Two-base Kits – We Pick the Best JUNE 2007 ISSUE #162

Learn How. Discover Why. Build Better. 10 SOLID RULES FOR A BETTER What You Must Know Before You Build or Buy

Antique Finish: Add Two Abranet: Centuries sand Fast of Age in Sand Clean One Day Sand Less New HandplaneS Eats Your Dust For BegiNners US $5.99 CAN $7.99 How to Set One Up 06 And Use it Right

0 0120 04 JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo cnVlZ2VyAEVTLpcEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ Qy1BDDA3NDQ3MDAxMzU1NgA= SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL FnL1 01 02 03 04 74470 01355 6 popularwoodworking.com Display until June 26, 2007

Learn How. Discover Why. Build Better. contentsIN EVERY ISSUE 18 One , Many Uses TRICKS OF THE TRADE This multi-purpose saddle fence accommodates multiple jigs for your table . Plus, panel-saw stilts to help you easily cut down large sheet goods, a for trimming spline joints, an inexpensive -press guide and more. 24 Abranet Sanding Discs TEST 24 Abranet, a revolutionary new sanding product from Mirka, significantly improves dust collection. Plus, an incredible 18 Zona for $9, we put the new 13" Steel City portable planer through its paces, and Ryobi comes out with the first name brand cordless power . 28 18th-century Carcase Joinery ARTS & MYSTERIES Adam builds the lower case of his standing desk and shows off his hatchet skills whilst tapering the legs – no jigs or fancy setups required. by Adam Cherubini 32 Curve Appeal I CAN DO THAT Mouldings dress up this shapely Shaker adaptation, and the simple drawer presents a new – but doable – challenge. 84 Songs From the Shop 32 GREAT WOODSHOPS Songwriter, singer and Guy Clark builds beautiful 28 guitars and music in his cozy Nashville workshop. 90 Natural-edge Bowls AT THE LATHE Add beauty and visual interest to your turned bowls by using nature’s decoration – the bark. by Judy Ditmer

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Number 162, June 2007. Popular Woodworking (ISSN 0884-8823,USPS 752-250) is published 7 times a year in February, April, June, August, October, November and December by F+W Publications Inc. Editorial and advertising offices are located at 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236; tel.: 513-531-2222. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork should include ample postage on a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE); otherwise they will not be returned. Subscription rates: A year’s subscription (7 issues) is $19.96; outside of U.S. add $7/year ■ Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40025316. Canadian return address: 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON N8T 3B7 ■ Copyright 2006 by Popular Woodworking. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all address changes to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 Canada GST Reg. # R122594716 ■ Produced and printed in the U.S.A.

popularwoodworking.com  PROJECTS, AND TECHNIQUES 34 Sugar Chest An impressive run of through dovetails dresses up this 19th-century Southern charmer – a project sweet enough for almost any room. by Glen D. Huey on the cover 41 Rules for woodworking essentials Classic designs such It doesn’t matter how your bench looks; what’s as this English-style important is how it works. These 10 rules will help workbench can help you you pick the best bench for your style of work (or fix easily hold almost any the problems of your existing bench). 34 workpiece for any task, by Christopher Schwarz with a minimum of fuss. Plus, a proper bench will 57 two-Base Router Kits add speed and satisfac- A woodworking professional tests nine models in his tion to your shop time. shop, then weighs in on his favorites. by Troy Sexton Cover photo by Al Parrish 64 Old-school Veneering Traditional veneering with a veneer hammer and hot hide glue isn’t as tricky as you might think. departments These expert tips will show you how. by Mario Rodriguez

10 Out on a Limb Sam Maloof’s workbench 57 12 Letters Mail from readers and answers to your woodworking 70 handplanes questions for Beginners Planes are among the most useful hand 96 Out of the tools a woodworker can own – if used Woodwork properly. Here, you’ll get an expert Quest for the Holy Tail by Dick Mallard introduction to this indispensable tool. 64 by Michael Dunbar 78 Antique Finish Discover how to add centuries of age to your projects in just a few hours, with simple and safe steps (no gas torch required). by Troy Sexton

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 Popular Woodworking June 2007 popularwoodworking.com ®

June 2007, Vol. 27, No. 3 popularwoodworking.com Editorial Offices 513-531-2690

Publisher & Group Editorial Director Steve Shanesy Online Tools Editor Christopher Schwarz ext. 1407 • [email protected] Art Director Linda Watts Enter to Win a PM2000 from Powermatic ext. 1396 • [email protected] Senior Editor Robert W. Lang Enter to win a Powermatic PM2000 table (a splitter that moves with the ext. 1327 • [email protected] saw, just for answering a few questions at arbor). A riving knife allows you to work Senior Editor Glen D. Huey popularwoodworking.com. safely without getting in the way of your ext. 1293 • [email protected] This cabinet saw garnered a 2006 Popular work when making through-cuts. Managing Editor Megan Fitzpatrick ext. 1348 • [email protected] Woodworking “Best New Tool” award. We It also has an integrated caster sys- Photographer Al Parrish were particularly impressed by the machine’s tem that allows you to move the saw at a Contributing Editors moment’s notice – another great feature Adam Cherubini, Nick Engler, Bob Flexner, for many home shops. Don McConnell, Troy Sexton In addition, the PM2000 F+W PUBLICATIONS INC. comes with a nice oversized table, Chairman & CEO David H. Steward CFO John Speridakos a smooth-sliding T--style rip fence VP, Manufacturing Barbara Schmitz and more. Group Publisher, Interactive Media Eric Svenson You can read all about the Power- F+W PUBLICATIONS INC. matic PM2000 on our web site, then MAGAZINE GROUP enter for a chance to win – but hurry President Colin Ungaro VP, Consumer Marketing Sara DeCarlo – this contest ends May 31. Business Planning Tom Wiandt Conference Director Sara Dumford Circulation Director Linda Engel Newsstand Director Susan Rose production Production Manager Vicki Whitford Production Coordinator Katherine Seal Inside Online advertising Advertising Director Don Schroder 331 N. Arch St., Allentown, PA 18104 Contact Customer Service Tel. 610-821-4425; Fax 610-821-7884 Have a question about your subscription, [email protected] a change of address or need to renew? Advertising Production Coordinator Nancy Miller, Tel. 513-531-2690 ext. 1228 Contact customer service quickly and [email protected] easily using the online form. Copyright © 2007 by F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Popular Woodworking is a registered Free Project Plans trademark of F+W Publications, Inc. Every month, we simply give away some Tool Reviews of our most popular project plans. From miter to metal-bodied spoke- shaves, you’ll find a selection of tool SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Subscription inquiries, orders Article Index and address changes can be made at popularwoodworking.com reviews you need to outfit your shop with (click on “Customer Service FAQs”). Or by mail: Popular Woodworking, Looking for a specific technique or proj- P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Or call toll-free the machines and hand tools that best 877-860-9140 or 386-246-3369. Include your address ect, or all the articles from your favorite with all inquiries. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. fit your needs and price range. NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION: Curtis Circulation Co., author? Look no further than the mag- 730 River Road, New Milford, NJ 07646 azine’s online article index! And when Writer’s Guidelines ATTENTION RETAILERS: To carry Popular Woodworking in your store, call Newsstand Sales Supervisor you find what you need, it’s a simple click Got a great idea for an article? Here’s how April Krueger at 800-894-4656 or write Magazine Retail Sales, P.O. Box 5014, Iola, WI 54945-5014. to order a back issue. to submit your proposal. Back issues are available. Call 800-258-0929 for pricing or visit popularwoodworking.com. Send check or money order to: Popular Woodworking Back Issues, F+W Magazine Extras & Editor Blogs Contact the Staff Publications Products, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. Here, you’ll find article corrections If you have a question about Popular Please specify publication, month and year. (yes, it’s true – once in a while we make Woodworking, about woodworking in a mistake), expanded project plans, 18th- general … or even a complaint about SAFETY NOTE Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers place safety century shop inventories and other the magazine, we want to hear it. You devices on their equipment for a reason. In many pho- curious items. You also can read about can contact us directly through our web tos you see in Popular Woodworking, these have been what our editors are doing in the shop site – and we even give you our direct removed to provide clarity. In some cases we’ll use an right now on our blogs. phone numbers. awkward body position so you can better see what’s being demonstrated. Don’t copy us. Think about each Visit popularwoodworking.com today – and explore. procedure you’re going to perform beforehand. Illustration by Matt Bantly Out on a Limb Avoid Unworkable CONTRIBUTORS MARIO RODRIGUEZ Mario has more than 30 years of experience in woodworking as a builder, teacher and Workbenches writer. After almost 18 years in the Resto- ration Department at the Fashion Insti- tute of Technology in New York City, he now n the summer of 2002 I got to visit Sam No matter your skill level. Working is teaches at the Philadel- IMaloof’s new workshop and home in South- easier with a bench that’s designed to easily phia Furniture Work- ern California and was floored by three things: hold boards so you can work on their faces, shop. Mario has two the tactile perfection of his work, the delicious their edges and their ends. books under his belt, pork tacos he fed us and the workbench that Few modern-day workbenches can accom- “Traditional Wood- he and his employees work on. plish this simple task. Why? Perhaps we’ve work” and “Building Maloof’s workbench looked so much forgotten how good the old workbenches were. Fireplace Mantels” (both from Taunton). like a dining room table that we could Perhaps we equate the old workbenches as He’s also contributed numerous articles to have eaten the tacos there comfortably. necessary for hand-tool work. Or perhaps we many of the leading woodworking maga- The bench was the height of a dining don’t even know we’re struggling. zines. This is Mario’s first story forPopular table, had four tapered legs and four well- Woodworking is, after all, about problem- Woodworking; we’re delighted to welcome proportioned aprons beneath the solving. And woodworkers are ingenious when him aboard. In this issue, he writes about top. The only work- it comes to figuring out how to methods for hot hide glue veneering, begin- holding device was a do a complex task ning on page 64. patternmaker’s . with limited tools. Maloof’s work, of So we get by with a Megan fitzpatrick course, speaks for itself. substandard bench, Megan, the managing editor of Popular And what the work and we manage to pro- Woodworking, leads at least three lives. seems to say is that you duce nice furniture. In the In addition to her duties at the magazine, don’t need a traditional workbench to do end, good work comes from she’s working on her doctorate in English awe-inspiring work. And that’s true. In pro- the hands, not the bench. literature, concentrat- fessional shops all over the world, makeshift But let me suggest that almost every task ing on early modern workbenches are the rule. you do could be easier. And we don’t even need drama. (Her favorite So why do I sometimes get on a high horse to invent anything. Fully evolved workbench play is Francis Beau- about workbench design? (As I do in this issue designs were figured out 300 years ago – they’re mont’s “Knight of the in the “Woodworking Essentials” section.) just waiting for you to rediscover them. Burning Pestle,” which Well, no matter how much excellent wood- we’ve been told has a working is done on solid-core doors and ply- Mark Your Calendars: June 9-10 ribald pun in the title.) wood on sawhorses, my own experience with Michigan tool collector John Sindelar is hold- And when she’s not correcting our coarse workbenches is valid and true. ing a big bash June 9-10, and Popular Wood- grammar around the office, Megan teaches As a boy I began woodworking on my working will be there. The two-day event will literature and composition at the University grandfather’s bench, a European model with feature tool auctions, swap meets and demon- of Cincinnati, practices cutting dovetails a smooth face vise and dog holes. But when I strations from interesting people: planemakers and listens to modern Americana music. started woodworking after college, I worked Jim Leamy and Konrad Sauer, finishing expert Her interview with singer-songwriter- on a few scraps of construction piled Dexter Adams from Chemcraft and other luthier Guy Clark begins on page 84. on my back porch. Since then, I’ve worked on surprises. Sindelar’s tool collection alone is every style of workbench imaginable – from an worth the trip to Edwardsburg, Mich. Drop 18th-century French bench to a 21st-century me a line for full details. I’m going! PW Our Privacy Promise to You power-tool workbench. I’ve built 10 work- We make portions of our customer list available to benches, for myself or for others. And I’ve read carefully screened companies that offer products every book in English that I could find about and services we believe you may enjoy. If you do not want to receive offers and/or information, please let workbenches. Here’s what I’ve found: us know by contacting us at: No matter what you build. No matter how Christopher Schwarz List Manager, F+W Publications you build it. No matter what tools you use. Editor 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236

10 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Letters ’s Alignment May Cause Tapering

Feed direction If outfeed table is too high, you produce a taper Illustration by Hayes ShanesyIllustrationHayes by

Surface of outfeed table is tangent to Height of infeed table cutting circle of knives adjusts depth of cut

Infeed table If your outfeed table is too low, you’ll Outfeed table create at the end of the cut

My Leg Parts Taper – But Shouldn’t same thing can happen if you are applying pres- I am making a Mission-style computer desk, sure on the infeed table through most of the cut. and I want to use a quadralineal leg construc- Switch your hands so you are applying pressure tion technique that shows quartersawn grain on the outfeed table as soon as you have room on all four sides. My problem occurs when to do this safely. making the on the four long edges of You can also get quartersawn figure on all the workpieces. My saw is a right-tilt and I hate four sides of the legs by laminating two pieces ripping to the right with the tilted. So I and applying 1⁄8"-thick veneer to the two non- tried the 45° setting on my jointer fence. The quartersawn edges. I explain this technique in problem I have is that the edge is coming out the “Lost Stickley Side Table” article in our tapered. The will be perfect at the front November 2006 issue (# 158). and still have a 1⁄16"-wide flat spot at the end — Robert W. Lang, senior editor of the board. I can’t figure out what is causing this and would like to pull this off without Hard or Soft Maple: Which is buying anything. (I don’t have a 45° router bit Better Suited to Furniture Making? big enough for the job.) Any ideas? I plan to build some 18th-century pieces from Justin Norden maple. I haven’t used maple before, other than via e-mail as on pieces made from . What is the difference between “maple” and “hard I understand your reluctance to make the rip maple?” Which is best suited for furniture? cuts. If you can put the fence to the left side of Bill Jordan the blade you can make this cut safely, but this Andalusia, Alabama is awkward because we don’t do it very often. The problem with your jointer is likely either Maple is an excellent furniture wood. I love that the tables are not aligned properly, or your working with it. There are lots of kinds of technique is faulty. If the outfeed table is just a maple, though the two you are most likely to bit too high it will produce a tapered cut. The find are sold as “soft maple” and “hard maple.” continued on page 14

circle no. 119 on free information card. 12 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Letters continued from page 12

Soft maple is almost always red maple (acer For sharpening your saws, I recommend that it slides nicely in the without being rubrum), though sometimes it will be silver “Setting and Sharpening Hand and Power sloppy. If I can, I’ll attach at least one end of the maple. Hard maple is typically sugar maple Saws” (Wooden Boat Books) by Harold H. runner to the case with a screw in an oversized (acer saccharum) or sometimes black maple “Dynamite” Payson. It is, in my experience, hole so that I can adjust it to keep the drawer (acer nigrum). the best book on the topic. front parallel to the front of the case. For a final What’s the difference? The hard are — Christopher Schwarz, editor fit, I’ll rub chalk on the runner or in the groove heavier, a bit harder and tend to be whiter in and work the drawer in and out to the my experience. The soft maples weigh a bit less, How to Make Side-hung Drawers high and low spots. I try to cut a nice clean are a bit easier to work (though not much) and I am a relatively new woodworker and focus groove with a machine – I prefer the router – tend to have more color streaking throughout on Mission-style furniture. I am in the pro- then I can the runner with a (grays and browns mostly). In general, we’ve cess of making two end tables that each have or a to fit. Paraffin rubbed on found color streaking becomes more prominent one drawer. mating parts will help it slide. in Southern-grown maples of both types. In Excluding my workbench that contains The main reason not to use the table saw soft maples, unusual figure seems to be more drawers hung on manufactured runners, I for the grooves is that the grooves need to stop common in our area, though the curly version have never made a piece of furniture that an inch or so back from the front of the case. A of hard maple tends to be more dramatic. has drawers. I would like to hang the draw- stopped groove from the table saw will ramp up Soft maple is generally less expensive than ers from the sides using wood rails that ride at the end and this excess material will need to hard maple and is sometimes used as a second- in a groove in the drawers’ sides (as done in be removed. ary wood by some furniture makers. I have Stickley furniture) but would like some specific — Robert W. Lang, senior editor found that you can also use soft maple for exte- guidelines on how to do this. If it’s possible to rior parts if you select it carefully. do this with a table saw rather than a router, Advice Needed for Correct Use of — Christopher Schwarz, editor that would be great. The Skew in I particularly like the Stickley-type fur- Do you have any advice on the correct use of Wanted: Details for Making Hand Tools niture plans that have been published in a skew in woodturning? I was taught incor- Where can I find details for making my own Popular Woodworking but haven’t found any rectly in school and later learned a little cor- planes, saws and more? I spent some time on that contain a drawer using this construction rect woodturning technique during a brief the Clark & Williams site (planemaker.com), method. Are there any? If not, do you have encounter with a far more knowledgeable but they give helpful hints – not details and any detailed guidelines that I could use? For turner than my woodshop teacher. dimensions. example, given a specific drawer opening size, One trick was to turn, then join offset Jim Rather how do you size the drawer appropriately for turnings to make offset feet on tapered legs, Medina, Texas the space? And where do you place the wood then round and cut them off cleanly – all glass- rails and the drawer grooves for a foolproof smooth with no sanding whatsoever. I learned There are good resources out there for people fit? I want to learn some general “rules” that more in five minutes from that turner than who want to build their own tools. I can apply to any future situation. in an entire year in school, and would like to If you are interested in making James Brian Baker expand on that. Krenov-style wooden planes (or aren’t sure Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Christopher Wright what style you want to build), I recommend Verona, New Jersey “Making & Mastering Wood Planes” (Ster- The Byrdcliffe cabinet I made for the April ling) by David Finck. While the book focuses 2006 issue (#154) has side-hung drawers. I For truly glass-smooth cuts, the skew is the proper on building the low-slung plane associated with also discuss this in my first book, “Shop Draw- tool – and mastering that tool takes practice. Krenov, the book is an excellent all-around ref- ings for Craftsman Furniture” (Fox Chapel). Alan Lacer is a recognized expert and promoter erence on plane mechanics and tuning. It’s not that complicated. I usually make the of using the skew, and he’s made some good videos If you want to make wooden planes that are drawer sides out of 1⁄2" or 5⁄8" material, and demonstrating its use and technique (you can more traditional, including moulding and join- make the groove 1⁄8" to 3⁄16" deep. The width find his videos and more information about him ery planes, then I recommend “Making Tra- of the groove will vary between 3⁄4" and 11⁄4" at alanlacer.com). ditional Wooden Planes” (Astragal) by John depending on the height of the drawer, with a Because you have already discovered the M. Whelan. It also is an excellent reference on wider groove in a taller drawer. I center the value of learning firsthand, I’d suggest you look plane mechanics. groove top to bottom in the height of the drawer into a turning club or guild in your area. Mem- For making your own saws, I have two rec- side. I make the drawer about 1⁄16" smaller on bers are usually more than happy to help people ommendations. Visit the Norse Woodsmith site all sides than the opening; if the drawer front is learn and improve. Our local group in south- (norsewoodsmith.com), which has a wealth of more than about 6" wide, I’ll leave a bigger gap ern Ohio even has an established no-cost men- information about saw making (and tool mak- at the top and bottom (I use a nickel as a spacer tor program. You can find a list of clubs with ing in general). There are lots of photos, illus- in winter and a dime in summer). links to more info at woodturner.org. trations and text to guide you. The main thing is to get the runner sized so — Steve Shanesy, publisher continued on page 16

14 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Letters continued from page 14

Pining for Finishing Advice The cabinet is for our mud room and will handplanes and wanted to restore them for I find finishing articles are often confusing so I see some abuse. The lower shelves will be for use, collecting or to sell, what would be the skip them, but Glen Huey’s “Finishing Formu- storing boots and shoes and so must hold up best treatment (after removing dirt and las” was interesting and easy to follow (issue to water, mud, dirt and scratches. For this grime)? And what about this wax I’m hear- #161). One question – I am making a reason, and because I want as low-mainte- ing about? chest. What finish do you recommend? nance a finish as possible, I decided to go with Almost every unused wooden plane I Don Alexander polyurethane for the top coat. have seen is very dry, shows small cracks and via e-mail After I had it stained, my better half would likely benefit from some kind of oil informed me that she does not want any shine treatment. Pine, be it clear white or Southern yellow, is or sheen to the finish – not even that which Terry Miller different from the wood I used for most of the you get from satin polyurethane. Is there a Albion, New York projects described in the article. Other than good compromise between the amount of the painted cupboard, those projects are hard- shine and the durability of the top coats? There is a lot of bunk out there about wooden wood; pine is a . Pine readily exhibits I am interested in the antique appearance handplanes. They don’t need to be soaked in blotching when staining, so you won’t obtain from shellac that you discuss, but have some linseed oil, and they don’t need special waxes. the same results with the aniline dye finishing questions: Just treat the wood like it’s wood. Any cracks methods from the article. 1) How does shellac hold up compared to in the stock of the plane are probably due to In a previous career (homebuilding), it was polyurethane? the plane being stored improperly. There’s not common to apply a “wash coat” of thinned 2) Would shellac be an adequate choice for much you can do about it now — oiling sure shellac (1# cut) before staining it with oil-based the abuse this piece will be getting? won’t close the cracks. products. It’s a tricky scenario at best. Too 3) Would I have to use spray equipment to Clean the plane with a rag and a little min- much or too thick and the shellac prohibits the apply the shellac? eral spirits. Maybe put a coat of paste wax on the stain from penetrating and actually staining Eric Torola tool to make it look nice. Then turn your atten- the piece at all. It might be worth your time to Dassel, Minnesota tion to the sole, the mouth, the escapement and experiment on scrap wood. the wedge. Those things are far more important Today, I’d suggest using a gel stain. Gel I wouldn’t choose shellac for a tabletop or any- than applying voodoo to the stock. PW stain is thicker than regular stain and doesn’t thing else that will likely get a lot of abuse (such — Christopher Schwarz, editor penetrate as much as the aniline dye stains. as the shelves in your project). That’s the ideal Therefore, the gel-stained finish on pine is likely finishing situation for polyurethane or even to show less blotchiness. But there’s no guar- something harder, such as catalyzed lacquer or antee – experiment on scrap to arrive at an , some of which are available in a dull acceptable finish. sheen. QUESTION? COMPLAINT? — Glen D. Huey, senior editor And no, you don’t have to apply shellac with WRITE TO US a spray system. Most often, shellac is either Popular Woodworking welcomes comments What Glue for Cutting Boards? brushed or wiped onto a project. from readers about the magazine or wood- I wish to make cutting boards but am not sure By the way, if you already purchased the working in general, as well as questions what glue to use. My cutting boards will get polyurethane and the sheen is the only issue, on all areas of woodworking. We are more than happy to share our woodworking ex- wet so the glue must be waterproof but also not simply rub the finish lightly with #0000 steel perience with you by answering your ques- cause people to get sick. Is there some special wool. That’s a way to knock off the high sheen tions or adding some clarity to whatever glue made for this purpose? in a topcoat. It might just do the trick, and make aspect of the craft you are unsure about, James “Tommy” Tompkins both you and your wife happy. and if you have a complaint, we want to Graham, Washington — Glen D. Huey, senior editor address it whenever possible. Though we receive a good deal of mail, we Years ago, I made a lot of cutting boards using Wooden Handplane Restoration try to respond to all correspondence in a epoxy. It’s a good choice, but brittle; a drop I now have four books on wooden planes and prompt manner. Published correspondence may be edited for length or style. All corre- to the floor can break the glue line. This was can’t find a thing about restoring the wood spondence becomes the property of Popular before the advent of Gorilla Glue or Titebond portion of these planes. Articles on the web Woodworking. III. Today, I think I would use Titebond III. suggest a variety of treatments, soaking in Send your questions and comments via — Robert W. Lang, senior editor boiled linseed oil among them. Then on the e-mail to [email protected], via fax to tool dealers sites I see such things as “properly 513-891-7196, or by mail to: A Shine-free, Durable Topcoat oiled and waxed.” I have learned not to take Letters Your finishing article in the April 2007 issue information found online as gospel. But I trust Popular Woodworking 4700 E. Galbraith Road was very timely; I am finishing a large cabinet the staff of Popular Woodworking. Cincinnati, OH 45236 and have some questions about it. If you were to purchase some old wooden

16 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Compiled by Paul Anthony Tricks of the Trade Illustrations by Matt Bantly

Flathead stove bolt Multi-purpose T-nut Saddle Fence Saddle fence face

THE WINNER: I decided to make a saddle-type tenoning jig that the saddle sits snugly Rip fence to ride on my table saw rip fence, and I got to on your rip fence. Make the Crosspiece thinking that I should make it multi-func- fence face tall enough to tional. I ended up devising this saddle fence accurately support work- Backboard that accommodates all sorts of jigs, including a pieces on end, and to tenoning jig, a featherboard, an auxiliary fence accommodate T-nuts for face for cutting with a head and attaching various jigs. (My Spline jig even a spline jig that cuts slots in the corners fence is 5" tall.) of assembled boxes and frames. I attach most jigs with flathead stove The saddle fence slips completely over my bolts countersunk into the face of the saddle rip fence and includes a removable stop-block fence. To locate the T-nut holes in the jigs, Featherboard that sits in dados at the operator’s end. I leave you can thread bolts in from the rear of the the block in place when I want the fence sta- fence with the bolt tips projecting slightly, tionary for mounting an auxiliary fence face then the jig against the fence to cre- or a featherboard. To use the tenoning jig or ate imprints where the holes should go. To spline jig, I remove the stop-block, which attach my featherboard, I epoxy headless Stove bolt Tenon jig allows the whole saddle and jig to slide in bolts into turned wooden knobs, with the order to carry the workpiece over the blade. bolts inserted through slots in the feather- I built my fence from quartersawn lumber, board to allow up and down adjustment. but you could use MDF or good-quality hard- I clamp the fence down when using a wood instead. Make sure that the featherboard. fence face, crosspiece and backboard are all Jim Judge square to each other, securely attached, and Casper, Wyoming continued on page 20

CASH AND PRIZES FOR YOUR TRICKS AND TIPS! In each issue we publish useful woodworking tips from our readers. The next issue’s winner receives a $250 gift certificate from Lee Valley Tools, good for any item in the catalog or on the web site (leevalley.com). (The tools pictured at right are for illustration only, and are not part of the prize.) Runners-up each receive a check for $50 to $100. When sub- mitting a trick (either by mail or e-mail) you must include your complete mailing address and a daytime phone number. If your trick is selected for publication, an editor will need to contact you. All entries become the property of Popular Woodworking. You can send your trick by e-mail to popwoodtricks@fwpubs. com, or mail it to Tricks of the Trade, Popular Woodworking, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.

