Wood Magazine 193 (October 2009)

PROJECTS24 For the Shop: Bench-top Risers32 On the Cover: Drop-front Desk50 Super-simple Rocking Horse66 Magazine Storage Boxes75 Clamp Rack

SKILL BUILDERS28 Avoiding Biscuit-joiner Blunders34 No-fail Method for Hinge Mortising40 Make and Install Door and Window Trim43 Five Trim Tricks From a Pro52 Making Identical Project Parts54 Very Easy Veneering72 Save Money by Salvaging Lumber

TOOLS & FEATURES8 ATribute to Our Readers

22 Wise Buys: Right-angle Braces58 25 Best Tool Innovations of 25 Years64 WOOD's First Quarter Century69 Tool Test: Tablesaw Tenoning Jigs78 Shop-proven Products

Oscillating drum sander, quick-set jointer knives, and more.

DEPARTMENTS6 Editor's Angle

10 Shop Tips18 The Shop Monkey

Are metal fasteners bad?

83 AskWOOD92 What's Ahead

It's pure democracy in action:Woodworkers upload photos oftheir favorite projects, and otherwoodworkers vote to choose whogets a$1,000+ tool prize in eachof six project categories.You could win! Learn more atwoodmagazine.com/showdown.

NEW! GAllERY OFWOODWORKINGGREATS

To honor the 25th anniversary of WOOD" magazine, we askedeach of our editors to tell you 25 interesting things aboutthemselves. For example:•Which editor thinks he may have too many clamps?•Which was once adaring young man on the flying trapeze?•Who had to remove awindow to deliver acommissioned bed?•Which editor has never tasted coffee or ketchup?Find out in the "After Hours with the WOOD Gang" blog atwoodmagazine.com/afterhours.

25 FACTS ABOUT 10 EDITORS

Few woodworkers are household names, butplenty of top-notch woodworkers deserverecognition for their work nevertheless. Atwoodmagazine.com/wwgreats, you'll get toknow some of these unsung heroes of theshop and take alook at their fabulous work,such as this jewelry box from David Selditz.

3

ONLINE PROJECT CONTEST

on the webwoodmagazine.com

ON VIDEO:MORE ABOUT

VENEERINGAfter trying your hand at Very Easy

Veneering on page 54, why not takeyour veneering skills to the next level?

Download Darryl Keil's Working WithVeneer video ($27.95) from the

Better Woodworking video library atwoodmagazine.com/videos.

YOU POST PHOTOS/EVERYBODY VOTES!

Magazine's

WOODWORKINGSlOWDOWN

5

The 24x30' garage I constructed in 1993. It housedmy shop and made possiblethe projects I later built.

The bar I built of oak and luanplywood, and tempered hardboard. It has a dyed concretetop, and a plywood foot tiled to

. match the floor.

Publisher MARK L. HAGEN

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING

Vice President/Group Publisher TOM DAVIS

MEREDITH PUBLISHING GROUP

President JACK GRIFFINExecutive Vice President DOUG OLSON

Chief Revenue Officer TOM HARTYFinance & Administration MIKE RIGGS

Manufacturing BRUCE HESTON

Consumer Marketing DAVID BALL

Corporate Sales MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN

Meredith 3600 JEANNINE SHAO COLLINSInteractive Media LAUREN WIENER

Corporate Marketing NANCY WEBERResearch BRlnA WARE

Chief Technology Officer TINA STEIL

New Media Marketing Services ANDY WILSON

Direct Response and Travel PAnl FOLLO

woodmagazine.com

Vol. 26, No.5

Art Director Senior Design Editor............. KARL EHLERS KEVIN BOYLE

Techniques Editor Tool & Techniques Editor............................ BOB WILSON BOB HUNTER

Multimedia Editor Multimedia EditorLUCAS PETERS CRAIG RUEGSEGGER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFBILL KRIER ...

Managing Editor Deputy Editor.............. MARLEN KEMMET DAVE CAMPBELL

Design Editor Associate Art DirectorJEFF MERTZ GREG SELLERS ;

Production/Office Manager Administrative AssistantMARGARET CLOSNER SHERYL MUNYON

Chairman of the Board WILLIAM T. KERR

In Memoriam - E.T. Meredith III (1933-2003)

Business Manager JEFF STILESConsumer Marketing Director TODD BIERLE

Associate Director of Marketing-Newsstand TOM DEERING

Production Manager SANDY WILLIAMSAdvertising Operations Manager JIM NELSON

E-Commerce Manager MAn SNYDER

President and Chief Executive Officer STEPHEN M. LACY

CHICAGO: 333 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60601

Marketing Manager AMANDA SALHOOTAdvertising Manager JACK CHRISTIANSEN

Account Executive RYAN INTERLANDDirect Response Advertising Representative LISA GREENWOOD

Assistant TIM BAARDAATLANTA: Navigate Media

DETROIT: RPM Associates

© Copyright Meredith Corporation 2009. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.Retail Sales

Retailers can order copies of WOOD for [email protected]

Our subscribers list is occasionally made available to carefully selectedfirms whose products may be of interest to you. If you prefer not toreceive information from these companies by mail or by phone, pleaselet us know. Send your request along with your mailing label to MagazineCustomer Service, P.O. Box 37452, Boone, IA 50037-0452.

woodmagazine.com

The flintlock rifle Imade from a kit usinghand tools. I handshaped and finished itto fit the many metalinserts.

PhotographersJASON DONNELLY, scon LITTLE, JAY WILDE

Contributing Illustrators TIM CAHILL, LORNA JOHNSON, ROXANNE LeMOINE

Technical Consultants BOB BAKER, DOUG HICKS

Contributing Craftsman JIM HEAVEY

Contributing Proofreaders BABS KLEIN, IRA LACHER, JIM SANDERS

The Shaker mantelclock I made for myparents' 50th weddinganniversary.

SUBSCRIBER SERVICEGo to woodmagazine.com/help or write to

WOOD magazine, P.O. Box 37439, Boone, IA 50037-0439

The built-in wall unit in myfamily room. Designing itinvolved multiple types ofconstruction details.

We asked our staff:What's the favorite project youbuilt in the past 25 years?

October 2009

.~ '---'. .1 -, ,

..~Thanks for the

memories-here's tomany more!

WOOD magazine October 2009

What willthe next 2S yearsbring? Your guess isas good as mine. I do know that as massmedia continues to evolve, we will meetyour information needs in any formyou desire: on paper, DVD, online,videos, and via new technologies wehave yet to dream up. And through ourWeb site, woodmagazine.com, theinformation sharing will be more andmore of a two-way street, an evenexchange between you, us, and the restof the woodworking world.

drop-front computer desk on page 32,the classic (but simple-to-build) rockinghorse on page 50, and the file for storingpast issues of the magazine (page 66).

Speaking of past issues, we also choseto celebrate our first 2S years withsomething a great many of you haverequested: a comprehensive indexedcollection of pastissues on easy-tostore DVDs. Thead on the nextpage spellsout theparticularsof thisoffering.

6

To be honest, I don't pay a lot ofattention to silver anniversariesunless, of course, we're talking

about something personal such as myown marriage. In which case I'd betternot forget it for obvious reasons. Sowhen the staff and I sat down to plot acourse for celebrating your favoritemagazine being in existence for 2Syears, we decided from the get-go tomake it about you, not us. We're notgoing to extol all of the wonderfulthings we've accomplished since ourinception, though you will learn aboutsome of the more interesting milestoneson page 64. Instead, you'll find thefollowing:• Page 8 features our small tribute toyour incredible faithfulness as readers.It's a fact that you renew your subscriptions at a rate so high, it is the envy ofthe publishing world. And we neverforget that. The best customers in theworld deserve the best woodworkingmagazine anywhere, and that thoughtdrives our work every day.• On page 58, you'll find our list of the2S greatest consumer woodworkinginnovations of the past 2S years. Withso many inventive and helpful toolsand trends to choose from, it took theentire staff's know-how to whittle downthe list. Hopefully, you will even findsome solid guidance on what to buywith those tool bucks burning a hole inyour pocket. If you think we missed adeserving innovation, though, let meknow at [email protected].• We also wanted to design severalprojects worthy of this big occasion.And I think we succeeded with the

This issue marks a quarter century Qf WOOD® magazine servingthe world with woodworking information. It's been quite a ride,and continues to get more interesting every day.

Editor's Ang'------Ie _

For more informationor a dealer near youvisit www.ugl.com orcall 1-800-272-3235. -

COlor. It I~ Idea or nuture.floors, woodwork and wood, metal Orfiberglass doors.

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In addition, the Advanced Green PhaseResin Dispersion Technology utilizesenvironmentally friendly resins thatresult in a voe compliant product.

With its delicious new colors, Ultra MaxWood Stain gives you a great look that isalso good for the environment.

Top tips earn tools!Tell us how you've solved a workshopstumper. If we print it, you'll get $100and a copy of 450+ Best-Ever Shop Tips(woodmagazine.com/450tips). And, ifyour idea garners Top Shop Tip honors,we'll also reward you with atool prize worth at least $300.

Send your best ideas, alongwith photos or drawings andyour daytime phone number,to: Shop Tips, WOODMagazine, 1716 LocustSt., LS-221, Des Moines,IA 50309-3023. Or, bye-mail: [email protected] your contact info in the e-mail.

Because we try to publish originaltips, please send your tips only toWOOO® magazine. Sorry, submittedmaterials can't be returned.

I~l

! j l~l~f~

iio5~iE

-.- ~ Ii~ .L! I-

Recognize the face? You saw it in this Ispot in the September 2008 issue. Andif Serge Duclos' name rings a bell, itmay be because he is perhaps the I.world's most prolific tipster: More than120 of his woodworking shop pointers !have been published. I

~

l

Ii~

fI

For sending in this issue's Top Shop Tip,Serge receives a Dremel prize packageincluding the Multi-Max, 300 seriesrotary tool, workstation, plunge routerattachment, and a bevy of accessories.

wrench. The block holds the bolt-andtherefore the insert-perpendicular.

-Ray Pugh, Benton City, Wash.

Top Shop Tip

continued on page 12

the cutting board's built-in handle torout mortises or to make handles inprojects and shop jigs.

The best feature of these cuttingboards: their low cost. I find them forabout a dollar apiece at discount stores.

-Serge Duclos, De/son, Que.

An on-the-Ievel solutionfor screwy insert~After drilling the pilot holes for severalthreaded inserts, I ran into a problem.When installing them by hand with ascrewdriver, the threads cause theinserts to go into the hole angled byabout S°.

The solution: I cut a 314" dado I" deepthrough a 2x2x3" block of hardwood,and then drilled a 114" hole into thecenter of the dado and through theblock. With the dado side down, Idropped a 3" long 1f4"x20 bolt throughthe top of the block and threaded a locknut on the end until about 1jz!' of thethread was showing below it. I added awasher and then hand-tightened thethreaded insert against it.

With the block flat on the workpieceas shown, I thread the insert in thepilot hole by turning the bolt with a

From cutting board to template cuttingI found the perfect router templatematerial in-where else?-my kitchen!Those polyethylene cutting boardsmake nearly indestructible templatesfor circle-cutting, butterfly keys,decorative inlay, or slot-cutting.

The boards machine to shape easilyusing regular woodworking tools andblades. Then just clamp one to yourworkpiece and rout away. I've even used

Helping you work faster, smarter, and safer

Sho

10 WOOD magazine October 2009 •

WOOD magazine October 2009.

gtl

y," plywood,2 x2" (2 pieces)attached withone screw to

pivot out of waywhen replacing

rag box.

-Fred Mandel, Dinsmore, Sask.

Secure the bouncing rag boxWhile finishing some cabinets in my shop, I reached backto pull a heavy-duty paper towel out of its box. Unfortunately, the entire box followed and knocked over the opencontainer of finish on the way. While cleaning up thegooey mess, red-faced and frustrated, I resolved to fix theproblem of the bouncing box.

The result was the wall-hung box holder seen here. If youmount the box upside down in a high location, you'll bepulling against the box every time you reach for a rag. Andthe box will remain secure down to the very last rag.

-Richard Shahan, Edina, Mo.

Shop Ti~

Target tips by tool for better organizationHave you ever found yourself thumbing through pastmagazines trying to find a half-remembered tip? Mysolution was to photocopy the tips as soon as the magazinearrives, and then organize them according to the tool towhich they relate. It's now much easier to look up a tip.Even my woodworking buddies occasionally make use ofmy tip library.

12

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Cutting corners paysoff for panelsAfter a raised-panel split in a cabinetdoor, I performed an autopsy to seewhat caused the failure. It turns outsome glue squeeze-out froze thepanel corners in place preventingthe wood from contracting withoutsplitting.

Now, before I glue up my raisedpanel doors, I always knock off thecorners of the panel with a chiseljust 114" or so to make sure it stayshidden. I've had no more split doorssince I started doing this becauseany squeeze-out can't reach thepanel's corners.

-John Hammen, Kaukauna, Wis.

Knock off corners of panel.

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woodmagazlne.com

. Square plug in a roundhole for reilrillingTo enlarge existing holes, especiallylarge ones made with a Forstner bitor holesaw, you can't just plug themwith a dowel and then redrill. Lasttime I found myself in this spot, Irealized that thefiller plug didn'tnecessarily have to be round. Ablock of scrap wood does nicely.

Size the block for a snug fit in thehole, then mark the center of theblock by drawing lines from cornerto corner. X marks the spot fordrilling the larger hole because thecentermark of the block is also thehole centermark.

-Mike Randall, Ohai, Southland, New Zealand

Shop Ti~

Fast and evenfeatherboardsI saw your Ask WOOD® piece onfeatherboards iIi the Dec/]an2007/2008 issue (no. 181, p. 92), and.wanted to share my method formaking all those cuts qUickly andaccurately.

First cut several spacers 1/16" thickand 6" long. Draw a line down thecenter of the featherboard blank, andset your bandsaw's fence to make thefirst cut down that centerline. Add aspacer between the fence and theblank and make a second cut. Then,flip the board edge-far-edge to makea matching cut on the other side ofthe centerline. Repeat the process ofadding spacers and making matchingcuts to complete the featherboard.

-Fred Noland, Clarkston, Wash.

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W®DCRAFT@I

QUALITY WOODWORKING TOOLS SUPPLIES. ADVICE@) 14 WOOD magazine October 2009.

