e 43

-
WsUsnER
tanuary 1999
Donald B.Peschke
Cutoffs
EDITOR
ASSOCIATE E m m u
ASSISTANTEDITOR
urr o l R E c m n
SR. GRAPWDESIGNER
TmRobert~on
e r nR e d
~qqu~elson
Gary Ohdstensen
I(UI!kS&ldb
~ E N I O R I L L U S ~ A T ~ RRozerReiland
~
w hat's the best way to cut a
dovetail joint? By hand? Or
using a router and a dovetail jig?
The anewer is simple-it all depends.
$250 to $350.
SEOP-MADEVERSMIN. That got me
to thinking about building a shop-
d e version of a dovetail jig -one
~$k.kiigd~n BAND-CUT DOVETAILS. Cutting that wouldn't require a big invest-
- .. dovetails by hand certainly isn't the ment in time and money. It had to
~ T M . ~ R E +
Cmztiu~DireeWTed Kraiieek pnipniet Deuslqw; quickest way to do it. Nevertheless, be easy to build. And the dovetails
.
K e n M m k d - S e n i m P m j s a ~Revin
Pmjd ComdiMtm Kent Welsh Shop Mamw:
Ste7eCortis.S~Cva~n-SteueJohnhnn.Se~ii
: Boyle. there is something satisfying about
being alone in the shop, working
would have to he accurate.
All in all, it sounded like an inter-
PImtqRzphsr: h30hEngland
quietly with a hand saw and chisel, esting challenge. How do you go
E d o a Ed*
sma
-
Dangles L. Hicks Art Dimfm:
SteveLudw -Sv. ~ p h < ~ ~ ~ : G h r i s G l i
and getting the dovetails to fit
~ together just right.
about making a precision jig using
ordinary tools and materials? The
uncuunw But I have to admit it. When key is a special table saw technique
.R+ .
SubSBlo.Dir;~Baum+N~~&usDi~i~iGlen~&s
M r . : &ge Ragm Ba@ Mgr: Rsbeera
~ham.RmnMpcRi&J*.N~wB~.Mgrgr
there are a lot of dovetails to cut,
I'm usually only interested in one
that lets you accurately make a set
of wedge-shaped fingers (page 16).
L.Biile .RPn(Su6 M r . : J a y m . A & c c
h ~ D b ; m * . 4 . ~ ~ thing - getting the job done as EditorWote: Individual fingers
Ipson quickly as possible. of this type are the subject of two
COIIPOniaTEI~ DOVETAIL JIGS. That's when a United States patents. The first
V P of Phrn*i"q 16 K m m e Jan Maearthy.
CanhplkRoha Hotehioson.Sc AnC Laura
-
Thomas -Acets. P4ya6k C:SSchultr Acotp. Re.:
dovetail jig and a router come in
handy. A couple of the nilliest dove-
patent (No. 4,428,408) is owned by
Kenneth M. Grisley, President of
-
mPetlua-PmdDir:GemgeChmiaars-Ele&Pub.:
Doogles M. U h t a P m d AsL Susan Rume .h- tail jigs I've seen (shown below) are Leigh Industries Ltd. The second
-
PIggs I w a Spec ?'my Clark Minniatie Bieghler-
Nm Me& M p : Go&n C, Gsippe Muuidia A11
. designed to cut through dovetail patent (No. 5,832,977) is owned by
m- ' Eugene F e d e m A R. &a:m e n Koele
n as8k Ju6a Fish .Re~pt: Jeanne J~phh",
I=%hey -Rldg. Moinr: Ken w t h spciol .
joints. (These are the traditional
dovetails that you often see on a
R. Terry Hampton, President of
Hampton House, Inc.
i)
.. , *.:sa&H.lnman project like a blanket chest or a
WL- dovetailed box.)
~Db:Bob%&h. Md.%M~.grMsrkBwjossi. Although these jigs do a great
-
Cwt S e e M r . : Jennie En- .Warehouse Sllpr:
Naney J o b m -W1yw:IhdaJom Op.&%Tammy
Aldini T& R4i:M&&wTeRonde. Casi &m Reos~eos
job, they can cost anywhere from
Arm % T.&Y
.
Tmekenbmd, Adam Be* N&
Darsney, D e w Pueh WaMmaa Sylw
BuaWCatrvlTekmznFrankJa)msm
.

l&x%aregjst&tradtradmarkmarkf~&t Home
hing OCopmght 1998 by Aogast Home
h e . AUrnhtSreaurd
~.~~~-
ti6ons: &gle mpy: U.99.one yew subscriptitin
es),$Zl.% CamdacFmdmadd@pryem.
P~~aLsPostabePaiddtDesMoininin~IA~ddt addi-
.--- "--.
ti"""lrn.il-s"ffi-.
-"
c&&m Sendchangeof address toShqN&, PO.
""~~,Boone,IASWB7-Z1@3.
riptien&uestiom?Writeto:ShqNoteoteGu~ttm~
e,P.O. Box8aZ,DesMoines.IAS03M-9961.Or-
...
. U35854,8:W am toBW pm. CentmlTime, week-
~J~$S,PIAXSIS-ZW~~~
E.WShooNotes&homstt8.com

PRINTEDIN U,SA I
Kn!k! i?ovi?:oilJig. This Katie Jig lets you
versatility of this jig. The unique design rout accurate, through-dovetail joints
of the fingers lets you rout through- without the usual trial and error process.
dovetails, half-blind dovetails, and even For more information or to place an
sliding dovetail joints. order, contact R. Terry Hampton at 377-
For more information or to place an 881-8607 orsenda FAXto312453-0667.
order; contact Kenneth Grisley at 800- You can email him at: [email protected]
663-8932 orsenda FAX to 604-464-7404. or visit his web site at www.katiejig.com.

ShopNotes No. 43
 Contents
Features
Dovetailed Toolbox 6 TOO'
With its solid wood construction and strong dovetail joints,
this sturdy pine toolbox is built to last. It also features two
removable bins for organizing small tools.

Dovetail Jig 16
I
This shop-made dovetail jig provides an easy way to
rout perfect-fitting dovetail joints. The secret is a set of
finger-shaped templates that establish the basic size
and shape of the dovetails.

Steady Rest 26 worlczng unth PZasties page 14

If you're turning a long, thin spindle on the lathe, this
steady rest allthe support that's needed to keep
it from flexing. A simple wood wedge ensures continuous
contact as the spindle gets smaller in diameter:

In the Shop
Plastics in the Woodshop
Four different types of plastic that are sure to improve
I
the performance of your woodworkingjigs and fixtures.

Working with Plastics 14

-
Dovetail Jig page 16
Here are some handy tfps that w11lhelp you get good
results when working with plastics. -
Buying Pine 30
Building a project out of pine? You can save money by
knowing the different grades Also, avold problems by
working around defects in the lumber.
m-
Departments
Readers' Tips
Our readers offer the~rown shop-tested tips to some of --

thelr most common woodworking problems. Steady Rest page 26

No. 43 ShopNotes
 -
a cloud of fine dust particles.
To collect this dust, I connect has a taper, so it'fits tightly into wood block is attached to the
the hose on my shop vacuum to a hole drilled in the top of the guard with epoxy. Note: To keep
the blade guard on the table saw, blade guard. (I used a spade bit the hose out of the way during
see photo above. This requires a and a hand-held drill.) The hole is cuts, I ran it straight up and tied
simple adapter. (I used a Sears located near the .front of the it to a ceiling hook.
adapter, part number 16999.) guard, well away from the saw- Alan Schwartz
The small end of the adapter blade, see drawing. Then the Pembroke Pinas, Flwrida

Vacuum Seal
When building the vacuum
table featured in ShopNotes No.
40, I experimented with a dif-
ferent material to form the
vacuum seal.
Instead of foam backer rod, I
used self-adhesive weatherstrip,
see drawing. To prevent outside
air from leaking into the vacuum
area, simply miter the strips to
length and press them in place.
Bill Waters
a
Westlake Village, C a l i f m i a
 Quick

A To make a handy sanding A When storing thin, fragile strips A By filling a cutter with silicone,
block, R. Marques of Sao Paulo, of banding, Kevin Boyle of Des W. Dudek of New Madison, OH
Brazil cuts up the foam used to Moines, /A tapes them to a board can snip the headoff a brad with-
protect packages from damage. to keep them from breaking. out having it fly across the shop.

