Contents

Features
dream shop project
Heirloom Workbench ~ 12
This classic workbench features a solid
worksurface, a heavy-duty vise, and a variety
of useful storage options. It's a workbench
that will not only work hard but also look
great for years to come.
hands-on technique
Adding Custom Butterfly Keys 22
Don't toss split, cracked, or checked boards.
Highlight them in your next project with this
unique, attractive solution.
weekend project
Miter Saw Station Space-Saving Miter Saw Station EJD.WR 26
page 26 Turn your miter saw into an ultra-portable
workstation with this knock-down design.
Setup is quick and easy. Plus, the extensions
automatically lock in straight and level.
best-buitt jigs &fixtures
Precision Router Bases 34
Take your palm router to the next level of
precision routing with a pair of custom
baseplates. Common materials are all it takes.

Departments
Readers' Tips _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~_ 4
router wori<shop
Sliding Dovetails 8
Your half-blind dovetail jig is a great option for
creating foolproof sliding dovetails.
jigs & accessories
Protecting Your Hands _ _ _ _ __ _ 10
Keep your hands clean and in tip-top shape
with these must-have items.

Shop Short Cuts._ _ _ __ _ _ _ 24

Check out our shop-tested tips and techniques
for solving your woodworking problems.
hands-on technique
Cutting Slots the Easy Way 32 v
Creating smooth, straight slots doesnr have to be
a hassle. This step-by-step process is the key.
page 34
ShopNotes No. 118
 Cutoffs
I can't really explain it, but I've always
been fascinated by workbenches. I've
never been without at least one (and have
had three in my shop at one point). Hon-
estly, every new design I see makes me want
to build another one. That's the case with our
latest workbench design.
The heirloom workbench in this issue
(page 12) features interesting details and
capabilities. For starters, it has a unique style.
From the beading on the legs to the riftsawn
oak, you can't beat its overall look.
But don't worry, this bench has more
going for it than appearance. It's a rock-solid
workhorse suitable for any shop. It all starts
with a sturdy base built using mortise and
tenon joinery. To make it easy to build, we
took a simplified approach to creating the
joinery. The top of the bench is just as solid
as the base, so it's ready to handle the most
demanding tasks.
Sliding Dovetails pageB This bench doesn't lack for storage options
either. There's a lower cabinet consisting of
drawers and an enclosed compartment for
in the shop
easy organization. And to keep your most-
Tools tor Perfect Miters • • 40
used tools close at hand, there's a convenient
These two simple hand plane jigs are th~
secret to creating tight-fitting miters. rack at the back of the bench.
setting up shop Of course, this issue is packed with a lot
Storage Solutions for Every Shop 44 of other great information, from projects,
Check out these practical ideas for getting to tips and techniques you can start using
more out of the space around your workbench. right away. After checking out what's inside,
mastering the table saw you'll be ready to head to the shop and start
Safer Cuts with a Riving Knife 46 putting them to use. For me, it's time to think
A riving knife provides the best combination of about where I can put a new workbench.
safety and ease of use. Here's why
great gear
Workshop Solutions________ 48
Make quick work of a few challenging shop
tasks with these unique items.

O&A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 50 ShopNotes. This symbol lets you know

there's more information
~\ ONLINE available online at
~ EXTRAS ShopNotes.com
Sources _________________________ 51
ShopNotes.com 3
 igs for
rourShop
Fold-Down Dovetail Jig Station

• I build quite a bit of cabinetry, so

a dovetail jig is one of my go-to
tools. The problem is where to
store it when it's not being used.
My solution is the folding,
wall-mounted station you see
plywood parts: a wall bracket, a
folding support, and the jig plat-
form. The platform is attached
to the wall bracket with a hinge
block and continuous hinge. The
folding support is also attached to
as you can see above. A small
hole provides clearance for the bit
when resting on the top.
After securely mounting the
wall bracket, you can attach the
rest of the parts. The assembled
here. It's simple to build but sure the bracket with a hinge. height should allow you to work
makes setup and storage easy. As I sized the platform long enough at the jig comfortably without
you can see in the drawings below, to accommodate my dovetail jig making you stoop over. Finally,
the station consists of three basic and still leave room for the router, you can mount your dovetail jig
and get to work.
PLATFORM
(8" X 301.2") SIDE VIEW a. David DiRanna
Fountain Valley, California

..••..."
...." T-NUTS ARE
POSITIONED
TO FIT

.."..
DOVETAIL JIG
••
..
t~
...,.••
WALL
..c:
...
•• TOP VIEW
BRACKET :-: SUPPORT
t
(8 " X 24")
..,,,......
:: (24" X 24")

...t·: .
.....
NOTE: A LL PARTS
A RE 34" BALTIC
BIRCH PLYWOOD

4 ShopNotes No. 118

Simple Squares
I found an easy, accurate way to
make clamping squares out of
lf2" Baltic birch plywood. And the
way they're cut and assembled
automatically makes them square. Issue 118 July/August 2011
As you can see in the draw-
ings below, I ripped several pieces PUBLISHER Donald B. Peschke
of plywood to width, leaving EDITOR Bryan Nelson
them extra long. With a stop on MANAGING EDITOR Vincent Ancona
an auxiliary miter gauge fence, I SENIOR EDITOR Phil Huber
cut the three long legs to length ASSOCIATE EDITOR Randall A. Maxey
ASSISTANT EDITOR James Bruton
(detail'a'). Then! tookoneofthese
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Ted Raife,
long pieces and used it as a spacer Dennis Perkins, Carol Beronich
to cut the three shorter pieces
(detail 'b'). Now apply the glue EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth
ART DIRECTOR Cary Christensen
and screw the sections together.
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jamie Downing
A tight fit where each piece meets SENIOR IllUSTRATORS Dirk Ver Steeg, Peter J. Larson
LONG SHORT
ensures a square assembly. LEGS LEG CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS David Kreyling,
Daniel Chiappetta Harlan V. Clark, David Kallemyn
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Shelley Cronin
Astoria, New York
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek
NOTE: ALL PARTS SENIOR PROJECT DESIGNERS Ken Munkel, Kent Welsh,
ARE FROM 'k"
BALTIC BIRCH Chris Fitch, James R. Downing
PLYWOOD PROJECT DESIGNERJBUILDER John Doyle
SHOP CRAFTSMEN Steve Curtis, Steve Johnson

POSITION STOP BLOCK FOR

LENGTH OF LONG LEG a. SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Crayola England,
Dennis Kennedy
ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham
AUXILIARY FENCE SENIOR ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Minniette Johnson
LONG
LEG SHORT VIDEO DIRECTOR/EDITOR Mark Hayes, Nate Gruca
LEG

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ShopNotes.com 5
 Overhead Cabinet
Years of woodworking have
taught me several lessons about
working efficiently. One of the
lessons is taking advantage of
the unused space over my work-
bench. The cabinet you see on the
right is the combination of several
handy storage tips and tricks.
The idea for the cabinet started
as a place to store my cordless
drills and drivers. It turned out
to be so handy that I kept add-
ing features to store other items
like adhesive-backed sandpaper
and paper towels.
The drawings below show you
the basic construction details,
but you may want to modify the
dimensions to suit your space and
storage needs. The assembly starts
with two pegboard panels framed
with%" plywood. You can cut the
dadoes for the top, bottom, and it securely. It's best to drive the sandpaper, and other items
shelf next. Before gluing the shelf mounting screws into the ceiling you find yourself reaching for
and bottom in place, cut a dado joists. Then you can add an inex- often. You can even add a task
and groove for the two center pensive paper towel rack and light. You'll soon wonder how
dividers (drawing below). power strip at convenient loca- you ever got along without this
After gluing all the compo- tions within your reach. additional space.
nen ts together, it's just a matter of Finally, load up the cabinet Jack Vreeland
RAIL finding a suitable spot to mount with your accessories, tools, Portland, Maine
(2
; ' K 12")
;b

STILE NOTE: ALL PARTS ARE

a. FRONf VIEW b.
(2" K 24") "4" 6ALTIC 61RCH PLYWOOD
(EXCEPT PANELS) f t,.....,.-1-ri----:------i
3f..
......
................. ...
..... .....
..:.......
..........
. .. .......
•'
... .....··...
I I It I I I

•'
......,.•..
,• ,• '
•' .
............·:.·....
I I I I I I

,•
c.
...·...·...
60TTOM
(15"K2~")

1
4~

ATTACH TWO
HACKSAW 6 LADES TO DOWEL
l.,L-----,---___J
14--- -+--'-' 7Y& --..1
l fOP VIEW
60TTOM EDGE OF
CA61NET
SIDE VIEW

6 ShopNotes No. 118

 TOP RAIL
(3" X 24")
FRONTVJEW i
-----,-· .
c-L. .. . . . ,,
__."'
: 112
-'- ~
:...---. ....... ,'4
/ .if
ft
....
: 0? '1.
.. 1/ .,
/k I

..' ..... a.
PANEL '
(24" X 231k") '-----,,,_)
6 EVELED CLEATS
r-.. . . . . . . . ., (CUi FROM 2 x 4)
. .
!~ .,:> .!: ~
..:
''
.. b. 51DEVIEW
'
. . .............. . . ..:

NOTE: ALL
PARTS ARE 112"
6ALiiC 61RCH
PLYWOOD

Charging Rack
Since I own a number of cord- PANEL
less tools, I wanted a central WALL
location for all of the battery
chargers. And it was important
to keep all their cords contained
too. My solution (shown above) Grooves in the frame pieces This simple solution frees up
took almost no time to build yet hold the panel in place (draw- valuable bench space in my shop.
it solved both these p roblems. ings above). The rabbeted joints Plus, my batteries are always
As you can see, it's a simple in the comers are simply glued. charged because I know exactly
plywood panel with a deep And a beveled cleat makes it easy where my chargers are located.
frame. The charging units are to mount the rack securely to the Dale Oroszi
mounted on the front of the paneL wall yet still remove it if needed. Clifton Park, New York
The cords are routed through
holes in the p anel to a power
strip mounted to the frame on
the back side. The excess cord is Quick Tips
bundled neatly behind the panel.

A David Robbins of Westminster, MD A. After Elvin Perry of Valley Springs, CA

writes the maximum open length on the reads his mail, he creates disposable
end of each of his clamps. You'll never ·funnels from the envelopes. Just draw a
reach for the wrong clamp again. couple of arcs and cut along the lines.

ShopNotes.com 7
 Workshop

a new way to rout

Sliding
Dovetails
Create this strong,
versatile joint using your
Porter-Cable dovetail jig .

• Sliding dovetails combine good

looks with sturdy construction.
joint- using a dovetail jig. And I
found the process is nearly hassle
dovetails is pretty effortless. The
only thing you need to do is flip
Unlike a dado joint, a sliding free. The secret is the jig itself. the template around so that the
dovetail automatically pulls the The dovetail jig I used is the fingers used for routing half-blind
mating parts into alignment and Porter Cable 4210 (the 4212 works dovetails are facing the back of the
creates a strong mechanical con- the same). The basic half-blind jig. This exposes the straight edge
nection that virtually eliminates dovetail template has everything along the back of the template
the need for glue. This versatile you need to rout sliding dovetails that you'll use to rout the tails.
joint can be used for making wall in workpieces up to 12" wide. The Router. Next, you can get
shelves, cabinets, and drawers. A slot in the middle of the tem- your router set up. This starts
On the surface, it looks simple plate captures a guide bushing, with installing a %" 0.0. guide
to make. But looks can be deceiv- allowing you to rout dovetail- bushing in the baseplate. (The
ing. It often takes a lot of fuss- shaped sockets. A straight edge bushing collar should protrude
ing to make a joint that comes along one side of the template is no more than 1,4".) As for the bit,
together without binding or used to create the mating tails. you can use any size and angle
showing gaps. As a result, many And the built-in damps hold the dovetail bit to make sliding dove-
woodworkers avoid it altogether. workpieces rock steady. tails so long as it fits in the bush-
Recently, I came across a sur- Set Up the Jig. Setting up ing. A depth gauge on the tern-
prising way to cut this tricky the dovetail jig to rout sliding plate makes it easy to set the bit to
common depths (near left photo).
You'll use this setting for cutting
both the sockets and the tails.
The Workpieces. The next step
in the process is to get your work-
pieces ready. In addition to basic
stock preparation, you need to do
a little layout work. On the pieces
that will receive the sockets, start
by marking the centerline of each
joint. There's one other set of
marks to make - a pair of index
A Strength & Style. A sliding A Bit Depth. Three depth stop notches on the end marks %" away from one side of
dovetail pulls parts into perfect of the template allow you to quickly set the bit for the centerline (upper left photo
alignment without clamps. cutting Y4"-, %"-, and !/:?"-deep sliding dovetails. on the next page). You'll use these

8 ShopNotes No. 118

i Simple Layout. After marking the center of each i Routing Sockets. When routing the sockets,
dovetail socket, draw the index marks used to posi- the dovetail bit is guided by a bushing captured
tion the workpiece %• away from the centerline. in a slot in the top of the dovetail template.

marks to position the workpiece Routing Tails. The process as in the photo below. Then com-
in the dovetail jig. Be sure to make for routing the tails involves plete the cut by moving the router
the index marks on the same only slightly more work. That's from left to right. Finish the tail
side of the layout lines. This way, because you need to do some by flipping the board around in
you'll set up and rout the joints fine-tuning to get a good fit in the jig and making a second cut
consistently from piece to piece. the socket. The main photo on along the opposite face. i Backer. A small
Sockets First. Since you need the previous page shows the From here, you can test the fit backer board
the sockets to accurately size the setup. The tail board is damped of the tail in one of the sockets. prevents tearout
tails, it's necessary to cut them in the front of the jig and snug This is where using the dovetail on the back edge
first. To begin, slide the socket against the template. Here again, jig really shines. The template of the workpiece.
board into the top of the jig and I damped a board behind the tail adjustment knobs on the front of
under the template. Align the board for support. (I used one of the jig give you precise control
index marks on the workpiece the socket boards.) to dial in a good fit. Since you're
with one edge of the slot in the jig Next, you can adjust the front- removing material from both
so the layout line is centered. to-hack position of the template sides of the joint, it's a good idea
Along with the workpiece, I to determine the size of the tail. make small adjustments between
slide a small scrap piece (the same To do this, move the template test cuts. The key thing to keep
thickness) up to the right side of forward so the bit will only graze in mind is making sure the edge
the workpiece (right margin). This the edge of the workpiece. This of the template remains parallel
backer board prevents the socket way you can sneak up on _the with the edge of the workpiece.
from tearing out as the bit exits. width of the tail for a good fit. Once the setting for the tails is
Then damp the boards in place. Now, you're ready to make a locked in, you can go ahead and
Before turning on the router, pass along one edge of the tail make the remaining tail cuts.
I damp one of the tail boards in board. To prevent tearout here, I The result is a strong and good-
the front of the jig (upper right made a short, backwards cut on looking joint that slides together
photo). It provides additional the right side of the workpiece, with simple hand pressure. 4
support that keeps the socket
board from flexing.
At this point, you can rout the
socket, moving the router across
the workpiece from left to right.
The only thing you need to do is
keep the router flat on the tem-
plate. Routing the other sockets is
just a matter of repositioning the
workpiece and repeating the cut.

