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Best Ever Woodworking Jigs

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Woodworking Jigs

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    Tablesaw ligsThin-Str ip Ripping JigFeel safer s iz ing t iny p ieces.

    Four-Sided Tapering JigShape table legs fast.

    Dead-On 90' Crosscut SledSquare boards easily on your tablesaw.

    Raised-Panel J igCreate three styles of doors.

    Corner-Rabbeting JigDress up mitered frames with face keys.

    Spl ine-Cutt ing J igGive frame corners a new look.

    Router Iigs20 Two-Part Dado Jig

    Rout dadoes for perfect-fitt ing shelves.

    22 Mult i -Hole Dowel ing J igPosition dowels for even sPactng.

    24 Two PushsticksWith these projects, it 's all about safety.

    26 Router TrammelFor accurate c i rc les, you' l l need th is j ig ,

    29 Flush-Tr immingFencePut a professronaledge on plywood panels

    32 Mort is ing J ig

    33Rout dead-on lz"-wide mortises.

    Keyhole-Rout ing J igHanging prcture f rames just got easier .Panel-Rout ing J igCut super-s imple panels f rom MDF.

    Circle-Cutting TrammelThink big, perfect c i rc les wi th th is j ig .Router-Table Push PadRight-angle support to mtnimize tearout .

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    36 Dovetail-Key JigCut dovetail keys with ease.

    38 Router-Planing JigThis surfacing jig tames wild grain.

    Drill-Press Iigs40 Dril l-Press Table

    Transform your dril l press into a shop star.

    Sanding-Drum Dust Col lectorRemove fine dust at the source.

    Bandsaw Mult i -J igMake your 14" bandsaw do more.

    Alignable Bandsaw FenceUse th is. and r io cuts wi l l never wander.

    Circ le-Cutt ing GuideMake perfect disks at your bandsaw.

    Biscui t -Jointer J igCut slots in 3/+" material effortlesslv.

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    35 35More Iigs

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    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

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    Homemade Tools

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    Hand PlaneThis litt le shaver fits your hand like a glove.

    Height GaugeSet the precise saw blade height every time.

    Marking GaugeRely on this classic tool for project layouts.Dead-Blow Mallet64

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    Coax parts together with this tool.

    68 Marking KnifeScribed lines have never looked cleaner.

    72 Sanding BlockPrep projects with this shopmade beauty.

    74 Centerfinder/TrammelSimplify the layout of circles or arcs.

    Shop Organizers

    Workcenters & Supports108 Rolling Workshop Storage

    Mobilize your storage and organization.

    1O9 Tapes-to-go Wall-Hung DispensersReady to roll when you need them.

    11O Rock-Solid WorkbenchBuild this basic workbench in a weekend.

    111 Workbench UpgradesSix add-ons increase your bench's versatility.

    115 Outfeed TableIn a supporting role, this table shines

    118 3-in-1 Work SupportTry these safer ways to machine long stock.

    124 Right-Angle SupportClamping squares ensure gOo glue-ups.

    126 Portable Finishing CenterUse this plastic tent for dust-free finishing.

    128 Portable Workstation UpgradesExpand clamping workstations the easy way.

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    Tool-Cabinet SystemFind lots of drawers, shelves, and dividers,

    Mitersaw Work StationExpand your tool's horizons.

    Sheet-Goods RackBuild horizontal storage for bulky plywood.

    Wall GabinetTidy up your shop with this solution.Dril l /Driver OrganizerMultitiered box bdngs order to your bits.

    Storage Tray

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    85Tuck tools beneath your wall-hung cabinets.

    88 Clamshell Cabinet DoorsDouble your space for tools and hardware.

    89 Quick Clamp RackCorral your clamps at this station.

    92 Lumber StorageOrganize your wood for good.

    96 Lathe-StandRetrofitCreate storage beneath your lathe.

    98 Utility Cabinet SystemWhip your garage or shop into shape.

    1O7 Revolving StorageLazy-Susan platform expands storage.

    woodmagazine.com

  • Gift PerfectWine BoxPlan DP-00529 53.95

    Beveled Beauty Jewelry BoxPlan DP-00028 55.95

    See-through CopperArtPlan DP-00481a 53.50

    Tabletop Christmas FiguresPlan DP-00122 55.95

    Keepsake BoxPlan DP-00209 55.95

    Tabletop SleighPlan DP-00034 55.95

    Tabletop Nativity ScenePlan DP-00121 55.95

    Download any 0f these woodworking plans for the prices listed, orhave them mailed directly to you for an additional $3 per plan (S+H).For downloading the plan yourself 0r t0 view a larger image, g0 t0woodmagadno.comlplans. For paper plans shipped to you, calll0ll ftw l-888-030.fl[78. Please have your credit card available.

    Potpourri BoxPlan DP-00156 53.95

    i a;l-i ! tll t / 1 , , , , , t , - - 1 . , t - - 1!! lJ lJt!! IJJ.,l.iJ.l t jli-1.i ln r.JJl'rtl I J Ddl

    - r l Jr / ' l i t r r i l I l l r l - r r r l l - / l / ' ,t! t)-l U I U) , J-l-l-l-l! D-l L

    Editor-in-Chief BILL KRIERManaging Editor MARLEN KEMMETDeputy Editor DAVE CAMPBELTPublication Writer CARL V0SSTechniques Editor B0B WILSONTool & Techniques Editor B0B HUNTERMultimedia Editor LUCAS PETERSMultimedia Editor CRAIG RUEGSEGGERProject Editor LARRY J0HNST0NSenior Design Editor KEVIN B0YLEDesign Editor JEFF MERTZProduction/0ffice Manager MARGARET CL0SNERAdministrative Assistant SHERYL MUNY0NPhotographers MARTY BALDWIN, JASON DONNELLYDEAN SCHOEPPNER, JAY WILDEContributing lllustrators TIM CAHILL, L0RNA J0HNSON,ROXANNE LeM0lNEContributing Craftsman JIM HEAVEYContributing Proofreader JIM SANDERSArt Director KARL EHLERSProject Art Director 0N-PURPOS, lNC.Associate Art Director GREG SELLERSAssistant Art Director CHERYL A. CIBULASUBSCRIBEB SERVICE Co to woodmaqazine.com,,helpor write to WOOD magazine, P.O. Box 37439,Boone. lA 50037-0439Publisher MARK L. HAGENADVERTISING AND MARKETINGCHICAG0: 333 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1500,Chicago, lL 60601Marketing Manager AMANDA SALH00TAdvertising Manager JACK CHRISTIANSENAccount Executive RYAN INTERTANDDirect Response Advertising RepresentativeLISA GREENWOODAssistants GAYLE CHEJN, NIA WILIIAMSATLANTA: Navigate MediaDETR0IT RPM AssociatesBusiness Manager JEFF STILESAssociate Consumer Marketing Director DAN HOLLANDAssociate Director of Marketing-Newsstand TOM DEERINGProduction Manager SANDY wlLtlAMSAdvertising Operations Manager JIM NELSoNE-Commerce Manager MATT SNYDERVice PresidenVGrouo Publisher TOM DAVISMEREDITH PUBLISHING GROUPPresident JACK GRIFFINExecutive Vice President DOUG OLSONChief Revenue 0fficer TOM HARDYFinance & Administration MIKE RIGGSManufacturing BRUCE HESTONConsumer Marketing DAVID BALLCorporate Sales MICHAEL BROWNSTEINMeredith 360O JACK BAMBERGERInteractive Media LAUREN WIENERCorporate Marketing NANCY WEBERResearch BRITTA WAREChief Technology 0fficer TINA STEILNew Media Marketing Services ANDY WILSON^lUleredfth

    I c o n p o n o r ' o "

    President and Chiei Executive Officer STEPHEN M. LACYChairman of the Board WILLIAM T. KERRIn Memoriam - E.T. Meredith lll (1933-2003)@Copyright Meredith Corporation 2006,2008. All rights reserved. Printed in the u.S.A.Retail Sales Retailers can order copies 0f W00D for resaleby e-mailing [email protected].

    HauBEruOO8

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers

  • sk seasoned woodworkers aboutthe benefits of stocking a shopwith a variety of hardworkingjigs. They'l l l ikely tell you that

    some j igs get used again and again, whileothers gather dust. We guarantee thatthese six j igs wil l be worth your invest-ment in t ime and materials.

    'fitirt*S ;riti

    For example, after you take an evening ortwo to build the sled on page 10, we predictthat you'll constantly use the crosscut sledfor repetitive cuts. The four-sided tapering jigand spline-cutting jig provide you with morespecialized techniques.

    We constructed most of these shop help-ers from Baltic birch plywood and hard

    maple. If you pref-er, you can substitutemedium-density fiberboard (MDF) forplywood and another dense hardwood formaple. See Sources on pctge I I for helpin buying the inexpensive hardware itemsyou'll need for the jigs in this chapter.

    See page 6l for a simple height gaugethat complements these tablesaw jigs.

    woodmagazine.com

  • F"*ms **'s u* *rx $.a*e'g"'rmnr-t#*tri jfr,q th;x; nrus*$s$"8#k* y*a* f***$ r'x't#r.*ie*m ru:'ffmn;* h $s3 p'x n-r g* * n q"4t*ruy pd*r*:es,

    onret inres you need to r ip severa lthin str ips of wood to eclr-ral thick-ness to serve as ed-uin-u. veneer.or benc l ing s tock. S l ic ine o f f th in

    stock on the f 'ence side of the blacle. I 'urw-ever. could prove Lrnsal 'e. That 's becartseit beconres awkwarcl to use your blacleguarci and pr-rshstick when yol l cLlt closeto the I 'ence. Tl ie solLrt ion: Run the wicleport ion ol- yoLrr workpiece between thef 'ence arrcl blacle. cLrtt in_s t l ' re str ips on thcsicle ol ' the blade opposite the f 'ence. YoLrcoulc l acconip l ish th is by nreasur in-u for '

    \.

    each cut . bLr t that 's tec l ious anc l i t raccu-ra te . Th is th in-s t r ip r ipp in- t

    . j i - l c loes thejob saf-ely. accurately. ancl cluickly.

    Ref'er to Sources or.l /)rr,ga 11 lbr harcl-ware f irr this prolect.

    F:!r ' :s9.. klaxsEd 9*ts* $rs*CLrt a piece of 7i" plywoocl to thec l inrens ions shown t i r l the base on

    yrgc 7. Cut a clitclo on the bottclrn sicle ofthe base lbr the guicle bar. where sl. town.Now. cut the y'+" claclo on the top side ol'the base lur the s l id ine bar .

    Cut two pieces of rnaple to size fbrthe nri ter-slot

    -guide bar (acl iust the di-r lens ions shc lwn i f necessary to f i t yourtab lesaw's s lo ts) and the s l ic l in -s bar . Cct t -ter t l ' re miter-skrt

    -uuicle bar in the bottontc lado. and gh-re i t in p lace. Dr i l l a pa i r o f/r," holes in t l ' re sl icl in-g bar. where shown.scrol lsaw the nraterial between thetl . attclsn.rooth the insicle of the slot with a f i le.