18 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Tricks of the Trade continued from page 18 Adjustable Vise-spacer Set I’ve seen tips regarding all sorts of shop-made spacers that prevent a vise from racking when an object is clamped at Threaded bolt holds spacers only one end of it. I’ve tried some of them, but found that I don’t like having a bunch of little pieces laying around Drag spacer set over vise gap waiting to be lost or sucked up the dust collector. while snugging up workpiece at Instead, my solution was to mill up some 1⁄8"-thick opposite end stock, and cut it into 25 pieces about 1" wide by 5" long. I drilled a 3⁄8"-diameter hole at one end of each, and threaded a 31⁄2"-long bolt through the stack to create an automati- cally adjustable, one-size-fits-all spacer set. Just drag it over Workpiece the vise opening as you’re snugging up your workpiece at the opposite end of the vise jaw. The appropriate number of spacers will fall into the gap by themselves. Nick Anastas Barrie, Ontario

Trimming Spline Joints As any savvy woodworker knows, miter joints should be reinforced for strength. One of my favorite methods is to glue the frame together, a kerf diagonally across the corner and Spline insert a spline to create the joint. Sawing the kerf is a simple matter of using a jig to carry the frame corner-side-down over a table-saw blade. (See “Multi-Purpose Saddle Jig,” page Riser board 18.) I cut my triangular splines slightly over- Adjust bit just shy sized in length and width, often making them of frame of a contrasting wood to accent the frame. (For strength, it’s critical that the grain of the spline runs perpendicular to the line.) Direction of grain After installing the splines in their kerfs Spline Frame and letting the glue dry thoroughly, I trim the splines flush with the frame. I used to do this with a small handsaw, and a block plane, but I’ve found that it’s much quicker and easier to do on a router table outfitted with a straight bit. I rest the edge of the frame on Saw kerf a scrap riser board that’s not quite as long as the distance between the projecting splines. Then I adjust the height of the router bit so it’s just a bit shy of the frame. After adjusting Router table the router table fence so the bit aligns with the fence spline, it’s a simple matter of feeding the frame corner over the bit to trim the spline flush. A few passes with a sharp block plane afterward Riser board is all it takes to produce a neat joint. Paul Anthony Straight router bit PW contributor continued on page 22

20 Popular Woodworking June 2007 STEVE WALL LUMBER CO. OLIVER MACHINERY DEALER Quality and Woodworking machinery For The Craftsman and Educational Institutions PLYWOOD CUSTOM RAISED PANEL DOORS Ash ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.60 ...... $ 94.00 CUSTOM PLANK HRDWD FLOORING Basswood ...... 4/4 Select $ 1.95 ...... $ 80.00 ...... 4/4 Select $ 3.55 ...... UPS $ 108.00 THIN CRAFTWOOD Quick and Easy Drill Guide Butternut ...... 4/4 1C $ 2.95 ...... $ 88.00 Cherry ...... 4/4 Select $ 4.90 ...... Specials $ 117.00 EXOTIC LUMBER Occasionally I need to drill a hole into the - Pecan ...... 4/4 Select $ 3.00 ...... $ 100.00 Mahogany (Genuine) .. 4/4 Select $ 4.70 ...... $ 112.00 STEVE H. WALL end of a rail or other workpiece using the Maple (Hard) ...... 4/4 Select $ 3.45 ...... $ 108.00 Maple (Soft) ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.50 ...... $ 88.00 LUMBER CO. drill press. I’ve found that a metal shelf Poplar ...... 4/4 Select $ 1.80 ...... UR $ 78.00 Red ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.70 ...... N $ 96.00 BOX 287 SEE O G O bracket makes a handy support, keeping Walnut ...... 4/4 Select $ 4.90 ...... LO ! $ 115.00 MAYODAN, N.C. 27027 White Oak ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.70 ...... ATA EB $ 96.00 336-427-0637 the workpiece square to the table and in Cedar (Aromatic Red) . 4/4 1C+Btr. $ 1.80 ...... C E W $ 78.00 Cypress ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.60 ...... TH $ 90.00 1-800-633-4062 line with the drill bit. I simply clamp the White Pine ...... 4/4 F.G. $ 1.25 ...... $ 70.00 FAX 336-427-7588 Yellow Pine ...... 4/4 Clear $ 2.30 ...... $ 82.00 Email: [email protected] bracket to the drill press table, then clamp Above prices are for 100' quantities of kilndried rough Above prices are 20 bd. ft. bundles of clear Website: www.walllumber.com lumber sold by the Bd. Ft. FOB Mayodan, NC. Call for kilndried lumber 3"-10" wide • 3'-5' long (Random Send $1.00 For Lumber Catalog quantity discounts. Other sizes and grades available. widths & lengths) Surfaced 2 sides or rough. the workpiece to the bracket. I keep various Delivered UPS prepaid in the Continental U.S. Prices Subject to Change Without Notice sized brackets on hand to accommodate circle no. 146 on free information card. workpieces of different lengths. Bob Kelland St. John’s, Newfoundland The Machine ETFX50™

Clamp metal shelf bracket to workpiece X

Metal shelf bracket supports workpiece while XTRA HEAVY DUTY Biscuits Please, Professional CEPTIONAL COMFORT But Hold the Glue X Cushioned Grip 284C When using biscuits as an alignment aid PERT PERFORMANCE X Drives 6 Different Size LISTED LR32816 for edge-joining solid-wood boards, I save Staples+Nails quite a bit of time by not bothering to apply glue to the slots or biscuits. In this case, TRAORDINARY POWER X 14 Amps of Surge Power gluing the biscuits isn’t necessary because ...It’s what properly jointed solid-wood edges don’t CITING DESIGN you’ve come to X New Ergonomic Styling need reinforcement, and using biscuits for XPECT from Arrow! this can actually cause problems. A board that has been sanded or planed before the glue has cured entirely can result in biscuit- shaped depressions later when the water from the glue evaporates, causing the wood Keeping America Strong to shrink in that area. pw Bill Newcomer Available at home centers, lumberyards, and fine hardware stores wherever professional tools are sold!

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popularwoodworking.com 23 circle no. 103 on free information card. Tool Test

A Better Sanding Solution

anding accounts for a major portion of Swork in the shop. The dust produced can lead to bouts with chronic bronchitis, asthma or dermatitis. So you have reason to search for better sanding products. Mirka Inc. has invented “Abranet” – aluminum-oxide grit with resin- over-resin bonding, attached to polyamide fabric backing with a hook-and-loop design. It’s best used with a vacuum setup for dust-free sanding. Simply put – it’s a better sanding product that’s available in discs, sheets or rolls with grits ranging from #P80 to #P800. What makes this design a better sanding solution? It resembles a sanding screen, but a sanding screen is simply a fully coated prod- uct while Abranet has the abrasive aligned in rows. It’s that row formation that makes Abranet unique. Because of the abrasive arrangement, dust is never more than .5mm Photos by Al ParrishAl byPhotos from an opening in the disc, through which it’s extracted from the surface. specifications This efficient extraction is beneficial in a these vary depending on your type of sander. Abranet number of ways. For one, the disc isn’t as likely Abranet will make any sander more efficient, Street price: $33 box of 50 – 5" to cake or clog. That keeps the grit working but the more vacuum suction, the better the (packs of 10 available longer per disc, in effect extending cutting extraction. at woodcraft.com, $16) time and reducing replacement. It will also pre- One accessory Mirka recommends is the Pad protector: $17 two-pack – 5" vent “pilling” – the buildup of small amounts “Pad Protector.” This product is designed to Interface pad: $14 – 5" of dust that cause sanding defects that show up prolong the life of your replacement pads Performance: ●●●●❍ in later finishing steps, such as swirls. and softens the cut of the abrasives. We tried Price range: $$$$ To use this product to its fullest capacity Abranet with and without the pad but noticed Mirka Abrasives Inc.: 800-843-3904 or you need to have adequate dust collection on no difference in the short run. mirka-usa.com your sander. Mirka has a full range of products Mirka also offers the “Interface Pad.” This to help. That doesn’t mean that you can’t use is a 1⁄2"-thick pad designed for rounding cor- sanding a face frame), the pieces will rip and your sander just as it is, but the best setup ners or sharp edges. It prevents the Abranet you’ll have to replace them. The Interface Pad would be to replace the sanding pad on your disc from catching an edge and tearing – the makes sanding the inside of cove moulding tool with one designed specifically for Abranet one downfall we found with the product. If and other curved profiles easier. – a pad that has 52 exhaust holes. Prices for you catch an edge while sanding (as we did Disc sizes run from 3" to 11" in diameter, with sizes to fit most orbital . There are sheets available for many electric and hand- Pad Protector sanding tools. The sizes are 3" x 4" and 23⁄4" wide x 5", 8" and 161⁄2" long. The rolls are 41⁄2" wide x 10' or 25' in length. Mirka claims Abranet lasts three to five times longer than ordinary paper-backed discs – and at three times the life, Abranet is a better monetary value. Plus, less shop cleanup and Interface Pad less time spent changing discs means a time There is a replacement pad to fit most sanders. When you hold it up to the light, it’s easy to see savings, too. And less sanding dust in your The thick Interface Pad softens the cut of the why Abranet has the best dust collection when a lungs? An incalculable value. abrasive for rounding corners and the Pad Protec- vacuum system is used. Better collection extends — Glen D. Huey tor lessens the wear on the pad while sanding. the life of the disc. For more information, circle # 154 on Free Information Card.

24 Popular Woodworking June 2007 More Reviews on our Blog Ryobi Cordless Sander Random-orbit sanders are a for wood- working. Having a sander that’s cordless can be better in certain situations. The 18-volt Ryobi P410 is not the tool for everyday use, but it’s perfect for any time you need to make a quick sanding swipe – or two – to bring your work back from disastrous nick, scratch or gouge. Being able to sand without having to unwind and struggle with an electric cord or drag out the extension cord or air hose increases shop production. Having this sander on the job makes work easier. At just under five pounds with a grip girth Lie-Nielsen Router of 91⁄4" this sander is large. It will fill your hand unless you have huge paws. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks is now making a small hand router based (loosely) on the Although it appears top heavy, the Ryobi specifications Stanley No. 271, but with some nice curves. P410 is well balanced and easy to use. At 18v Random-Orbit Sander Search on “Lie-Nielsen.“ — CS 10,000 orbits per minute the sander is slower Street price: $40 than electric or air-powered tools; to compen- Weight: 4 lbs. 11.7 oz. Hoverpad Girth at grip: 91⁄4" sate, the orbit diameter is less aggressive. I bet you've seen the Hoverpad. It’s a hard- The 5" hook-and-loop pad accepts most Replacement battery: $40 for two Performance: ●●●❍❍ plastic, furturistic-looking, air-assisted, eight-hole sanding discs. Price range: $$ bladder-swelling mobile base that can — GH Ryobi: 800-525-2579 or ryobitools.com move large tools around your shop effort- For more information, circle # 155 on Free Information Card. lessly. How does it work? Do you need one in your shop? How is it priced versus avail- able mobile bases? Search on “Hoverpad.“ Zona: The Best $9 Backsaw — GH Sometimes the laws of time, PC Compact sander space and economics get This lightweight (only five bent. And in the case of this pounds) is a great tool for small sanding Zona-brand saw, sometimes jobs, and the two flush sides allowed me the laws get broken. to sand all the way into the corner of a 90° The Zona is a 24 tpi angle. Plus, the rubber grip fit comfortably backsaw with a 61⁄2"-long and securely in my small hand. blade, 13⁄4" maximum depth My one complaint? No dust collection of cut, and a straight han- bag – just a hose port. If I have a large dle with a shiny finish. The enough sanding job to need my vacuum, I’m likely to pull out my larger sander, too. teeth are filed rip and cut on Search on “371K.” — Megan Fitzpatrick the pull stroke. Here is the kicker: The saw specifications costs only $8.95 but it cuts like a much more Zona Razor Saw expensive tool. Street price: $9 TOOL RATINGS Designed for model makers, the saw cuts Overall length: 12" Performance is rated on a one-to-five scale. slowly, which is to be expected, but the surface Sawplate: .01" thick You won’t see a low rating (“one or two”) finish left behind is so clean that it shone like Performance: ●●●●❍ because we don’t publicize inferior tools. “Five” indicates the leader in the category. it had been planed. And when used in white Price range: $ Five dollar signs indicates highest price in the oak (a difficult ring-porous wood for fine saws) Zona Tool: 203-792-8622 or zonatool.com category. Three indicates an average price. the saw excelled. If you have tool questions, call me at 513- The Zona saw is great for detail work, such 531-2690 ext. 1407, or e-mail me at chris. as trimming stringing, inlay and banding. I’ve are made in Bethel, Conn. So sometimes you [email protected]. Or visit our web site also used it to cut , define the limits of do get more than what you pay for. at popularwoodworking.com to sign up for our free e-mail newsletter. a hinge mortise and rip wedges before driving — Christopher Schwarz — Christopher Schwarz, editor them into a joint. One last surprise: The saws For more information, circle # 156 on Free Information Card.

popularwoodworking.com 25 Tool Test

Marcou S20A Great for Exotics If you work with exotic – the nasty, fect for smoothing. In fact, stringy stuff that no plane can tame – then when the mouth is closed all Philip Marcou would like to build you an the way, the aperture is spot- equally exotic handplane. Marcou, a New on for taking a .001"-thick Zealand cabinetmaker-turned-toolmaker, shaving. That is some high- builds premium planes designed to easily tolerance engineering, and achieve the high cutting angles that work it’s one of the reasons the tool with exotic woods. costs $1,995. For several months, I borrowed an S20A Like any tool that costs smoothing plane from Marcou to use, and this much, everything about I spent that time looking for exotic woods the Marcou is finished to a that the tool would not plane. Of the 15 or high degree. The depth-of- so woods I tried, the Marcou S20A handled cut adjuster is as smooth as them all with ease. silk. The dovetails that join The plane works with the bevel facing up, the sole and sidewalls are seamless. My only specifications like a block plane, so you can increase the complaint with the tool was I found the rear Marcou S20A Smoothing Plane cutting angle of the tool simply by increasing tote a bit uncomfortable for my hand. Marcou Street price: $1,995 the sharpening angle on your iron. The iron said he’s refining the tote shape and will, of Dimensions: 113⁄16" l. x 23⁄4" w. 1 is bedded at 20°, so by honing a 40° angle on course, fit a tote to a user’s hand. Iron: 2 ⁄4" Veritas A2 iron the iron I was at 60°. There are lots Owning a Marcou is like owning a Jaguar. Performance: ●●●●❍ Price range: $$$$$ of planes that can do this, of course, but the You might not need one to get to work every Marcou Planes: marcouplanes.com or Marcou shines because of its mass (it weighs day, but its beauty and performance make you wkTools.com. almost 9 pounds) and the fact that you can lust wildly for it. — CS In the U.S. call Wiktor Kuc at 505-401-6040. close up the mouth to an aperture that’s per- For more information, circle # 157 on Free Information Card.

Steel City 13" Planer is a Solid Contender The new Steel City Tool Works machines surface finish is and to see we’ve tested have been solid tools with few how much snipe was created frills at a fair price. And the company’s new- at the ends of boards. The est 13" portable planer, the 40200, fits in well motor was fine – you’re never with the company’s other products. going to get induction-motor The 40200 has features that woodwork- power out of a universal ers need, including a three-knife cutterhead, motor in any portable planer. quick-change knives and two feed speeds, plus The surface finish was excel- a $399 price tag that makes it a good value lent at both feed speeds (16 among other 13" planers. Of all the merits of and 23 feet per minute). And the machine, the one we think is most impor- the snipe was acceptable – a tant is the three-knife cutterhead. Our experi- few thousandths of an inch ences with three-knife machines have shown of thickness. You can sand they produce a nice surface finish for a longer that out with ease. time because the blade wear is spread out over There’s no cutterhead three knives instead of two. lock, which some wood- specifications Not that changing knives on the 40200 is workers like but we don’t think is a do-or-die Steel City 40200 13" Planer difficult. The two-sided disposable drop feature. Like on all portable planers, we wish Street price: $399 in on pins – it takes 15 minutes to change all the polyurethane infeed roller was grippier. Replacement blades: $57 three. Another key feature about the knives: It wouldn’t grab the boards firmly when it got Warranty: 5 years You can adjust them left and right to cancel dirty. All in all, if you really want a three-knife Weight: 66 pounds Performance: ●●●●❍ out any nicks that appear on your knives. cutterhead and two speeds with a good price, Price range: $$$ We’ve run a couple hundred board feet of this is a tool for the top of your list. pw Steel City: 615-225-9001 or hardwoods and through the planer — CS steelcitytoolworks.com to see how gutsy the motor is, how nice the For more information, circle # 158 on Free Information Card.

26 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Arts & Mysteries

18th-century Carcase Joinery: The Lower Case

How to build your first as if it’s your hundredth. Upper rail

Carcase Lower side eriod accounts indicate 18th-century faces needed to be squared up rail PAmerican cabinetmakers typically pro- as well. duced a wide variety of products. They were Additionally, I found it neither quite as specialized as some would advantageous to make the left have it, nor did they produce particularly great and right legs similar. Techni- Photos and illustrations by the authorthe illustrationsby andPhotos quantities of any one product. cally, I could have planed to my Philadelphia cabinetmaker John Head gauged line, but I found it easier made an estimated 20 high chests in his 35- to simply match-plane the legs. Stretchers year career. The Wistar high chest, currently Having the right and left legs the residing in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, same allowed me to make the was made early in his career. And though it is left and right aprons the same. indisputably a masterpiece, it could not pos- Because of the drawer, the front sibly reflect years of “lessons learned” building and back pieces are necessarily different so I This drawing suggests a more or less typical this particular product. saw no need to match front and back legs. approach to mid 18th-century furniture building. This is part three of my series on building a With the legs squared up, I was ready to cut The joinery reflects my sensibilities and techni- standing desk for my shop using the tools and the mortises. The mortise was set to pro- cal capabilities. Learning period “best practices” is difficult. I recommend Jeffrey P. Greene’s techniques of 18th-century cabinetmakers. In duce a tenon in the middle of the thin apron “American Furniture of the 18th Century” this article, I’ll begin constructing the basic boards. That setting was then transferred to (Taunton). Even if you’re not an 18th-century fur- structure or carcase of the desk. I’ll focus on the leg stock. When joining a particularly wide niture fan, the appendix shows useful hand-tool the joinery, as well as the tools and techniques board like this one, it’s typical to see multiple only, solid-wood construction methods. used by early craftsmen. .618 (h) Legs – Start Rough, Refine as Required I began the lower case by preparing the legs. The legs were sawn out of a thick piece of h pine, then quickly rough-planed square. It is my understanding that tapering legs with machines requires special jigs. I used a hatchet. 1 In a matter of minutes, all the legs’ tapers were rough chopped and rough planed. But there was still much more to be done. .618 Lower case To get nice-fitting joints, the two mat- ing faces (where the mortises go) need to be square. But I also wanted the aprons flush with the outside faces of the legs. So those outside .618 .5 by Adam Cherubini Though it would appear in a slightly different form, this would be all the design information an 18th- In addition to woodworking, Adam enjoys century cabinetmaker could expect. The imposition of the Ionic column determines both the minimum drawing and painting. He studied art at the size for the leg taper (not shown) as well as the position for the stretcher. For more information on the Fleischer Art Memorial in Philadelphia. design of period furniture refer to my story in the February 2007 issue (#160). Eighteenth-century furni- Visit his blog at artsandmysteries.com. ture illustrations, when they existed at all, did not include construction details.

28 Popular Woodworking June 2007 tenons as opposed to one long tenon. I believe apron, mortised and tenoned into place, eas- softwood sides. Consequently, drawers made this was done to save time mortising. ily dates to the Middle Ages. In 17th-century this way were often fairly heavy. I chose to use pieces, drawers were hung on side rails almost the 18th-century method, requiring runners, When the Tenons are like modern ball-bearing drawer slides. The guides and kickers. Too Wide to Saw, Cut Rabbets rails were typically either let into notches in Craftsmen in the 18th century used the legs or nailed in place. This is an easy and with blades as long as 20" to saw tenons, but effective approach to integrating a drawer. the average tenoned carcase side was probably The only downside is that it requires a side- too wide to be sawn. I marked out the tenons hung drawer. Side-hung drawers require thick as usual then cut them with a moving fillister sides in which a groove is let for the runner. plane (which cuts a ). The fillister does Hardwood sides are less prone to wear than a good job making tenons on a wide board but a lousy job making tenons on a short one. (See Mortising gauge photo on the next page.)

Lower Stretchers With the upper mortise-and-tenon joints fitted, I turned my attention to the lower stretchers. I positioned the stretchers using 90° the column orders (see my blog at artsandmys- teries.com for more information on column orders). The height of the stretcher off the Mating faces floor is the height of the base of the column. Reference/ Because the legs are tapered, I simply held outside faces the stretchers against the legs and scribed the taper on the stretchers. These tenons were I like to brag about how roughly and quickly I marked and sawn with a backsaw. work because I think it marks a significant depar- I tend not to four-square stock (make each face ture from my perception of “Norm-al” wood- Building the Front – Sliding Dovetails square to its adjacent faces), but in this case, the workers. The truth is, this is only the first step. I ends where the apron attached really needed to start rough, then refine where needed. In this pic- After completing the carcase sides and lower be squared. ture, I’m producing the leg taper with a hatchet. stretchers that join the sides and back, build the front. The front legs are held together with sliding-dovetail joints on the ends of two rails that define the drawer opening. The lower rail slides in from the front. The upper rail slides down from the top. Both rails are as wide as the legs are thick. You’ll see why later. I began by sawing the dovetail shape on each end of both rails. Then I simply laid them on the project and traced around with the knife end of my striking knife. I did not taper the dovetail in any way. Using my backsaw, I simply sawed out the knifed lines and chopped out the waste with my . One trick you see in period sliding dovetails is that although the rail stock is as wide as the leg, the dovetail rarely spans that full length. The dovetails are often cut off such that they only extend 1" or so into the thick leg stock.

