10 Secret Finish Formulas Revealed

APRIL 2007 ISSUE #161

Learn How. Discover Why. Build Better.

complete plans inside Easiest Barrister 13 Steps to an American Classic The Right Way to Fix Your Chairs How the Pros Repair Loose Joints Sensible Sharpening No Fussy Jigs or Magic Stones Required

US $5.99 Ways to Tame CAN $7.99 25 Your Stash 04

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Customize Your Lee Valley Now Has Carter Bandsaw Accessories Designed to improve bandsaw performance through more effective guidance, proper E tensioning or superior tracking, Carter accessories are easy to install and well Learn How ■ Discover Why ■ Build Better made with high-quality materials throughout contentsIN EVERY ISSUE – hardened steel, anodized aluminum, and heavy-duty sealed bearings. Made in USA. 20 Simple, Off-the-rack A Sled TRICKS OF THE TRADE Using some clever aluminum extrusions from the E. Blade Quick-Release engineering world, you can easily build a versatile Leaving a bandsaw blade sled. Plus tips on ripping small work, and A. Urethane Bandsaw Tires under tension adding dust collection to your . Worn or dirty tires can cause poor blade tracking. can speed its These urethane tires resist damage from debris demise. Releasing E and stay pliable after long use, providing a tension between work 28 Festool’s Domino DF 500 Q smooth contact surface for the blade. Sized to sessions prevents blade 20 TEST 7 /8" wide, the tires need no trimming, fatigue and reduces wear to the Festool’s newest tool cuts mortises anywhere with wheel bearings, tires and tension spring. or tricky maneuvers to install. Sold individually ease and precision. It will change the way you build for the two most common wheel sizes. Retrofitted to most 14" * in 86N50.12 12" Bandsaw Tire, ea. $21.50 about an hour, this simple rack-and- your projects, but is it worth its price tag? Plus: A new 28 86N50.14 14" Bandsaw Tire, ea. $23.50 pinion mechanism lowers and raises the upper wheel, lightweight lithium-ion /driver from Makita and releasing or tensioning the blade at the flip of a lever. a pinner from Grex. An intermediate position makes alignment easier when changing blades. All-steel construction with a large, B easy-to-grip phenolic knob. B 86N50.00 Bandsaw Quick-Release $149.00 32 18th-century Stock Preparation *Including Delta, Jet, General, Sears, Ridgid®, and Grizzly. ARTS & MYSTERIES It’s folly to attempt to create micrometer-perfect boards F. Cobra Coil™ using traditional methods. Here’s a practical guide to Tensioning Spring preparing rough for making with a blend A robust spring lets you properly of hand and ingenuity. B. Bandsaw Tire Brush tension a wide by Adam Cherubini A simple, effective retrofit to any 14" bandsaw, this blade to minimize polyester-bristle brush runs against the lower tire to wandering when remove dust and debris, for longer tire life and better re-sawing. This 36 Simple Shaker Shelves blade tracking. Aluminum mounting bracket included. spring, made from I CAN DO THAT 86N50.02 Bandsaw Tire Brush $5.95 treated chrome F Practice your pocket-hole skills and learn some new tricks vanadium steel, has greater fatigue 32 as you make this sweet creamery shelf adaptation. C D resistance and by Megan Fitzpatrick & Glen D. Huey tensioning capacity than standard springs (up to 15,000 psi vs. 8000 to 10,000 psi). Installs in a few 7 3 minutes. At /16" inside diameter (just under /4" O.D.) 82 Tiny Goblets 36 9 by 2 /16" long, it fits many 14" bandsaws (Delta, Jet, AT THE LATHE General, etc.) and most imports. Learn the right moves to make goblets with a captured ring 86N50.01 Cobra Coil™ $19.95 Narrow Blade Stabilizers