    Set the j ig in yor.rr tablesit \ / 's lel . tni i ter--eau-{e slot. Place the sl icl ing bar

    in t l-re clado with i ts lel t encl fh"rsh with thebase. Sl ide the j i -s tbrward. and mark the

    .,@

    .:\ ...,

    \

    trTo make a cursor, scribe a l ine acrossthe acry l ic ind icator wi th a sharp kn i feand a square. Color the scr ibed l ine wi tha permanent marker. Wipe off the excessink wi th a c lo th , leav ing a f ine l ine.

    h

    S ize your th in-s t r ip r ipp ing j ig to su i t yourtab lesaw, so that a 1" screw in the gu idebar can contact the b lade. lns ta l l azero-clearance throat plate to prevent thesawn s t r ip f rom fa l l ing in to the saw.

    Remove the j ig before making the cut sothe workpiece doesn't bind between therip fence and the screw head. Replace thej ig in the s lo t w i thout making any ad just -ments to set up the next cut.

    Best-Ever Woodworking J igs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • i .'- t/q" llal washer@r#8 x3/q" F.H. wood screw\ --1--..!

    I Yse" shank hote,lNDrcAroR Z t ii .'"o'o!l"r:tottn2'-^fi1

    t/+ x 11/z x 2" clear acrylic

    Four-arm knob with t/+" insert

    EXPLODED VIEW

    Cursor l ine

    /+" hole, countersunk Ion bottom side i

    t /+-20 x 11/z 'F .H.machine screw - - - - - - - -

    #8 x 1" brass F.H.

    point where a left-leaning sawblade tooth- touches the bar. Make a second mark t/2"closer to the base. Remove the bar, andcrosscut it at the second mark.',rl Drill a 7/e+" pilot hole in the slid-tfing bar, centered on the end you justcut. Drive a brass screw halfway intothe wood. (We used brass to avoid anychance of damaging a tablesaw blade.)You'll turn this screw in or out to fine-tune your jig's basic "zero" setting, or toadjust it for a blade of different thicknessor with a different tooth set.fiFrom the bottom side of the assembly,Udrill and countersink a Vq" holethroughthe miter-slot guide bar and base for themachine screw thatholds theplastic knob.Sand all of the wood parts to 180 grit, andapply three coats of clear finish.ftMake a mark 1" from the left end ofuthe sliding bar. Cut the first lr/2" from

    woodmagazine.com

    I-J /G./

    --

    w

    r

    s/+" dado1t/sz" deap

    1/z x3/q x 9"

    '/2

    MITER-SLOT GUIDE BAR

    an inexpensive steel rule, align its left endwith the mark, and attach it with epoxy.JCut a piece of t/q" acrylic to thef dimensions shown for the indicaror.

    Drill and countersink the two mount-ing holes, and scribe and mark a cur-sor line. as shown in Photo A. Attachthe indicator to the base, and add the knob.

    Now, cut some stripsTo cut a thin strip with the jig, place itsguide bar in the left-hand miter gauge sloton your tablesaw. Loosen the knob, set thecursor to zero (the bottom end of the rule),and retighten the knob. Slide the jig so thatthe brass screw head is beside the saw blade.Turn the screw in or out with a screwdriveruntil the head lightly contacts a leftlean-ing tooth. Pull the jig toward you, loosenthe knob, set the cursor for the desired stripthickness, and retighten the knob.

    5/0" slot

    1tl2" section of steel rule

    Position your workpiece against the ripfence, and move the fence to bring the leftedge of the workpiece against the screwhead, as shown in Photo B. Lock thefence, set the jig out of the way, and you'reready to cut a strip, as shown in Photo G.

    After completing the cut, clean up theworkpiece on the jointer. Replace the jigin the slot. Then unlock the rip fence,move it to bring the jointed edge againstthe screw head, lock the rip fence, removethe jig, and saw another strip. Repeat theprocess as many times as necessary toproduce all of the strips that you need foryour project. .FWritten by Jim Pollock with Jeff Mertzand Kevin Boylell lustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

    SLIDING BAR

  • Four-$idedTapering JigHere's a slick way to taperfour sides of a table leg-allwith one simple j ig.

    ou can taper one side of a table legwithout much head-scratching,but tapering all four sides equallypresents more of a challenge. With

    this jig, however, you can cut all four taperswithout changing your setup. You simplyrotate your workpiece between cuts.

    Locate the hold-downs to suit the lengthof your workpiece. (The pivot block cansit at either end of the jig.) If your tablesawhas a 10" blade, youcanhandleworkpiecesup to 2" thick.

    Refer to Sources on page I I for hard-ware for this project.

    Build the j ig@ For the base. cut a piece of zA" ply-& wood to the size shown on Drawing

    1, then cut a piece of t/q" hardboard to thesame dimensions.ffiCut s/s" dadoes 3Ao" deep in one face&of the plywood, where dimensioned.Glue the hardboard to the dadoed facewith yellow glue. Now, clamp the as-sembly between two scraps of plywoodto ensure even pressure. After the gluedries, remove the clamps, set your dadoblade for a t/+"-wide cut, put an auxiliaryfence on your miter gauge, and cut a slotthrough the hardboard, centered over eachplywood dado, as shown in Photo A.ffiCut a piece of maple to r/qx3/8x12",ffi1fen cut two 3" pieces and one 3t/2"piece from this blank for the guide bars.For the hold-down bases, cut a piece of7+" plywood to lv2xl2". Cut a t/q" groovedown the center of one face of this ply-wood, where dimensioned on the drawing.Drill two /+" holes near opposite ends of

    8

    the groove, with each hole centered in thegroove and Vz" from the end. Cut a 3" piecefrom each end to make two hold-downbases. Next, glue one guide bar piece inthe groove on each hold-down base. Afterthe glue dries, drill a t/q" holethrough eachassembly, using the previously drilledholes as guides.;fi Cut a maple blank to t/qx2xl2" toafmake the pivot block. (We begin withan oversized piece to assure safety duringthe cutting process.) Cut a rabbet on oneend of the blank, where shown on Draw-ing la. Now, drill two holes to form theends of the adjustment slot, remove thematerial between the holes with a copingsaw or scrollsaw, and clean up the slotwith a file. Cut aVq" sroove centered on the

    After cutting dadoes in the plywood base,glue the hardboard to the dadoed face.Mount the two outside blades of a dadoset in your tablesaw, and cut slots throughthe hardboard centered over each dado.

    bottom edge of the blank. Next, drrll a Vq"hole centered in the groove 2Vz" ftom therabbeted end. Glue in the 3t/2" gurde barpiece, making it flush with the rabbetedend. After the glue dries, drill a t/q" holethrough the blank, using the previouslydrilled hole as a guide. Trim the blank to3/i' rn length. Sand and finish the assembly.fiAssemble the hold-downs as shown.t#For the pivot block, file or grind oneedge of the washer flat, as shown onDrawing 1a, and then assemble the nut,screw, and washer as shown. Adjustableup or down in the slot, this screw servesas an indexing pin. Once set for a partic-ular workpiece, it guarantees that everycut in the sequence is an equal distancefrom the center of the workpiece.

    Diagonal lines on the end of the workpiecelocate the hole that fits onto the indexingpin. Draw the cutl ine for the f inal shape,and extend the l ines to the edges to helpyou posit ion the workpiece on the j ig.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • IexeloDED vtEW

    @''-'" Plastic knob

    L/-'t/+" flal washerH'LD Dow. tr;,lrilL.

    ",,1/z' J*/

    343/s'

    7e" dadoess/o" deep

    3411/ta"

    This jig also serves another purpose, asshown in Photo D. When you need to cut asingle taper, mark its start and stop pointson the end and edge of your workpiece.Remove the indexing pin from the endblock, and nest the end of the workpiece inthe notch. Align the marks with the edgeof the jig, and clamp. Place yourhold-downsagainst the workpiece. Tighten the pivotblock in place, and make the cut. i

    Hold the taper j ig t ightly against thetablesaw rip fence as you cut. Beforestarting each pass, make certain thatyour left hand is well away from the line.

    tZ" slots1/q" deep,

    centered overTe" dadoes

    BASE

    lE Ptvor BLocK31/2"

    " rabbet s/ro" deep

    th" gloove3/6" deep,centered

    Four-arm knobwilh th" inseft

    1/+ x 3" panheadmachine screw

    l/q x 12 x 36" hardboard

    3/+ x 12 x 36" plywood

    7 z 4 -

    )>-@ s/qx1|/z x'3" plywood

    Tap into taperingTo taper a leg, cut your workpiece to itsfinished length, then rip it to the squaredimensions that you want for the unta-pered section at the upper end. Draw a lineon all four faces to mark where the taperwill begin. Drill a t/q" centering hole 3/s"deep at the center ofthe bottom end, andadd cut lines to show the final dimen-sions of that end, as shown in Photo B.Draw cut lines on the face connectingthe leg-bottom marks with the taper-start marks. This helps you visualize thefinal shape, and serves as a safety reminderas you push the jig across the saw.

    Mount the leg-centering hole on theindexing pin. Slide the pivot block untilthe planned outside face of the leg alignswith the edge of the jig. Thrn the knob tolock the pivot block in place. Now, nearthe upper end of the leg, align the taper-start cutline with the edge of the jig. Slidethe hold-down blocks against the leg, andtighten the nylon nut on each one to set theblock's position. Tighten the top knob oneach hold-down to clamp the leg in place.

    Raise the saw blade t/q" above the leg.Butt the jig to the fence, move the fenceuntil the saw blade just clears the leftside of the jig, and then make the cut, asshown in Photo C. To make each of thethree remaining cuts, loosen the hold-down knobs, rotate the leg one-quarterturn clockwise (as viewed from the pivot-ing end), reclamp, and cut.

    woodmagazine.com

    3/1"

    i 3/a x 31/2"IDE BAR

    e/sz" slot

    ' t/+" washer,filed to allow

    nut to engagethe rabbet

    The width and adjustability of the taperjig allow you to handle a wide range ofangle cuts. Here, with the j ig f l ipped end-for-end, we're shaping a simple leg.

  • "f

    Dead-0n g0o

    Crosscut SledWhen you build this sled, Youraccuracy and efficiency at thetablesaw will soar.

    t ieliable tablesaw miter gaugetl handles a lot of crosscutting

    fltutks,. but not all. It rides in just

    a rone slot, and suPPorts the work-piece on just one side of the blade, allow-ing for slop. This problem disappears,however, with an accurate crosscut sled.Our design is both inexpensive and sim-ple to build. Plus, it includes reliable,adjustable stops for repeatable cuts. Fromthe moment you put this jig to use at yourtablesaw, you'll discover that makingright-angle cuts is easier and safer.

    Build a real workhorserf Select a flat piece of 3/q" plywood, andI cut the platform to the dimensions

    shown on Drawing 1.f)Cut two 72x3x30" maple pieces forthe&fence, and cut a s/a" groove %e" deepin the face of one piece, where shownon Drawing 1a. Glue the two blankstogether, keeping the edges flush and thegroove on the interior of the lamination.

    Two pennies shim the miter-slot guidebars slightly above the tablesaw surface.Place a couple of these stacks in eachmiter-gauge slot, and set the bars on top.