Adding a Drawer to the Lower Case The only thing that separates this piece from a table is the integration of a drawer. The basic In this picture you can see the two squared up rear legs. They are square but not exactly the same size. full-height leg construction with an upper The long try plane shown remedied this problem in seconds.

popularwoodworking.com 29 Arts & Mysteries

The drawer runners are tenoned into them differently in the back. Some simply Locking It Up the back of the upper and lower rails. I find nailed or doweled into their end grain through I’ve left this piece unglued to give me a little it advantageous to have the rails as wide as the back piece. Others chopped a hole in the more freedom to make changes as I build the the legs so I don’t have to notch the runners back to permit a short tenon. I chose to chop upper case. The lower sliding dovetail is so around the legs. Different craftsmen attached the holes as shown in the illustration below. tight, I doubt I could get any hide glue in it. The upper dovetails could probably use a bit of glue. Hide glue prefers a slightly gappy joint. When a joint is very tight, hide glue tends to extrude out. The mortise-and-tenon joints are too tight for hide glue and not tight enough for yellow glue to develop much strength. These joints will get drawbore pegged. The upper pegs will be tight, but the lower pegs will be driven into elongated holes in the tenons to account for shrinkage of the sides relative to the legs. When this lower case is complete, it will only need a few drops of glue in it. I mark the tenons directly from the mortises. It’s important to have nice crisp ends on your mor- tises. When the ends are rounded over even a Conclusion little bit, it’s tough to know how wide to make Though we don’t know exactly how period each tenon. craftsmen were able to efficiently build such a variety of objects, we do have some evidence. Despite the attempts of antique dealers to distinguish one piece from another by shop, or region or style, similarities in basic con- struction are overwhelmingly evident. Period craftsmen built similar things similarly. In this instance, the joinery presented is virtually identical to that of a baroque (Queen Ann) lowboy. The legs on my desk are tapered where the baroque piece’s legs would be cabri- ole. The lower stretcher would be omitted in the baroque piece. Otherwise, the joints, the It’s tough to saw tenons on a wide board. I’m The upper rail holds the tops of the two front legs using a fillister plane instead. The disadvantage together. I think the trick to getting any dovetail tools used and the techniques are all identical. of this method is that the shoulder of the tenon tight is sawing accurately. Beyond that, what you By using a common suite of joints and apply- is defined by the end of the board (where the want is for that wedge shape to pull against the ing them to different objects, we can develop plane’s fence rubs). That means the length of the shoulders. If the top is too tight, the wedge shape the skill needed to build our first as if it’s our board must be just so. So this isn’t a better way can’t do its job. So I shaved away a bit of the top hundredth. pw to cut tenons, but it’s a reasonable alternative for of the tail to get a tight fit. This joint won’t be vis- wide carcase sides. See my blog for a demo. ible in the finished piece.

Kicker

Guide

Runner The drawer runners are completed by installing a little stick (drawer guide) to keep the drawer run- ning straight in and out. The guide can be nailed or glued in place. I prefer to make and install I think it’s helpful to bury the shoulder inside them after the drawer is made. Kickers are the the leg. This makes the creation of the rail much upper runners that keep the drawer from tipping easier and allows the inside surface of the leg to down as it is removed. These are tenoned into the vary that much more. upper rail just like the drawer runners.

30 Popular Woodworking June 2007 I Can Do That A Shapely Shaker Shelf

The mouldings dress up the shelf while building the drawer increases your skills.

n the 1989 edition of the Willis Henry IShaker auction of ephemera, woodenware and furniture, this Canterbury, N.H., shelf immediately caught my eye. I’ve incorporated a few size and construction variations from

the antique in my version, but this design is ParrishAl by Photo true to the spirit of the original. You’ll find a use for those scraps from ear- Crosscut the sides to length and draw the partially assembled case on the underside lier projects if you decide to this piece. pattern on the pieces. Cut the profile with the of the top. Make sure the case is centered Mixed woods are often found in antique furni- then clean up any rough edges with a on the top and flush at the back edge. Add ture. Don’t be afraid to try it (if you don’t have and . the screws and the top is attached. To finish enough scraps, head to the home center). Next, square one end of the stock and construction of the case, install the drawer Building the drawer for this shelf is a new crosscut the five rails that fit between the rail and the lower nailing rail. technique for the “I Can Do That” column. sides. Position and clamp a stop block at the Place the project on its top with the front Don’t freak on me! It appears more complex to cut each piece to the same length. facing you and fit the mouldings against the than it is and your list of “got-to-do” projects Then pull out the pocket-screw jig. You have project. Make the first set of moulding cuts will grow once this skill is in your arsenal. holes to drill. at the miter saw, leaving the side moulding Each rail requires two pocket-screw holes extra long. Match those cuts to form the left- Curvy Bottoms Add Appeal per end. Also, the top face rail needs three front corner. Hold the front moulding tight Each side of the shelf has three curves or arc extra holes, spaced evenly and along the grain, to the case and move to the next corner of cuts. Each arc evolves from the previous arc, to attach the top. The drawer rail will need one the project to find the cut line. starting with the smallest radius at the lower, hole that is centered, also along the grain, to Mark the cut line for the second cut on rear corner of each side. hold the drawer rail flush with the lower face the front moulding as well as the angle of cut. rail. Also, drill a hole in the center of the each side. These will be used to attach the top.

Step to Successful Assembly The steps to assemble the case need to be com- pleted in a specific order to allow you access to the pocket-screw holes. First, attach the top face rail and lower face rail flush with the front edge of the sides. Next, install the top nailing rail 3⁄4" in from the back edge of the sides. Cut the top to length and position the The best way to cut crown moulding at the miter Marking the cut line for the second cut on by Glen D. Huey saw is to position the moulding upside down to moulding requires an exact layout. A ruler or how it’s installed on your project. As you mark the Questions or comments? You can reach Glen at straightedge held tight to the sides will reveal the cut line, also note the direction of the 45° cut. 513-531-2690 ext. 1293 or [email protected]. location for the cut.

32 Popular Woodworking June 2007 1⁄ Nailing 3⁄ 9 4" 3⁄4" 22 4" 1 rail 7 ⁄4" 3⁄4" thick drawer front and drawer back

1⁄4" 31⁄2" 1⁄ 2 8" 9⁄16"x plywood 3 21⁄4" face and 3 ⁄4" 33⁄4" pine bottom 1 11⁄2" dia. 3 ⁄4" crown 1 1 moulding 6 ⁄8" 17 ⁄2" 21⁄2" 171⁄2" 1 18 ⁄4" Drawer Drawer detail FavoriteIllustrationsJaneMary by rail

21⁄4" rad. Shapely shaker shelf 31⁄2" rad. No. item dimensions (inches) T t W l 1 171⁄4" 1 ⁄2" rad. ❏ 1 Top 3⁄4 91⁄4 223⁄4 3⁄ 3 1 1 18 4" Profile ❏ 2 Sides ⁄4 7 ⁄4 17 ⁄2 Elevation ❏ 1 Top face rail 3⁄4 31⁄2 171⁄4 ❏ 1 Lower face rail 3⁄4 21⁄2 171⁄4 3 1 1 Head back to the miter saw to complete the of the drawer box. Drill two pocket-screw holes ❏ 1 Drawer rail ⁄4 2 ⁄2 17 ⁄4 3 1 1 cuts for the second corner. at each end of the these pieces. ❏ 2 Nailing rails ⁄4 2 ⁄2 17 ⁄4 3 1 7 Position the side mouldings and mark a line Next, cut the drawer sides to size and attach ❏ 2 Drawer sides ⁄4 3 ⁄2 5 ⁄8 3 1 3 at the back edge of the shelf. The 90º cut is the front to the sides with pocket screws. Care- ❏ 2 Drawer front/back ⁄4 3 ⁄2 15 ⁄4 1 3 1 made with the piece flat at the miter saw. Add ful alignment of the joint makes attaching the ❏ 1 Drawer face ⁄4 3 ⁄4 17 ⁄4 1 7 1 glue to the miters and attach the mouldings drawer face stronger. Complete the drawer box ❏ 1 Drawer bottom ⁄4 5 ⁄8 17 ⁄4 1 1 with 3d nails. (For additional information on by installing the back piece. ❏ 1 Case back ⁄4 8 17 ⁄4 ❏ 9⁄ 1⁄ fitting mouldings, download the free manual The drawer bottom is 1⁄4" plywood. Mea- 1 Crown moulding 16 2 4 48 1 at ICanDoThatExtras.com). sure the footprint of the box then cut the bot- ❏ 2 Wooden knobs 1 ⁄2" diameter tom with the jigsaw. Smooth rough cuts with a Building an Inset Drawer plane and attach the bottom with 3d nails. all sides. Finally, install store-bought wooden You already have the skills to build a drawer. Measure for the drawer face, including the knobs. You just need to know how to cut with a jigsaw, thickness of the plywood bottom. Cut the To complete the shelf, knock off any sharp drill pocket-screw holes and hammer nails. plywood a little oversized, then add glue to edges with #100-grit sandpaper, apply two To properly fit an inset drawer, the front the front rail of the drawer box, position the coats of your favorite paint color, then cut should be about 1⁄8" smaller than the opening box onto the drawer face and add clamps as and install the plywood back with 3d finish – 1⁄16" on either edge. Measure the opening shown below. nails. Your Shaker-inspired shelf is ready to from side to side and subtract 1⁄8". Then sub- Once the glue is dry trim the face with hang. PW tract the thickness of the two sides (11⁄2") to your plane, making the box and face flush on arrive at the cut length of the front and back About this Column Our “I Can Do That” column features proj- ects that can be completed by any wood- worker with a modest (but decent) kit of tools in less than two days of shop time, and using raw materials that are available at any home center. We offer a free online manual in PDF format that explains all the tools and shows you how to perform the basic operations in a step-by-step format. You’ll learn to rip with a jigsaw, crosscut with a miter saw and The aesthetics of the drawer, which shows no drill straight with the Building the drawer with pocket screws is a screws during normal use, is achieved by turn- help of our manual. simple task. But, it is necessary to achieve a flush ing the pocket screws toward the outside of To download the free fit between the front and sides. The level joint the drawer box and covering the front with the manual, visit ICanDo- makes the best connection when attaching the drawer face. Cut the face oversized and trim flush ThatExtras.com. drawer face with glue. with your plane.

popularwoodworking.com 33 SouthernSouthern SugarSugar ChestChest

This 19th-century piece was designed to safeguard a then-precious commodity.

ot so long ago, obtaining sugar wasn’t easy. It’s diffi- Ncult to believe that the com- modity we have in almost everything today was scarce and highly valued in the early part of the 19th century. During those days well-to-do patrons required somewhere to store this sweet under lock and key. Why did sugar have to be locked away? It was so valuable that the hired help could be tempted to pinch a bit here and there. So local cabinetmakers rose to the occasion and the result was a spe- cialized piece of furniture – the sugar chest. This type of chest was built throughout the South – most nota- bly in central Kentucky and middle Tennessee. by Glen D. Huey Comments or questions? Contact Glen at 513-531-2690 ext. 1293 or [email protected]. Photo by Al ParrishAl by Photo An increased availability of If the joint is designed in a sugar, along with a decline in price, historical manner, meaning that reduced the need to safeguard the the pins are narrow and the tails commodity. The demise of the are wider, you’ll find that getting distinctive design was imminent. ParrishAlPhoto by into the tail socket to transfer the By the late 1840s these chests were layout is much easier than trying no longer regularly built. to mark through the narrow gap Although the sugar chest’s between the pins. prominence was short-lived, the So give in and create the pins lessons encountered in construct- on the front and back. Make sure ing this form will go a long way to start and end the layout with a toward increasing your skills – and wide pin area. Leaving a wide area The open lid provides a great look at besides, it’s a great little chest for the divider. Sugar on one side and makes it easier to cut the rabbet storing blankets and whatnot. coffee on the other? The drawer held for the bottom panel and, with the sugar nippers, used to pinch off a transition moulding in place, the Start at the Top supply for the day’s baking, along dovetails will look balanced. Also, When building a piece on legs, with other accoutrement. the wider pin area at the top edge you usually begin with the base. helps to balance the look as the But with this project, it’s best to As the pressure increases on I’m a “pins first” subscriber. For moulding around the top hides build the box portion first because the front and back, so will the every reason that I give to start part of the pin. it’s the more challenging portion. holding power of the dovetail with the pins, a “tails first” wood- Don’t fret too much about the Once that’s finished, you can build joint. That’s the functional design worker can state a nearly identi- exact shape of the pins. While the base to fit. of the joint. cal reason to begin with the tails. they influence the look of the Mill and cut to size the panels Except for one! joint they will not affect the fit for the front, back and sides of the Pin Down the Process When you move to the sec- because they become the template box. The four pieces are assembled When one decides to hand-cut ond step in dovetailing, that of used to mark the tails portion of with dovetails. Schedule some the joint, another discussion that transferring the layout from one the panels. practice time before beginning raises the ire of most woodworkers panel to the adjoining panel, it Once you define the pin area on the actual piece, because these is whether to cut the pins first or becomes obvious why “pins first” with a saw cut you need to remove visible joints are the main focus the tails first. is the correct call. the waste between them. of the chest. Any dovetail is a work of art, and while this project can be built with a dovetail jig, hand-cutting Straightedge the joint will boost your skills. scrap Orienting the pins and tails invites discussion among wood- workers. To determine which goes where, look at how the piece will be used and then make the call. Under normal use, the front and back of the sugar chest will receive the majority of the pres- The wider tail area makes it much easier to transfer the Take the majority of the waste material from the wide sure when loaded. Therefore, cut layout of the pins onto the tail board. Also, to straighten side of the layout to reduce the potential for damaging the pins on the front and back any bowed panels attach a straightedge. It holds the the sharp corners of the pins. Finish the pins from the with the tails on the side pieces. panel in place as you transfer the layout. opposite side paying attention to those corners.

popularwoodworking.com 35 moulding between the base and box covers the area. Reverse the panels and cut the back as you did the front, then move to the side panels. The set- up is the same but the cut doesn’t stop short of the ends. Sugar chests were usually divided into compartments of two or three sections – I chose two for this chest. These compartments would divide different types of sugar or possibly coffee beans Because of the width of the box panels you’ll have to cut Rout the rabbet by using one of the panels as a straight- from the sugar. some of the tails by hand. The extra cut at the center of edge guide for the other – plus a pattern-cutting bit. The divider fits into the front the pin waste collapses as you chisel the material allow- and back panels in dados cut at the ing the waste to easily be removed. table saw with a stacked dado cut- ter. Set the stack to cut a 1⁄2"-wide Begin the process by work- need to cut. Remove the waste and edge of each panel. If you started dado, raise the blade to 3⁄8" and set ing on the face side of the pan- test your fit. Make any necessary with a wide pin area as suggested, the table saw’s fence at 103⁄4". els where the wide portion of the adjustments. you have to make stop cuts along Make sure to match the pan- waste is up. Sharp chisels make It’s best to cut and fit each cor- the front and back panels; on the els for this process. You’ll find it this quick work. Angle the cut of ner of the box then move to the sides you rout completely across. best to orient your front and back your chisel by a couple degrees to next corner, making adjustments You can use a rabbeting bit, panels just as the box fits together, undercut the joint and make sure as you go. If you cut the entire box, but a top-mount pattern bit works then open the pair as a book to that no material is left to interfere only to find a problem with the fit, wonders. And, the smaller radius mark the dado location on the with the fit of the dovetail. it’s much harder to correct. Any will leave less to clean by hand at inside of both panels. It’s easy to Remove the waste to just past problems found during the work the stop cuts. I use one panel as a get things turned around. halfway through the thickness on the first corner can be adjusted guide to rout the other. With the operations of the panel. Then, flip the board in subsequent corners. Put the back panel on top of finished, assemble the outside of and complete the pins by remov- the front panel and position its the box. If you have tight-fitting ing the waste from the opposing Four Pieces Become One edge to cut a 5⁄8"-wide rabbet that dovetails you need only apply glue face. Work carefully on this side; Before you can glue up the box, you is 3⁄8" deep. Use the pattern bit to the pins. As the parts of the the area is narrow so it’s easy to need to cut the rabbet for the bot- to rout the rabbet. Remember to joint slide together, the glue will knock off a corner of the pins tom and the dado for the divider: stop 1⁄4" from both ends. This is transfer to the tails. when removing waste. two operations; two tools. a fragile area so be careful – but Properly fit, the dovetails bring Next transfer the layout of the The rabbet is a router opera- if you happen to knock off the the box to square when assembled. pins to the sides and cut the tails at tion. Cut the rabbet at the bottom piece, don’t panic. The transition Add clamps and confirm that the the band saw. These cuts are 90º to the table. You’ll need to finish the cuts with your handsaw unless you have a large, deep-throated band saw. One important step when cut- ting the tails is to make an addi- tional cut down the middle of the waste area. This extra cut allows the waste to move away from the panel by collapsing as the chisel does its job. A rule of thumb when hand- cutting dovetails is that the more Nails added to the front and back of the bottom panel Joining the side moulding to the top with biscuits will pins and tails you have for the hold the panel in place, as well as allow for seasonal keep things tight at the front while forcing any move- joint, the closer to the lines you expansion and contraction. ment of the top panel toward the back of the chest.

36 Popular Woodworking June 2007 box is square by measuring from absorbed by the nails bending at Now that the work on the legs front rail you’ll see that the piece is corner to corner. Equal measure- the rear of the lid. is finished, the matching work on symmetrical. Therefore, after you ments mean the box is square. the rails remains. Creating the cut one side of the tenon, simply Building the Base tenons is straightforward. The reverse the position of the rail to Fit the Bottom, Make the Top The base construction starts with setup for the side rail tenons is make next cut. First, remove the Once the glue is dry you can cut turning the legs. Shape the stock the same setup used for the twin outer waste material then start and fit the bottom and divider into according to the plan, add the tenons. The only difference is the the cuts on the inside. Each time the chest. The bottom is attached details then sand to #180 grit. position of the rails at the saw. The you make a pass at the saw you’ll with both screws and nails. Each front leg gets a dovetail side rails will lay flat to the saw’s remove waste in the center until Drive two #8 x 11⁄2" screws socket to house the top divider table while the bottom front rail the tenons are all that’s left. through the bottom and into the and a twin mortise for the bottom is cut as shown on page 38. Then place the dovetail socket side panels. Space the screws so divider. The rest of the mortises The second step of the two- on the top rail and transfer the each is 2" away from the centerline are 1⁄4" in width and 11⁄4" deep. step tenon is to cut with the piece shape to the rail. Make the cuts of the bottom. Placing the screws All mortises are cut on a dedi- vertically set. If you examine the at the band saw. Because this is a this way reduces the overall move- cated machine. The mortises for ment at the front and rear of the the sides and back are 41⁄4" long completed chest. with 1⁄2" shoulders. The twin mor- Now drive a couple period tises for the front bottom rail are reproduction nails through the cut with the set the same bottom into the front and back. as for the sides for the first mor- Why use two types of fasten- tise. The second mortise is cut by ers? Because the screws hold tight reversing the leg in the mortiser. and restrict wood movement while Each mortise is 7⁄8" in length. nails will bend with seasonal Start the single dovetail socket expansion and contraction. Note for the top front rail with a hand- that you need to pay attention to saw to define the socket edges. the fit of your bottom in its rabbet. Once the area is defined remove You might need to leave a sliver the waste to form the socket. First of space at the front and back if use a Forstner bit in a drill press to you’re building during the months hog out as much waste as possible, when the wood has shrunk. leaving only chisel work to com- The lower front rail connection is a twin . The mortiser Next, mill and cut the divider plete the first half of the joint. setup is identical to that for the sides. Simply reverse the leg to cut the second slot of the mortise. to size then slide it into the box to check the fit. Leave the panel loose enough to be removed with- out problems. We’ll need it out of the way in order to install the half- mortise lock that secures the lid. The lid for the chest is cre- ated with the addition of mould- ing around three sides of the top panel. Choose your favorite pro- file for the moulding then cut the moulding to wrap the panel. The front piece of moulding attaches with glue alone – it’s a long-grain- to-long-grain connection. Add strength to the side mouldings by gluing a biscuit at the front end while nailing the balance of the side pieces. The glued biscuit holds the side mouldings tight at Define the dovetail socket with your handsaw, then “hog For the upper front rail, transfer the dovetail socket onto the front while any expansion out” much of the waste material with a Forstner bit at the rail, then it’s quick work at the band saw to complete or contraction of the top will be the drill press. Finish with your chisels. the tail.

popularwoodworking.com 37 the the twin tenons on the lower front rail, but you cut the material on its edge. of which is with the material flaton the tabletop. The same setup isused for The tenons on the sides and back rails are cut in a method, two-step the first 38 1 7 ⁄ 8 " P o p ular W ood w orking 1 1 ⁄ 2 ” 5 ⁄ dia. 8

" rabbetforbottom June 2007 June 3 7 7 1 dado 1 Divider in ⁄ ⁄ Elevation 8 8 ⁄ ⁄ 2 2 " " " 31 " x 30 31 1 28 " ⁄ 2 3 3 " ⁄ " ⁄ 4 8 " " 2 1 7 ⁄ 2 7 " ⁄ 8 " 1 0 3 ⁄ 4 " need to be offset to work with the into the front rails. The mortises drawer runners and drawer kickers the socket. sawing. The resulting tail fitsinto work to complete after the band single dovetail there is no hand 4 Now cut the for mortises the 1 ⁄ 4 " 3 1 Top is with ⁄ 2 " 7 ⁄ 3 8 ⁄ " 4 11 1 " 7 x 1 9 ⁄ thick 5 8 3 ⁄ 3 2 " ⁄ ⁄ 8 8 ⁄ " 3 4 " " ⁄ " 4 12 moulding " wrapped 1 Drawer profile ⁄ 8 " 11 3 assemblies. Don’t assemblies. glue the sides back and front the for tenons the top rail. ers are edge of the rail; those for the kick for the runners 7 ⁄ 8 ⁄ 8 " " -thick rails. Cut the mortises Add glue to the mortises and 1 ⁄ 4 " from the lower edge of Profile 12 9 12 1 7 1 ⁄ ⁄ 12" 8 8 5 3 ⁄ 4 " " ⁄ 1 4 " ⁄ from the top " 4 " 7 ⁄ 8 " - Illustrations by Mary Jane Favorite in at this time. Slide the base together and clamp it. Make sure the base is square by checking the cross measurements before the glue sets. This ensures that the front and back assemblies will be square as well. The runners and kickers are secured at the front with the mor- tise and tenon; at the rear they are nailed to the rear leg posts. They are identical in design. Cre- ate a 1⁄4" x 1" x 1⁄2"-long tenon on each piece, then cut the portion The drawer runner and kickers are all made the same. In of the tenon away that fits to the Once the insides of the twin tenon are nibbled away you order to work properly offset the mortises for these parts can test fit the joint. Make it snug but not tight. toward the interior of the drawer box. leg posts. Cut the notch at the rear of the pieces at the table saw with The runners and a two-step cut. back of the chest is wooden clips. 1 kickers can be Glue the runners and kick- Cut ⁄4" slots for the clips in the set square off ers into the rails, add glue to the back rail of the base. The inverted the front of the mortise and tenons of the sides “L-shaped” clips sit on the bot- base and nailed and reassemble the base again, tom panel and are attached with to the rear leg checking for square. After the glue screws while the tongue of the clip posts. Drill a pilot is dry, the runner and kickers is held in the slot. hole through the pieces but to the rear leg posts with a single Invert the upper section of not into the leg. nail. First square the pieces to the the chest then place the base in Drive the nail front of the chest and drive the position. Keep it centered from at the pilot hole nails to secure the two pieces. side to side and flush to the back to gain a strong Attaching the box to the base edge of the box. Drive three #8 x hold into the leg. is next. The connection for the 15⁄8" screws through the front top