C on the stem. They are impressive – and great practice. These stabilizers help saw sharp curves G. Bandsaw Guide Sets by Judy Ditmer without binding. In place of the upper For accurate cuts, blade guides should prevent lateral guide, with the lower guide disengaged, motion, twisting, and deflection. These upper and lower they capture the blade so it can pivot, guide sets provide support at three points (behind and Beaded Face Frames and prevent lateral or backwards shift. on each side of the blade) above and below the 90 1 POWER-TOOL JOINERY For blades /4" wide or less, they have Table removed table. Steel and aluminum with sealed industrial- 1 How to add attractive (and functional) beads to the interior anodized aluminum bodies with hardened steel wheels and for clarity. grade bearings, they work with blades /8" to 1" heavy-duty bearings. The standard model installs easily on G wide. Side bearings are more durable than rub edges of your ’s face frames. most 14" bandsaws (Delta, Jet, Ridgid®, Sears, Grizzly, etc.); blocks, preventing frequent guide adjustments, by Bill Hylton the other is for use with the Carter blade guides at right. and they reduce friction, prolonging blade life. Invaluable for intricately curved work. Installation and adjustments are quick and easy. C. 86N50.03 Standard Stabilizer $69.50 86N50.30 Guides for Delta 14" (round shaft) $145.00 G Number 161, April 2007. Popular (ISSN 0884-8823,USPS 752-250) is published 7 times a year in February, D. 86N50.04 Carter Stabilizer $69.50 86N50.31 Guides for Jet 14" $145.00 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 2007 by Popular Woodworking. For more details, or to request our free 264-page woodworking tools catalog, call or visit us online. 82 Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all address changes to Popular 90 1-800-683-8170 Woodworking, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 Canada GST Reg. # R122594716 ■ Produced and printed in the U.S.A. www.leevalley.com popularwoodworking.com  PROJECTS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES 38 Sensible Sharpening How to sharpen any edge tool with the absolute minimum investment in materials. by Michael Dunbar 45 material Storage on the cover woodworking essentials Placing and storing your tools is one challenge, but Even if you are a begin- then you have to find room for your wood, , ning woodworker, you screws, glues and finishing materials. Here’s help. 38 can build these stack- by Scott Gibson able barrister . Build a single set or build a roomful for your law 53 Longworth practice. the base of a bowl can require some serious effort (one method uses 48 hex screws!). We revive an unfinished 20-year- Cover photo by Al Parrish old design for a scroll chuck that is simple to make and use. by Garrett Lambert 56 Easiest Barrister Bookcases After several brainstorming sessions, we came up with a simple, sturdy and speedy way to build these classic stackable bookcases. Even the doors are easy. departments by Glen D. Huey 53 10 Out on a Limb Fix the chairs, tear down the curtains 64 Regluing 12 Letters Doweled Chairs Mail from readers and answers to After repairing thousands of wobbly chairs, Bob your woodworking Flexner has put together this practical guide to fixing questions one of the most common household problems. by Bob Flexner 96 Out of the Woodwork Persimmon golf clubs 70 Finishing Formulas provide satisfying How often have you read: Stain and topcoat your thwack project and you’re done? Too many times. Here are by Don Weber the precise recipes Senior Editor Glen D. Huey uses in finishing classic American furniture. by Glen D. Huey 64