    1 0

    After the glue dries, cut a Vq" groove cen-tered on the s/s" groove. Then, cut a rabbetalong the front of the bottom edge and at/2" groove centered along the top edge.flFrom 3/+" maple, cut the blade guardUsides and end. Glue and screw the endto the sides. Now, screw the blade guardto the fence, where shown on Drawing 1.f, Cut the front rail from:/+" maple. Userfa jigsaw to cut a notch, where shown,for the blade to pass through. Attach thefront rail and the fence to the platformwith screws.frCut, sand, and finish two toP bladetfguard supports. Using a fine-toothedtablesaw blade, cut a piece of Vq" clearacrylic to size for the blade guard cover.Attach the cover to the supports and thefront rail.ftFrom 3/q" maple stock, cut two strips[Jto serve as miter-slot guide bars. Setyour tablesaw rip fence 8%" to the rightof the blade, and lower the blade belowthe table's surface. (Note: Make sure your

    fence is parallel to the miter gauge slotbefore proceeding.) Apply double-facedtape to the top of each guide bar, and at-tach the bars to the platform, as shown inPhotos A and B. Remove the assemblYfrom the saw, and permanently attach thebars with screws.JCut a piece for the stopblock, and cutf a dado in the back, where shown. Cut

    a guide bar, and glue it into the dado.Drill a shank hole through the block andbar, where shown. Now, cut a piece of Vq"acrylic plastic to size for the stopblock in-dicator. See Drawing 1b. Drill, saw, andfile smooth the slot, where shown. Makea cursor line, as shown in Photo A.QRemove the top blade guard, sand thel0iig, and apply three coats of finish.Reattach the blade guard, assemble and in-stall the stopblock, place the crosscut sledon your tablesaw, and make a cut fromthe front edge through the fence. Use arule to set the stopblock 4" from the kerf.Mark the center of the stop block on its top

    Keeping the rightend of the platform againstthe rip fence, set the sled assembly onthe guides. Press down firmly to stick thebars to the platform.

    Hold the workpiece f irmly against thefence as you make a cut. Keep your handsoutside the blade guard, and don't cutthrough i ts end.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • E exploDED vrEW

    PLATFORM

    #8 xs /q " F .H .wood screw

    3 / q X 1 1 / + X 2 1 5 / t a "stopblock

    TOP BLADE GUARD?t?

    i

    7 a x 1 B x 3 0 "plywood

    1 x 3 x 3 0 "

    3 / q x 3 / q x 1 6 1 / q "supports

    6eAa

    1 / q x 3 1 / q x 2 2 3 / q "clear acrylic

    43/q"

    -TT

    t l1#8 x 11/z ' F.H.wood screw(3"

    LBLADE GUARD

    Self-adhesivemeasuring rule

    #8 x 11/z ' F.H.wood screw

    31/q'

    s A a x 3 / q x 1 8 "miter-slot guide bars

    [-.,l / q X 1 / 2 X 1 1 / q "

    guide bart/q" dado t/q" deep7/a" from top edge

    i

    ,/LI

    #8 x 11/z ' F.H.wood screw

    end, align the 4" line on the self-adhesivemeasuring tape with that mark, and attachthe tape in the fence groove. Use tin snipsto cut off the portion of the tape extend-ing beyond the left end of the fence. Placethe indicator on the stopblock, align thecursor with the tape's 4" line, and attachthe indicator to the block with a screw.

    Now, let's go sleddingIf a workpiece fits between the fenceand the front rail, you can cut it on yourcrosscut sled, as shown in Photo C. Usethe stop block to cut multiple pieces tothe same length, provided that length fallswithin the stop block's range. Remove thestopblock when cutting pieces that extendbeyond that range. When you install ablade of a different thickness or witha different tooth set than the one used tocalibrate your stopblock, check the set-ting with a rule, and adjust the cursor. lF

    woodmagazine.com

    @ rerucE sEcloN vtEW1/2" gloove %0" deep

    (to fit measuring rule)

    L\ _tI T l t tzu"'/a" li ,_ - _ l '%"Tf-j\#"

    1/q"groove/ | | \ '5/6"deep I t I u/r"grooueI | | s /o"deept/s" 76filgl--/y' 1 |

    /e" deep - V,r;.-

    #8 x 1/2" F.H. wood screw

    SourcesFor the jigs on pages 5-13, we used these Sources:Stainless steel rule no. 06K20.06, $1.95 each;four-arm plastic knob no. 00M55.30, $1.90 each. Call LeeValley at 800-871-8158, or go to leevalley.com.Hold-down no. 145831, $4.99 (bolt and knob); self-adhesive rule, no. 08Y42, $9.99. Call Woodcraft at800-225-1153, or go to woodcraft.com.

    1 / q x 1 x 1 3 / q "clear acrylic

    l[ rNorcAToR DETATL

    I1 "

    _1Score a line on the acrylic with a knife,and color it with a permanent marker.

    L

    1 1

  • ,ci

    ---=\- -

    .---

    Wit l r this *ne j ig,ysil i *#n build thr**psputar styles ofdonr pffin:els for yournext *abinet project.

    aised panels have long been a signof f ine craftsnranship-perhapsbeci luse they appear dif f icult tomake. But as yoLr' l l see here, that

    rreed not be the case. On puge 14, we' l lshow yoLr : .r simple method for Lrsing thisj ig to cut panels with a tablesarw.

    Combine scrap material with a f 'ewharclware i tems and yor.r ' l l have a j ig des-t ined lbr a l i f 'et ime of service. See puge11. lbr a hardware soLlrce for the knobs.

    Start with the basicsCr,rt two pieces of iA" MDF to thed in- rens ions in the Mater ia ls L is t

    to nrake the upr ight (A) and base (B) .Scro l lsaw or bandsaw the l%" rad i i o t tthe two cornel 's of (B). cutt in-u outside thel ine. Then sanc l to the l ine.

    Using yor.rr dado blade. cut two '/-r"dadoes /-r" deep in the top of the base.

    where shown on Drawing 1.Afteradding an auxi l iary f-ence to yoLlrsaw tablesaw rip f-ence. cut it rabbet

    %" wide and t/t" deep along the bottomed-qe of the upright (A). where shown onDrawing 1.

    Next. dri l l %r," l ' roles in the upri-eht(A) and at the ends of the slot loca-

    t ions in the base. Lay or.rt the sides of theslots, and scrol lsaw ther.r-t to shape with a#12 b lade. Cut two braces (C) . as d imen-s ioned or r Drawing 2.

    Dri l l y ' : :" pi lot holes, and then glueand screw the j i -e together using

    #8xlth" brass screws. where shown.T ip : Use brass sc lews ur ty t i t le your j i -e 'sscrew holes are close to the saw blade.

    { nt z Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • Now, add the extras{ Cut the guide strip (D) ts fit yourI miter-gauge slot in depth and width.

    Trim the piece to 28" long, and drill coun-tersunk t/+" holes centered on the strip 3"from each end. Attach the guide strip tothe base using the hardware shown.QCut the upright stops (E) to size, and&drlll the hole and counterbore hole,where shown on Drawing 2. Secure thestops to the ends of upright (A).

    parts to 150 grit. Now apply two coats offinish, sanding between coats with 180-grit abrasive.fiCut a piece of adhesive-backedYl2}-grit sandpaper, and apply it tothe jig face, as shown on Drawing 1.Then, reassemble the jig. lF

    I7Yz"

    L

    3u

    |-

    -TI

    8"

    -ls/q" rabbelV+" deep

    E EXPLODED VIEW#8 x 1tl2" brass

    F.H. wood screw

    /+-2Ox4Y2'F.H.machine screw

    tA'flatwasher

    uprightB base /q" 11Y2" 28" MDF 1C braces {c' 7Y2" 111h" MDF 2D guide strip Va" {to 28"E upright stops /e" Vl' 8uF clamping bar Yi' 1{eu 29'

    tilaterlala key: M D F-m ed i u m -de n s ity f i be rboard,M-maple.Sppfbo: #8x1Y2",#8x1" brass flathead wood screws;l+-20x2" (21,V+20x4t/t flathead machine screws (2);Vq-20low-arm knobs (4); /+" flat washers (81; llzx%|compression springs (2);V+20 knife thread inserts (2);4" adhesive-backed 120-grit sandpaper.

    woodmagazine.com

    *: ffi-J

    4 x 24" aonesivbt-r=---backed 120-grit

    /q-2O knite thread insert

    Vq" tabbel't/a" deep

    r/c-2O x 2" F.H. machine screw

    s/sz"pilot hole

    /q" dadot/a" deep

    Locate previous WOOD magazineproject articles at

    wood m a gazine.com /i ndex

    trY4L

    1

    -1Curve on this edge' 1Va"

    {tCut the clamping bar (F) to size, and fRemove the hardware and the clamp-tJdrill %0" holes, where shown. Lay tJing bar and guide strip, and sand allout and shape the clamping bar curve, asshown on Drawing 1, using a bandsaw.Sand smooth.;l Next, attach the clamping bar to'?the jig using the hardware shown.Tip: If you have trouble finding extra-longmachine screws, cut two pieces of all-thread. Then secure the four-arm knobsto the screws using 5-minute epoxy.

    111/2'

    /a" holes, countersunkon bottom face

    1 3

  • How to SutCu$tom Rai$ed PanelsCut raised panelswith a tablesawFor the woodworker who doesn't have arouter table or the budget for expensiveraised-panel bits, cutting raised panelson the tablesaw is an effective alterna-tive. This method does have one drawback:You'll need to invest time and elbow greaseinto finish-sanding the panel bevels.

    To solve the challenge of supportingpanels safely while cutting bevels, buildthe panel-cutting jig shown on page 12.

    Prepare the panelsBefore cutting the door panels to size,match the wood tones and arrange the grainpatterns for best appearance. For example,center the cathedral (inverse V) pattern onnarrow single-board panels. When gluingup wider panels, use pieces cut from thesame board for consistent grain and color.

    Next, decide which style of panel youwant. The drawing at right shows threepopular styles: a plain-bevel panel, onethat's flush with the frame (called a back-cut panel), or a proud panel (with thepanel raised above the frame). All willgive panels a custom look. Glue up thestock needed to make your panel blanks.Then, cut your panels to finished size.Note: To minimize wood movement, wesuggest using boards no wider than 5"when gluing up your panels.

    Mark the bevelsLooking at the end of the panel blank, layout the desired bevel using a sliding bevelsquare. Also, if your panel needs a tongueand rabbet lay them out, at this time.

    To cut a raised panel with shoulders (thesquare lip on the face of the panel), firstadjust the tablesaw's fence 1/+" from theblade. Cut a saw kerf t/e" deep (34o" deepif making proud panels) and I3/q" from allfour edges and ends of the panel's face,as shown in Drawing 3. This kerf wil ldetermine the shoulder location.

    Set up the jig forsmooth, accurate cutsFor your jig to function well, it must slideparallel to the saw blade with its uprightat a right angle to the saw's tabletop. Witheither blade or upright out of alignment,scoring and burning will occur.

    1 4

    The following set-up procedure as-sumes that your miter-gauge slot alignsparallel with your saw blade. If not, makethat adjustment.

    With a steel rule, measure the distancefrom the saw blade to the jig's upright.Move the jig side to side as needed so thedistance between the saw blade and thejig is the same as the panel's tongue (andrabbet) thickness. When the upright is thecorrect distance from the blade, and par-allel to the blade, tighten down the knobsin the guide strip. Now, adjust the bladebevel, as shown in the photo opposite top.

