bs@and
- g.:iJw6n
the
Add the kerf-bent aprons
I
For the aprons (F), cut a
3/qx4vax4}"
I plywood blank. Then, for a tight fit
against the right and left leg spacers (E), cut
10o bevels on each end, where shown on
Drawing 3. Now, measuring from the bev-
eled ends, cut the two aprons to finished
length. To maintain continuous grain orien-
tation when attaching the aprons to the table
body, mark the top edge of each apron.
Note: Although a kerfed maple board con-
forms
to the broad
front
curve of the table,
it is too stiffto bend around the tight curves
at the ends. Because birch plywood becomes
very
flexible
when kerfed, and closely
matches the color and grain of the maple
legs, we chose itfor the table aprons.
DTo
make a simple
jig for kerfing the
Aaprons (F) on your tablesaw, see page
32.Then adjust the cutting depth so the saw
blade
just begins to cut into the crossband
directly under the face veneer. (Depending
E
nPnONS
fl'op
view)
on the number of plies in your plywood,
you'll cut within
t/ro-t/t"
of the outside face
of the plywood aprons.) Now, starting at the
square-cut end ofeach apron, cut /+"-spaced
saw kerfs. Be sure to leave a full-thickness
plywood rib at each beveled end.
OCut
three
3/qx4vax2"
scrap plywood
Ocleats. and drill a centered
s/tz"
cowter-
sunk hole in each one. Screw the cleats to
the leg spacers (E), as shown in Photo A.
Ful l -
thi ckness
ri b
Then test-fit the aprons (F), as shown in
Photo B. Leave no more than a
t/to"
gap at
each end between the aprons and leg spac-
ers. To ensure uniform clamp pressure, rip
four
t/ex3/ax19"
hardwood strips and dry-
clamp the aprons to the body, as shown in
Photo C. When you are satisfied with the fit,
apply glue to the edges of the body panels
(B), and clamp the aprons in place. With the
glue dry, remove the clamps and cleats.
\-
10'
l t t
Wi th the cl eat overhangi ng the l eg spacer
(E), dri l l a pi l ot hol e i nt o t he spacer and
screw the cl eat i n pl ace.
woodmagazine.com
-'*:"5
Ori enti ng the bevel ed end of the apron
(F) as shown, t uck t he ends under t he
overhangi ng edges of the cl eats.
Usi ng hardwood stri ps to di stri bute cl amp
pressure and worki ng from the center to the
ends, cl amp t he aprons (F) i n
Pl ace.
tr
65-l
Make the top
I
Edge-join
-7+"-thick
stock to make an oversize
I blank for the top (G). (We used leopard wood.
See Source.) Sand the blank smooth. Then lay out a
half-ellipse with the dimensions shown on Drawing
4, and bandsaw and sand it to shape. Now rout a /+"
round-over along the bottom edge.
C)Place the top upside down on your workbench
&r and position the table body on it, flush ar the
back and centered side-to-side. Using the shank
holes in the top body panel (B) as guides, mark
screw-hole centers on the top. Remove the table
body, and drill pilot holes into the top.
Now finish and assemble
I
Drill %0" pilot holes into the legs (A), where
I dimensioned on Drawing 4a, and screw in the
hanger bolts. Then finish-sand the legs, aprons (F),
and top (G). Apply a clear finish. (We applied two
coats of satin polyurethane to the legs and aprons
and three coats to the top, lightly sanding with220-
grit sandpaper between coats.)
llPlace
the table body upside down on your work-
&r bench. Insert the leg hanger bolts into the holes
in the leg spacers (E) and fasten the legs with wash-
ers and lock nuts, where shown on Drawing 4a.
(You' ll need a socket wrench with an extension to
fasten the center leg.) Then place the top (G) upside
down on your workbench. Position the table body
and legs assembly on it, and screw the top to the
body. Now, place your table inside the front door,
and add a welcoming vase of flowers.
tl
Written by Jan Svec with Kevin Boyle
Project design: Jeff Mertz
l l l ustrati ons: Roxanne LeMoi ne: Lorna Johnson
Cutting Diagrarn
"____"-..--_(A)-:::::::::::::::_ -_-_
_.-.ttl
----__:..
13/ qx31/ z x 72" Mapl e ( 4 bd. f t . )
EEI
uec AND TABLEToP
MOUNTING DETAIL
(Viewed from back)
1/n-20
x 2"
# Bx 1 , t / a " f n - ZL
wooo screw
E
exploDED vtEW
1e/ qx3t / z x 48" Mapl e ( 2. 7 bd. f t . )
3/ qx51/ z
x 48" Leopar d wood ( 2 bd. f t . )
-@
3/ ax51/ z
x 96" Leopar d wood ( 4 bd. f t . )
3/q
x 48 x 48" Bi rch pl ywood
66
legs 11/2" 21/z' 32'
B* body panels
3/q'
101/q" 301/2" BP 2
C short ribs
3/q'
23/q' 4' B P 2
D long ribs
3/q"
23/+' 8" B P 2
E leg spacers
3/q,
41/qu 11/q" BP 3
F* aprons 193/q" BP 2
G* top
3/q"
127/a' 353/q' EL
-Parts
i ni ti al l y cut oversi ze. See the i nstructi ons,
Materials key: M-maple, BP-birch plywood,
EL-edge-joined leopard wood.
Supplies: #8x11/c" and #Bx1t/2" flathead wood screws,
1/q-20x2"
hanger bolts (6), /r washers (6),
t/a
lock nuts (6).
Bit: /a" round-over router bit.
Source
Leopard wood. To check the pri ce and avai l abi l i ty of
leopard wood, go to woodworkerssource.net.
3/q'
WOOD magazine October 2006
Bl ock
I
Notch(l.ffi
Learn how to
make curved and
tapered table legs;
then prepare to be
complimented.
hen so much about
wo o d wo r k i n g
involves straight and
square cuts, the si nuous shape
of curved and tapered legs
al ways grabs peopl e' s attenti on.
Nonwoodworkers admire them
for thei r grace, whi l e wood-
workers wonder. How'd
yott
do
thnt ? It' s easy.
Design gruidelines
r When desi gni ng a curved and
. tapered table leg, use your
' l
personal preferences and the
'
: project's overall style to guide
I
the shape and dimension of
i
the legs. Traditional furniture
styl es, such as
Queen
Anne,
have desi gn rul es of thumb
r
for cabriole legs that you can
i adapt to curved and tapered
l egs. For exampl e,
Queen
Anne-style legs form a con-
ti nuous S-curve wi th l i ttl e or
no strai ght secti on i n the
I
:
middle of the leg. Examples
,
of these and other design
. rul es can be found i n books
1 1
such as Americctn f-uniture
of the ISth Centurt'.
The curved and tapered
leg shown here and on the
bowfront table on page 62
uses a gradual taper from l%"
square
j ust
bel ow the bl ock to
34x7"
at the foot. There' s al so a
strai ght secti on at the center.
There' s no formul a for si zi ng
a bl ank when creat i ng your own
desi gns, as l ong as the compl eted
leg complements your proj-
ect di mensi ons. For exampl e,
the bl ock on the l eg we' l l
make here measures about
4th." lon5, or three times its
wi dth. The bl ock wi dth equal s
twi ce the thi ckness of a
3h"
table top. If you have a project
that cal l s for a speci fi c l ook,
research and measure exampl es
of such furniture before draw-
i ng a pattern.
Let's make a leg
We' ll use the legs from the
bowfront table to show how to
create a curved and tapered
l eg, so start by machi ni ng a
l th.x3x32" bl ank. If you can' t
find lt/z"-thick stock, make
your own by fi rst ri ppi ng
tAx6t/+"
stock down i ts center.
Find the most attractive grain
match and glue the two
halves togetheq as shown in
Photo A. Then plane the :
gl ue-up t o si ze.
Mark the length of the
,
'
bl ock at op t he l eg bl ank,
and extend the line around
both i ts faces and si des.
(Fi nd
di mensi ons and a pat-
tern for this leg on page 85.
Lay out the taper on both
;
faces of the bl ank at the
,
f oot end by marki ng i n
from each edge. In thi s
case, we placed two marks
t/8"
in from each edge.
Repeat thi s on the opposi te
face, and then draw lines
on both faces from your
end marks to the marks
defi ni ng the bl ock, as
shown i n Photo B, as gui des
for both bandsawi ng and
bel tsandi ng the tapers.
Bandsaw on the waste
si des of the taper l i nes, as
shown in Photo G, and avoid
cutti ng i nto the l i nes defi ni ng
the bl ock. To sand the taper,
fi rst secure the bl ank between
two doss made from
t/2"
or
:
r SiOe
I
i
Face
Knee
Ankl e
"
Foot
October 2006
6B
WOOD magazine
thinner scrap clamped to your workbench,
as shown in Photo D. Then mark wavy pen-
cil lines on the side to be sanded to visually
gauge your progress. Belt-sand until the
taper reaches the pencil lines on both faces,
as shown in Photo E. Flip the blank over
and repeat this process on the other edge.
Bandsaw the curves
Whether you use our pattern or one of your
own design, transferring it to a hardboard
template helps ensure all your legs will look
the same. To copy the pattern on page 85,
create a l" grid on the hardboard and repro-
duce the leg design in the same proportions
as the smaller paper pattern's grid. Then cut
and sand the pattern to your pencil lines.