Cannibalized clamp makesa quick-release fenceAfter hunting for a rip fence smallenough to fit my benchtop bandsaw, Icame up with the quick-release oneshown here. The simple L-shapescrapwood fence has a cleat at the rearthat drops over the back edge of thetable. On the business end, a set ofbrackets holds the bar of a one-handedbar clamp. I removed the fixed jaw ofthe clamp and dropped it between thebrackets. The clamp's cross-pin pullsagainst the brackets when the clamppresses against the table, tighteningthe fence in place.

-Vincent Durante, Huntsville, Texas


woodmagazine.com 15

Hardboardcutting guidealigned with

layout/cutHneson workpiece

Shop Ti~

Arrow-straight cutsfor odd-shaped partsI recently completed a project thatrequired several irregularly shapedplywood panels. Although the sides allhad to be straight, there wasn't a 90 0

angle to 1;Je found. Here's the tablesawsled I came up with to accomplish theawkward task.

To make one for yourself, routchannels on the plywood base for theT-track, and then assemble the base,cutting guide, and hardwood rearfence. Attach them to the miter slotrunner so the right edge passes just tothe right of the saw kerf. Make a firstpass through the tablesaw to cut thesled precisely even with the saw kerf.Add the T-track and toggle clamps:

Layout the cutlines on your workpiece and simply align the workpiecewith the cutting guide, securing themwith toggle clamps. The cut runsstraight regardless of the angle.•

-Alan Schaffter, Washington, N.C.

woodmagazlne.com 17

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The Shop MonkeyDon't be afraid... he's trained.

Joint Decisionsmeant that as long as the average woodbutcher could drive a fastener, homeowners and budding furnitureinakerscould build whatever they wanted. Nowonder skilled woodworkers rebelledand began to hold all-wood joinery insuch high esteem. Cutting those precisejoints-whether by machine or byhand-is a mark of accomplishment.

Now that I have experience withmost forms of joinery, I think thismetal vs. all-wood argument is off base.Both joinery forms have merit. When I

build plywood cabinetry, cuttingdovetail joints to join the ..

carcase has littleif any advantageover a well-

executeddado jointreinforcedwith screws.

Using apneumatic

pinner to tackmolding onto aproject? I do it all

the time. Pocket screws tojoin parts of a face frame? It's fast,easy, and strong enough.

Does this mean you shouldgive up on all-wood joinery? Of

course not. In fact, to help keep myskills honed, I try to build two or threeprojects each year with absolutely nometal fasteners, just to challengemyself. But for most of my projects, Ijust don't have an issue with turning tobrads or screws. I move easily betweenthe two forms of joinery, selecting thebest of them in turn for their strengthor ease of use, based on what I'mbuilding. Ultimately, as a skilledwoodworker friend once told me, "Pickthe best method for the situation."

I think he hit the nail on the head.•

The Shop Monkey (aka Tom Iovino of Tampa, Flo.)

blogs prolifically at woodmagazine.com/shopmonkey.

Looking back on my first projects,they seem like test boards to seehow many metal fasteners I could

drive into a joint.The more I learned from other

woodworkers though, the more I gotthe impression that "fastenerenhanced" joints were inferior toall-wood joinery. I started cuttingdovetails to hold plywood caseworktogether, and I routinely attempted touse hot hide glue to attach moldingswithout the need for brads. It got sobad, I started hiding my need for metalfasteners from my buddies-I wasafraid my work would beconsidered cheap.Is that reallythe case?

Noway.Many

joints socommontodaymortise andtenons,dovetails, anddadoes-evolved overhundreds of years oftrial and error and weretraditionally cut laboriously by hand. These jointshave tremendous strength, and the oldmasters used them because wood wasreally all they had to work with.

Metal fasteners weren't out of boundsback in the 18th century, just out ofreach because of their cost. Forged nailsand hand,threaded screws were sovaluable, in fact, that old homes wereoften burned down, with the fastenersscreened from the ash to be used againin new construction. Using these scarcenails and screws in woodworkingprojects was an acceptable and timesaving skill. Yes, I said "skill."

However, as industrial processesimproved, nails and screws were spitout by the millions in factories. That

Wise Bu~Our Editors Test

Right-angleAssemblySquares

Why buy?Machining stock precisely is only half the battle in creating projectswith square corners. You also have to assemble and clamp the cornerssquarely. To do that you need assembly aids that hold those right anglesuntil the glue dries or you can secure those corners with screws or nails.We recommend the models below. You also can save money by makingyour own braces using the free plan at woodmagazine.com/brace,

(Clamps notincluded)

22

Editor test-drive:Initially, I was skeptical that plasticsquares would be durable and accurate.Not any more. These lightweightclamping aids proved tough, precise, andhelpful as I put them to use in severalprojects. The squares have three featuresthat make clamping easier. First, thebeveled outside corrler doesn't get intoglue squeeze-out. Second, notches in thearms receive the proprietary clamps to .hold them in place. And third, the 8"models have predrilled holes in the body,and I used them to screw the.squares toa plywood base, creating a 90° fixedclamping station.

Editor test-drive:Shop-made right-angle braces help getmy projects square and are easy tomake, but too often they get bangedaround to the point of becomingunreliable. So I like the durability of theJevons 3-D squares, with rigid 3116"-thickaluminum angle that holds up to abusefrom clamps and mallets. But their bestfeature proves to be accuracy: The6"-long arms are perfectly flat andexactly 90° to each other.

Lately I've been building a lot ofcabinets and while assembling thecarcases, face frames, and drawer boxes,I found them valuable for holding.

Editor test-drive:In the past I struggled with trying to getdrawers square-even half-blind andthrough dovetails and box joints-whilemeasuring the diagonals and adjustingthe clamps before the glue could set.Pinnacle's squares eliminate that worry.All I have to do is lightly secure twosquares in opposing corners (I use smallF-style or one-handed bar clamps) tohold them square, and then add longerclamps to pull the joints together tightly.

These machined aluminum squaresproved accurate to within 0.001" of 90°over their 6" length. I like the rounded

I'm n.ot as crazy about the providedclamps, though. They're miniature barclamps, but different in that the tailstockslides along the bar while the headstockremains fixed. These take some gettingused to, and they definitely require twohands to clamp a brace to an assembly.(Rockier promotes this as a one-handedapplication.) I'd prefer F-style clampswith sliding headstocks. I also found thaton the notches nearest the corner, theclamp bars hit each other. .

-Tested by Marlen Kemmet, Managing Editor

To learn more:800-279-4441; rockler.com

mating parts true while getting theclamps in place. The result: flawless 90°corners. I also like the predrilled holes ineach brace. With these you can screwthem right to a project (if the holes won'tshow), or you can make jigs by screwingthem onto plywood or MDF. I was ableto use any style of clamp with them, soyou don't have to buy special ones just touse these sqiJares. They're versatile,lightweight, accurate, and affordable.Who doesn't need that?

-Tested by Kevin Boyle, Senior Design Editor

To learn more:888-923-0023; jevonstoolco.com

corners that allow clamping inside oroutside the box without getting into gluesqueeze-out. To help assemble a bunch ofpicture frames, I screwed three squares toan MDF jig, guaranteeing three squarecorners. Then I glued the pieces, placedthem in the jig, and clamped the fourthsquare against the open corner forperfect frames time after time. The smallmodels also worked great for squaringthe bracket feet on a bookcase.

- Tested by Bob Hunter, Tools & Techniques Editor

To learn more:800-225-1153; woodcraft.com


'Quick &: Eas~g

Uplifting-BenchtopRisersYou'll wonder how you everassembled a project withoutthese simple, versatile shop aids.

W hy settle for a chunk of 4x4to lift projects off your benchwhen these risers do so much

more? Assemble carcases on them tocreate room for clamp heads [top photo].They provide blade clearance whencutting pieces with a circular saw orjigsaw [near right photo], and raiseworkpieces to a comfortable workingheight when routing an edge. To gluepanels face-to-face, use the risers toapply pressure across the full panel [farright photo]. You can even use them as astep when reaching for items on ajust-out-of-reach shelf.

We used poplar for the tops andbottoms, and 3/," Baltic birch plywood


aBENCHTOP RISER

%" dadoes¥s" deep

24

To provide clearance for a saw blade or routerbit, clamp the workpiece to the risers, andsecure the risers to your bench.

SPACERS% x 4'.4 x 36"

plywood

The rigid risers make excellent clampingcauls. We glued up this hardboard-andplywood lamination with only six clamps.

I!ICLAMP SLOT DETAIL

%" dadoes3/8" deep onbottom face

oftop


26 WOOD magazine October 2009

for the spacers, but any solid stock orplywood will do.

Start by cutting the parts to size[Drawing 1, page 24]. Then, to create'the clamp slots, layout on each toppiece the centerpoints for the holesthat create the corners of each slot[Drawing 1a]. Note: As shown, thel"-wide slots accept the head ofanF-style bar clamp. You can make theslots as wide as the distance between thespacers, ifyou like. Set up a 1/z" bit inyour drill press, and position thefence to align the bit over a centerpoint; then drill out the corners onone side of each slot [photo above].Rotate the boards end for end, anddrill the remaining corners. Tocomplete the slots, separate thepieces, draw lines connecting theoutside edges of the holes, and cutalong the lines with a jigsaw. Sandthe edges smooth.

Rout lis" round-overs around thetop and bottom of each slot andalong the tops and bottoms whereshown. Then plow out the grooves inthe tops and bottoms to accept thespacers, and glue and clamp the riserstogether. Keep the risers near yourbench; you'll reach for them timeand time again.•Project design: Bob Wey, Westford, Mass.

Tape the top and bottom together beforedrilling holes to establish the slot corners.Separate the pieces before cutting the slots.

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Biscuit joints are simple to cut, but

difficult to fix when done wrong. Here's

how to avoid the most common mistakes.

Thinking ahead pays off when joining workpieces with biscuits. By properly positioningyour slots you'll enjoy perfect-fitting joints

every time. Regardless, remember the best tip for allbiscuit applications: Make test cuts on scrap piecesbefore cutting the real thing. Now, keep these solutions in mind.

By making the fence adjustment withoutchanging biscuit size, we were able to cut anideal slot into the top workpiece.

For beveled joints in 3f4" stock, set the fenceheight at 3f4"to move the slot'c1oser to theinside corner.

Worksho

Mistake #1:Exposed biscuit slots<;;:utting through the face of a workpiece's beveled end, as shown aboveright, causes damage nearly impossibleto repair. This goof happens when youcut a slot for a large (#20) biscuit at the.midpoint of the bevel in %"-thick stock.• Solution: Avoid this mistake bycutting the slot closer to the insidecorner of the beveled end. To do this,adjust your joiner's fence, as shown atright. This allows you to still use a #20 biscuit without cutting through theface. (You should always use the largestbiscuit possible for maximum holdingpower.)

Break Free From

BiscuitBlunders

.Avoidin

Mistake #2: Matingsurfaces misalignedIf the mating biscuit slots you cutdon't match up perfectly, the workpiece surfaces will not be flush, asshown at right. •• Solution: First, reference your cutsfrom the same workpiece surface (thetop face). Second, don't use your joiner'sbase and fence together for alignmentwhen cutting the slots; both might notmake parallel contact, resulting inuneven slots. Instead, reference yourcuts either with the base resting on thebenchtop or worksurface, as shown atfar right, or with the fence resting onthe face of the workpiece.


This hardwood edging doesn't align with thepanel because the paneland edging slotswere cut from different reference surfaces.

Correctly machine slots by raising the fenceout of the way and then resting the joiner'sbase on a flat worksurface.


Mistake #5: Glue-line depressions

Resting the joiner's base against the clampedstop not only steadies the tool but alsoensures a slot square to the edges.

piece-right on the line for the bottomof the mating board-and use that asa reference point for the joiner, asshown below. To counteract the lurching, start the motor and then line upthe joiner with the mark beforeplunging to make the cut.


DIMPLES MIGHT BE CUTE,BUT NOT ON JOINED BOARDS

This cutaway of a glued-up panel-planed before theglue around the biscuits dried-reveals the recessed area,which will be more noticeable under a high-gloss finish.

There's not much you can do to save this panel. Buildanother one and place the biscuits farther from the ends.

Even though biscuit joints arestrong enough to unclampafter a couple of hours, planingor sanding these workpiecesright away could result inscooped recesses over thebiscuits. Why? The glue aroundthe biscuit causes the wood toswell slightly. Machining offthese temporary "humps"results in shallow depressionsonce the glue fully dries, asshown at right.• Solution: Allow yourglued-up workpieces to dry for24 hours before machining.The humps will have shrunkback to normal size by then.•

30

Mistake #4: Exposed biscuitsIt's easy to forget where youpositioned the biscuits in anedge-glued workpiece. This canlead to cutting into them when imachining a profile, as shownat right.• Solution: Simply put, planahead. If you know you'regoing to machine the edgesand ends of a panel, be sure tolocate the biscuits far enoughfrom the edges and ends sothey won't be exposed.

The biscuit joiner cut this slot unsquare tothe edge because it strayed from the markswhen the motor engaged.

The start-up torque of a joiner cancause it to lurch when powered up.Resulting slots might be unsquare, asshown below.• Solution: Never make field cuts (inthe interior of a workpiece) freehand.Instead, clamp a stop to your work- .

Avoiding Workshop GoofsMistake #3: Crooked or unsquare slots

Drop-Front DeskC

reate striking panels like the oneon the desk's door (below) by justgluing veneer to MDF-no vac

uum veneer bags or special equipmentrequired. The article on page 54 showshow, but you could skip this step anduse cherry plywood. (We used cherryveneer on the inside faces and dressedup the outsides with sapele pommele.)

The thickness of the panels determines setups for cutting joinery. So ifyou choose to use veneer on your desk,start by making veneered panels for thetop and bottom (C), sides (H), door (K),and back (M) [Materials List, page 38].

Make the case assembliesand an oversize door

1Start off by cutting thefronts (A), backs (B), and

top/bottom panels (C) to size[Materials List]. Glue up the

Veneer, including abook-match on thedoor, creates eyecatching panels.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS• Overall dimensions are 24W wide x

16" deep x 5014" high.• Materials needed: Cherry, MDF and

veneer or cherry plywood.• Choose from dozens of types of

veneers for the perfect look.


34°

'12' hole Yt6" deep

18"

DTOP ASSEMBLY

IITOP EDGE DETAIL

~."...........,...,..,.,---~~--.tV4"

1

5,1,6" magnetic catch

~

5116" holeSfs" deep, centered

* Location of grooves and rabbetdepth based on panel thickness.