    Let's cut a raised panelClamp your panel into the jig, exteriorface out, and cut the bevels. Panels can becut in four passes through the saw. First,cut across the end grain to reduce chip-out.

    THREE POPULAR PANEL STYLES

    PLAIN-BEVELPANEL

    PROS. contemporary look. easy-to-sand bevelscoNs. no panel detail to

    catch the eye

    ) 1vq'

    BACK-CUTPANEL

    PROUDPANEL

    Te" rabbett/+" deep

    Shoulder

    s/a" raised panels

    PROS. shoulder detai l

    catches the eyecoNs. bevels are a bit more

    diff icult to sand

    PROS. can decorate shoulder

    with profile router bitscoNs. bevels are a bit more

    difficult to sand

    Then cut the bevels on the panel edges.Move through the blade at a consistentspeed, slowing down only if the saw strains.Note: If your saw bogs down in the cut,you may need to use a thin-kerf blade ormal

  • E pnruel KERFSDEFINE SHOULDERS

    To adiust the blade to match your bevel, place the panel into the jig with the exterior faceout. To adjust the angle and height of the saw blade, sight down the blade, and align it withthe layout marks, as shown above. Clamp a test piece into the jig and run it through.Readjust the settings until the angle and bevel thickness are accurate.

    Add detail to your raised panelsAfter raising the panel on your tablesaw, use a 7a" round-nosebit in your router table to detailthe square shoulder on the faceof the panel. Set the bit 1%" from the fence, as shown below.Then rout the detail, starting with the end grain first, followedby the edge grain.

    f W rcbbet,/t dery

    FINISHED CONTOUR

    A 7a" round-nose bit creates a distinct panel.

    woodmagazine.com 1 5

  • Corner-RabbetingJigDress up mitered picture frames with

    nce you master the precision needed to make tight miter joints, you'reready to explore ways to embellish them with face keys of contrastingwoods that break up the predictable appearance of a standard frame.

    This sophisticated look is simple to create. For starters, you canmake both the key stock and corner rabbets on the tablesaw where you cut themiters. For an easy-to-make jig that steadies a mitered frame at the correctangle for cutting corner rabbets on both faces, see the drawing below. Thesample frame corners, shown at right, use readily available 3/q"-thick stock cut2" wide.

    EXPLODED VIEW

    --:{ { trl ' f - -

    Place lower screws above maximum45" suppoft

    bevelsheight of tablesaw blade. #8x2" brass F.H. wood screw

    Assemble the corner rabbeting jig so the support bevels and the bot-tom edge of the backing rest flat on your tablesaw. Place the lower pairof screws at least !Vz" above the lower edge of the backing and base toavoid accidental contact with the tablesaw blade.

    face keys, and you'll open up a world ofcreative possibilities.

    Variations on a ThemeExperiment with different combinations ofspecies forframes, keys, and decorative pins,or try some of the looks shown below.Potential key combinations include:

    r1 1 "

    I1 6

    I Walnut and mahoganykeys on mahogany

    2 Walnut keys andcherry pins on cherry

    cherry pins on cherry

    4 Cherry keys andmaple pins on maple

    Mahogany keyson maple

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • Let's make a face-keyed miter jointIn preparation, build a corner rabbetingjig using 3/qxl" supports and a piece ofMDF overlay plywood, t/q" Baltic birchplywood, or MDF. You'll also need as-sembled frames plus scrapwood framecorners for practice.

    To make key stock that works with the2"-wide frame parts shown, resaw a piece of/+" stock that's4W'wide by roughly 8" longto create two 2"-wide pieces of key stock.The blank can be a single piece of wood oran edge-glued combination of woods. Raiseyour saw blade to 2" and set your fence to

    cut a slot the distance from the face of theblank slightly thicker than your saw kerfwill cut in your frames. Use a feather boardand pushstick for added control. Flip thepiece end for end and cut a second slot, asshown in Photo A, leaving a Vz" bridge inthe middle to connect the key stock to theblank. Then, by hand or on a bandsaw, cutthe key stock free from the blank.

    Gut the corner rabbetsSet your tablesaw blade height to 2" forcorners on 2"-wide stock. Make test cutsin scrap miters to fine-tune your cuttingdepth and position. Secure the miteredframe in the jig, and set the fence so theblade will cut a kerf-deep rabbet into the

    workpiece corner, as shown opposite top.By cutting the rabbet on the frame facepressed tight against the jig, you'll mini-mize tear-out. For keys on both sides ofthe frame, rotate the workpiece and makea second cut.

    Attach the keysIf necessary after sawing the keys, planethem to just thicker than the depth of yourrabbet. Glue and clamp the key stock tothe corners on the front, back, or bothfaces of thq.frame, as shown in Photo B.

    Bandsaw the excess key stock from theedges of the frame, as shown in Photo C.Flush-sand the edges and faces of the keyswith the edges and faces of the frame.

    To cut the key stock, leave a bridge aboutVz" wide between the saw kerfs. Later,you can remove the bridge with a band-saw or handsaw.

    Before gluing and clamping, plane theface keys to about t/az" thicker than thedepth of the key rabbets in the framestock. Then, glue and clamp.

    To saw keys flush with the frame, removeexcess key stock with a bandsaw. Then,sand the face and edges f lush using arandom-orbit sander.

    How to furtherdecorate this jointFace keys alone offer you dozens ofwood combinations, but your imagina-tion needn't stop there. Adding dowels orplugs to the keys, as shown at right, givesthem even more character.

    Begin by marking the locations of theplugs on the keys, as shown in Photo D.We placed these:/s" plugs Vz" fromthe longedge of the key, spacing them 1" apart andequal distances from the shorter edges ofthe keys. For your plugs, use either theframe wood species or introduce a thirdspecies to the joints.

    These plugs extend through the key andinto the frame without emerging throughthe face on the other side. Orient the grainof the plugs with that of the keys to allow for

    woodmagazine.com

    wood movement. Glue and seat the plugs,leaving about %" above the surface. Re-move the excess with a flush-cuttins saw.

    as shown in Photo E. Finish by sandingthe plugs flush with the frame's face. tWritten by Bob Wilson

    Space the plugs an equal distance fromthe miter joint l ine. Plug locations can beadjusted to suit your key and frame sizes.

    When using a flush-cutting saw to removeplug stock above the key, cut parallel tothe direction of the key grain.

    1 7

  • Spline-Gutting JigA slight tilt of a saw bladegives your corner splinesa whole new look.

    /*L/'t''\

    #8 x 2" F.H. wood screws

    T

    T

    n

    EXPLODED VIEW

    Tgu

    I t doesn't take much work to put a new! spin on traditional splined miterjoints.I Just install the splines at an angle, as weI did above on a maple-and-walnut let-

    ter tray, and you get eye-catching results.First, make the simple spline-cutting jig

    for your tablesaw shown above. Then,mark three evenly spaced spline locationson a piece of scrap the same width as thetray side.

    Install a blade in your tablesaw thatproduces the flattestpossible kerf bottom.(We used an outside blade from our dadoset.) Tilt the blade to 15o, and raise it soit extends about halfway into the miteredcorner. Set your jig against the tablesawrip fence, place your marked scrap in thejig, and adjust the fence to cut a test slot.Now make the other slots, readjusting thefence between cuts.

    When you're satisfied with the design,place clear packing tape around the work-piece corners to reduce chip-out. Holdthe workpiece firmly in the jig, and cutas shown in Photo A. Cut the top slot ineach corner, adjust the fence, cut all fourmiddle slots, adjust again, and cut thebottom slots. Remove the tape.

    1 8

    7se" shank hole, countersunkon back face

    Rip spline stock from the edge of a boardof contrasting stock, as shown in Photo B.Match its thickness to the kerf-usually%". Then, cut individual splines from thestrips, making them slightly longer thanthe slots. Spread yellow glue on the splines,slip them into place, and let the glue dry.Trim them off at the surface with a flush-

    45'bevels

    cutting saw or use a dovetail saw fol-lowed by a chisel. Sand flush.

    By varying the number and placementof the corner splines, you can come upwith other designs. You might try differ-ent saw blade angles, too. al

    Photographs: Hetherington Photographylllustration: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

    Double-check the orientation of your work-piece before cutting. Here we're holdingthe bottom of the tray to the left, so theslots will point downward.

    To cut spline stock, use the thin-stripripping jig (see the how-to details, begin-ning on page 5) to cut spline stock.Reposition the fence between cuts.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • Pat Warner'sTwo-PartDado JigWe introduce thischapter with jigs fromthree router experts.Read on to appreciatewhy they're sold onthese shop helpers.

    I exeloDED vrEW

    7/aq" pilol hole t/2" deep

    I n addition to writing four routerI books, Pat Warner has designed spe-I cialty router bits. Additions includeI inexpenseive disposable single-flute

    mortising bits and pattern bits (straightbits with shank bearings).

    Why you need this jig'Accuracy in routing requires attention todetail-and not much sophistication," Patnotes. This Californian's simple jig helpsmatch dado width to shelf thickness.Using Pat's two-part jig, we set up to cuta dado in less time than it takes to equip atablesaw with a dado set.

    How to build Pat's jigYou'll need to assemble two of the jigsshown above. (We cut two pairs of jigs,one from t/+"-thick plywood and anotherusing medium-density fiberboard (MDF).If you plan to make dadoes 10" or longer,build additional pairs with the top piecesat least 12" long or more.

    Put the two-part jig to useBefore you begin cutting dadoes, you'llneed a sample of the stock that will

    ultimately be placed in the dado. Here'sone key to a snug dado: Go through eachsanding step you plan to follow until yoursample piece reaches its finished thickness.

    For this example, we're cutting a dadoin the side of a cabinet for a shelf. Po-sition the two-part jig where you plan tocut the dado; then snug the sanded shelfscrap between the parts, as shown in thephoto opposite top. Next, clamp bothparts firmly in place at the edges awayfrom the gap to keep the clamps from in-terfering with the router.

    After removing the sample (save thispiece for future reference), set your routercutting depth equal to the thickness of thejig parts plus the depth of cut you want.

    Then rout a dado using a pattern-cut-ting bit (also sold as a shank-bearingguided trimmer). The bearing of this bitrides along the edge of the jig parts andproduces a crisp, square dado, as shownin the drawing opposite far top.

    "Be sure the cutter isn't larger than thebearing," Pat cautions, "or else you'll tearup the edges of your jig parts." Q

    c

    6

    oEo-o

    3i6oo

    (L

    #8 x 1Y4' F.H. wood screw

    20 Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • Two-part j ig

    Workp iece

    First pass Second pass

    l!onoo Jtc stDE vlEW

    After locat ing the dado pos i t ion, p lace a p iece of f in ish-sanded scrap betweenthe j ig 's two par ts . Then c lamp the par ts to the workp iece.

    KIR'F Fr +,n ;*q;' #,t$sxag'

    '**aas " #Eafl

    To avoid tear ing out the edge of yourworkpiece as you f in ish your cut , asshown below, c lamp a sacr i f ic ia lp ieceof scrapwood to the edge of your work.Here are othertact ics Pat recommendsto reduce tear-out:. Good material. Routing straight-grained,

    proper ly seasoned hardwood reducestear-out. Interesting grain patterns, includ-ing bird's-eye and quilted maple, have visualappeal, but create more routing challenges.