78 Furniture of the Pleasant Hill Shakers We take the first look at a book filled with history and never- before seen shop drawings of furniture from the Pleasant Hill Shaker community in Kentucky. by Glen D. Huey

70

 Popular Woodworking April 2007 popularwoodworking.com ®

April 2007, Vol. 27, No. 2 popularwoodworking.com Editorial Offices 513-531-2690

Publisher & Group Editorial Director Online Tools Steve Shanesy Editor Christopher Schwarz ext. 1407 • [email protected] You Could Win a 10" Cabinet Saw from Steel City Toolworks Art Director Linda Watts ext. 1396 • [email protected] You’ll be eligible to win a Steel City Tool- , a heavy-duty 3hp capacitor motor, Senior Editor Robert W. Lang works 10" Deluxe Titanium Table Saw, just three-belt drive system and more. ext. 1327 • [email protected] for answering a few questions about the saw And to be honest, we’re kinda jealous Senior Editor Glen D. Huey at our web site! In addition to the unique – this is beefier than the 35601 saw we tested ext. 1293 • [email protected] patent-pending titanium nitrite top, this in our shop (February 2007, issue #160). We Managing Editor Megan Fitzpatrick ext. 1348 • [email protected] model (35630) includes a 50" industrial liked that one: The table was flat, the fence Photographer Al Parrish was parallel and easy to use and assembly was quick and easy. Contributing Editors Adam Cherubini, Nick Engler, Bob Flexner, To enter, visit our web site Don McConnell, Troy Sexton at popularwoodworking.com and click on the contest link to F+W PUBLICATIONS INC. David H. Steward, Chairman & CEO answer the questions. All who Barbara Schmitz, VP, Manufacturing submit correct entries will be eli- Eric Svenson, Group Publisher, Interactive Media gible to win. But hurry – the contest F+W PUBLICATIONS INC. ends March 31. PW MAGAZINE GROUP Sara DeCarlo, VP, Consumer Marketing Tom Wiandt, Business Planning Sara Dumford, Conference Director Deb Westmaas, Group Circulation Director Cristy Malcolm, Newsstand Sales Supervisor production Inside Online Vicki Whitford, Production Manager Katherine Seal, Production Coordinator Contact Customer Service advertising Have a question about your subscription, Don Schroder, Advertising Director 331 N. Arch St., Allentown, PA 18104 a change of address or need to renew? Tel. 610-821-4425; Fax 610-821-7884 Contact customer service quickly and [email protected] easily using the online form. Advertising Production Coordinator Nancy Miller, Tel. 513-531-2690 ext. 1228 Free Project Plans [email protected] Every month, we simply give away some Tool Reviews of our most popular project plans. From miter to metal-bodied spoke- SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Subscription inquiries, orders and address changes can be made at popularwoodworking.com shaves, you’ll find a selection of tool Article Index (click on “Customer Service FAQs”). Or by mail: Popular Woodworking, reviews you need to outfit your shop with P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Or call toll-free Looking for a specific technique or proj- 877-860-9140 or 386-246-3369. Include your address the machines and hand tools that best with all inquiries. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. ect, or all the articles from your favorite 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 800-894-4656 you find what you need, it’s a simple click Got a great idea for an article? Here’s how 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, Magazine Extras & Editor Blogs Contact the Staff F+W Publications Products, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI Here, you’ll find article corrections If you have a question about Popular 54990. 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. Out on a Limb