Chain support

*\4" rabbets

Use the groove in a rail (F) to set the dadoblade height. Align the highest point of theteeth with the low edge of the groove.

'y,o" hole, countersunk on bottom face

¥16" holes

34° bevel

II!ITOP SLOT DETAIL

Set up a W' dado blade W' above the table.Place a panel (H) against the fence, and alignthe face with the outside edge of a tooth.

2 x 2" brass hinge

rf )

*\4" rabbetson back face

Il!IHINGE MORTISE DETAIL

pieces, keeping the ends and inside facesflush [Drawing 1]. After the glue dries,sand the assembly to 220 grit. Set theseassemblies aside for the time being.

2RiP %"-thick stock to width for thefront stiles (D), back stiles (E), top

rails (F), and bottom rails (G) [Drawing2]. Crosscut the rails to finished length,but crosscut the stiles W' longer thanlisted. Trim the panels (H) to size. Next,rip the door stiles (I) and rails m Ys"overwidth [Drawing 1]. Crosscut the railsto finished length and the stiles :jIs" longer than listed. Then, cut the door panel(K) to size.

3The inside faces of the side and doorpanels (H, K) sit flush with the inside

faces of the frames.On the door, thisprovides a ~mooth

writing surface.Using a side panel(H), set up thetablesaw as shownin Photo A. Markthe outside face ofeach stile (D, E, I)and rail (F, G, J).Then, with thema'rk facing awayfrom the fence, cuta groove along oneedge of each railand stile. Also cut agroove in the insidefaces of the backstiles (E) and top/bottom panel backs(B) [Drawing 1].

4NOW start cutting stub tenons

on the rails (F, G, J)to fit the grooves.To do this, place arail next to theblade with the outside (marked) faceup and adjust theblade to align withthe groove [PhotoB]. Reposition therip fence and, withthe outside face up,cut a 1I.l"-wide rabbet along each endof each rail [PhotoC]. With the samesetup, cut a rabbetaround the side anddoor panels (H, K)[Drawings 1, 2].

5Reset the bladeheight using the

woodmagazlne.com 33

With the blade set the same height as thebottom of the groove, cut a rabbet on theinside face on both ends of each rail (F, G, J).

•Use the bottom assembly (A/B/C) to positionthe rip fence before cutting the '.4x'.4" top andbottom grooves in the side assemblies (O-H).

Fit a scrap of '.4" hardboard or plywoodbetween the panel front (A) and back (B) toback up the inside edge and stop chip-out.

same method as before, this time with arail outside face down. Cut a rabbet oneach end of the rails (F, G, J) to completethe stub tenons [Drawings 1, 2a].

6DrY-fit the side top rails (F), bottomrails (G), and panels (H). Crosscut

the front and back stiles (D, E) to matchthe height of the F/G/H assembly. Dothe same with the door rails m andpanel (K) to determine the door stile (I)length, and cut them.

7sand all parts to 220 grit; then glueup the side assemblies (D-H) and the

door (I/J/K). The door will be cut to finalsize later.

Complete the case joinery

1Set up the tablesaw as shown inPhoto D. Then cut the grooves across

the tops and bottoms of the side assemblies (D-H) [Drawings 1, 2].

BSIDE ASSEMBLY

E!lSIDEPANELTENON DETAILS

*1J411

2%" "-"'_..-=-""-*V411 groove lA,".

14" deep l'cut after Tpanel assembly

* Location of grooves and rabbet *'.4" grooves '.4" deepdepth based on panel thickness.

Jig guarantees perfectfitting hinge mortisesWith a few pieces of plywood or MDFand a dado-cleaning bit [right photo],you can rout mortises that fit hingeslike a hand in a glove.

Start by cutting two 2x24" strips ofthe plywood or MDF. Then cut a14"-long strip and two 5"-long piecesthe same width as an opened hinge.Across the three longest pieces, drawlines centered on their lengths. Centerthe width of the 14" piece on the jointline between the door (I/J/K) andbottom assembly (A/B/C), and alignthe centerline with centerlines on thetwo assemblies [left photo]. Add thetwo longest jig pieces, aligning thecenterlines, and secure these three jigparts with double-faced tape. Nest the

34

®Center middlepiece onjoint line.

hinges next to the jig, tape the short jigpieces in place next to the hinges, thenremove the hinges.

IRout recesses the depth of a hinge

leaf with a dado-cleaning bit, thensquare up the corners [above photo].


Overall width of assembled cubby is Yo" narrower thanthe inside width of the case to allow for clearance.

By clamping each cubby (O/P) to a squaringbrace clamped to your bench, the assemblystays square during glue-up.

the magnetic catches, but don't installthem yet [Drawing 1]. Using a Yz" bradpoint or Forstner bit, drill a %6/1-deephole in each door stile (1) for the strikesand screw them in place.

3Edge-glue stock for the case top (N)and cut the panel to size [Drawing 1].

Tilt your tablesaw blade to 34° and bevelthe underside [Drawing 1c]. (Watch a freevideo of using a saddle jig for this job atwoodmagazine.com/saddlejig.) Sand thecase top to 220 grit; then screw the topto the carcase with a 1Yz/l overhang onthe back and sides.

Bear down on the cubbies

1To get a grain wrap around the twocubby compartments, cut all the

pieces for each cubby from a longerblank. Prepare two %x9x36/1 blanks forthe cubby sides (0) and side shelves (P)and one %x9x24/1 blank for the centershelves (Q). Sand the blanks to 180 grit,

It starts to come together

1Assemble the case by gluing the topand bottom assemblies (AlBIC) to a

side assembly (D-H) [Photo F]. Then slidein the back panel (M) before gluing andclamping the remaining side assembly.

2After the glue dries, set the case anddoor on your bench, aligning the

hinge mortises. Drill pilot holes; thencut the hinge screws down before screwing the hinges in place [Shop Tip, page36]. Attach the chain supports [PhotoG],and drill holes in the front stiles (D) for

ElCUBBYHOlE ASSEMBLY

adhere the Door Pull Side Pattern fromthe WOOD Patterns® insert to the sideand cut the profile on a scrollsaw orbandsaw. Then apply the Door Pull TopPattern and cut that profile. Sand thepull to round the edges and smooth outthe profile; then cut the pull to length.Drill a hole for the pull, and screw it inplace [Drawing 1].

Secure the chain to the door stile (I), then usea scrap cut at 45° to locate the other end ofthe chain on the side of the front stile (D).

2Stand a side assembly (D-H) next tothe dado blade and reset the blade

height to the lowest side of the grooveyou just cut. Attach an auxiliary face tothe rip fence and adjust the fence to cuta J.4/1-wide rabbet. Cut a piece of scrap tofill the space below the toplbottompanel (C) [Photo E]; then cut a rabbetacross each end of the top and bottomassemblies (AlBIC) [Drawing 1].

3Dry-fit the top and bottom assemblies(AlBIC) with the two side assemblies

(D-H). Measure between the grooves inthe top and bottom assemblies and theside assemblies, and cut the case back (M)to these dimensions. Cut 1,4/1 rabbets onthe back face of the back to create tonguesthat fit in the grooves [Drawing 1].

4With the case still dry-fit, measurefor the final door dimensions. Take

the distance from the top of the bottompanel to the top of the case and subtract%6/1 to find the door height. The width ofthe door equals thewidth of the case.Quick Tip! A little -'@)-off the top and Vsides. Prevent thedoor from lookinglopsided by trimming each door stile(1) and rail G)equally.

5Rout the hingemortises [Draw

ing 1a, Shop Tip,opposite]. Then, drilland file the slots inthe top-panel back(B) for fastening thecase top (N) later[Drawing 1b].

6Cut a %xlx6/1blank for the

door pull (L). Spray-

Placing a side assembly (D-H) on risers allowsroom for clamp heads. Identical diagonalmeasurements mean the case is square.

woodmagazlne.com 35

After gluing and clamping the center shelves(Q) between the cubbies (DIP), clamp thecubbies to the bench to' keep things square.

then set the center-shelf blank aside. Cutthe sides and side shelves to finishedlength from the other two blanks.

2DSing a dado blade that matches thethickness 6f the shelves (P, Q), cut

VJ.6'I-deep dadoes and rabbets on thecubby sides (0) [Drawing 3]. Finish-sandthe cubby sides and side shelves to 220grit; then assemble the cubby boxes[Photo H].

35lide the cubbies (O/P) into the carcase snug to the sides. Determine the

center-shelf (Q) length by measuringbetween the bottoms of the dadoes, andsubtracting YB" for clearance. Cut theshelves to this length; then layout andcut the arcs [Drawing 3]. After sandingthe shelves to 220 grit, glue the shelvesbetween the cubbies [Photo I].

4Drill and countersink two 0/16" holesin the top side shelves (P) [Drawing

3]. Remove the screws f-rom the top ofthe chain supports, fit the cubby assembly (O/P/Q) into the carcase tight againstthe back (M), and screw the cubbies tothe top panel (C).

Align the mark for the end of the mortisewith the mark for the edge of the bit, thenlower the leg (R) and push it to the stopblock.

Your case is baseless

1From 8/4 stock (or laminated %"stock), cut the legs (R) to size. To keep

the legs properly oriented, mark eachwith its location (right rear, left front,etc.); then layout the three mortise locations [Drawings 4, 4a]. To help locate themortises when routing, transfer themarks for the top end of each top mortise and the bottom end of each bottommortise to the opposite faces of the legs.

2DSing a 14" straight bit in your routertable, make test cuts in 1Yz"-wide

scrap to center the cut on the stock'swidth. Clamp a stopblock to the fence,3" from the bit [Photo J]. Rout the uppermortises in the legs (R) in three passes,raising the bit WI between passes. Thenreset the stopblock 7" from the bit, lowerthe bit, and rout the lower mortises.

35cribe a line around each leg (R) S"from the bottom. Make a copy of the'

Leg Bottom Pattern from the WOOD Patterns® insert, and glue it onto a piece oflight cardboard. Create the tapers following the steps in Photos K, L, and M.

SHOP TIPClip the tipThe screws that came with ourhinges were long enough to pokethrough the front of the door or atleast raise a dimple [right in photo].To head off any potential damage,we snipped the screws with bullnosepliers before driving them [left inphoto]. We did the same with thescrews for the chain supports.

4Cut the front and back rails (5), upperside rails (T), and lower side rails (D)

to size, along with a test piece of thesame 'width and thickness as the upperrails. Cut on the scrap a test tenon 'to fitin a mortise [Photo N], Then cut a tenonon each end of each rail [Drawing 4b].

5DSing a fairing stick (see MoreResources, page 38), layout the arcs

on the upper rails (5, T) [Drawing 4]. Cutthem on the bandsaw, and sand themsmooth.

6For the stretcher (V), cut an overlongblank to width. Dry-fit the legs (R)

and rails (5, T, D), and square up theassembly. Mark the stretcher length[Photo 0], and cut it to length, then layout and cut the arc to shape [Drawing 4].

7Rout VB" round-overs on the arc andoutside top edge of the rails (5, T)

Trace the tapers on to one face of each leg (R) (left), then cut them on the bandsaw staying just outside the lines. Sand these faces smooth on adrum sander (middle). Then trace the' remaining tapers on to a freshly sanded face (right), and repeat the process.


•Place one end of the stretcher (V) blankagainst the inside face of an upper side rail(T) and mark the length of the stretcher.

Cut rabbets on all four edges of a test pieceto create a tenon that fits the mortise; thencut tenons on the rails (5, T, U).

and stretcher (V), the long edges of thelower side rails (D), and the long edgesarid the top outside edges of the legs (R)[Drawing 4].Note: The TOuter bit won't reach thecomers of the leg tapers. Use sandpaper tocreate these round-overs.

gcut a groove in the front/back rails(S) to accept the tabletop fasteners

[Drawing 4]. Sand all the base parts to220 grit; then glue up the base.Note: Do notglue the stretcher (V) inplace. Clamp it in position only as a spacerwhile the glue dries on the rails and legs.

9DSing double-faced tape, fasten scrapspacers to the lower side rails (D) to

37

®

Left rear/right frontleg shown

14" mortises',4" deep

No round-overs

!lmTENON DETAILSYs" pilot hole

114" deep

Sandedround-overs

#8 xSfa"panhead screw

Ys" groove W' deep%" from top edge

%" hole W' deepwith a ¥..2" shank

hole centered inside

IIBASE

.\

%"plug%"Iong,

trimmed flushafter assembly

\~#8 x 2" F.H.

wood screw

woodmagazlne.com

% X 5V2 x96" Cherry (4 bd. ft.) (2 needed)*Plane or resaw to the thicknesses listed in the Materials List.

4

2

6

%" 9" 1OW' EC

W' 20Y2" 14" VM

%" 9" 9" EC

%" 16" 24Y2" EC

Y2" 9" 20W' VM 2

W' 9" 4h" EC

%" 2" 20h" C 2

%" 1y.," 20W' C 2

N top

M back panel

Base

Cubbyhole

P* side shelves

A fronts

B backs

Door

Case

C panels

1* stiles %" 2" 14Y16'. C 2

J* rails %" 2" 18" C ?K panel Y2" 18" 10'Yi6' VM

L* door pull o/a" 1" 1y.," W

Q* center shelves

Side panels

0* sides

0* front stiles %" 1y.," 15" C 2

E* backstiles %" 2" 15" C 2

F top rails %" 2" 9h" C 2

G bottom rails %" 2%" 9W' C 2

H 'panels h" 9W' 10%" VM 2

FINISHED SIZEPart T W L MatI. Qty.

Top/bottom panels

Materials List

SourcesHinge, chain, catches, tabletop fasteners:2x2" brass hinges (2) item 57116, $17.99 [pair]; 0/16'magnetic catches with strikes (2) item 29272, $6.29; chainsupports (2) item 30663, $12.99; tabletop fasteners (4)item 34215, $3.99 [pack of8], Rockier, 800-279-4441,rockler.com.Veneer: B&B Rare Woods, 303-986-2585,wood-veneers.com.

Materials key: C-cherry, VM-veneered MDF:EC-edge-glued cherry, W-walnut.Supplies: Double-faced tape, spray adhesive, #8x2" flathead wood screws (4), #8x1 Y4" flathead wood screws (4),#8x1" flathead wood screws (4), #8x%" panhead screws(4), #8x1 Y4" brass flathead wood screw (1).Blade and bits: Dado blade, Ya" round-over, Y4"straight, dado-cleaning router bits, Yz" brad-point orForstner bit.