    . Well-prepared stock. Wherever possible,el iminate cups and bows in your stockbefore you get to the routing steps.

    . Sharpen cutters. Well-honed bits pro-duce less tear-out.

    . L ight cuts. l f you cut deeper than 7e"with one pass, you're apt to introducetear-out to your project; 7e" is ideal.

    . Feed rate. You'l l worsen tear-out with afast feed rate.

    . Climb-cutting. You can reduce tear-outwith a climb cut (cutting with the rotationof the bi t instead of against i t ) . L ightcuts and added safety procedures area must. See the notes on page 24.

    . Cut end grain f i rst . Because end grainis more apt to tear out, rout it first. Thenrout edge grain and clean up any tear-out.

    !:

    I:{-*I

    trl f the dado is too snug (somet imes caused by a pat tern-cut t ing b i t that 'ssmal ler than the bear ing) , sh im out the she l f scrap wi th a sheet or two ofpaper , ad just the j ig par ts , and rout again .

    woodmagaz ine .coml l

  • Patrick SpielmannsMulti-HoleDowelingJigPatrick was one ofNorth Americans mostprolific woodworkingauthors, producingseveral books onrouters and routertips. This jig was oneof his favorites.

    Patrick Spielman's doweling jig makes quick work of doweling tasks, including the faceframe joinery (end to edge grainl above. The 7a" guide-bushing hole is compatible withT4",s/16", and 7a" dowel pins. The positioning block ensures quick, accurate alignment ofthe stock. lllustrations, opposite, show routing dowel-pin holes in the railand stile.

    atrick Spielman of Fish Creek,Wisconsin, authored more than75 woodworking books. His orig-inal Router Handbook sold more

    than a million copies, and his revisedNew Router Handbook remains one ofSterling Publishing's best-selling titles.Before he died in 2005, Patrick shared hispopular multi-hole doweling jig

    Why you need this jigIn addition to positioning dowels for mostdoweling joints (we found the jig particu-larly useful for face-frame joinery), this isa great jig for aligning.shelf-support pins.

    "The dowel joint makes a lot of senseto me," Patrick said. Dowels provide extramechanical strength when joining end toedge grain. Plus, they're quicker to makethan hand-cut dovetails.

    "The dowel joint is pptty much fool-poof, and with this jig, you can take thejoint further and have the dowels comethrough the other side."

    The 2" counterbored slots in thesh"-thick plastic jig make Patrick's jig ver-

    satile. The adjustable, removable stop willhelp you precisely position face stock.

    How to build Patrickns iigFollow Drawing 1 and 1a, opposite top,to build the jig. Lay out and drill the 5/s"holes as accurately as possible in the plas-tic. (We used a drill press for this step.)

    For a source for the knob on thisproject, see leevalley.com.

    Put the iig to useWith a guide bushing in yourrouter, dowel holes always lineup regardless of how accu-rately you spaced the /s" holesfor your doweling jig. For thistype of plunge routing, useupcut spiral bits like the oneshown at left.

    To position the jig and routerto make identically spaced dowelholes in face frame stiles and

    . rails, see the two illustrationsopposite. *Upcut spiral router bit

    22 Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • I exeloDED vrEW7a" counterbored slot

    s/0" deep with a't/q" slol centered inside

    eEI

    @

    i

    Te" hole

    e/a" acrylic

    1" counterboree/+" deep with a

    t/q" hole centered insidet/q" T-nul )41,/"" L,

    centered inside _ab

    /'@( r

    Two-plece guide bushings easi ly attachto your router's base.

    Original ly designed for doweling, this j igalso helps you make evenly spaced holesfor shelf pins. To avoid goofs, tape overhofes you won't use, as shown above.(Spacing of 1Vc-2" between holes workswell in most appl icat ions.)

    problems with guide bushings being too long for the bits. Plus,thicker plastic makes it easier to rout adjustable slots."

    "l avoid acrylic plastic because it 's britt le," Patrick added."l 've had fewer problems with polycarbonate plastic crackingor breaking around a hole or near the edge."

    We found our local polycarbonate supplier under "plas-tics" in the phone directory.

    llslor DETATL7a" counterbored slot/10" deep with at/a" slot centered inside

    \@

    7+" counterboret/a" deep with at/q" hole /a" slot

    1 " l o n g/+" SAE washer

    1/q" f -nut

    The plastic worldWith more than 35 years of router experience, Patrick de-signed many jigs incorporating plastic. We built his j ig froms/e" polycarbonate because it's readily available at hardwarestores and home centers. However, Patrick preterred t/2"polycarbonate, a thickness that's tougher to find.

    "lf you can find 1/2" plastic," Patrick said, "you have fewer

    woodmagazine.com

    E cuTTrNG HOLES ON ST|LE E cuTTrNG HOLES ON RA|L

    23

  • Carol Reedns 2Pushsticks3 I | ;fi #J,',,:i:;: 3.',T'l:: ffi

    I taught router and woodworkingI technique for more than 20

    years. This Phoenix-area resident alsodemonstrates her talents at woodworkingand home and garden shows. Her firstbook, Router Joinery Workshop, waspublished in 2003.

    Why you need these iigs"I like to call these pushsticks my 'successdevices', " Carol says. "The real reasonto use pushsticks is that, not only will yoube safer, you'll reduce burn marks and er-rors. Overall, you'll enjoy more success."

    How to build Carol's jigsFollow Drawings 1, 2, and 3 to cut thepieces for Carol's two router table accesso-ries. Create a template of the handle design,Carol says, and then "make an armload ofthese darn things. That way, you won't feelbad when you chew up one of yourjigs."

    We made our handles from easilyworked and inexpensive MDF. Toassemble the vertical pushstick used forrouting the ends of long stock, glue and-clamp the base to the MDF upright piece.After applying glue to the handle, rub itacross the upright and clamp it in place.Glue on the heel last.

    To make the pushstick for narrow stock,glue the base to the handle and clampuntil dry. For safety, do not use metal fas-teners to hold the pieces together.

    Put the pushsticks to useWhen paired with a feather board, Carol'snarrow-stock pushstick helps you controlsmall pieces, as shown in Photo A. Thevertical pushstick, Photo B, supports theends of tall pieces.

    "I use this handle design at my tablesawand jointer, too," Carol advises. After youchew up the sole and heel, send it throughthe jointer and attach new pieces.

    'And don't think of just '1A"-thickmaterial. I have safely routed with7s" pushsticks and a little heel." lWritten by Carl Vosslllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

    With the aid of a feather board, GarolReed's pushstick for narrow stock keepsworkpieces flat against the router table.

    Carol's vertical pushstick, with a replace-able t/+" plywood heel, helps you press tallpieces firmly against the router table fence.

    t/a" round-overs l--n*,,

    to cut wood narrower than the handheld router base. lf youintroduce wood to the backside of a cutter at a router table,you essentially drop your stock onto a moving sidewalk. Andif you're trying to control a small piece, where wil l your fin-gers go? Right into the bit."

    "For safety, I encourage all my students to draw big bitrotation arrows with a Sharpie marker on their router basesand motors." The arrows provide a constant and readily vis-ible reminder of which direction the bit is turning.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

    l5"

    lL3/a"r1/ntl

    )tr*41': l lI i l?"iji l li I i l j

    1i1/q"

    Glimb-cut safelyCarol advises woodworkers to approach climb-cutting withadded caution. (Although this method of clockwise cuttingwith a handheld router produces less splintering than thetraditional counter-clockwise direction, the router tends topull i tself away from the operator.) With climb-cutting, youcan remove burn marks or clean up tear-out, making only a%+" plSS with a handheld router.

    "But I don't advocate any climb-cutting at a router table,"Carol adds. "Think of it this way: A router table was designed

    l-r3/q"

    + 30" bevel on handle I| 2'/r',

    ll runnnow-srocK PUSHSTTcK @ vemcAL-srocK PUSHSTTcK

    ) ' t *

    t, ,,ft

    \ \t\

    I-t\+_-lr,U 1/2"

    N__\_

    8s/q' I____----l

    ss>=-_._=_;

    24

  • p nnruolE FULL-stzE PATTERN

    woodmagazine.com 25

  • RouterTrammelGut perfect circlesfrom 15" to 48" indiameter with thisshop-made accessory.

    Build your own trammel{ Cut a piece of Vz" Baltic birch ply-I wood to 6x9t/+" for the extended base

    (A). Cut a centered /a" groove t/q" deepalong one end, where shown on Drawings 1and 4. Use a table-mounted router with aslot cutter or a tablesaw with azero-clear-ance insert to cut the groove.f)Spray-adhere the full-size base pat-Gtern onto the blank, aligning the /s"groove with the groove location markedon the pattern. Bandsaw and sand the ex-tended base (A) to shape.flRemove the baseplate from yourrouter,9and position the plate on the paper pat-tern adhered to the extended base. Alignthe baseplate holes with the centering lines onthe pattern. Mark the screw-hole centerpoints,as shown in Photo A. Trace the router-bitclearance hole onto the extended base./lDrill and countersink the markedttholes for attachins the extended base

    RSay goodbye to rough and irregularedges the next t ime you cut a circle orr ing. And, using the trammel's extendedbase for added stability (rightl, you candetail an edge or rabbet the back of acabinet without fear of the router t ipping.

    plrnnunaEL ARM

    t/e" groove't/q" deep,centered

    t/q-20 x 11h' F.Hmachine screw

    26

    EexreruDED BASEt/q-20lapered knob3zle" long

    t/q" tlal washer

    Location of @Router-bit

    clearance hole

    to the router. Then drill or scrollsaw therouter-bit clearance hole.

    fiRout a %" round-over along the bottomdedse of the extended base. where shown.Note:-Do not round over the end of thebase with the groove.

    /e" groove't/q" deeP

    Form the trammel arm{ From r/2" Balttc birch plywood, cut ail piece to 3x20" for the trammel arm

    (B). Cut a centered %" groove t/+" deepalong one end of the arm, where shownon Drawing 2.f)On the top face of the arm, mark the4centerpoints, and drill a pair of s/ta"holes through the arm, where dimen-sioned on Drawing 2. Connect the holeperimeters for the slot (to be cut later)with a straightedge and pencil.tl On the bottom face of the trammel armtJ(B), use a Forstner bit to drill a vz" holesAa" deep, where shown on Drawing 2.ATo form the trammel-arm recess,Clinstall at/2" straight bit into your table-

    mounted router. Raise the bit sAo" abovethe surface of the table. Position the fenceso the bit centers over the t/2" hole drilledin the previous step. Mark start and stopreference lines I t/2" from the center of thestraight bit on the router fence.fiBring the trammel arm (B) up to the leftdstart line on the router fence, and slowlylower it onto the bit. as shown in Photo B.

    To markthe base hole centerpoints, transferthe screw-hole locations from your routerbaseplate onto the extended base, posi-t ioning them over the centering l ines.

    t/2" hole s/ro" dggp,z on bottom face--l 11/z'7 s/ro" hole

    t t t

    /2" recess 17t/2" longs/re" deep, centered

    t/e" round-over on bottom \edge, except on grooved end \

    \\ s/ro" hole--l 1t/'" 1)

    J 3"_l1/zu

    t l 13 / . ^ t l 13/q'

    t/e" round-over t/2 plywood

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • -.- 5/te-18 three-arm knob

    6 #Bx1/2" F.H. wood screw5/ro" flat --- iwasher \s

    ground to fit 1 -l.-

    t/2" feCeSS \

    s/ro" hexnut to --4

    .H s/ro" slott/e" round-over onbottom edge,

    except on grooved end

    Carefully rout a s/rc"-deep recess until thetrailing end reaches the right stop line onthe fence. Lift the trammel arm off the bit.fiScrollsaw the %0"-wide slot previ-Lfously marked on the top face of thetrammel arm (B). Rout a %" round-overalong lhe bottom edges of the trammelarm excepr on the grooved end, whereindicated on Drawing 2.