..,... Routing Talis. Backrout the

opposite end of the tail board to
prevent tearout.

ShopNotes.com
 p solutions fo
Saving
Your Hands
• As a woodworker, my hands are
my most valuable asset. So I do
my best to keep them safe. Even
cause irritation. Fortunately there
are a few products that can help
protect, dean, and restore hard-
tools, I find them to be clumsy.
And they reduce finger sensitivity.
Finger Guard Tape. A better
so, they take a lot of abuse while working hands. Sources on page solution for tasks that can take
working on a project. You can 51 shows you where to find them. a toll on fingers is finger guard
protect your hands from the typi- tape. This breathable gauze
cal dangers of woodworking, but PROTECTION tape is inexpensive and easy to
there are other concerns that also The primary step in caring for use. You simply wrap it around
deserve attention. your hands is keeping them safe your fingertips as shown in the
Wood and sawdust act like in the first place. Work gloves are inset photo above. And since
sponges, wicking moisture away an option, but when working on it only sticks to itself, it can be
from the skin leaving hands dry projects, I don't generally wear easily removed.
and cracked. Finishing products them for a number of reasons. The flexible, non-slip material
can stain the skin. And the clean- Besides the safety concerns of allows you to retain fine controJ
ing solvents to remove them can wearing gloves around power and improves your grip. It also
helps protect fingers from slight
abrasions and from heat build up,
like when using a card scraper.
Gloves in a Bottle. Hands also
need to be protected when apply-
ing stains and finishes. I gener-
ally wear nitrile gloves, but they
can sometimes make my hands
feel clammy. And on more than
A Before. Hands protected A After. A simple washing with one occasion, the loose-fitting
with Gloves in a Bottle are plain water removed any trace gloves have resulted in smear
exposed to dark gel stain. of the stain from the skin. marks on my finished projects.

10 ShopNotes No. 118

The simple solution I often turn O'Keeffe's. The
to is a shielding lotion called first is a product
Gloves in a Bottle. called O'Keeffe's Work-
Applied like a typical lotion, ing Hands. This prod-
this product actually bonds with uct works especially
the outermost layer of skin. This well for hands that
creates an invisible barrier that are extremely dry and
resists absorption of stain or cracked. Its water and
other liquids into the skin. I've glycerin formula does
used this product with success a great job of penetrat-
while applying both oil- and ing into and around
water-based stains. cracked skin, bringing
To show how well this prod- much-needed relief. I
uct works, I applied gel stain to like that the product is
a workpiece with nothing more odorless, but because it
than Gloves in a Bottle on my contains paraffin wax it
@
hands. You can see the results in leaves a slight waxy feel 5 F1ui:;;"'~
l48Miltilit,..,

the photos on the bottom of the to my hands. moisturizers can

opposite page. The stain came off For this reason, I don't leave residue on
completely using only water to use it while I'm working your projects.
wash my hands. Dye stains come on my projects. Instead I'll
off just as easily. An added ben- apply it in the evenings and let it
efit of the product is that it helps work overnight.
retain moisture in the skin which SBS-40. When I'm in the shop, moisturizers applied to a work-
keeps it from drying out. I use SBS-40 by Deb USA. You can piece. On the left is the barely
Sometimes though, I do get tell by the name that it's geared noticeable remnant left from
stain on my skin Instead of using more toward industry needs SBS-40. The smudge on the right
harsh chemical cleansers, there rather than individuals. But you is from O'Keeffe's Working Hands
are other options. The box below can still find it at some retailers. and the one in the middle is from
gives a couple of safe alternatives. It goes on like a lotion and a common oil-based moisturizer.
dries fast. And while it does The results are clear: If you are
RESTORE DRY HANDS have a mild scent, it disappears concerned about residue on your
Despite all efforts to protect quickly. What I like most is that it projects, limit the use of wax- or
them, you can still end up with leaves no noticeable residue once oil-based moisturizers when han-
dry hands. In the winter, they it dries. And since there's no resi- dling your workpieces.
sometimes even crack. The solu- due on my hands, there are no Whatever products you use,
tion to this is using moisturizer waxes or oils to transfer to proj- by protecting and maintaining
to keep them from drying out. ects, which can cause probl~ms your hands, you help ensure
I've tried countless products over when applying a finish. that they will be healthy and
the years, and there are a couple I The photo above shows the ready to work the next time
like for hard-working hands. results of three different types of you're in the workshop. A

hard-working
Cleaners
It's easy to reach for solvents when its time to remove
stain or topcoat from your hands. But this is not a
good idea since these solvents can have a damaging
effect on your hands and skin.
A better solution is WORX All-Natural Hand
Cleaner. I'm generally a bit skeptical when it comes to
the effectiveness of all-natural products, but this stuff
really does work for removing tough stains. ! All-Natural Clean. A
Another option is The Gardener's Soap. This soap-
impregnated clay bar works like a pumice stone to
remove stains from the roughest skin.

ShopNotes.com
little WORX goes a long
way towards cleaning the
toughest grime.
-. ...
·~ .,
. 11 """ . .
. ·~.·"'
.
~~·:!"

..
'
~
 This compact bench will fit in any
shop, but that doesn't mean it's light on features .
• The workbench you see above sure got a lot of
attention in our shop. But in spite of its decorative
In spite of the modem touches, the traditional
through-tenon joinery guarantees the bench can
appeal and small size, it's meant to be used hard. It's withstand heavy use. And the solid-wood top adds
similar to the benches you'd find in trade schools the mass and strength to stand up to any wood-
over 100 years ago. This version sticks to the clas- working task. And it can be built using %"-thick
sic design but takes advantage of modem materials material. These elements combine to provide a
like plywood and full-extension drawer slides. rock-solid bench that's sure to last for generations.

12 ShopNotes No. 118

Exploded View Details
TOP IS GLUED UP
FROM STRIPS OF IJ4''
THICK HARDWOOD

SUPPORTS
ANCHOR TOOL
RACK TO
BENCHTOP
AND BASE

t~
MAGNETIC
CATCH SECURES
CA81NET DOOR

MORTISES FORMED
FULL-EXTENSION DURING GLUEUP OF
- - - - SLIDES ALLOW • LAMINATED LEG BLANK
EASY ACCESS TO
DRAWER CONTENTS

~ } ONLINE
~ EXTRAS
To download a ·
SketchUp model
& cutting diagram,
! Classic Lines, Modern Touches. Bead go to:
! Handy Tool Rack. The simple design
ShopNo1es.com
makes it easy to build. But having your molding adds pleasing detail while full-
tools always at the ready is the big bonus. extension slides add practical function.

ShopNotes.com 13
 NOTE: LEGS
GLUED UP FROM NOTE: LEGS AT
r -RE ~"-THICK STOCK OPPOSITE CORNERS
(SEE BOX BELOW) ARE IDENTICAL

a. __. NOTE: RABBET AND

~
l- ~- MORTISE IN LEG FORMED
DURING GLUEUP (SEE
~ --- -- BOX BELOW)

' 3!,( •f ~
LEG
(3o/.." )( 2~" - 34")
' CHAMFER
STRETCHER

~ u --- --•
END
VIEW t LEG FRONT
VIEW

assembling the
Base Frame Y&"·RAD.
CORNER
Ye"- RAD.
BEAD
BEAD
To build a sturdy base for the
bench, I started by gluing up the
stout leg blanks. A through mor-
tise formed during the glue up the stack of lumber to match the
accommodates the stretchers that leg pieces for color and grain.
tie the end assemblies together. The goal is to minimize the joint _,. ,;

.·· ,• _,
Plywood panels add rigidity for lines. The photo below shows ~· .... -·
a solid base frame. how I chose straight-grained #8x 2'k" Fn
WOODSCREW
Leg Laminations. Each of the workpieces and oriented them to
four legs of the bench is glued up make the glue lines less visible.
from five layers of ~"-thick stock. Plane to Thickness. Once you When cutting the pieces for the
(I used red oak.) Figure 1 and the have the stock selected, there's legs, I left them extra wide. This
box below provide the details. another step you can take that way, after the glue dries and the
Match the Grain. Before you will help you later on. Plane all clamps come off, you can joint
power up the table saw, there are the stock for the legs parts and the faces smooth and square.
a couple of tips I want to point stretchers to the same thickness. Mortise & Rabbet. As you
out. To get the best appearance This ensures that the stretcher can see in the drawing below,
on the legs, it pays to sort through will fit into the mortise later on. the two-piece middle.-layer of
the leg forms the mortise for
the stretcher. You can also see
Gluing Up a Leg Blank how one outer layer of each leg
is notched to form a rabbet for
NOTE: REMOVE the end panels. The goal is to
SPACER AFiER CLAMPS
ARE APPLIED keep all of the layers even as you

& Details. A good color and

NOTE: ALL PARTS MADE FIRST: CUT FIRST FEW grain match creates the appear-
FROM ~"-TH ICK STOCK INCHES OF NOTCH WITH
DADO BLADE ance of a single piece.
END VIEW
14 ShopNotes No. 118
 I1
i j
i II t
a.
j
I
!I
o
I
TOP ::..:....·:\:·~,'
; \ I' VIEW
I I :: ·'/LE(.i.·.:. ~·
I
I
t
'f
If
I I
I i\ , .··
I
,.. ,./
,.
,/··:..·
III, II
/,.· /.·
. '•, ·.
I I I #8 " w.." Fh i. ·. ·.
II WOODSCREW · ~
i' . ;.......
I j

:END
I .._LOWER
I I' RAIL
I \ I
II i
, I
!I LOWER
I
I' I.
I RAIL

~RAA'L
STRETCHER Ys"· RAD.
6EAD
F
LOWER RAIL
(o/.o" x 4Ys" • 17'')
FRONT LEG
VIEW

apply the clamps. I used short on the outside comer, as shown beading bit as before (right draw-
clamping blocks across the glue in the box below. ing in the box below).
lines to keep the pieces flush. To Stretchers. Now you can turn To fasten the stretchers to the
locate the two center pieces that your attention to making the two legs, I glued them into the mor-
form the mortise, I used a waxed stretchers that connect the legs. tises. A pair of screws reinforces
spacer sized for the length of the Figure la provides the details for each joint, as shown in Figure lb.
mortise. Once all of the clamps making the tenons. Note that the End Panels. The panels that
are tightened down and before upper shoulder height is differ- connect the leg assemblies are
the glue sets, remove the spacer. ent than the lower shoulder. cut to size and fastened with
Comer Bead & Chamfer. There are a couple of other glue and screws (Figure 2a). The
Once you joint the faces smooth, details to add - a chamfer and screws are hidden by the drawer
you can head over to the router bead. To prevent tearout when case and door you'll make later.
table. The first thing to do here is chamfering the ends, I used a Lower Rails. A pair of lower
rout a chamfer on the bottom of sanding block instead of the rails come next, as in Figure 2.
each leg. Then, to soften the out- router. And the stretchers have a After adding the bead detail you
side comer and add a decorative bead profile along the lower edge can fasten them to the end panels
detail, I routed a comer bead just (Figure 2). You can use the same with a few screws.

Bead Details
The edge and comer beading
details can be created with the
bit you see in the margin. To
rout the comer bead on the legs, . ! Beading Bit.
rout one edge, flip the workpiece A common,~·­
end-over-end, then rotate it to radius beading bit
the adjacent face to complete the is all you need to
bead (left drawing). The edge add classic details
bead on the stretchers and rails to the bench.
can be made in a single pass, as
shown in the right drawing.

ShopNotes.com 15
a. •
~R
RAIL
c. .. '·
'
'
.• ---:--+ UPPER
....... ' l!ltj+- RA~ '·
' LEG
, - .. : .. ~ II

( '·
'
·. '
·;...-· , L'i:~ .·,.,.:,
' •.
' + w #6 K114" Fh
WOODS\REW

---..
··.
..\

~... · ·-. '. !

'
SH~F S HELF

' FRONT : ;D
TOP VIEW VIEW ~

I~ ~
b. I
d. 6,0M
LEG
UPI"ER RAIL 1".:
;r-7
..., ...
;'
r
14 •·

,·.:......·
r j:""ELE ,_._ CL(> ~
.. '
. .......
~"' ..
LEG

~·pty. ~
LL..:.::
STRETCHER

~ SIDE
116 K 114" Fh
WOODSCREW
v
-+j t+ _ VIEW . FRONT
i-' : ~ ~· VIEW
.,
.
.,

··.
'
'·
CLEAT
•
., LOWER RAIL
cutting the two rabbets. Then upper rails. They're simply glued
you can glue the bottom to
'•
--..:
'
•• the cleats and stretchers.
into the rabbeted legs.
Back Panel. Adding the back
STRETCHER I Shelf. As I mentioned, the
shelf is also rabbeted for the back.
is a relatively quick task. You just
cut the plywood to fit between
But there's a little more work you the legs and into the rabbets on
closing up the need to do. As you can see in the bottom and shelf (Figure k).
Figure 3a, the shelf is notched to Note that the grain runs verti-
Base fit into the rabbets on the inside
comers of the legs. This is so the
cally. I then glued the back into
the rabbets. The bullnose mold-
shelf can rest on the top edge of ing you'll make next <SeCures it
The foundation of the workbench the end panels. I made these cuts and covers the edges of the ply-
is complete. Now you can work with a fine-tooth hand saw but wood shelf and bottom.
on adding the bottom, shelf, you could also use a band saw. Bullnose Trim. The details
back, and molding to dress it up. The key is to lay out the in Figure 4 and the box on the
Bottom Panel. In Figures 3 and notches accurately. Then, as you opposite page show you what
3d you can see how the bottom cut them, sneak up on the fit so you need to know to make the
panel sits on top of the stretchers that the shelf fits snugly into the bullnose edging and molding.
and two cleats. The cleats can be rabbets and between the legs. If
cut to fit between the stretchers there are any gaps, they'll be a
and fastened to the end panels noticable distraction once the
with screws. Then you can work workbench is completed.
on the bottom paneL After the notches are cut, you
Both the bottom panel and can set the shelf in place. The
the shelf are rabbeted on the ends of the shelf should be flush
back edge to accept the plywood with the outside face of the end
back (Figure 3b). The bottom is panels, as in Figure 3c. I used a
cut to fit between the ends and few screws along the ends to
is flush with the outside faces secure the shelf in place. A Trim Details. Simple molding
of the stretchers. A pass over a Top Rails. To enclose the top completes the classic look of
dado blade makes quick work of ends of the bench, I added the the workbench.