Using your template, transfer the leg shape
to one side of your tapered blank, as shown
in Photo F.
Then make the straight cuts that define
the block. To counteract the effects of the
taper and create a vertical kerf, press the
block against the bandsaw table as you make
the straight cut, as shown in Photo G. Stop
at the start of the curve. Now cut the notch
on the opposite face of the block.
From the foot end, begin bandsawing the
curves with the taper pressed flat against
the saw table. The slight angle of the cut will
not affect the curves until you reach the
straight cut made earlier. As you approach
the end of the curved cut, press the block
firmly against the table, and then complete
the cut. Repeat for the opposite curved cut,
as shown in Photos H and l.
Next, remove saw marks by hand-sanding
with 80-, 100-, and 120-grit abrasives. If
you use a random-orbit sandeq as shown in
Photo J, center the pad over the curve and
sand with light pressure on the edges of the
disc. Keep the sander moving to avoid
gouges or flat spots. As with the tapers, a
wavy pencil line helps you gauge your sand-
ing progress.
Hand-sand the curved surfaces with the
grain for your final grit. For the block, hand-
sand with a flat pad to hold a crisp edge
where the block meets the curve. as shown
in Photo K.
J|
Written by Bob Wilson with Kevin Boyle
69 woodmagazine,com
- - t - - ' t - '
n the war against workshop dust, gathering debris from the tool
with a dust collector or shop vacuum should be your first line of defense.
You can win that battle but lose the war if those tiny but dangerous
airborne particles escape, so you also need air support. That's where a ceiling-
hung filtration unit comes in.
Here's how these simple machines work. Each has a steel box with a blower
inside that sucks dust-laden air into the filters and exhausts clean air out
the other end.The pretilter (which looks like a common furnace filter) catches
the bulk of the larger dust particles. Smaller particles get trapped in the
hish- efficiency
Jilter
behind the prefilter.
With most of these machines costing more than $200, we wondered if they
were much more effective than a simple box fan with a filter taped to the front.
So we ran that option through our tests, too.
70 WOOD magazine October 2006
i
I l
't,
t
t
Airflow: Does biqcrer
mean better?
- -
At a minimum, the air-filtration system you
choose should be able to recirculate the air
in your shop every l0 minutes. To find out
how much airflow you need, first figure the
cubic footage of your shop (length x width x
ceiling height, in feet), and then divide that
number by 10. The resulting number shows
the minimum air flow you need in cubic
feet per minute (cfm). For example, a 14x18'
shop with an 8W ceiling holds 2,142 cubic
feet of air. Divide that by 10, and that shop's
filtration system should pull at least 215 cfm
of air.
Because manufacturers use different test-
ing methods to arrive at their airflow specs,
we evened the playing field by testing all of
the units using a single method. (Our num-
bers may not agree with theirs, but they
provide a fair head-to-head assessment.) We
measured the airflow of each system in our
test using a hot-wire anemometer at 25 spe-
cific points across the face of the prefilter,
and then averaged those airflow readings.
The results of our test are shown in the
chart, at right. As you can see, seven sys-
tems charted airflows between 547 and650
cfm, wirh the Grizzly G0572, JDS 750-ER,
Shop Fox W1690, and Jet AFS-1000B all
bunched up from 630 to 650 cfm. Penn State
Industries' AC62O and Jet's AFS-500 pulled
only a little more air than the box fan and
filter setup.
How well do these
machines gather dust?
Although a good second line of defense, an
air-filtration system may slill let through
small dust particles that can lodge in your
lungs. (See "Particle size and your health,"
at right). For complete protection from air-
AIRFLOW THROUGH THE TESTED SYSTEMS
We found three distinct tiers of airflow performance from the air-filtration systems: Seven units tested between 547 and
650 cfm;three (i ncl udi ng a si mpl e boxfan) measured 232-264 cfm;and Lee Val l eyfel l squarel y i n the mi ddl e at 4' 14 cfm.
Airflow measured with hot-wire anemometer at 25 distinct points 1/+" from the prefilter face. To test
real -worl d ai rfl ow, fi l ters were l oaded under i denti cal ci rcumstances, and then tapped cl ean before ai rfl ow
measurements were taken. Numbers shown are an averaoe of three tests.
=
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=
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lrl
(J
6
=
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=
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ffi
3' hi gh
3' hl gh
@
'On
floor
under shelf
@
3' hi gh
@
2' hi gh
high
ffiM
<l>'@
rz,
borne dust, you should wear a snug-fitting
mask or respirator. We focused our tests of
these units on the nuisance dust that seems
to settle on everything in the shop.
After sealing off our 14x18' test shop in a
shroud of heavy-duty plastic sheeting, we
hung an air-filtration system from the
ceiling and placed eight collection trays in
various locations around the shop, as shown
below left.Next, we plugged the system into
a timer that would turn it off after exactly 65
minutes, and then turned it on at its highest
speed. Our respirator-equipped tester then
cut 160' of MDF and exited the shop. Six
hours later (five hours after the air-filtration
system turned off), we returned and weighed
the amount of dust in each tray. The results
of this test are shown on the next page.
Surprisingly, almost all of the high-cfm
units allowed more dust to settle around the
Particle size and
your health
Dust-collection and
filtration-equipment
manufacturers often
explain the effective- f
'.
I l
ness of their filters by stating the smallest
particle size (in microns) that their filter
willcatch. But how big, exactly, is a
micron?
Weff, there are24,500 microns in 1",
or about 380 microns per
t/o+".
A
1O-micron particle can be seen with the
naked eye;a 1-micron particle requires
a microscope.
Dust particles larger than 10 microns
settle to the floor quickly, so they don't
pose a significant breathing hazard. Our
body's natural filtering systems (nose
hairs, etc.) do a pretty good job
of filtering
out dust in the 4-S-micron range. anct
particles smaller than 0.3 micron [rerrave
like a gas, so we tend to inhale ano
exhale those without harm. Particles
between 0.3 and 5 microns pose the
biggest health risks because they slip
past our naturaldefenses and can lodge
in the lung passages. (Tobacco smoke
particles range from about .01 to 1
micron in size.) ffi
onn,oo,
We wei ghed the dust that settl ed out of the
ai r usi ng a mi crobal ance-a supersensi ti ve
scal e accurate to 0.01 of a gram.
woodrnagazine.corn
onfioor
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71
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HIGH-AIRFLOW SYSTEMS KEEP HEAVIER DUST AIRBORNE
We pl aced ei ght col l ecti on trays around our test shop, and then wei ghed the dust that settl ed i nto each tray after cutti ng
160 l i neal l eel ol 3/q" MDF. Ai r-fi l trati on systems were run at thei r hi ghest speeds duri ng the cutti ng and for one hour
afterwards. We al l owed the dust to settl e for fi ve more hours, and then wei ghed each col l ecti on tray.
These numbers show the average wei ght of the dust i n al l ei ght trays for each system.
0.90
0.80
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0. 10
0.00
Tests conducted i n a seal ed 14x18x8%' test shop. No dust col l ecti on was used duri ng thi s test. Average of three tests.
DUST COLLECTION AND AIR FILTRATION WORK BETTER IN TANDEM
To see how using on-tool dust collection would affect the performance of these air filters, we took one high-CFM
air-filtration unit and reran the dust-settling test, this time with a typical two-bag dust collector connected to the
tabl esaw. The di fference was dramati c. Just di al i ng down the speed of the ai r-fi l trati on m0t0r to a rare more
appropri ate forthe si ze of the shop l essened the settl i ng dust by about one-thi rd.
0.90
0.80
o.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0. 10
0.00
Tests conducted in sealed 14x18x8%'test shop. Average of three tests.
Meet VIERV
When you replace a high-efficiency
filter, how do you know you' re getting
a good one? According to Al Veeck,
executive director of the National
Air Filtration Association (NAFA,
nafahq.org), all replacement
particulate fifters should have a
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value
(MERV) marked on them.
He suggests that woodworkers get
a filter rated at no less than MERV13,
which filters out more than 75 percent
of the particles sized 0.3 micron. And
for woods like cedar and walnut that
can trigger respiratory reactions, go
no lower than MERV15 and wear a
respirator. A MERV16 filter catches
95 percent of all particles sized
0.3 micron and larger, but Al says
such superfine filtration has its price:
Every step up the MERV ladder costs
a 10-12 percent drop in cfm.
the airflow without affecting the volume of
air, keeping airborne dust closer to the filter
inlet. All other air-filtration systems in our
test have a smaller exhaust outlet that
increases air velocity.
We repeated this test with the multi-speed
Shop Fox set at its lowest speed, and again
at high speed with the tablesaw connected
to a dust collector. Slowing the blower
resulted in one-third less dust fallout; add-
ing dust collection to the mix cut the amount
of dust settling around the shop by a whop-
ping 87 percent, as shown at left.
Fine points on filters
The prefilter protects the high-efficiency
filter from larger particles that would
quickly render it inefficient. The washable
prefilters on the JDS and Lee Valley may
seem more economical than disposable
prefilters, but in our tests, washable filters
allowed more dust through to the high-
efficiency filter, as shown opposite page,
top. A disposable prefilter can be tapped out
several times before you have to replace it.
We also found two different kinds of
high-efficiency filters on the tested units.