R legs 1W' 1W' 34Y2" C 4

5 front/back rails %" 3W' 21y.," C 2

T upper side rails %" 3h" 12y.," C 2

U lower side rails %" 2" 12y.," C 2

V* stretcher %" 5" 20%" C 1

'Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.

N

Written by Craig Ruegsegger with Jeff MertzProject design: Kevin BoyleIllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

Temporary spacers hold the stretcher (V)while drilling counterbores and screw holes.Plug the counterbores after driving screws.

A A% X 5V2 x96" Cherry (4 bd. ft.)

% X 5V2 x96" Cherry (4 bd. ft.)*_.__.-------- P

o 0

Cutting Diagram

% x 7v.. x 60" Cherry (3.3 bd. ft.) % x 1% x 12" Walnut (.17 bd. ft.)

~am~R~tB~'"~4~f$~~!1~FiiifE~;.il@~R]!;~,~lm®;W;~!1!!~", ~e~;l~j1%x 3% x 72" Cherry (4 bd. ft.)

J N N

Finish and assemble

1Remove the hardware, pull (L), casetop (N), and cubbies (O/P/Oj. Apply

a finish to all pieces. (We wiped onboiled linseed oil and allowed it to dry72 hours before applying two coats of asatin-finish wipe-on polyurethane, buffing lightly between coats with 320-gritsandpaper.) After the finish cures, reinstall the cubbies, top, pull, and hardware,and press the magnetic catches in place[Drawing 1].

2Center the case on the base. Slidefour tabletop fasteners into the kerfs

in the base front/back rails (S) and screwthrough them into the bottom-panelfront (A) and back (B) [Drawing 4]. Take aphoto of your handiwork, then sit downat your new desk and draft a letter ore-mail to show it off.•

position the stretcher (V) %" above thebottom of the rails [Drawing 4, Photo P]'Clamp across the rails (D) and drillcounterbores with shank and pilot holes[Drawing 4]. Screw the stretcher in placeand glue plugs into the counterbores.Trim and sand the plugs flush after theglue dries.

MORE RESOURCES

FREE PLAN• Making a fairing stick at

woodmagazine.com/fairing

FREE VIDEOS."Using a Fairing Stick" at

woodmagazine.com/fairingvideo• "Using a Saddle Jig" at

woodmagazine.com/saddlejig."C1amp and Sand Panels Flat" at

woodmagazine.com/panels


Build N-lnstaU BeautifulDoor and Window 11

Your shop tells the worldyou're a woodworker. Useit to make the restof yourhome say the same thing.

l1'ke the beige walls of anoffice cubicle, basic builder

oldings in most houses dotheir job-hiding raw drywalledges-but they're not anythingyou pause to admire. By designing and milling your own doorand window trim, you make astyle statement by controlling thesize, width, wood species, andprofile beyond the limited selection in home centers. And you'llsave money versus buying thepremade stuff. With your customtrim in hand, we'll guide you·step-by-step through the processof installing it.

But let's not stop there. In thenext issue, your molding makeover continues with detailed tipson how to make and install baseboards and chair rails. You canmake all these moldings using atablesaw and a table-mountedrouter. Though not mandatory, 51mitersaw, a 15- or 16-gauge pneumatic nailer, and an 18-gaugebrad nailer make installation gofaster and easier.

When replacing the molding inyour home, start with door andwindow trim-they determinethe lengths of baseboards andchair rails you'll install later.

40

BLOCK OUT MITER CUTS

Corner blocks hide end grain on the moldingand eliminate miter cuts and-the need tomake stopped cuts to form flutes or beads.

COMBINE CORNER OINTSr--1 ''----1

1J, Miteredlmolding

j;r~·"1: Butted: frame

i '"

II) SECTION VIEW

By encasing a butt-joined molding in narrow,mitered moldings, you conceal end grainwithout cutting wide, obvious miters.

[i \~~---~Routing molding blanks wider than the bitlength produces a bolder profile appropriatefor rooms with ceilings over 8' high.

ferent areas of the profile. Start with thehighest grit that eliminates the routermarks-typically 100 grit or 120 gritand sand up through 180 grit. To avoidtouching up the finish on splices, joints,and nail holes after installation, stainbut don't topcoat your moldings.

for wood movement. Discard twisted orwarped pieces.

Asharp bit reduces but doesn't eliminate tool marks that st!iins reveal [PhotoE]. (The same applies to store-boughtmoldings.) Use a sanding sponge or profile blocks (see Sources) to sand the dif-

m .'Precautions that help you safely and effectively routlong molding include (1) hold-downs clamped to thefence, (2) featherboards, (3) infeed support, (4) clearance __on both sides of the router table, (5) a helper on theoutfeed side, and (6) efficient dust collection.

Mill miles of moldingPlan your work around lumber up to 8'long to eliminate joints. Plane moldingblanks to uniform thickness, includingtwo extras in case you lose a few to warping or router tear-out.

Spinning a large-profile router bitthrough long hardwood strips requires atable-mounted router with a variablespeed 3-hp motor. You'll also needinfeed and outfeed supports. For consistent profiles, mount featherboards andhold-downs to keep workpieces frombeing levered away from the bit by theirlengths and weights [Photo 0].

Having a helper pull the molding onthe outfeed side speeds up production,but the featherboards and hold-downslet you work alone as long as you keepup a consistent feed rate. After routing,set the pieces aside for a day and check

Select profiles that suit your taste. Yourchoice of materials depends on whetheryou'll stain or paint the molding. Forstained molding, use clear stock. If you'llpaint the molding, substitute inexpensive poplar or MDF.

Next, decide between butted cornersor miter joints. Casings butted againstcorner blocks [Photo A] mean every cutis 90°, but miters [Photo B] don't add thatmuch'more complexity. The techniquewe'll show doesn't use corner blocks, butstill requires no mitering.

Now choose a symmetrical profile(with no left or right side) [PhotoA] or anasymmetrical profile [Photo C]. Mostnew homes use asymmetrical miteredtrim only 2YJ" wide-about Yz" thick atthe outside edge and tapered toward theinside. For a bolder asymmetrical profile,rout only a portion of the molding'swidth [Photo C].

woodmagazine.com 41

PATIENT SANDING PAYS OFF

Both store-bought trim and one-pass routed moldings have toolmarks (top) that must be sanded down prior to staining (bottom).

BMultiple passes over a %" dado blade create a recess to let this doormolding compensate for wall imperfections.

Asliding square with a 3"-wide blade (see Sources) helps mark reveallines where you'll attach molding to the window jambs and sill.

Make, install window trimWhen building furniture in your shop,you're in control. But in the rest of thehouse, you face odd corner angles, wavydrywall, and window or door installation errors that will throw off carefulmeasurements and equipment settings.

Evaluate each window and door beforecutting and attaching trim [Photo F]. If ajamb stands proud of the drywall, sandor plane it flush with the wall. If thedrywall stands proud of the jambs, cutand attach filler strips where the gapexceeds Ys". You also can help moldings

42

Check jambalignmentwith the

wall.~

Markrevealson all

After checkingthat a window ismounted squareand flush withthe wall, markthe top andbottom centersofthe head jambandsDl.

0'14" round-overs

C

Vi' cove

1Va"

%"

I3Vi'

t

HEADER ASSEMBLY(END VIEW)

NAIL THE SIDE CASINGS IN PLACE

stool so your eyes are even with thereveal mark before marking yourcutline on the casing edge.• Fasten moldings to door andwindow jambs with 18-gauge bradsspaced about 12" apart. Space 15- or16-gauge nails about 24" apart whenfastening trim to a wall. .• Use 2~" or 2Y2" 15- or 16-gaugenails to fasten molding to a wall butnever to a door or window. The addedthickness could split the jambs.• Don't try to save time by sawingside casings to equal length at thesame time. Plinth blocks on an unevenfloor could be an unequal distancefrom the head-jamb reveal marks.

A15- or 16-gauge nail at least 2%" long haswhat it takes to penetrate %" hardwood, W'drywall, and the stud underneath.

Install Molding Like a ProDavid Fish has learned a thing or twoabout installing molding during his30+ years working as a builder andtrim carpenter. For example:• For an improperly installed windowwhere the drywall stands more than Va"proud of the jamb, you may be able topull the jambs flush using a bar clamp.With the window open, place the fixedclamp jaw on the outdoor edge of thewindow jamb and the movable jawagainst the drywall inside next to thewindow. Slowly tighten the clamp untilthe window slips into position.• When cutting side casings to lengthusing a reveal mark on the door orwindow jambs, stand on a ladder or

Align the stool/apron assembly with the silledge reveal marks, and attach the assemblyto the wall with 15- or 16-gauge nails.

Assemble this window header by aligning thecenter marks and nailing the cap pieces andbeaded molding to the head casing.

lie flat against a wall and jamb by relieving the molding back Va-V16" using adado blade [Photo G].

Now determine how much of the doorand window jambs to reveal. We markedours at VB" [Photo H], but you may wantto make the reveal as small as Va" to provide more backing for driving nails intothe jambs.

For the room shown on page 44, we'llbuild similar header assemblies over thewindow and door. Make the stool/apronassembly on the bottom of the windowthe same as a header assembly minusthe beaded molding on the bottom[Photo I]. Here's how to determine theheader and stool/apron assembly partlengths for windows and doors:

• To find the head casing and windowapron length, measure between the sidejambs of the door or window, then addtwo times the side-casing width (3Yz" inthis case) plus two times the reveal (VB").Cut the head-casing length the total ofthose measurements.

• Add 2%" to the head-casing length,and cut the round-over cap that length.

• Add 1Yz" to the head-casing lengthand cut the coved cap that length.

• Add %" to the head-casing lengthand cut the beaded molding that size.

For a 36"-wide door or window, forexample, cut the head casing/apron43%" long, the round-over cap 46Yz"long, the coved cap 4S~" long, and thebeaded molding 44Yz" long. Then routprofiles on the cap parts and beadedmolding [Header Assembly drawing].

Back in the shop, assemble the twocaps, head casing, and beaded moldingto make the door and window headers.Do the same, minus a beaded molding,for the stool/apron assembly. Center amark on the back of each part, align themarks and nail the parts together [PhotoJ]. Then mark the centers of the windowhead jambs and sills, and the head jambsof the doors.

To mount the stool and apron assembly, align the center marks on the stoolwith the center mark on the windowsilledge. Then use a 16-gauge (or IS-gauge)nailer to attach the assembly to the wall[Photo K] along the reveal line.

Butt' one side-casing end on the stooland mark the other end where it meetsthe window head-jamb reveal mark. Cutit to that length. Then attach it to thewall with IS- or 16-gauge nails and tothe window-jamb edges with IS-gaugebrads [Photo L]. Now install the headerassembly, also centered on the windowhead-jamb edge.

woodmagazine.com 43

Move on to the doorsCutting and attaching door trim worksmuch like the window trim, minus thestool/apron assembly. As a transition forthe baseboard we'll add later, side casings rest instead on plinth blocks.

First cut plinth blocks 1;4" wider thanthe side casings and nail them at thebase of the door side jambs [Photo M],overlapping the reveal marks by Va".Center one side casing on a block andmark it where the edge meets the revealmark on the head jamb [Photo N]. Cutthe casing to length at that mark. Repeatfor the other side casing-don't cut boththe same length at the same time.

.Position a side casing at the revealmarks on the door side jamb and mountit using 18-gauge brads driven into thedoor jambs. Then use a IS-gauge or16-gauge nailer with 21;4"- or 2Yz"-10ngnails to fasten the other edge of the casing to a wall stud. Repeat for the otherside casing. Now center the header trimassembly on the head jamb [Photo 0]

Aplinth block at the base of the door jambprovides a transition between the side casingand baseboards.

and nail it to wall studs using 15- or16-gauge nails.

With all door and window triminstalled, touch up any missing stain.Then dab oil-based wood putty thatmatches your wood (see Sources) into

•

Transfer the reveal mark on the door headjamb edge to the edge of a door casing. Thentrim the casing to that mark.

the nail holes .[Photo P] and wipe smooth.Allow the putty to dry and brush on atleast two coats of clear finish. • .

Written by Bob Wilson with David FishMolding design: Kevin BoyleIllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

mThe ends of the door head casing should align with the outer edgesof the side casings.

Adab of colored wood putty on your fingertip can fill nail holes instained trim. Aclear finish helps patches blend in.

COMING NEXT ISSUE: HOW TO ADD BASEBOARDS AND CHAIR RAILS

Now that you've framed yourdoors and windows, add atwo-piece chair rail and abaseboard. We'll show youhow in the November issue.

MORE RESOURCES• For a free video on cutting and'

installing crown molding, go towoodmagazine.com/moldingvideo.

• To buy an article on choosing amitersaw, go towoodmagazine.com/12mitersaw.

• For nailer and compressor combokit information and reviews, see .woodmagazine.com/nailercombo.

SourcesRouter bits: Window casing bit no. 175-4805, $79.95,Eagle America, 800-872-2511 or eagleamerica.com. Basecap bit no. 99-480, $59 (Amazon.com), Freud America,800-334-4107orfreudtools.com.Profile sanding blocks: Set of 15, no. 68Z82.10,$13.95, Lee ValleyTools, 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com.Sliding square: No. 05N32.01, $36.50, Lee ValleyTools.nnted putty: Color Putty no. 116 Butternut, $2.67 for3.68 oz, Color Putty Co., 608-325-6033 or colorputty.com.


\I,

®LEG BOTTOM

FULL-SIZEPATTERN

Better Homes and Gardens~

®

PATTERNS.October 2009 Issue 793

Dear Reader: As a service to you, we've included full-sizepatterns on this insert for irregular-shaped and intricateproject parts. You can machine all other project parts usingthe Materials List and the drawings accompanying the project you're building.

©Copyright Meredith Corporation, 2009. All rights reserved. Printed inthe U.S.A. Meredith Corp., the publisher of WOOD Patterns®, allowsthe purchaser of this pattern insert to photocopy these patterns solely forpersonal use. Any other reproduction of these patterns is strictly prohibited.

[

Collector'sMagazine File

Page 66

@,©FRONT/BACK

FULL-SIZEBOTTOM PATTERN

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FULL-SIZETOP PATTERN

----- 14" rabbets 14" deepon inside face

W' dado W' deepon inside face

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(left view)

Drop-FrontComputer Desk

Page 32

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45

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48

• The rocking horse seat rests 12" abovethe floor-ideal for children 12 monthsto 3 years old.