16 ShopNotes No. 118

 NOTE: APPLY TOP FRONT
BULLNOSE EDGING AFTER NOTE: BULLNOSE
DRAWER CASE IS INSTALLED MOLDING GLUED UP
The edging covers up the edges (R"ERWPAGE,8) ~
of the plywood on all four sides
of the bench. The bullnose mold-
ing shown in Figure 4b is rab-
beted to wrap around the top
BULLNOSE
edge of the lower end rails. EDGI NG
There are a couple of things I
need to mention about making
the rabbeted bullnose molding
and edging safely. The edging is
made from 3/,{-thick stock. This
means you need to rip it to the
1" width before routing the bull-
nose profile. To rout the profile
safely, I used a featherboard and
push block, as you can see in the
left drawing in the box below.
The bullnose molding is
thicker and needs to be glued up
from %"-thick stock and ripped
to final thickness. You can use the
same technique to rout the bull-
nose profile on the edge. Then,
a.
to form the rabbet, set up a dado NOTE: TOP
FRONT
blade and auxiliary rip fence
. (right drawing in the box below).
EDGING IS
ADDED
AFTER
SHELF~ c.
STORAGE
To fasten the edging and mold- CASE IS IN
PLACE
ing, I simply glued and clamped
them. Note: Leave off the front
upper edging until after the
drawer case is installed (page
18). While the glue dries, you can The molding is cut to length to fit 1-/ 0
work on the cove molding. snugly between the legs.
Cove Molding. The piece of There's one trick I use to make SIDE
cove molding on each end creates sure the outer edges of the mold- VIEW
a nice visual transition between ing fit tight without gaps. You can
the bullnose molding and the relieve the back comer slightly
vertical end panel. Figure 4b with a block plane to create a
provides the details. I routed this narrow chamfer (Figure 4b). This ,.
profile on both edges of a wide ensures the molding fits tight .....
blank, then ripped them free. into the comer for a seamless fit.

Making Bullnose Edging & Molding

END a.
VIEW

ShopNotes.com 17
 FIGURE

NOTE: AlTACH
DRAWER
CASE TO END
PANEL WITH
SCREWS

0
CASE SIDE
(16\.<z" K 19?'o" • IY.o" Ply.)

creating holds three drawers. As shown in to locate the grooves for

Figure 5, it consists of two sides the dividers. After the
Storage with rabbets and grooves to hold
the top, bottom, and dividers.
The sides are cut to width for a
grooves are cut, you can set the
two sides out of the way while
you work on the rest of the case.
Besides adding much-needed slip fit between the shelf and bot- The next task is an easy one.
storage space under the bench, tom. After cutting them to length, And that's to cut the identi-
the drawers and door provide it's time to install the dado blade cal top, bottom, and dividers to
another opportunity to show off on the table saw to cut the rab- size. After that, you can grab a
your woodworking skills. The bets and grooves. These are sized few clamps and glue the case
beaded drawer fronts and door for the thickness of the plywood, together, making sure it's square.
frame add to the bead details on as shown in Figure Sa. Case Edging. Figure 5 shows
the legs, rails, and stretchers, cre- Layout. After cutting the rab- the simple edging I used to hide
ating a unified look for the bench. bets, I took some time to do a the edges of the plywood on the
Start with a Case. Making the little layout work. The goal is drawer case. The width of the
storage space starts with build- to create three drawer compart- edging matches the thickness
ing a simple plywood case that ments of equal height. This helps of the plywood. To make it, first

D FIGURE

18 ShopNotes No. 118

plane a board to thickness. Then ~E
U
rip this board to width to create
the edging strips. They're cut to
length and glued onto the case
front. I started by gluing on the
vertical edging first.
Install th e Case & Slides. You
can install the cabinet portion of
the drawer slides and then slip
the case into the bench. I fastened
it to the end panel with a couple
of screws. When you do this, the
edging should be flush with the AA
DOOR BEAD
front edge of the shelf. Now, the ('%" x 'lis")
final piece of bullnose edging can
be glued in place before starting
on the drawers.
Drawer Boxes. The drawer
a.
boxes are made from ~"-thick X
hardwood with %" plywood bot- DOOR STILE
(%" x 2W' - 16Va")
toms. A beaded false front com- 0

pletes the drawer. 0

The tongue and dado join- '

,. · ,. ··. ·.. ·, ·, H.·-r-. ··,

rPANEL STILE~ HINGE STILE
ery shown in Figure 6 is pretty
.. ,.
Pt~Piy.
straightforward. After cutting ~ "'!;: S::: '~ ·J\_ '· '\ \ \. .......
the groove for the drawer bot- .:·. -_f-l-.'·\ \ ; \~ ~\
~ HINGE _, ~ LEG
tom, the glueup and assembly
goes pretty quickly. 8~AD TOP VIEW
False Fronts. You can see in
Figure 6 how the drawer fronts
b. 1\.c::

are simply hardwood blanks

wrapped with mitered bead Beaded Panel Door. After for the thickness of the plywood
molding. The goal when sizing completing and installing the panel, as in Figure 7. I like to aim
the drawer fronts is to end up drawers, the next task is build- for a 1;]_6" gap all around between
with a l;J.6" gap all around when ing the door. I started by making the door and the opening.
the drawer is installed. The box the hinge stile and gluing it to the Details. After assembling the
below shows how I went about bench leg (Figure 7). Finally, the frame and panel, you can miter
making the molding for the stile and the door are both mor- the bead molding to fit around
drawers and door. Cutting and tised to accommodate the hinges. the inside edge of the frame. With
fitting the molding for gap-free The door frame is made with the drawers and door complete,
joints a takes a little patience, but stub tenon and groove joinery. it's time to install the drawer
the result is worth it. The tenons and groove are sized pulls, knob, and catch.

Drawer & Door Beading

The key to making the thin bead molding for the
drawers and door safely is to start with a wide
blank. I started with an extra-wide board planed to
%" thick. You'll want to make sure to have enough
on hand for all of the drawers and the door. I like to
make a little extra for added insurance.
To form the bead on both edges, you'll
make a total of four passes to round over
each edge, as you can see in the draw-
ings. After that's done, you can head over
to the table saw and use a push block
while ripping the molding to width.

ShopNotes.com 19
NOTE: ROUTJ.ie" ~ NOTE: ALIGN DOG HOLES
CHAMFER IN DOG HOLES : FIGURE
WITH HOLES IN VISE JAW
TO REMOVE SHARP EDGE ~----.~
&EASE DOG
INSTALLAnON

\_.,J

Y•"·DIA. THROUGH HOLE

wf-Y.o"·DIA. COUNTER60RE

b. SIDE VIEW VISE

HANDLE

NOTE: TO MAKE A
MOUNnNG DRILLING GUIDE FOR DOG
CLEAT HOLES, REFER TO PAGE 2!5

Il l II ~I II I
As you did with the legs, it planing sections of the top dur-
adding the pays to spend some time sorting ing the assembly process.

Top & Rack through the stack of boards for

the best grain and color match.
After all, this is a workbench
After gluing up each individ-
ual section to complete the top,
scrape off the excess glue. Now,
After all the work you've put into that will last for generations. So you have some choices when it
the base of the bench, you can the time you spend here will be comes to flattening the top.
now focus on the parts that will appreciated for years to come. One option is to check with a
see the most use - the top and Ripping Strips. The process local cabinet shop to see if they'll
tool rack. The thick, hardwood starts by ripping all of the strips sand the benchtop for you using
top adds the mass needed to needed to glue up the top. (I cut a a wide drum sander. It's a quick
create a rock-solid worksurface. few extra to have on hand.) I also way to a smooth, flat top. If that's
You'll cap it off with an easy-to- left them a few inches long so I not an option, you can use a belt
build yet handy tool rack. could trim the top to length later. sander or hand plane, checking
G lued-Up Top. I'll be straight Now you can set all of the your progress with a straight-
with you - assembling a strips on edge and start arrang- edge as you go.
smooth, flat top is going to ing them for the best appearance. Trim the Ends. To trim the
require some time and patience. And you'll want to pay attention ends of the top, I tacked a run-
To make building the top easier to the direction of the grain, too. ner to the bottom face, making
to manage, I glued it up in nar- The grain along the top edges sure it was square to the front
row sections just wide enough of the strips should all be going of the benchtop. The runner fits
to run through my planer. This in the same direction. This will in the miter gauge of the table
helps ensure the top will be flat. help prevent tearout as you're saw. Then it's a matter of having

VISE JAW PATTERN

~··RAD.~ Shaping the Vise Jaw
r--f
I
'

0 TOP
VIEW

20 ShopNotes No. 118

 someone lend you a hand to help ~E
guide the top through the cut.
Face Vise. I turned the top
upside down to install the vise
hardware. But before I did that, I
painted my vise hardware black
for a more traditional look.
To make the vise jaw, take a
look at the bottom of the oppo-
site page. It's glued up from%"-
thick stock, shaped on the table :j5CREW
#6x1W' Fh

saw and band saw, then sanded

smooth. A couple of dog holes
b.
complete the jaw before you
install it on the vise.
Dog Holes. After easing all the
sharp edges of the top with sand-
paper or a block plane, it's time
to drill the dog holes. Shop Short
Cuts on page 25 shows a method
to guarantee that the opposite
holes align with each other.
Mounting the Top. The bench-
top is fastened to the bench with
lag screws and washers through
a couple of mounting cleats. The is easy to make with a few basic rear bar. Finally, you can fasten
cleats have oversized holes with router bits and the table saw. the bar to the panel before install-
counterbores to allow for expan- I made the tool panel first. It's ing the tool panel.
sion and contraction (Figure 8a). cut to size and the top two cor- Simple Finish. In keeping
To make it easier to install the ners are rounded. Routing the with tradition, I applied a couple
lag screws, I set the top in place, cove profile on all but the bottom coats of oil finish. It's easy to
marked the holes, then removed edge completes the panel. renew when you need to. With
the top to drill pilot holes. The tool bar that holds the tools the bench complete, you may be
Tool Rack. The final part of the is made from three basic parts - hesitant to put it to use. After all,
bench to complete is the tool rack a front and a rear bar with spac- it looks almost like a piece of fur-
(Figure 9). It's made from a wide ers between them, as shown in niture. But don't be afraid to load
panel fastened to two vertical Figures 9a and 9c. I started with it up with tools and get to work.
supports. The three-layer hori- the front bar gluing the space~ to You'll soon appreciate its beauty
zontal bar that holds your tools the back of it before attaching the and its function. 4.

Materials & Hardware

A Leg Outer Layers {16) ~X 2~ -34 Q Case Edging {1) ~ X ~ -120 Rgh. GG Spacers (5) Y.x~-1
B Long Fillers {4) ~x2~-22~ R Drawer Sides {6) Y2X4-19~ HH Tool Bar Front {1) :Y.x ~- 34
c Short Fillers (4) ~x2~-8~ s Drawer Fronts/Backs {6) Y2 X 4 -17:Y4 II Rack Supports {2) ~xM-15
D Stretchers {2) ~X 4Ys- 37 T Drawer Bottoms {3) 19~ x 17~- ~Ply.
E Ends {2) 18Y2 X 2lYs- ~ Ply. u Drawer Faces {3) 3;4 X 3o/s- 18% • {38) #8 x 1Y." Fh Woodscrews
F Lower Rails {2) ~X 4Ys -17 v Bead Molding {1) % X lSJ16- 160 Rgh. • {13) #8 x 11-'2" Fh Woodscrews
G Cleats {2) ~X 2-20 w Hinge Stile {1) ~X~ -16Yl • {8) #8 x 2W Fh Woodscrews
H Bottom {1) 2M X 32- ~Ply. X Door Stiles (2) ~ x 2"l-'2-16Ys • {6) Y." x 2" Lag Screws
Shelf(1) 211-'2 X 3M-~ Ply. y Door Rails (2) ~ x 21-'2- 5~s • (6) ~"Washers
Upper Rails {2) ~X 4 -181-'2 z Door Panel (1) S% x llo/s - Y4 Ply. • (3 pr.) 20" Full-Extension Drawer Slides
K Back {1) 32 X 17- ~Ply. AA Door Bead {1) % X ~6 - 36 Rgh. • (3) 4" Bin Pulls
L Bullnose Edging (1) 1 X % - 170 Rgh. BB Mounting Cleats {2) ~X M -171-'2 • {1) W-dia. Knob
'--' M Bullnose Molding {2)
N Cove Molding {2)
1x 1%-17
~X Sfs-17
CC Benchtop {1)
DD Vise Jaw (1)
2Y4 X 26~- 541-'2
3 x4% -11
• (1 pr.) 1W x 2" Hinges
• {1) Magnetic Catch
0 Case Sides {2) 16Y2 x 19%- :Y4 Ply. EE Tool Panel {1) ~X 10-40 .• {1) Face Vise Hardware
p Top/Btm. Dividers {4) 19% X 20- ~Ply. FF Tool Bar Rear {1) ~ xl- 36 • (1) Vise Handle

ShopNotes.com 21
 adding
custom
Butterfly KeyS
Beautiful repairs and added style are simple with a
few straightforward steps and proven techniques. v
• Using a board that is cracked or
split may not be the first thing
width of an opening and limits
any further separation.
to be repaired. The key should be
large enough to limit any further
that comes to mind when build- To make them work, you simply wood movement, but not so large
' Custom Repair. ing a project. But with a little create your own custom-shaped that it's overpowering in appear-
Creative design work, you can turn a "flaw" into key and then cut a matching ance. And the choice of wood
is possible with part of the design. mortise in the workpiece. The you use will either make the key
custom-shaped Before doing so, it's important best part is you don't need any stand out or blend in with the
butterfly keys. to stabilize the workpiece from special tools or jigs. rest of the project.
further movement. Decorative Whatever wood you choose,
butterfly keys are a great way to MAKING THE KEY its best to use straight-grained
accomplish this. A butterfly key The size and proportion of the key pieces. This helps minimize sea-
is just a spline that spans the is determined by the workpiece sonal wood movement.

A Shape Key. Cut multiple keys to A Rip Multiples. Cut the individual keys
shape at the same time using a band free from the blank using a fence and a
saw and an extra-thick blank. push block on the band saw.