    Join the extended base tothe trammel arm{ From %" hardboard, cut the splineI tCl to size. Glue the spline into the

    grooved end of the trammel arm.f)Cut the connector plate (D) to size&from V4" hardboard. Drill the twocountersunk mounting holes and glue andscrew the connector plate to the trammel

    tr %" straight bitAlign the end of the trammel arm (B) with thestart line on the router fence and carefullylower it onto the straight bit. Rout the recessuntil the trailing end reaches the stop line.

    woodmagazine.com

    CENTERPOINTADJUSTMENT PLATE

    TRAMMEL ARM

    7se" shank hole,countersunk

    z/oa" pilot holeTa" deep

    1/a" grooves'1/4" deep, centered

    l/q" hole, countersunkon bottom face

    arm (B), where shown on Drawing 3.Slide the extended base (A) over the spline(C) in the trammel arm. Drill and coun-tersink the Vq" hole through the base andconnector plate for the knob machinescrew. where indicated on the extendedbase pattern. This ensures hole alignmentand a tight fit between the two pieces.

    Add the centerpointadjustment plale{ Cut the guide bars (E) and (F) to size.I Drill the holes shown on Drawing 3.

    Screw the three pieces together.l) Grind opposite edges off a2" long s7ru"Atlat washer so it fits into the t/2"-widetrammel-arm recess. Hacksaw the headoff a sAe" hexhead bolt, where shown onDrawing 3a. Thread a s/re" hexnut ontothe bolt. Assemble the adjustment plateto the trammel arm (B) in the configura-tion shown on Drawing 3b.

    Putting the trammel to workUsing trammel points or a large compass,mark the centerpoint and required radiuson your workpiece. Cut the workpieceabout %" oversize with a handheld jig-saw. This leaves less material to rout andimproves the quality of the cut. At thepreviously marked centerpoint drill a5/ro"hole 3/s" deep. Position the centerpoint,

    l+-20 tapered knob3zla" long

    t/a" hole

    /s" round-over

    EXTENDED BASE

    Holes for mounting @to your router, countersunk

    on bottom side

    pexeloDED vrEW

    #8 x s/e" F.H.wood screw \

    E PIVOT PINCUTTING DETAIL

    @rnnuMEL ARMEND SECTION VIEW

    T i

    161/z's/'ra" llal washer

    fit /2" ICSS

    PIVOT PINs/ro" hexhead bolt2" long with head

    hacksawed off

    20"

    sAa" tlalwasher

    Three-arm knob

    5/ro" slot

    5/ro" hexnut

    Pivot pin 12" recess5/6" deep

    adjustment plate with attached pivot pinuntil the distance from the inside cuttingedge of the straight bit to the center ofthe pivot pin equals the desired ra-dius of the circle. Now, drop the pivotpin into the centered hole and beginrouting in a counterclockwise direc-tion, as shown opposite top.

    For a source for the knobs on this andother projects, see leevalley. com. IProject design: Jeff Mertzll lustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

    extended base 1/2" 6" 91h" Ply 1trammelarm 1/2" 3" Ply 1spl ine t/a t/2 H B 1

    D connector plate 1/+" 3" H B 1E guide bars 1/2" 1/z' 2u Ply 2

    F idjulifr-diiidute %" 2" a" HB 1.Materials key: Ply-plywood, HB-hardboard.Supplies: Spray adhesive, #8x7e" flathead wood screws(2), #8xt/2" flathead wood screws (4),1h-20x1Vr" flatheadmachine screw, t/a" flat washer, t/a-20 tapered knob,%0" hexhead bolt 2" long with nut, %0" flat washers (2),%o-18 three-arm knob.Bits: /s" round-over, %" straight router bits; t/z' Forstner bit.

    %" straight bit

    27

  • @ eneruDED BASE FULL-srzE PATTERN

    28 Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • Flush-TrimmingFenceUse this simple router-table setup to puta finished edge onplywood panels.

    hile building a child's dresser,project builder Chuck Hedlundhad to do a lot of flushtrimming on the solid-wood

    edging that dresses up the plywood pan-els. He needed a foolproof way to getthe job done. A handheld router with aflush-trim bit would work, but it's easy toaccidentally tip the router and gouge theedging and plywood. Chuck solved theproblem with the router-table-mountedfence shown in the photo, above right.

    Made of 3/+" plywood, the fence sitsperpendicular to the table, as shown inDrawings 1 and 1a. The lower edge of thefence is mounted l" above the router-tablesurface, so it accommodates edging up to/+" thick.

    To build the project, cut its identi-cally sized fence and base to 173/+" wide.Measure the top of your router table to de-termine the length. Cut matching notchesin the base and fence, positioned to alignwith the bit hole in your table. Two tri-angular braces hold the base and fencetogether. The cleats at each end help posi-tion the assembly on your router table.

    Chuck also added a support panel tothe braces that stiffens the entire assem-bly. A hole cut into the support accepts ashop-vacuum hose to collect chips.

    To use the fence, install a flush-trim bitin your table-mounted router. Align thefence face flush with the bit's pilot bear-

    woodmagazine.com

    ing, and clamp the fence down. Hold theedged plywood firmly against the fenceas you make each pass, and the edgingcomes out perfectly flush every time. ?Written by David StoneProject design: Ghuck Hedlundl l lustrat ions: Roxanne LeMoine: Lorna Johnson

    IexeloDED vtEW

    fl11s/q ' iI

    Note: All stock is3/+" plywood

    j i Inside widthj i matches long legF i i of trianqular drace.

    I i l t

    ?'/"'{4 l

    Width ofrouter table

    #8 x 11/z ' F.H.wood screws

    1 x 1" notches,centered

    lEsrDE sEcfloN vtEW

    3/a x 11/z x 16" CLEAT sits flush with frontedge of base.

  • Plunge-Routing BasicsLearn the essentials, and then put your know-how into practice with the jigs on pages 32-34.

    lunge routers date back to 1949,when they were first introducedin Germany by Elu, a companynow owned by Black & Decker.

    It wasn't unti l the early-S0s, though, thatplunge routers became widely availablein North America. Today, manufacturersoffer more models of plunge routers thantheir fixed-base brethren.

    What does a plunqe routerhave going for it?-Its forte is making cuts on the interiorsurface (or field) of a workpiece for suchtasks as mortising, stopped dadoes, inlay,and sign-routing. To make field cuts witha fixed-base machine you need to ti l t thespinning bit into and out of the cut, atricky and sometimes dicey maneuver.

    ,.**ar^.**{j

    With a plunge router, the motor-and-bitmechanism slides up and down on twospring-loaded posts attached to the base.First, you preset the cutting depth, thenrelease a lock that raises the motor andbit to a non-cutting height. Position therouter over the cut, switch on the motor,and push it straight down until it contactsa depth-stop. Lock the plunge, make thecut, release the lock, and the motor andbit again spring up. You can even readjustthe depth without turning off the router,which you'l l f ind useful for makingmultiple passes on deep cuts.

    30 Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • .Enatorny of a Plunge RouterAlthough they can perform many of the same duties, ptunge routers look distincilydifferent than fixed-base routers. Beyond the motor, collet, and handles-parts common to both styles-a plunge router also has the following:

    Plunqe routers havetheir ups and downsPlunge routers make short work of sometricky cuts, but don't toss out your fixed-based router just yet. Here's why:

    Plunge pros:. A plunge router is safer than a fixed-

    base model because its bit protrudesonly when cutting.

    . Plunge routers typically offer morepower-up to 15 amps-and most havevariable-speed control, which fixed-base machines generally do not. Theseare major considerations if you plan totable-mount your router and work withlarge bits, such as panel-raisers.

    . For a table-mounted router, the plungerouter's depth-adjustment knobs controlthe bit-height changes more precisely.To take advantage of this feature, youmay need to extend your router's height-adjustment knob. Many manufacturersinclude knob extensions with theirplunge routers, or you can buy an exten-sion for $20 or so.

    Plunge cons:. Plunge routers cost and weigh more

    than fixed-base routers and offer no ad-vantage on edge cuts. If you anticipatemaking mostly edge cuts, you may bebetter off purchasing a lighter and lessexpensive fixed-base tool.

    . Not all plunge routers work well sus-pended upside down under a routertable. Falling sawdust can gum upunshielded plunge-posts, which you'llneed to clean periodically.

    . When mounted in a table, adjustingthe bit depth of some models is an.awkward, two-handed operation. Withothers, removing the plunge mechanismsprings, which makes it easier to raise atable-mounted router, requires disman-tling the machine's motor housing-aprocedure we don't recommend.

    woodmagazine.com

    PLUNGE TOCKTripping a lever, or squeezingor twisting a handle, locks thebit's depth after it has penetratedthe work-piece. Releaseingthe lock lifts the bit at the endof the cut.

    MrcRo-ADJUSTThis feature fine-tunes the cuttingdepth with micrometer accuracy.

    PIJUNGE RODSA pair of spring-loaded steel rodsattached to thesubbase guidethe motor up anddown, perfectlyperpendicular tothe base.

    ;rI'

    DEPTH ADIUSTMENT ROD AND SCALE:Not all plunge routers offer a depth-of-cutscale, but all have an adjustable rod that helpsyou halt the plunge at a precise preset depth.With most plunge routers, yotJ "zero" the toolby locking it at the work surface. Then you setan adjustable cursor to "0" on the scale. Thescale tells you the depth of the dado, mortise,or other cut you' l l be making.

    TURRET STOPSFor a project that requiresprogressive deeper cuts,such as deep mortises, youcan preset the steps on aturret. Rotating the turretenables you to quickly stepfrom one depth to the next.

    31

  • Four qreat wavsto plu-nge right inTo put a plunge router through its paces,you'll need the correct bit for the job athand (manufacturers offer hundreds for

    different shapes and sizes of cuts), andsome type of guide (straightedge, tem-plate, or jig). In many cases you'll alsoneed guide bushings, which fit into yourrouter's baseplate, to follow the guide.

    You can spend good money for ac-cessory jigs, but you can construct yourown for next to nothing. So we asked ourtalented staff to come up with jigs forfour popular plunge-routing tasks.

    Mortising Jig,awnsnuhe trick to cutting mortises in ta-ble legs is to precisely position themortise on each leg and to makeeach mortise exactly the same

    length. Build the mortising jig, as shownin the drawing at right, and you'll be ableto cut identical Vz"-wrde mortises timeafter t ime.

    To set up a cut, mark the l,ength andcenterline of the mortise on your work-piece. Clamp the workpiece to the jig'sbase so the mortise is centered in the sloton the sliding top plate. Lock the plateinto place with the wing nuts. The thread-ed rod acts as a stop, and allows you toadjust the length of the mortise-fromth." to 2t/+". Once you've locked in thesesettings, you can quickly transfer the jigfrom one workpiece to the next.