SOuthern sugar chest No. item dimensions (inches) material comments T W l

❏ 2 Front and back 3⁄4 193⁄4 30 Cherry ❏ 2 Sides 3⁄4 193⁄4 12 Cherry ❏ 1 Bottom 5⁄8 111⁄4 291⁄4 Poplar ❏ 1 Divider 1⁄2 191⁄8 111⁄4 Poplar ❏ 1 Top 3⁄4 121⁄8 301⁄4 Cherry ❏ 4 Legs 17⁄8 17⁄8 113⁄8 Cherry ❏ 1 Top front rail 7⁄8 17⁄8 291⁄2 Cherry 3⁄4" dovetail both ends ❏ 1 Bottom front rail 7⁄8 17⁄8 301⁄2 Cherry 11⁄4" twin tenon both ends ❏ 2 Base sides 3⁄4 51⁄4 115⁄8 Cherry 11⁄4" tenon both ends ❏ 1 Base back 3⁄4 51⁄4 301⁄2 Cherry 11⁄4" tenon both ends ❏ 4 Runners/kickers 3⁄4 2 105⁄8 Poplar 1⁄2" tenon one end ❏ 2 Drawer guides 5⁄8 11⁄8 9 Poplar ❏ 2 Transition moulding 3⁄4 3⁄4 34 Cherry ❏ 2 Top moulding 5⁄8 7⁄8 33 Cherry ❏ 1 Drawer front 7⁄8 31⁄2 277⁄8 Cherry 1⁄ 1 square = 2" ❏ 2 Drawer sides 1⁄2 31⁄2 11 Poplar ❏ 1 Drawer back 1⁄2 23⁄4 277⁄8 Poplar Leg ❏ 1 Drawer bottom 5⁄8 11 273⁄8 Poplar Oversize – cut to fit pattern ❏ 3 Wooden clips 3⁄4 7⁄8 21⁄4 Poplar

popularwoodworking.com 39 rail and into the box front panel (I use a glaze from Mohawk, to make the connection. Use a mohawk-finishing.com). The tapered bit before glaze is sprayed or brushed onto installing the screws. It’s a tight the chest, allowed to flash-off fit to hit the panel exactly. (begin to dry), then wiped com- pletely from the chest. Residual The Drawer Mimics the Chest glaze will remain on the piece in Building the drawer is a repeat of the tight corners and within the the dovetails we’ve created ear- shellac finish. Give the glaze time lier in the project. The drawer to dry (about 48 hours) then add back joins the sides with the same two additional coats of shellac. through dovetails as are on the box. To complete the topcoat add one The front attaches with half-blind coat of dull rubbed effect lacquer dovetails, which are created in the (I get mine from Sherwin Wil- same way as the dovetails for the liams, sherwin-williams.com). front top rail. Complete the dove- Then reinstall the hardware 3 tails to build the drawer box. Set the saw blade to 12º and leave a ⁄16" space between the blade and and it’s ready to move into the 1⁄ 1⁄ Before assembling the drawer, the fence. The resulting cut will fit perfectly in the 4" x 4" groove for the house. Here’s a trick for install- drawer bottom. Raise the blade to make a clean cut. cut the groove for the drawer bot- ing the lock’s receptacle. Once tom. The bottom slides in under the lock is installed add the recep- the drawer back and into the a bevel that fits tight to the sides blog and search on “half-mor- tacle to the lock, add a few dollops groove on the sides and front. Cut of the groove, and touches the tise.”) Remove all the hardware of glue from a hot glue gun then the 1⁄4"-wide groove at the table bottom of the groove at the same before finishing. lower the lid. The lid will contact saw. For a single drawer I would time. Cut the ends of the panel the receptacle and the glue will not take the time to set up a dado first then cut the edge that will be A Favorite Finish hold it in position until you can blade. Instead, make two passes at toward the front of the drawer. Finish sand the project to #180 make the final connection. You the saw cutting 1⁄8" each pass. The Before installing the drawer grit and you’re ready to stain. Use may find that you need to recess depth of cut is 1⁄4". Sand the inside bottom you need to create two a water-based aniline dye (Moser’s that receptacle to get the box to of the drawer parts and assemble slots for the nails that hold the Dark Wine Cherry) making sure close properly. Be careful with the drawer. bottom to the back of the drawer to coat the piece completely. Add the screws – this is not the time Mill the drawer bottom to box. Slide the bottom into the box stain until it runs off of the chest. to puncture the top with a screw thickness and cut the panel to fit then mark where the bottom and Once dry, sand any raised grain that is too long. the drawer box. To cut the bevel the inside of the drawer back meet. with #400-grit sandpaper. Apply Everyone who sees this sugar to fit the groove you’ll need a pass Remove the panel from the box two coats of shellac, either sprayed chest falls for it, big time. It will over the table saw (see the cap- and cut a slot with the table saw at a 11⁄2 # cut or brushed at a 3# cut, look great in any number of places tion under the photo above for blade set to the line. Then drive then sand smooth when dry. in your home. I’ve already got a accurate settings). That cut, ris- a reproduction nail through the To add age and diminish the waiting list of takers. I’m sure you’ll ing through the panel, results in slot and into the drawer back. A effect of blotching in the cherry, have the same results. It’s a sweet bit of glue in the groove in the add a coat of heavy-bodied glaze little piece. PW drawer front holds the bottom Supplies tight to the front when the bot- tom moves. The nails will allow it Horton Brasses Inc. to slide. Add a drawer stop inside 800-754-9127 or the case to keep the drawer flush horton-brasses.com to the front. 1 • chest lock, #cl-5 Now install the two half- 1 • drawer lock, #lk-2 mortise locks – one in the box of 1 • pair of hinges, antique finish the chest and the second in the #pb-409 drawer. Hold off on the lock recep- 2 • wooden knobs, #wk-20 tacle until later. Also install the 1⁄4 lb. • clout or shingle nail, #n-7 hinges for the top and prepare the wooden knobs for staining. (For 1⁄4 lb. • fine furniture nail, #n-20 Two slots cut in the drawer bottom just to the inside of the drawer back is expert tips on lock installation where the nails are set to hold the solid drawer bottom. The slots allow for Call for pricing. visit popularwoodworking.com/ seasonal adjustments.

40 Popular Woodworking June 2007 WOODWORKING ESSENTIALS BY CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ

CHAPTER Setting Up Shop: 6 Rules for Workbenches hen it comes to building or woodworkers buy or build their first problem with workbenches today. buying a bench, most wood- workbench, they are in the early stages Many commercial workbenches are Wworkers get wrapped up in of learning the craft. They don’t know missing key functions that make work- what form it should take. Should it be what sort of bench or they need, holding easier. And many classic bench a continental bench popularized by or why one bench looks different than forms get built with modifications that Frank Klausz? A Shaker bench like the another. So they pick a form that looks make them frustrating in use. one at the Hancock community? How good to them – occasionally mixing What’s worse, the user might not about a British version like Ian Kirby’s? and matching bits and pieces from dif- even know that he or she is struggling. Copying a well-known form is a ferent forms – and get busy. Woodworking is a solitary pursuit, and natural tack to take. After all, when That, I believe, is the seed of the it’s rare to use someone else’s bench.

End vise

Holes for dogs to pinch Face of bench work with end vise

Face vise

Holes for holdfasts to support long work

This workbench form is uncommon today, but it is still a sound bench because it allows you to perform all of the critical workbench operations with relative ease. Benches are a triumph of function over form. bench: a door on a couple horses. He said that a commercial shop had no time to waste on building a tradi- tional bench. And with his power-tool approach, all he needs is a flat surface. It’s hard to argue with the end result. His furniture is beautiful. But what’s important here is that while you can build with the door-off- the-floor approach, there are many commercial woodworkers who still see This rig serves as the assembly bench in the Popular Woodworking shop, but if you put a vise the utility of a traditional workbench. on it somewhere, it probably could serve as a workbench in a production shop. It is simple and Chairmaker and furniture maker Brian allows great flexibility for clamping. But some basic operations with this setup would be tricky. Boggs uses more newfangled routers and shop-made devices with aluminum During the last 10 years, I’ve built a ing a class. Though we both strive for extrusions than I have ever seen. And number of classic bench forms, and I’ve the same result in craftsmanship, the he still has two enormous traditional worked on craftsman-made and com- processes we use couldn’t be more differ- workbenches that see constant use. mercial benches of different stripes. I’ve ent. He builds furniture for a living, and Before Kelly Mehler opened a wood- been stunned by how awful some work- he enjoys it. I build furniture because I working school, I visited his commercial benches can be at some tasks, and I’ve enjoy it, and I sell an occasional piece. shop and got a chance to inspect his also seen brilliantly realized designs. One evening we each gave a presen- vintage bench, which saw daily use. And now, after all this work, I’ve tation to the students about our work The point is that a good bench won’t concluded that it doesn’t matter what and I showed an image of the enormous make you a better woodworker, and a sort of bench you have as long as it per- French workbench I’d built the year not-quite-a-bench won’t doom you to forms a set of core functions with ease. before and discussed its unusual history. failure. But a good bench will make I’ve boiled down these core functions Thomas then got up and said he many operations easier. It’s simply a tool: into 10 rules for building (or buying) wished he had a picture of his work- the biggest clamp in the shop. a workbench. As long as your bench obeys these rules (or most of them), you will be able to hold almost any work- piece for any task with a minimum of fuss. This will add speed and enjoyment to your time in the shop and reduce the amount of time you fuss with setups.

Do You Even Need a Bench? Before we get to the rules, it’s fair to say that a lot of the best commercial woodworking today is done on benches that disregard many of these rules. In production shops, it’s rare to find a traditional bench used in a traditional manner. More often, a commercial woodworker will have something akin to a clamping table, or even a door on sawhorses. And they can turn out high- quality work that will blow you away. In 2006 I was teaching a class in hand work at a school where Thomas Stangeland, a maestro at Greene & This French-style workbench weighs more than 325 pounds. The top is 4" thick. The legs are 5" Greene-inspired work, was also teach- square. All this mass absorbs vibration and makes every cutting operation smoother.

Popular Woodworking cabinet saws with lots of cast iron tend bench. Threaded rods, bed bolts, Veri- to run smoother. The same goes with tas bench bolts or even stove bolts can benches. Once your bench hits about turn a spindly assembly into something 300 pounds, it won’t move unless you rigid that can be snugged up if it loos- want it to move. ens. The hardware won’t give you mass, but it will strengthen a rickety assembly. ■ Rule No. 2: Use Stout Joints Overbuild your workbench by using ■ Rule No. 3: Pick Your Wood Based on the best joints. These are times to whip Its Stiffness, Not Its Species out the through-tenon and dovetail. Use a stiff, inexpensive and common If you followed rule No. 1, then rule wood to build your bench. Showcase Spindly workbenches are nothing new. This No. 2 should be no problem. Your joints benches made from exotic materials are anemic example from the early 20th century will be sized to fit the massive scale of nice. No argument there. But focus on is too small and lacks mass. Sadly, there are your components. If you cannot rely on the functions before the flash. I’d rather modern ones that are even worse. mass, then you should beef things up have a construction-lumber bench that with superior joinery. While dovetails followed all these rules than a beauti- ■ Rule No. 1: Always Add Mass and through-tenons are overkill for a ful European bench that skipped Always overbuild your workbench towel rack, they are good for a bench. even one of these concepts. by adding mass. There is a saying in That’s because you are applying There’s a lot of confusion on pick- boatbuilding: If it looks fair, it is fair. For racking force to the workbench with ing a wood for a bench. Most European workbenches, here’s a maxim: If it looks typical operations and your vises will do benches were built using fine-grained stout, then make it doubly so. Every- their best to tear apart your bench. All steamed European beech. And many thing about a workbench takes punish- wooden vises need to be overbuilt or woodworkers go to lengths to purchase ment that is akin to a kitchen chair in a they will self-destruct when you cinch precious beech for their workbenches. house full of 8-year-old boys. them down hard. I’ve even seen a vise After all, who wants to argue with hun- Early Roman workbenches were built rip a benchtop from its base. dreds of years of tradition? like a . Stout legs were Make your tenons thick and your I do. European cabinetmakers didn’t tenoned into a massive top and wedged mortises deep. If you know how to draw- choose beech because of some magic in place. Traditional French work- bore a mortise-and-tenon joint, this is quality of Fagus sylvatica. They chose benches had massive tops (6" thick), one good application. Have you ever it because it was dense, stiff, plentiful with legs that were big enough to be been in a timber-framed barn? Did you and inexpensive. In the United States, called tree trunks. Later workbenches look at the joints? They’re massive and beech is dense, stiff, hard to find and relied more on engineering than mass. pegged. Imitate that. (sometimes) a bit spendy. You can, of The classic continental-style workbench I think benches are a good place course, use it to build a bench, but you uses a trestle design and dovetails in to practice your skills at cutting these will pay a pretty penny for the privi- the aprons and vises to create a bench classic joints, but some woodwork- lege. And it will have no demonstrable for the ages. The 19th-century English ers still resist. If that’s you, you should advantage over a bench built from a workbench uses an early torsion-box investigate hardware to strengthen your cheaper species. design to create a stable place to work. And good-quality modern workbenches Think big when use threaded rods and bolts to tighten cutting the joints up a design that lacks mass. for your work- Many inexpensive commercial bench. The small benches are ridiculously rickety. They tenons are 11⁄4" sway and rack under hand pressure. thick and 21⁄2" You can push them across your shop by long. The larger performing simple operations: rout- tenons are 21⁄2" ing, sawing, planing. If the bench looks thick and 2" long. delicate or its components are sized like a modern dining table, I would take a closer look before committing. A big thick top and stout legs add mass that will help your work. Heavy

popularwoodworking.com of the benchtop; and a second twin- But there’s more. Cabinetwork is screw vise on the face of the bench that sized in standard chunks. These sizes was matched to two more rows of dogs come from the human body; they aren’t across the width of the bench. arbitrary. A kitchen’s base cabinet is Now I’m certain that there are a few generally 24" deep and 341⁄2" high. This woodworkers who would really need is important for a couple reasons. First: this arrangement – perhaps someone It means you don’t really need a bench who has to work on a circular tabletop that’s much more than 24" deep to build on one end of the bench and a Windsor cabinets. With that 24" depth, you actu- chair seat at the other. But for most peo- ally get some advantages, including the ple who build cabinets and furniture, fact that you can clamp the cabinet to this setup is redundant and neglects your bench from as many as three sides some critical bench functions. of your bench. That’s dang handy. A These classic European workbenches were deep bench allows you to clamp your ■ Rule No. 5: The Overall Dimensions of made from fine-grained steamedE uropean cabinets to the bench on only two sides Your Bench Are Critical beech. Shouldn’t you do the same? Not neces- (with a couple exceptions). Here’s the sarily. Choose a wood that is like beech is in Your bench design cannot be too other thing to keep in mind: Kitchen Europe: stiff, inexpensive and plentiful. heavy or too long. But its top can eas- cabinets are themselves a highly studied ily be too wide or too tall. I think your work surface. There’s a good reason that benchtop should be as long as possible. Other woodworkers, tacking toward kitchen cabinets are 24" deep. And it’s Find the wall where your workbench the sensible, use hard or soft maple for the same reason you don’t want your will go (hint: Pick the wall that has a their benches, rationalizing that it is workbench much deeper either. window). Measure that space. Subtract like the beech of the New World. And Now I’m not going to argue with four feet from that measurement and indeed, the maples have all the qualities you if you build really big stuff or have that’s a good length for the top. Note: of a good species for a workbench. a bench that you share with another The benchtop must be at least 5' long Maple is stiff, resists denting and woodworker facing you; you might need unless you build only small-scale items. can span long distances without much more depth. But if you are like the rest Furniture-sized parts typically range of a support structure below it. But so up to 48" long and you want to support can other species. In fact, if you went by these fully with a little room to spare. the numbers from the wood technolo- I’ve made tops that are 8' long. My gists alone, you’d build your bench from next bench will be a 10-footer, the shagbark hickory, despite its difficult maximum that will fit in my shop. It is nature. Once you look at the charac- difficult to make or imagine a work- teristics that make a good species for a bench that is too long. The same goes workbench, you’ll see that white oak, for thickness. It is the thickness that Southern yellow pine, or just about allows the top to be that long. If you any species (excepting basswood and make the top really thick (4" or more), the soft white ) will perform fine. then it will offer unerring support and ■ Rule No. 4: Use a Tested Design allow you to build your bench without After you sketch out your workbench any support system beneath. The top design but before you cut any wood, can perch on the legs and will not sag compare your design with histori- under its own weight. cal designs of benches. If your bench The width is a different matter. appears to be a radical design or looks You can have a bench that is too wide unlike anything built before, chances for a one-person shop. I’ve worked on are your design is flawed. benches that are 36" wide and they have I’ve seen workbenches with pneu- downsides. For starters, if you park them Here’s proof that odd workbench designs are matic face vises. Why? I’ve seen a work- against the wall you’ll have to stretch nothing new. This Hammacher, Schlemmer bench that had two twin-screw vises: to reach the tools hanging on the wall. & Co. bench from an old catalog is a study in One vise for the right end of the work- If you assemble projects on your bench, tool storage. I’ve seen one of these in person bench that was matched to work with you will find yourself dancing around it and I can say this: I would not want to have to two long rows of dogs along the length a lot more than you should. build anything using it.

Popular Woodworking of us, a 24"-deep bench is a powerful planes. They worked OK with a high and right-sized tool. bench, but I became fatigued quickly. On the issue of workbench height: After reading the screed on bench Many bench builders worry about it heights, I lowered the height of my 36" and there are a wide variety of rules and bench. It seemed radical, but one day I advice. The bottom line is the bench got the nerve up and sawed 2" off the must fit you and your work. And in the legs. Those two inches changed my atti- end, there are no hard-and-fast rules. I tude toward planing. Here is how high my workbench is compared wish there were. Some people like low The 34"-bench height allowed me to to my hand, which is hanging loosely by my benches; some like them high. use my long leg muscles to propel the side. I use hand and power tools in my work, So consider the following as a good plane forward instead of my arms. and I’ve found this height is ideal. place to start. After taking in my crack- Now, before you build your next pot theories, your next stop should be a bench at 34" high, stop for a minute. friend’s house or a woodworking supply That might not be right for you. Do too high. And prop it up on some blocks store to use their benches and get a feel you use wooden stock planes? If so, you of wood if it’s too low. Experiment. It’s for what is right (it could be as simple as need to consider that the wooden body not a highboy; it’s a workbench. having a bad back that requires you to planes can hold your arms about 3" to 4" Here are other things to consider: have a high bench, or a love for wooden higher off the workbench than a metal Do you work with machinery? If so, a handplanes that dictates a low bench). plane can. As a result, a wooden plane bench that’s 34" from the floor – or a bit Here is my experience with bench user’s workbench should be lower. lower – can be good. The top of a table height: I started with a bench that This is as good reason as ever to get saw is typically 34" from the floor, so a was 36" high, which seemed right for to know someone who has a good shop workbench could be (at most) a great someone who is 6' 35⁄8" tall. And for you can visit and discuss your ideas outfeed table or (at least) not in the way machine woodworking I was right. The with. It is better not to make this deci- of your crosscutting and ripping. high bench brought the work close to sion on paper alone. Of course, everyone wants a ballpark my eyes. I loved it. And then my passion But there are other factors you must idea for where to start. So here it is: for handwork reared its ugly head. consider when settling on the bench’s Stand up straight and drop your arms If you get into hand tools, a high height. How tall are you? If you are over against your sides in a relaxed manner. bench becomes less attractive. I started 6' tall, you should scale your bench a bit Measure from the floor to the place with a and a few smoothing higher. Start high and cut it down if it’s where your pinky joins your hand. That has been the sweet spot for me.

■ Rule No. 6: Benches Must Hold the Work in Three Ways All benches should be able to grip the wood so you can easily work on the faces, the ends and the edges. Many commercial benches fail on this point. Submit your bench to what I call the Kitchen Cabinet Door Test. Imagine a typical kitchen door that is 3⁄4" thick, 15" wide and 23" long. How would you affix that door flat on your bench to level its joints and then sand (or plane) it flat? How would you clamp the door so you could work on the ends to trim the top rail and tops of the stiles so the door will fit its opening? And how will you secure that door on edge so you can rout its hinge mortise and plane off the This early 20th-century airplane factory had the right idea when it came to workbench length. saw-blade marks without the door flop- With a long bench, you can work on one end and assemble at the other – no need for an assem- ping around? Does your bench pass this bly bench. Thus, a big bench actually saves floorspace. test? OK, now ask the same questions

popularwoodworking.com Most benches are easy to set up to work on This primitive bench still allows you to work the faces of boards or assemblies. In this on long edges of boards. The crochet (or example, a door is clamped between dogs. hook) grips the board. Holdfasts and a scrap You can even work simpler and plane against support from below. Simple and brilliant. a planing stop. personally find troubling. It’s a -jerk with a door that is 3⁄4" x 15" x 38". And reaction to a common American com- then try a board that is 3⁄4" x 12" x 6'. Working on the ends of boards – especially plaint: We don’t think we have enough How you accomplish each of these wide boards – can be a challenge for face space in our shops to store our tools three functions is up to you and your vises. Adding a clamp to the setup stabilizes and accessories. And how do we solve the work for sawing or whatever. taste and budget. To work on the faces this problem with our workbenches? By of boards, you can use a planing stop, designing them like kitchen cabinets a grippy sanding pad, a tail vise with working where we tried to design a with a countertop work surface. dogs, clamps or hold-downs. cupholder into every project. It started This design approach gives us lots of To work on the ends of boards, you innocently with a deck chair. Who drawers below the benchtop, which is can choose a shoulder vise (especially doesn’t want a cool beverage at hand? great for storing the things you reach for for dovetailing), a metal quick-release Then there was the dartboard. What every day. It also can make your bench vise, a leg vise or a twin-screw vise. And goes better with darts than beer? I think a pain in the hiney to use for many you can use all of these in conjunction we came to our senses when design- common operations, such as clamping with a clamp across your bench. The ing a series of cupholders into a Gustav things to your bench. vise holds one corner of the work; the Stickley Morris chair reproduction. Do Filling up the space below the clamp holds the other corner. you really need a Big Gulp-sized hole in benchtop also prohibits you from using Working the long edges of boards your Morris chair? I didn’t think so. any type of holdfast or holddown that is tricky with most benches. In fact, The point of this story is to illus- I’m aware of. most benches make it difficult to work trate a trend in workbench design that I If you build drawers below the top, the edges of long boards, doors or face how will you clamp objects to the frames. There are a couple ways to solve benchtop to work with them? Typically, this. Older benches had the front edge the banks of drawers below the bench- of the benchtop flush with the front top prohibit a typical F-style clamp from of the legs and stretchers so you could sneaking in there and lending a hand clamp your frames and long boards to with the setup. So you can’t use a typi- the legs. And the older benches also cal clamp to affix a router template to would have a sliding deadman (some- the bench. There are ways around these times called a board jack). It would slide problems (a tail vise comes to mind) back and forth and had an adjustable but the tail vise can be a challenge to peg to support the work from below. install, set and use. Another old form of bench, an English You can try to cheat (as I have) and design, had a wide front apron that came install the drawer bank so there is a sub- down from the top that was bored with stantial space underneath the benchtop holes for a peg to support long work. for holdfasts and clamps. Or you can give your bench a large overhang to ■ Rule No. 7: Make Your Bench allow clamping (as some Shaker-style Friendly to Clamps workbenches did) but then you have Your bench is a three-dimensional to start engineering a way to hold long clamping surface. Anything that boards and assemblies on edge. interferes with clamping work to your Here’s another historical bench that shows benchtop (aprons, a drawer bank, doors, some difficulties. The drawers will interfere ■ Rule No. 8: There are Good Rules for supports etc.) can make some opera- with clamping things down to the bench. With Placing the Vises on Your Bench tions a challenge. no dogs or tail vise, this bench could be Place your vises so they work with We had a phase at Popular Wood- frustrating to work on. your tools. Vises confuse many work-