Most use a super-fine mesh bag filter, but
the Jet AFS-500 uses a disposable pleated
paper filter instead. This style of filter has a
much smaller surface area than a bag filter,
so it will load faster and need to be cleaned
and replaced more often. Among the bag
filters, Penn State and Shop Fox have the
largest surface area-about 30 percent more
than typical. That should give you more
time between cleanings.
As for how well those filters actually
work at snatching dust, filter efficiency rat-
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shop than the lower-cfm models. After
sharing our results with several airflow and
filtration experts, we concluded that the
high airflow (about three times what's
needed for a shop this size) likely carried
heavier particles out to the perimeter of the
shop before they slowed enough to fall. A
72
low-cfm model-or no air-filtration system
at all-allowed those heavier particles to
fall harmlessly to the floor.
So why didn't the JDS suffer the same
heavier fallout as the other powerful units?
Its diffused exhaust, spread out over the
entire rear of the box, reduces the velocity of
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(high speed, with
dust collector on)
0.07
WOOD rnagazine October 2006
rffi
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,
. ,
(4,/",
i , -r- 1
With ths
prefilters removed, we see how wellthey do theirjob. The bag filter behind a washable prefilter (reft) is caked with dust that
should have been caught by the prefilter. Th bag filter behind a disposable
prefilter (r,?ht) shows thai far less dust that slippsd through.
ings should indicate both the minimum
particle size and the percentage of those
particles it captures. (Particle size alone isn't
enough because even a burlap bag will trap
some O.5-micron dust.) Higher percentages
are better, obviously.
The manufacturers' specs for filtration
efficiencv are shown in the chart on the next
page, but we were unable to verify these
numbers in our testing. In fact, two manu-
facturers, Grizzly and Shop Fox, couldn't
provide us with their filters' efficiencies.
#650, all of the tested units come with
remote controls. Kudos to JDS and Penn
State Industries here: Their remotes display
the fan speed and off-timer settings, as
shown below. (With the other five, you still
have to be able to see the display on the fil-
tration unit itself.)
Like your TV remote control, most of
these systems use infrared (IR) remotes that
require line-of-sight to the filtration unit.
That sometimes means walking around
behind the unit to start and stop it. Penn
State Industries' radio frequency (RF)
remote can be used anywhere within about
40' of the unit-about twice the maximum
range of IR remotes.
I Airflow gauge. Over time, dust buildup
in the filters starts to impede airflow, render-
ing the system less effective. The process is
so gradual, you may not even reahze it until
you're looking through a dusty haze. Only
the Delta 50-875 has a built-in airflow gauge
to give you an at-a-glance indication of when
it's time to clean or replace the filters.
ils
Jet' s compact remote tucks ni cel y i nto
an apron pocket. Al though l arger, JDS' s
control comes wi th a wal l -mounti ng
bracket, and shows ti mer and fan setti ngs.
A vane i n the exhaust of the Del ta 50-875
shows that ai rfl ow i s sti l l suffi ci ent for
effecti ve fi l teri ng. When the needl e hi ts the
red area, fi l ters need cl eani ng.
Thinking outside the box: Other meaningful features worth having
I Off-timer, Just because you're done
working in the shop for the day doesn't
mean your air-filtration system should be.
An off-timer allows you to set the system to
run from 30 minutes to eight hours and then
shut itself off.
I Remote control, Because these units
typically hang high overhead, it's nice to be
able to turn them on and off, select the
blower speed, and set the off-timer without
having to get out a laddef. Except for the
Delta AP-200, Jet AFS-500, and Lee Valley
Uni ts wi th a bui l t-i n off-ti mer automati cal l y
power down after one of several preset
ti mes, so you can set i t to cl ear the ai r when
you' re not around.
woodrnaEazine.com
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1 Hr 2tiff 3xr 4Hr
o e o
LOW f'llD Hl
73
f Filter seals, You gotta love the blower's
work ethic: It keeps trying to pull the same
volume of air regardless of whether the filter
is packed or not. And if it can't suck dust-
laden air through the filter, it might
just pull
it around the filter. Fortunately, almost all
of the units we tested (except Lee Valley)
have seals at the high-efficiency filter to
prevent dust blow-by. We prefer box-
mounted seals to filter-mounted seals. as
shown at right, because they make filter
replacement easier, although both proved
effective.
Seal s mounted on the fl ange behi nd the fi l ters (/eft
)
work as wel l as a spongy foam seal
Vi ght)
that wraps around the peri meter of the bag fi l ter. The foam seal s pi nch and bul ge
duri ng i nstal l ati on, though, whi ch can affect the fi t of the prefi l ter.
BLOWER FITTERS PERF, GRADESI
I
FoR M0RE tNF0:
I /*F#
I E- l Fr
s /d6ru
ea
c"t ffi s8
DELTA
AP-200 12x24x28 1 547 N/A N D 2,700 990/o sov.
I
e E,H U 50 2 T $230
800/438-2486deltamachinery.com
50-875 12x24x28 3 587
1/2,1
,2,4 IR W 2,700 99% 960/o B A,E,R,HU 50 2 T $280
GENERAL INTERNATIONAL1 0-550 12x24x28 1 574 2,4,8 IR D 2,700 98% 85%I B B E,R,H 68 z T $230 888/949-1' t61 general.ca
GBIZZTY G0572 1 5x1 9x26 630 1, 2, 4 IR D 2,500 B E,R 55 1 CH $200 8001523-4777 grizzly.com
JDS GOMPANY 750-ER 12x24x34 636 1, 2, 3, 4IR W 2,70099% 91o/o E,R U 70 5 CH $300800/480-7269 jdstools.com
JET
AFS-500 12x24x153** zo4 N/A N D 1, 20098% 85% H U 33 5 T $1 80
8001274-6848 jettools.com
AFS-1000812x24x30 3 650 2,4,8 IR D 2,600 98% 85% B B E,R,H U 54 5 T $275
LEE VALLEY/WORKSHOP #650 11x20x252** 414 N/A N W 2,90098% 94o/o B B E U 40 CA $261 800/871
-81
58 leevalley.com
PENN STATE INOUSTRIES AC620 12x24x30 239 2,4,6,8RC W 3,700 960/o 65% E,R,H U 42 2* T $22C8001377-7297pennstateind.com
SHOP FOX w1690 12x24x30 3 645 1, 2, 4 IR D 4,000
- Es
E,R,H U 55 z CH $22C800/840-8420 shopfox.biz
(D) Di sposabl e
(W) Washable
Rating provided by manufacturer, Percentage of
particles of this size caught by the filter, according
to American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
Ai r-Condi ti oni ng Engi neers standard 52.2.
(-) Unable to obtain rating from manufacturer.
I
Excellent
l Bl Good
I Fai r
Prices current at time of article production and
do not i ncl ude shi ppi ng, where appl i cabl e.
Prefi l ter si ze i s fi rst two di mensi ons.
Speed can be changed on box and by
remote control unl ess otherwi se noted.
(.) Control l ed onl y by remote
(.-) Control l ed onl y on box
(N/A) No off{i mer on thi s model .
Infrared
Radio control
No remote control for this model.
4. (rR)
(Rc)
( N)
8.
10. (T) Tai wan
( CH) Chi na
(CA) Canada
(A) Airflow gauge
(E) Eyebolts
(H) Handl es for carryi ng
(R) Remote control
(U) Upgrade/repl acementfi l ters
(.) Extendable to five years for $15.
Iretts clear the air and
choose a favorite filter
The JDS 750-ER ranked near the top in our
airflow tests, yet left the least amount of
dust settling around the shop. And we like
the display on its remote control. We would
replace its washable prefilter, though, with a
disposable one to extend the life of the high-
efficiency bag filter.
On a shoestring budget? Our $20 box fan
with a furnace filter duct-taped over it tested
as well in airflow and dust settling as sys-
tems priced 10 times more. It's not as easy
to tap out or replace the filters, and you
74
t,---'
won't get a fancy off-timer or remote con-
trol, but it did the
job pretty well. This simple
setup might hold you over until you can save
enough money for a larger unit.
af
holnr to cut a straight
Before you can turn rough lumber into a
project you're proud of, you need to
start with one straight edge.
W
' , ' f r F
ffi
, n i . r
l t cr - l cct
r i or l d. t hc har cl i i oocl s r ou bLr v l i r r r our - pr oj cct s
noLr l r l conr c r i i t l i l ascr - st nr i cht ccl gcs. [ - l nl i l r t unat cl r . t hat
pcr l ' cct
" l r . r ct or r
"
e cl gc i s t hc cr ccl ' r t i on t r t hcr t hun t hc r Lr l c.
I n t hi s ar t i cl c. nc' l l sl r ou
- r ' oLr
hor i \ ' ol r ci . ut cr cl r t c t hat i cl cal cr l cc
on l css- t han- i cl cal l ur nbcr ' .
Straight edges start at the lumber store
\ \ ' hcn shoppi nu l or l unr bcr ' . cl t oosc t hc bcst bour cl s ar ai l abl c.
l l ni nu
s1' r cci al at t cnt i on t o t hc gr ai n r . r ncl hou i t ui l l apl l car ' on
r oi t r I ' i ni sl r ccl pr r r j ect . You cr . r n [ r Lr r l Lr nr bcr i n r oLr gh eoncl i t i on
ui t h no si dcs sLr r l accd. or ni t l t onl _i t l t c l accs
l t l anct l
( Sl S) .
or '
sLr r l i t ccd on bot h l i r ces ancl bot h ccl gcs
( S- l S) .