Tool tray^
lRAY FLIPS ON TOP
OF LADDER
FOR STORAGE

C
S / " PLYWOOD

Sometimes I spend more time Several holes are drilled in the tray to the ladder. The wood
climbing up and down a ladder tray to accept the tools I use a turnbutton pivots out to support
getting tools than I do workiug lot. And to keep loose tools from the tray when it's in the open
on the job itself. So to keep the rolling off the tray, I created a lip position. And when storing the
tools within easy reach, I by adding wide edging to three of ladder, I just flip the tray on top.
attached a plywood tray to the the edges. John A. Kinney
top of the ladder, see photo. A pair of hinges secures the Austin, Texas

Plastic Knobs
Here's an inexpensive way to
make a plastic, T-shaped knoh.
All you need are a few parts
from the hardware store: a '12
tee fitting, a 3/s"hex nut and two
short pieces of 5/s"-dia. dowel.
Just epoxy the nut and dowels
into the tee fitting, then dip the
knoh in liquid plastic.
John Frain
South River,Ontario
 SHOP PR

T here's no getting around it -

toolboxes take a beating.
And when they get knocked
around, there's always a chance
your tools will get damaged too.
This sturdy, But you don't have to wony
pine toolboa: about that with this toolbox. It's
combines the made entirely of solid wood. (I
used pine to keep the weight
strength of down.) And the corners are held
dovetail joints together with dovetail joints to
with solid wood create a strong, sturdy toolbox.
construction. Okay, but it's still only a
toolbox. SOwhy go to the trouble
of cutting dovetails? Actually,
it's not much trouble at all.
That's because I routed the
dovetails using the jig that's fea-
tured on page 16.
Now this doesn't mean you
have to build the dovetail jig to make the toolbox. tool that's ~ ~ u r underneath,
ed a large notch makes
It's also a perfect project to practice cutting dove- it easy to lift the bins out of the toolbox, see photo B
'!
tails by hand.
NESTING BINS. But there's more to this toolbox CASE
than just solid construction. To help organize small I began work by building the case, see drawing
tools, there's a pair of shallow bins that "nest" in below. In addition to supporting the bins, the case
the top of the toolbox, see photo 'A' below. serves as a "well" for tools and supplies.
The nice thing about these bins is you don't have The case starts out as a pair of long sides (A) and )()
to rummage around for small items that work their two short ends (B), see drawing. These pieces are
way to the bottom. And when you need to get a held together with dovetails. So the pins (on the

NOTE: SIDES AND ENDS

ARE %'-THICK STOCK

A
WASTE A

I
A. Nesting Bins. To provide easy access to small
tools or pieces of hardware, a pair of long, narrow
bins "nest" in the top of the toolbox.

NOTE:
CUT DOVETAILS
END BEFORE REMOVING WASTE
(9Ux 10")

MwElAlL FULL PIN

7HALF PIN

B. Notch. A large notch lets you lift out the bins to

remove the tools stored below. For small jobs that
only require a few items, just take the bin with you.

6 ShopNotes
 sides) and tails (on the ends)

e extend all the way through the

adjacent piece. This means you
can cut all the pieces to final
FIWn RIP A BEVEL ON
TOP EDGE OF SlDE
TO REMOM WASTE,

length. But it's best to start with

extra-widepieces.
BEVEL SIDES. After cutting
the dovetails, the waste on the
sides is removed by beveling the Inv ANGLED CUTS TO
top edge. To do this, tilt the saw R E M O M WASTE FROM ENDS
blade to 14" (to match the angle
of the pins), see Fig. la. Then set
the rip fence to leave a full-width
pin and rip the sides to width.
TAPER ENDS. The ends of the
ANGLE OF TAPER
case taper from a ll&'-wide "flat" TO MATCH
at the center down to the beveled
edge on the sides, see Fig Ib. To
lay out this angle, it's easiest to
dry assemble the case. Then, after
disassembling the pieces, cut the
angle with a band saw. NOTE: LAYOUT LINE5 ARE MADE
ON THE INSIDE OF SlDE
NOTCHES. While vou're at it.
you can cut the notch as well.
CENTER NOTCH
The bottom corners of the notch ON LENGTH
OF SlDE
are formed by drilling two large
holes, see Fig. 2. After using a
band saw (or sabre saw) to cut
the notch, rout a roundover on I
the outside edges only, see Fig. 2a.
BOTTOM. At this point, you can
turn your attention to the bottom
(C) of the case, see Fig. 3. It's a
solid wood panel that's made by
edge-gluing pieces of '12"-thick
stock. You%want to make the panel
longer and wider than needed, rex BIN w-THICK
BW- SUPPORT
STOC
then trim it to final size later.
The panel fits in grooves
- cut in
the sides only. These grooves are
located between the two lower
pins, see Fig. 3a. This way, the
ends of the grooves won't be vis-
ible when the case is assembled.
E TWO
At this point, you can trim the 'Om5
bottom to final size. Just be sure
to allow a little extra room for
expansion and contraction.
BINSWPORTS. A llthat's left to
complete the toolbox is to add
two bin supports (D). These are
thin strips of wood that are glued

@..
Into grooves cut in the ends, see
Flg. 3b. Here again, to cover the
ends of the grooves, locate them
bebeen the top two tails.
 S H O P P R O J E C T

Before assemb

cany the toolbox, see drawing at

right. To make it easy to reach in
and remove a tool, the bottom of
the handle is
curved. And the
top corners are 1
angled to create
a slim p r d e . B
The handle has
to support the . 1
weight of the
tools (and the
toolbox). So I made
it from a 1%"-thick
'
slab of pine. Note: I glued 'a

up two pieces of %'-thick

stock, see Step 1below.
Another thing that contributes
to the strength of the handle is
how it's ioined to the case. To
prevent ith-om pulling out, a thick
tenon on each end fits into a mor- CUT TENONS. NOW YOU can clamping a stop block to the
turn your attention to the tenons, fence ensures that all the shoul-
tise in the end of the ease.
CUT MORTISES. TO produce a
tight fit, it's best to cut the mor-
see detail 'b.' The thickness of
each tenon is established by
ders of the tenons align.
When cutting the tenons to
e
tises first, then size the tenons to making a cheek cut on both faces width, you'll need to stand the
fit. So start by laying out the of the glued-up blank, see Step 1. blank on end, see detail in Step 1.
location of emh mortise, see This is just a matter of placing This presents a small problem.
detail 'a' in drawing above. A the blank face down on the table The tenons are only 2" wide, and
Forstner bit makes quick work saw and using a miter gauge to if all the waste is removed,
of removing most of the mate- push it through the blade. To add there's not much material left to
rial. Then simply pare away the extra support, it's best to attach a support the workpiece.
remaining waste with a chisel. fence to the miter gauge. And So t o prevent the blank from

m P1 IfiEP2
GLUE UP BLANK CUT SLOT
AND CUTTENONS FOR HANDHOLD

NOTE: GLUE UP BLANK r ""

FOR HANDLE FROM
TWO PIECE4 OF
%"-THICK A
STOCK

ShopNotes
tipping, I made a '14"-wide cut to straight part of the
define the bottom shoulder of bottom edge square.
the tenon and a lllz"-wide cut to Note: It's best to file the
establish the top shoulder. This top outside corners to
leaves enough material to sup- "break" those edges.
port the blank. (It will be removed
when the handle is cut to shape.) BUEUP
HANDHOLD. After completing After sanding the handle
the tenons, I cut a long slot near nice and smooth, you're
the top edge of the blank as a ready to glue up the case.
handhold, see Step 2. The ends of DRY ASSEMBLY. As i ,
the slots are formed by drilling with any glue-up, things
two holes. Then, after using a can get a bit hectic here.
sabre saw to remove the rest of So you'll want to dry
the waste, file the edges smooth. assemble the case (and
SHAPE HANDLE. NOW you're handle) to see how they
ready to cut the handle to rough fit together. (I had to
shape. To do this, simply lay out shave a little bit off the
the basic shape and cut to the bottom edge of the
waste side of the lines, see Step handle where it rests on
3. Note: Making the angled cuts the bin supports.)
removes the waste that was left CLAMPING BLOCKS. A The notches in these blocks form pads
when cutting the tenon. While you're a t it, it's a that allow you to apply clamping
ROUND EDGES. After sanding Up good idea to make a set pressure directlyagainst the tails.
to the layout lines, the handle is of clamping blocks, see
almost complete. But to provide a photo. These blocks are notched makes it easier to push the pins
comfortable grip (and soften the so they straddle the pins. This on the sides into the openings
look of the handle), it's a good way, the blocks apply pressure between the tails.
idea to m d over the sharp edges. against the tails only. At this point, you can slide the
A table-mounted router and a GLUE-UI! Now you can get bottom into the grooves in the
roundover bit make quick work started gluing up the pieces. sides. Don't use glue here. To
of this job. Rout around both Just brush a thin coat of glue on allow the bottom to expand and
sides of the handhold and the top all the mating surfaces. (I used contract with changesin humidity,
and bottom edges, see Step 4. pre-mixed hide glue to provide it "floats" in the grooves. After
Just be sure not to round over more working time.) inserting the handle, just tap the
the ends of the handle where it Then place one of the end other end piece in place and
meets the case. I also left the pieces on a flat surface. This clamp the box together.