Popular Woodworking bench builders. They’re bewildering if you’ve never spent much time working at a bench to develop a taste for the pec- cadilloes of all the idiosyncratic forms. There are a lot of weird configurations in the world, from a table with no vises to the bench with a vise on every corner. Classic workbenches have some sort of vise at the front left corner of the bench. This is called the face vise. Why is it at the left? When we work with hand tools, especially planes, You do need to be able to pull your bench right-handers work from right to left. away from the wall on occasion. When I am So having the vise at the left end of the An oil-varnish blend (any brand) is an ideal assembling cabinets, I’ll clamp them to the bench is handy because you will always finish for a workbench.I t resists stains, benchtop so I’m able to get around the bench. be planing into the vise that is gripping doesn’t build up a film and is easy to apply. The same goes when I’m routing. Note how your work, and the work can be braced Two coats are all I ever use. I’m harnessing the window light. against the screws of the vise. So if you are a lefty, placing your vise on the front With your workbench right corner makes sense. against the wall, you So with that left corner occupied by have the wall and the a vise, where are you going to put the mass of your bench hold- a second vise that is designed to grip ing things steady as you boards so you can work on their faces? saw your workpieces. You also can keep your (The classic vise for this is a tail vise.) tools at arm’s length. Well the right side of the bench is free And, the windows cast (for right-handers) and there is no dis- a useful light on your advantage to placing it there, so that’s workbench. where it generally goes. Messing with this arrangement can be trouble. I’ve seen face vises on the right corner of the bench of people who are right-handed. They said they liked it better for crosscutting with a handsaw. you use hand tools. The wall braces the to all four sides of the bench is handy. But when and if you start handplaning, workbench as you are planing cross- Power tool setups thrive on overhead that vise will be in the way because it grain and sawing. The light from the light – and lots of it. So being by the won’t be ideal for gripping long stock. It window points out the flaws in the window is nice, but not as necessary. will be holding the tail end of the board work that your hand tools are trying to How to Fix Your Current Bench and the plane will be trying to pull it remove. (When I work with hand tools, You don’t have to build or buy a new out of the vise. I turn the overhead lights off. I can see workbench if you’re frustrated with much better with fewer light sources.) ■ Rule No. 9: No Fancy Finishes the one you have. There are ways to For machine work, I find that plac- When finishing a workbench, less improve your bench so it will be more ing the bench by a window helps with is more. A shiny film finish allows your useful. Here are some strategies. some operations, though not all. When work to scoot all over the bench. And power sanding, for example, the raking ■ Problem No. 1: My bench is too a film finish will crack when struck by a window light points out scratches better lightweight. I chase it around the hammer or dead-blow . Choose a than overhead fluorescents. shop when working. finish that is easy to apply, offers some In general, when working with power Add weight by building a tray below protection and doesn’t build up a thick tools, I tend to pull my workbench the bench and fill it with sand. Or film. I like an oil/varnish blend (sold as away from the wall so I can work on all rebuild your bench base with massive ), or just boiled linseed oil. sides of it. When working with routers, components and joints. You also can ■ Rule No. 10: Get a Window Seat you sometimes have to work with odd build drawers near the floor (so they Try to place your bench against a clamping setups so that you can rout don’t impede clamping things to the wall and under a window, especially if around a template. So having access top). That adds weight and storage.

popularwoodworking.com Everything you need to know about ■ Problem No. 2: My bench sways and with the front edge of the benchtop. If vibrates when I work, making my saw your bench has a sled foot or a trestle setting up your shop! cuts and attempts at planing into a design, there is an easier fix. Scab on ragged mess. extra pieces to the legs to bring them From getting the most out of your Your problem is most likely in the flush with the front of the benchtop. space, to choosing machinery loca- base of the bench. Commercial benches Now build a sliding deadman or a bench tion, lighting, power and material can be too spindly for woodworking. slave and you’ll be in business. storage, this seven-chapter series Rebuild the base from massive compo- offers all the answers. ■ Problem No. 7: My bench looks like a nents and better joints. If you can’t do kitchen counter with drawers below. Chapter 6 that, stiffen the bench by running all- Clamping to the bench is a problem. Rules for thread rod through the legs and cinch- You might be stuck here. Some com- ing the base tight with nuts. Workbenches mercial designs allow you to remove the Beyond machines, work- ■ Problem No. 3: I want a new bench, drawer bank (they sell them separately) benches are where every- but I’m low on funds. and you can install it someplace else thing gets done in a wood- Build your bench using Southern handy, such as under a table saw’s wing. shop. Choose well. yellow pine or fir, both of which are stiff, If your bench is a door on top of base IN FUTURE ISSUES plentiful and cheap (you can build a cabinets, consider making a new base Chapter 7 bench of your dreams for less than $300, and use that cabinet as a cabinet. easy). You will have to pick your lumber Dust Collection ■ Problem No. 8: My commercial bench with care and let it reach equilibrium Keep your shop (and your lungs) came with a face vise and tail vise. Both with your shop. But in the end, you’ll dust free by planning ahead for rack horribly. How do I improve them? have a great bench. any task. By throwing them in the fireplace ■ Problem No. 4: I think I want a fancy and installing a real face vise on the IN PAST ISSUES twin-screw vise, Emmert pattern- front and tail vise on the end. Chapter 1 (issue #157) maker’s vise or tail vise on my bench. 800%803,*/( ■ Problem No. 9: My workbench has a The Right Location &44&/5*"-4

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8PPEXPSLFS Then decide after a year of working on (FPSHF+BFHFS DIPTFIJTSFUJSFNFOUI OPSUIFSO,FO PNFJO GVMMZ5IF TRVBSUDLZWFSZDBSF EFUBDIFECBSOMFTTUIBOFGPPU GFFUGSPNIJTIPNF varnish blend. QFSGFDUXPPETIPQXJUIBONBLFTB (issue #158) VOCFMJFWBCMZQBTUPSBM the bench if you need the fancier vises. Chapter 2 800%803,*/(TFUUJOH &44&/5*"-4

$)"15&3 ■ #:%"7*%5)*&- The answer might be yes. You also might Problem No. 10: I like my bench in the Lighting & Power 4FUUJOH6Q4IPQ  -JHIUJOHBOE1PXFS PTUXPPEXPSLFSTCBDLJOUP XPPEXPSLJOH HBUIFSJOHUPPMT .BOEFRVJQNFOU UIFJSXPPETIPQ5I PGUIJTGBDUNPTUXPPEXPSLFSTBMTP TMPXMZ#FDBVTF BOPQQPSUVOJUZUPDPOWFSUBOFYJTUJOH UIFJSXPPEXPSLJOHTQBDFT FMVDLZGFXIBWF Task versus ambient lighting? PVUCVJMEJOHPSHFUUPBDUVBMMZCVJM 5IFZNBZTUBS HSPX BOEGPSNPWJOHàOJTIFEGVS middle of the room so I can work on UPVUXJUIBDPSOFSPGUIFMPXMZBTXFMM TIPQUPUIFJSPXOT  forget that you ever wanted those vises. HBSBHFPSCBTFNFOUEFEJDBUFEUP 1SPCBCMZMFTTUI PGUIFTFPQUJPOTIBWFDPNQSPNJTFTBOQFDJàDBUJPOT&BDIEB VSEBZQSPKFDUT CVUBTUIFJ JOFYJTUFODFIBWFBXBMLPVUEPPBOIBMGUIFCBTFNFOUTOJUVSFPVU JTTVFT BOEXFMMMPPLBUUIF TLJMMTCVJME TPEPFTUIFO 4BU TUSBJHIUBDDFTT.BOZ SJOUFSFTUBOE UJNFUPIFMQZPVBWPJE NPOFBUBE OFHPUJBUJOHTUFQT X SXJUI 5IBUTXIFSFXFXBOUUPTFFEGPSTQBDF TFUUJOHVQZPVS NPSFSFRVJSF UIJTàSTUDIBQUFSPG4FUUJOH DPNQMJDBUJPOTJO TIPQ FYUFSJPS BOENBOZPGUIPTFTUBIFUIFSJOUFSJPSPS m4QBDF8IFOXFQP UBSUXJUI FOEJOBEFHSFFUVSOBUB 6Q4IPQ BCPVUXIBUUIFZOFFEUPJNQSPWFUIFJMMXPPEXPSLFST )PMF*O5IF(SPVOE 0ODFZPVSFJOUIFCBTFNFOUTIPQJSXFMMT QMFBTVSFJOXPPEXPSLJOH 1SPCBCMZUIFMFBTUBQQFBMJOH CVUWFS ZPVBSFPGUFODPOGSPOUFEXJUIXBMM OVNCFSPOFBOTXF S GSFRVFOUMPDBUJPOGPSBXPP JOHTUIBUBSFMFTTUIBOTFWFOGF 110v or 220v power? Learn the TQBDFJTUIF DFJM NPSFUJNFBOEMFTTFYQFOTJWFXPPES GPMMPXFEDMPTFMZCZ UIFCBTFNFOU5IFOFHBUJWFT Z EVDUXPSLGPSUIF)7"$T ETIPQJTJO 'JSTUJTEFQMPSBCMFBDDFTTGPSNPWJ TPNFSFBTPOI FUUBMM  (JWFODBSUFCMBOD ZTUFNUIBUGPS all sides. iSJHIUTJ[FEuXPPEX NBDIJOFSZBOEMVNCFSJOU BSFNBOZ DFJMJOHIFJHIU OPUUPNFOUBEUPCFSVOCFMPXUIF IFUPTFMFDUB PGVTXPVMEQJ PSLJOHTQBDF NPTU OH BOEFMFDUSJDBMMJOFT5IF PUIFTIPQ  JPOXBUFS UXJDFUIFTJ[FPGBUXPDBSHBSBHDLTPNFUIJOHBCPVU GSFRVFO UMBDLPGXJOEPXTBOEUIFMJLMJOUIFSFTUIF JTIFBUFEBOEBJSDPOEJUJPOFE I ■ WBVMUFEDFJMJOHBOEIBT FUIBU BTB Problem No. 5: My bench is too short UISFFTJEFTBOEBMBSHFHBSBHFEPXJOEPXTPO UIFGPVSUI8IFOZPVMPPLP UIFXJOEPXT UIFSF PSPO VUBOZPG best options for your shop. TDBQFEWJFXXJUIOPUBOPUIFSCJTBCVDPMJDMBOE JOTJHIU8IJDICSJOHTV VJMEJOH .PTUXPPEXPSLFSTBSFVTJOHDPOTCBDLUPSFBMJUZ Perhaps you do. Try putting it under WFSUFEHBSBHFPSCBTFNFOUTQBD  FGPS

8PPEXPSLFS(FPSHF+BFHFSDIPTFIJTSFUJSF NFOUIPNFJOOPSUIFSO,FOUDLZWFSZD in length, too wide, narrow, high or low. 5IF TRVBSF GFFUGSPNIJTIPNFNBLFTBQFSGFDUXPPEGPPUEFUBDIFECBSOMFTTUIBOBSFGVMMZ a window and against the wall and work TIPQXJUIBOVOCFMJFWBCMZQBTUPSBMTFUUJOH If your bench is too short in length Chapter 3 (issue #159) that way for a few months. Don’t have a you should probably build a new top. window? Directional compact florescent Placing Keep the base if you can. If it’s too wide, fixtures can help. Or you can save your Machinery rip it down (removing a tool tray will pennies and have a window installed. I The right machines in the help). You might need to cut the base a did. It was the best $1,000 I’ve ever spent right locations will make your bit narrower as well. This is doable: Cut woodworking smooth. on my shop. the stretchers on the sides shorter and 800%803,*/( Most workbench books begin with a Chapter 4 (issue #160) &44&/5*"-4

$)"15&3 then cut tenons on their ends. Cut new #:%"7*%5)*&- 4FUUJOH6Q4IPQ grand statement about how the work-  4NBMM5PPM0SHBOJ[BUJPO PTUXPPEXPSLFSTCBDLJOUP Small Tool XPPEXPSLJOH HBUIFSJOHUPPMT .BOEFRVJQNFOUTMPXMZ#FDBVTF TLJMMTCVJME TPEPFTUIFOFFEGPSTQB PGUIJTGBDUNPTUXPPEXPSLFSTBMTPHSP mortises on the legs and assemble it. If 5IBUTXIFSFXFXBOUUPTUBSUX UIFJSXPPEXPSLJOHTQBDFTMPXMZB UIJTàSTUDIBQUFSPG4FUUJOH6Q4 5IFZNBZTUBSUPVUXJUIBDPSOFSPGUIF DF X m4QBDF8IFOXFQPMMXPPEXPSLFSTJUI (JWFODBSUFCMBODIFUPTFMFDUB HBSBHFPSCBTFNFOUEFEJDBUFEUP4BTXFMM iSJHIUTJ[FEuXPPEXPSLJOHTQBDF NPT BCPVUXIBUUIFZOFFEUPJNQSP IPQ VSEBZQSPKFDUT CVUBTUIFJSJOUFSFTUB PGVTXPVMEQJDLTPNFUIJOHBCPVU QMFBTVSFJOXPPEXPSLJOH TQBDFJTUIF U UXJDFUIFTJ[FPGBUXPDBSHB OVNCFSPOFBOTXFS GPMMPXFEDMPTFMZWFUIFJS U bench is the most useful tool in the OE JTIFBUFEBOEBJSDPOEJUJPOFE IBTB NPSFUJNFBOEMFTTFYQFOTJWFXPPE  WBVMUFEDFJMJOHBOEIBTXJOEPXTSBHFUIBU CZ UISFFTJEFTBOEBMBSHFHBSBHFEPP UIFGPVSUI8IFOZPVMPPLPVUBPO SPO your bench is too narrow, scab on new Organization OZPG shop. I’m not so sure I agree with that material at the back, which will add Balancing maximum storage statement as it stands. I think it’s correct with accessibility will save 8PPEXPSLFS(FPSHF+BFHFSDIPTFIJTSFUJSFNFOUIPNFJOOPSUIFSO,FOUDLZW mass as well. If your bench is too high, GSPNIJTIPNFNBLFTBQFSGFDUXPPETIPQXJUIBOVOCFMJFWBCMZQBTUPSBMTFUUJO

FSZDBSFGVMMZ5IF TRVBSFGPPUEFUBDIFECBSOMFTTUIBOGFFU to say that a well-designed, solidly built H cut down the legs or the sled foot. If it’s time and energy. WOODWORKING and properly outfitted bench is the most ESSENTIALS

CHAPTER too low, build a sled foot to raise it. BY SCOTT GIBSON (issue #161) Setting Up Shop: useful tool in the workshop. Anything Chapter 5 5 Material Storage t takes more tha to make a produn a room full of tools Ishop. Along wit ctive woodworking tools and a colle h stationary power and chisels comection of handpla list of materials thas a surprisingly divenes hand and readily t must be kept onrse ■ need them. available when you Not surprisingly, m Problem No. 6: My bench makes it on storing lumber. less is only making you struggle. PW ost of us focus the basic raw ma In addition to bein Material Storage must have to op terial that woodsho g own intrinsic pleerate, lumber has i ps make room for it asure. We can alwts Lumber also v. ays size, shape and potaries tremendously i hardwood tha ential use. Rough n thickness plant needs an is nothing like ingt before it can bed difficult to work on the long edges buy at the local he finished pine weused Proper lumber and sheet-good tion to various kinlumber yard. In addi can most shops also w ds of solid lumbe - modest inventory ill need at least a r, panel goods. of plywood and ot Adapted from a forthcoming book by Christo- And wood is only her Shops also need the beginning. and finish to boxeverything from st pencils and paper,es of wood screws, ains cleaning supplies nuts and bolts, glu storage keeps the materials It’s not hard toand light bulbs. e, of boards. in shop clutter. Y find yourself awash trouble when youou know you’re in hardware store an’d rather go to t pher Schwarz titled: “Workbenches: Design, minute epoxy ra d buy a tube of he5- time to look for thther than take the already have. I e tube you know y pawing throught’s just plain easier th ou Finished work, whet the stuff you can an most woodwork ARRISH her it’s a turned bow P

’t L in the background,ing pl shops. But materia l or an entertainmen A straight and handy. BY ay an important ifls n storage and handlint center, is at center sta O

First, detach the benchtop from its ot as obvious supporg, such as these rack PHOT ge in Construction & Use.” Contact Chris at chris. ting role. s of lumber base and reattach it so the legs are flush [email protected] for details on its release. Order back issues online at popularwoodworking.com or call 800-258-0929.

Popular Woodworking Real World Router Test

A woodworking pro takes on 9 router kits to find his favorite.

’m a full-time professional wood- worker, so I need my tools to be Ireliable. And I absolutely hate to waste time. I make money when I’m doing something to a piece of wood, not when I’m adjusting a tool. When the edi- tors asked me to test two-base router kits I agreed to bring them into my shop and put them to work, but on my terms. by Troy Sexton Troy designs and builds custom furniture for Sexton Classic American Furniture in Sunbury, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking.

popularwoodworking.com 57 locks sound convenient, but they all had problems. The Ridgid (left) The large cast wrench of the Milwaukee (right) made for easy bit tightening. was easy to operate, but in the way when changing bases. The DeWalt was The thin stamped wrench of the Makita (left) tended to slip off the nut. difficult to press in.

Most of the magazine tool bit changing to be painless. tear quickly; the hole can become ibly easy. Next easiest were the reviews I read seem kind of silly. There are two systems in use. egg-shaped and the button can Bosch and the Craftsman. They I don’t need a chart comparing The first employs two wrenches, break or stick. All the routers in both have nice wrenches that are motor amperage draw and I don’t and the second uses one wrench the test with spindle locks showed easy to align and don’t slip, but care to see a router rigged up and a button that locks the tool’s some wear after testing. they were harder to torque down with weights and pulleys. I want spindle. I prefer the two wrenches Among all the routers, the because one wrench was smaller to know what it’s like to hold the because I can easily get the bit as Milwaukee is the best of the group to fit on the motor shaft rather tool and cut wood with it. tight as I want it. The spindle-lock when it comes to bit changing, than on a second nut. When the nine routers arrived systems are convenient because with two large nuts and two cast The Hitachi is similar to in my shop, I put them to work, you need only one wrench, but wrenches that are the same size the Bosch but its wrenches are comparing them side by side. I I think it’s difficult to get a lot of and length. This lets me tighten or stamped metal rather than cast. looked at what was important to torque on the nut due to the way loosen the collet by squeezing the The Makita also comes with me, and I tried to push them to your hands are positioned while two wrenches in one hand. The stamped wrenches. It has one their limits. Any of these routers depressing the spindle lock. The wrenches and nuts are also sized thin nut and one thick nut, which will do typical router work. I was spindle locks also show wear and to make aligning them incred- makes it hard to get the wrenches looking for the one I would want to keep, and those I’d avoid. I compared the most com- mon tasks first. What was it like to change a bit? Was it easy to reach the switch? Did the motor vibrate too much and was the plunge mechanism easy to use? Then I looked at the finer points, the little things that make a router easier or better to use.

Bit Tightening Tightening the bit in the collet is to me one of the most important design considerations. Every pro- fessional woodworker I know has had a router bit move while it’s in use – a dangerous and maddening situation. I want to be sure that the The switch on the DeWalt is in an easy-to-locate, and For some switches, such as on this Makita, it’s necessary collet is tight on the bit, and I want easy-to-operate position. to remove one hand from the router to reach the switch.

58 Popular Woodworking June 2007 on the nuts and tighten them Changing Bases One feature can without slipping. When changing the router motor get in the way The Freud had the easiest-to- from one base to the other, I want of another. To reach spindle lock location, but the process to be quick, simple, change bases on the Ridgid the nut can only be tightened obvious and solid. The Milwaukee and Freud rout- using the spindle lock. The Por- was my favorite; there was no con- ers, the spindle ter-Cable, DeWalt and Ridgid all fusion about which way to place lock must be have either a second nut or flat the motor, and it clamped down in depressed. areas on the motor shaft so the both bases without hassle. collet can be tightened with two The Hitachi, Bosch, Crafts- wrenches if that’s your choice or man, DeWalt and Porter-Cable if the lock wears out. were almost as easy. In these there was a bit of aligning and Switch Operation some twists here and there before I think of routing as a two-handed locking the motor in place, but I operation, and I want to be able encountered no major problems. to reach the switch while both With the Freud and the Ridgid, my hands are on the router. The things were more complicated. DeWalt had the most convenient With these, the spindle lock switch; I barely had to move my must be depressed to remove the thumb to flip the toggle switch. motor from the base. If these are The Milwaukee, Bosch and mounted in a table, there are two Craftsman were almost as good; steps to release the motor. I only had to stretch my hand a The Makita is the only one of little to reach the switch. the group without a clamp to hold The Freud switch is in a good the motor to the base. It locks in its Location and location, but the switch was dif- plunge base by loosening or tight- direction of ficult to move. The Hitachi and ening a Phillips-head screw. the plunge- Makita have the switch on top of release lever is also important. the motor housing, which requires Plunge Action and Locks Some, such as you to take one hand off the router The plunge mechanism needs the Milwaukee, to operate it. The Porter-Cable to work smoothly and without release when and Ridgid also require taking one noticeable play. I want the plunge pushed down. hand off the router to reach the spring to be strong enough to raise Others lock switch, and these were also stiff. the motor completely. The Porter- when the lever is Cable, DeWalt and Milwaukee pushed down. Vibration were the best on these points. Excessive vibration can be a sign The Bosch and Craftsman of poor motor quality, and can were smooth in action, but the lead to lack of control, user fatigue springs seemed a little weak. The and poor cut quality. I placed each Makita and Hitachi weren’t quite router on my bench and watched as smooth as the others, but had for movement like in the electric strong springs. The Ridgid and football game I had when I was a Freud were noticeably sloppy in kid. I held each one and felt for their plunge action. release the lock when you press lock isn’t completely engaged, it is vibration, and also compared the The plunge lock holds the down on the lever. The DeWalt, possible for the router to drop as it vibration I felt while routing. plunge depth, and it’s often Porter-Cable, Ridgid and Freud is pushed into the work. The Milwaukee was the clear engaged while the router is run- engage the lock when you push I prefer this method, because winner and was a pleasure to work ning so it’s important that it be down on the lever. when the lever is released during with. The Ridgid and Freud were simple and safe. There are two With the lever-down-to- a plunge cut, the action stops. But close, followed in order by the different types of locks used by release routers, the motion stops other woodworkers prefer the sec- Makita, Hitachi, DeWalt, Porter- routers in the test. when you release the lever, but you ond system because there is no Cable and Bosch. The Craftsman The Milwaukee, Makita, need to pull the lever completely intermediate, partially locked had the most vibration. Bosch, Craftsman and Hitachi up to lock the plunge action. If the position. If you already own a

popularwoodworking.com 59 TWO-base Router kits bosch The Bosch wasn’t the winner, but there weren’t many com- Likes plaints. It’s a solid tool that performed well. Bit tighten- ■ Smooth plunge action 877-267-2499 ing and depth adjustments were good, and the fixed ■ Excellent micro-adjustments boschtools.com base can be adjusted from above in a router table. ■ Easy bit and base changes It has a solid, well-balanced feel in hand-held use, and the plunge action was smooth, but the spring ■ Good balance and control is weaker than some of the routers tested. There is ■ Good dust collection an adjustable nut on the stop rod for precise depth Gripes adjustments in plunge mode. The dust collection was among the best; the fitting was easy to attach, and it could ■ Wood knobs on fixed base exit on either side of the router. ■ Soft spring on plunge base

Craftsman While this appears to be a clone of the Bosch, there are minor Likes differences that don’t offset the slight difference in price. ■ 800-549-4505 Plunge action and adjustments They are nearly identical, and fit each other’s bases. craftsman.com ■ Good bit tightening and The Craftsman had the most motor vibration of wrenches any in the test, and it seemed that some corners were cut in the quality and inclusion of accessories. The Gripes Bosch included a template guide fitting for the base ■ Above average motor plate, as well as a bit-centering cone. The Craftsman vibration and noise base plate was made of a flexible plastic that allowed ■ Lack of vacuum attachment and to pack between the base plate and the router base. template guide

DeWalt The DeWalt had good ergonomics and a low center of gravity. Likes The short motor housing helped with control when mounted 800-433-9258 ■ Switch location and operation in the fixed base, and didn’t take much space when dewalt.com ■ Good balance and control mounted in a table. The plunge action was smooth ■ and the threaded nut on the end of the plunge rod Plunge base micro-adjustment depth stop made fine-tuning settings a breeze. The ■ Good ergonomics handles were nicely shaped and rubber coated, and Gripes the switch was in a great location and operated easily. The through-the-post vacuum dust collection worked ■ Awkward spindle-lock system well and kept the hose out of the way. There is no provision ■ Noticeable motor vibration for adjusting the bit height from above the table. ■ No above-table height adjustment

Freud The above-the-table adjustment feature operated smoothly, Likes and the motor ran with little vibration. The lever to release 800-334-4107 ■ Above-table height adjustment the plunge was in an odd position and difficult to get freudtools.com ■ Little motor vibration tight. Once released, the plunge action was sloppy. The depth-stop adjustment on the turret was decent, but Gripes required extra tools to make adjustments. ■ Sloppy plunge action This router also required depressing the spindle ■ Spindle lock interferes with lock to change bases. There is no second nut or flat on the base changes spindle, so two wrenches cannot be used instead of the lock. ■ Difficult to operate switch

Hitachi If style is important to you when choosing power tools, then Likes 800-829-4752 this router has some appeal. If substance is more important ■ Template guides included than style, you might want to take a closer look. Of the fea- hitachi.com/hpt ■ Extra-large clip on motor clamp tures I looked at, the large base plate was the only item rated above average. Gripes Motor vibration, ergonomics, plunge operation and ■ Coarse fit and adjustments of base changing were decent, but nothing to write home fixed base about. Changing bits was difficult, and the height adjust- ■ Hard to find/reach switch ment in the fixed base had a lot of play. It also had the same switch placement issues as the Makita.