Choosi ng t hc l at t cr ' .
r i hi l c nr or c cost l r . ol ' t cn cl i nr i nat es t hc hcacl achcs of ' cut t i ng i r
st l l i cht ccl gc. Houcvcr ' . cr cn SJS l Lr nr bcr cLur \ \ ' l u' p.
\ \ ' ur ' pct l bour cl s. l l t hough r r or c cl i l ' f i cul t t o n or l , u i t h. cun st i l l
[ ' rc pLrt l o soocl [ rsc. r\ boarcl ri i t h l ' l l t l i rccs but cr-ookccl ccl gcs. l i l , c
t l r c onc sl r or i n t t t l c. l t . can l l c nr achi nccl cl r si l r t o cr cat c st r ui sht
ct l gcs. Lr s sl t or i n i n t hc cl cci si on l l ap on
1t u, qc
76.
Don' t work wi th more than you need
, \ l ' t cr ' \ ' ol r \ c scl cct ccl \ oLr r bol r r cl s l r ncl l r l l ouccl t hcnt a l cu cl avs t o
l r ccl i nr i t t c t o \ ' ol u' shop' s t cnr pcr at Ll r c ancl I t Lr nt i cl i t r l cr cl s. cLr t
t hcr n t o r l usl . r l engt h bcl i r r c cl oi ng ar t vt hi ng cl sc. TI t c l onscr t l t c
boar r l . t hc nr ol c st ock r oLr ' l l r i ast c t r \ i l t s t o st l ai ght cn i t . Lcar c l r
l cr r i nchcs t o al l on l i r i uast c.
To pl ane or not depends on your tool s
Ort cc t hc st ock hl i s accl i nt rt e-cl l o \ , ()ur shol -1. t ' ou can
g()
onc o1'
t r i o cl i r ect i ons. Ei t hcr ' . j oi nt uncl pl unc t hc l accs of ' \ ' oLr r ' l r t xr r cl f ' l at .
ancl t l r cn r i ur l i or . r st r ai ght cl t i l t g t ut er l gc. or st nr i cht cn un cr l gc
r i i t h t hc st ock l accs i n t hc' i r nr uqh concl i t i on. Wc r - ccon. r nr cncl t hc
f i r st cor t r se ol ' act i on bccausc sonr c o[ ' t hc nr cn
r r ct hods uor k l r cst
n i t h cl cl r n uor kpi ccc f ' accs.
BLr t t hc opt i on vou cl . r oosc nr av hc cl ct cr nr i necl br t hc l i nr i t a-
t i or t s ol ' r ol r l t ool s. For cr anr pl c. r ' or - r can' t l : l cc- . j oi nt an 8" - u i r l e
boi t r cl on l t 6" . j oi nt cr ' . AI r cl . cl cani nc [ ] ot h l l ces on r oLr r ' pl l r t t . r '
cl ocs not
gl l ur ant cc
t hcr ui l l bc l ' l at . onl r panr l l cl . I r r t hi s eu: c.
st r ai ght cn onc ccl sc. r i p i t t o t i cl t h on t hc i l i bl csar i . . j oi nt onc f i i cc.
ancl t hcn pl anc l o t hi ckness. I l ' voLr ncccl t hc l ' i nal u. or - kpi cce n i cl er '
t l - Lt n t l t c kni r cs on \ ' ( ) 1i l - . j oi nt c' r ' . : i r npl V r i p i t i nt o t $o or t hr ee
pi cccs. . j oi nt ancl pl ane t hc f i r ces. . j oi nt t hc ccl gcs. ancl t hcn ccl ge-
gl uc t hcrl l rack t ogct hcr' once t l re\ ' ' r' e scl Lrarc ancl t rLrc.
Read what your board's edges tell you
Nou eve[ ' r i i l l al onc t he l engt h o1' r ' oLr r boar cl ' s ccl ge s t o cl ct cr nr i ne
\ r oLu' ne\ t nr ove. I l ' i t has onc r cl r sonl t bl v st r ai ght ccl gc. r oLr ' l l hi nc
r t o t r oubl c r nl r ki ns i t yr cr l ' cct l v st r ai gl r t . A snr al l l r nr ol r nt ol ' cr ook
t ukcs a l i t t l c nr or c nol k. but can [ ' ; c st r ai ght cnccl cl Lr i ckl l . Er cn i f '
vour boar cl has a sLr hst ant i al cl ook. r ' oLr ' l l bc abl c t o pl r t a st l ai ght
ccl _uc orrt o i t i n a coupl c ol ' st c1' rs. Hcrc' s hor, r t o gct a st rai ght cdgc.
l ' t ' ot t t best - [ ( ) \ \ ( ) l - \ t - ci . r : e : ecl t t u' i t ' : .
I
I
I
"
.
r.*{\h!
WOOD rnagazi ne Oct ober 2006
edge on anything
{
Jointer:
The essential straightening machine
lf you work with rough lumber, you really should own a good jointer.
It' s the best tool for cutting a square, clean, straight edge, as shown
at right, as well as for cleaning and flattening a board' s face.
Al though a 6"
j oi nter performs wel l , consi der steppi ng up to an 8"
j oi nter,
whi ch not onl y machi nes wi der stock, but al so has l onger
infeed and outfeed tables to better support long workpieces.
We don' t recommend using auxiliary stands to add infeed and
outfeed support to
jointers
because boards with rough or crooked
edges can sometimes knock stands over and possibly cause the
jointer' s knives to gouge the board.
Bestcase: Nocrook
jT onsider yourself ahead of the game if
V your workpiece falls into this category.
Regardless of length, you should be able to
machine a straight edge quickly with a
jointer,
above.If you don't own ajointer, use
your tablesaw to cut away the rough edges,
as shown below.
A router will also help you machine a
straight edge onto this type of board. If it
has a rough-sawn face, use a guide board
with a smooth face and a straight edge on
top of your workpiece, as shown bottom,
left. Use a top-bearing pattern bit in the
router. Set the guide slightly back from the
Rel y on your j oi nter
to machi ne a strai ght, square edge on
a rel ati vel y strai ght board i n
j ust
a pass or two.
workpiece edge and equal
you want to remove. Make
necessarv.
to the amount
two passes if
With boards that have smooth faces,
clamp a straightedge (this can be a board,
shop-made guide, or commercial accessory)
onto your workpiece so the router-as it
runs along the guide-removes no more
than /to" with each pass, as shown bottom,
center. Make as many passes as needed to
straighten the edge.
You also can cut a straight edge at your
router table, but it takes a little more setup.
First, chuck a straight or spiral bit in your
table-mounted router and set the height for
just
a little more than the thickness of the
workpiece. Set the infeed fence so it will
remove no more thantAo". Align the outfeed
fence flush with the front edge of the cutter.
If you don't have a split fence, simply clamp
or double-face-tape a piece of plastic lami-
nate, equal to the amount of material you
want to remove. to the outfeed side of the
fence. as shown below.
When cutti ng wi th thi s method, run the strai ghtest edge agai nst the ri p fence to avoi d
potenti al ki ckback. Cut away the opposi ng rough edge (/eft), adj ust the fence, fl i p the board
so the new edge i s agai nst the fence, and ri p the other rough edge (rrghf).
Rest your router subbase on top of the
gui de board and run the beari ng agai nst i ts
edge. Tri m no more than %s" per pass.
woodrnagazine.corn
For thi s method, use ei ther an upcut or
downcut spi ral bi t or a strai ght bi t that i s
l onger than the board' s thi ckness.
Sand a sl i ght chamfer on the end of the
l ami nate nearest the bi t so the workpi ece
won' t catch as you feed i t through.
77
I
The bols and mefiods you
us b staighten a boad's crool(ed edgos vary depending on fie sovelity of u|e crook and the lengffi 0f fie board.
Uso this decision map b detormine the best tools and methods b use for each situation. For morc options, rcad on.
START HERE: Cut
your
board to rough length; then assess the edges of the board.
No crook
Slight crook
Jointer
Severe crook
(basically straight but rough)
(1" or less of crook over 8-12' length)
(More than 1" of crook over 8-12' length)
How long is your
board? How long is your board?
Do you have room for a 6-7'
Use the "nibbling"
method, next page.
WOOD magazine October 2006
fypical case: Slight crook
lllfany
boards fall into this category
lVlwhen they warp as they swell or
shrink acclimating to the environment
around them. Plan your straight edge to give
the board the best grain direction in the
project. Boards in this category will be
machined in different ways, depending
upon their length.
MAKE NIBBLING CUTS
TO REMOVE CROOK
An auxi l i ary fence al l ows the workpi ece to
fol l ow a strai ght path, and the bandsaw to
cut a strai ght edge.
woodrnagazine.com
Make
quick
work of
boards-l' long or less
For short boards try the simplest options
firsl
jointer, tablesaw, or bandsaw. The
jointer proves quickest, even if it takes a few
passes to straighten an edge. You'll use the
same technique for the tablesaw and band-
saw: ripping with the concave edge against
the rip fence. Edges cut on the bandsaw or
tablesaw, although straight, will have saw
marks that clean up with one quick pass at
the
jointer. The router table option leaves a
jointer-smooth edge, but takes more time
setting up than a
jointer.