STEP 3 SfW4
CUT AND SAND
HANDLE TO SHAPE ROUND OVER
SHARP EDGES

LEAYE THESE
EDGES SQUARE
 Too1 Bins
One of the handiest things about
this toolbox is a pair of long,
narrow bins that hold small tools
and supplies, see Fig. 4. These
bins have a simple, wedge-
shaped design that matches
the angled profile of the
toolbox, see photo. This way,
when you set the bms in the
toolbox, they form a gently
sloping cover on each side
of the handle, see Fig. 4a.
1 Like the case, the bins are
2ld together with dovetail
JULILLS. So thefront (F), back (G)

-.Wth its simple, and ends (H) of each bin are cut
wedge-shaped to final length, see Fig. 5. As
design andstrong before, it's best to start with
dovetail joints, this extra-wide pieces.
removable bin is a PIN SPACING. The pins of the
perfectcomplement dovetail joints are cut on the
to the toolbox. front and back pieces. But the
spacing between these pins is
different, see End View below.
Note: If you're using the dovetail
jig, it requires two different
setups to cut the pins.
HALF PINS & RiLL PINS. The
spacing of the pins isn't all that's
different. The lower pin on each BOWM. After cutting the dove- of the toolbox on the bins.
piece is only angled on one side, tails, the next step is to add the LAY OUT ANGLE. Besides get-
so it's called a halfpin. And the bottom (I),see Fig. 5. It's a piece ting the bins to match the angle
top pin on the front (F) is a full of '14"-thick stock that fits in a of the toolbox, I wanted them to
pin. (It's angled on both sides.) groove cut in the front and back. stick up above the case just a bit.
But the upper pin on the back DRY ASSEMBLY. At this point, This way, the lids (added later),
(G) is a bit of both. It starts out it's a good idea to dry assemble will close tightly on the bins -
as a half pin. (So cut one side only the bin and see if the parts fit not the toolbox, see Fig. 4a.
for now.) But later, ripping a bevel together. It's also a perfect oppor- An easy way to accomplish
on the top edge creates a full pin. tunity to lay out the angled shape both things is to set each bin in

BOTTOM
ALL OTHER PIECES ARE mh")
(23%~"x
W-THICK STOCK
BACK

10 ShopNotes No. 43
 the toolbox. Then, with a metal
0 rule lying on the toolbox, mark an
angled line across each end (H)
and the upper pin on the front
(F), see Fig. 6. Note: The hevel
on the back (G) is laid out later. 1
After disassembling the bin, a
band saw (or sabre saw) makes
-
auick work of makine the aneled -
cut on each end piece, see Fig. 6a. E TO MATCH
AYOUT LINE
But a table saw provides more
accurate results when cutting the
beveled edge on the front. To do
this, tilt the blade to match the
the lavout line on the -in., see
Fig. 6b. Then position the fence
so the blade aligns with the mark
and rip the front to width.
LIDS. Now you're ready to add
the lid (J), see Fig. 7. I t fits flush
with the ends of the bin. But it
overhangs the front to form a
wide lip, see Fig. 4a. This lip makes
it easy to open the lid when the
bin is sitting in the toolbox.
The lid starts out as a piece of
lh"-thick stock that's cut to final
length and rough width. To pro-
vide a smooth transition between
the lid and the toolbox, I used a more thing to do. That's to bevel width of the back. I t creates the
table-mounted router to rout a the top edge of the back (GI. The full pin mentioned earlier.
chamfer on both ends and the idea of this hevel is to make the ASSEDIBLY.At this point, you're
front of the lid, see Fig. 7a. back appear to be part of the lid. ready to glue up the bins. I used
In addition to the chamfers, To do this, set the lid on the bin the same procedure here as with
you'll need to rip a bevel on the and extend the shoulder line of the case. When the glue dries,
back edge of the lid. This bevel the chamfer to the back, see Figs. simply hinge the lid to the back.
allows the lid to fit tight against 8 and 8a. Then tilt the blade on SAND CORNERS. But the upper
the back (G) of the bin so the two the table saw to 31" and adjust corners of the back (G) are still
pieces can be hinged together. the fence so the blade aligns with square. So I sanded them to
BEVEL THE BACK. Before the the layout mark. Ripping the match the angle of the chamfers
hinge is installed, there's one bevel not only establishes the on the lid, see Fig. 9. &

BACK
PIECI

No. 43 ShopNotes 11
 I N THE SHOP

9
>.
S There's n o question about it. A good
jig nzakes woodworking easier. And
in the often, only one thing i s required to
m a k e that jig better -plastic.
Woodshop
PAPER. SOjust what exactly is way to cover a large area with a
plastic laminate? Basically, it's tough, durable work surface. This
e type of plastic that made up of layer after layer of makes it ideal for the top of a
lot of use in my shop paper. Each layer is soaked in a router table or any project where
plastic resin. Squeezing them you need a wear-resistant sur-
together in a heated press per- face, see photo 'A.'
an inexpensive, commonly avail- manently bonds the layers into a To apply plastic laminate, you
hard, durable plastic. simply glue it to a subsurface. (I
plastic laminate at cover the countertops in ldtchens DURABLE. These sheets of use contact cement.) Then trim
most home centers. and bathrooms. plastic laminate provide an easy the edges flush with a router and
It's inexpensive. a flush-trim bit. Note: For
And ir comes in a smaller pieces of laminate, you
variety of colors. can use yellow glue to apply it to
the subsurface.
S L I Another
~ thing I like
about plastic laminate is it creates
a smooth, slick surface. When you
push a workpiece across a surface
covered with laminate, it glides
smoothly and easily. And applying
A. Durability. Plastic laminate B. Slick. This cutoff table rides laminate to parts that slide
creates a tough, durable surface on pieces of plastic laminate, so against each other reduces Ection
on the platen of this edge sander it slides smoothly without binding. considerably, see photo %.'

heat bonds the layers together.

see margin. (It ranges in thick-
ness from 1h"to lh".)
This makes phenolic an extremely
A clme "cousin" to plastic hard, durable rnaterid. (That'swhy
RIGIDPPY. The thicker pieces of
laminate is a plastic called we used it to make the fingers on
phenolic are incredibly rigid. I
lie. As with laminate, it's the DovetailJig shown on page 16.)
use a 3k"-thickphenolic plate for
the insert on my router table,
Depending on the number of
see photo 'C.' This way, I don't
layers, this process produces dif-
ferent thicknesses of phenolic,
have to worry about the insert
sagging from the weight of a
heavy router.
HOLOS TRREADS. Another
the following maii- advantage of phenolic is it holds
order sources. threads better than some of the
McFeeIv's sofkrplastics. So accessories made
EGu443:7937 of phenolic can he securely fas-
* Woodhaven tened to tools or jigs, see photo 9.'

I
KtXM-4-6657 COST. The only drawback to phe-
Wwdsmith
eoNi3.5-5084 A- -
nolic is it's a bit expensive. I paid
C. Riaid. Phenolic IS auite riaid 0. Holds Threads. Because it's $22 for a 3h"-thick ~ i e c ethat's
so this insert plate won't sag so hard, phenoiic holds threads about 10"x 12"in size. ?see margin
when you mount a router to i t well as in this painted crank. for sources of phenolic.)

12 ShopNotes No. 43
 like to use a material called it's a tough, dense material. This
Ultra-High Molecular Weight makes UHMW plastic ideal for
For the parts on some projects, (UHMW) plastic, see margin.
laminate and phenolic provide a SELF-LUBRICATING. The thing
nice, smooth surface for things that makes UHMW plastic so
to slide easily. But there are slick is its self-lubricating prop-
times when that's still not slick erty. Parts slide along like
enough. So when I need an they're on ice. But U H W
almost friction-free surface, I plastic isn't as &agile as ice -

the runner to fit the miter slot, it shck surface. It's 7

won't bind (or get sloppy)
- - - with available from the

I:I,
changes in humidity. following:
AVAILABILITY. As with phe- Lee Valley
nolic, you won9tfind UHMW at 8W-871-s158
., %+ the local home center or hard- ROCMw
8002744441
E. Runners. J i ~ wruaeaorly
b ~ ~ , i e nE F.. To make a wornp,ace ware store. But it is available
Woodworker's
they're guided by a runner made slide easily along an auxifiary from the mail-order sources ~~~~l~
from a piece of UHMWplastic. fence, adda strip of UHMWplastic. listed in the margin. 800445-9292

used as a substitute for glass. The them hard to see through.