• Apply a clear finish for simplicity,or paint using the easy-to-followpatterns.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

size patterns from the WOOD Patterns®insert. Enlarge the body half-size patternby 200 percent, and make two copies.(Or download free full-size patterns atwoodmagazine.com/rockinghorse andprint them at your local copy shop. Youcan also draw the pattern on a 1" grid toenlarge it.) Use spray adhesive to mountthe patterns on a %x20x72" edge-gluedpine panel, as shown in the Cutting Diagram. (We purchased an edge-glued

• Materials: A %x20x72" edge-gluedpine panel and one %x8" dowel.

• Blades and bits: 20-tpi jigsawblade, W' round-over bit,W' pattern bit, %" Forstner bit,Y32" and Ya" drill bits or Ya"countersink/counterbore drill bit.

WHAT YOU'll NEED

No cartoon DVD can take a childto places in his imagination withthe speed of this rocking horse.

You'll be sitting tall in the saddle, too,knowing you built this pine pony usingsimple, handheld power tools. So gallopon into your shop and let's get started.

Jockey that jigsaw

1Make two copies each of the ear andfootrest and one copy of the tail full-

You won't have to pony up for a lotof tools or materials to put a smileon a child's face with this classic toy.


DEXPLODED VIEW

Yilt

~8 ¥a" holes v.." deep

) with shank holescentered inside

An upper-body shank hole becomes a starterhole for drilling shanks=--some of them withcounterbores-in the lower body.

the bit can't reach (in case someone doeslook a gift horse in the mouth).

5use the body pattern to transfershank-hole locations to the footrests,

ears, front support, center support, andsaddle back [PhotoC]. Then drill centeredpilot holes at each mark [Photo 0].

6Cut two 3¥S"-long ¥-t" dowels for thehandles. Sand a chamfer on one end

of each, then drill a centered pilot hole ,into the other end. Quick tip! Center-(@)with certainty. To center a hole in a ij'handle end, first insert the dowel into itscounterbore in the body with the chamfered end out. Guided by the body shankhole, drill a pilot hole into the dowel.

3f,," hole 3/8" deepwith a shank holecentered inside

-------------...1lJ

-... IlJ HANDLE------ • r 3f,," dowel

~__ • 1Ii\ 3%' 100'"'." ",'r)wood PI::oh,mre,

#8 x 1'!i" F.H.wood screw

3Using double-faced tape, adhere onebody pattern-side up on the other

body. (Note that there's a left and rightbody.) Drill shank holes, some withcountersink/counterbores, where shownon the pattern [Photo B]. The bit shouldpenetrate the lower body. Separate thebodies and finish drilling shank holesthrough the other body. Turn that bodyover and drill countersink/counterboreswhere noted on the pattern.

4Rout Va" round-overs where shown[Drawing 1]. Hand-sand this profile

around the mouth on the bodies where

Orient patterns on the panel as shown in theCutting Diagram to ensure the grain on allparts runs in the directions shown.

20-tplblade

Note: All stock 3f,,"

FRONTSUPPORT

Fine teeth cut cleanlyA jigsaw may not leave the clean,square edges of a bandsaw, but theright blade can bring it pretty close.Instead of 5- or even 10-teeth-perinch (tpi) blades, use a 20-tpi bladewith a narrow body. You'll get lesstear-out, and the narrow body doesa better job in tight curves.

panel at a local home center.) Then layout the locations of the saddle, frontsupport, center support, saddle back,and two saddle sides, as shown.

2USing a jigsaw with a 20-tpi blade[Shop Tip above], cut all the parts just

outside the pattern lines [Photo A]. Sandthe part edges to the pattern lines. (ToqUickly duplicate identical parts, see theSI<i11 Builder on page 52.)

woodmagazine.com 51

Arocking horse may need a trip to the vet(meaning you). So attach footrests, ears, andhandles without glue for easy repairs.

•Draw a centerline on the pilot-hole locationmarks; then drill3f32" pilot holes in thefootrests and ears.

Place footrests and ears next to their outlineson the body pattern to transfer pilot holelocations to the parts.

7Remove the paper patterns from allparts and sand each to 220 grit.

-'@J5-Quick tip! Avoid a sticky situation.¥ Spray-adhesive residue gums up sandpa

per. Wipe away residue with a soft clothsoaked in mineral spirits; then allow thewood to dry before sanding.

Entering the home stretch

1Screw (don't glue) one ear to eachbody [Drawing 1]. Then attach the

footrests [Photo E] and handles to the-'@J5-bodies. Quick tip! Position parts pre¥ dsely. Drive screws through the body

until the tips just protrude. Then position the pilot holes in an ear or footrestover the screw tips and drive the screwsinto the pilot holes.

2screw the tail to the center of thesaddle back. Attach the front sup

port, saddle back, and center support tothe inside face of a body [Photo F]. Then

screw the second body to the supports[Photo G], making sure the flat areas thatwill support the saddle are parallel.

3Glue and clamp the saddle sides tothe body as shown [Photo H].

A Apply construction adhesive to the""'toody where shown [Photo I] andinsert the saddle. Weight the saddleuntil the adhesive cures.

5cut 12 plugs in ¥16"-thick pine scrapusing a plug cutter (Sources). Glue

and sink them into counterbores in bothbodies. Saw or chisel the plugs flush,and sand them smooth to 220 grit.

6For the look of the rocking horseshown, first brush or wipe Fruitwood

stain (Finishing Supplies) on the body.Transfer the mane outline from the bodypattern to the bodies and stain the mane,tail, and ears with Early American. Applytwo coats of Tomato Spice acrylic paintto the handles, saddle, and footrests.

Clamping a body between braces makes iteasier to attach the front and center supportsand the saddle back.

. one, a table-mounted router providesgreater control.

rides against the sanded partand the cutter extends justbeyond the full thickness ofthe rough-cut part below.

Now rout in a clockwisemotion around the pattern.To keep the bit from tearingout the wood on end grain,"climb-cut" by moving therouter the oppositedirection. Climb-cut with afirm grip on the router.

To get a feel for where toclimb-cut, practice routingcurves cut from scraps. If you have

Jigsawing and sanding duplicate partsto size gets the job done-eventually.Using a pattern bit in a handheldrouter, however, you'll get perfectlymatched parts in less time.

First cut and sand one part to shapeto serve as your template. Rough-cutduplicate parts within Y16" of thepattern lines. Center the sanded parton a rough-cut part, and clamp ordouble-face tape the two together onpieces of scrap that lift both aboveyour workbench.

Install a Yz" pattern bit in your routerand adjust its depth so the bearing

SKILL BUILDERSave time by pattern-routing duplicate parts


Attach the body to the front support andsaddle back with one screw each. Align theparts before driving the remaining screws.

Laya straightedge across the tops of thebodies, and mount the saddle sides so theyjust touch the straightedge.

A bead of construction adhesive fills the gapbetween the saddle and the angled edges ofthe bodies.

BPARTSVIEW

Written by Bob Wilson with Kevin BoyleProject design: Kevin BoyleIllustrations: Roxanne LeMolnes, Lorna JohnsonPainted by Pat McClure

Supplies: Spray adhesive, construction adhesive,#8x1 Vi' flathead wood screws (24).Finishing supplies: Minwax Fruitwood and EarlyAmerican stains, Delta Ceramcoat acrylic crafts paint inTomato Spice, abrown paint pen, and clear satin topcoat.Eyes: 28mm wiggle eyes, available at crafts supply stores.

SourcesCounterslnk/counterbore: JA," counterbore/countersink with 5132" pilot no. CS03-0156, $7, McFeely's,800-443-7937 or mcfeelys.comPlug cutter: Self-centering JA," plug cutter no. MBT0375, $16.05, McFeely's.

Transfer the star pattern to the saddle,and the nostril shape to the body. Outline the stars and make flowing lines onthe mane and tail in brown using a paintpen. Fill in the nostril with the brownpaint and let dry. Then apply three coatsof clear' finish to the entire horse, andglue the 28mm wiggle eyes where shownon the pattern.•

llV4'

\ I,; I I L

CENTER SUPPORT

J,....

~~" 7"

. r--r=;===t==r=F~-t-.

I :2" ,

L

SADDLE BACK

FRONT SUPPORT

R=1Vi'

3fa" hole '4" deepwith a shank hole

-'---.L"---="--'i'--~ centered inside

Va" roundovers

SADDLE

Body----------:::=::;:::=::=:j

"'-='-F"'-r'---------- .or

Cutting Diagra~

Saddle' . __ Body ------..-., ..---- --~---~-

---~-;- --------"-----

%x 20 x 72" Edge-glued pine panel

SADDLE SIDE(2 needed)

woodmagazlne.com 53

Deal with pressing mattersStart by gathering waxed paper and making platens (stiff, flat¥I"-or-thicker MDF, particleboard, or plywood) for a veneerpress, as shown below. Cut the platens slightly larger than the

largest panel to be veneered. Also prepare cauls of %" hardwood 2" wide [Photo 6, page 56] by bandsawing or sanding oneedge of each caul to create a smoothly-arced crown Yl6" widerthan the ends. Draw an arrow pointing to the high spot so it'seasy to position the cauls during glue-up. When clamped, thearched cauls flatten to apply even pressure across the fullwidth of the platens. Make enough cauls to clamp one every 4"on both faces of the panel.

Waxedpaper

Waxedpaper

Bottom platen(%"MDF)

Topplaten

(%"MDF)

LOW-TECH VENEER PRESS

Some projects, like the drop-front desk on page 32, beg forthe eye-catching grain pattern of a highly figured, bookmatched panel. But it can be tough opening your wallet

to pay for an exotic piece of lumber, and then gathering thecourage to resaw and plane it. Veneer gives you that breathtaking look without breaking the bank-and applying it is easierthan you might think.


Now cut a panel, called a substrate, towhich the veneer will be glued. We likeMDF because of its stability and flatness.For Ys"- or lA"-thick panels, temperedhardboard works well. Because veneertends to slip on wet glue, cut each substrate about Yz" wider and longer thanfinished dimensions, and trim the panelto final size after veneering.

Next, decide if you want a book-matchon the panel [Skill Builder, right]. For panels covered by a single sheet of veneerwithout a book-match, skip down totrimming the veneer in Step S.

Step 1 Choose two consecutively-slicedpieces of veneer and stack them so thegrain patterns align as closely as possible.Apply painter's tape to the ends of themated pair to prevent the sheets fromshifting [Photo 2].

Step 2 Trim one edge of the pair bydrawing a fresh utility knife blade alonga straightedge. Trim as little as possiblefrom the veneer to preserve the intendedbook-match pattern.

Step 3 Joint the cut edges by sticking apiece of self-adhesive, 180-grit sandpaper to a block of MDF. Place the sheets ofveneer on a scrap -piece of MDF with thecut edges overhanging about Y16". Thengently sand the cut veneer edges straightand square.

SKILL BUILDERBook-matching gives panels characterUsing a single piece of plain-sawn veneer on a panel (left photo) looks niceenough, but book-matching two pieces of veneer makes a panel really "pop"(r(ght photo). It's called a book-match because you take two sheets of veneer,sliced one after the other from the same log, and separate them as if youwere opening the pages of a book. Wilder grain patterns, such as cathedralgrain or burls, produce highly interesting panels.

55

Step 4 Remove the painter's tape, and open the pieces likethe pages of a book. With the good side of the veneer faceup,butt the jointed edges together, and draw the joint tight withshort lengths of painter's tape stretched across the seam. Thenlay another strip of tape down the full length of the joint.

Step 5 Draw centerlines on opposite edges of the substratepanel, and then place the substrate on the veneer, aligning themarked centerlines with the taped joint line. Using a utilityknife, trim around the substrate. Repeat this process to createa veneer sheet for the opposite face of the panel.

Step 6 Stand half of your cauls on a pair of risers with thecrown of the cauls facing up, layer a platen and waxed paperon them, and get your clamps open and ready. Spread a thin,even coat of yellow glue on one face of the substrate. Align theveneer on the substrate (the taped side should face away fromthe substrate) and press it down; then place this assemblyveneer-side down on the waxed paper [Drawing, page 54].

56

Spread glue onto the top face of the substrate and position theother veneer on it, taped face up. Place the second piece ofwaxed paper, the top platen, and the remaining cauls, thenclamp the press firmly. Allow the glue to dry for at least fourhours before removing the clamps.

Step 7 If the veneer shifted during glue-up so the pattern isno longer square to the edges, secure the panel to a sled usingdouble-faced tape, and run the sled against the tablesaw ripfence to true up one edge. Use this sawn edge against the mitergauge or rip fence and trim the panel to finished size. If theveneer patterh remained square to the panel, true up one edgeby sanding with 80-grit sandpaper on an MDF block to removeglue squeeze-out and any overhanging veneer. Then cut thepanel to finished size.•

Written by Craig Ruegsegger with Jeff MertzIllustration: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson


Products that broke new ground in woodworkingWhether invented out of necessity or simply the result of someone's search for abetter mousetrap, these tools and accessories made landmark impacts on the worldof woodworking.

SawStop tablesawDoing for tablesaws what airbags did for cars,SawStop could be the single greatest safety device in woodworking. Full-time patent attorneyand part-time woodworker Steve Gass cameup with the idea of making a safer saw in 1999after his father caught his hand in a blade. Gassinvented a blade brake, activated by skin contact,that stops a spinning blade in Y200 of asecond,leaving the victim with only a scratch. There are17,000 models in use today, with more than 500confirmed "finger saves," according to Gass.

HTC mobile tool basesThe inspiration was surpisingly simple: With theability to move machines around, woodworkerscould make better use of smaller shop space anddust-collection hook-ups. So Tim Hewitt weldedtogether angle-iron steel frames to match thefootprints of heavy machines, added casters,and voila! Word spread quickly, and his mobilebases proved so popular that he couldn't meetconsumer demand making each one by hand, soin 1984 the Hewitt Tool Company (HTC) wentinto mass production.

Nova four-jaw lathe chuckSquare-jawed lathe chucks had been around fordecades in metalworking, but in 1988 Teknatoolintroduced a self-centering four-jaw chuck withcircular jaws, and that style has since becomethe standard in woodturning. The Nova chuckenabled turners to hold-and then shape-awood blank by tightening the jaws around asimple tenon, which they cut off after finishingthe bowl. It also featured an innovative removable screw in. the center of the chuck, used tomount the piece initially while you turned thetenon-no need for a faceplate. Providing asecure method to hold stock without faceplatesand invasive screws, four-jaw chucks have playeda large role in the growth of bowl, platter, andhollow-vessel turning.