22 ShopNotes No. 118

.A Scribe Key Location. Use a .A Clear Inside Edge. Mini-
marking knife to scribe the loca- mize chipout by removing
tion of each key the outer waste with a chisel.
.A Rout Mortise.
Layout & Shape. For the CREATING THE MORTISE A hand-held
example here, I used a length To create a matching mortise, router and straight
of 131].6'' thick walnut for the key. position the key over the crack bit make quick
The blank was ripped extra wide in the workpiece. Double-sided work of removing
and the shape of the key was tape will help keep it from mov- the bulk of the
marked on its edge. This makes ing. In the photo above, you can mortise waste .
.A Clean the Edge. Use a chisel
it easy to get straight grain and see that I used a marking knife
to clean the corners and inside
allows for making multiple keys to scribe the outline of each key
walls of the mortise.
from the same layout. With the on the workpiece.
shape of the key marked, go After removing the key, use a This ensures that you'll be able to
ahead and cut the blank to over- chisel to clear the waste around ptane the key flush.
all length at the table saw. the inside perimeter of the Clean Edges. The final step to
The next step is to cut the mortise (center photo above). finish the mortise is to clean up
blank to shape at the band saw. This minimizes chipout when the edges with a chisel. The key
Then you can cut the individual removing the bulk of the waste needs to fit snugly, so be sure
keys free (bottom photos, oppo- with a palm router, as in the far that the walls of the mortise are
site page). To minimize seasonal right photo above. square and smooth.
movement, it's best to keep the Rout Waste. A straight bit
keys between 1.4"- %" thick. Clean makes it easy to remove the bulk FiniNG THE KEY
up the edges of the key using a of the waste in two passes. The To help fit the key in the mortise,
chisel or sanding block. This will final depth should be about ~2" it's best to create a slight back
help ensure a seamless fit. less than the thickness of the key. bevel along the bottom edge
of the key. This provides room
for excess glue as well. I used
a chisel as shown in the inset
photo below. After completing
a test fit, remove any waste from
the key or mortise to ensure the
key fits securely.
Once you've achieved
a snug fit, apply a thin
layer of glue inside the
mortise. A mallet and
block of wood help to fit
and seat the key fully.
The final step is to _

\ plane or sand the keys

flush with the workpiece
surface, as in the main
.A Back Bevel & Insert. Bevel the photo. The end result is
bottom edge of the key (inset) a strong repair that adds
and insert it into the mortise with a style and character to
mallet and wood block. your project. 4.

ShopNotes.com 23
 u Getting a smooth, consistent
shape on these large parts can be
Our Shop a real challenge.
The secret is to use a routing
template. Using the dimensions

Shop on page 29, you can quickly make

a template from 1.4" hardboard.
Leg Blank. With the-template
complete, I glued two layers of

Short
plywood together to create an
oversized blank for the legs. You
can use the template as a pattern
to trace the shape of the legs on

Cuts
the blank, as shown in Figure 1.
The next step is to cut the legs
to rough shape with a jig saw.
I used a spade bit to create a
starter hole for the blade.
Flush Trim. Now you'll
Shaping use the template to trim each
leg to final size and shape.
Sturdy Legs Attach the template to the
leg blank with double-
• The legs for the miter saw sta-
tion on page 26 taper at the top
sided tape and trim the edges
flush at the router table, as you
Stable. The
A-shape of the
and have a wide stance for maxi- can see in Figure 2. legs gives the
mum stability. A couple of cut- miter saw station
outs lighten the weight and cre- a stable stance.
ate the feet to improve balance.
TEMPLATE MADE
FROM Y-+"
HARDBOARD

Making the Wedges ATTACH

PIECES
The wedges inside the main beam of the miter saw T08ASE
WITH
station (page 26) are key to holding the extension DOU8LE·
SIDED
beam in place. And at first, it may seem like they're TAPE
difficult to make accurately. In reality, it only takes a
few cuts at the table saw to get the job done.
After cutting the blanks to length, I tilted the saw
blade to make the angled cut on the end. Then to
make the long, tapered cut, I used the sled you see
in the right drawings. A pair of cleats on the sled
trap the blank. And to keep it from shifting, I added
a strip of double-sided tape.

24
 ,------- ------------
I

Locking Arms ~--,

The wedges on the previous page form half of the
interlocking system that keeps the extension beams
\ ', ________-::-___~.::-------=---]\
.¢
in place on the miter saw station. The other compo- ~ I
nent is the arm on the end of each extension. I
I
I
\
t ___ ______ ___ ________ ~ ----1
\_ ____________ _
There are two main considerations in shaping
each arm. First, it needs to slide in and out of the
main beam easily and quickly. And it needs to lock A Solid Fit. Tilt
tightly against the wedge so the beam stays level. notch to match the angle on the wedge. You can see the beam to slip
To accomplish these goals, the lower edge of the how I did this in Figure 1. The rest of the notch and the arm under
arm is tapered and a notch in the upper arm mates taper don't need to be as precise, so I made the cuts the wedge and
with the wedge and locks against its angled end. at the band saw (Figure 2). After smoothing the cut then lower it to
The most important step is to cut the end of the edges, the arm is ready to be installed. lock in place.

NOTE: DRILLING
Dog Hole Drilling Guide GUIDE IS MADE FROM
1"·THICK HARDWOOD
(2~1•" LONG)

When drilling holes for bench in the drawing at right and pho-
dogs in a benchtop, there are sev- tos below. It consists of a long
eral goals to keep in mind. First, arm with a short cleat on one
the rows of holes should be par- end. I drilled the holes at the drill benchtop, switch to
allel with each other. Second, the press to help ensure they were a sharp spade bit. To pre-
rows should align with the cor- square to the face. vent chipout as the bit exits the
responding holes in the vise jaw. To use the jig, simply clamp it hole, I clamped a backer board to
And finally, the holes need to be
spaced evenly across the bench.
in line with the hole in the vise
jaw. To create a clean edge./ I
the underside of the benchtop, as
in the right photo below.
--..,.~SE
-:11~~ SPACER
To meet these goals on the drilled about 1;2" to %" deep with To drill the second row of
FIRST HOLE IS
workbench on page 12, I made a a Forstner bit (left photo below). holes, just relocate the guide and LOCATED 1~" FROM
EDGE OF 6ENCH
simple drilling guide, as shown To finish drilling through the repeat the process. 4.

~ Drill Through.
With a backer
board clamped
to the underside
of the benchtop,
switch to a sharp
spade bit to
complete the
dog holes.

ShopNotes.com 25
 This lightweight, easy-to-build
stand is at home in your shop
or out at the worksite .

• A compact miter saw is a pretty versatile

tool. I use mine for everything from rough
long workpieces. My solution is the modular
workstation you see here.
It's made up of three sections and goes
cutting long boards to accurately mitering
molding. The small size makes it easy to take together in seconds to create a sturd)" versa-
it right where I need it. There's a downside tile cutting station up to 17' long. And each
to that small size, however. On its own, the section is lightweight so you can set it up any-
saw table is too small to adequately support where from your garage to the backyard.

26 ShopNotes No. 118

 weekend

To dOwnload a
cutting diagram for
the miter saw
station, go to:
ShopNotes.com

v
Materials & Hardware
A Rails(2) 1'l's X 2-84 K Saw Base (1) 18 X 22 - V. Ply. u Spacers (2) lY2 X 2-14
B Skins (2) 7Yl X 84 - Y4 Ply. L Front/Back (2) 9 X 22 - V. Ply. v Fences (2) V. X 1Y. -14
c Fillers (8) 11t2 X V. - 6Y. M Long Lock Bar (1) V. x 22 - Ya Alum. • (65) #8 x 11t2" Fh Woodscrews
D Wedges (2) 1Yl X 1 - 11 N Shelf (1) 6 X 16 - 314 Ply. • (6) #5 x W Fh Woodscrews
E Upper Side Rails (2) 1'l's X 2-60 0 Shelf Sides (2) 5 x 5Y2 - V. Ply. • (B) #8 x 2" Fh Woodscrews
F Lower Side Rails (2) 1'l's X 2- S4Yl p Large Braces (2) 6 X 6- V. Ply. • (10) ~6"-18 T-Nuts
G Side Webs (4) 7Yl X 60 - Y. Ply. Q Outfeed Bases (2) 13V. x 14 - V. Ply. • (6) ~6"-18 x 1" Studded Knobs
H Arms (2) 6Y4 X 34 - 1lt2 Ply. R Fronts/Backs (4) 7'l's X 14 - V. Ply. • (4) ~6"-18 x 2" Hex Bolts
I Legs (2) 25~6 X 33 -M Ply. s Short Locking Bars (2) :Y4 x 14 - Ya Alum. • (4) 5!,6" Flat Washers
J Brackets (8) 5 x SV. - V. Ply. T Small Braces (4) 4 X 4- V. Ply. • (1) W x 72"- Y. Aluminum (for Locking Bars)

ShopNotes.com 27
 NOTE: RAILS,
D FIGURE FILLERS, AND WEDGES
ARE MADE FROM
"lW0·6Y" LUM6ER

NOTE: SKINS
ARE MADE FROM RAIL
V.."PLYWOOD

GLUE WEDGE IN PLACE

6EFORE ATTACHING
SECOND SKIN
~-------12----------~~
END VIEW
rigid, lightweight
Beams a "box beam" construction. Each
beam is made up of thin plywood
to the upper and lower rails. But
before attaching the opposite
skins glued to solid wood upper skin piece, you need to take care
At the heart of this miter saw sta- and lower rails. With some inter- of a few internal details.
tion are three beams that carry nal blocking added, the result The first is adding some fill-
the sliding saw and outfeed is a surprisingly rigid and light ers to stiffen the beam. This con-
platfonns. The center beam is 7' assembly, as in Figure 1. sists of a few pieces sized to fit
long. Each end is open to accept Rails. The process of making between the rails (Figure 1).
a 5'-long extension. You can posi- the beams begins with the rails. Wedges. The other detail is to
tion the saw and outfeed plat- Just be sure to select straight, flat make two wedges that will be
fonns anywhere along the beams. boards to make the rails. With the used to secure the extensions, as
To create a strong and stable rails cut to size, cut a rabbet along shown in Figure la. You can see
workstation, the beams should each side. The width of the rab- how I made the wedges in Shop
be straight, flat, and rigid. Then, bet should match the thickness of Short Cuts on page 24.
when they lock together, the the Y.a" plywood, as in Figure lb. The wedges are simply glued
sections will be level, perfectly Skins. There:S not much that to the upper rail and skm at the
aligned, and able to support the goes into making the skins. location shown in Figure la.
saw and workpiece without sag- They're simply cut to size. At Then add the second skin to com-
ging. To meet these goals, I used this point, you can glue one skin plete the main beam.

Installing the Arms

FOURTH: GLUE
SECOND SKIN TO
RAILS AND ARM

THIRD: SET ARM IN PLACE

WITH MARK ALIGNED WITH
END OF EXTENSION RAILS
PULL ARM
8ACKTOLOCK
If AGAINST
THE WEDGE
28 ShopNotes No. 118
 E J FIGURE .. NOTE: SIDE RAILS ARE
MADE FROM "TWO-~r'
LUM~ER

CENTER
~EAM

NOTE: ARMIS
GLUED UP FROM
____ , / TWO LAYERS OF
34" PLYWOOD
/ . ,...
... ......
NOTE: S IDE SKIN .• - - /
IS Y.n PLYWOOD

NOTE: FOR DETAILS ON SHAPING

THE ARM, TURN TO PAGE 25

----- - ----- ---.... ....

--------
__
FRONT VIEW -----<\- '1- ~
----:::::.::..:_ --- -_ ,... ~.:.:::::-=::.- -/

Extension Beams. In Figure 2, the extension beam. It needs to But also important is adding legs
you'll notice that t):le overall con- lock securely on the wedge with to bring the worksurface up to
struction for the two extensions is the ends of the two beams seating a comfortable height. You can
similar to the main beam. How- tightly together. This will keep see how I did this in Figure 3. A
ever, other than the length, there the assembly from sagging. The pair of stout legs fit into plywood
are two main differences. The box on the bottom of the opposite brackets on each end of the main
first is the bevel on one end. The page shows you a foolproof way beam. The legs are angled for
second is the arm that's used to to get the job done. increased stability. The instruc-
lock the extension in place when Legs. Creating beams that inter- tions for making them can be
it's installed. Just as before, you lock quickly and easily is essen- found on page 24.
can attach the upper and lower tial to creating a miter saw stand
rails to one skin. that can handle most workpieces.
Arm. The arm is made from
two layers of %" plywood lami-
nated together. I marked the loca-
tion of a notch for the wedge on NOTE: ~RACKETS
the top and a shallow taper along ON OPPOSITE END
ARE MIRROR
the bottom to aid in inserting the IMAGES

extension beam (Figure 2a). You

can find all the details for making NOTE: FOR
the arm on page 25. STEP-~Y-STEP
INSTRUCTIONS ON
The key part to installing the MAKING LEGS,
TURN TO PAGE 24
arm is positioning it correctly in

Y.. " ROUNDOVER

ON ALL EDGES,
EXCEPT INSIDE
NOTCH AT TOP

\ .........

ShopNotes.com 29
 A Handy Shelf. A shelf below
the saw base is a great place
to hold layout tools and cut lists.
(6"K6")

NOTE: SOFTEN CORNERS ON BASE,

FRONT, BACK. AND SHELF WITH
l'l" RADIUS CURVE

COUNTERBORE
T·NUT
SLIGHTLY
DEEPER THAN
GROOVE FOR
LOCK BAR

adding three a.
Sliaing
Platforms LARGE BRACE

The interlocking beams and legs

make up the main part of the
miter saw station. The remain-
ing parts provide a mounting
point for your miter saw and a 14-- - 4lk - --IH
pair of side platforms to support
a workpiece while it's being cut.
There's a little more going on Saw Platform. I started with place without marring the beam,
here, however. One of the goals the saw platform. This assem- I came up with a simple clamp-
in making this station is porta- bly starts out as a base piece ing system. First, I cut a groove
bility. So the platforms need to sized to hold your miter saw, as along the inside face of the front
slip on and off without hassle. shown in Figure 4. The comers to accept an aluminum bar, as
I also wanted the platforms to are rounded to soften them. A set in Figure 4a. The middle section
be adjustable, too. So the three of T-nuts in the base allows you of the bar is screwed into the
platforms you see on these pages to attach your saw with studded groove. At each end, a studded
can slide along the beams and be knobs and washers. knob and T-nut flex the bar to
locked in place anywhere. This The base is screwed to a front apply pressure to the beam and
way, you can configure your and back piece. There are a cou- secure the platform (Figure 4b).
saw setup to match the materials ple of things to point out on the · Before you can attach the front
you're working with. front. To lock the platform in and back to the saw base, you

30 ShopNotes No. 118

 NOTE: SEE 60X
FENCE 6ELOW FOR liPS ON
D FIGURE (3f.o" X 1v..'' - 14") LOCAflNG SPACER
v AND FENCE .,._Accurate Cuts.
A fence on the
OUTFEED 5A5E outfeed support
(1~/4" X 14") provides a place
to attach a
stop block.