Acrylics & only problem is it can shatter. AVAILABILITY. The nice thing
Polycarbonates POLYCARBONATE. So when I
need something that's virtually
is acrylics and polycarbonates
are fairly inexpensive. So you
One final group of plastics that I unbreakable, I use polycar- can make replacement parts
use frequently is acrylics andpoly- bonate. (It's even used in some whenever you need to.
carbonates, see margin. safety glasses.) This makes poly- You can usually find
CLEAR. The main reason is carbonate best for a safety guard acrylics (like Plexiglas
thefre clear (or lightlytinted). So or cover where it might get hit and Lucite) and polycar-
it's easy to see exactly what's hap- by a chunk of wood or the edge of bonates (Lexan) at your
pening. I like to use them for a blade or bit. local home center. But
safety guards, hairline indicators SCRATCHES. Regardless of there are other sources.
and router base plates, see photos which type you use, both acrylics For example, at a local
below. Even though they look and polycarbonates are similar company that manufactures
similar, there are a few key differ- in one way. They scratch easily. plastics, I only paid seventy-five
ences between the two plastics. So after awhile, base plates and cents a pound for some scraps of
ACRYLIC. Acrylic is C ~ W , guards will he crisscrossed with clear plastic. For tinted ver- AAcrylic and
strong and quite rigid, so it's often fine scratch marks which makes sions, it's about twice as much. polycarbonate
plastics come in a

sizes and colors,

versatile plastic for

G. Guards. Because thev don't H. Indicator. A ha~rl~ne

mark on a
I
I. Base Plate. An oversized oiece
shattec polycarbonate~ work pfece of acry1,c makes lt easy to of clear plastic makes ~teasy to
best for see-through guards. prec~selyset a measurement. see exactly where you're rout~ng

No. 43 ShopNotes 13
 I N THE SHOP

Workina with LARGE PIECES. But for large

(or thick) pieces, a table saw pro-
"welds" shut right in the middle
of the cut. To prevent this, I apply 0
Plastic duces a more accurate cut. (I use
a combination saw blade with
carbide-tipped teeth.)
Once again, if you're working
a small amount of soapy water as
a lubricant, see photo B
'!
PLASTIC LAMINATE. Although
plastic laminate isn't affected by
with acrylic or polycarbonate, heat as much, it can still be diffi-
the heat that builds up can melt cult to cut on the table saw.
It's easy to cut a piece of plastic the plastic and leave a rough sur- Because the laminate is so
to workable size. The trick is face. So something as simple as thin, it tends to slide under the
getting a smooth, clean cut. raising the saw blade can improve rip fence. So I clamp an L-shaped
SCORE & SNAP A quick way to the quality of cut, see margin. auxiliary fence to the metal rip
do this with a thin ('1s"-thick) piece Heat can also be a problem fence, see photo 'C.' Note: An
of acrylic (or polycarbonate) is to when using a sabre saw to cut extra-long fence provides sup-
score a line and snap it over the plastic. Even with the saw set to a port in back of the saw that
corner of a scrap, see photo 'A.' slow speed, the kerf sometimes keeps the laminate &om sagging.

Raising the saw

blade about 1"
above the plastic
reduces the amount
of heat that builds
up andproduces a
smooth, clean cut.
,?dl I
A. Score & Snap. To cut thin B. Sabre Saw. When making a cut
qa
C. Tdk? Saw. An L-shaped fence
pieces of plastic, simply score a with a sabre saw, soapy water keeps the plastic laminate from
line and snap it over a scrap, prevents the plastic from melting. slipping under the rip fence.

need. I t cuts quickly in all types DRILL SPEED. Another consid-

of plastic- too quickly sometimes. eration is the speed of the drill
Drilling a hole in plastic is a That's because the steep cut- press -especially when working
pretty straightforward process. ting edges have a tendency to with acrylic and polycarbonate.
But there are a few things to "grab" and pull the bit into the If the bit is spinning too fast, it
keep in mind to get good results. hole. This can cause the plastic to melts the plastic instead of cutting
TWISTBIT. Although there are chip or crack. One quick fix for it. (You'll know by the gummy
special bits available for working this is to grind a slight flat on theglobs it produces.)
with plastic, a twist bit is all you cutting edges, see margin. To get around this, I adjust the
speed of the drill press to about
500 rpms. This works fine on thin
plastic ('14"-thick or less). But with
thick pieces, heat js still a problem.
Grinding a slight So here again, it's a good idea to
"flat" on the cutting
edges of a twist bit
.
e a lubricant.. see uhoto 'D.'
CUTTING THREADS. One more
produces a note. Occasionally, I use a tap to
scraping cut that I cut threads in plastic. (Phenolic
leaves a smooth, ] holds threads quite well.) But as
clean surface.
D. Lubricant. Soapy water acts
I
- I the tap starts to cut, it raises the
E Chamfer. Before culting threads plastic around the rimof the hole. e
as a lubricant that aliows the drill in plastic, chamfer the rim of a To prevent this, chamfer the rim
bit to cut thin, feathery shavings. hole to ensure a fiat, levelsuriace. of the hole first , see photo 'E.'

14 ShopNotes No. 43
 of the plastic "nibs" on the freshly before the glue is applied.
cut edge. And a hand scraper SOLVENT CEMENT. The most
Occasionally, you may need to makes quick work of removing commonly available glue is a sol-
glue several pieces of plastic the saw marks, see margin. vent-based cement. (It's avail-
together. The best way to end up GLUE-UP. Once the edges are able a t most hobby stores.) This
with a strong glue joint is to cleaned up, gluing the plastic is a runny, watery mixture that
start with a clean, straight edge. pieces together is just the oppo- "fuses" the plastic together, see
SAND OR SCRAPE. A few strokes site of working with wood. That's photo 'F.' After applying a thin
with a sanding block will get rid because they're clamped together bead, the cement is drawn up
into the joint like soda in a straw.
TWO-PART CEMENT. Another
~ y p eof adhesive that produces
an invisible joint line is a two-
part mixture called polymerized
cement. (You mix the two parts scraper makes
together like epoxy.) quick work of
This cement has the consis- removing saw
tency of thick s ~ p It's . simply marks from a
poured into the gap that's cre- piece of plastic.
ated by beveling one of the
pieces, see photo 'G.'
F. Solvent Cement. For a tidy glue G. Polymerized Cement. For a Note. Both of these cements are
job, apply a thin bead of solvent strongjoint, bevel one piece before designed to be used only with
cement with a needle applicato,: applying polymerized cement. acrylic and polycarbonate.

0 Bending -
heat in a small area which can
cause the plastic to bubble.
STRIP HEATER. To bend longer
pieces of plastic, I switch to a strip
Sometimes all I need is an L- To distribute the heat more heater, see photo 'I.' This heater is
shaped piece of plastic. In that evenly, I bought a flared tip to a long rubber strip that works like
case, I bend the plastic instead. spread out the flame, see photo an electric blanket. Note: I bought
(Note: You can only bend acrylics 'H.' After clamping the plastic my strip heater at the same com-

L
and polycarbonates.) between two scraps (one scrap pany I got my plastic scraps from.
PROPANE TORCH. If I'm w 0 r h g has a roundover to match the To use it,lay the strip down on a
with small pieces of plastic, I use a desired bend), sweep the flame scrap and place the plastic on the
propane torch to heat the plastic. along the bend line. strip across the "hend" line. Then,
(This torch is the same type used Once the plastic is soft, bend it use a scrap to press the plastic
for ordinary plumbing repairs.) over the rounded scrap, see photo down. Once the plastic softens,
A torch provides plenty of 'H.' After the plastic cools, you can you simply bend it around a form

-
heat. But it concentrates all that remove the plastic from the form. and allow it to cool. &

To pol~shthe rough

edge on acryl~cor
polycarbonate,
sweep the fiarne
from a torch slowly
I across the surface.

H. Propane Torch. After sandwiching the plastic between a scrap I. Strip Heater. A strip heater
and a bending form, heat along the bend line (left). Once the plastic a
makes it easy to create uniform
has softened, bend it over the form and allow it to cool (right). bend in a long piece of plastic.