Leigh dovetail jigIt wasn't the first dovetail jig for routers, but theLeigh Industries D1258, created in 1984, was thefirst do-it-all, adjustable jig. While previous jigs(including one from Leigh) offered the ability torout either through or half-blind dovetails, theD1258 enabled users to rout both types on thesame unit. It also featured adjustable guide fingers for varying the width of pins and tails. Latermodels added the ability to rout sliding dovetailsand box joints.

JessEm router liftWith the rise in using router tables in home shopsduring the 1990s, Canadian Darrin Smith longedfor a table with the precise height adjustments ofa shapero So, in 1999 he introduced the jessEmRout-R-Lift, the first mechanism that enabledwoodworkers to adjust bit height from above thetable. His invention spawned an entirely new accessory category-router lifts-that now boastsmore than adozen mqdels in various brands, aswell as routers with built-in lift mechanisms.

Titebond II & III gluesIn 1991 Franklin International debuted the firstone-part, water-resistant wood glue that cleanedup with water andmet the AmericanNational StandardsInstitute (ANSI)requirementsfor Type 2 waterresistance. Readyto-use Titebond IIwas a huge hit withwoodworkers because it was the firstyellow wood gluesuitable for outdoorprojects. Then in2004, FranklinInternationaltopped itself withthe launch of Titebond III, the first one-partwood glue to achieve ANSI Type 1 water resistance, the highest level possible. Both formulasremain the same today.

woodmagazlne.com 59

Hitachi slidingcompoundmitersawWhen Hitachi debuted thefirst sliding mitersaw in1988, few people realized italso marked the unofficialretirement of radial-armsaws. The model C8FBsported an 8W' blade anda direct-drive universalmotor that slid forward andback on rails for crosscutcapacity nearly double thatof standard compound mitersaws of the time. "Sliders"became popular with woodworkers who couldn't afforda radial-arm saw, and theirlightweight portability madethem easy to transport tojobsites. Later, manufacturersincreased blade sizes to 10"and 12", all but replacing the8W slider.

Festool Domino JoinerInvented by a German engineer searching for a way to combine a biscuitjoiner's speed and ease of use with the strength of a mortise-and-tenonjoint, the Domino made it possible to quickly, cleanly, and accurately boremortises for loose tenons. Launched in 2005 by Festool, the Domino carriesa $775 price tag for its one-of-a-kind ingenuity.

Kreg pocket-hole jigWhile building kitchen cabinets for his Iowahome in 1986, tool-and-die maker CraigSommerfeld fashioned a metal jig and steppeddrill bit to bore angled holes into the back side offace frames. He then joined the frame memberswith pan-head screws driven into the hiddenpockets. Craig's jig soon became the KregJig. The easy, affordable, and effective joinerymethod enabled legions of woodworkers tobuild furniture, cabinets, and other projects fortheir homes without need for more complicatedtechniques and tools.

SketchUp design softwareUntil about five years ago, you either drew your project plans on paper,found them in magazines, or created them with expensive computersoftware. Then along came Google's free SketchUp software, a modelingprogram for creating three-dimensional virtual projects you can disassemble and view from any angle, or in a variety of wood species.

They're not tools, but they help woodworkers growNot all woodworking innovation has taken place in manufacturing. Growth in educationalmaterials and greater availability of tools and supplies has had as great an impact.

NORM!-and variouseducational materialsThere's no question The New Yankee Workshopand its host, Norm Abram, have, for the past20 years, inspired countless people to take upwoodworking. In addition, woodworking magazines, books, and videos (WOOD's Jim Heavey,above) have exploded in number and availability.

Home center expansionSo-called "big box" retailers, found seeminglyon every corner, make it possible to get nearly allyour project supplies in one place, and at pricestypically less than you'll find in specialty retailers.

The InternetBefore about 1995, woodworkers had fewresources for immediate help with their questions. Now, that aS$istance is as close as yourcomputer, thanks to Internet forums and Websites. You can even choose from thousands ofproject plans online. And the growth of Webretailers has driven down the price of tools andproducts, making it easier for beginners ("newbies" on the net) to get into woodworking, andfor veterans to expand their arsenals.


Pro tools made affordable for the home shopAlthough the following tools and machines were not the first of their kind, manufacturers' ability to bring them to market at significantly lower prices createdmeaningful opportunities for cash-conscious woodworkers.

Performax drum sanderPrior to the mid-'80s, only professional shops had wide-panel drum sanders, which typically cost a fewthousand dollars. But in 1984, Performax created an affordable drum sanding attachment for radialarm saws. Then, in 1993, the fledgling company introduced its innovative 16-32 open-ended drumsander for about $500, giving the average woodworker the ability to sand surfaces as wide as 32".The brand was eventually sold to Walter Meier Holding Company, the owner of the Powermatic andJet brands, among others.

Delta benchtop mortiserPowered hollow-chisel mortisers had beenaround for decades, but if you wanted one youhad to shell out big bucks for a floor-standingunit. Benchtop mortisers arrived on the scene inthe mid-'80s under the Delta name but manufactured by Multico, an English company. Severalyears later Delta began manufacturing its ownmodel, selling for about $200-less than half theprice of the English version.

61

Improved Asian-made toolsWoodworking machines have been manufactured in Taiwan for much longer than 25 years,but until about the mid-'90s the quality of manyof these tools lagged behind those made in theUnited States, Canada, and Europe. As qualitycontrol improved, so did the tools, and moremanufacturing shifted to Taiwan and then China.Today, those countries dominate the making ofwoodworking machinery.

Porter-Cablebiscuit joinerLamello introduced the portable biscuitjoiner in the late '60s, but at a price ($400to $600) beyond the reach of most home

shop woodworkers. Then, in1987, Porter-Cable came outwith its model 555 biscuitjoiner that sold for less thanhalf the price of the Lamello,dawning a new era in quick,affordable joinery.

woodmagazine.com

Porter-Cable pneumatic nailersAir-powered brad nailers, pinners, and narrow-crown staplers, popularized in large part by Norm Abram on The New Yankee Workshop, havefound a home in mostworkshops thanks totheir quick convenience.Originally, pneumaticswere made for professionalcontractors and assemblyline manufacturers. Then,in 1995, Porter-Cabledesigned and began manufacturing more affordablenailers. Since then, nailersand fasteners have becomeeven more affordable, seiling in kits with compact aircompressors, typically forabout $300 or less.

Product evolutions that changed woodworkingAlthough the following types of products existed prior to 1984, evolution withineach category has resulted in higher quality, accuracy, and safety for all of us.

Improved dust collectionAs we became more informed of the health risks of breathing wood dust, manufacturers kept pace.They introduced affordable dust collectors, cyclones, and tool-triggered vacuums that not only suckedup the dust at the source, but also kept it contained with ultrafine filters. And tool manufacturers haveplaced greater emphasis on channeling dust into ports for those machines to better collect it.

Cordless toolsThe earliest battery-powered drills in the 1970s'were bulky and featured low-voltage batteries,but still seemed like a godsend because they hadno power cord. Over the past 25 years manufacturers have boosted power significantly whilecutting charge times and weight. They've alsoadded keyless chucks and adjustable clutches,ergonomic designs, and other battery-poweredtools, such as circular saws, reciprocating saws,jigsaws, and impact drivers.

Carbide cutting edgesAlthough manufacturers offered carbide-tippedsaw blades and router bits beginning in the late70s, it wasn't until the late '80s that carbide cameinto widespread use. With edges that stay sharpabout 10 times longer than steel, it's rare now tofind saw blades and router bits without carbidetips. Today, many jointers and planers featurecutterheads with replaceable carbide inserts.

User-friendly finishesResponding to tighter regulatory restrictions,finish manufacturers began making moreenvironmentally friendly products, such aswater-based topcoats and stains, that also cleanup easily. They also launched products-waterand oil-based-that made finishing projectseasier and more foolproof: gel stains, wipe-onpolyurethanes, and oil-and-varnish blends.

62

t~=~:=:~:50--~'~ ,Hyper-accurate rip fences and miter gaugesFor more than 50 years tablesaws came with ho-hum rip fences and run-of-the-mill miter gaugesthat proved unreliable. When the Biesemeyer T-square-style rip fence was introduced in the late70s, its accuracy, ease of use, and popularity set the standard. Since the mid-'90s, the majority oftablesaw manufacturers have incuded this type of fence as standard equipment on all but the mostbasic machines. As for the miter gauges, most saws come with a bare-bones model with only threepreset stops. That's why in 1988 IDS launched its Accu-Miter gauge that boasted accuracy to V30o,

and featured a telescoping fence and flip stop. You can now find more than a dozen such aftermar-ket miter gauges, ranging from about $50 to nearly $300. • Written by Bob Hunter


To celebrate WOOD® magazine's 25th anniversary, here's a classy project thatshows off your collection-and woodworking skills.

Dadoes and rabbets and kerfs, oh my!

l Edge-glue 1,4" maple to form two lOx13" blanks for the sides(A). When dry, cut them to size [Materials List, page 68].

2For the front (B) and back (C), cut a single Y2x4x19W' blank.Cut the bottom (D) to size [Materials List, Drawing 1].

3Attach a sacrificial auxiliary fence to your tablesaw's ripfence. Using a dado blade, cut 1,4" rabbets W' deep along

both edges of the inside face of the front/back blank (B/C)

66

[Drawing 2]. Using a miter gauge, repeat the operation on bothends of the bottom (D) [Drawing 1]. Then cut Va" rabbets 1,4"deep along the edges of the bottom [Drawing 1].

4Remove the auxiliary rip fence. Using a miter-gauge extension, cut W' dadoes W' deep W' from both ends of the front/

back blank (B/C) on the inside face [Drawing 2].

SLower the dado blade to Ys". Cut the 1,4" dado W' deep onthe inside faces of the sides (A) [Drawing 3, Photo A].


Va" kerf ~6" deep

• Overall dimensions: 4" wide x10" deep x 12¥.!" high.

• Each magazine file holds 16 issues ofWOOD® magazine. The complete25-year set requires 12 files.

• Use your favorite wood species tocontrast with the maple sides, orchoose a variety of species-one foreach file you build. In the set shownon the previous page, we used, left toright, zebrawood, white oak,mahogany, and padauk.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

V4' dadoV4' deep

DEXPLODED VIEW

\4" rabbetsV4' deep

Yo" kerfs~6" deep

\IU,12%"

~6" pilot hole

Full-sizebottom pattern

BFRONT/BACK VIEW

1----------- 19%" ---------1

12%" =====11 Waste

11" 11%" --i I I(n=:;"® ~©

"

For equal-depth dadoes, use a push pad to counteract the tendencyof the thin panel to rise as it passes over the dado blade. .

With the ends flush, use the back (el as a guide and complete thecurve, connecting the pattern and the back's top.

6RePlace your dado blade with a standard blade and set it tocut Va" kerfs YI6" deep in the outside face of the front/back

blank (B/C) [Drawing 2].

7sand the inside face of the front/back blank, (B/C) as wellas both sides of the bottom (D), to 220 grit. Crosscut the

front (B) and back (C) from the blank [Drawing 2].

Add a touch of flourish

1Make one copy each of the Front/Back Bottom pattern andthe Side Top pattern from the WOOD Patterns® insert. Cut

the patterns to shape and spray-adhere the Front/Back Bottompattern to the outside face of the front (B), taking care to alignit to the bottom corners [Drawing 2]. Set the other patternaside. Bandsaw the cutout and drum-sand to the line. Use thecutout on the front as a template to trace, and then cut outand sand the shape on the bottom of the back (C).

2spray-adhere the Side Top pattern to the outside face of oneof the sides (A) and complete the cutline [Drawing 3, Photo

B]. Double-face-tape the two sides together, with the insidefaces touching. Bandsaw the cutout and sand to the line.

woodmagazlne.com 67

During final assembly, glue only the center portion of the edges onthe bottom (D) to allow for cross-grain wood movement.

Time for assembly

1Glue and clamp the file together, checking for square. (Forthe bottom, we glued only the center of the edges and left

the ends unglued to allow for movement of the wide sides[Photo C].) After the glue dries, ease all edges with sandpaperand sand the remaining surfaces to 220 grit. .

2APPlY thin strips of masking tape in the kerfs that willcontain the brass splines on the front and back. Then apply

two coats of wipe-on satin polyurethane, sanding after eachcoat with a 320-grit sanding sponge. After the finish dries,remove the masking tape,

3Cover the kerfs with strips of masking tape and carefullytrim the tape away from the kerfs [Photo 0] with a crafts

knife. Cut the brass splines to length with a hacksaw. Sand thesplines with 320-grit sandpaper to remove any tarnish. Thenadhere them using S-minute epoxy. After the adhesive cures,remove the tape and apply a final coat of finish.

4Because the #2x3Js" brass screws used to attach the cardframe are so delicate, we recommend testing their fit in a

scrap piece of hardwood. Drill a Vii' pilot hole. Drive andremove a steel screw to plow a path for the brass screw. Then,install the. brass screw. When yo,u are satisfied with the procedure, use the same technique to attach the card frame to thefront of the magazine file.

Finally, build a dozen more magazine files to get ready forthe next 2S years of WOOD magazine.•

Written by Lucas Peters with Jeff MertzProject design: Jeff MertzIllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

68

•Masking tape, cut to reveal the spline kerfs, protects the wood fromexcess epoxy as you install the brass splines.

IJSIDEVIEW

I- 9W' -I' Full-size top pattern

----.- - -. "'---'-'--7'--,

~i R=S%"

12%"

JJ"R===!=i===!Fi=it==l====iF 7/8

"

-I

Materials ListFINISHED SIZE

Part T W L Mati. Qty.

A* sides Y4" 9]/," 12%" EM

B* front ]/," 4" 12%" cC* back ]/," 4" 6" C

D bottom ]/," 3%" 9%" M

'Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.

Materials key: EM-edge-joined maple, C-choice ofcontrasting woods, M-maple.Supplies: Double-faced tape, spray adhesive,5-minute epoxy, #2x%" brass wood screws.Blade: Dado set.