SHORT LOCKING BAR

(%" x 14" - Y&" ALUM.)
5

need to add a few supports. In the the outfeed platforms any-

front, aU-shaped shelf assembly where along the beams, the
not only keeps the wide base front and back need to ride
from flexing, it provides some high enough to clear the - -'----' - - Y&- DEEP
handy storage, too. leg and brackets. In addi- a. GROOVE

On the back, I added some tion, you'll need to align

angled plywood braces to sup- the outfeed base with your
port the top. The front and back saw's table. (The size of the out- below, you can see how to locate
are screwed to the top and spaced feed front and back should work the spacer using a straightedge.
to just slip over the beam. for most saws.) Consequently, Finally, I added a small fence to
Outfeed Platforms. Other the groove for the locking bar is the base. Not only does it keep a
than being smaller, the outfeed located near the lower edge of workpiece in position, it allows
platforms are built much like the the front to grip the beam. you to clamp a stop block for
saw platform, as illustrated in Spacer and Fence. The task of making multiple, identical cuts.
Figure 5. And they clamp in place keeping the outfeed platforms in Here again, a straightedge comes
to the beams the same way, too. line with the table on the miter in handy to make sure the fence is
A couple of differences I'd like saw falls to a solid wood spacer. aligned with the fence on the saw.
to point out are the size of the It's meant to slide along the top In just a minute or two, you
front and back and the location of the beams. So the location of can set up the stand and attach
of the groove for the locking bar the spacer depends on the height your saw to the platform. Then
shown in Figure Sa. To position of your saw table. In the box you'll be ready for any task. 4.

Set Up the Platform & Fence

T Attach Spacer. A
wood spacer positions
the outfeed platform
flush with the saw
table and is attached

A Align Fence. Clamp a straight-

D: SCREW SPACER IN
edge to the fence on the miter
PLACE ON fOP OF 6EAM saw. Then align the outfeed fence
(lNSEf PHOfO)
and attach it to the base.

ShopN otes.com 31
 • Whether it's to create a simple
hand hold or to add some adjust-
make slots. While those tools
work well, there's another way
located on the workpiece. But a
good layout serves double duty.
ability to a jig, making slots is that I keep coming back to. This It can also create registration
an essential shop skill. The goal method relies on good layout points to guide the tools used
in your efforts is a crisp, straight and a handful of common tools. later on. If you take care here,
slot with a consistent width. The As you can see in the inset photo you save time down the road and
obstacle standing in your way above, the results are hard to get better results.
is determining the right mix of beat. The process boils down to I like to start by marking out
tools and techniques to get the three basic steps: layout, remov- the centerpoint for each end of
job done with a minimum of fuss. ing the waste, and cleanup. the slot with a pencil. This dic-
In the past, I've used both a Layout. Of course, laying out tates the length of the slot. Then I
router table and drill press to the slot defines where it will be use an awl to create a dimple that
will serve as the starting point for
a drill bit, as in the far left photo.
Before going any further with
the layout, take a minute to drill a
hole at each end that matches the
width of the slot. A brad-point bit
will give you the cleanest hole.
I know this blurs the line
between layout and actually
making the slot, but the holes
are an important guide for the
.l End Points. The first step is Scribe the Sides. next step in the layout. And as
to mark the centerpoint for each After drilling the end a side benefit, the holes create a
end of the slot with an awl. holes, use a marking knife smooth, round end for the slot
and straightedge to score that requires no additional work.
the long edges of the slot. The final layout step is to mark
the width of the slot. To do this,

32 ShopNotes No. 118

A Cut Out the Waste. A jigsaw makes quick work A Smooth Transition. Use a A Ease the Edges. Soften the
of removing the waste in the slot. The closer you round file to blend the saw cut edges of the slot with some sand-
cut to the line, the less cleanup work you'll have. into the end hole. paper to prevent splintering.

first line up a straightedge with Doing this will save time clean- saw marks and work up to the
the outer edges of the end holes, ing up the edges in the next step. scored layout line. Near each end
as you can see in the lower right You can see in the upper left photo of the slot, I reach for a round file
photo on the opposite page. (For how I use my other hand to keep to feather the straight cuts into
some tips on making curved slots, the saw on track during the cut. the round ends, as you can see in
take a look at the box below.) You'll remove the waste in two the middle photo above.
You have a couple of options passes. First, cut along one layout The files leave a pretty smooth
for marking the edges of the slot. line and then back on the other surface inside the slot. But if
If I'm making the slot in MDF or side. Take care as you start and you want, you can follow it up
hardboard, I'll simply use a pen- end each cut so you don't mar with some sandpaper wrapped
cil to draw in the lines. the end holes you drilled. around a thin stick. This makes
For hardwood and especially Cleaning up the Slots. The the walls perfectly smooth.
the plywood shown here, I like final step in creating the slot is Finally, I complete the slot
to score the lines with a marking cleanup. For this, you'll turn to a by easing the sharp edges. This
knife. The advantage of scoring little hand work. How much time keeps the edges from chipping,
is that it reduces tearout by form- you spend on this step depends as in the upper right photo.
ing the final edge of the slot on on the slot's use and location in A slot is a small part of build-
the surface of the workpiece. In the completed project. ing a project. But taking the time
the following steps, you'll simply I like to start by using a flat, to do it right will ensure smooth
work up to this line. coarse file to quickly remove the operation over the long haul. 4
One more thing. Score both
faces of the workpiece if they'll be
visible in the completed project. the straight story on
Cutting the Slot. The second
step is to cut away as much of the
waste between the holes as you
Curved Slots
can. Since a slot is a trapped cut, Building jigs with parts that pivot or tilt often
my tool of choice is a jig saw. requires making curved slots. It's important that
There are two keys when cut- the curve is even and the walls are smooth so that
ting. Although, I don't want to the piece operates without catching or binding.
spend a lot of time at this task, Just like with a straight slot, a good layout will
I want to get the smoothest cut start you off on the right foot. Here, you'll mark the
possible. To do this, turn off the starting and ending point. In addition, you'll need
orbital action (or use the low- to know the inner and outer radii of the curve. Then
est setting). And select a blade you can lay out the curve with a compass (photo at
designed for making smooth cuts right). If you have one, use a set of dividers to score A Smooth Curves. Use a com-
(refer to Sources on page 51). the sides of the slot. Otherwise, you can carefully pass to lay out curved slots.
The other key is to be bold. Cut do the job with a marking knife. After cutting out Then score the lines with a fine
as close to the line as you can. the waste, smooth the walls with a half-round file. marking or craft knife.

ShopNotes.com 33
J best- dt
jigs &fixtures

Improve control and expand the utility of small

routers with these versatile upgrades .
• My palm router has become the go-to tool
for many routing tasks in my shop. It's light,
and easy to control, but powerful enough for
most jobs. The only problem is that the base
is small and provides limited support when
working close to the edge of a workpiece.
The base you see above is designed to
address this issue. The wide baseplate pro-
vides stability, which helps keep the router
from tipping during use. And to ensure an
accurate cut, there's a micro-adjustment fea-
ture that allows you to fine tune the bit loca-
tion. There's even an option for routing along
contoured edges (photo, next page). Some
simple shop-made hardware is the key.
And as a bonus, you'll find plans for a A Straight Edge. Routing parallel to a straight edge is
shop-made router trammel on page 39. Per- easy The wood edge guide provides the steady support
fect, accuxately sized circles will be a snap. you need for accurate work.

34 ShopNotes No. 118

 Exploded View Details
FIXED KNOB
LOCKING KNOB SECURES PROVIDES
SLIDER BAR IN POSITION HANDLE FOR
INCREASED
CONTROL

ADJUSTER ARM AND

KNURLED MACHINE
SCREW ALLOWS
FOR ACCURATE
-==---
ADJUSTMENTS
NOTE: BASE PLATE
CUT FROM 12" X 12"
PHENOLIC SHEET

NOTE: FOR MATERIALS

& HARDWARE SOURCES,
TURN TO PAGE 51
EDGE GUIDE
ENSURES A
CONSISTENT
DISTANCE FROM
WORKPIECE EDGE

ROLLER BLOCK
CONNECTS
EDGE GUIDE TO
THE SLIDER BAR

SIDE VIEW LOCKING KNOB FIXED KNOB

CHAMFER HELPS CLEAR

DEBRIS WHEN ROUTING

PAN HEAD SCREWS

IN COUNTER-BORED
EDGE GUIDE HOLES ATTACH
BASEPLATE TO ROUTER
NOTE: ROLLER BLOCK ACCOMODATES
OPTIONAL ROLLER EDGE GUIDE (SEE BELOW).

! Roller Edge. The roller edge guide's single point

of contact allows you to maintain a consistent dis-
tance from the contoured edge of a workpiece.

ShopNotes.com 35
 @
SLIDER 6AR
shaping the
Brass Parts SLOT
(14" )( 1Y.I")

Building the base begins with

making some custom hardware
and a wood edge guide. The hard-
ware consists of a brass slider bar,
roller block, and adjuster arm.
When attached to the baseplate
these parts let you position the
router bit accurately.
You'll begin by drilling holes in
a long brass bar. After removing
the waste for each part, you'll cut stock is centered under the bit.
the parts free from the extra-long Drill the parts by removing the
blank. The brass is easy to work, damp from the jig and sliding it
.A Metal-Cutting so I doubt you'll have any trouble. along the fence.
Blade. It's best Layout. Start by marking the Slider Bar. I started with the
to use a metal- outline of each part along the holes for the slot in the slider bar.
cutting blade on length of the bar stock. A scribe This slot allows for about 1~.. of
the brass, but is perfect for the layout, and a travel from the micro-adjust screw.
any carbide- center punch will help locate the You can see in the illustrations
tipped blade with holes. The patterns on the oppo- to the right that it's just a series
flat-topped raker site page give the dimensions. of overlaping holes drilled at the
teeth will work. Centered Holes. Holding the drill press. The holes are then
brass bar in place while you drill squared using both round and
is difficult. A simple jig made from flat files. Boards clamped on both
%" MDF with a groove cut along sides of the brass help create a correct hole size to drill The hole
its length helps keep it secure. You slot with smooth, straight walls. in the end of the slider bar will be
need a ~1!"-wide groove when drill- A locking knob attaches in the drilled later, so you can move on
ing the slider bar and a %"-wide large hole at the center of the slider to the other parts.
groove for the two other parts. bar. And the roller block is secured Roller Block & Adjuster Arm.
Using the jig is simple, just by the two small holes near the end The holes for the roller block are
align and clamp the MDF on of the bar. These holes will need simply drilled and countersunk
the drill press table so that it's to be tapped to accept screws, so for 8-32 screws, while the adjuster
against a fence and the brass refer to your tap·and die set for the arm holes need to be- tapped.

bar stock
HOLES ARE
DRILLED AND
COUNTERSUNK
Drilling Jig
(SEE PATTERN)
.,.. Centered
Holes. A groove
cut in MDF
secures the bar
stock during
drilling. Once the
brass is centered
on the bit, the jig
can slide along
the fixed fence to
ensure centered
BEVELS ON EACH holes every time.
END ARE S HAPED
WITH A FILE

36 ShopNotes No. 118

 PATTERN
(SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE)

DRILL ~e"-DIA.
HOLE FOR
0
THREADED INSERT TOP SIDE VIEW
VIEW

ANGLED
CUTS ARE
MADE AT
THE BAND
SAW
SLIDER
BAR
NOTE: DADO AND SLOT @
b. FRONT VIEW
CENTERED ON EDGE GUIDE

TAPPED
FOR
parts can be filed to final shape. Y4-20
Just clamp the adjuster arm in
the vise and file the bevel on each
end. The rounded end on the
1\4
roller block can be shaped using
the same method. 14"- DIA.
HOLE
Once the holes are drilled, you can
cut the notches for each part. Mul- EDGE GUIDE
tiple passes at the table saw will The next step is to make the wood
remove the waste. Then go ahead edge guide. By riding against the
and cut the parts free from the bar. edge of the workpiece, the guide
All that's left is to drill the hole helps stabilize the base while
in the end of the slider bar for routing. It's simple to make, but
the micro-adjust screw. The best there's a dado and a slot located
way to do this is to clamp the bar in the center of the guide that
stock between two tall, square deserves close attention.
wood blocks as you drill the hole The roller block slides into the
in the end at the drill press. slot, so it needs to be a snug fit.
Sh ape the Parts. Once you tap The same is true with the dado,
the remaining holes, the brass which secures the slider bar. Addi-
1~
tionally, the slot needs to
be centered in the dado
Materials & so that both parts can eas- ' r1 - - - -
Hardware ily slide in place.
I started the guide at
~---

A Slider Bar {1) % x%- 4V. Brass the table saw using my
B Roller Block {1) % x % - 2V. Brass miter gauge and an aux-
c Adjuster Arm {1) l/a x 5/a - 2 Brass iliary fence. A couple
D Edge Guide {1) l,r. X 2l;a- 8
passes with a dado blade
E Phenolic Plate {1) V. X3'Yi -12
takes care of the dado
• {3) #8-32 x Yi" Fh Machine Screws and slot. Two angled cuts
• {2) #8-32 x 1" Fh Machine Screws at the band saw create ADJUSTER
• {1) #8-32 Threaded Insert the tapers that form the ARM
• {1) #10-32 x 2" Knurled Machine Screw shape of the guide. The ©
• {1) Y-4-20 x W Fh Machine Screw illustrations above give
• {2) V.-20 Round Knobs you the details you need.
• {1) YdO x 1" Threaded Rod The last step is to drill a
• {1) V." Washer
hole and add a threaded
• {1) l,r." Shower Door Roller
insert (Figure 4b).

ShopNotes.com 37
 making the D FIG U RE

Baseplate BASEPLATE
04"" 3~·- 12")
Compared to what you've done
so far, making the baseplate is a
breeze. You simply cut it to size
then drill the hole for the bit Use
a router to chamfer the hole and to
make a groove and slot. Then drill
holes to attach the parts and your
router. Taper the edges, and your
new base will be complete.
Size. The size and shape of the
baseplate isn't critical, though the NOTE:
COUNTER60RED
locations for the slots and holes HOLES TO FIT
YOUR ROUTER 6ASE
are. To help with the layout, use
the pattern below as a guide.
Center Hole. The hole in the the MDF backer. You'll use it as a
center of the plate is best made guide for the next step.
using a 1%" hole saw in the drill A chamfer routed on the top
press. To back up the workpiece, edge of the hole is the next step.
I attached the blank to a piece This detail improves visibility location of the brass adjuster arm
of %" MDF using double-sided and helps clear the chips from is centered and square. A quick
tape. When you cut the hole, be the hole when routing. There way to do this is to center the part
sure to drill all the way through isn't much support for the router over the end of the groove and
bit bearing though, so the MDF use the adjuster arm as a template
backer is a big help here. to mark the hole locations.
Groove & Slot To secure the Once the holes for the adjuster
slider bar you made, rout a cen- arm are drilled and countersunk,
tered groove on the underside of you can do the same for the fixed
the base and add a slot to secure the knob and your router.
locking knob. Once you remove Shape. The base can be cut to
the MDF from the plate, you can shape at the table saw. I made a
make both at the router table. simple sled to help cut the angles.
The groove is sized to match You can see in the left photo that
the width of the slider bar, and I attached two small strips of
extends from the center hole to wood to a piece of%" MDF. These
the end of the plate. The slot for angled strips secure the base
the locking knob goes through while making each cut.
the entire thickness of the plate. After you soften the comers
& Taper Sled on Table Saw. Two small strips of Drill Holes. In order for the with a file, you can attach the
wood glued to MDF secure the phenolic plate at micro-adjust feature to operate hardware and your router and
an angle when cutting to shape. smoothly, it's important that the put your new base to work. 4.