60 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Makita The Makita worked well as a plunge router, with smooth Likes action, a well-placed release lever and some nice adjustment 800-462-5482 ■ Plunge base action and lever features. There aren’t any frills to the fixed base; the makita.com ■ Plunge base micro- height adjusts by a threaded motor housing and there adjustments is no above-the-table depth adjustment. Motor changes between bases are easy, but to lock Gripes the motor in the plunge base you need a Phillips- ■ Extra tool required to lock head screwdriver. This was the only router in the test motor to plunge base to require a separate tool for this task. It is hard to align the ■ Switch location can be hard wrenches on the nuts when changing bits. to reach

Milwaukee This router ran the smoothest and had the easiest bit-chang- Likes ing. The switch and other controls were easy to locate and ■ 800-729-3878 Overall design, easy to operate operated well in either hand-held mode, or inverted in a milwaukeetool.com ■ Least motor vibration router table. Changing the motor from base to base ■ Easiest bit changes was simple and obvious, and the innovative micro- adjustments worked great in all configurations. ■ Switch location and above- The few things I didn’t like were all related to table height adjustment the round base plate. I prefer one with at least one Gripes straight edge for locating the tool on a straightedge ■ fence. The base plate attaches to the router with Torx Use of Torx screws drive screws, and the screws to attach a fence (not included ■ Round base plate with the kit) and the vacuum attachment are mounted on ■ Accessory screws below the bottom of the base plate. These are minor inconveniences base plate however, not deal breakers. Overall, the quality feel, ease of use and smooth operation and performance put this router ahead of all the others.

Ridgid The Ridgid is smooth and powerful in operation and it’s the Likes only router in the test with a light that shines on the bit. It also 866-539-1710 ■ Light illuminates bit has a cord light to indicate when the tool is plugged in. Visibil- ridgid.com ■ Vibration-free operation ity is good as the base has a lot of open area. The plunge-depth ■ adjustment is threaded instead of a turret. Above-table height adjustment The biggest problem with this router is the place- Gripes ment and operation of the spindle lock. To change ■ Spindle lock interferes with bases, the lock must be depressed. This complicates the base changes change and requires two steps for removal. ■ Switch placement

Porter-Cable The Porter-Cable has some features that are ahead of others in Likes the test, but it also has some quirks. In addition to an above- 888-848-5175 ■ Handle shape and ergonomics the-table height adjustment, it was the only router in the test porter-cable.com ■ Solid feel with little vibration that provided a way to lock or unlock the motor to the base ■ from the top. Above-table height adjustment It has a solid feel to it with nicely shaped rubber- and lock coated handles and the motor had plenty of power ■ Smooth plunge action with little vibration felt. The plunge mechanism is Gripes smooth in operation, with a powerful spring. The spindle lock is in an awkward location, and it was dif- ■ Spindle lock hard to use ficult to hold in. The micro-adjustments on the plunge turret ■ Backlash in height adjustment use a Torx-head screw, and the adjustments on the fixed ■ Torx screws for fine plunge base had some backlash. setting

popularwoodworking.com 61 Above-the-table adjustments aren’t always as easy The Milwaukee’s fine adjustment on Routers without a fine-thread adjustment on the fixed as they seem – the hole to reach the screw can fill with its fixed base was the favorite of the base have coarse threads on the motor housing. Depth of debris, and you’ll likely need to bend down anyway to routers tested. cut is set by twisting the base in the motor housing. see the edge of the bit. plunge router, and are looking finger as well as a thumb to oper- trated if there is enough play in the it needs to be, and keeps the top for a second, choosing one that ate the lever. mechanism due to coarse threads of the router off the table if you flip releases in the same way will help or enough sloppiness to make the it upside down to change or adjust you avoid confusion. Depth Adjustments bit move more than I expect when the bit. The Porter-Cable adjust- Most of the plunge levers were I’m a perfectionist, so I need a sim- I reverse direction. ment had some play in it, about a in an easy-to-access position. The ple and reliable way to change the Rating the fine adjustments is half-turn, before engaging when lever on the Freud was awkwardly depth-of-cut to make that final, difficult because not all the routers changing directions. The Hitachi placed, and required the use of a half-a-hair adjustment. I get frus- tested use the same mechanism in sits loosely on its threaded motor each of the three possible configu- housing, and it can drop when the rations (plunge base, fixed base, motor latch is released. Several of the and fixed base in a router table). Mounted in a router table, the routers offered above-the-table There are two basic systems threaded rod adjustments work depth adjust- used with the fixed bases. The first, a little better than the threaded ment, but the found on the Bosch, Craftsman, motor housing. The Bosch, Porter-Cable Freud, Milwaukee, Porter-Cable Craftsman, Milwaukee, Ridgid, is the only one and Ridgid, employs a threaded Freud and Porter-Cable can be with an above- rod that’s adjusted with the thumb adjusted from above the table the-table motor and forefinger. with an accessory tool. The Por- latch. The other system, used by ter-Cable also includes a motor DeWalt, Hitachi and Makita has latch that can be engaged from large coarse threads that spiral above the table. around the motor housing. Twist- Above-the-table adjustment ing the motor in the base raises sounds like a good idea, but the and lowers the motor. Both sys- access to the adjustment can eas- tems worked well with the fixed ily fill with dust and you still need bases in this test. to bend down to see the bit and, The Milwaukee latch system except for the Porter-Cable, lock was the most user-friendly; the and release the motor base’s grip base didn’t move when I locked on the motor. it down. The Bosch, Craftsman When set up as plunge routers, and Ridgid moved slightly when final cutting depth is set with a locking the base. depth-stop rod, and a turret for On the Freud router, the making stepped cuts. The Bosch, adjustment knob is longer than Craftsman and DeWalt have a

62 Popular Woodworking June 2007 and Freud attachments could be mounted in either direction, but the Ridgid and Milwaukee only mount in one location. Performance will vary depend- ing on the type of cut you’re mak- ing and the depth of the cut. There wasn’t a significant differ- ence between any of the routers we tested in performance, but I liked the through-the-column style because it kept the hose from interfering.

And the Winner Is … The Milwaukee 5616-24 was the A fine-threaded nut at the end of the clear winner of the routers I tested. Some routers require a separate attachment for dust collection. The Bosch, plunge rod makes fine-tuning depth It was smooth and powerful with shown here, can mount in two different directions. settings simple and precise. a combination of design features that separated it from the others. The Porter-Cable, as threaded knob at the bottom of Every feature I looked at had a well as the DeWalt the stop rod, a great way to tweak quality feel to it, and the design- have the dust collection the final depth setting. ers obviously did their homework attachment at the top of the column, a more The Milwaukee has a unique to create an integrated system that convenient location. thumbscrew and stop rod that was user-friendly. works almost as well. The other The Bosch, DeWalt and Por- routers all make fine adjustments ter-Cable were close behind and by adjusting a screw or screws on would be good, useful choices if the turret. The Makita and Por- they have a feature you prefer, or ter-Cable have three fixed stops, if you find one at a bargain price. and three adjustable screws on During the test period, prices var- the turret. ied as different brands went on The Hitachi is similar, but and off sale, so shop around to get with only one adjustable screw the best bang for your buck. pw on the turret. The Ridgid turret has no fixed stops, but the single base turret is threaded for making final depth adjustments. TWO-base Router kits Brand & Model # Price* Speed Range Plunge Plunge Base Fixed Base Spindle Vacuum Attachments (rpm) lock adjustment adjustment lock All of the routers tested included Bosch 1617EVSPK $208 8,000-25,000 Up=lock Threaded stop Adj. knob** No an attachment to hook up a vac- Craftsman 1617-12 $199 8,000-25,000 Up=lock Threaded stop Adj. knob** No uum for dust collection except the DeWalt DW618PK $199 8,000-24,000 Down=lock Threaded stop Motor thread Yes-opt. Craftsman, Hitachi and Makita. The DeWalt and Porter-Cable Freud FT1702VCE $200 10,000-23,000 Down=lock Turret screws Adj. knob** Yes channel the dust and chips up Hitachi KM12VC $160 8,000-24,000 Up=lock Turret screws Motor thread No one of the plunge columns to a Makita RF1101KIT2 $224 8,000-24,000 Up=lock Threaded stop Motor thread No hose connection at the top of the motor. Milwaukee 5616-24 $249 10,000-22,000 Up=lock Adj. stop rod Adj. knob** No This keeps the hose out of the Porter Cable 893PK $259 10,000-23,000 Down=lock Turret screws Adj. knob** Yes-opt. way better than the rest, which Ridgid R2930 $199 10,000-23,000 Down=lock Threaded turret Adj. knob** Yes-opt. require a clear plastic attachment with the hose connection close to *Prices correct at time of publication. Router kits are often sale priced. Prices ranged between $175 and $260. ** These routers also are adjustable from above when used in a router table. the base of the router. The Bosch

popularwoodworking.com 63 Photos by the authorthe byPhotos VeneeringOld School

Traditional methods with a veneer hammer and hot hide glue.

eneering has been practiced for thousands of ful opportunities to the woodworker. However, from a years. It’s a way to take some of the world’s most technical perspective, there is the problem of attaching Vspectacular but unstable woods, cut them to this skin securely to a wood substrate. You don’t want a paper-thinness and glue them to a stable foundation. veneered surface to peel, crack or buckle. By veneering, you can repeat natural patterns, create From an aesthetic perspective, it allows the maker intricate borders and inlays, arrange grain direction to design the “look” of his or her creation, almost like a and create surface designs that would be impossible to painter working on a canvas. Veneer can change the per- make with solid wood. ception of a piece. A deli- Using veneer adds a by Mario Rodriguez cate inlay can emphasize new dimension to furniture Mario has almost 30 years of experience as a craftsman, educa- a feature: a cuff around making and offers wonder- tor and writer. He teaches at the Philadelphia Furniture Workshop. a leg visually anchors a

64 Popular Woodworking June 2007 piece; bookmatched doors pro- patience, a delicate but firm touch Veneer leaves vide symmetry. Veneer can ele- and a critical eye. Tackling this should always vate your furniture from simple method on a small but manage- be sequential for to sophisticated. able scale will build confidence the best match in terms of figure But, some woodworkers shy and develop your skills. and color. Most from using veneer. First, the term For this project, I used mahog- figured veneers “veneer” implies to some people any crotch veneer. This is a rich will need to be poor quality and shoddy, dishonest and shimmering veneer filled with flattened before craftsmanship. Then, the process light that often features a feather- use. itself is so mysterious. Veneer is like grain pattern down the cen- thin, fragile and prone to breaking ter. Because the cabinet is small, apart. The tools and techniques the feather should also be small, used in veneering seem difficult and scaled to the cabinet. Many and strange. veneer suppliers have photos on If a woodworker were inter- their web sites to help you make ested, where would he or she start? your selection. What tools would be needed? How I ordered several sequential large and difficult a project should leaves to ensure color and grain pressed the veneer leaves between If the veneer isn’t flat the next be attempted? As a teacher, I’m pattern uniformity – or in case I sheets of plywood, using absorbent day, repeat the process. Or if always searching for ways to make made a mistake. And having vir- paper (either brown kraft paper the veneer is flat but still damp, woodworking more accessible. A tually identical leaves will make or plain newsprint) between the change the absorbent paper and project such as this gentleman’s your inevitable patches almost leaves, and then weighted every- wait another 24 hours. When the dressing mirror is a perfect intro- invisible. thing down for 24 hours. You only veneer is completely dry, flat and duction to traditional veneering. For this project, I ordered three need enough weight to keep the pliable, it will cut easily and glue I’ve taught this project class at 18" x 30" crotches from Ben Bar- veneer flat, so scrap wood or any- up nicely with minimal checking the college level, and the Philadel- rett of Berkshire Veneers (413- thing else you have around your or buckling. phia Furniture Workshop is plan- 644-9696 or berkshireveneer. shop will do. Cut the crotches for the project ning to put it on the schedule soon. com), who searched his inven- (Complete plans for the dressing tory and sent me some beautiful mirror are available through the crotch leaves that were perfect for school for $40 at philadelphiafur- the project. These pieces provided nitureworkshop.com). all the veneer I needed.

Traditional Hot Glue and Flattening the Veneer Hammer Veneering When the veneer arrives it will There are several ways to apply probably be buckled and brittle. veneer to a piece. And if you’re Veneer in this state is difficult serious about veneering, it’s a good to work, so you’ll need to flatten idea to become familiar with all of and soften it. This is easily accom- them. I think the best method to plished with a solution of water, learn first is traditional hammer glycerin, alcohol and glue (fish or veneering. hide). For this project I used about Of all the methods, gluing 1 quart of the solution I typically veneer with hot hide glue and mix; 3 parts water, ¾ part glycerin, pressing it with a hammer can be 1 part alcohol, and ¼ part glue. the most challenging – and the After soaking the veneer most satisfying. To achieve suc- on both sides with the solution To get the veneer to lie flat, spray it with a solution of glycerin, alcohol, glue cess takes a generous amount of (dispensed from a spray bottle), I and water then press it between sheets of paper and plywood.

popularwoodworking.com 65 Preparing the Glue Hide glue has been used in veneer- ing for thousands of years, and was used on most of the antique veneered furniture you find today. The glue is made from animal hides, blood and bones that have been dried and pulverized. It comes in pearl or flake form and is activated with heat and water. I obtain hide glue from Tools for Working Wood (800-426-4613 or toolsforworkingwood.com). They also carry the glue pot and other tools mentioned in this article. Hot hide glue does have some advantages over other adhesives. When it cools, it sticks. That eliminates the need for a press. It can be reactivated with heat – or by the addition of more glue. It is Several strokes with the held against a straightedge will create a clean edge on the veneer leaf. water-soluble and cleans up with warm water. parts (allow generous margins all of plywood and put a wooden by moisture and available from For a project of this size, I place around), reserving the most strik- straightedge on the line. Rest your veneer suppliers) acts as reinforce- about ½ cup (dry) of hide flakes in ing veneer for the sides, top and veneer saw against the straight- ment, helping to keep the veneer a small jar then cover over the glue drawer front. Then lay out the edge and gently pull it toward strips flat and in one piece. with warm water and let it sit for sides and top so that the grain is you. (See “Tuning Up a Veneer Lightly wet the veneer strip about 20 minutes before placing continuous, running up one side, Saw” on page 69 to get better saw on both sides, apply the tape to the jar into the glue pot sleeve. over the top then down the other performance.) It will take several the top side, and press gently with After 15 minutes, stir the glue side, without interruption. The passes to make the cut. a rubber roller. Then weight the until it runs freely from the brush. underside of the cabinet is not When preparing the narrow strips down with a piece of scrap Then take a small amount between veneered. Save the second leaf for strips for the cabinet edge, the mir- until they dry. Highly figured your middle and fore fingers and the drawer front. Everything else ror frame and the feet, I first apply wood usually has small cracks or rub. The glue should develop tack can be cut from the leftovers. veneer tape to the strips to protect other defects and I also use veneer in a couple of minutes. Rest your veneer on a flat scrap them. This paper tape (activated tape to repair these. If left uncovered, the glue will

Hide glue is generously applied to the back of the Using a veneer hammer, press firmly down on the Let the glue cool and stiffen, then use a veneer edge veneer with a brush. edge. Look for a tight joint and light glue squeeze- saw to trim off the excess. You should leave 1⁄32" out. Let the veneer overlap at the corners. to 1⁄16" margin.

66 Popular Woodworking June 2007 thicken as the water evaporates. with the saw and flush the edge To maintain the consistency of with a file. Any small gaps between your glue, cover the jar with its lid the veneer and the box’s edges are or a damp towel. If you add more warmed with an iron and pressed water to thin the glue, remember down. Finally, scrape the edge, to allow the glue to warm to its working in toward the center for proper temperature (140°F) before a clean surface and a tight joint so brushing it onto your work. that veneer applied perpendicular to the edge will produce an invis- Gluing Down the Veneer ible seam. When you apply veneer at any cor- ner, one layer of veneer is trimmed Gluing the Sides and Top flush with the substrate surface, Apply glue to the substrate. Then then the next layer of veneer is lay the veneer face down on the Lay a ruler across the points of the miter, then cut through both layers with applied perpendicular to the first. surface and into the glue while several passes of a sharp . The second layer covers the first, brushing glue onto the back of the but its edge remains visible – and veneer. Next, flip the veneer over Place a strip vulnerable. and place it face side up, then use of tape You must consider the order the veneer hammer to press the across the in which you veneer. And it’s veneer down firmly. Work from miter, then resist for sev- always a choice between hiding the center out toward the edges, eral hours the the veneer seam and protecting it. applying more glue to lubricate the temptation For example, you usually veneer hammering if necessary. Veneer tape to remove the edges on a drawer front first, If a bubble appears, brush glue the tape. then veneer the front itself. When onto the bubble and the surround- If needed, the drawer is closed, the veneer ing area, and press from the bubble rewarm the edge is not visible. toward the nearest edge. joint to close the miter, Apply warm glue to the box When the sides are down and then tape. edge, then to the edge veneer. secure, saw off the excess, then After centering the strip on the edge, apply glue on top of the tape (this lubricates the pressing). Then with firm but careful pres- sure, press down along the edge with the veneer hammer (more like a veneer squeegee), looking for light glue squeeze-out along both sides of the edging. Work your way around the box, overlapping the edging at the corners. Then, with a sharp marking knife, cut through both layers, across the corners, to make the miters. After cutting through both layers, carefully remove the cut-off pieces with the tip of the knife and apply veneer tape to draw the miter joint closed. If the glue cools before you can trim the miters, rewarm the joint with an iron or by applying more glue, then trim and tape. When the glue cools and bonds, trim off the excess veneer Holding a mill file flat to the surface produces a clean edge without any “rolled” edges.

popularwoodworking.com 67 expose small gaps. • Flat card scraper – to flush the veneer to the substrate. • 8" second-cut mill file – to perfectly flush and joint edges.

How to Flawlessly Patch Veneer Veneer is fragile; mistakes and accidents will happen. Most of the damage will occur at the edges and corners, where patches can be cut and easily let in. First, select a piece of veneer that closely matches the damaged area in color and grain (wetting both the patch and damaged area will give you a good idea of the final appearance). Then take a curved carving gouge and punch out a patch that covers the dam- After applying glue to the veneer face, press down firmly with the veneer hammer. Work from the center out toward aged area. With the same gouge the edges, squeezing out any excess glue. punch out the damaged area and clean it out with a bench chisel. file the edge flush. Apply hot glue the bubbles are pressed out. down several small gaps along the Check the patch for fit, color and to any gaps and press them down Be careful not to slide the corner before repairing the edge grain. Then glue the patch in place until the glue cools. Repeat the hammer off the drawer front and of the drawer front. and secure it with masking tape. process for the top. fracture the veneer as you apply After the patch dries, carefully pressure to the corners. Trimming and Cleaning Up file off any excess, then file the Veneering the Curved Next, cut off the major excess After setting the box aside to patch flush and sand. After sand- Drawer Front and replace the drawer front in cool and settle down, carefully ing, your project will be ready for Set the curved drawer front the vise so you can press down any inspect the edges for clean, tight finishing. securely in the vise to allow small gaps. and attractive joints. I use four When the surface is sanded, clearance and good access to the Be careful – even though I was, tools to trim, clean and flush any significant traces of glue are corners. Then repeat the pro- I still slid off the edge and cracked veneer seams: removed, which leaves an open- cess for applying glue and lay- the veneer. But after inspecting • Veneer saw – to trim edges. pore surface that is receptive to ing down the veneer. While the the damage, I determined it would • Grobet detail file – a tapered stain and finish. Unlike when glue is warm, press down with the be an easy repair once the glue was half-round file with coarse teeth using yellow glue, any hide glue veneer hammer until the corners dry. The next day, I used a warm on one end and fine teeth an the residue remaining on the surface and edges are down nicely and all household iron to heat and press other to remove excess glue and will have no adverse effect. pw

A warm iron A carving gouge is used to is used to punch soften the out a damaged glue and area. The same press down gouge is then any problem used to cut a areas. matching patch.

68 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Tuning up a veneer saw nce at a wood- Flatten the spine. Oworking show, 2 Any bumps or I witnessed Frank unevenness of the Pollaro making up spine against the veneered chess blade may result boards. He must in a curved blade have produced more that won’t easily cut than 30 pieces and to a straight line. each was perfect. To establish a flat spine, flatten the The seams were tight back of the spine and clean; there where it attaches was no tear-out or to the blade on a split veneer. What coarse sharpening impressed me most stone. was that he was getting these results straight from his Flatten the back veneer saw, with no 3 of the blade. On fussing or cleaning up the same stone, flatten the back on a shooting board 1 later. After that, I of the saw blade. You may want to was determined to Straighten the tang. Most veneer saws have an advance to finer grit improve the perfor- uncomfortable hang (the angle of the handle to stones for a more mance of mine. the blade). I found that by lowering the handle and polished blade. I Here are the steps placing it more in line with the saw blade, I got bet- find a smoother I take to “soup up” a ter control and improved results with less pressure. blade is easier to veneer saw. It’s not After taking apart the saw, I placed the spine keep clean and rust- necessary to do this in a vise and with vise grips, gently straightened free. to learn veneering, the tang. Be careful. The metal typically used for but it helps. this part is soft and susceptible to breaking.