SourcesBrass spline, card frame: 1!sXY8" ultra-machinablebrass, item 8951 K18, $3.88 for 6', McMaster-Carr,609-259-8900 or mcmaster.com. Polished-brass cardframe, item 01A57.63, $6.80 each ($5.80 each for 10 ormore), Lee Valley, 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com.


At first glance, a tablesaw tenoningjig looks intimidating with allthose knobs and movable parts.

Fact is, you'll use only a few of thoseparts for 99 percent of your work, andthese simple accessories prove so easy touse, you'll wonder why you didn't getone sooner.

Popular sentiment among woodworkers suggests that all tenoning jigs are thesame, so you should just buy the leastexpensive one you can find. We beg todiffer. Half of the jigs in our test werepretty much interchangeable, but onestood clearly above the rest. And by thetime you reach the end of this article,you'll know exactly which one to buy.

I have a dado set; whydo I need a tenoning jig?Using a dado set to cut tenons on aworkpiece laid horizontally on the sawinvariably leaves ridges and shallowgrooves on the tenon cheeks that weakenthe joint (unless you tediously sand orhand-plane them smooth). But a tablesaw tenoning jig secures the workpiece

woodmagazlne.com

on its end to cut the cheeks with anordinary saw blade, as shown above,leaving them jointer-smooth.

Looking at the Tenoning Jig Anatomyphoto on the next page, you'll see thateach jig has two main functional areas:the work-holding area (componentslabeled in gray), and a workpiece-positioning area (parts marked in black) thatcontrols the size of the tenon.

To use the jig, clamp the workpiecewith one face against the support plateand one edge against the fence. Set theblade height to cut the length of thetenon. Next, loosen both the slidingbase lock and the microadjust lock, andmove the sliding base to correctly position one face-cheek cut. Engage the,microadjust lock to dial in the cut precisely. Now, secure the sliding-base lockand make the cut by pushing the jig andworkpiece through the blade. Repeat theprocess for the opposite face cheek andthe two edge cheeks, as shown above.Make the shoulder cuts to remove thewaste (using a miter gauge) either beforeor after you cut the cheeks.

The' simple and repetitive processtypically requires repositioning both theclamp and the sliding base when youswitch from cutting face cheeks to cutting edge cheeks (unless your workpieceand tenons are square). So, let's start byrating the adjustments-you'll make mostfrequently.

69

threads into a sleeve that moves freely inthe sliding base when the microadjustlock is loosened. That's your coarseadjustment. Securing the lock fixes thesleeve in the sliding base so that turningthe microadjuster moves the base in aslow but controlled fashion.

Overall, this style of lateral adjustmentworks fine, but requires locking andunlocking two closely spaced ratcheting

Workpiece clamping:Make it speedy and secureIdeally, you want to center the threadedclamp rod-and the force-on the workpiece, so that means adjusting the armfore and aft, and locking it in place. Welike Jet's long, stout arm and lever lockbest (shown below), followed by theknurled knobs on the Delta, Laguna,and Steel City, which require no tools tosecure. At the other extreme, the nonsliding arm on the General Internationalprovides only two clamp locations andrequires complete removal andreinstallation of the clamp.The rest of the models needa hexhead wrench (onemore thing to keep trackof) to operate the arm lock.

As for adjusting the clampitself in and out to accommodatedifferent workpiece widths, Jet's beefyAcme-threaded rod with quick releasescored well for speed of adjustment inour tests. But we gave a slight edge to thespeedy steel cranks on the Delta andGeneral, because they turn smoothestand keep one hand free for holding theworkpiece.

Lateral adjustments:Fine-tune your tenonsAll but two of the tested tenoning jigsuse sleeve-type microadjust systems formoving the sliding base left and right toadjust the tenon size: The microadjuster

NOTE:

WORK-HOLDING AREA (Gray)WORKPIECE-POSITIONING AREA(Black)

Baseplate

lock levers (the sliding-base lock andmicroadjust lock).

So we prefer the more intuitive adjustments on the Delta (below) and Lagunajigs. Push and hold the quick release,slide the base, let go of the quick release,and dial in the precise alignment. Oneknob locks it down. Laguna's smallerlocking knob and stiff travel knocked itdown a couple of points from the Delta.

Push the spring-loaded steel button on the end of Jet's clamp arm toinstantly reposition the clamp for a wider workpiece.

70

Likewise, Delta's push-button release speeds coarse adjustments ofthe sliding base, then instantly reengages for fine adjustments.


Getting a grip:Handles = controlWhen pushing a workpiece through theblade, one vertical handle at both thefront and rear of the jig gave us the bestcontrol, and the Delta, Jet, and Lagunajigs have handles in that orientation.Again, Laguna gets a slight downgradebecause of its small handles.

Other features thataffect performance• You may only have to make the critical jig-to-blade alignment when you firstset up your jig, but we gave high marksto the General International (unfetteredaccess to the two screws that secure thebaseplate to the miter bar), and Deltaand Steel City jigs (the sliding base mustbe in a certain position to access bothscrews). The rest require removing thesliding base from the baseplate, or, atworst, the entire jig from the tablesaw.

• Steel City's oversize baseplate gives it abroad stance for stability, but also makesit significantly heavi~r than most jigsHz lbs heavier than the next-heaviestJet, and a whopping 7 lbs heavier thanthe lightest-in-test Delta.• General International's jig is the onlyreversible jig that works equally well inthe right miter slot and the left. But ifyour right miter slot measures more than4%" from the blade, the support platecan't get close enough to the blade to cut14" tenon shoulders without building outthe support plate. You'll have to use it inyour left miter slot instead.• The miter bars on most of the testedjigs have built-in adjustments to fit thebar to your saw's miter slot. On thosewithout (see chart, below), you'll need topeen or file the bar to fit. (Learn how inissue 179, on p. 24, or in a free downloadable article at woodmagazine.com/mitergaugetuneup.)

The jig is up:Top tenonersDelta's 34-184 stood tall above therest of the jigs in this test with greatfeatures and precise performance,earning this $135 accessory our TopTool award. Although Laguna's Platinum Series jig looks similar, it lacksthe smooth operation and creaturecomforts of the Delta. Jet's JTG-lOQalso scored well, sporting the bestof the sleeve-type microadjusters, arock-solid clamp, and a price tag thesame as the Delta.

In the under-$lOO price tier, thejigs are so similar in function andperformance that we'd go with thebottom-dollar Grizzly, making it ourTop Value.. .

Written by Dave Campbell with Steve Feeney

WHO CUT THE CHEEKS: 10 TABlESAW TENONING JIGS RATEDWORKPIECE CLAMP SLIDING PERFORMANCE GRADES (S) FOR MORE INFORMATION:

~~PRIMARY SECONDARY

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~Z <l: <l: 0 <l: <l: w 0 wBRAND MODEL ::;; u 0 ::;; u :c u: :c w u w w u.. :s: u VI PHONE WEB

DElTA 34-184 3% 5 N Y 20 K P P Y b 16~ C $135 800-223-7278 deltaportercable.com

EAGLE AMERICA 400-1048 3% 5 N N 18 R 5 P Y B- B B b+ b- b 19~ T 100 800-872-2511 eagleamerica.com-

GENERAL INTERNATIONAL 50-050 3 5 N Y 39 R 5 P N B- B b+ c b- 20 T 140 888-949-1161 general.ca-GRIZZLY H7583 3}4 5 N N 18 R 5 P Y B- B B b b- b 18 C 60 800-523-4777 grizzly.com

JET JTG-l0Q 3% R Y Y 25 R 5 P N B b c b- 22 C 135 800-274-6848 jettools.com

LAGUNA Platinum 30/16 5 N Y 18 K P 5 Y B B+ b+ b b 19~ C 145 800-234-1976 lagunatools.comSeries f--ROCKlER 29840 3% 5 N N 18 R 5 P N B B B b b- c b 19~ T 90 800-279-4441 rockier-com

SHOP FOX 03246 3}4 5 N N 18 R 5 P Y B- B B b b- b 18 C 70 800-840-8420 shopfox.bizI--

STEEl CITY 35810 3~ R Y Y 18 R 5 5 Y B- B+ B- b+ b 23~ C 110 877-724-8665 steeicitytoolworks.comI--

WOODCRAFT 144755 3}4 5 N N 18 R 5 P Y B- B B b+ b- b 18 C 90 800-225-1153 woodcraftcom

L (R) Rubber-covered steel 4. (P) Plastic 6. (C) China(5) Steel (5) Steel (T) Taiwan

2. (R) Ratcheting lever S. ~ ,,,,II,", 7. Prices current at time of article(K) Knob production and do not includeB Good

3. (5) Sleeve Fairshipping, where applicable.

(P) Push-button

woodmagazine.com 71

Salvage your own hardwood lumber and save big bucks.

Where to find it:

Tune in your wood-seeking radar,and it's hard to not see salvageablelumber. However, be prepared to

swallow some pride and roll up theshirtsleeves. You'll soon be asking favorsof complete strangers, digging throughsome less-than-clean locations, and putting in lots of sweat-equity to reclaimthat prize wood.

I brake for remodeling sitesDon't pass a remodel or demolition site

. like the one shown below without putting the car in reverse. In all likelihood,that material in the construction dumpster will go straight to the landfill unlessyou intervene. Seek out the head contractor or the property owner andpolitely request to take some of it offtheir hands. The older the building

being remodeled or demolished, the better the chance for desirable old-growthtimber with tight growth rings.Great finds: Hardwood floors, widetrim, solid doors from residential sites;timber beams from commercial sites.Steer clear of: Post-Depression-erahomes. Standardized construction materials were great for the housing boom,not sQ much for hardwood projects.

Barnwood bonanzaWooden barns are all the rage in thesalvaged wood set. "But don't go hooking a chain to your truck hitch and pulling one down on your head," warns JayWikary, CEO of American Barn Company of Chicago. His company specializes in dismantling and salvaging barnsand turning the wood into rustic archi-

tectural beams, flooring, and customfurniture. Jay says farmers have specificrequirements when it comes to demolition. They need to avoid liabilities(meaning you better be insured andknowledgeable about dismantlingbarns). And they want the entire barngone, not just partially stripped.Great finds: Classic timber-frame construction, below, with long beams, straightgrain, and high board-foot yields.Steer clear of: Wood with signs ofpowder-post beetle or termite damage.Live insects could easily spread throughyour wood pile and your home.

Trade with the tradesA few minutes spent with the yellowpages could net you dozens of businessesthat work· in hardwoods. From cabinet

NEW LIFE FOR AN OLD BARN


shops to doormakers, from boat-buildersto veneer manufacturers, any shop thatcuts wood has offcuts left over. But don'tgo in empty-handed. Exchange sprinkled donuts and hot coffee for valuablehardwoods. You'll come out ahead inthe bargain.Great finds: Mahogany. Doors, boats,and high-end cabinets still regularlyincorporate this sought-after wood.Steer dear of: Efficient companies. Tinyoffcuts will pile up in your scrap bin.

Don't discount the discardsDiscarded furniture might be the mostoverlooked source for project wood. Justbecause it no longer looks like a boarddoesn't mean it won't have usable wood.Keep an eye out for garage-sale gems.When you see a gOing-out-of-businesssale, skip the shoes and shirts and askabout salvaging the shelving. Even ifyou don't find any usable wood, youmight come across cabinets or wall orga-

nizers for your shop. And if your city hasa spring cleanup, hit the streets earlymaybe even the preceding evening-forthe big scores.Great finds: Tabletops, headboards,broken pianos, and church pews, belowleft, are the board-foot jackpot.Steer dear of: Veneered woods masquerading as solid stock.

The ever-present palletYou'll find shipping pallets, below right,at almost any company with a loadingdock. But be warned; they represent themost work for the yield with lots of nailsto pull and grit to clean up. So be picky.Don't waste that kind of time and efforton common pine pallets. Look for hardwoods instead (after getting permissionat the front office). The heaviest or mostexpensive items are generally shippedon oak pallets with thick pieces.Great finds: Companies with oversized international shipments. What's

cheap, available wood in one country isexotic in another.Steer clear of: Pallets from pesticide,fertilizer, or other chemical companies.Those stains might be hazardous.

Miniaturize for marketingRunning low. on wood? It's time todownsize. Raid the scrapbin and turnout some smaller projects. Not only dothey make great gifts and beautiful display items, but they also invite questionsfrom your curious friends. When youtell them about the project, make sure toinclude the story of where you got thewood. Then be prepared to jot downphone numbers as they tell you aboutthe friend of a friend with a garage fullof wood.Great finds: Acquaintances with outbuildings and packrat tendencies.Steer dear of: Becoming a packrat yourself. Set a minimum size limit for offcutsand rid your shop of anything smaller.


woodmagazine.com 73

Unless luck smiled on you, the woodyou salvaged needs a little more workthan lumberyard stock. Extra care isrequired to avoid blade-dulling metalfasteners and dirt. Simply focus on allthe money you saved, and the time willfly by as you complete these easy steps.

1. Mind the metalPublic enemy number one to blades andbits: metal. Remove all obvious nails andscrews from the board. For hidden fasteners, use some of that money yousaved to invest in an inexpensive metaldetector, such as this one from Zircon(m40, $40, 800-245-9265, zircon.com).Mark the hot spots with chalk and cutaround them.

.2. A clean boardis a happy boardDirt runs a close second to metal in theblade-dulling offender list. Scrub off anyloose grit with a stiff plastic- or brassbristle brush. Avoid steel bristles, whichmay re-introduce a problem metal.

How to work it:

3. Reveal the grainThe last step before blade touches wood:purge the last coat of dirt or any old,protective finish. This is no time forfinesse. Get out the belt sander and clearit away quickly with an 80-grit belt.Keep the tool moving though. Belt sanders hog away material qUickly and cangouge the surface in a heartbeat.

4. Lose the ends,save the bladeThe porous end-grain of wood collectsdirt like a celebrity tabloid. Boards piledin barns or dragged across the ground aspallets especially pack away the grit.Cutting off an inch or several from theends of each board not only spares yourcutters, it removes splits from old,checked boards.

5. Can we justmachine it already?Yep. It's finally time to mill the woodinto usable material. First take off thatexpensive, premium blade and pop in a

cheap or old blade you don't mind dulling. Then start by straight-line rippingone edge with the tablesaw or a circularsaw and straightedge. Flip the board andtrue up the opposite edge to parallel thefirst, removing just enough material toeliminate rot or stains. Give your jointerand planer the same old-blade downgrade before squaring and thicknessingthe material.