CONTRIBUTORS Fix the Chairs, but bob flexner If you’re a regular reader of Popular Wood- working, you know Bob as our finishing guru. What you might not know is that Bob Rip Up the Curtains sort of stumbled into his role as a finishing expert after not being able to find answers to his own finishing ques- few years ago we held a focus group audience. His methods are time-tested, reli- tions. He spent more Aof readers to pick their brains about able and fast. The story, “Regluing Doweled than two decades run- changes we were considering to this maga- Chairs,” begins on page 64 of this issue. ning a woodworking zine. One of our wild ideas was to add some No more will you have to fumble with your and restoration shop, home-improvement content to the magazine fixing and despair at your repair. You can get where he was often – stuff you could construct with your wood- this chore done with confidence and speed frustrated by a lack of really good finishing working tools, such as built-in pantries, closet – and get back to building your own stuff. information. So he decided to write down systems and fireplace mantles. Another giant bowl of undercooked por- what he discovered, and years later, he’s the The dozen or so readers weren’t ridge for many woodworkers is finish- go-to guy for all things finishing. But he also impressed with the idea. OK, they ing. There are just too many choices remains an expert in furniture restoration hated it. One reader in particular of colors, techniques and topcoats. and repair. In this issue, Bob shares his skill spoke up to tell us why it was such And so many woodworkers fall and knowledge on regluing doweled chairs. a bad thing, and I’ll never forget back on rubbed-on oil finishes. His story starts on page 64. what he said. You can do better. But the When it comes to building problem isn’t entirely your fault. stuff, he said that home-improve- Many professional finishers are don weber ment projects and furniture loathe to share their exact Although born in New York and now living projects were different ani- recipes. They’ll say: It’s a in Lick, Ky., Don was raised in Wales, mals. The home improve- dye stain with a topcoat. where he apprenticed as a . We know ment projects were like the But what brand and color? him as “the bodger,” a 19th-century term to oatmeal that his doctor told Is there a glaze in there, too? describe a chairmaker him to eat every morning to stay What kind of topcoat? What – a traditional at healthy. He’d eat the oatmeal (and fix the brand? What sheen? And how – exactly how which he excels. kitchen doors), but he wouldn’t enjoy it. – did you apply each of these products? But he’s also a wood- However, building furniture was like eating I’ve also been frustrated with this dark working teacher of all a delicious oatmeal cookie – the ingredients curtain across this important part of the craft. things traditional, a were the same (mostly) but the result was a far And that’s why I’ve asked Senior Editor Glen and an avid more enjoyable way to spend a Saturday. D. Huey to help pull it down in this very issue. golfer. To help support Now I like oatmeal cookies quite a bit. But Glen eagerly agreed to share the recipes for his his links habit, Don makes -shaft I know that oatmeal can be really tasty, too. most beautiful finishes. Check out his story clubs. But he also appreciates the solid However, you have to buy the right brand “Finishing Formulas” on page 70. thwack (and good looks) of a persimmon (McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal) and pre- I know that many of you feel the same driver such as those made by Louisville pare them correctly. With the right oats, you frustration as I do with this final “black art” Golf. He writes about it on page 96. can have best of both worlds. And that’s what of our craft. You’ve told us this every year dur- Don is also part of the Madera Verde we’re trying to do in this issue. ing focus groups and in your letters. So here’s Project in Honduras, where he trains arti- Every family has a few wobbly chairs. And a little evidence that we do listen – but we sans in toolmaking and woodworking. it falls to the woodworkers in the family tree to also try to slip in a little oatmeal among the fix them. But what do we know about fixing old cookies. PW Our Privacy Promise to You chairs? Probably just enough to be dangerous We make portions of our customer list available to to the chair, if my experience is typical. carefully screened companies that offer products So we enlisted Bob Flexner, our finishing and services we believe you may enjoy. If you do not want to receive offers and/or information, please let columnist and a furniture restorer, to condense us know by contacting us at: his decades of experience in fixing thousands Christopher Schwarz List Manager, F+W Publications of chairs into one guide for a woodworking Editor 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236