No. 43 ShopNotes 15
 Dovetail Jig

here's a good reason dovetail photo above. I t makes it easy to cut perfect-fitting
Perfed-fittinu joints have been around for centuries - through dovetails with a hand-held router. (This is
dove&ilils.*~hatg theyce incredibly strong. That's because the two the type of dovetail joint where the pins and tails
what p u get basic parts (the pins and the tails) wedge tightly extend all the way th~oughthe adjoining piece.)
against each other to form a strong,interlocking joint. FINGERS. The secret is a number of finger-shaped
with this simple, But let's face it. Cutting dovetails by hand can templates that attach to the top of the jig, see
shGpmadejig. be a painstaking process. Even with a careful ExplodedView on next page. These "fingers" estab-
layout, it's difficult to make the precise, angled lish the basic shape and size of the pins and tails.
cuts that are required to produce a good fit. TAPERED END. TO make this work, one end of
That's what I like about this dovetail jig, see each finger is tapered. Routing around this tapered
end with a straight bit produces a wedge-
shaped pin, see "Pins" drawing on page 17.
Note: A bushing mounted in the router
guides the bit around the finger.
NOTCHED END. The opposite end of each
finger has a deep notch. It's used to guide
a dovetail bit when routing the fan-
shapedtails,see 'Tails" drawing on page 17.
SPACING. To change the spacing of the
dovetails, the fingers slide back and forth
on the jig. Positioning the fingers an equal
distance apart creates evenly-spaced
dovetails, see "Tails" drawing.
SIZE. It's also possible to change the size
of the dovetails. All you need to do is make
different widths of fingers. For example,
the two wide pins in the center photo were

I I U Iformed by a pair of wide fingers.

And, depending on the project, you may
Dovetail Spacing & Size. Position the Or use wide fingers to make wider want to combine fingers of different
fingers an equal distance apart to pins (center). You can even vary both widths and adjust the spacing as well, see
create evenly-spaced dovetails ({eft). the size and the spacing (right). photo at near left.

16 ShopNotes No. 43
 TAPERED END

I Hardware 1 OFFINGER A

#8 x 2"Fh Woodscrews \
#6 x %" Fh Woodscrew6 QUlDE
BUSHING
#6x 1" Fh Woodscrews
%"x - 22'/2" Aluminum
Angles p/s" Thick)
l"x 22%"Aluminum Bar
('/e" Thick)
%s"-18Threaded Rods
(113/4"Long)
-
%@'' 16 L o ~ kNot6
W/ Nylon Inserts
5/16"Flat Waehero
5/is"+10 Wing Knobs
,328"1.D. x %"O.D.
Nylon Spacers (I" Long)
.47"LD. x . 5 O.D.
Compression Springs
(z7/~- long)
\ I dovetailbit androut- I
12-24 x 1" Rh
Machine Screws DOMTA~L ~ n gInto the notch
No. 12 Fiat Washers at the opposite end
12-24 Square Nuts of the finger
 Base

i
"'
i
PIECE BASE
W x 26'k'- .
%"-THICK
#0 x 2"Ph HARVWOOD}
i
WOODSCREW E N D VlEW

The foundation platform for the jingers and stops. In addition to the rabbet, there's
of the dovetail jig is TRACK. To align the fingers a groove in the tap edge of the
a long, T-shaped base with and stops accurately (and to hold hody. It creates a recess for the
a metal track running along the them in place), there's a metal machine screws andnuts used to
top edge, see drawing above. track built into the top edge of secure the fingers and stops.
BASE PIECE. To provide a the bady. The track is made up of One thing to note is that the
clamping surface at each end of three pieces of aluminum: two groove is offset toward the side
the jig, I began by making along pieces of aluminum angle (one on of the body that's not rabbeted.
base piece (A) &om 3/4"-thick each side), and a flat bar. This way, the pieces of aluminum
hardwood. (I used c h e w for all The bar and one piece of angle angle form alip that extends over
the wood parts of the jig.) fitin a rabbet cut in the top edge the groove. As you tighten a
BODY. After cutting the base of the body, see End View above. finger (or stop), the nut used to
piece to size, you can turn your Since the bar is wider than the secure it pinches against the lip.
attention to the body (B) of the angle, it sticks up above the body. INSTALL TRACE To inatall the
jig, see drawing above. It's a I3f4"- This is what forms the track that track, simply place one piece of
thick slab that provides a solid aligns the fingers and stops. angle in the rabbet. Then apply a
few drops of instant glue to the
bar and butt it against the angle.
After drilling countersunk shank
holes, the two pieces are screwed
in place. The other piece of angle
is screwed directly to the hody.
DRILL EOLES. Once the track
is in place, you'll need to drill a
hole near each end of the body.
These holes accept two metal
/
rods that are added later.
2Yd8LON5 ASSEMBLY. Now you're ready
BOW END VlEW
to assemble the base. The body
is centered on the length of the
base piece. But to allow for some
blocks that are used to position
the workpiece later, it's offset on
the width, see End View above.
CLAMPINGSYSTEM.AfterghIing
and screwing the base together,
I added a two-part system to
18 ShopNotes No. 43
 clamp the workpieces in the jig.
THREADED RODS. The first
part of the system is a pair
of threaded rods that pass
through the holes in the
body,iee Fig. 1.These rods
provide rigid support for 1
-
oressure bars. see Fig. 2.
After c u t t k the rods to
length, it only takes a minute
to secure them to the hody.
Just insert the rods in the holes so BAR
there's an equal amount sticking (1% X Z2YzL'-
1%"-THICK
out from each side. Then slip a NOTE: SAND HARDWOOD)
ils" TAPER FROM
washer over each end and tighten EACH END TO
FORM CROWN
a nut against the hody, see Fig. 1. AT CENTER
SPRINGS. The next step is to
install a spring on each end of the
rods. When the pressure bars
are loosened, the springs push ends of the rods, the pressure workpiece first. But applying a
against them which makes it quick bars clamp the workpiece in place. hit more pressure flattens the
and easy to remove a workpiece. To fit the pressure bars onto ends against the workpiece. This
Since the body isn't centered the rods, you'll need to drill a produces even pressure along
on the width of the base piece, counterhored shank hole near the entire length of the bac
the springs on the narrow side each end. The counterbore accepts BLOCKS. After installing the
are shorter than those on the a nylon spacer that allows the pressure bars, I added several
opposite side. Note: I startedwith pressure bars to slide smoothly. blocks made from 314" MDF, see
I)
four springs of equal length. Then TAPERS. Just one more note Fig. 3. These blocks aren't attached
I filed a notch in two of them and before installing the pressure to the jig. They simply rest on
snapped the springs to length. bars. I sanded the inside edge of the base piece between the
PRESSURE BARS. The second the bars so they taper from each workpiece and the hody of the jig.
part of the clamping system is a end to a slight (l116") crown in the The thickness of the blocks
pair of long, thick pressure bars center, see Fig. 2. The reason for establishes the position of the
(C) that fit over the threaded this is simple. workpiece in relation to the fin-
rods, see Fig. 2. When you tighten As you tighten the wing nuts, gers. In addition, it creates a
the center of the bar contacts the slight overhang that allows the
workpiece to extend past the
base piece, see End View on

To make this work, a long

ller block (D) is rabbeted to fit
around the aluminum angle
on the wide side of the base,
see Figs. 3 and 3a. And two
short backing blocks (E) rest

11 against it. An identical pair of

backing biocb (E) fi on the
narrow side of the body.
END I a> / -
In use, the hacking blocks will
s t t chewed UII when the router
bit cuts through the workpiece.
So make plenty of extra replace-
ment blocks. Note: To make it
easy to replace the backing
blocks, I made them half as long
I as the filler block.