4 Bevel the cutting edge. I use a 6" mill file to bevel the cutting edge on one side. Holding the file at an angle and working across the teeth, gently file until a bevel extends from the points to the gullets of the teeth. This (step) produces slender teeth that glide through veneer. 5 File the teeth. Using a 4" double extra-slim tapered saw file, I gently bring each tooth up to a nice point. I keep the file at 90° to the teeth and file it just like a . The exact angle of the teeth isn’t as important as their sharp- ness, so if your first effort isn’t perfect, don’t worry. 6 Replace the handle. This step is optional but I like to replace the short stubby grip with a slender, longer turned handle that I find easier and more comfortable to hold. ­— MR

popularwoodworking.com 69 Handplanes for Beginners

Lever cap screw andplanes are the king of woodworking tools in that they are the most versatile tool in a Hshop. They do so many varied jobs, that the Lever cap more you know how to use planes, the more planes you own. The converse is true. If you own just one, there is a good chance you do not know how to use it. If you do not know how to use a plane, you are not alone. In fact, when history judges those of us who teach and write about woodworking, it will be harsh. We Chipbreaker or cap iron bear responsibility for the loss of knowledge of hand- planes. For thousands of years these tools have been the mainstay of every woodworking shop, and in a mat- Frog mounting screws ter of decades we permitted this knowledge to almost disappear. These days, the handplane is used more fre- quently as a logo on woodworkers’ business cards than in their shops. I experience this lack of knowledge directly in every class I teach. Our tool list specifies a handplane, “either smooth or jack, such as a Stanley No. 4 or No. 5.” Stu- dents putting their tools together frequently call and Front knob ask for clarification. One recently repeated what I have heard many times: “I’m a professional woodworker and I don’t know what a ‘smooth’ or a ‘jack’ is.” Students frequently ask us to show them how to adjust the plane they brought. When they go to work, we fre- Frog quently observe them struggling with their planes. It is not uncommon for us to find the blade upside down, or even the chipbreaker mistaken for the blade. The pur- pose of this article is to describe the basics of handplanes starting at the most nitty-gritty level. Until you under- stand these basics, handplanes will remain a mystery. Toe A History Lesson The basic handplane we recognize is referred to as a “bench plane.” The quest to develop cast iron bench planes began in the 1800s. Prior to that, most planes were made of wood. Cast iron planes were deemed more desirable, because they could be easily mass produced, and would hold up longer. Although a lot of people had tried making cast iron planes, Leonard Bailey of Boston, Mass., made a technological breakthrough by inventing the removable frog. This device allowed for more easy and accurate adjustment. In 1869, Bailey sold

70 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Chipbreaker screw

Iron or cutter

Lateral adjustment lever

Tote

Depth adjuster

Frog adjustment screw

Heel

Illustration by Louis Bois

Once you understand the anatomy of a handplane, you’ll be well on your way to using it with success.

by Michael Dunbar A chairmaker since 1971, Michael is the founder of The Windsor Institute in Hampton, N.H., where he teaches hundreds of students each year to build Windsor Chairs. For more information, visit thewindsorinstitute.com.

popularwoodworking.com 71 his patents for cast iron planes to No. 4 are smooth planes. However, The iron (right) the Stanley Rule and Level Co., the No. 1 and No. 2 are so small as and the chip- which for a long time continued to be impractical, and so we will breaker, some- to call its planes “Bailey Patent.” ignore them. No. 5 and No. 6 are times called the cap iron or The term is still used and under- jack planes, while No. 7 and No. back iron. The stood today. 8 are both . chipbreaker For many decades, Stanley The words smooth, jack and was designed produced high-quality iron planes jointer describes a plane’s most to prevent the in prodigious quantities. By 1897, common purpose. A smooth plane wood from tear- the company had sold more than is typically used for finish work. ing out ahead of 3 million planes. Until the 1930s, The word jack is a bit archaic, the iron’s cutting edge. the company introduced numer- but once designated things that ous improvements to Bailey’s were used for heavy work. Thus, original design. Quality began a jack plane is designed for heavy sold under the name Bed Rock. the iron or the cutter. to decline after World War II, stock removal. Like its powered These are high-quality tools and In a wooden plane, the mouth and this decline accelerated after namesake, the jointer straightens rank among the best handplanes is the bottom of a larger opening 1960. For that reason, the best of the edges of boards, frequently in ever produced in the world. The called the throat. The cutter is Stanley’s products are referred to preparation for gluing. Bed Rock planes used the same secured on the back surface of the as “pre-war planes.” These are the There are three other less com- numbering system as Stanley’s throat, called the bed, by a wedge. examples preferred by the most mon bench planes in the series, Bailey Patent planes, except that The cutter had to be adjusted by a experienced handplane users. designated No. 41⁄2, No. 51⁄4, and the plane’s number was preceded light hammer. Bailey’s genius was Stanley numbered its line of No. 51⁄2. The No. 41⁄2 is a wider by the number 60. Thus, a No. 604 to create a whole new way of hold- bench planes No. 1 through No. 8. smooth plane. The No. 51⁄4 is a is a Bed Rock smooth plane, while ing and adjusting the cutter. His The number designates the plane’s smaller jack than the No. 5, while a No. 605 is a jack. method relied on a removable 45° size and purpose. No. 1 through the No. 51⁄2 is larger. After Bailey’s patents expired, bedding platform called a frog. Stanley also produced a other companies produced copies A Bailey-type plane’s cutter is Cadillac series of planes that it of Stanley planes. Some of these secured to the frog, which is then companies include Sargent, Keen secured to the body. The frog also Cutter, Millers Falls and Record. includes two important adjust- Some even used numbering sys- ments, and because it is secured to tems that mimicked Stanley’s. the body, it is itself adjustable. As a result, a Bailey-type plane is very Plane Anatomy 101 easy to set up and very accurate. A bench plane is essentially a However, it is easier to understand mechanism for securing a chisel- the adjustments if you understand like blade so it can take a con- how a plane works. trolled cut. The tool also permits the cutter to be adjusted to a How it Works desired setting. Since at least the The plane blade’s cutting edge time of the ancient Egyptians, projects below the sole. When the all handplanes have had certain plane is pushed forward, this sharp elements or parts. The main part edge engages the wood and severs is the body, which on a wooden a shaving. Imagine a chisel being plane is also called its stock. The pushed over wood. While its sharp bottom surface of the body that edge would engage the wood, the Some of the many bench planes runs on the wood is the sole. The shaving would quickly become produced by Stanley. The three front end of the body is the toe, long enough to ride up the chisel’s planes shown directly above are Bed and the rear the heel. The sole has inclined body. Then, instead of Rock planes – the top of the line. The an opening in it through which cutting, the chisel would begin to rest of the planes are grouped by the cutting edge projects. This act as a lever, lifting the wood. The function. From left to right: smooth planes, jack planes and jointers. opening is called the mouth. The split would extend ahead of the Stanley made bench planes in handle that is used to push a plane cutting edge, so instead of being many sizes from the diminutive No. 1 is the tote, and sometimes there cut, the chip would tear away from to the massive No. 8 . is a knob. The blade is also called the board. The result would be no

72 Popular Woodworking June 2007 The chipbreaker’s name parallel to the sole. If it is not, it describes its most important func- will cut more deeply on one side tion: As the chip rises up through than on the other and leave an the mouth it immediately encoun- unsightly track on the wood’s sur- ters the convex curve at the end of face. It is important for a plane to The assembled chipbreaker and iron. When the plane’s iron cuts a shaving, the chipbreaker. Instead of rising also be able to control the chip’s it immediately is deflected up and kinked by the chipbreaker. The shaving is up in a line along the surface of thickness. On a wooden plane ejected out of the plane. the cutter, which helps create a both blade adjustments were levering action, the chip is bent accomplished by tapping the Lever Lever forward, causing it to kink. Now tool with a light hammer. On a pushed pushed broken at each kink, the chip is Bailey plane they are controlled left right much less likely to be lifted by by adjustments in the frog. levering. These kinks occur at very short, regular intervals mea- Lateral Adjustment suring many per inch. As a result, Lateral adjustment, that which a broken chip tends to roll up into allows the cutting edge to be set a tube as it leaves the mouth. parallel to the sole, is accom- plished by a lever under the cut- The Frog ter. This lever extends between In wooden planes a double iron, the cutter and the tote, to provide like the earlier single iron, was easy access. The lever is secured to still secured by a wooden wedge. the frog with a rivet that allows it However, Bailey attached the cut- to pivot. On the end of the lever Right Left ter and chipbreaker assembly to is a wheel that fits into the slot corner corner the frog’s 45° bed with a device in the cutter. On later planes the tips tips called a lever cap. The lever cap wheel was eliminated and the end down down has a locking lever at the upper of the lever became merely a bent end. There is a cam on the hinged, lip. By moving the lateral adjust- lower end of the lever. Thus, the ment lever side to side, the cutter/ cap can be tightened and loosened chipbreaker assembly will pivot The lateral adjustment lever keeps the cutting edge parallel with the sole. very quickly by lifting or lowering under the lever cap. If you push When you move it all the way left (from the operator’s perspective), the right the lever. A roundhead machine the lever to the right, it extends corner of the iron tips into the work. When you move the lever left, the oppo- screw secures the cutter/chip- the left side of the cutting edge, site effect occurs. breaker assembly and lever cap and vice versa. tightly to the frog. Stanley and control, and the resulting surface looks like a second blade that is other makers found the cap’s vis- Longitudinal Adjustment would be quite rough. secured to the cutter by a stubby ible front surface a nice place to Behind the frog is a brass wheel That is where the sole of the screw with a wide, flat head. Add- display the company’s name. (on later planes this can be made plane comes in. The flat sole ing a chipbreaker gave rise to the The frog itself has two impor- of other, less expensive materials). ahead of the cutting edge holds terms a “double,” or a “capped tant adjustments – the lateral and This wheel regulates the cutter’s the wood down and prevents it iron.” The chipbreaker itself has longitudinal. When using a plane longitudinal adjustments. The from being torn loose by a levering a bow in its end. When the breaker one wants the cutting edge to be wheel is mounted on a stud with action. Because it cannot lift the and the cutter are assembled and chip ahead of it, the cutter shears a the screw is tightened, the cutter The brass wheel continuous shaving. That shaving is stiffened. This stiffening helps behind the frog then passes up through the mouth the cutter to resist chattering due regulates the and is ejected from the plane. to the force of cutting, and results Increases depth of cut. in a cleaner surface. depth of cut Rotate the wheel Advent of the Chipbreaker The addition of the chip- clockwise to For millennia, the sole of the breaker resulted in a change in the increase the plane was the only prevention plane irons. They now had a slot cut and coun- terclockwise to against tearing. In the 18th cen- along much of their length. The Decreases depth of cut decrease it. tury, plane makers developed the slot had a round end to allow the chipbreaker. The chipbreaker screw head to pass through.

popularwoodworking.com 73 a left-hand thread. The yoke on the lower end of a small lever fits into a groove in the wheel. The rectangular upper end fits into a short horizontal slot in the chip- breaker. As the wheel is moved clockwise, the lever pivots and moves the cutter/chipbreaker assembly down, increasing the amount of the cutting edge pro- jecting through the mouth. The projection is decreased by turning the wheel counterclockwise.

Open Wide – or Not The final adjustment on a Bai- ley-type plane is the frog itself. The width of the mouth ahead Here’s the frog assembly removed from the body of the With most Stanley planes you adjust the frog by remov- of the cutting edge affects how plane. The two screws hold the frog tightly in position. ing the blade assembly, loosening the screws that hold well the plane cuts. If the mouth The holes for the screws are slotted so the frog can slide the frog and then turning a screw behind the frog that forward and back to open and close the mouth. will push the frog forward or back. is too wide it will be less effective at reducing tearing. If the mouth With Bed Rock is very narrow, it better controls platform screws were loosened. This screw adjusts the frog planes you can tearing. However, the plane will Rather than moving the frog by adjust the frog with- choke if the blade is set to take a hand, one used a screwdriver to out disassembling shaving thicker than the mouth turn the slotted screw in the back the tool. Loosen the opening. of the platform. It could now be two outer screws The mouth’s opening is con- accurately moved as little as a frac- to release the frog, trolled by moving the frog forward tion of a turn. then turn the cen- ter screw to adjust or backward, a motion that moves The best mechanism is on the the frog’s position. the cutting edge closer to the Bed Rock series. It is not even nec- Tighten the two mouth’s front edge, or away from essary to remove the chipbreaker These lock the frog outer screws, adjust it. The frog is adjusted by remov- to make this adjustment. The frog the iron and go to ing the lever cap and cutter/chip- is secured by two screws accessible work. breaker assembly. This exposes from the back of the frog, one on the two screws that secure the either side of the frog adjustment ated by three bosses with narrow ing (movement due to shock and frog to the body. On early Stan- screw. When these screws are loos- machined surfaces. The frog’s rear stress) is virtually eliminated. ley planes, the frog was adjusted ened the frog can be adjusted with edge sits on one high boss that is The other two components on by hand after the screws had been the whole plane intact. the width of the body. The frog’s a Bailey-type plane not already loosened. One moved the frog to front edge rests on two low bosses mentioned are the the new position and held it in the Rigidity is Key separated by a raised rib. The rib tote and the front knob. Both are new position while retightening Slicing a shaving by pushing a prevents the frog from moving side secured into the body with brass the screws. The process was pretty plane blade over a wood surface to side. When the frog screws are screws. The knob changed shape much done by feel. creates a lot of shock and stress tightened, the whole mechanism in 1922. On earlier planes it’s In about 1914, Stanley devel- on the cutter. The tool will only is secure. squat; it’s taller after this date. oped a very handy device to make work well if all its mechanisms Remove the frog from a Bed The bodies of Stanley planes setting the frog more accurate. A are rigid. The lever cap and cut- Rock and you can see why these are protected by a shiny black screw with a slot in front of the ter/chipbreaker assembly all con- are the top-of-the line model. The surface called . It is not head was added to the rear of the tribute to this. However, if the frog rests on a machined bed. So paint, but rather asphalt based. frog platform. A steel tab with a frog moves, none of the other instead of being in contact with a yoke in the bottom was added to assemblies matter. Remove the three-boss platform, the machined Function Determines Form the back of the frog. The yoke slid frog from a Bailey-type plane and bottom of a Bed Rock frog mates A plane’s purpose determines the over the screw’s slot. Now, the frog you will see that the mechanism perfectly with its platform, and shape of the cutting edge. A plane retained its position when the sits securely on a platform cre- is everywhere in contact. Rock- blade fresh from the manufacturer

74 Popular Woodworking June 2007 board, the woodworker is ready Boss to advance to the jack plane. In English and American shops this preparatory work was done with a jack plane. Although the cresting of a jack’s cutter is extreme relative to a smooth plane, it does not even approach that of the scrub.

Preparing for Use Whether you have a new plane or an older one, you will want to do some steps to get it ready for use. A bit of judgment is needed to deter- mine just how much tuning you Frog contacts base Entire surface want to do. For me, it is a function at three points contacts base of the plane’s purpose. My jack plane is mostly used for prepping With a standard Bailey-style bench plane (above left), the frog contacts the body in a few key places. With a Bed Rock rough-sawn lumber while my best plane (above right), the sole and body of the plane are both machined flat for maximum contact. No. 604 Bed Rock smooth plane is reserved for figured wood and The iron of a the finish. A surface that is hand- working around knots. Obviously, jack plane (on top) has a gentle planed will have a gentle texture far more work has been invested curve, while the that, depending on your sensibili- in the smooth plane than in my iron of a scrub ties, you can leave or easily sand jack. Still, my jack has not been plane (below) away. The appropriate amount of ignored; it’s just not been pam- has a curved cresting on a smooth plane blade pered as much. cutting edge is almost imperceptible. We have discussed the impor- that has a pro- tance of the sole. Your plane will nounced arc. Scrub Planes v. Jack Planes work better if the sole is flattened. The crested blade on a jack plane You will be surprised at how irreg- causes many people to confuse ular many plane soles are, even this tool with a . when the tool is brand new. They are quite different. A scrub The most important place for is ground straight across. This is be crested (as shown above). This plane is a continental European a sole to be flat is in front of the the appropriate shape for use on way, they each remove a chip that plane designed to flatten boards. mouth, as that is the area that a wooden surface that is more is slightly thicker in the center, At a time in history when all the holds the chip down. This is unfor- narrow than the blade is wide. In but that tapers out to nothing on lumber that came into a wood- tunately the area that receives the other words, this is the edge you the edges. working shop was rough sawn most wear, and a plane that has want on your jointer plane. How much a cutting edge and air dried, each board first been used a lot will frequently However, the same shape will should be crested also depends on had to be made flat and have need work in this area. not work on a surface that is wider the plane’s purpose. A jack plane the sawn surface removed. The Some people take planes to than the cutter. This means that is used for heavy stock removal. scrub plane was the tool that a machine shop to have their your smooth plane and a jack For example, if you are starting started this process. Its blade soles ground flat. I think this is plane that is used on the wide with a rough-sawn board, a jack has a cutting edge that is close extreme. Remember – a hand- face of a board cannot be ground will quickly remove all the saw to a semicircle. The plane is plane is a woodworking tool and straight. Imagine the result. The marks and expose fresh wood. pushed quickly and forcefully does not require precision to four blade would leave behind a square- A jack plane blade needs to be across the surface of the board decimal places. You can get the edged trough the shape of the aggressive and so its cresting is at a slight angle. If the board is maximum performance out of cutter. This would not be at all pronounced. warped or wracked, it catches your plane without it ever leav- acceptable on a visible surface. A smooth plane is used to the high spots and very quickly ing your shop. Instead, the cutting edges on a bring a surface close to its final knocks them down. After the I flatten on a 1⁄2"-thick alu- smooth plane and a jack have to stage, nearly ready for applying scrub plane has flattened the minum plate with a long strip of

popularwoodworking.com 75 of the mouth flat, as well as the breaker’s edge into place behind areas at the heel and toe. If a low the cutting edge. How close to go spot is behind the mouth, it pres- again depends on the plane. On ents no problem. a best smooth plane the distance Next, sharpen the cutter. The may be as little as 1⁄16". On a jack, plane’s purpose determines the 3⁄16" or even 1⁄4" may be needed to shape of the cutting edge. It also let a heavy shaving pass. Tighten determines how sharp you want the screw so the chipbreaker stiff- that edge. I will spend a lot more ens the blade and its front edge time on a smooth plane’s blade pulls tightly into place. than a jack’s. Place the cutter/chipbreaker As a shaving passes up through over the lever cap screw. Be sure the mouth it will find anything the lateral adjustment fits into the that it can catch on. It’s like it has a cutter slot and that the end of the mind of its own. The chipbreaker’s longitudinal lever fits into its slot edge is particularly inviting. If the in the chipbreaker. Place the cap shaving jams itself between the over the lever cap screw, check chipbreaker and the blade, work that all parts are aligned, then comes to a quick halt. You want to push down the cam lever. joint and hone the chipbreaker’s How much force is required to edge so that it makes a tight fit. I do lower the cam is controlled by the this, too, on my aluminum plate. lever cap screw. Pushing down the Slide the chipbreaker side to side lever should be a positive action on the paper with even downward and you should be able to feel it pressure. Hold the rear slightly lock with an audible snap. How- lower than the aluminum to cre- ever, if too much force is required, Don’t flatten a plane’s sole like you would plane wood. Instead, use equal ate a sharp edge. Raising the rear you risk breaking something. This pressure on the front knob and rear will round the edge, and that is rule applies to all the screws and tote and move your body back and definitely not good. parts in a plane. They have to be forth as you move the tool as shown When I am done, I like to put tightened enough to hold the tool above. You don’t have to flatten the a drop of oil on all moving parts together, but if the plane is cast entire sole. The area in front of the and screws. iron, it can break. mouth, the toe and the heel are the critical areas. Assembly Time Adjust the Plane Now, assemble the plane. Avoid The first adjustment step is to see adhesive-backed aluminum oxide sandpaper. To keep the pressure damaging the cutting edge when how much the mouth is open. The paper adhered to it. If the sole even, I move my body along with mounting the chipbreaker on the appropriate amount depends on appears to be in good shape, I use the plane so my shoulders stay blade. Hold them at a right angle the plane. To adjust this, move #330 grit. If it obviously needs a lot positioned over the tool. to one another while you slide the the frog. Remove the cutter and of work I use a coarser and more After several passes, you should screw head through the round end loosen the frog screws. If you have aggressive paper, such as #120. be able to detect low spots in the of the slot. Twist the two into an older plane, move the frog as I do not disassemble the plane, sole. The newly exposed metal is alignment and slide the chip- needed by hand. If the plane has other than to remove the cutter lighter in color, so low spots appear and lever cap. as dark areas. If you have trouble The chipbreaker The trick is to create an even detecting them, invest in a can of must mate downward pressure on the sand- Dykem spray layout fluid, either tightly with the paper. The worst thing you can red or blue. Now, the low spots back of the blade do is to use the same stroke you will appear in bright color. or shavings will would use while planing. This It is not necessary for the entire jam in the gap. motion will actually damage the sole to be flat, with no low spot Dress the edge of sole. I find it best to push down remaining. It is a matter of where the chipbreaker on sandpaper to on both the tote and knob with a low spot is located, or even more improve the fit of equal force. Holding that position, precisely, where a low spot is not these parts. I slide the plane along the strip of located. You want the area in front

76 Popular Woodworking June 2007 a frog adjustment screw, use it. Of is a function of use, not time. Do it course, with a Bed Rock, loosen when you need to do it. These are the frog screws behind the frog some signs. When you hone your and make your adjustments with cutter, look for pitch build up. It the plane fully assembled. tends to form behind the cutting With the mouth established, edge and along the chipbreaker’s adjust the cutting edge. A lot of edge. A lot of wood dust under woodworkers do this by sight- the cutter is another sign that the ing along the sole. I find it much plane needs some work. more accurate to use my finger- Disassemble the tool into all tips. I hold the plane sole with my its parts, except for the knob and left hand (I’m right handed) and tote. You will be surprised at how place the tips of my first two fingers much wood dust gathers under on opposite sides of the cutting the frog. I sweep this out with a edge. This allows me to judge the stiff brush. If there is pitch build amount of projection and to deter- up inside the body in the area of mine if one side is higher than the the mouth, I remove this with The result of your labor: The shaving emerges from the center of the mouth and clears the tool easily without clogging. other. With my right hand I make paint thinner. While at it, I usu- what ever adjustments my fingers ally clean the whole body, wipe it tell me, turning the longitudinal with a soft cloth, and set it aside Most tool dealers use a uni- that decline accelerated after adjustment wheel as necessary and to dry. Next, I clean the frog by versal grading system to define 1960, the woodworking version establishing the lateral adjustment submerging it in paint thinner. I condition. Knowing the condi- of Gresham’s Law kicked in and with the lever. My fingers will get brush off any residue and wipe it tion in advance will help you in bad tools drove out good. Avoid me close to the appropriate adjust- too. It is set aside with the body your purchase. Ask the dealer to planes made in the last several ment, but trying the tool on wood while I remove any pitch on the explain the system to you. These decades, as well as non-Stanley is the final test. cutter and chipbreaker. guys are usually very helpful and brands such as Sears Handyman. While the plane is apart, I trustworthy. They know that a These are cheap junk Plane Maintenance hone the cutter to bring back plane user seldom owns one plane, In the last decade some compa- Maintenance is similar to tun- a keen edge. Finally, I reassem- and that you will probably be back nies have started to again produce ing and set up, but is something ble the plane and adjust it as I for more. excellent quality planes. Because that has to be done regularly. described above. Online auction sites also offer many that are poor quality are Like sharpening, maintenance lots of planes for sale. You are more being sold side by side, the trick Buying a Plane on your own here than with a is to know what to buy. “You get Between the late-19th century dealer. So, read the description what you pay for” is a pretty good and the mid-20th century, Stan- with care. You will stumble across rule. I advise against planes that ley and its competitors produced collector jargon such as “Type 7” do not have a lever cap and the so many planes that a plentiful and “Sweetheart.” These are of no other Stanley features. These are supply remains. While they are concern for a tool user. You just tried and true features, and other easy to find, you have to look in want a good, serviceable plane. arrangements usually indicate places other than stores and cata- Planes are common items in cost cutting. logs. Fortunately, there is an active antique shops and flea markets. The cutter in a Stanley plane is trade and used tool dealers are The pre-war planes made by Stan- thin. Some companies have devel- not hard to find. Your computer’s ley and its competitors were con- oped high-quality replacement search engine will pull up lots of sistently high quality. So, it is only blades that are usually thicker and them. Most are very used to deal- important to know what not to better resist chatter. I use these in ing with Internet or phone sales. buy. Avoid tools with missing or my best planes that are reserved These guys are generally very broken parts. I will accept minor for the finest or trickiest work. knowledgeable. They provide damage to the tote. Don’t buy a The rest all have their original tools for a lot of collectors who plane that is excessively worn, or cutters. are looking for rarities, or to fill rusted. There are too many good There are also sources for rose- Use your fingertips to ensure the holes in their collections. So, it is ones out there to settle for any- wood totes and knobs. Thus, these blade is centered in the mouth and important to stress that you are a thing less. parts can be purchased to bring projecting enough to make a cut. woodworker and want a plane to As the quality of handplanes an otherwise good plane back to Test your setting on a scrap of wood. use, not for a collection. declined after World War II and original condition. pw

popularwoodworking.com 77 Antique Barn Finish

Add centuries of wear and tear to your projects using a tested formula that’s simple and safe – no open flame!

sh Photo by Al Parri

by Troy Sexton Troy is a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking and the owner of Sexton Classic American Furniture in Sunbury, Ohio. Antique Barn Finish his is the furniture fin- simply add another coat of lacquer time by skipping a coloring step the edges with a power sander. ish that fooled our local and paint until you get the look that makes no difference to the Aging requires a little creative Tauctioneer, a man with 30 you want. Every layer simply adds finished look of the piece. thinking to decide what areas of years of experience selling antique more texture to the project and Whenever you use this finish, the project would see the most furniture and farm equipment. makes the finish look better. be sure to practice on a sample scuffing, but it will be obvious if I had bought a mower from the Unlike many antiqued painted board at each stage before you you first look at some real antiques. auctioneer and he was dropping it finishes, this one is safe enough move onto the finished project. Concentrate on the base, the off at my workshop when he spot- that I allow my daughter to do it. That way you’ll see what the next knobs, mouldings, doors and ted one of my furniture pieces that Other finish processes involve a step is going to look like. And drawers. Let the kids help – they’ll sported what I call a barn finish. stage where you char a layer of when you are done, you’ll have a require little training. He walked over to the piece paint with a gas torch or by set- great sample board to keep. and asked what I’d repaired on it. ting the piece on fire. I’ve tried Don’t Begin With Stain I replied that it wasn’t an antique those methods but I don’t like Begin With Abuse At its heart, this finish begins with that needed fixing; instead, I had them. And I’m sure my insurance Before you add color, the first step a layer of paint, then a coat of lac- just finished building it and was company would agree. is to mimic 200 years of use and quer then another coat of paint. about to deliver it to a customer. Instead, I use a high-tempera- abuse to the piece. I use a utility You then blister and scrape your He didn’t believe me. ture heat gun. Look for one that knife to edges, a drill bit top coat of paint and repeat the After a few minutes of debate, reaches 1,500° Fahrenheit – these to create worm holes and an awl whole process again. Then, at the I finally turned the piece over to are available at industrial supply to make bite marks from a dog. end, you wipe on a glaze to add show him a spot of new, raw wood stores. The 1,000°-degree heat To demonstrate lots of wear, use grime and a coat of dull lacquer that was unfinished. guns will work, but the hotter one a chisel to imitate a mouse hole. to seal it all in. “In all my years,” he said, “I have is better. Heat guns are a bit slower Heat a tin can and place it on the Some other antique finishes never seen a finish like that.” than a torch, but they’re safer. And wood to char it. At the end, beat recommend that you start by I’ll show you how to save some it with a cluster of keys then sand staining the entire piece and then New Finish That Looks Old continued on page 82 While I don’t think this finish would fool an expert on antique furniture, it is a convincing way to add centuries of patina to your projects so they will fit in with an older home or other pieces of antique furniture. This finish is my favorite to do. You cannot mess it up. Even if you don’t like the final result, you can

When adding age to your projects, One of the most effective tools for adding years to a proj- After you are done aging your project, there’s one last work the edges of the doors and ect is a small bunch of keys on the end of a stick. When step: Sand smooth the sharp edges you created with drawers especially. These get the visitors to my shop see me beating my projects with this your knife and other tools. This step helps blend the old most wear and tear in the real world. tool they freak out. with the new.

popularwoodworking.com 79 continued from page 79 add the paint. I’ve done this many coats of the same color paint. Let sive. The little ragged edges of – but not too aggressive) and level times myself, and I think you can it dry and get your heat gun. paint you leave behind will add the blistered surface to smooth skip that step. Any raw wood that texture to the surface. over the really rough spots. you expose during the aging pro- Lacquer Then Paint; Now apply another coat of cess will be colored by the glaze Blister Then Scrape lacquer and brush on one or two Final Color and Topcoat in the end. And in all my years of Hold the heat gun close to the coats of your second color of paint The final coloring step adds the doing this finish, I’ve never had surface and move it slowly across (see “Choosing Color” on page real age. I wipe on a fast-drying the finish peel, so I think a base the piece. After a few minutes the 83 for some ideas on color com- brown glaze that is compatible coat of stain is unnecessary. paint will bubble and blister. binations). with my lacquer. Glazes are avail- Begin by brushing on a coat Use your judgment here. The Then blister the paint with able from professional paint stores. of latex paint. (Hint: Allow the more blistering, the more texture your heat gun and scrape the bub- The exact color isn’t critical. brush to fall on the floor and get you’ll end up with. If you overdo bles away. This will reveal patches You could use a gel stain or some sawdust on it.) Let the paint it, simply add more paint and try of your first color below. liquid stain instead of a product dry. If some areas of the paint look the process again. If you don’t like the look, add labeled as glaze. But liquid stains thin, add a second coat. With the paint blistered, use a more lacquer and paint; then soak into the paint more than I Now spray on a coat of lacquer paint scraper to remove the bub- blister and scrape it until you are like and take longer to dry. (All (or brush on a coat of brushing lac- bles. Get the surface somewhat pleased. Then take some worn coloring that takes place between quer) and add another one or two smooth but don’t get too aggres- sandpaper (the grit isn’t critical coats of finish is technically glaz- ing, but you can use a variety of products for the process.) When the glaze is dry, add your final topcoat. I like a dull lacquer; gloss just wouldn’t be right. The best part of this finish is that there is no wrong way to do it. If you’re not satisfied, put another coat of paint on. Every single layer makes it look better. And what if you do something wrong and the finish starts to peel? No problem. Antique finishes After a coat of your base color, a coat of lacquer and a Scrape off the blisters with a common paint scraper. You peel. It might even look better in second coat of your base color, use a heat gun to blister don’t have to use a lot of downward pressure. Stop scrap- the end. PW the paint. ing when you’ve popped all the blisters off.