PA1TERN (ENLARGE TO 200~)

@ @
1V."·DIA.
HOLE

SEE NOTE
INFIG.1 ·~

~ @

38 ShopNotes No. 118

Router Trammel
After finishing the edge guide there was plenty of
phenolic plate left over. So I decided to put it to use
by making a trammel base for routing circles and
arcs. Both bases are similar in size and shape, so
making it was an easy decision.
A trammel is the perfect solution for cleaning
up the edge of a circular workpiece cut at the band
saw. You can see in the photo at right that a router
is mounted at the end of the trammel's base. The
guide's centering pin, which is adjustable to the
radius of the workpiece (9~" maximum), is secured
by a hole drilled in the bottom of a round workpiece.
This allows the router to pivot around a stationary
center point, creating a perfectly round circle.
This guide is made with some of the same tech-
niques used for the edge guide. There is one addi-
tional step necessary for the shop-made centering the edge guide when making this base. The hole for
pin though. It's a simple process however, using a the router bit is also cut and chamfered the same
couple off-the-shelf hardware items. way. The only difference is that it's located at one
end of the base instead of the center.
MAKING THE TRAMMEL Like the edge guide, the trammel baseplate has a
You can start by shaping the baseplate from the pat- groove and slot, but they're quite a bit longer. (See
tern below. I used the same overall dimensions of the illustration below for details.) The purpose of
JAM FLANGE
the groove is to capture a flange nut that locks the

.£:"
a knob (and pin) in place.
NUT AGAINST CUTHEAD
KOF
I made the small, thru-slot the same way as
before. I drilled ~"holes at each end of the slot, then
removed the waste between them at the router table.

~
As I mentioned, the centering pin is made from
simple hardware items. It's just a 1~"-long ~-20
bolt and a flange nut. To make it, clamp the bolt in
FLANGE NUT a machinist's vise with the threads facing up. Then
thread the flange nut all the way down to the smooth
part of the shank. Using a wrench, tighten the nut
securely. The goal is to keep the nut from loosening.
Complete the pin by cutting the head off the bolt with
a hacksaw and cleaning up the cut edge with a file.
Now you can drill the holes for your router and
cut the base to shape using the same methods you
LOCKING KN06 used before. Go ahead and thread the centering pin
AND WASHER
into the locking knob, as shown in the illustration.
With the base fully assembled, you're able to create
perfect circles in a short time.

PATTERN (ENLARGE TO 200'1.)

Y.."-RADIU5

@
1Y4"· DIA.
HOLE

ShopNotes.com 39
 tools for
Perfect Miters
With this pair of shop-made accessories for hand
planing, gap-free miter joints are guaranteed.
• Even experienced woodworkers can struggle when it
comes to fitting perfect miters. Whether it's molding
that wraps around a cabinet, a small box with mitered
comers, or a picture frame, getting gap-free joints can
sometimes be a frustrating trial-and-error process.
In spite of all the care and time it takes to set up a miter
saw or table saw, getting perfect miter joints can still be
a challenge. For me, the revelation was learning to blend
the use of power tools with some hand work. The key
is learning to use a couple of traditional tools and tech-
niques craftsmen used over 100 years ago. The tools
include a hand plane, the miter jack shown in the photo
above, and the miter shooting board (page 42).
The Traditional Method. In the past, craftsmen
didn't have the luxury of power saws for cutting joinery.
Their tool of choice was an old-fashioned miter box with J
a back saw. But this hand-cut joinery was just the first A Position the Workpiece. When you clamp
step. The woodworker would then reach for his hand the workpiece in the miter jack, leave it
plane to fine-tune the cut edge for a perfect match to its slightly proud for trimming.

40 ShopNotes _No. 118

 Angled jaw faces Moveable jaw securely
mating workpiece. For mitered serve as guides for clamps workpiece
frames and casing around win- hand plane
dows and doors, he might have
I MITER JACK
used a miter jack similar to the
one shown at right to help guide
his hand plane to get a perfectly
~ Brackets allow
~screw head to float
smooth surface for a tight joint. 1
~ to prevent binding
Wide Jaws. As you can see in
the photo at right, the miter jack
is made with wide, angled jaws
that secure the workpiece. The
fixed and movable jaws are cut at
45° to provide a guide surface for
the sole of the hand plane. The
press screw allows you to tightly
clamp the workpiece between the
two jaws. You can get detailed
plans for building the miter jack
online at ShopNotes.com. Jaw base slides
Setup. Setting up the miter along front and
jack for use is pretty easy. The
optional cleat allows you to
back rails (
Supports make for
clamp it in the face vise of your Optional cleat used Press screw
a rigid assembly
workbench. When locating the to secure miter jack provides clamping
cleat you'll need to make sure the in face vise pressure
path of the plane is unobstructed.
If your bench has a tail vise and A block plane is perfectly With the plane iron set to take a
dog holes, you can skip the cleat suited for smaller moldings. very light cut, start trimming the
and simply clamp the miter jack Whatever your choice of planes, mitered end. I do this by start-
between a pair of bench dogs. it should be long enough to span ing the cut with the plane at the
Plane Choice. Before I explain across both jaws with the work- top of the miter jack and the iron
the technique of using the miter piece clamped in place. centered on the workpiece (left
jack, I want to talk about the Technique. When clamp- photo below). I like to skew the
hand plane. You can really use ing the workpiece in the miter plane to ensure the front and rear
any hand plane as long as the jack, the mitered end should sit of the sole are riding on the faces
iron is razor-sharp. slightly proud of the jaw faces. of the jaws. Then make a pass
But I like to use a plane with (The photo on the bottom of the across and down the workpiece,
a low cutting angle. To find out opposite page shows this sligl).tly as shown in the right photo
why, tum to page 43. The Veritas exaggerated for clarity.) This way, below. You're aiming to make the
low-angle jack plane shown in the plane trims the workpiece end grain as smooth as glass.
the photos is a good choice. without cutting into the jaws. It takes a little practice to learn
how to control the plane for a
consistent cut across the end of
the workpiece. And you'll learn
when to stop planing before cut-
ting into the surface of the jaws.
The key to smooth, square cuts is
to let the faces of the jaws guide
the hand plane as you make
repetitive cuts across the piece.
Test Fit. After truing up the . e;d j ONLINE
~ EXTRAS
miter, check the fit of the joint
on your project. If it needs a To find detailed
little more tweaking, clamp the plans for the miter
workpiece back in the miter jack jack & donkey's ear,
A Several Passes. Start at the top edge of the workpiece (left to fine-tune the fit. I'll talk later go to:
photo) and make a full pass across the end grain (right photo). about some tips and techniques ShopNotes.com
After a few light passes, check the fit of the workpiece. for creating seamless joints.

ShopNotes.com 41
'

trim miters with a

Donkey's Ear
The accessory shown above is My version is made from Bal- Angled Shooting Board. The
a modern adaptation of a tra- tic birch plywood for strength, donkey's ear is a dose cousin
ditional miter shooting board, straightness, and stability. The of the shooting board. The dif-
sometimes called a "donkey's photo at the top of the opposite ference is that the bed supports
ear." It's designed for trimming page points out the important the workpiece at 45° so that the
the ends of wide miters, like features. To download plans for plane's iron can trim the miter.
those on a small box or the mold- building the donkey's ear, go But the technique for using it is
ing that wraps around a cabinet. online to ShopNotes.com. the same as for a shooting board.
The plane is laid on its side and
pushed to slice the end grain, as
you can see above.
Technique. The photos at left
show you how to get started
when positioning the workpiece
for the cut. I use the sole of the
hand plane as a stop. To do this,
slide the plane up against the
edge of the bed of the donkey's
ear. Then place the workpiece
against the cleat and slide it up
until it contacts the plane's sole.
A Light Cut. When making
end-grain cuts like this, I set
the plane to take a fine shav-
ing. It requires less effort to slice
through the wood fibers.
The first time you use the don-
A Setting Up the Cut. Using the sole of the .A Shooting the Miter. With a sharp key's ear, the plane's iron will cut
plane as a stop, slide the workpiece up until it iron set to take a fine cut, make away a small section of the bed
contacts the plane. Then you can trim the end. several passes to clean up the miter. and a thin section from the end of

42 ShopNotes No. 118

 Thick base provides
the cleat. This is normal and isn't stability and strength
Cleat ensures
cause for concern.

GENERAL TIPS &TRICKS

square cuts
~ Prqtruding edge of
There are a few things I want to b"?esplane
point out that will get you on
your way toward creating seam-
less miter joints. These tips apply
whether you're using the miter
jack or donkey's ear.
Sharp Plane. The first thing
you'll need to do is make sure the
iron on your plane is razor sharp.
A few minutes spent honing the
DONKEY'S EAR
edge makes shaving end grain
almost effortless.
Low-Angle Plane. As I men-
tioned before, you can use a stan-
Angled bed supports
dard hand plane, but I prefer a
the workkpiece tor
low-angle plane as shown in the planing the miter
box below. The lower cutting
angle works better on end grain.
Wet the End Grain. If it's a a gap is where these accessories
struggle to trim the end grain, you really prove their worth. They
can use a trick some of the old- make it easy for you to shave off the workpiece where needed to
timers used. And that's to wet the the heel or toe of the miter until allow trimming the heel or toe of
surface to soften the wood fibers. the joint fits perfectly. the miter to fit.
Water, denatured alcohol, or min- To do this with the miter jack, Perfect Results. For me, the
eral spirits work well. simply tilt the workpiece slightly mystery of seamless miter joints
Shim to Fit. As you've prob- as you tighten the jaws to clamp was solved once I learned how
ably experienced, there always it. Your goal is to leave the heel or to use these time-tested acces-
seems to be a gap in at least one toe proud so you can easily trim sories. I think you'll agree that
of the joints when assembling a it. To accomplish this on the don- the results you get are worth the
mitered frame. Oosing up such key's ear, place a thin shim under investment in making them. A

an inside look at a
Low-Angle Plane .......--~~
When faced with the task of shaving the end grain
of a workpiece to create a perfect joint, I rely on a
low-angle hand plane. Sometimes referred to as a
''bevel-up" plane, it's particularly suited for this
task because of its low cutting angle. Low-angle
planes are available from several manufacturers.
As you can see in the detail photo, the plane iron
is bedded at 12°. Combined with a 25° bevel on the
iron, this results in a 37° cutting angle. This lower
angle means there's less effort required to slice
across the wood fibers of end grain. The end result
is a smoother cut that shaves the end grain clean.
Low-angle planes range in size from small block
planes to 15"-long jack planes and larger. For trim-
ming miters using a shooting board or donkey's ear,
you'll want to look for a plane with sides machined
flat and square to the sole.

ShopNotes.com 43
 ~ Shop

adding
Workbench
Storage
Here are a handful of practical
ways to maximize the storage
space of your bench .

• My workbench is the center of

my workshop in more ways than
On these pages, you'll find a
few options for increasing the
amount of storage space in your
your tools and make the most
of the space. (This arrangement
includes a pair of compartments
one. It's the place I spend most
of my time in the shop. And it workbench. They range from the on the ends.) Even though the
serves a variety of purposes from simple to the more involved. But drawers vary in size, in gen-
a hand tool work area and assem- there's sure to be something you eral, they're fairly shallow. This
bly table to a finishing station. can put to use in your shop. allows you to see what's inside at
With all the roles my bench a glance. And items aren't likely
takes on, I want easy access to a DRAWERS to get buried at the bottom.
range of tools and supplies. But The most obvious place to add The drawers ride on full-
not every bench has built-in stor- storage is the large open space extension metal slides. The slides
age like the heirloom workbench beneath the top. It just begs to be give you access to the entire con-
on page 12. My workbench started put to better use. One way to do tents of the drawer. In addition,
out as a basic, table-style bench. that is to add some drawers. they're easy to open and close
Over time, I've upgraded it with D rawer Case. You can take a when loaded with heavy tools.
a variety of storage features. Now couple of approaches to adding There are a couple things to
I have the things I use most often drawers. The photo above shows keep in mind when adding a
within arm's reach. the Cadillac version. A plywood drawer case like this. If your
case holds drawers in a range bench has dog holes, it's a good
of sizes to help you organize idea to leave a little space above
the case to provide access from
below. As an added precau-
tion, attach the case to the bench
structure so it won't tip from the
weight of an open drawer.
Pull-Out Tr.,.ys. Adding
drawers doesn't have to be this
involved, though. For a much
simpler option, take a look at the
...,.. Piece of Cake. A baking left photos. This drawer is just a
pan makes a handy drawer. The baking pan that slides on a pair
stiff rim slips in grooved cleats of grooved cleats (inset photo). It
attached under the benchtop. tucks right under the benchtop

ShopNotes No. 118

.A As Easy As It Gets. Cut a piece of plywood .A Organized Supplies. Frequently used sup-
or MDF to fit across the lower stretchers of your plies and small tools tuck conveniently on a set of
bench to create instant storage space. shallow. adjustable shelves.

and is the perfect place to store another direction you can take to RACKS
small layout tools, a few pencils, add storage to your workbench, One final storage option to con-
and a pad of paper. as shown in the photos above. sider is a tool rack. The emphasis
Another benefit of this drawer Shelves allow you to easily and here is convenience.
is that you can pull it out and quickly get at the items stored The pegboard rack in the lower
set it on your bench as a tray to there. And adding a shelf or two left photo takes advantage of
keep items corralled. Best of all, is a pretty quick task. space at the end of a workbench.
you can add this drawer to your A Big Sh elf. The quickest way And customizing it is simple.
bench in less than an hour. to add a shelf is shown in the In the lower right photo, you
Location matters when attach- upper left photo. Most work- can see a rack designed for hold-
ing the cleats under your bench. benches have lower stretchers downs, bench dogs, and a few
Steer clear of dog holes and make that will support a simple shelf clamps. But it could just as easily
sure the drawer won't be blocked made from%" plywood or MDF. be made to hold chisels and other
by items clamped in the face vise. Narrow Sh elves. The upper hand tools. It's made from a piece
right photo highlights another of two-by lumber.
SHELVES type of shelving. This bank of Adding storage to your bench
Drawers are handy for storing narrow shelves on the back of can save steps and time tracking
tools, but for other items, espe- a workbench is a great place to down the things you need. And
cially larger power tools, drawers store shop supplies like hard- that can make your time in the
just don't make sense. Shelves are ware, sandpaper, or glue. shop more enjoyable. A

.A Versatile Pegboard. Don't overlook the space .A Scrap Wood Rack. This small rack can be
at the end of your bench. This rack is simple to screwed to the end or back of the benchtop to
customize with different types of hooks. hold the tools you reach for most often.