No. 43 ShopNotes 19
 F E A T U R E P R O J E C T

Fingers
The two basic parts of a dovetail
joint (the pins and the tails) are
established by a number of
finger-shaped templates that
L slide along the metal track
of the jig, see Fig. 4.
$ These f i n g e m (F) are
tapered on one end to
L produce the wedge-shaped
pins. And a notch in the
. opposite end is used
to form the tails.
PHENOLIC. TO
reduce wear on
he fingers, I made
em from a hard.
Just use a narrow durable plastic called phenolic:
finger (top) to form But a dense hardwood like maple
a narrow pin or a would also work. (For more
wide finger (bottom) about phenolic, see page 12.) simple, rectangular blank, see KERF. To keep the fingers
for a wide pin. F~VGERSIZE. All the fingers Fig. 4. You'll need one finger for aligned,there's a narrow (lis") kerf
are 6" long. But the width is each full-pin (and half-pin), plus in each one that fits over the alu-
going to vary depending on the one extra. The extra finger pro- minum bar, see Fig. 4a. This kerf
size of the dovetails you want, vides support for the router. (I needs to be perfectly square to
see photos in margin. made six ll/z"-wide fingers and the long edge of the blank. So to
Each finger starts out as a two 3"-widefingers.) ensure accurate results, I clamped
a stop block to a fence on the
miter gauge and cut each kerf.
DRILL HOLES. The fingers also
need to lock securely on the
track. So you'll need to drill a
counterbored shank hole in each
blank to accept a machine screw.
NOTCH. NOWyou're ready to
cut the notch in each blank. This
notch is centered on the width of
the blank. And, in the case of the
narrow fingers, it's sized to fit
snugly around the guide bushing
on the router, see Fig. 5a. (More
about the wide fingers later.)
To accomplish this, attach a
tall fence to the miter gauge and
use a stop block to position the
blank, see Fig. 5. The idea is to
clamp the stop blockin place so the
blank is mughly centered on the
blade. Then make two passes -
&-st with one edge of the blank
against the stop block, then the
opposite edge. -
At this ooint, the notch is
probably still too narrow. If so,
nudge the stop block and make

20 ShopNotes No. 43
two more passes. After checking
the fit, you may need to repeat
the process until it fits just right.
Then cut the notch in each
remaining blank. Note: To cut
notches in the wide fingers, use
the same setup to establish the
'legs." Then waste out the
remaining matdal.
TAPERED END. NOWit's just a
matter of cutting the tapered
end on each blank. Once again,
it's centered on the width of the
blank. So the same, two-pass
method works well here. Only
this time, the saw blade is tilted
to 14" (the same angle as the
dovetail bit), see Fig. 6.
Making the two angled cuts
that form the tapered end of the
finger is easy. The trick is deter-
mining thefinal width at the tip
of the finger. If it's too wide, the
pin won't fit. Too narrow, and the
pin will be loose. I, To produce a
NEAR FIT. The solution is to "near fit " the pm
create a nearfit where the pins should almost (bui
almost (but not quite) fit into the not quite) frt into
openings between the tails, see port the router, set one of the ably won't fit. So you may need the opening
margin. Then later, use shims to blanks on each side of the finger. to go back to the table saw and between the tails.
"fine tune" the fit. After tightening the h g e r shave a very small amount off
To create the near fit, start by (and blanks), just rout a tail in each of the tapered sides. Don't
cutting the tapered end of one one test piece and a pin in get &ed away here. (Remember,
finger a bit "fat." Then, to check another, see Figs. 7 and 8. (See you're looking for a near fit.)
the fit this produces, slide the page 24 for more on using the jig.) To see if you're getting closer,
finger onto the jig to make a test Since the tapered end was cut another test joint. You can
joint, see Fig. 7. Note: To sup- wide to begin with, the pin prob- use the same test "tail." But cut
off the first test pin before
routing another one.
Once you've achieved that
near fit with one finger, cut the
tapered ends on all the blanks.
Note: Use this same setup to cut
the tapers on the wide blanks.
SHIMS. Now all that's left is to
add the shims. These are pieces
of posterboard that fit between
the filler block and the backing
blocks, see Fig. 9. With each
shim, the workpiece will be posi-
tioned farther out on the tapered
end of the Eungers. This means
the pin that's cut will be a bit
narrower. So once again, cut a
test pin and use as many shims
as needed to get a perfect fit.

ShopNotes 21
Adjustable Stops
All that's left to complete the jig matters a bit is that the mating
is to add a pair of adjustable piece (the "tail" piece) is routed
stops, see Fig. 9. Like the fin- on the opposite side of the jig. So
gers, each stop slides along the you need a stop on that side as
metal track of the jig and locks well -one that positions the work-
securely in place, see photo. piece in the exact same relation-
The purpose of the stops is ship to the fingers. This way, the track, see Fig. 9a. And a counter-
simple. In use, the bottom edge pins and tails are sure to align. bored shank hole accepts amachine
of the workpiece butts against TWO ENDS. The solution is a screwthat's used to secnre the stop.
the stop. This is what positions double-ended stop that fits over TRIM LEGS. After gluing and
the workpiece from side to side. the body of the jig like a saddle. screwing the stops together, the
But why do you need two stops? Each stop consists of two L- legs may have shifted out of align-
Well, say you're cutting the pins shaped legs (G) connected by a ment. So to ensure they extend
for example. One stop is used when wosspieee (H), see Fig. 9. an equal amount, I trimmed the
routing one end of the workpiece. The legs are notched to provide ends on the table saw, see Fig. 10.
The other stop is used when cut- clearance for the router bit when LABEL STOPS. Finally, to make
ting the pins in the opposite end. working near the stop. Here again, it easy to use the jig, I labeled
The thing that complicates a kerf in the crosspiece fib over the one stop 'A' and the other one 'B.'

4 N a : ALL PARTS
MADE FROMW-
THICK HARDWOOD

DIAGONAL 'A'
It only takes afew minutes to set CORNER
up the dovetail jig.
LABEL PIECES. To avoid confu-
sion later on, start by labeling
the "pin" pieces and "tail" pieces,
see Step 1. Then mark an 'X' on
the bottom edge of each niece. In

that form one corner with an A '! k-

(It doesn't matter which corner.)
The corner that's diagonal to
this one is also an 'A' corner. (All
the 'A' ends are routed with the
workpiece against the 'A' stop.) To make it easy to set up the jig (and avoid confusion when
The two remaining corners are
the 'B' corners.
1 rout~ngthe dovetails), arrange all the pieces as they'li be when
he project is assembled. Then label each of the pieces as shown.

ShopNotes No. 43
 70 POSITION FIR$T
LAYOUT. Now lay out the pin FINGER. SEE
centerlines on one of the "pin" DETAIL 7
@ . These centerlines are used
p~eces.
to locate the fmgers on the jig.
One thing to note here is that
the bottom pin is only angled on
one side. (It's called a halfpin.)
This means you'll only rout
around one of the tapered sides
of the finger. In order to position
this finger later, simply lay out
the widest part of this half pin,
see detail in Step 1.
ADD STOP 81 FINGERS. NOWslide
the 'A' stop and a few fingers onto
the track. (Their exact location
isn't critical.) Just tighten them
down so they don't shift when
2 After clamping the workpiece in the jig, you can tighten the finger
that forms the half pin. One tapered side of this finger overhangs
the edge of the workpiece. The other side aligns with the lavout mark.
you put the workpiece in the jig.
To position the workpiece, slip
it under the pressure bar and
butt the bottom ('X') edge against
the 'A' stop. Also, make sure the
'A' end is tight against the fin-

*
gers. Note: For ?$-thick stock,
place a scrap between the pres-
sure bar and workpiece to keep
the bar from hitting the stops.
FIRST FINGER. The next step is
to position the finger that's closest
to the stop. This k g e r forms the
half pin. So one of the tapered
sides extends over the edge of
the workpiece. The other one
aligns with the layout mark It only takes a few seconds to position the rest of the fingers. Just
made earlier, see detail in Step 2.
Note: Because of the thickness
3. sl~deeach finger one way or the other until the tapered end is
centered on the lavout line for the oin. Then lock each one in olace.
of the guide bushing, the pin will
he cut slightly wide of the mark.
REMAININGFINGERS. NOW slide
the rest of the fingers on the track.
(Remember, include one more
fmger than the number of pins.)
Then center the tapered end of
each finger over a layout line, see
Step 3. Note: The "extra" finger
supports the router when routing
the 'A' end. But it's the finger
that forms the half pin when
routing the 'B' end. So position

*
the extra finger to cut a half pin.
'B' STOE All that's left is to add
the 'B' stop. It's located the same
distance away from the nearest a scrap to fit between the 'A' stop and the nearest
finger as the 'A' stop is from the a spacer to position the 'B'stop. This ensures that
finger closest to it, see Step 4. the dovetails on one corner align with those on the adjacent corner.