Take several light cuts off each
-------- end first; then
joint
the full
length of board.
For an auxi l i ary fence on your router tabl e,
cut an openi ng i n the center, al ong an edge,
for the bi t to spi n freel y.
Choose from manv options
for boards l-3' long
Boards of these lengths offer you the most
options of any size stock. At the
jointer
you've got two ways to handle these boards.
First,
joint the edge as usual, concave edge
down, taking off a little more with each
subsequent pass until flat. Or, "nibble" sev-
eral passes on one end before spinning the
board to do the same for the other end, as
shown at left. Repeat until the crook is
nearly gone, then
joint the entire length.
The tablesaw and bandsaw.again provide
good options, but with one important
change. For boards longer than 1', add a long
auxiliary fence to maintain contactbetween
the end points of the board's concave edge
and the fence, as shown below, left. Make
your auxiliary fence twice as long as the
workpiece, plus an extra 6" at each end, and
center it with the blade. Clamp it to the rip
fence, or adhere it with cloth-backed, dou-
ble-faced tape.
To use your router table for this length of
board, combine the extra-long auxiliary
fence of the tablesaw method with the nib-
bling action of the
jointer,
as shown below,
center. Use a sharp straight or spiral bit
(upcut or downcut). Using a handheld router
and straightedge will take several passes,
but requires little space, an attractive solu-
tion for shops tight on elbow room.
Cutting a straight edge proves easy when
using acarrieror sled, such as the one shown
below, on the tablesaw. To use this sled,
place your board so either edge hangs over
the edge of the sled, aligning the board to
cut the most attractive grain pattern. Secure
it with the hold-downs, or use screws at the
ends. Raise the blade so it cuts through the
piggybacked workpiece. Build this sled
from the plans onpage 80.
W*
Sqtht<,{{!ir1!';:i' i
The hol d-downs can gri p ei ther the si des or
ends of a workpi ece. Hol d the sl ed fl at on
the tabl e when ri ppi ng.
79
TABLESAW RIPPING SLED
CARRIAGE BOLT
HEAD DETAIL
bol t fl at on two si des.
/ a" wi ng nut
See WOOD Patterns@ insert
for hol d-down pattern, page 87.
:Wbrstcase:
Severe crook
fl
efore machining a board like this, first
IJ determine how it can best be used.
Removing the crook from a l0'Jong board
means wasting a great deal of wood, as
shown below. If you really need a long
board, try to find one with a straighter pro-
file. If you must get long workpieces from
these boards, you have three options: First,
rip with a circular saw; second, use a sled
on the tablesaw; and third, use the bandsaw
with an auxiliary fence-but only for work-
pieces 3' or less. Longer boards just
create
more difficulties on the bandsaw.
Cutti ng thi s mapl e board, /eft, to remove
the crook al ong the enti re l ength wastes
wood and l eaves a narrow workpi ece.
l nstead, cut i t i nto two pi eces, ri ght, to
maxi mi ze i t s wi dt h.
)'
| /
g,r
Hol d-down
\
23/q'
1/2"'
48" f or short ri ppi ng j i g
84" f or l ong ri ppi ng j i g
Don't sweat straightening boards longer than 3l
Ri gi d foam i nsul ati on makes a great
sacri fi ci al cutti ng surface. Set the bl ade
dept h so t he saw cut s sl i ght l y i nt o t he f oam.
80
Wi th your crooked edge l yi ng agai nst a
strai ghtedge, measure the wi dest gap to
determi ne the path you want the saw to cut.
"'%i3lili,Yn"
Tl
You have four options with these boards:
jointer, router with a straightedge, circular
saw, or a tablesaw sled. If you have a 6"
jointer,
use the "nibbling" method; if you
have an 8"
jointer, you'll be okay to use
either method because of the support from
the longer tables.
Your circular saw provides yet another
way to cut a straight edge. You can do this
by using a straightedge, or by snapping a
chalk line to map out the cut, and then rip-
ping along that line, as shown below. Laser
guides, available on some saws, make it
easy to track a chalked or drawn line.
To use a straightedge, first determine the
widest point of the crook by laying the board
next to a straightedge, as shown below. At
one end of the board make a mark equaling
the widest point from the crooked edge.
Measure the distance from the blade to the
edge of the saw base below the motor. Clamp
a straightedge to the workpiece that exact
distance from the mark you made. With the
saw base following the guide, rip away the
crook. You can make a reliable straightedge
guide-which also eliminates chip-out and
aligns quickly along your cut line-from the
plans onthe next page.
WOOD rnagazine October 2006
1<-$"---1<-2'!1-- 6,'
I :
I Fffi
END VI EW
Wi th your ci rcul ar saw' s base ri di ng agai nst the fence, ri p the waste off each gui de (l eftl .
To use the gui de, cl amp i t to a workpi ece wi th the cut-off edge al i gned on your mark. Set
the saw bl ade to the appropri ate depth and make the cut (ri ght).
woodmagazine.corn
Make your own zeto-clearance cut-off guide
You can construct two cut-off guides, a
4- and 8-footer, for use on different
workpiece lengths. Made to custom{it
your circular saw and router, both
guides can be constructed from one
sheet of
t/z"
plywood. (We recommend a
sheet with sanded faces.) Here' s how:
I Begi n by snappi ng a chal k l i ne al ong
the enti re l ength of the sheet 11" from
the edge. Usi ng your ci rcul ar saw, ri p
al ong that l i ne.
I Use the factory edge of the cut-off piece
as a guide for your circular saw to
make the rest of the cuts. From the
remaining plywood piece, rip two
strips 2" wide, two strips 8" wide, s/32"
and one stri p 11" wi de. co
I Cut the strips to the lengths
shown in the illustration al right, and
assemble the sleds, removing any
gl ue squeeze-out.
Li ne up saw agai nst fence and cut to remove waste.
I
-I-
,/r"
4 -J
1 / l l
'/2
FENCE
Edges fl ush
7se" shank hol e, countersunk
Written by Bob Hunter with Jeff Mertz
lllustrations by Tim Cahill and Roxanne LeMoine
#8 xs/ q" F. H.
wood screw
I Once dry, secure each sled to
your workbench, allowing clearance
for the saw bl ade. Usi ng your ci rcul ar
saw with the blade you would
commonl y use, ri p the edge on the
wider side opposite the fence, as
shown below. Do the same for the
other side with your router.
Whichever diameter router bit you
use wi l l be the si ze you shoul d use
in the future for making cut-offs.
aF
SV+u
8' GUI DE
#8 x / +" F. H.
wood screw
1/zu
z/or"
pilot hole
t/+"
deep
rrelf.
j.r.iill
, . ; i i { : ' i " " , " ' ' i t ' f
f , . j { . 1
. - - . r 4 i !
L:l.lli,itli*
.:f".i
i ; 4 . a - r
: : ' : : ' . , \
.lJ
r...$.:
a!':&1
Tgz" shank not",' ,/
.
CI RCULAR
81
!{;',?is$1
just
a couple of evenings and using
-F;
only a few narrow strips of maple,
wffi'rcherry,
and walnut from your scrap
bin, you can make this striking project. So
rustle up some clamps and water-resistant
glue, and let's get going.
For two more cutting-board designs,
see page 98.
Start by making a blank
",;
From maple, cherry, and walnut stock
+1, between
3/q"
and 1" thick, cut strips to
the widths and length shown on Drawing 1.
You can use stock with different thick-
nesses (as we did) because you'll plane the
blank to a uniform thickness after glue-up.
To ensure tight joints, prepare the strips by
jointing
one face and an edge and then rip-
ping them to the needed widths.
Edge-glue the strips with the jointed
r,*'$ faces down in the arrangement shown
on Drawing 1 and in Photo A. To keep the
82
glue-up flat, center the clamping pressure
on the blank by positioning riser blocks
under the blank, as shown.
S
With the glue dry, scrape off the
{**F
squeeze-out from the faces of the blank.
Then plane the top face of the blank unril it
is flat and the blank has a uniform thick-
ness. Now turn the blank over and plane it
to
s/s"
thick.
,$
Trim the blank ends square and to a
'
ii 11nut leneth of 35".
Now craft the cutting board
T Crosscut twenty-four lVq"-wide strips
& from the blank, as shown in
photo
B.
$
Align the strips on edge with the wood
#** patterns matched. Then turn every other
strip end for end to create the pattern shown
on Drawing 2. (This also staggers the
joints
for a super-strong board.) To simplify the
glue-up, separate the strips into three
groups of eight pieces. Now glue and clamp
the pieces in each group together, as shown
in Photo C. (To prevent the cauls from
sticking to the strips, either place waxed
paper behind the cauls or remove them after
the glue sets.) After the glue dries, glue and
clamp the three groups into one lamination,
making sure you align them correctly to
continue the pattern.
clScrape
off all of the glue squeeze-out
t"#from
the cutting board. Then, using a
belt sander or a random-orbit sander with
S0-grit sandpaper, sand the cutting board
faces just
enough to flatten them. Now
finish-sand the faces with a random-orbit
sander, using progressively finer sandpaper
up to 180 grit.
/E
Rip the long edges of the cuting board,
-ffileaving
a finished width of 11". Rout
/s" round-overs along all of the top and
bottom edges and corners of the board.