ShopNotes.com 45
 -

safer cuts wittl a

_IJj yJjJ~ j ~JJJ-J ~
New table saws feature safety gear that
helps you make clean, accurate cuts every time.
• In order to make smooth, pre- ingredient in making quality new equipment works. But first,
cise cuts on my table saw, I make cuts. And it's something that's a little background is in order.
sure the saw is set up right. This easy to overlook. But some new Old vs. New. Up until a few
includes everything from the table saws come equipped with years ago, table saws came with
blade and fence settings to tun- improved blade guards and riv- a splitter and blade guard assem-
ing up my saw from time to time. ing knives make it easier than bly. The system is designed to
I even build jigs to make particu- ever to cut accurately and safely. prevent kickback and hand con-
lar cuts accurate and foolproof. We recently added a new saw tact with the blade. In practice,
The safety equipment that to our shop and it seemed like a many guards obscure-the blade
comes with a table saw is another good idea to talk about how the and cut line. Since the steel split-
ter is fixed, the gap between the
blade and splitter varies depend-
ing on the blade height. A wider
gap can allow the kerf to close
and pinch the blade.
Furthermore, the splitter and
guard need to be removed for
grooves, rabbets, and dadoes.
Since they're often difficult to reat-
tach, they're rarely used.
The riving knives found on
new saws work -differently -
Tight Gap. A Up&Down. and better. What makes a riv-
small gap between The riving knife ing knife different is how it's
the blade and riving travels with the blade attached to the saw. Instead of
knife prevents a workpiece so the gap remains small being fixed, the knife travels
from pinching the blade, no matter what the up and down with the blade.
which can lead to kickback. blade height is. This means the gap between the
blade and riving knife is small no

46 ShopNotes No. 118

matter the blade height (lower
photos on the previous page). In
addition, a riving knife can be set
so you don't need to remove it
for most cuts (more on this later).
Overall, the blade guards are
improved, too. They're designed
to quickly snap on and off with-
out any fussy adjustments, as in
the near right photo. So you're
more likely to use them.
New Regulations. Since 2008,
all new-model table saws are
required to have a riving knife sys-
tem. Starting in 2014, this regula-
tion will apply to all table saws on i Easy On & Easy Off. The blade guard and i Flip the Lever. Release the fever
the market. Riving knife designs pawls quickly snap into (and out of) notches in to set the height of the riving knife, to
vary among table saw manufac- the top of the riving knife. one of three positions. ·
turers. Regardless of the design,
all riving knives have capabilities standard riving knife and replace fence close enough to the blade
similar to the one shown here. it with a shorter one.) while still maintaining enough
Full-Protection. The standard To do this on our saw, you clearance for a push block.
setup is shown in the main photo flip a lever behind the blade and Here, the low-profile knife
on the facing page. This assembly lower the knife, as shown in the keeps the narrow strip from drift-
consists of the steel riving knife, upper right photo. In this posi- ing against the blade, which can
the blade guard, and a pair of tion, the top of the riving knife is cause score marks or burning
spring-loaded pawls that stop a below the top of the saw blade. (lower right photo). And I can
workpiece from travelling back- You can see how this allows use a push block that rides over
wards. TIUs setup handles most you to cut grooves in the lower the blade to control both the strip
rip, bevel, and crosscuts. left photo. While a groove like and the remaining blank.
Low Profil e. However, these this isn't likely to close up, the Rem ove It. The only situation
aren't the only cuts I make. For knife keeps the workpiece on where either knife setting won't
example, I often use my saw track and prevents it from drift- work is when using a dado blade.
for cutting grooves. Rather than ing away from the fence. So you'll need to lower the knife
remove the riving knife, you The low-profile position comes below the table (or remove it).
can unclip the blade guard and in handy for other cuts. For exam- The versatility of a riving knife
pawls and set the knife to a low- ple, when ripping thin strips. The increases the chance you'll keep
profile position. (On some table standard riving knife and blade it on the saw. And you'll end up
saws, you need to remove the guard won't allow you to set the with better and safer cuts. 4.

Narrow Cuts. The

low-profile setting
steadies thin strips
for clean cuts.

JolllfWY Cuts.
In the low-profile
position, the riving
knife is below the top
of the blade. It won't catch
when cutting grooveS: ~"·

ShopNotes.com 47
 easy-to-use
kshop
Solu ion
Getting the job done right doesn't have to be
expensive, time-consuming, or cumbersome.
• I'm always on the lookout for bet- After continued use however, With the knives in place,
ter, easier, or less expensive ways any edge becomes worn. The sharpening them is as simple as
to get common jobs done in my first indication of a dull edge on making a series of passes across
shop. Fortunately I'm not the planer or jointer knives is the different grits of sandpaper
only one. New products for the tool working h arder or bogging (120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400). I
workshop are being developed down while making a cut. used adhesive-backed sandpaper
with these same goals in mind. I Until recently, the most com- attached to 3/.t MDF. And since
recently discovered a couple of mon solution for dull planer or the brass used in the slots won't
new products that fit the bill and jointer knives was to have them damage the sharp edge, the
rediscovered an old one as well. professionally. sharpened. But sharpeners can be used with
that means downtime in the single- or double-edged knives.
DEULEN SHARPENING shop. I would rather be working Sharpening two knives is a
SYSTEM on a project than waiting around. snap. But the sharpeners can
A sharp edge gives supe- A better solution is the new handle three knives as well,
Set screws
secure rior results whether it's on a Deulen Jointer & Planer Knife which is common on many new
knives saw blade or a planer knife. Sharpening System. This straight- tools. Detailed steps are included
forward jig allows you to get an with the easy-to-follow instruc-
extremely sharp edge on your tions and how-to video that
knives in almost no time. And comes with each sharpener.
best of all, you don't need any
previous sharpening experience #1 ODD-JOBS TOOL
to get great results. Accurate measurements and
This is because of the way the layouts are critical to a success-
jig works. You can see in the main ful project. Most woodworkers
photo and in the left margin that have a number of layout tools
the sharpener consists of two in their shop, each with its own
brass slots embedded in a wood specific purpose. While not a
handle. Set screws secure your huge problem, this can get cum-
6" & 12" models
tor jointer (top) and knives in the slots at the appro- bersome and expensive. There's
planer (bottom) knives priate angle for sharpening. one multi-purpose layout tool

48 ShopNotes No. 118

 45° head
~ Layout Tool.
Mark miters from
one end of the
tool and 90° lines
from the other.

~ Height Gauge.
Quickly set bit or
blade heights with
the tool's unique
Pencil
features.
notch

~ Multi-Function Tool. A spirit

level and pivot point add to the
functionality of this versatile tool.

however, designed to help elimi- current than what's supplied by of five minutes to get it plugged
nate the tool clutter. a standard 110-volt circuit. That's in and working in my shop.
Based on a 19th-century Stan- why many high-powered tools For more information and
ley design, the #1 Odd-Jobs Tool operate on 220 volts. where to buy any of these prod-
nearly does it all. The body of Many workshops however, are ucts, see Sources on page 51. A
this layout tool is made of solid in garages or basements that may
brass and ground with both 45° not be wired with 220-volt out-
and 90° reference edges. The lets. And the cost of adding these
included 6", 12", or 18" rule and outlets can be prohibitive.
unique design allow it to func- I recently discovered the Quick
tion as a miter square, try square, 220 Voltage Converter. This handy
or T-square, as well as a height/ product offers an inexpensive
depth gauge. The photos above way to safely power 220-volt
show a couple examples. equipment from two ordinary
Additionally, a recessed set 110-volt outlets. Both 15A & 20A
screw with a sharp point can be versions are available.
exposed, acting as a pivot point To work, the converter requires
for marking arcs and circles. As two outlets that are on indepen-
if that wasn't enough, mark- dent circuits. In addition, neither
ing mortise locations and tenon of the outlets can be on GFI circuits.
layouts are a breeze with the You don't need to be an elec-
attached scribe. trician to make it work, though.
To round out the tool's many The unit comes with a GFI circuit
features, a spirit level is included, tester and an indicator light that
ensuring that your carpentry lets you know if the two selected
projects are level and plumb. outlets will work.
Finally, the small size of the #1 Plus, simple instructions help
Odd-Jobs Tool makes it a perfect you set it up quickly. It took all 220 .voltage
fit for an apron pocket. converter
220-volt
QUICK 220 CONVERTER ..,.. Simple Connection. output to
Two 110-volt outlets are all power tools
When it comes to power tools,
you need to power your
more horsepower is generally a
220-volt power tools.
good thing. But high horsepower
motors can draw more electrical

ShopNotes.com
(
~'
qHstions from
Our Readers
4/4 Planed Board
(about 13Ae" thick)

sorting out
Lumber Buying Lumber. You aren't
likely to see these designations
and the saw marks can be pretty
rough, as shown in the photo

Terms if you buy lumber from a home

center. To simplify the pricing,
consumer retailers size boards to
common thicknesses, widths, and
lengths. This way you know the
above. So after drying and initial
p laning, the board is noticeably
thinner than the stated thickness
(lower board shown above). The
left chart below gives the finished
Some project plans list boards that are 5/4 and 8/4 exact cost of a board at a glance. thickness of common boards
followed by a certain number of ''board f eet." What On the other hand, a commer- used by woodworkers.
do these numbers mean? cial lumberyard sells h ardwood Board Feet. Once you know the
Todd Callihan lumber in a wider range of thick- thickness, to determine the cost of
Lexington, Kentucky nesses, widths, and lengths. So a given board, you need to calcu-
the price of a board is a function late how much wood the board
• A good part of woodworking of all three dimensions. contains. This value is expressed
involves understanding temtinol- Thickness. The first number in board feet. And here is where
ogy and numbers. It's almost like to look at is the rough thickness the width and length come into
another language. Besides learn- of a board. It's expressed in ~" play. The right chart shows the
ing terms like mortise, rabbet, increments. For example, a 4/4 formula for calculating board feet.
and dado, a woodworker is con- (pronounced four quarter) board In general, you multiply the
fronted with a lot of fractions and is four quarters of an inch thick. rough-cut thickness of the board,
the numbers you mention. An 8I 4 board is eight quarters of in inches (4/4 equals--1"), by the
In a nutshell, these numbers an inch thick. The trouble is this width and length (also in inches).
are used to sell hardwood lum- number doesn't necessarily indi- This number represents the vol-
ber based on the thickness and cate the actual thickness. ume of wood in cubic inches.
volume of wood in a board. In Let me explain. When a tree is To convert the number to board
project plans, these numbers are milled into lumber, the boards feet, you need to divide by 144.
used to give you an idea of the are cut into specific rough thick- (The number of cubic inches in
amount of wood needed to build nesses (4/4, 6/4, etc). This is the a board foot.) So based on this
the project and the size of boards thickness the price is based on. formula, the two boards above
individual parts come from. But the wood is still fairly wet have the same board feet- even
though one is thicker.
Figure Board Feet Exceptions. This formula
Standard lor Hardwood Lumller works for stock sizes from 1"
Routll Qlartlr Sllflced Thickness XWidlh X lenglh thick and up. For. thinner boards,
Tlllcbess Desllllltlll Tlllc:Dess (In inches) = Board Feet you always use 1" for the thick-
1" 4/4 _13J16• 144 ness and the resulting number is
11/4 5/4 -1 1/1s" Example: 1" X ~~X 12" = 1 Board Foot expressed in square feet.
11/2" 6/4 - 15 /1s" With this information, you can
estimate how much wood a proj-
2" 8/4 - 13/4" NOTE: Anything less than 1" thick is.
figured as 1"and expressed as sq. feet
ect requires and comp are prices
Stock less than 1" is listed in standa rd fractions to find the best d eal. A.

50 ShopNotes No. 118

Sources MAIL
ORDER
Most of the materials and sup- WORKBENCH (p.12) SMALL ROUTER BASES (p.34)
SOURCES
plies you'll need for projects are
available at hardware stores or • Lee Valley • McMaster-Carr Woodsmith Store
home centers. For specific prod- Face Vise Hardware . . . 70G08.01 Phenolic (Garolite) ... 85315K114 800-444-7527

ucts or hard-to-find items, take Vise Handle ... . ...... 05Gl2.03 Brass Bar ....... ..... 8954K195 Rockier
a look at the sources listed here. Beading Bit .... ... . ... 16J43.52 Knurled Screw ...... 90200A264 800-279-4441
rockler.com
You'll find each part number Red Ball Knobs ........ 6146K43
• Rockier Amazon.com
listed by the company name. 20" Drawer Slides ....... 39541
See the right margin for contact Magnetic Catch ......... 26559
PlANE ACCESSORIES (p.40) Garrett Wade
800-221-2942
information. Beading Bit ............. 91826 • Lee Valley garrettwade.com
The Woodsmith Store in Des Seal-A-Cell Finish ....... 56507 Press Screw . .......... 13F17.01 Highland Woodworking
Moines, Iowa is an authorized 3;]6" Roundover Bit . . ..... 21026 Low-Angle Jack Plane .. 05P34.51 800-241-6748
Rockier dealer. They carry many highlandwoodworlcing.com
• Horton Brasses
of the hardware items used in our TABLE SAW SAFID (p.46) Horton Brasses
projects. And they ship nation- Bin Pulls (Antique) ....... BN-3 800-754-9127
wide. Their customer service rep- %"Knob (Antique) ....... .K-12 • Woodsmith Store horton-bras.o;;es.com
1 ~ " x 2" Hinges ... .... PB-407B Bosch Table Saw . . . . . . . . 268691 Lee Valley
resentatives are available for your
800-871-8158
calls from 8am - 5pm Central • Highland Woodworking leevalley.com
Time, Monday through Friday. Steel Bench Dogs ....... . 163562
GREAT GEAR (p.4B)
McMaster-Carr
• Woodcraft 630-600-3600
• Woodsmith Store mcmaster.com
6" Knife Sharpener. . . . . . 152867
HAND CARE (p.10) Amana Beading Bit . ... . 272092
12" Knife Sharpener .... . 152868 Quick 220 Systems
Freud Beading Bit ...... . 230862 800-347-0394
• Lee Valley • Garrett Wade quick220.com
Finger Guard Tape ..... 22R69.91 MITER SAW STAND (p.26) #1 Odd-Jobs Tool . ..... 23N02.01 Reid Supply
Gloves in a Bottle . . . . . 25K90.20 800-253-0421
O'Keeffe's ............. AB704 • Reid Supply • Quick 220 Systems reidsupply.com