10 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Letters

It is my understanding that when a scraper ceases to produce shavings and starts How to Install a to produce “” that I must go back to honing and redo the burnishing to produce a new burr. Here is my question: How far back must I Primitive Ring Pull go in the honing sequence? Certainly I need not go back to the dia- mond plates. But, do I need to go back to the #2,000-grit waterstone? And, can I get away Steps to Pull Perfection Knock tines through drilled hole with only re-honing the , or must I re- I am making the cherry tool cabinet you fea- hone both the back and the bevel? tured a while back (December 2004, issue If you are able to help me understand how #145). I am installing traditional ring pulls, to do the refurbishing of defunct scraper-plane bought from Lee Valley. Their web site says burrs, I would greatly appreciate it. to just hammer them in, and then bend back Dave Raeside the staples to secure them. Is this what you Norman, Oklahoma did? The staples are pretty long for the smaller drawers, and I was wondering if it would harm On scrapers, I have indeed been doing a lot anything if I just cut them a little short before of work on their care and feeding this year. In bending them over. The pulls seem pretty brief, they are like any other edge tool. All the Bend 1⁄4" of tip at secure without needing the extra security of same rules apply. The burr is strongest when right angle, then bending the staples back, anyway. bend tine until tip it is turned from the intersection of two highly Allan Hill touches work polished planes. Lancaster, California And so resharpening of scrapers involves exactly the same regimen as it would for a Sure, you can file them down a bit. Then, it’s a plane or . two-stage bending operation. Drill a hole and 1. If the edge is only slightly degraded, I’ll knock the two tines through it. Make sure the begin with a polishing stone (#8,000) and then pull still swings. turn the burr. Pry the two tines apart inside the drawer/ 2. If the edge is mostly used up but still door. Take some pliers and bend 1⁄4" of the tip unchipped, I’ll begin with the #1,000, then pol- of each tine at a right angle. With the pliers, Drive each tip ish, then turn the burr. into wood then bend each tine until the tip contacts the 3. If the edge is chipped or otherwise dam- work. Use a hammer to drive each tip into the aged, I drop back to the diamond stones, wood, and you’re done. grinder or other grinding . Then I use — Christopher Schwarz, editor the #1,000, #8,000 and . What I don’t do much of, is to try to Sharpening Scraper Plane Blades resharpen with burnishing alone. My results Because you’ve recently been looking into have always been inconsistent. Occasionally it scrapers (February 2007, issue #160), I thought works. Usually I get a burr that is OK in some that maybe you could answer a question about Illustration by Hayes Shanesy places and weak in others. Other times I get scraper-plane blades. nothing but a trip back to the grinder. Recently I acquired a Stanley #12 scraper Woodworking Magazine (Ed: the sister publica- — Christopher Schwarz, editor plane and the three Lie-Nielsen scraper planes tion to Popular Woodworking). (modern versions of the Stanley #112, #85, I am preparing the scraper-plane blades Stickley Table Seems a Bit Tricky and #212). I am in the process of preparing just as I would plane blades: both back and This is my first official week of ‘retirement’ and using these scraper planes to smooth the bevel, five diamond plates of grits from #120 and I am contemplating making the “Lost surfaces of the blanket chest that I made at to #1,200 followed by four waterstones of grits Stickley Table” (November 2006 issue #158). a woodworking course. I intend to thereby from #2,000 to #16,000. The burnishing of the I am a fairly accomplished woodworker and avoid sanding. 45° to produce a burr is being done with have focused on Arts & and Greene I intend to paint the chest (which is made a Glen-Drake burnisher following the method & Greene reproductions. However, this table of poplar) following the methods given in the of David Charlesworth (which is similar to has me a tad spooked. As I proceed with the painting article in the Autumn 2006 issue of the method given by Garrett Hack). table may I prevail upon you for some advice continued on page 14