No. 43 ShopNotes 2:
 Rooting t h e Pins
The pins of the dovetail joint are allow for the thickness of the fin-
formed by routing out the waste gers plus the full depth of cut.
material between the tapered DEPTH OF CUT. TO set the
ends of the fingers. depth of cut, simply extend the
GUIDE BUSHING. To guide the bit to equal the combined thick-
router around the fingers, you'll ness of the workpiece and the
need to install a guide bushing in fingers - and then "tweak" it
the router base, see drawing at lh''more. This will leave the pins a
right. (I used a V8" bushing.) bit proud after assembly, but
To reduce chipout, STRAIGHT BIT. As the hushing they're easy to sand flush.
make a shallow rides against the fingers, the CLAMF' WORKPIECE. At this
'Back cur" from angled sides of the pins are cut point, you can clamp the work- shallow "back cut" on the initial
r~ght-to-left.Then with a straight hit. (A l/2"straight piece in the jig. Don't forget to pass will reduce chipout on the
complete the pins bit works fine.) check that it's oriented properly outside face, see margin. Then
by routing in a One thing to he aware of is the before tightening the pressure waste out the material between
standard (left-to- length of the bit. Since the router bar, see Steps 1and 2 below. the fingers. After cleaning out
right) direction. rests on top of the fingers, the ROUT PINS. NOWyou're ready one socket, move on to the next
bit has to be long enough to to rout the pins. Making a until all the pins are routed.
STEP 1
Start by clamping the jig to the
bench so the tapered ends of
the fingers face forward. Now
slip the 'A' end of a pin piece up
under the pressure bar and set it
firmly against the fingers. After
butting the bottom (X7 edge
against the 'A' stop, clamp the
workpiece in place. Then rout
out all the waste material between
the fingers to form the pins.

STEP 2
To rout the pins in the opposite
('By end of the workpiece, just
turn it end for end and butt the
bottom (x3 edge against the 'B'
stop. After routing all the pins in
this end, repeat the entire process
for the other "pin" piece. Note:
To minimize chipout on the back
side of the workpiece, replace
the backing blocks when they
get chewed up.
Once the pins are completed, T N L PIECES. Here agaiu, it's
you're halfway done. Now all easy to orient each of the "tail"
that's left is to rout the tails. pieces in the jig, see Steps 3 and
The nice thing about this is 4 below. Just be sure the letter
you don't have to change the on the end of the piece corre-
position of a single finger (or sponds to the letter on the stop.
stop). Just turn the jig around so As before, check that the bottom
the notched ends of the fingers ('X') edge is against the stop.
face forward, see Step 3 below. ROUTTAILS. After clamping the
BUSHING&BPP.The same guide workpiece in place, it's time to
bushing is used when routing the rout the tails. So set the router
tails. Only this time, as the on top of the fingers, turn on the bit stops spinning before you
bushing rides against the sides switch, and make a sideways pull it back out. This takes a few
of the notch, a dovetail bit cuts plunge cut into one of the seconds. But I found it's a good
the angled sides of the tails, see notches, see drawing above. way to keep the rotation of the
drawing above. (I used a 3/4" When the guide bushing con- spinning bit from flicking a chip
dovetail bit with a 14" angle and tacts the end of the notch, turn off the end of the tail once the cut
set the depth of cut as before.) off the router and wait until the is completed.&

STEP 25
To rout the tails, clamp the jig to
the bench so the notched ends
of the fingers face forward.
Once again, be sure the 'A' end
is tight against the fingers and
the bottom edge (labeled with
an X') is butted against the 'A'
stop. After tightening the pres-
sure bar, make a sideways
plunge cut into each notch to
form the tails.

8 E P4
The tarls in the opposite ('6')end
are routed ~nthe same way Only
thrs tune, the bottom edge of the
tail piece is butted up against
the '6' stop. After routing all the
fails in th~sprece, repeat the
process for the other "tail" piece.
Once again, always keep a
"fresh" backing block behrnd
the workpiece to reduce chipout
on the back side

No. 43 ShopNotes
 Steady
Rest
When turning a
U sually, wood is a stiff, rigid material.
But when turning a long, thin spindle
on the lathe, it gets a bit "rubbery." As the
1
spindle on the spindle gets thinner, it flexes and bends
lathe,this steady away from the turning tool. This makes it
rest prcwides -- - into the s~indle.
hard to avoid digging.
To prevent the spindle from flexing, I
the support made a steady rest that attaches to the
needed to keep lathe bed, see photo. It supports the workpiece from bearings gently against the spindle.
it fiom flexing. behind, so it's easy to get a smooth, controlled cut. With the spindle cradled between the bearings,
S E L F - m s T m G . One nice thing about this steady it won't bow out. And as the spindle gets smaller,
rest is it doesn't have to be constantlyreadjusted as the wedge gradually works its way down and tilts
you turn the spindle to a smaller diameter. Instead, the arm forward, see detail %.' This keeps the
it automatically adjusts to the size of the spindle. bearings in continuous contact with the spindle.
WEDGE. The secret is a simple wedge that
Hard ware applies pressure against a tilting arm,see Exploded
* (Q 'Ic.x 3"Hex Bolt View and detail 'a'helow. here's not a lot ofpres- I began work by making an L-shaped support. It
@)'/*"xPf,"Hex
sure -just enough to hold a pair of hall consists of two feet with an upright brace sand-

* (4jV,"L'LOC~NUO*
WN@n in-
* @) 6A6".MWaeker
p) 6wXq
(5niage solt
(9 5Ae"5tarKnob
W V ! F l a t Bms9
* @J1K1.D. x 9/4C O.D.
h Uhringe

26 ShopNotes No. 43
wiched between, see Fig. 1.
FEET Thefeet (A) are pieces of
3/4"-thiCk hardwood that rest on
the lathe bed. (I used maple.) To
accept a bolt that secures the ann
later, you'll need to drill a hole in
each foot. It's also a good idea to
4 -
1" RADIUS /

FOOT
(lk' x 7%")

cut a gentle curve on each foot.

This way, you won't have to
worry about bumpinginto a sharp
corner when working at the lathe.
BRACE. Now you're ready to
add the brace (B), see Fig. 1. It
guides the wedge as it slips
down between the brace and the
arm. In addition, the b r a e pre- N(YTr: ALL PIECES
ARE 311'-m~CKHARDWOOD
I" RADIUS
vents the arm from tilting back.
One thing to be aware of is the
height (length) of the brace. I t
has to be tall enough to catch the FRONT MEW 'I
tip of the wedge. To accomplish
this, the brace is 11/2"longer than
the distance from the lathe bed
to the center of the tailstock, see
Fig. la. Here again, I cut a curve
on the upper back corner of the
brace before gluing it in place.
GUIMPWUI
Once the support is complete,
the next step is to add a clamp
head to secure it to the lathe.
CLAMPBLOCHS. The clamp
head consists of two T-shaped
blocks that work together to
pinch the support against the
lathe bed, see Fig. 2. This pres-
sure is applied by tightening a
knob on the end of a bolt that SIDE MEW
passes through each block.
KEY.To prevent the blocks h m
spinning as you tighten the knob,
one part of each block forms a
"key." The key on the upper
clamp block (C) fits between the
feet, see Fig. 2a. And the lower
clamp block ID)fits between the
rails of the lathe, see Fig. 2b.
Since the clamp blocks are
quite small, it's best to start with
an extra-long piece. The keys
are formed by cutting a rabbet
and a dado at each end, see Fig.
3. Then just cut the clamp blocks
to length and drill a centered hole
in each one to accept the bolt.

No. 43 ShopNotes
Support System
The steady rest uses a simple
system to support the spindle.
The heart of this system is a pair
of ordinary hall bearings that ride
against the spindle as it turns.
Note: I bought bearings from
a bearing supply company, but
they're available in many wood-
working catalogs as well.
HEAD ASSEMBLY
The bearings are housed in a
head assembly that's attached to
a vertical arm,see Figs. 4 and 5.
This assembly is made up of a
pair of mounting plates that sand-
wich the hearings between them.
MOUNTING PLATES. These
mountzng plates (E) are pieces
of 1' 4" hardboard that are about
the size of a matchbook, see Fig.
4a. To accept bolts that will be C
used to secure the bearings,
you'llneed to drilltwo holes near and lock nut. To allow the
the front of each plate. And bearings to spin freely, I
OUNTlNQ PLAl
another hole near the back pro- added a small washer on
vides a way to attach the head both sides of each bearing.
assembly to the arm. These washers act as
In addition to the holes, spacers that prevent the
there's a small, V-shaped notch mounting plates from
centered on each mounting plate. pinching against the bearings. ride against the spindle.
This notch provides clearance That sounds fairly straightfor-
between the mounting plates SUPPORT RRM ward - but there's a catch. As
and the spindle. With the head assembly complete, you turn the spindle to a smaller
INSTALL BEARINGS. After cut- the next step is to add a support diameter, the bearings need to
ting the notches, it's just a matter a m ,see Fig. 4.Besides providing remain in continuous contact
of installingthe bearings between a way to mount the head with the spindle.
the mounting plates. Each assembly, the arm raises it to a The solution is simple. As the
bearingis heldinplacewith abolt height that allows the bearings to spindle gets thinner, the support
, arm tilts forward and the head
assembly pivots to keep the
bearings right where you want
them - against the spinning
workpiece, refer to details 'a'
and 'b' on page 26.
The support a m (F) starts
out as a piece of a/4"-thiek hard-
wood that's cut 1"shorter than
the brace (B), see Fig. 4. To
secure the arm to the feet (and to
provide a pivot point), a bolt
passes through a hole drilled (I
near the bottom end of the arm.
And another hole in the top