    Now, fit your router with a /+" guidebushing and a /:" straight or spiral-flutebit. (For the cleanest cuts, use an up-cutspiral for solid wood; a down-cut spiralwith plywood and veneers.) Insert theguide bushing in the jig's slot, turn on thepower, plunge, lock, and guide the rout-er from one end of the slot to the other.Deep mortises will require two or morepasses-no sweat, thanks to your plungerouter's turret stops. $

    \\Q4r1/+" flalwasner-Zf

    ffi

    11/q '

    1 /zx1x 6%" p lywood

    1/z x 9s/a x 9" plywood

    Ig-- #8 x 1 1/q" F.H.V wood screw

    sAe" shank hole,countersunk

    o 1/z x 3s/q x 1 1" plywood

    1 " -

    21/q" 7

    ,/.r/33/a

    \a-11/2"

    7sz" shank holes, countersunk on bottom side.Requires a7/aq" pilothole s/q" deep drilled intobottom of fence'boOV @ Locate screwsto avoid groove.

    /e" shank holes

    F- 11/q" --4

    2V4"13/sz" hole,centeredover groove

    woodmagazine.com 5 1

  • Bandsaw Multi-JigCircle-CuttingGuide{ Crosscut two pieces of t/ax3/a" flatI steel to 18" long. Cut two pieces to

    t/sxlxl7/rc" for the stop. See Drawing 1for reference. Drill and tap the holes inthe stop pieces where shown.flCut the arms (A) to size from %" solidAstock (we used birch).QCut the arm spacers (B) and slidingUtrammel (C) to size plus 12" in lengthfrom t/2" stock.1/lCut a t/+" rabbet t/+" deep along thet?bottom outside edge of each arm (A),where shown below. Tesrfit the newlycreated tenon on each arm into the mat-ing slots in the table. See pages 47-50.fiCut a %" groove 3/s" deep, centeredtJalons the inside edee of each arm(A) and along the extrallong blanks forthe arm spacers (B) and sliding trammel(C), where shown in Drawing 1a. Checkthat the t/sx3Axl8" flat steel stock slidessmoothly without slop in the grooves inparts A, B, and C. Then, crosscut theparts B and C to length from the 12"-longblanks where shown in Drawing 1.frDril l a' ls" hole, centered, in the slid-Lling trammel (C). Drive at/+" threaded

    I exeloDED vrEWs/0" chamfer on inboard bottom end of arms

    1/q-20 F.H. machine screwtrimmed to z/ro" long

    Inboard endof guide

    .. /

    t/q" hole. centeredand countersunk

    t/e" flat steel1" wide x 1zl ro" long

    r7oq" hole, tapped for machine screw

    @ slrorr.rc TRAMMEL

    insert square into thesliding trammel.'f Hacksaw thef heads off two

    tA" hexhead boltswith smooth uppershanks. Cut to 3/1"long to form the two 7+"-long trammelpoints l ike those shown in Drawing 1a.(lAssemble (dry-fit) the flat steel intoLlthe groove in the arms (A), and po-sition parts B and C between the steelstock. The trammel (C) must slide backand forth on the flat steel. Sand thegrooves in the trammel if necessary untilit slides freely.flEpoxy the steel stock into the grooves{fin the arms (A). Immediatelv removeany excess epoxy. Later, position thespacers (B) and sliding trammel (C)between the two assemblies, keeping theends of the spacers flush with the endof the arms. Epoxy the spacers in place;the trammel must be le.ft free to slideon the steel stock Rub a bit of paraffinon the bars if necessary so the trammelslides smoothly.

    t/q" rabbelt/q" deep

    t/e" grooves7a" deep,centered onedge of stock

    /a" flat steel3/q" wide x 18" long

    Use 1/a-20 hexhead Grind topbolts with heads cut half of bbttoff to form pins,. \ ziJi pont.rJ\ ("

    -

    ,.n'19 $\l-""';['fr,i1"o =\ Vl

    Saw a screwdriver slot inbottom endsof trammelpoints.7e" hole,centered

    t/e" grooves 3/8" deep

    { flUsing the t/q-20 machine screw,I usecure the stop to the steel stock so

    the stop will slide on the flat steel stock.{ { Cut the tranrmel disc (D) to shape,tr I and drill a %:" hole in its center. For

    use of this jig, see Drawing 2. dP

    ' lg"

    B* arm soacers 1/z' 11/z' 11/z'

    C* slidino trammel t/2" 11/z' 11/z'

    D t rammeld isc 3%" d iam. H-Cut parts marked with an * oversize in length. Trim tofinished size according to the instructions.Materials key: B-birch, H-hardboard.Supplies: l/axs/t" flalsteel 36" long, %x1 " flat steel3tl2" long, t/+ threaded inserl:2-th-20x2" hexhead bolts(for trammel points), 1/q-20x1/2" flathead machine screw(trimmed to u/ro' long).

    l ! suotNc TRAMMEL DETATL

    52

    1/+" rabbelt/+" deep -

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • B usrruc rHE ctRCLE-CUTTING GUIDE

    BesbEverYard Figure Plans

    ...F:t . .

    HeavenlyWinds AngelsPlan OFS-I080 513.95

    ; # r i '" 4 i

    ,*" ,, ' : .::. ,:.i',*, :1i+1

    f f i i ; h i "..4? i t

    : t :

    .ti

    .ri

    Sittin'Pretty SantaPlan OFS-I060 513.95

    Sleek and Stylish ReindeerPlan OFS-I068 513.95

    Angelic ChorusPlan OFS-I019 513.95

    SleighPlan OFS-I011 513.95

    All-Star LuminariaPlan OFS-I049 59.95

    druJumbo Transfer Paper

    TS-1010 S9.9s

    See more than 1,000 other woodworking plans at:woodmagazi ne.com /plans

    Add 53 (5+H) per order to have these full-sized patterns mailed to you. Call toll-fiee:l-888'636- 4478Please have your credit card available.

    CIRCLE-CUTTING GUIDE

    STOP SLtDtNGTRAMMEL

    and PIN

    Set stop to achieveradius of circle tobe cut.

    Remove the r ight-hand spacer guide, andreplace i t with the circle-cutt ing guide.Posit ion and secure the sl iding trammelso the distance from the center of the pinto the blade is eoual to the radius of thecircle vou want to cut.

    SL ID INGTRAMMEL

    sing double- faced tape, adhere thetrammel disc to the bottom center of thestock. Posit ion i t onto the oin.

    Plan OFS-I003 513.95

    Start with the edge of the stock againstthe blade. Turn the saw on, and slowlyrotate the stock into the blade. At thesame t ime, slowly push the stock(mounted to the disc and sl iding trammel)toward the blade unti l the sl iding trammelcomes in contact with the stop. Blade wil lbegin to cut a perfect circle at this point.

    woodmagazine.com

  • Accurate-AlignmentBiscuit-Joiner JigMount your biscuitjoiner to this handy iig,and step up to a newlevel of precision andconvenience whencutting slots in3/a"-thick material.

    Start with the base.fl From /+" plywood, cut the base (A) toI the finished size of 18x233/+". From

    t/q" tempered hardboard, cut the top (B)to l8t/+x24".flUsing a dado blade in your tablesaw,&cut a 7s" groove t/s" deep in the top ofthe base, where shown on Drawing 1 anddimensioned on Drawing 2.f}Ar shown in Photo A, use scrapVl/1" plywood for a platen, cauls, andspacers, to adhere the oversize top (B) tothe base (A) with yellow woodworkingglue. Center the top with an equal over-hang on all edges. After the glue dries,trim the top flush with the base using aflush-trim bit in your router.a{ Refit vour tablesaw with a t/+" dadoG*utua..'Then cut a r/+"-deep groove in

    the top (B) centered over the 7s" groovein the base (A), where dimensioned onDrawing 2. (This forms a T-slot for thealignment-guide toilet bolt, where shownon Drawing 1.) Now change to a /g" dadoblade, and cut a 3/a"-deep groove in thebase/top, where dimensioned on Draw-ing2. (This groove holds parts in positionwhen plunging slots in beveled edges.)ffiFrom '/+" plywood, cut the bracketssJ(C), fences (D), and cleats (E) to thesizes l isted in the Materials List. Position

    54

    Edge-to-edge jointWith the j ig clamped to your work-bench, posit ion the workpiece againstthe f ixed fences. Al ign the marks, andcut the slot.

    90o corner jointFor a 90" joint, place the workpieceagainst the square edge of the 90'/45'al ignment guide. Posit ion the guide toa l ign the cut .

    Beveled-edge jointHold the part against the f ixed fenceswith the beveled edge in the 3/sx3/e"groove. This offsets the slot toward theinside face.

    45o corner jointTo cut a slot in a 45' mitered end, posi-t ion the workpiece against the anglededge of the guide. Fl ip the guide to cutthe other end.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • the fences against the brackets, whereshown, with the ends and bottoms flush.Drill mounting holes, and drive the screws.ftClamp the fence assemblies (C/D)\Jin position on the base/top (A/B),where shown on Drawings 1 and 2,with the front face of the fences flushwith the back edge of the r/a" groove. Tokeep the fences aligned, clamp a scrappiece of 3/q" plywood as a straightedgeto the front of the fences. Check thatyour biscuit joiner fits in the opening be-

    tween the fences with the biscuit-joinerfence flush against the straightedge.If your joiner has a dust-collection port,make sure you have sufficient clearancefor the hose attachment. If needed, trimthe fence assemblies to fit the joiner, andthen remove the joiner.Twith the straightedge clamped to thef fences, glue and clamp the fences to

    the top (B). Drill mounting holes rhroughthe brackets (C) into the base/top, anddrive the screws. Remove the straightedge.

    90"/45"ALIGNMENT GUIDE

    Glue and clamp the top (B), centered,to the base (A), using a plywood platenand cauls to evenly distribute theclamping pressure.

    #8 x 1 1/z' F.H. wood screw

    -----------___

    /1 9 "

    t/n" groovess/o" dgep

    FENCEASSEMBLY

    #8 x 11/z' F.H. iwood screws --4

    5Y4'

    t-2',

    7oz" shank hole,countersunk

    r #8 x 1 1/z' F.H. wood screw

    |,.--r/uo" pilot hole s/q" deep

    R=/2"

    7gz" shank hole, countersunkon bottom face

    F-/

    D

    - )'- Four-arm knobt t 1 / . t t 4 l ^ + . . , ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ .Y -.-- 1/+" flat washerg

    i a

    th-2o x2r/q" loilel bolt --- I

    lEEXPLODED VIEW

    a PARTS V|EW

    3/.r" grOOVe" deep fc@"no r\ p"tr

    des

    - f 4

    - - * T-"--*:*-** 3{e"*****-f-

    -N

    woodmagazine.com

  • -l

    ClPosition the cleats (E) on the bot-{Oto- of the base (A), where shownon Drawings I and 2. (The cleats posi-tion the jig against the front edge of yourworkbench.) Drill mounting holes, anddrive the screws.fiDraw t/2" radii on the corners of theYbase/top and brackets (C). Cut andsand the radii smooth.I nUsing a Forstner bit, drill l" holesI llJ(for hanging the jig) through the

    base/top, where dimensioned on Draw-ing 2. Use a backer to prevent tear-out.