Now sand the edges, ends, and round-overs
to 180 grit.
ffi
Apply a food-safe finish of your choice.
+#(We applied three coats of mineral oil,
let each coat penetrate for five minutes, and
then wiped off the excess.) For other finish
WOOD magazi ne Oct ober 2006
Glue and clamp the contrasting wood strips
together in order, keeping the bottom faces
and ends flush.
options, see the article "Is your finish food-
safe? " at wood m a-uaz i ne.c om /fbod saf'e.
ATo
prevent the board from slipping
lJduring use and to allow air underneath
it for drying, drill pilot holes and screw six
zA" -diameter
rubber bumpers to its bottom,
where shown on Drawing 2. Now gather
up some fresh vegetables, and start slicing
and dicing! i
Written by Owen Duvall
Project design: Jeff Mertz
lllustrations: Mike Mittermeier
Cut 1tZ"-wi de stri ps from
Mapl e
bl ank, and posi t i on on
' -' -r' -
Usi ng a stopbl ock attached to an auxi l i ary
extensi on on your tabl esaw mi ter gauge,
crosscut 1r/a"-wi de stri ps from the bl ank.
Face-gl ue and cl amp together ei ght stri ps
at a ti me. Keep the top and bottom edges
fl ush and the ends al i gned wi th caul s.
mineral oil, to prevent water from
penetrati ng and damagi ng the wood.
QWnen
the cutti ng surface becomes
tJheavily scored, sand it with a
random-orbit sander, starting with 80-
gri t and progressi ng to 180-gri t
sandpaper. Then reapply the finish.
I
ntter use, hand-wash the cutting
I board in warm soapy water, rinse it
clean, and wipe it dry. Never let it soak
in water.
D
nt least every three months or
Cr whenever the wood looks dry,
reappl y a protecti ve oi l fi ni sh, such as
edge to form cutting board.
\ r -
,1 ->
Supplies: Waxed paper, mineral oil,Vt" rubber bumpers with screws (6). We found the oil and bumpers at a
hardware store.
Bit %" round-over router bit.
E
cumNc BoARD BLANK
f-.-.-- ttz"
35tl2" initially,
35" after trimming
bl ank ends
ITtr
l l
l , l
/
/ ' 1
1"-/ /
21/2"
I l--
( *
11/ B'
See morc
shop-made
kitchen projects at
woodma
gazine.com/kitset
E
cumNc BoARD ASSEMBLY
#6x' r/ 2" R. H. -. -- I
wood screw
\
i -
s/q"-diameter
{
rubber bumper
I
t " in from eacli edge
s
t
7e" round-overs
al ong al l edges
and corners
rvoodmagazine.com
' Every
other strip
turned end for end
83
Better l{omes and Gard rlSo
ID
]NS.
w0 l
wTE
lseue 172
October 2OOo
Wine Cabinet, Page 38
Tongue Drum
,
Page 58
Bow Front Table, Page 62
How to cut a straight edge, Page 76
Dear Reader: As a service to
you, we' ve included full-size
patterns on this insert for irreg-
ular shaped and intricate pO-
ect parts. You can machine all
other
project parts using the
Materials List and the draw-
ings accompanying the project
you're building.
oCopyright Meredith Corporation, 2006.
All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Meredith Corp., the publisher of WOOD
Patterns allows the purchaser of this
pattern insert to photocopy these pqt-
terns solely for his/her own personal use.
Any other reproduction of these patterns
is strictly prohibited.
Wine Gabinet, Page 38
Bow Front Table, Page 62
Tongue Drum, Page 58 How to cut a straight edge, Page 76
Remove at
perforation
t
S
i
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o
o
E
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-o
-o
(U
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sf
Bow Front Table, Page 62
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Wi ne Cabi net, Page 38
=
s
ftom ffie editorr
orW00D
.
*.;.r$ome-$aving
' '
Wotfi Center:Plan
0P{fi68 $6.s5
s________.-l
r ' f f i
, Lumbor$torage RackPlan
pack
moreworkshop
If clutter and cramped
floor space best
describe your
workshop, fight back
and win with these
space-saving ideas.
t T
obody plans to mess up the shop; it
I ll
gets messy for lack of a plan. If
- I
you're
close to owning an unwork-
able *oikrhop, devise an lrgani zation
strategy and take action.
Every woodworker's cluttercure is unique,
so pick and choose the ideas shown here that
suit your situation. Whichever solutions you
go with, you' ll first need to do three things:
I Define the boundaries of your shop to
determine how much space you actually
have. Remember to think vertically, too, not
just within your shop's width and length.
I Decide what needs to be kept within
the shop and what could be moved else-
where. Then list the tools you need to
accommodate immediately and envision
locations for tools you'll own eventually.
I Make the same space hold more or
serve multiple purposes. Search out areas
with untapped storage potential.
Bust up the clutter
You can't organize your shop until you get
rid of needless stuff, so play "moving day."
What would you keep or toss if you had to
pack everything and move next week? Send
everything that's not a keeper to the trash or
to the secondhand store. T[rn unused tools
and loose hardware into someone else' s
clutter by boxing them up for the next garage
sale. Then take nearly empty cans of paint
in forgotten colors to your local hazardous
waste disposal site.
As you sort, distinguish between tools
and supplies for home repairs and those for
woodworking. Box up plumbing and elec-
trical specialty tools and fixtures you' ll sel-
dom use. Then store them on hish shelves or
outside the shop.
90
1'
Lay out space for flexibility
When reorganizing your workshop, plan for
changing equipment or different woodwork-
ing interests, such as woodturning. A single
area within your shop can serve both exist-
ing and future uses, but only if you design it
with that flexibility. Here are l0 ways to
make smarter use of the space you have:
llAdjustable
shelving adapts to change
!Tbetter than fixed shelving, especially
for storins lumber. The wire mesh shelves
used here provide ventilation for lumber and
are readily available at most home centers.
Run shelves all the way to the ceiling to use
every cubic foot of space.
lfilPlan
for the equipment you expect to
17 add along with what you already own.
That could mean leaving a corner empty
until you can afford that bandsaw you've
been eyeing, for example. If you're creating
WOOD magazine October 2006
into less space
a shop from scratch, add 220-volt outlets to
power step-up machinery without the hassle
of extension cords or rewiring.
AMobility
=
flexibility. Even if you
\7don't have to accommodate parking in
a garage shop, put equipment and storage
cabinets on casters and mobile bases. That
lets you use the same floor space for more
than one task, speeds cleanup, and makes it
woodmagazine.com
easier to accommodate new equipment as
your shop expands.
/llrook
for neglected spaces to add
!/ storage. A cabinet on wheels can be
stored beneath a tablesaw extension and
rolled out to double as an assembly table.
Also, store loose parts in stacking bins
beneath jointer tables, between the legs of a
lathe, or below a drill press table.
G\Add wall cleats for a more flexible
E/ layout. Wall cleats give you the free-
dom to add or rearrange wall cabinets as
your needs change. They also make it easier
to build or buy additional cabinets gradually
instead of all at once. In addition to cabinets,
cleats can hold specialized storage, such as
clamp racks and tool boards.
fiCreate
space where you can sit and
S/work. Between cabinets under a
countertop, leave a knee space wide and
deep enough to store a mobile storage cabi-
net or scrap bin. If your countertop stands
higher than your tablesaw top, build a roll-
ing storage cabinet short enough to fit into
the knee space but tall enough to double as
an outfeed support for the saw or other
major tools around the shop.
1$lDouble-duty
design uses half the
17 space. Instead of a separate router
table that takes up more floor space, drop a
router table insert plate into the tablesaw
extension. This arrangement lets you use
the same fence for two tools.
lfi\lttlat<e
a place for wood scraps. For
\7 pieces too large for the trash but too
small to store with your lumber, build a
mobile scrap bin. That way, you create a
source for small project parts, scraps for
testing blade or bit settings, or
just material
for building
jigs.
6ltit
tall tools into corners. Use gaps
E7 between benches or cabinets and walls
to store tall, narrow tools, such as a drill
press. Mobile bases make it easy to move
tools into these tight spaces.
lfii\Replace
steel leg stands with mobile
llTcabinets. This keeps accessories close
to the tools that use them, creates a heftier
tool base for greater stability, and relieves
some of the storage burden on your other
cabinets and drawers.
9' 1
-:.\-
-_._.____--.._
ir
@r
Gustom cabinets: Think inside the box
fi
Bump up wall cabinet capacity by fir
!7 ti ng them wi th cl amshel l doors. Use
the i nsi de cavi ty to hang tool s, or fi t i t wi th
shel ves to organi ze fasteners and l oose
hardware. Then customi ze the outsi de of the
door for hangi ng storage.
6LAdd
dimension to storage. Perforared
\Thardboard provi des easy-to-i nstal l
storage, but al ternati ve methods use space
more effi ci entl y. Instead, buy or bui l d cabi -
nets that hol d more tool s i n l ess wal l space.
1[lAdd
cabinets that create storage within
t/storage to hang tool s and organi ze
accessori es. The accordi on cabi net (page
46) uses two i nteri or doors wi th perforated
hardboard for layers of hanging storage.