After another coat of lacquer and then paint, blister the After a coat of lacquer, apply the second color of paint with a brush. If the brush has fallen on the top color with your heat gun. The more blistering, the floor and picked up some sawdust, that’s all the better. more base color will show through.

82 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Choosing black on red Colors In general, I like to choose paint colors that are brighter than you might expect. I like bright blues and teal greens, especially on smaller pieces. yellow on red My rationale for liking the wild color is that early Ameri- can pieces were typically painted in bright colors to help brighten up dark rooms. Plus, once you add the glaze to the surface, the colors become a bit muted. off-white on red When you go to choose colors, I think it’s best to go to the home center or paint store and pick a couple colors from the store’s “his- torical” palette of . Everybody’s got one these teal on red days. How authentic are they? I don’t know, but they Scrape the top coat of blistered paint until you see a satisfying amount of your look good. base color. This is a matter of taste, of course, but there is no wrong way to do it. During the last couple decades, here are some of my favorite color combina- tions in addition to the red sage on black over yellow I show at left: • Black over red is the most popular combination. Red over black works too. • My wife, who has excel- lent taste in these things, really loves yellow over red. • Green over black or red blue on black are both good choices. Use a piece of worn sandpaper to smooth out the artificial wear and tear • Off-white looks really you’ve introduced. This will knock off the large bits of paint, but still leave good over brown or brick some texture. red. It doesn’t, however, work over black. • Sage green over black and dark blue over black are green on black both nice combinations. • A little on the wild side perhaps, teal over red is a vibrant choice. Before trying a wild com- bination on a large piece, give it a try on a small one to see how it looks. I think red on black you’ll be surprised by how good the bright colors look with this finish. — TS Rag on a brown or black glaze. The glaze will mute your colors and build up in the texturing you’ve created. This is where you’ll start to see the final effect of your efforts.

popularwoodworking.com 83 Great Woodshops Songs from the Workbench

Singer and songwriter Guy Clark builds both melodies and guitars in the woodshop of his Nashville home.

ongwriter, singer and luthier Guy Clark Sdoesn’t like technology. “I put away all my recording stuff, built this workbench, ordered some wood and started building stuff,” he says. The most high-tech machines on display in his workshop are a Delta band saw, a Craftsman drill press, a ste- reo receiver and a tape player. A handmade workbench festooned with hand tools lines one wall; another wall is lined almost floor to ceiling with row upon row of cassette tapes. The late Texas singer/song- writer Townes Van Zandt — a longtime friend of Clark’s – gazes over the scene from a pho- tograph at the back of the room. A blueprint detailing the anatomy of a flamenco guitar ParrishAl byPhotos doubles as decoration on the opposite wall. Singer, songwriter and luthier Guy Clark in his Nashville workshop, where he crafts guitars and award- winning songs. Steam rises from an omnipresent coffee cup, filled several times during our visit. A hand- rolled cigarette smolders in a skull-head ash- It is here in this cozy workshop in the base- And, if you’re a fan of Jerry Jeff Walker, tray (a gift from Emmylou Harris). ment of his Nashville home that Clark writes Ricky Skaggs, John Denver or Lyle Lovett, almost all of his music, and handcrafts tradi- you’ve heard Clark’s tunes. “L.A. Freeway” was tional flamenco-style guitars. a breakthrough song for Clark as a songwriter You’ve likely heard Clark’s name lately. when Walker hit the charts with it in 1972. His most recent album, Workbench Songs, Skaggs had a No. 1 hit with “Heartbroke” in was nominated this year for a Grammy Award the early ’80s. “Home Grown Tomatoes” was for Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. on several Denver albums; and “Step Inside In 2004, he was inducted into the Nashville This House” was the title song off Lovett’s Songwriters Foundation’s Hall of Fame, and in 1998 two-disc set of Texas songwriters. 2005 he was honored with a Lifetime Achieve- ment Award in Songwriting by the Ameri- A Knife, a $12 Guitar, a Career cana Music Association. Clark was born in 1941 in the West Texas town of Monahans, where he got his first taste for Clark’s three main tools are an old Stanley fore by Megan Fitzpatrick woodworking. “I got my first knife – a little plane, a paring chisel, and his favorite – a $10 Comments or questions? Contact Megan at 513-531- pocketknife and a whetstone – when I was a Swedish-made beginner’s carving knife. 2690 ext. 1348 or [email protected]. kid,” he says. “I just started making things. It

84 Popular Woodworking June 2007 Great Woodshops

came naturally to me and I love doing it.” He went on to develop those early woodworking skills as a teenager when the family moved to the Gulf Coast. There, Clark had a sum- mer job as a ship’s where he helped to build 80' wooden fishing boats (an expe- rience he drew on while writing “Boats to Build,” the title track from a 1992 album). In the late 1960s, Clark moved to Los Angeles where he worked for a time as a luthier in the Dobro Manufacturing Co., alongside the Dopyera brothers, inventors of the resona- tor-style guitar. After a few years of dealing with the Los Angeles lifestyle (listen to “L.A. Freeway” to discover his thoughts on the subject) he moved to Nashville in the 1970s with his wife Susanna, a visual artist who’s painted Clark’s workshop, in a converted basement bedroom in his Nashville home, is decidedly low-tech album covers for, among others, Willie Nelson, – just as he likes it. A photograph of the late singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt, a longtime friend of Nancy Griffith and, of course, Clark himself. Clark’s, hangs over a Delta band saw at the end of Clark’s worktable. They’ve lived there ever since. Clark learned to play on a $12 flamenco guitar – the first guitar he took apart and put back together (and then took apart again). Sometime in the mid 1960s, he doesn’t recall exactly when, Clark started building classi- cal guitars. He made seven or eight of them. “None are still in one piece today,” he says. Today, Clark builds 19th-century-style flamenco guitars. Why this style? Perhaps, he says, because that’s what his father’s law partner taught him to play on, and the first guitarist to whom he listened was the flamenco great Sabicas, whose blazing fingers revolu- tionized the genre and introduced it to the non-Spanish speaking world. He’s also a big fan of the legendary Andrés Segovia. And of course, growing up in West Texas exposed Clark to a lot of Spanish-influenced music, which is evident in many of his songs, as well as his guitars. , files, glue, chisels and carving tools make up the bulk of the equipment in Clark’s small shop, all stored within easy reach of his handmade workbench. In front are two of the 10 flamenco-style guitars Clark has made. A template awaits his next instrument at the far end of the bench. Signed in Blood Clark always builds his guitars two at a time, experimenting with ways to achieve differ- a steam pipe, ribs are added to the interior, the best darn knife I’ve ever bought.” He pre- ent sounds by tweaking the pieces for each. the headstock is carved and the neck added fers Japanese pull saws to western push saws, As he works on one, he lets the glue set up on to the guitar body before the back is put on. A and doesn’t like power tools much. First of all, the other. “That way, I’m always waiting for lot of commercial companies build the neck they’re simply too technological for a guy who one to dry,” he says. and body separately, Clark says, “but there’s likes to work with his hands directly on the The construction process starts with a something about the integral construction wood. But Clark’s primary objection is that cork-covered hardwood template. The front techniques that really fascinates me.” they’re simply too loud. In fact, he rarely even of the guitar is affixed to this template from For tools, Clark relies on a set of old stan- listens to music when he’s building, despite beginning to end, as the rest of the guitar is dards: good chisels, a Stanley – and hundreds of tapes from which to choose but built off the face. The sides are bent around a $10 Swedish beginner’s carving tool. “It’s an arm’s-length away. “I like the silence, the

popularwoodworking.com 85 Great Woodshops

peacefulness of it,” he says. After the guitar is fully constructed, it’s removed from the template and French pol- ished. “No oil on raw wood – ever,” says Clark. “I think that would deaden the sound.” The last step is to mark each guitar as a Guy Clark original; Clark has a unique way of going about it. He pricks his little finger, smears the blood on his thumb, then presses a bloody thumbprint onto a card. After the thumbprint is dry, Clark signs through it and numbers it. “That label is on the inside of every guitar I’ve built,” he says. It also serves A hand-carved Mayan-inspired headstock is a as the album art for The Dark, which Clark signature design for Clark’s guitars. But perhaps released in 2002. the best way to confirm a Guy Clark original is But you won’t find too many of those labels; to run a DNA test. Each guitar is labeled with his a handcrafted flamenco-style Guy Clark gui- signature handwritten through his thumbprint inked in blood. tar is a rare commodity. Of the 10 he’s made, he’s given only three away – one each to Jamie Hartford, Rodney Crowell and Lyle Lovett. a little bit of luck and magic involved in the And as far as Clark knows, Hartford is the process, as well as skill, he says. only one to record while playing a Clark gui- “That’s one of the neat things about build- tar, on “Magdalene” off Clark’s latest album. ing guitars … at some point you just have Clark displays his planing chops on a neck blank. Clark himself plays a Martin guitar on all of to string it and start playing it to see how it his recordings. sounds. It’s fun to make them. But the minute you fall in love with them, they break your sides. The thinnest slice can change the sound A Mystery in Sound heart,” he says. Clark admits that the prettiest of the instrument, he says. And, of course, the While he’s certainly an expert at making the guitar he’s ever made really didn’t sound too wood species has a lot to do with it as well. tones that come out of a guitar sound great, good. So now it’s in pieces in his shop as he Clark finds stock selection to be the most mys- Clark says he doesn’t actually know the secret figures out how to make it sound better. terious part of making a guitar. And he doesn’t of building a guitar that sounds great. That is, It’s a delicate process, carefully planing the necessarily buy into theories of wood stiffness, he can’t explain how it’s done; there’s certainly top to reshape the edges where it meets the or what note the raw wood sings. He’s says he’s just experimenting to see what sounds best. Usually, he opts for rosewood and sitka for his guitar bodies; “Mahogany’s sound is just too soft,” he says. Clark is glad he has the time to play around with the sound of his instruments, and not have to meet a deadline. “It’s not like a com- petition: ‘Man, how good can you do it?’ I just love doing it. But I couldn’t make a living building guitars,” he says. “I build guitars so I can write songs on them.” Each of these pursuits serves Clark as a welcome break from the other, though writing music is his day job, as it were. He feels guitar building and songwriting fulfill a necessary left-brain/right-brain workout that helps him achieve more with both. When he’s home, Clark says he tries to log time in his workshop every day pursuing both of these passions.

Photo by Guy ClarkGuy by Photo “It’s a dream come true, to be able to build Clark took this photograph as he was working on his latest guitar, midway through the construction guitars and write songs in the same room,” process. Clark says. PW

86 Popular Woodworking June 2007 At the Lathe Round Bowl; Square Rim

‘Found-edge’ turnings offer unique edge shapes and a glimpse at wood origins.

quare bowls – or perhaps more accurately, the piece of tree from which it came. But a Try to pay attention as you are cutting up Sfound-edge bowls – are one of my favorite found-edge bowl makes its origins clear. wood you have gathered, and you will prob- variations on the general theme of natural- Making these pieces also allows me to ably begin to notice pieces that are practically edge pieces. I started making these (oh-so- indulge one of my particular obsessions in crying out to be used for projects like this. many years ago) not long after I started turning. turning: What happens when a turned sur- A note about safety: You must be especially The random shapes of the wood chunks I was face intersects one that is not turned. I love careful while turning these bowls. If one of putting on the lathe were often far more inter- to play with the shapes exposed on the edges, the corners protrudes farther out from the esting to me than a simple round bowl. especially when the thickness of the rim area piece than the other corners, it will be effec- Among other things, the design opens changes. And I like the contrasting textures tively invisible while the piece is spinning. up many possibilities for showing off unusual – the smooth, sanded wood next to the bark It can do serious damage if your hand or arm pieces of wood, especially crotches and pieces edge next to the saw-cut ends. gets in its way. When you are working in the with a strong contrast between the heart- edge area, make sure the toolrest extends well wood and sapwood. This kind of bowl can by Judy Ditmer beyond the longest corner of the workpiece, serve almost as a Rosetta Stone for someone and never allow any part of your body to cross unfamiliar with trees and wood. The pattern Judy, author of two turning books and many articles, to the active side of the toolrest. And don’t has been turning since 1985. She teaches and and orientation of the grain in a plain, round demonstrates her skills throughout the United States even think about touching any part of the bowl may seem to have nothing to do with and Canada. workpiece with the lathe turned on. Photos by Al ParrishAl byPhotos A “square” bowl is turned using the saw cuts and the outside edges of a chunk of wood as the edges of the bowl itself.

90 Popular Woodworking June 2007 1 The workpiece is mounted with a faceplate screwed to what will be the top of the bowl. Use the tailstock for extra support while roughing out; a piece like this may be quite out of balance throughout the turning. With a Some likely raw materials and the requisite tools. One of the crabapple side-grind bowl gouge, turn from the bottom toward the rim with the flute pieces in front became the bowl I turned for this article. (groove) pointing in the direction you are turning, and cut with the edge just to the left of the center of the tool (the lowest part of the edge).

Flatten the bot- tom using the bowl 2 gouge to cut toward center. Use the low side of the gouge. Leave a crisp bump in the middle for later use in center- ing the workpiece on the waste block.

3 Continue shaping the outside of the bowl. Here you can see exactly how the gouge is cutting. Keep the bevel riding on the wood behind the cut. That’s how you keep control of the tool and the cut.

4 5 If the rim is turned downward, as mine is here, you will need to reverse the You should check occasionally to be sure the workpiece hasn’t loosened on direction of the tool motion on that part. Push the tool into the cut, not toward the mount. Screws can pull loose if they are in a softer spot in the wood. Stop the workpiece itself, and blend into cut you made from the side. (Also, see “A the lathe, touch both the faceplate and the workpiece with a finger of your Familiar Tool” on page 93.) left hand, and give the piece a sharp tap with the heel of your right hand. If the piece has loosened, you will be able to feel it with your left hand.

popularwoodworking.com 91 At the Lathe

6 7 8 Here, the outside of the bowl is completed. You Transfer the measurement of the nub you left on Put thick cyanoacrylate glue on the bottom of the should sand it at this time; when the bowl is the bottom of the bowl to a waste block, and cut a piece and spray accelerator on the waste block. re-mounted, it won’t be possible to sand safely. recess. Adjust the fit until the surfaces match. (For As you place the bowl on the glue block, twist it (There are some tips on sanding the corners later in-depth instruction on how to do a glue mount, to spread the glue evenly, and carefully hold it flat on in the article.) see “At the Lathe,” February 2007, issue #160.) against the block until the glue sets.

9 10 11 To hollow the inside of the bowl, point the gouge A long fingernail-grind spindle (detail) gouge is Continue shaping the inside of the bowl. Notice to the right, move it from the rim toward the bot- useful for any detailing at the rim. Complete the that for safety, the toolrest is placed so it extends tom and center, and cut on the right (low) side turning of the edge/rim area now, before hol- well beyond the longest corner of the bowl. Keep of the gouge. If the rim turns downward at the lowing out the interior; the wood will move as your hands on your side of the rest. corners, reverse the cutting direction, etc. for this you excavate the bowl, and you won’t be able to part. (See “A Familiar Tool” for use of the scraper return to this area later. here.)

13 You can power-sand the interior of the bowl in the 14 12 usual way (the surface of the bowl and of the disc should be moving in opposite directions where Sometimes raising the grain between grits helps The scraper is useful for evening up any bumps they meet), but you will probably need to do some to achieve a smooth surface. Just wet the entire you can’t get rid of with the gouge. (See “A work on the rim (especially the corners) with the surface with water and let it dry completely Familiar Tool.”) lathe stopped. before proceeding.

92 Popular Woodworking June 2007 A familiar tool with a different grind Getting a clean, even cut with the gouge on this kind of bowl, where you will be cutting wood, air, wood, air and so on, is notori- ously difficult. A heavy, curved scraper is often a good tool for finishing cuts on bowls; it can even up a surface with slight breaks in the curve, or shave off the little ridges that 15 are sometimes left after even the most care- You may be able to do some sanding of the rim ful gouge work. But scrapers can be grabby with the lathe on. Use some kind of sanding pad if they’re not used at the correct angle, par- to keep your fingers away from the corners, and 16 ticularly for this kind of cut. Here’s a simple be careful to hold it so that it will not pull your modification you can make on your scraper hand into the workpiece if a corner catches the Place a flat chisel edge along the joint between that will make it safer and easier to use for pad. Don’t push it into the surface; just allow it to the bowl and the glue block. Give it a sharp tap such cuts. stroke the wood. with the mallet … This shows the bot- tom of the scraper. Everyone has an idea about how to grind this tool (I like a long bevel), but it’s basically a big slab of steel with a curve around the end and a bevel on the bottom. 18 I’ve mounted the bowl in a doughnut jig to turn 17 the foot clean. I’d show you the details, but they Grinding another won’t let me have the whole magazine, so that’s a bevel (shallow, not … and the bowl should separate from the mount- topic for another day. (In the meantime, check out steep) on the top of ing block. issue #160 for another method of turning a foot.) the tool changes the geometry of how the edge is presented to the wood. The scraper will be less aggressive and less inclined to pull itself into the workpiece.

19 Here’s the modified scraper in use, cutting the irregular edge of the bowl. You still need Here is the completed piece. I’ll spray this with lacquer, which doesn’t require any buffing out. Buffing is to use a delicate touch for this cut; you should hard to do on the lathe (as I prefer to do) with this kind of piece, and I can control the sheen exactly with be stroking the surface, not mauling it.— JD flattener. (Again, a topic for another day.)PW

popularwoodworking.com 93 Out of the Woodwork The Quest for the Holy Tail

Klausz, Kirby … or WoodRat?

he sacred dovetail, the Holy Grail of Twoodworking, done by hand, marks ascension from Shop Sweeper to Master Craftsman. Pins first or tails first: that is the question. Are you a Frank Klausz man or an Ian Kirby man? Do you practice for hours cutting lines and chopping waste? Have you run in to the house to show an uninterested spouse your first gapless effort? “That’s nice, dear.” Hand-cut dovetails make woodwork- ing a more frustrating pursuit than golf. So here I am, with morning coffee, in my cushy brown recliner, surrounded by cren- elated parapets of woodworking magazines, articles and dovetail videos. Tail-first occu- pies the left side, Pins-first the right. A Hun- garian-accented Klausz speaks from the Illustration by Pat Lewis video: “Let me show you how I do this. First cut the pins, then chop the pins. Then mark the tails then ….” When I followed Klausz my pins were per- tails first. Kirby would have you remove the After a few gulps of Kona, I decide to see fect. When I followed Kirby my tails were waste in a pin hole with a saw. Well, what Kirby’s side offers. Tails are a harder perfect. The problem was always in Step that didn’t work very well. Chopping with cut. If you tackle them first and use them Two. Acute Gaposis comes from not match- a chisel worked better, but chopping is dif- to mark the pins, you solve a major problem ing Step Two to Step One. ficult if the pin is narrow. of precise angle cutting later. Makes sense. Restating the problem: What is the best I looked at my WoodRat for guidance. However, because you need to know the way to match the sides of the dovetail sur- “Mr. WoodRat how would you solve this angle to cut, you “mark out” the tails first. faces in the Second Step? I gathered a few problem?” Now we are into slopes, angles, more tools extraneous tools off my workbench and set Turning my eyes up into the blinding and calculating. them on my WoodRat. halogen shop light – an epiphany. Finally, my coffee finished, I head to the Oh, did I mention that I have a Wood- Do the first step – tails – on the Wood- garage. Excuse me, the woodshop. Only my Rat? For a small shop like mine a WoodRat Rat. It is already set for perpendicular mor- wife still calls it the garage. Warm-ups take is indispensable. And, it makes dovetails. tise-and-tenon cuts. Step One is the least the form of cutting pins. When made well, Today’s project, however, was making great critical test of the craftsman. The pin holes they are the George Clooney of wooden dovetails by hand. So the WoodRat became will smile through the tails and the rest is dentures. Mine, however, resemble jack-o’- a convenient shelf. Besides, what wood- done by hand. Mark the pins and they will lantern teeth. worker worth his or her salt can’t make be straightforward to hand cut with your Saw, saw, cut, cut, chop, chop … I fol- dovetails by hand – other than me? dovetail saw. Chop the waste between the low Klausz first. My result suffers from Acute After making some angle templates out pins and you’re done. Gaposis. In frustration I turn to Kirby and of scrap hardwood, I begin to mark and cut So with the WoodRat and its dovetail the tails-first method. It goes like this: Mea- router bit, I’ve found my Holy Grail – a method sure, mark, saw, saw, cut, cut, saw or chop by Dick Mallard of creating George Clooney dovetails before …. Again, Acute Gaposis. Then, the First Dick is a businessman, educator and former flight I’m too old to enjoy this wonderful pastime. Truth of dovetailing reveals itself. instructor. Five years ago, he rediscovered woodwork- And best of all, it is a solution guaranteed to First Truth: Step One is always perfect! ing, five decades removed from his 8th-grade woodshop. upset almost everyone. pw

96 Popular Woodworking June 2007