    Add the alignment guide{ From-/+" plywood, cut the guide (F)I to size. Then cut a V+" gtoove 3/ro"

    deep on both faces of the guide, wheredimensioned on Drawing 2. Now drilla t/q" hole through the guide, centered inthe groove, where dimensioned.6Mark the 45' angle on the guide.lBandsaw or jigsaw to the line, andsand the edge smooth.4lTo form the long and short guidetJbars (G, H), plane or resaw a pieceof t/qx2xl6" hardwood (we used maple)to W" thick to glide smoothly in the Vq"groove in the top (B). Rip a 7a"-wide stripfrom the piece. Then crosscut two 5Vz"-long bars and two 2V+"-long bars fromthe piece. Glue the bars in place in theguide (F), leaving a l" space betweenthem, where shown on Drawing 1. Afterthe glue dries, trim the ends of the shortguide bars flush with the angled edge ofthe guide using a fine-tooth saw.

    Finish up, and rig the i ig{ Finish-sand the base assembly andI alignment guide, and remove the dust.

    Apply three coats of satin polyurethane,sanding to 220 grit between coats.fJTo mount your biscuit joiner, reclampAthe straightedge to the fences. Thenposition the joiner on the jig, and markcenterpoints for the joiner-base mount-ing holes on the top (B), as shown inPhotos B and C. (Due to the tight spacewith some joiners, you may need to usea nail instead of an awl to mark the cen-terpoints.) Drill shank holes through thebase/top assembly, and countersink themon the bottom face. (The screws mustnot protrude from the base.) Fasten thejoiner to the assembly with suitable hard-ware. (To mount our Porter-Cable Model557 joiner, we drilled 3/ro" shank holesthrough the base assembly and securedthe unit with 3Aex2Vz" flathead machinescrews and 3/te" flat washers and nuts.)

    Note: If your biscuit joiner does not havemounting holes, check if it has a remov-able baseplate attached with machinescrews. If so, drill holes in the iig baseassembly matching the baseplate holepattern, and mount the unit using thesame size machine screws except I" lon-ger to account for the thickness of thebase assembly. If your joiner does nothave a removable baseplate, you'll needto drill holes through the baseplate.{! Finally, install a r/q-20x2va" toilet bolt,l)V4" flat washer. and four-arm knob onthe alignment guide, where shown onDrawing 1. Then slide the guide ontothe base assembly, engaging the toilet-bolt head in the T-groove, and tighten theknob. Now clamp the jig to your work-bench, and plunge away! lF

    baseB* top 1/+' 18" 233h" TH 1C brackets 3/c" 51/+u 8?/8" BP 2D fences 3/t' 2' 87/a' BP 2

    cleats

    guide 3/q ' 11" 11" BPG* long guide bars 1/+u 3/a' 51/z' H

    H* short guide bars 3/e" 21/+" H-Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.Materials key: BP-birch plywood, TH-temperedhardboard, H-hardwood.Supplies: #8x1%" flathead wood screws (16),1A-20x21/q" toilet bolt, t/q" flat washer, four-arm knob.Blades and bits: Dado-blade set, flush{rim router bit,1" Forstner bit.

    Posit ion your biscuit joiner on the j ig, and clamp it to the straightedge. Then mark thecenterpoints of the joiner-base mounting holes (shown at right).

    Gutting Diagram

    3/qx24 x 48" Birch plywoodG Pj

    3/qx31/2x24" Hardwood (.7 bd. f t .)*Plane or resaw to the thickness listed in the Materials

    56

    1/a x 24 x 24" Tempered hardboard

    Written by Owen DuvallProject design: Jeff Mertzll lustrations: Roxanne LeMoineList.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • HandPlaneAfter assembling thislittle gem, Vou may betempted to place it ina display case. Butgo ahead and put itto work. This sturdyplane will do wondersin your shop.woodmagazine.com

    First, let's make the parts.f Cut a maple blank to ItAx2r/zxl4"I (enough material for two block

    planes, and long enough to run througha thickness planer). If you don't havelzA"-thick maple (8/4 stock), laminate theblank from thinner pieces of maple. Pre-pare an identical sized scrap blank.f)Plane both blanks to Itt/ro" thick,lkeepine all sides of each blank squareto each other. Set aside the scrap blankfor now.ff Crosscut the maple blank to 6Vz" long,\land adhere the Front Core Blank, RearCore Blank, and Wedge Block full-sizepatterns (Drawing 6) on page 60 to the

    top face with spray adhesive or rubbercement. Cut the core blanks (A and B),and the wedge block (C) to shape with abandsaw, staying just outside the lines.Sand the parts to shape using a stationarysanding belt or disc set absolutely squareto its table. On your tablesaw, trim thewedge block (C) to 1/s" thick. Set it aside./lFromt/q" padauk, cut two plane sidesrt(D) to 2t/zx6t/2". Cut the Side full-size pattern (Drawing 5) found on page60 along its bottom edge. Next, adhereit to one of the side pieces, being carefulto precisely align the bottom edge ofthe pattern with the bottom edge of theside piece.

    57

  • ll eoov ASSEMBLY

    Now, shape up the body{ Using Drawing 1 as a guide, positionI parts A, B, and D on a flat surface,

    such as the top of your tablesaw. Placewaxed paper underneath the parts.fiGlue and clamp the front and rear core4blanks (A and B) to the side (D) withthe applied pattern. Be careful to alignthe part bottoms, and leave a t/tr," spacebetween the front and rear core blanks.After the glue dries, glue and clamp theother side to the core blanks.flCut the scrap blank to 5" long and insert\Jthis piece (unglued) into the open throatof the plane assembly. It should fit snugly,but loosely enough so you can removeit later. The scrap serves as a chip breakerfor the cutting and drilling that follows.,1| Next, cut the assembly to length,rtusing Drawing 5 as a guide. Cut thecurved portions with a bandsaw. Sand theedges, ends, and bottom with 100-gritabrasive. Take care to keep the bottomflat and square to the sides.

    A few final touchesand you'l l be planing{ Place a t/t" brt in your drill press, andI set i ts table square to the bit . Dri l l the

    t/,+" hole at the location marked on Draw-ing 5 through the assembly. (See Photo Aatr ight.) Dri l l therTo+" holes, where shownon the pattern, through the assembly.Remove the pattern and scrap blank.f)Cut f ive pieces of /+"-diameter brass&rod to 2j/rt" long. Near the ends of oneof the brass rods, reduce the diarneter justslightly (by about r,/o+") with light sand-ing. Insert this rod into the t/+" hole, with-draw it about t/2", apply epoxy to both rodends, and reinsert. Apply epoxy to theremaining holes and insert the other brassrods. The rods should protrude evenly onboth sides of the plane. Afier the epoxycures, use a stat ionary sander to f lushthe ends of the five brass rods with bothplane sides.{lSet up a '1/t" core-box bit in a routerVtable, as shown on Drawing 2. Placethe bottom of the plane against the routerfence with either end against the r ighrside stopblock. Lower the plane onto the

    58

    spinning bit, holding it f irmly against thef-ence and table, and slide the plane to theleft until it contacts the other stopblock.Lift the plane straight up and off the bit.Rotate the plane end for end and repeatthis routing procedure to cut a rnatchingfin-eer recess in the other side of the planebody, as shown on Drawing 3.,{ Round the edges of the wedge-?block (C) and the plane sides (D)with a %" round-over bit, where indi-cated on Drawing 4. Sand smooth theareas you just routed in the last two steps.EFinish-sand the ent i re plane witht la succession of 150- and 220-gr i tabrasives. We applied two coats of Olyrn-pic Interior Antique Oil Finish. lP

    The scrap blank prevents the side stockfrom tearing out when you dri l l lhe'r/q"holes for the brass rods.

    Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • E noureR-TABLE sETUp FoR FTNGER REcESS

    T"rja -;s'*" I#.)}-;--t" stoPblock

    4 exeloDED vrEW

    170+" holes, drilledafter assembly

    @

    t/e" round-overs

    @WEDGE BLOCK

    round-over

    BLADE

    1/q" hole, drilledafter assembly

    @SIDE

    ElstDE vtEW

    Finger recess, routed with a7a" core-box bit t/e" deep

    A- rearcoreblan( 1i1/1d' 11/2" 37/a"B* frontcoreblank lttAd' 1t/''a" 2Vd' MC* wedge block 1s/d' 1%d' 31sAd' MD sides 1/;' 2t/e" 6"

    /+" brass rods 2slo" long

    -Cut parts marked with an * oversized, Trim to finishedsize according to the instructions,Materials key: M-maple, P-padauk,Supplies: t/a" brass rod 12" long, epoxy, oilfinish.

    SourcesPfane blade. Hockls/sx4r/2" blade, item 04835, $36.99.Woodcraft, 800-225-1153 to order or go towoodcraft.com,Wood and brass rod. Enough t/" padauk, 1ttl0" maple,/+" brass rod, and scrap lo make one plane. Kit LP-15,$9.95 plus shipping. Schlabaugh and Sons Woodwork-ing, call 800-346-9663, schsons.com.

    Written by Bill Krier with Jim DowningProject Design: Paul Hamlerlllustrations: Kim Downing; Lorna Johnson

    @FRONT CORE BLANK

    t/a" round-overs, outside edge only

    REARCOREBLANK

    Finger recess

    No round-over

    ri:"'ffii"v&

    s

    woodmagazine.com

    170+" holes, drilled after assembly

    59

  • E SIDE FULL-SIZE PATTERN

    61/2"

    Waste is shaded.21/z'

    / XiiJ?sSll|:i\ \t+\tr sB=

    \

    ----r ,-*h

    (2 needed)vv\z

    tz/a+" holes, drilledafter assembly

    -/_/ +

    /'-r'r l

    /-l-\*-=\ /^q

    ,%o"r)1"r, drittedafter assembly

    E cone BLANKS AND WEDGE-BLOCK FULL-SIZE PATTERNS 'irl8 ---+l

    WEDGE BLOCKFRONT CORE

    BLANK

    60 Best-Ever Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools, & Shop Organizers 2008

  • 0uick-and-Easy

    @ roe vrEW-T

    3/a"

    I

    f-- 2,'r_-----] 1/qx1" F .H .machine screw

    t/q" hole, countersunkon back side

    )@I1s/a

    ' 5/6"justmentL

    Height GaugeRaise your cuttingaccuracy to new levels.

    et the cutting depth of tablesawblades easily using this adjustablegauge. To ensure accuracy, weoutfitted it with a steel rule. See

    Source below for the parts.Start by cutting the body to size from

    34" maple, as shown on Drawing 1. Plowa t3/tz"-deep groove, sized to fit your rule,in one face of the body, where shown.

    Next, set your dado blade to V+", andcut the combined rabbet and groove in thebody for the sliding bar. To do this, placethe gauge body on edge (ungrooved faceagainst the fence). Cut the rabbet/groovein three passes, with the last one at Is/s",where shown on Drawing 1a.

    Drill and countersink the screw hole.Then sand and finish the body.

    Use a coping saw or scrollsaw to shapethe t/+" acrylic sliding bar to the dimen-sions shown. Create the adjustment slotby drilling a pair of s/re" holes, whereshown, and cutting out the material be-tween them. Smooth the edges of the slotand the outer edges of the bar u