/lReplace
space-eating drill and router
!tbi t packages wi th a storage cabi net
that hol ds everythi ng you need, i ncl udi ng
wrenches, col l ets, and accessori es.
fiUse
slide-out trays in base cabinets to
\7 provide access to the contents with
l ess bendi ng or kneel i ng. For a si mpl er
al ternati ve, fi t cabi nets wi th adj ustabl e
shelves to keep tools and supplies from
bei ng heaped on each other.
92
Workbenches. Put benches on
wheel s onl y as a l ast resort .
Workbenches are best pl ant ed i n
one spot f or great er st abi l i t y.
Saws. On a mobi l e base, a t abl esaw
can be swi vel ed or moved to ri p
l arge panel s and t ucked out of t he
way when not i n use.
Lathes. The vi brati on of a l athe
makes i t a poor
candi date for mobi l e
bases and casters. l f you need
mobi l i ty, use wheel s that retract
compl etel y or l ow, removabl e rol l i ng
dol l i es.
Dri l l press. A mobi l e base al l ows
you t o wheel t hi s t ool i nt o a corner of
t he shop when not i n use.
Rout er t abl es. Shapi ng l ong st ock
i s as easy as wheel i ng your rout er
t abl e i nt o a wi de-open work area.
Joi nt ers/ pl aners. Joi nt ers can be
mounted on bases wi th retractabl e
wheel s. Pl aners can be at t ached t o
cabi net s wi t h l ocki ng cast ers.
jll Customize drawer storage specifically
\7 for such items as planes, chisels, and
saw blades. Allow space at the top of the
drawer to hold a removable.tray.
flMake
tool. or task.specific trays, such
17 as this portable chisel tray. Create
sirnilar trays for turning or measuring tools.
Rock or roll?
6\
Use cabinets instead of open shelves to
\7 keep dust off tools and clutter out of
si ght. If a cabi net and countertop arrange-
ment such as thi s one doesn' t fi t your work-
shop pl ans, add storage cabi nets beneath
your workbench for increased weight and
stabi l i ty and to keep tool s cl ose to where
you' l l use t hem.
Mobi l i ty onl y goes so far i n the shop; some i tems are best l eft wi th a sol i d foundati on.
Use these gui del i nes to deci de what needs to be rock sol i d or readv to rol l .
WOOD magazine October 2006
ai,
Space-stretching
tips
just
for
garage shops
ANo
space goes to waste. Put that area
!f above your garage door to work by
suspending a platform beneath the ceiling.
It's a handy spot for lumber, tool cases, and
household items you moved aside to make
room for your shop. Just make certain you've
firmly connected the framework to the ceil-
ing joists.
Need temporary storage for a couple of
long pieces of lumber? Rest them on the
garage floor centered between the wheels of
your car. Raise the boards off the floor using
scrapwood supports, and cover them to
guard against vehicle leaks.
e)yragainst
the wall. Sheet goods lean-
\7 ing against a wall waste space and
tend to warp. Solve both problems with a
simple bungee cord. Mount eye hooks into
the wall studs more than 8'apart, center the
panels between the hooks, and pull them
tightly against the wall with a pair of bun-
gee cords hooked at the middle. Most panels
are 4' wide or less, leaving plenty of room
for shelves above your sheet goods.
-.-/-
18lPut
high walls to work. Not all storage
\7 needs to be within easy reach. Use the
high walls in your garage to add one addi-
tional layer of storage for items you'll use
infrequently. Mount cabinets in the space
above your car hood. You'll add storage with-
out sacrificing parking space.
cf
Written by Robert Wilson
l l l ustrati ons: Bri an Jensen
Use every cubic
foot of your shop
Even little changes can add up to big
space savings. Here are five more ways
to stretch your shop:
I In basement shops, drive nails or pegs
into the overhead
joists
to hang clamps
conveniently close to your workbench.
I If you can't foresee when you'll have
time to build shop cabinets, don't wait.
Get started with inexpensive, ready-to-
assemble cabinets from a local home
center. Then customize these basic boxes
with add-ons, such as router-bit holders,
tool racks, and additional shelves.
I Handle every incoming item only
once. For example, don't leave that new
box of screws you just bought resting on
your workbench
just
because you're in a
hurry. Take the extra 15 seconds to store
it now and you'll save yourself 15 minutes
of clearing accumulated clutter later.
I Don't stop with your shop. Add or
improve storage throughout your house
to create places for items that don't
belong in the workshop.
I Create a limbo box for all those doo-
dads you toss into your shop when you're
in a hurry thinking they're too handy to
pitch but not ready to store. When the
box fills up, it's judgment day: time to
sort the trash from the treasures.
93
woodmagazine.com
designerts notebook
mix-and-match
crrttin%-kmfd
a
Simply alter the blank for fresh new looks.
enjoyed coming up with the design for
the cutting board featured on page 82
so much that I created these additional
designs for you to 0ry.To produce the
patterns, combine conftasting wood strips
of different widths to form the cutting board
blanls shown below, making sure that the
blank wood pafferns-when reversed-<ff-
Design Option 1
set all of the
joint
lines by atleast Vc" .
Although there's no rule for the srip widths,
I kept them between Vz" and2t/2" to take
advantage of narrow scrap-bin rippings.
To make either of these cutting boards,
follow the instructions in the referenced
article, cutting the blank strips to the widths
W**,7
r R.H. wood
f-j
3;.H$"0
Cherry
Mapl e
Cut 1tla"-wide strips from
shown below. Or if you feel adventurous,
try your hand at a new design, how that
you know the offset secret.
Design Option 2
bl ank, and posi ti on on edge.
to form cutting board.
-
\
Vq" l o 1" i ni ti al l y,
then planed to 7a"
tr/%DesignEditor
7e" round-overs along
all edges and corners
Vt"
-diam.
rubber bumper
1" i n from each edge
7e" round-overs along
all edges and corners
7c"-di am. rubber bumper
1" i n from each edge
W",,?
i R.H. wood
*{
screw Cherry
Mapl e
Cut 1tl+"-wide strips from
blank, and position on edge.
to form cutting board.
\
35tl2" initially,
35" after trimmino
blank ends
( i q
1Y2'
98
Vq" lo 1" initially,
Y-.1<
then
Planed
lou/""rf lrr,,
WOOD rnagazine October 2006
sho roven
These woodworki ng wares passed
our shop tri al s.
Planer-size drum sander leaves a smooth
surface and saves you money, too
roducts
Baby Drum Sander G0459
Anything that eliminates the drudgery of
hand-sanding is okay in my book-that's
why I use a drum sander. Like most home-
shop drum sanders, mine features one open
end that permits sanding pieces up to twice
as wide as the drum. It thicknesses as
reliably as a planer (but slower), and leaves
a finer finish on my workpieces. From a
space standpoint, though, a drum sander is
just one more big stationary tool I have to
walk around.
But Grizzly's G0459 Baby Drum Sander,
with its l2x22" footprint, takes up only a
little more room than a typical benchtop
planer. (Although, at 150 pounds, it weighs
about twice as much.) And, like industrial-
scale drum sanders, both ends of the
G0459 are closed. That means two things:
There's no deflection of the drum, as you
sometimes can find on open-ended
sanders; and you can' t sand anything wider
than 12". I' ll bet that 90 percent of the
pieces I shove through my drum sander
measure less than 12" wide, so that
capacity is plenty for me.
I Another feature that separates the
i G0459 from other drum sanders: its
i conveyor belt that pulls wood through
r the machine. Most machines use an
i abrasive belt, but this sander's
i rubbery belt (again, borrowed from
: industrial drum sanders) seems to
:
grip better. And it tracked true right
i out ofthe box.
i
You won't waste any time getting
i to work, because the sander comes
i completely assembled. save for
: installing the crank handle and dust
i
po.t. I was surprised to see only a
,
2t/z" dust port on the G0459, but when
, I hooked it up to my shop vacuum
: and then sanded l0"-wide walnut
i boards, little or no dust escaped.
; Hook-and-loop sanding strips, 3"
i wide, make changing worn abrasives
: abreeze. The ends of the abrasive
strips tape down with strapping tape, which
isn' t as sexy as fancy clips, but equally
effective.
-Tested
by Pat Lowry
Pri ce
Gri zzl y Industri al
8O0 I 523- 4777
;
grizzly .com
Performance * * * * *
$425
Full-on clamping pressure with a flick of a lever
Remember the days when every clamping
operation was a chore because you had to
twist a handle or crank to tighten the jaws?
Pistol-grip style bar clamps made the
job
easier, but VersaClamp simplifies clamping
even more with a lever-activated cam to
apply pressure. Like a clamp-on tool guide,
you simply slide the movable jaw
so that
both jaws
touch the assembly you want to
clamp, and then push the lever down.
Instantly, 400 psi of pressure is applied to
the
joint. (By comparison, pistol-grip bar
clamps deliver about 200250 psi; a
threaded-jaw clamp can go to 1,000 psi.)
Mount a VersaClamp to the front edge of
your bench (or sawhorses, as shown at
right) using the optional brackets, and it
acts like a tail vise and bench dog to secure
a workpiece while you work it. You can
still easily remove the clamp for handheld
use, but the protruding brackets left behind
tended to catch on my pockets. I wound up
leaving a clamp in the brackets most of the
time to prevent that.