28 ShopNotes No. 43
accepts a bolt used to secure the
head assembly, see Fig. 5.
TENON. E M before attaching
the head assembly, there's one
more thing to do. That's to cut a
tenon on the top end of the sup-
port arm. The tenon fits between
the mounting plates on the head
assembly, see Fig. 5.
The idea here is to cut the tenon
TIP OF
I1411 h ~ e than
r the width (height)
of the mounting plates. This will
pmvide clearance above the DETAIL
shoulder of the tenon that prevents
the head assembly from binding.
Another thing to be aware of
is the thickness of the tenon.
What you're looking for here is a
loose fit that allows the tenon to Again, you want both parts to the arm forward which holds the
slip easily into place. This will move without binding. bearings in the head assembly
allow the head assembly to pivot against the spindle.
smoothly up and down. W O E To guide the wedge (G), there's
ASSEMBLY. Once the tenon is AU that's left to complete the a groove in one edge that fits
completed, you can secure the steady rest is to add a hardwood over the edge of the brace, see
head assembly and support arm. wedge, see Fig. 6. As the spindle Wedge Detail in Fig. 6. I used a
After installing the bolts that gets smaller in diameter, the table-mounted router to cut this
hold them in place, be careful not wedge slips down between the groove and then cut the wedge
to overtighten the lock nuts. brace and support arm. This tilts on a band saw, see Fig. 6a.

Using the Steady Rest

Using the steady rest is a simple way the bearings can make full ings against the spindle. But if
three-step process, see photos contact with the workpiece. you catch the edge of your tool
below. But there are a couple Then, you can lock the steady on the workpiece, the workpiece
things to keepinmindas you turn. rest down and add the wedge. may flex causing the wedge to
ROUGHING OUT. First, you'll GENTLE PRESSURE. The whole drop too low. In that case, simply
need to rough out a cylinder so idea of the wedge is to provide lift the wedge up and gently set
you have a round surface. This gentle pressure to hold the bear- it back in place. 6

Now gently slip the wedge in

1forward until the bearings contact
the spindle. Then tighten the lockknob.
2 place. The weight of the wedge
applies all the pressure that's needed.
3 To reposition the steady rest
closer to where you're turning,
slide it along the lathe bed.

ShopNotes
 Buying Pine
If you% building a project out of
pine, knowing what to look for
can save you time and money.

Y ou'd think it would be easy to walk into a lum-

beryard or home center and buy a pine board.
But sometimes it gets confusing.
as nails. (Don't try to drive a screw into it without
drilling a pilot hole.)
The striking thing about southern yellow pine is
One way to simplify things is to keep in mind the alternating bands of light-colored earlywood
that most of the pine lumber you see can be and darker latewood. Run your hand across the
divided into three main groups: whzte, southern board and you canfeel the difference in coarseness.
yellow, and w e s t m yellow, see photos below. This abrupt transition makes southern yellow pine
WHITE PINE. AS you'd expect, white pine is the more difficult to work and harder to fmish.
lightest in color. It's also the most lightweight. One WESTERN YELLOW. I t goes without saying that
nice thing about white pine is it has a subtle grain the pines in the western yellow group are yellow.
pattern. And it machines well and takes a finish But there's not as dramatic a contrast between
better than the other pines. That makes white pine earlywood and latewood.
ideal for making furniture. A good deal of the lumber you find at home cen-
SOUTHERN YELLOW. You'll also find southern ters falls in the western yellow group. (We built
yellow pine at some lumberyards. Besides the f a d the toolbox in this issue using ponderosa pine
it's considerably yellower than white pine, it's which is one type of western yellow.) It's also an
also quite a bit heavier. And it's hard excellent choice if you're building "country-style"
L
7 knottv pine furniture.
GRGE STAMPS. Even when you
know what to look for, it's still some-
times hard to tell one pine from
EASTERN
another. So look at the grade stamp
imprinted (or stapled) on the board.
There's no doubt whatsoever if it's stamped
"white pine." Some white pine will also be stamped
'IWP' which stands for Idaho White Pine.
Another grade stamp that's not obvious at first
is SPIB. (No, it's not a soft drink.) It
$11B.. (& -
. .- - - BTR stands for the Southern Pine
Insoection Bureau. So you'll know
I (D 1 5 right away you're dealing with
southern vellow nine.
Finally, you may see two back-to-back 'Ps'.
That's ponderosa pine. Sometimes you'll see the
'Ps' combined with an 'LP' (for lodgepole pine).
Either way, it's one of the western yellow pines.
sme1 a so
1_2 C & BTR SEL Another thing to consider is the grade

A With its
I (g 'M C 15
of the lumber. There are many dif-
ferent grades. But all you need to know
is that they generally fall into two basic
light coloc categories: select (or fmish), and common.
pine (top) is easy As a rule, a board that's generally knot-free and
distinauish from s consistent in color is assigned one of the "Select" or
yellow pine (middle) and the "Finish" grades. And if there are more knots (or the
western yellow pines (bottom). color is uneven) it's one of the "Common" grades.

30 ShopNotes No. 43
 -
COST. The thing to be aware of is that "Select"
- 1
4 Common, A board that has
one of the common grades has
more knots, but it still has
plenty of usable lumbec

4 Select Expect to find clear-

grained lumber with few (if any)
knots on a board assigned one
of the Select grades.

PITCH POCJIETS. Another defect to steer clear of

pine is considerably more expensive than is pitch pockets, see photo 'B.' These are slits in the
"Common." So if you want to build a project out of board that ooze sap. The sap gums up saw blades
clear pine, you may be surprised to find that it ends and router bits. And it can bleed through a finish
up costing as much as one made of oak or walnut. long after the project is completed.
The solution is simple. For the short pieces of a PITH. On some boards, the pith (core) of the tree
project, buy "Common" boards and cut around the runs lengthwise down the center, see photo 'C.' It's
knots. Buy "Select" only when you need long pieces. so soft you can dig i t out with your fingernail -too
soft to sand or finish. But there's usually straight-
DEFECTS grained wood on each side of the pith. So if you're
Besides working around the knots, there are also making narrow rails or stiles, cut out the pith to
some defects that you'll want to avoid. get the usable lumber.
LOOSE m o m . Loose knots are easy to recog- WDE GROWTE RINGS. One final note. Some
nize, see photo 'A' below. They slide back and forth boards have growth rings that are extremely far
in the knothole. And in time they're likely to fall apart, see photo 'D.' This is the result of a tree that
out, leaving a hole in your project. If the loose has grown too rapidly. These boards tend to be a
knots fly out when you're cutting or routing a bit punky, so they're not as strong. And I find the
a b o a r d , they can be dangerous as well. grain pattern is less desirable. %%
I

-ips
; 1 Buy
on Selecting Pine
Common. For small projec
common boards and cut around th
I
Buy select only if you n e g m g g
,-:. .*.- .7:+gg&:F;
Avoid Lmse Knots. A g a w ' b z ~ $
2 loose knots out of the board. And th
fall out of a project after assembly. i

.3 Pitch Pockets. The oozing sap ,nP

pockets will gum up blades and b,ts.fl
can bleed through a finish long after it

Pith. Cut out the pith that runs leng

4 down the center of a board to take
tage of straight-grained wood on each
~<~$pr,~.$4
Wide Growth Rings. ~ t e @ - ~ & i
5 growth rings produced &'TSSF&
trees. It reduces the strength of the lum&
yg
.. fCheck Grade Stamps. If it's
,

tree. But you'll find it much too tree has grown fast. But at the
soft to sand and finish. cost of strength and appearance.

No. 43 ShopNotes 31
 andsaws from
x generations. And tool totes like these provided a damage, or a dovetarled carry-all for hand planes,
ractical way to do it. Whether IT'S a box of tins to hold they're as individual as the craftsmen who made them.