6. Celebrate the storyWith any heirloom furniture, the provenance proves almost as important asthe construction. Reclaimed lumberadds history on top of history. Celebratethat story by displaying it proudly in thewood. Rough edges, nail holes, wormtracks, and faded finishes can all becomedesign elements in the final project.

For every barn]ay Wikary salvages, herecords the history. "We jot down whatever we know about the barn. We putthat together with a picture and we givethat to everybody that gets one of oursalvaged-wood products," he says.•Written by Lucas Peters

"Under decades of dirt and grit, our salvagedbarnwood revealed treasured spalted figure.


GreatldeasforYourShogSpace-Saving

ClampRackYOU can never have too many

clamps, but organizing thecountless shapes and sizes they

come in can be a huge problem. Untilnow. Build the unit as shown, orcustomize it to fit your wall space. It'smade of inexpensive lx2 and lx4 pine;numerous "shelves" support even largeclamp collections. In addition to lx4shelves, it also has dowels for hangingspring clamps and other small C-clamps.To anchor the unit firmly to a wall,screw lx2 cleats to the lx4 uprights,and center the cleats over studs.•

Project design: Rod Cox, St. Paul, Iowa

lx4 ~

.'....-r.)

#8 x 3" F.H.wood screw into

wall stud orhollow-wall

anchors

%" counterbores /"3fs" deep, centered

15y.,"

35"

t%"

.v %x 1'12 x 35"mounting cleat

35"

I ./ 5/32" shank hole,V countersunk

V

Find dozens of FREE project plans at:woodmagazine.com/freeplans

woodmagazlne.com75

Shop-Proven ProductsThese woodworking wares passed our shop trials

About our product testsWe test hundreds of tools and accessories, but only those that earn at least threestars for performance make the final cut and appear in this section. Prices are currentat the time of article production and do not include shipping, where applicable.

Oscillating drum sander flattens us with its stellar showingWhen I tested five drum sandersrecently (issue 190, May 2009) I waspleasantly surprised at how uniformly

. thick and smooth I could get workpieces with them. A couple of monthslater I tested Jet's 22-44 OscillatingDrum Sander, and I'm stunned by howmuch quicker and smoother it gets thejob done. You can use the machine instandard mode, or engage the oscillating feature and the drum glides backand forth 1" as it rotates. This side-toside motion eliminates straight-linescratches-common with standarddrum sanding-because it smooths intwo dimensions simultaneously.

Regardless of what wood I ranthrough this machine, I got muchsmoother surfaces using the oscillatingaction than without; so smooth I onlyneeded a quick 220-grit sanding withmy random-orbit sander to finish thejob. Occasionally, the 22-44 leftsquiggly "snake tracks"-curvy highand low spots-but a second pass at thesame depth setting removed them andleft the panel dead flat. And even whenI sanded a 44"-wide panel, the thicknessing accuracy across the workpiecenever differed more than .008"-morethan acceptable.

This machine requires a significantinvestment, but the $600 premium(compared to Jet's standard 22-44) canbe recouped in time saved by not

needing to use a random-orbit sanderfor several grits of smoothing. You canalso save about $100 by skipping theoptional infeed and outfeed tables. Itested this machine with them andwithout and got equal results. Plus, theinfeed table made it tougher to reachthe drum to change sanding belts.

-Tested by Doug Hicks,a former shop teacher and

woodworking magazine editor

22-44 Osdllating Drum SanderPerformancePriceJet888-804-7129; jettools.com

*****$2,000

Lock those chair jointswith Tenon-LokChair joints endure more stress thanany other joint, often to the point ofcoming apart. RockIer's Tenon-Loksolves that problem by creating incredibly strong and durable self-lockingblind-wedge mortise-and-tenon joints.The system has two parts: one formachining, and the other for assembly.To make the joint, begin by craftingyour legs, stretchers, and rails as younormally would, including tenons. Borematching mortises. Next, use thespring-loaded Tenon-Lok bit to bore outa cone shape inside the mortise.

To assemble the joint, tap a TenonLok metal ring-ground sharp on oneend-to the end of a tenon using the

78

provided bushing to center it. Removethe bushing, apply glue to the joint,insert the tenon, and then drive ithome with a mallet or clamp. As thejoint closes, the force drives the ringinto the tenon, spreading it snuglyagainst the cone-shaped mortise walls, .effectively locking the joint.

RockIer sells the bits in four diameters: Vz, S/s, %, and 1". Insert rings sellin packs of 12 for $S to $8.

-Tested by Matt Seiler,a custom-furnituremaker

Tenon-Lokjoinery systemPerformancePriceRockier800-279-4441; rockler.com

continued on page 80WOOD magazine October 2009

$10

$525

$700

*****

*****


#6950-20

#6955-20 (slider)


-Tested by Craig Ruegsegger,Multimedia Editor

Performance

PriceAli Industries800-255-4748; zipsander.com

Gator Micro Zip Sander

Price

Performance

prepared if you plan to lug itaround...

-Tested by Dave Fish,pro trim carpenter and cabinetmaker

12" Dual-Bevel mitersaws

'Milwaukee800-729-3878; milwaukeetool.com

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~-ProvenProductsSanding tight into corners?No prolliem with Micro ZipI was skeptical at first of the GatorMicro Zip Sander, because I figured Icould always make a specialty sandingblock from scrapwood. But its soft-foamhandle and body proVide just the rightcombination of fleXibility and rigidity,making it comfortable to hold andmaneuver while keeping the sandingsurface flat. Its small 1x3" pad reachesinto tight corners, and the hook-andloop sandpaper proved easy to change.I was able to sand up next to a finishedvertical surface without marring it.

Micro Zip does not offer refillsanding strips, but another kit (with 10strips each of 80, 120, 220 grit) costsjust $10. Or you can buy hook-and-Ioopsheets from woodworking retailers andcut your own to fit.

Digital mitersaws deliver accuracy to .1°I demand a.ccuracy anddependability from mymitersaw every day or it'soff the jobsite. So I'mcomfortable saying Milwaukee's 12" dual-bevelmitersaws are the best I'veever used. Their digitalread-out miter scales,displayed to .1°, proveddead-on accurate. That kindof repeatability is especiallyimportant when severalpeople use the saws andchange settings; it's easy toreturn to a setup and knowit will be accurate. Themicroadjuster with detentoverride lets you zero in onuncommon miter angles.And the miter tables glide on needlebearings so smoothly I forget I'm usinga mitersaw.

I'm not one for gimmicks (such aslasers), but I really like the twin lightsmounted on each side of the bladebecause they illuminate the cut areawithout glare or shadow. Both sawshave beefy IS-amp gear-driven motorswith soft-start that are strong enoughto blast through tough 4x4 ipe withouta hiCCUp. I could crosscut up to 7%"with the standard compound model,and with the slider I cut stock up to131/z" wide. Still, the slider weighs 6Slbs, 10 more than the compound, so be

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~-Proven ProductsQuick-set jointer knives get you back in business

-Tested by Bob Hunter,Tools and Techniques Editor

Performance *****Price 6" startup kit, $223; 8" startup kit, $255Dispozablade800-557-8092; dispozablade.com

Self-Set disposable jointer knives

ment knives cost from $25 to $70 for aset of three. Dispozablade also sellscobalt knives in three-packs ($49 for 6",$63 for 8"). They are similar to carbide,meaning they maintain sharp edgeslonger but prove more brittle. Self-Setknives do not fit all jointers andplaners, as we found on those withcutterheads that have rounded edgeswhere the tabs rest. Call Dispozabladeto see whether Self-Set knives will workon your machine. (They prefer to talkwith customers rather than listing alltool matches on their Web site.)

For many years, Dispozablade hasbrought the convenience of disposable,self-indexing knives (like those on mostbenchtop planers) to jointers. Now,Dispozablade's Self-Set system makesinstalling the knives foolproof. With astart-up kit you get three knives andthree holders, with locating tabs forpositioning on the cutterhead. Afterremoving your old knives and jackscrews-you won't need them anymore-mount a knife onto a holder,and place it in the cutterhead slot, withthe tabs resting on the cutterhead, asshown at right. Tighten the gib bolts tosecure the knives and holders. That's it.No knife-setting jig, no jacking aroundwith jack screws.

If you nick the knives, simply loosenthe gib bolts and shift one knife tooffset the nicks. Because the kniveshave dual cuttingedges, you can flipthem when they become dull. (As withdisposable planer knives, we don'trecommend resharpening thembecause it's difficult to achieve identicalgrindings.) High-speed-steel replace-


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Ask WOODAnswers to your questions fromletters, e-mails, and WOOD Online~

HAVE A QUESTION?For an answer to your woodworking question, write to ASK WOOD, 1716 Locust St.,LS-221, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023 or e-mail us at [email protected]. For immediate feedback from your fellow woodworkers, post your questions onone of our woodworking forums at woodmagazine.com/forums.

Bandsaw small project parts,preserve small body parts

Q.My jewelry box plans require me to bandsaw some• small parts that would bring my fingertips close to

the blade. Is there a safe way to bandsaw small parts?-Shirley Anderson, Rockford, /II.

A.Double-face-tape the blank for your curved part to a• larger scrap of plywood or MDF, Shirley. Then hold the

scrapwood guide as you bandsaw the curved piece to shape, asshown. This keeps your fingers safely away from the blade andgives you much more control over the workpiece as you guide itthrough the blade.

When a hole is not a hole

Q.I need to drill a hole about 12".Iong to route a cord through

a lamp base. Is there a way to drill ahole that deep and stay true?

-Michael Ke/ly, Summit, N.J.

A.The best way to drill a deep hole,• Michael, is to forget about the

drill. Turn instead to your tablesaw orrouter table.

If you're cutting the lamp base fromsolid stock, cut your base blank to itsfinal dimension, plus about 3;]6" extrawidth to account for your blade's kerf.Joint or sand it to clean up the faces.Then rip the base in half at yourtablesaw. (Be sure to use multiple passeswith successively higher blade heightsfor stock thicker than 1" or so.) Otherwise, if you're laminating a blank frommultiple layers, build up two half-

thicknesses, but don't glue the twohalves together, yet. Use a dado blade tocut a centered groove in the inside facesof the lamp base halves, as shown.

Alternatively, if you absolutely need around hole, you can use a core box bitat your router table. Then simply glueand clamp the two halves together.

Never too late to learn about latewood

Q.I overheard my hardwood dealer speaking to a customer• about Ilatewood." Ididn't want to interrupt their conversa

tion, but I'm unfamiliar with the term. What is latewood?-Ron Altier, West Lafayette, Ohio

A•Ron, the terms latewood and earlywood refer to the different• densities of wood produced in a tree in the course of a year's

growth. Early in the growing season, in the wet spring, a tree growsrapidly, producing large-vessel cells. As water becomes more scarce laterin the season, the tree's growth slows, producing smaller cells. Year afteryear, this pattern creates the tree's growth rings, the earlywood generallyshowing up as the more porous, lightly colored wood, and the latewoodas the darker, tighter-grained wood.

woodmagazine.com

Earlywood Latewood

83

PNEUMATIC TOOLSFOR PROFESSIONALS

Ask WOOD


A_If the blade was welded even• slightly out of square, it

would show up as the back-andforth motion that you describe,James. Remove the blade and replaceit with another. If the problem goesaway, call the blade manufacturer orthe retailer where you purchased thedefective blade, and ask for areplacement.

If the problem persists, check thetires on the wheels. The blade on asaw left idle for long periods of timecan leave an impression in therubber tire which might causeerratic tracking. Purchase and installaftermarket replacement tires. (Enter"bandsaw tire" in the search box atwoodcraft.com.)

If you still see a back-and-forthmotion, the culprit is probably thewheel itself. A bad bearing or a bentshaft warrant a call to the manufacturer who can direct you to thenearest service center. •

Back-and-forthbandsaw blade blues

Q_lloved your online video_ about how to tune up a

ban(tsaw (woodmagazine.comlbandsawtuneup). Ifollowed all ofyour steps to the letter. However,my bandsaw blade has a backand-forth motion. What's causingthis and how do Icorrect it?

-James Mulholland, Romulus, Mich.

110 VOLT PORTABLES S&H Discount QIy.(Thermostal included.) Price

5' Hydro-Max 750-1500 w $25 $229

3' 750 w - Siiicone $18 $179

Heav -Dul 240v $25 $329

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220 VOLT Approx. Area S&H DiscountPERMANENT 10 Heal Price QIy.8' 2000 w 250-300 sf $25 $319

6' 1500 w 180-250 sf $25 $289

5' 1250 w 130-180 sf $25 $259

4' 1000 w 100-130 sl $18 $239

3' 750 w 75-100 sf $18 $189

2' 500 w 50-75 sf $18 $169

Thermostats - Call for options & exact heater needed.

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1aGaug~ Qrad NailQr 1,630• Automatically adjusts for fastener lengths

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Hydro-Sil is a high perfonnance individual roomheating system that can save you hundreds of dollarsin home heating costs by replacing old and inefficientheating. It can replace or supplement your electric heat,gas or oil furnace and woodstoves. -

Hydro-5il represents economy in heating: inside theheater is a sealed copper chamber filled with a hannlesssilicone Auid designed for heat retention qualities. TheAuid is quickly heated by a varying amount of micromanaged proportional power. This exclusive technologygreatly increases energy savings.

What's AheadNovember 2009: You'll find projects galore! (on sale October 13)

Dovetailed blanket chestYou can hand-cut dovetails for this chest by following the simple step-by-step instructions and numerousphotos. Give it atry-with confidence-thanks to the easy, invisible fixes you'll find for any less-thanperfect joint. You'll find many ways to customize this project: from joinery, to woods, to base designs.

Takes-a-beating, budgeHriendly workbenchBuild this simple bench in aweekend using economicalplywood, 2x4s, and other dimensional lumber. Thenwheel it to wherever you ne~d asturdy work surface.

Construction-grade excavatorDig this! Extend the boom arm to scoop items into thepint-size bucket, then pivot the body to dump the load.Aton of fun for budding contractors (and for you!).

Mantel clockCreate this heirloom-quality timepiece in just aweekend. You'll need only common router bits to make thedetailed and handsome stacked-molding top.

Our best router bit setup tipsReduce your setup times, increase your accuracy, andboost your overall results with four pages of helpfulhints for both handheld and table routing.

Top tablesaw blades under $50We tested dozens of rip, crosscut, and multipurpose blades, and found several great·bargains that make clean, accurate cuts.

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Documents

Wood Magazine 193 (October 2009)