Worx Hand Cleaner . . . 25K90.31 Studded Knobs ........ .DK-680 220 Voltage Converter . A220-15D Woodcraft
The Gardener's Soap ..... AB770 800-225-1153
PERFECT SLOTS (p.32) woodcraft.com
• Amazon.com Woodworker's Supply
SBS-40 .. .. .. ... B0006GDATQ • Woodworker's Supply 800-645-9292
Jig Saw Blade ..........153-854 woodworker.com

ShopNotes Binders
As you build your ShopNotes library, here's a way to keep your
issues organized. Each binder features durable vinyl covers and
easy-to-read perforated number tags. Snap rings with a quick-
open lever make it easy to insert and remove issues. And there's
an extra pocket inside for storing notes. Each binder holds a full
year (6 issues) of ShopNotes.
Visit ShopNotes.com to order
or caii1-8G0-444·7527.
ShopNotes Binder
0 SB (Holds 6 issues). .. , .. ........ .... .... ..$12.95

ShopNotes.com 51
 #/4 x 48 x 48 PLYWOOD !/4 x 48 x 48 RIFTSAWN RED OAK PLYWOOD

heirloom Workbench
P P T T

P P T

Materials List
A Leg Outer Layers (16) 3/ x 21/ - 34 Q Case Edging (1) 3/ x 3/ - 120 Rgh. GG Spacers (5) 1/ x 3/ - 1
4 4 4 4 4 4
B Long Fillers (4) GRAIN DIRECTION3/ x 21/ - 221/
4 4 4 R Drawer Sides (6) GRAIN 1/ xDIRECTION
2 4 - 19 /4
3 HH Tool Bar Front (1) 3/ x 3/ - 34
4 4
C Short Fillers (4) 3/ x 21/ - 81/ S Drawer Fronts/Backs (6) 1/ x 4 - 173/ II Rack Supports (2) 3/ x 11/ - 15
4 4 4 2 4 4 2
D Stretchers (2) 3/ x 41/ - 37 T Drawer Bottoms (3) 191/4 x 173/4 - 1/4 Ply.
4 8
E Ends (2) 181/2 x 213/8 - 3/4 Ply. U Drawer Faces (3) 3/ x 35/ - 183/
4 8 8 • (38) #8 x 11/4" Fh Woodscrews
F Lower Rails (2) 3/ x 41/ - 17 V Bead Molding (1) 3/ x 15/ - 160 Rgh. • (13) #8 x 11/2" Fh Woodscrews
4 8 8 16
G Cleats (2) 3/ x 2 - 20 W Hinge Stile (1) 3/ x 3/ - 161/ • (8) #8 x 21/2" Fh Woodscrews
4 4 4 2
H Bottom (1) 211/2 x 32 - 3/4 Ply. X Door Stiles (2) 3
/4 x 21/2 - 161/8 • (6) 1/4" x 2" Lag Screws
I Shelf (1) 211/2 x 331/2 - 3/4 Ply. Y Door Rails (2) 3/ x 21/ - 57/
4 2 8 • (6) 1/4" Washers
J Upper Rails (2) 3/ x 4 - 181/ Z Door Panel (1) 57/8 x 115/8 - 1/4 Ply. • (3 pr.) 20" Full-Extension Drawer Slides
4 2
K Back (1) 32 x 17 - 3/4 Ply. AA Door Bead (1) 3/ x 7/ - 36 Rgh.
8 16 • (3) 4" Bin Pulls
L Bullnose Edging (1) 1 x 5/8 - 170 Rgh. BB Mounting Cleats (2) 3/ x 11/ - 171/
4 2 2 • (1) 3/4"-dia. Knob
M Bullnose Molding (2) 1 x 13/8 - 17 CC Benchtop (1) 21/4 x 261/4 - 541/2 • (1 pr.) 11/2" x 2" Hinges
N Cove Molding (2) 3/ x 5/ - 17 DD Vise Jaw (1) 3 x 45/8 - 11 • (1) Magnetic Catch
4 8
O Case Sides (2) 161/2 x 197/8 - 3/4 Ply. EE Tool Panel (1) 3/ x 10 - 40
4 • (1) Face Vise Hardware
P Top/Btm./Dividers (4) 197/8 x 20 - 3/4 Ply. FF Tool Bar Rear (1) 3/ x 1 - 36
4 • (1) Vise Handle

Cutting Diagram
#/4 x 7!/2 x 96 RED OAK (SEVEN BOARDS @ 5.0 Bd. Ft. EACH)
CC A NOTE: PARTS B & C
CC A CUT FROM PART A
CC A

#/4 x 7!/2 x 96 RED OAK (TWO BOARDS @ 5.0 Bd. Ft. EACH)
CC
D
CC
CC X Y

Q
#/4 x 7!/2 x 96 RED OAK (TWO BOARDS @ 5.0 Bd. Ft. EACH)
CC
F J
CC
CC G

L BB
#/4 x 8 x 96 RED OAK (5.3 Bd. Ft.)

EE EE DD

L V L II II
#/4 x 8 x 96 RED OAK (5.3 Bd. Ft.)
Q
FF U U U M

HH V W L N
#/4 x 6 x 96 RED OAK (4 Bd. Ft.)

CC DD DD DD

V AA
!/2 x 4!/2 x 96 MAPLE (THREE BOARDS @ 3.0 Sq. Ft. EACH)
S S R R

ShopNotes No. 118 Page 1 of 2 ©2011 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
Cutting Diagram
#/4 x 48 x 96 RIFTSAWN RED OAK PLYWOOD

E E I

O O

GRAIN DIRECTION

#/4 x 48 x 48 PLYWOOD !/4 x 48 x 48 RIFTSAWN RED OAK PLYWOOD

P P T T

P P T

GRAIN DIRECTION GRAIN DIRECTION

#/4 x 7!/2 x 96 RED OAK (SEVEN BOARDS @ 5.0 Bd. Ft. EACH)
CC A NOTE: PARTS B & C
CC A CUT FROM PART A
CC A

#/4 x 7!/2 x 96 RED OAK (TWO BOARDS @ 5.0 Bd. Ft. EACH)
ShopNotes No. 118 CC Page 2 of 2 ©2011 August Home
D Publishing. All rights reserved.
CC
CC X Y
 space-saving
Miter Saw Station
Materials & Hardware
A Rails (2) 13⁄8 x 2 - 84 K Saw Base (1) 18 x 22 - 3/4 Ply. U Spacers (2) 11/2 x 2 - 14
B Skins (2) 71/2x 84 - 1/4 Ply. L Front/Back (2) 9 x 22 - 3/4 Ply. V Fences (2) 3
/4 x 11/4 - 14
C Fillers (8) 11/2 x 3/4 - 61/4 M Long Lock Bar (1) 3/ x 22 - 1/ Alum.
4 8
1
• (65) #8 x 1 /2" Fh Woodscrews
D Wedges (2) 11/2 x 1 - 11 N Shelf (1) 6 x 16 - 3/4 Ply. • (6) #5 x 5/8" Fh Woodscrews
E Upper Side Rails (2) 13⁄8 x 2 - 60 O Shelf Sides (2) 5 x 51/2 - 3/4 Ply. • (8) #8 x 2" Fh Woodscrews
F Lower Side Rails (2) 13⁄8 x 2 - 541/2 P Large Braces (2) 6 x 6 - 3/4 Ply. • (10) 5/16"-18 T-Nuts
G Side Webs (4) 71/2 x 60 - 1/4 Ply. Q Outfeed Bases (2) 13 /4 x 14 - 3/4 Ply.
3 • (6) 5/16"-18 x 1" Studded Knobs
H Arms (2) 61/4 x 34 - 11/2 Ply. R Fronts/Backs (4) 73⁄8 x 14 - 3/4 Ply. • (4) 5/16"-18 x 2" Hex Bolts
I Legs (2) 253/16 x 33 - 11/2 Ply. S Short Locking Bars (2) 3/ x 14 - 1/ Alum.
4 8 • (4) 5/16" Flat Washers
J Brackets (8) 5 x 53/4 - 3/4 Ply. T Small Braces (4) 4 x 4 - 3/4 Ply. • (1) 3/4" x 72" - 1/8" Aluminum (for Locking Bars)

Cutting Diagram
1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR

A
NOTE: PARTS A, E, AND F
1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR ARE PLANED TO 1#/8" THICK

1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR

1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR

1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR

1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR

NOTE: RESAW PART V

C V TO #/4" THICK
1!/2" x 3!/2" - 96" DOUGLAS FIR

U U

48" x 96" - !/4" Plywood

B
ShopNotes No. 118 Page 1 of 2 ©2011 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
 Cutting Diagram
48" X 96" - #/4" Plywood

J J J J J J J J O O

R R R R K

P P
L
L

T T T T

N
UGLAS FIR
I 48" X 96" - #/4" Plywood
I
A
J J J
Q Q NOTE: PARTS A, E, AND F
UGLAS FIR ARE PLANED TO 1#/8" THICK
R
A

UGLAS FIR 48" X 96" - #/4" Plywood

L
E H H

UGLAS FIR T T
H H T T

E
N
UGLAS FIR

F
Q
UGLAS FIR

I I NOTE: RESAW PART V 48" X 96" - #/4" Plywood

C V TO #/4" THICK
UGLAS FIR

H
U

D
H

48" x 96" - !/4" Plywood

ShopNotes No. 118 Page 2 of 2 ©2011 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
 2 Perfect Miters tools for

Building this pair of shop-made accessories is a

great way to guarantee gap-free miters.
Miter Jack
Building the miter jack isn’t diffi- glued it up in two sections, cut The sliding jaw is secured to the
cult but it does require some time the 45° angle, then glued the two rails with a plate attached with
to fine-tune the parts for accurate sections together. Then you can screws. This assembly should
planing of miters. The drawings cut the two notches on the bottom slide smoothly along the rails.
below provide all the details. of the three pieces to fit the rails. Now you can set the screw collar
I started with the two rails. The After drilling a hole in the into the anchor block with epoxy
front rail is beveled at 45°. Then anchor block for the press screw’s and install the screw and brackets
I went to work gluing up the collar, glue the fixed jaw and onto the sliding jaw.
stock for the two jaws and anchor anchor block to the rails. I secured Attach the optional cleat if you
block. To make it easier to cut the each of them with a bottom plate want to clamp the miter jack in
angled face on the sliding jaw, I glued to the rails and blocks. your face vise.

FIXED JAW SLIDING JAW BRACKET END VIEW

(3" x 6#/4" - 5!/2") (4!/2" x 6#/4" - 5!/2") (#/4" x %/8" - 2") HOLE SIZED
SCREW COLLAR TO FIT
FASTENED IN SCREW COLLAR 2
ANCHOR BLOCK 45°
WITH EPOXY
ANCHOR BLOCK
(2!/4" x 4(/16" - 5!/2") 2#/4
1!/4 2!/2

1!/2 1!/2

LOCATE CLEAT FOR UNOBSTRUCTED

BACK RAIL PATH OF HANDPLANE WHEN MITER
(1!/4" x 1!/2" - 16") BRACKETS JACK IS CLAMPED IN BENCH VISE
MADE TO FIT
FRONT RAIL LOOSELY AROUND
(1!/4" x 2!!/16" - 16") SCREW SWIVEL

NOTE: JAWS
AND ANCHOR BLOCK
GLUED UP FROM PRESS SCREW
#/4"-THICK STOCK (ROCKLER #42721)
FIXED PLATE
(!/2" x 3" - 6!!/16")
SLIDING
PLATE
(!/2" x 4!/2" - 6!!/16")

#8 x 2" Fh
FRONT VIEW PRESS SCREW INSTALLED
AFTER ASSEMBLY
WOODSCREW ANCHOR
FIXED SLIDING BLOCK
ANCHOR JAW JAW
PLATE
(!/2" x 2!/4" - 6!!/16")
CLEAT
(1!/4" x 2" - 16")
RAIL
#8 x 2" Fh
!/8"-DEEP NOTCH WOODSCREW
PROVIDES CLEARANCE 1!/2 CLEAT
NOTE: ALL PARTS FOR SLIDING PLATE
MADE FROM MAPLE
1!/2

ShopNotes No. 118 Page 1 of 2 ©2011 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
 TABLE

Donkey’s Ear
The donkey’s ear is a simple device edge ripped at 45°. I attached it to One end is beveled, as you can see
you can build in an evening. I the base with screws, making sure below. Before fastening the cleat to
made mine from Baltic birch ply- the edges of the bevels aligned. the table, I sanded a small chamfer
wood (drawings below). To complete the base, I added a on the back, vertical edge of the
The first step is to glue up three layer of 1⁄2" plywood. The width bevel. This prevents tearout on the
layers of 3⁄4" plywood for the base. is sized to leave an 1⁄8" gap along back side of the cleat as the plane
Then you can trim it to size and the table for dust relief. It’s simply cuts into it during the first few
bevel one face at 45°. glued in place. passes. Then fasten the cleat to the
The table comes next. Like the Finally, you can add the cleat. table. Just make sure it’s square to
base, it’s trimmed to size with one I used hardwood for this part. the table’s beveled edge.

END VIEW
TOP VIEW !/8" GAP FOR
TOP DUST RELIEF

TOP
GAP
CLEAT
CREATE A SMALL CLEAT
CHAMFER ON BACK BASE
EDGE OF CLEAT TO
PREVENT CHIPPING TABLE

TABLE

CLEAT
(1" x 1!/4" - 8")

COUNTERSINK FOR
#8 Fh WOODSCREW
NOTE:
FOR EASIER PLANING, APPLY
5#/4 WAX TO TOP AFTER ASSEMBLY

TOP
(3&/8" x 19" - !/2" Ply.)

#8 x 1!/2" Fh
WOODSCREW

NOTE:
CLEAT MADE FROM 45°
HARDWOOD
TOP VIEW
TOP

BASE
(6!/4" x 19" - 2!/4" Ply.)
GAP
CLEAT NOTE: BASE GLUED UP FROM
CREATE A SMALLTABLE THREE LAYERS OF #/4" PLYWOOD
CHAMFER ON
(8"BACK
x 19" - #/4" Ply.)
EDGE OF CLEAT TO
PREVENT CHIPPING TABLE

ShopNotes No. 118 Page 2 of 2 ©2011 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
Butterfly keys combine strength
and style to stabilize cracks and
splits in a workpiece. To learn
how to put this technique to
use, turn to page 22.