Opti onal mounti ng
brackets
!,,*
ijli
i-i
x$'l
The only other downside is the price. A
i
2}"-capacity VersaClamp runs $35-about :
the same price as a 24" Bessey K-Body
i
clamp that boasts large, paralleljaw faces
,
and more clamping pressure.
i
-Tested
by Randy Zimmerman i
VersaCl amp
Performance * * * * i ;
Pri ce
$35; mounti ng brackets, $S/pai r
T. S. Tool Co.
81 21933-5421
;
tstoolco.com
100
WOOD magazine October 2006
Stop b,teedi ng:
Ni p workshop nrcks fast
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I i ( ) i ( ' ! 1 . \ i ) l l D l ' i l h l t h l r
l r , l t t I t l l ' . ' l r l t \ \ i l i ' \ r ) i t l r t r t i l l r l r ' r , , j i i t l l i l l l )
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l ) t . L ' \ t
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1 1 . l r L r t t l t c n c r t r l l i r I n o t r r ' t ' t 1 l l r l r l l l r t r
r ' t t t ; L ! ' r ' ; L \ \ i l \ r l i t ' r ' ( 1 " l c l l ( l c 1 ' .
( ) r ' \ \ \ i i i i r . ' i l . . r ,
l l l , .
' 1 1 \ l i 1 t t
: t - . l i l _ r ' \ r r r l . [ : ; 1 : ; L i . i \ r , , l . 1 t : f t l .
; r l l r , r i , g . l t ! t i , l t r ' l i l r p l 1 o l r r ' t 1 r r - l L l i r . k t t r .
I r: sl rrrr l . rL' , i rt i ! I ' , 4e t t .
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AKER
Set
shop-proven
products
Remove damaged screws
with GraBit
In 30 years of woodworking, I've damaged
more screwheads than I can remember.
Soft brass screws are the most susceptible,
but even the heads of today's inexpensive
steel screws tend to shred under the
influence of a cordless drill/driver. Once
damaged, you can't drive
'em
in, and often
can't back
'em
out. But GraBit screw
extractors give me away to back
'em
out.
Each end of the GraBit bit has a
different function: The burnishing tip
bores and smooths a shallow dimple in the
messed-up screwhead. Flip the bit around
to expose the reverse-spiral extracting tip;
then use your drill/driver, slowly, in
reverse. The spiral bites into the dimple,
and out comes the screw. The key, I found,
is to create a smooth dimple for that spiral
to seat in.
To test GraBit, I intentionally bunged up
a Phillips-head brass hinge screw so badly,
I couldn't even see where the drive slots
had been. To my surprise, the burnishing/
extracting process worked exactly as
advertised. In fact, no matter what kind of
screw I tried it on-steel screws, drywall
screws, brass screws, Phillips, slotted or
square drive-GraBit worked in them all.
The 2-piece set works on screws from
size #6 to #I4, and should be in every
woodworker's toolbox. The manufacturer
suggests not using GraBit on screws longer
than2", Such screws provide more
resistance than the extracting tip can
overcome.
-Tested
by Pat Lowry
qEEit
Damaged Screw Remover
Performance * * * * *
Pri ce
$18 (#820P two-pi ece set)
Al den Corporati on
800/832-5336; al dn.com
continued on page 104
woodmagazine.com
102
Dust Deputy puts the cuffs on sanding dust
shop-proven products
A dust collector gobbles up debris created
by machines such as a tablesaw, planer, or
jointer.
But for portable power tools with
small dust ports, a shop vacuum works
more effectively-that is, until the vac's
filter becomes choked with fine dust. If
only someone would come up with a device
to keep my vac performing at its peak by
preventing that dust pack.
Oneida's Dust Deputy does just
that.
Connected inline between the tool and the
vacuum, this heavy steel cyclone separator
acts like a full-size cyclone, allowing only
the smallest particles to get into the vac's
tub. I'll admit I was skeptical, but my tests
made me a believer.
After washing out my vacuum's tub, I
connected its hose to Dust Deputy's 2" top
outlet. Next, I hooked up another hose (an
optional hose kit from Oneida) between the
Deputy's lVz" side inlet and my random-
orbit sander. Finally, I hogged away a scrap
of hard maple with 8O-grit paper. After 10
minutes of sanding, I stopped and popped
off the vacuum's lid. Only when I wiped
the inside of the vac tub did I see a trace of
dust. On the other hand, a quick check of
Dust Deputy's l0-gallon steel drum
showed the interior
completely
coated with
fine maple dust.
(.
Thinking I
hadn't chal-
lenged this
mini-cyclone
enough, I
thoroughly
cleaned the
vac tub and the
drum, hooked
up my big drum
sander to the inlet,
and again fired up
the vacuum. This time.
I continuously
fed lO"-wide
maple and
walnut boards.
stopping only
Iong enough to
lower the
sanding drum
slightly between
passes. After
abrading more
than 40lineal
feet of wide
stock. I checked
the tub and
drum and found
the same result:
very little dust
in the vacuum,
and a deep,
swirly dune of
dust in the
bottom of Dust Deputy's drum. It really
performed well. But then it should for $200
(not including the optional
$30 hose that
runs between the tool and the Deputy; you
could also use your own).
You can cut your cost in half, though, if
you buy the DIY Package that mounts on
your own 5-gallon bucket. I assembled this
model with a scrap of plywood, gasket
material (I used an old router pad), and a
few bolts in less than 30 minutes. It worked
every bit as well as the Complete system.Q
-Tested
by Pat Lowry
Dust Deputv
Performance * * * * *
&r,gg"a
CO, Lqser Engroving,
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EPI LOG
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Tof f Free: 1. 888. 437. 4564
.
Phone: 3O3. 2l l . l l 88
[email protected]
.
www.epilogloser.com/bhg.htm
Pri ce
$200, Compl ete; $130, DIY Packaqe
router clinic
try gauge
blocks for
fast set-ups
Once you've fussed over setting the
perfect height for a table-mounted
router bit, make a gauge block so
next time you can skip the hassle.
Which bits need blocks?
Creating gauge blocks for the following
router bits makes good sense:
r Matching pairs, such as cope-and-stick
bits, used to make rails and stiles on doors
and windows, or tongue-and-groove bits.
r Bits requiring precise alignment, such as
those designed for cutting finger joints
or
raised panels.
r Any bits that you use to match existing
profiles, such as on molding or trim.
Build blocks that will last
Machine your gauge blocks from hard,
tight-grained wood, such as maple, cherry,
or walnut, or medium-density fiberboard
(MDF). If you think changing humidity
might cause wood blocks to swell or
shrink, make them out of ultra-high
molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW),
as shown below.
Start with a blank at least 4" wide and
6-8" long. Plane blanks to the same
thickness as the workpieces you would
ultimately use on a project. For example, if
your rails and stiles for raised-panel doors
typically measure
z/i'
thick, make your
gauge blocks to match.
UHMW at right, machines
just
as easily as
wood and won't change size or shape with
seasonal variations in humidity.
Now set up the bit in the router table as
you would for a project part. Make test cuts
on scrap to perfect the settings; then rout
the profile onto the blank, as shown below.
Repeat the process for the mating bit (if
any), and then machine the opposite edge
of the blank. Finally, rip the gauge blocks
to about lVz" in width. Sand away any
splinters or rough areas, being careful not
to alter the profile
How to use gauge blocks
To set up a bit, first raise it to the
approximate height. Make sure the router is
unplugged. Place your matching gauge
block-centered on the bit-with the
profile against the bit. Raise or lower the
bit until it slides perfectly into the routed
profile on your block, as shown at right,
Cutting a gauge-block profile on wider
stock, before ripping to width, proves safer
than routing narower pieces.
and lock in the height. Now set up your
fence or miter gauge as needed. Note:
While gauge blocks are helpful in set-up,
always rout a test piece first to confirm the
accuracy.
Store your gauge blocks near your router
bits or router table, either in a cabinet or
drawer. Or, drill a hole near one end, to
hang them on a nail or hook. To avoid
confusion later, write on your gauge blocks
which router bits thev match.
al
Source
UHMW: Vqx4x48" $20,
pl us shi ppi ng and
handl i ng, Amazon.com.
With the router unplugged and the bit tight-
ened into the collet, lock in its height when
the bi t al i gns wi th the gauge bl ock.
106 WOOD magazine October 2006
vtrhatts
ahead
A sneak
peek
inside the November issue (on
sale October 10)
Get a head staril on holiday gifts
Accommodating
3-in-1 Bed
At last! A bed that
stays with a child
from infancy to the
teenage years and
beyond. lt changes
from a baby crib to a
toddler bed to a full-
size bed. Simple fas-
teners make it easy
to swap out the sides
and footboard.
r1
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EEE
Here's a way to dazzle kids that doesn't require batteries,
computer chips, or software. And it's simple to assemble.
Tile-topped keepsake box
Build it in a weekend, add an eye-catching tile, and you'll
have a present
sure to please anyone on your list.
Make the rnost of yorrr time in the
Benchtop planers
Don't buy your next thicknesser
until you check out this comparison
of today's top 10 machines.
Planer tips and tricks
This tool can do a lot more than plane
boards to thickness. Here's how to
expand its
job
description.
Oil vs. film finishes
Woodworkers tend to swear by one of these
finishes. Some of us swear at both. Learn to
get the best results from each.
Wood-joint torture test
What's the strongest way to
join
two
workpieces? How strong is strong
enough? Our scientific trials tell all.
Magic-wand kaleidoscope
112
WOOD rnagazi ne October 2006