12 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Letters continued from page 12 along the way? I do have both the article that which began in the late 19th century. Sloyd is your fence set with a tight lever (where you appeared in the magazine, along with the one example of the many ways woodworking need to apply pressure to close and lock) then additional information you provided on the was taught to children and adults. There are the amount of lift is considerably less versus a web site (popularwoodworking.com, “maga- no earlier references to this practice with hand- loose-fitting fence. In fact, the end of the fence zine extras”). planes in the literature that I can find. may lift a bit, but in the middle around the saw And, finally, what are your thoughts on And while I agree that planes look better blade area the lift will be much less. making a prototype out of secondary wood when photographed when on their soles, I don’t Our suggestion is to create an opening – a such as poplar? think that was the case from my research. One series of holes or a slot of some design – in your Randy Moon of the most telling pieces of evidence was a series outfeed table that would allow “F”-style Akron, Ohio of sweeping photographs of a large German use to secure the fence and prevent lifting. factory that made and wooden — Glen D. Huey, senior editor We’re glad to help when we can; e-mail is the handplanes. These were action shots of a cou- best way to ask these questions. ple dozen woodworkers at work throughout the Mixing Wiping , Revisited I think it’s a great idea to make a practice plant. None of the planes were on their sides Several years ago, Bob Flexner wrote a great piece. Woodworkers as a group are often reluc- anywhere in any of the photos. tip about finishing furniture with polyure- tant to practice, but it’s really the only way to And while I also agree that a could thane. I tried it and it was super. However, I improve skills. If things don’t turn out, you damage a plane iron on its sole, I know that have lost the tip. It went something like: “On haven’t wasted expensive material, and if they a stray hammer or chisel or other handplane the final coat of polyurethane, mix a certain do turn out well, you can paint it and then you could damage the iron of a plane on its side. amount of polyurethane with a certain other have something nice to show for your effort. Bottom line here: We all should be in complete product and hand wipe the product on the — Robert W. Lang, senior editor control of our space, no matter how furniture.” we set our planes down. Obviously, I can’t remember how much The Plane Truth or Not, Mr. T Haunts — Christopher Schwarz, editor of each to mix and I can’t recall if the other I read with interest your editor’s note on product was thinner. “When the Gospel Truth Isn’t True.” Blade Stiffener and Fence Advice Russell Dionne As a 12-year-old student in the late 1930s I just finished readingEssential Guide to Table via e-mail in Montreal, I took a first course in wood- Saws, (January 2007 newsstand-only publica- working called “sloyd,” which started me on tion) and I have a couple questions. The tip was to make a wiping varnish from the a life-long love of woodworking. We used only First, I didn’t see any reference to blade polyurethane. Thin it about half with mineral hand tools and were instructed never to lay a dampeners or stiffeners such as the type that spirits (paint thinner) so it flows out level and plane down on its sole. Forrest Blades makes. I’m wondering if you’ve is also easy to wipe on. Sand the last coat of Our teacher, Mr. Turnbull, was a crusty, noticed any value added to using one? The the polyurethane level with fine and tough veteran of World War I whose discipline idea is that they reduce vibrations, but on my then apply one or two thinned coats to get a was severe. A plane found on the bench on its cabinet saw there is little vibration anyway, more perfect result. sole would surely result in a good rap on the and the stiffeners will reduce cutting depth. — Bob Flexner, contributing editor offender’s knuckles with a ruler and a drill- My second question has to do with add- sergeant-like tongue lashing. So to this day I ing hold-downs and/or featherboards to Tweak Shooting Board Beds to can’t lay a plane down on its sole – no way! Biesemeyer-style fences. Because the fence Compensate for Out-of- Soles I believe that the reasoning behind the is held down only at one end, would there I thought the article on shooting boards rule was that a stray nail or similar debris on not be some lift as the stock passes through? (December 2006, issue #159) was excellent; the bench might cause a nick in the plane I have a large outfeed table attached to the I need to make one soon for a project I’m work- iron? Perhaps the reason why many pictures saw, and it prevents clamping the fence at ing on. My bench planes are all vintage Stan- show planes on their soles is that they look the other end. leys that have been in my family for a couple attractive that way as tools. I agree with you Gary Fleck of generations. They are excellent and I use that in general one needs to question author- via e-mail them all the time. ity, but gospel truth or not: I will never lay a However, none of them has sides that are plane on its sole for fear that Mr. T will come Senior Editor Robert W. Lang and I both feel perfectly square to the sole, and I don’t even back to haunt me. stiffeners are unnecessary. In fact, the only know how I would go about correcting this Don Davis place we would consider using them is with defeat short of finding a machinist with a mill- Scotia, New York a thin-kerf blade. (And I don’t think there’s a ing machine. need for thin-kerf blades unless you are using a Many craftsmen over the last couple cen- Mike Dunbar asserts (and I tend to agree) that greatly under-powered saw). turies must have had the same problem. I can the admonition to keep planes on their sides Regarding fence movement, Bob and I think of two ways the problem could be solved was a product of manual arts instruction, agree that it is possible. However, if you have (other than lapping the sides of the plane): continued on page 16

14 Popular Woodworking April 2007 STEVE WALL LUMBER CO. OLIVER MACHINERY DEALER Quality and Woodworking machinery For The Craftsman Letters and Educational Institutions PLYWOOD CUSTOM RAISED PANEL DOORS continued from page 14 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 Butternut ...... 4/4 1C $ 2.95 ...... $ 88.00 1. Use the lateral adjustment lever to skew Cherry ...... 4/4 Select $ 4.90 ...... $ 117.00 EXOTIC LUMBER Hickory - Pecan ...... 4/4 Select $ 3.00 ...... Specials $ 100.00 the blade so that it is perpendicular to the (Genuine) .. 4/4 Select $ 4.70 ...... $ 112.00 STEVE H. WALL (Hard) ...... 4/4 Select $ 3.45 ...... $ 108.00 side of the plane rather than parallel to the Maple (Soft) ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.50 ...... $ 88.00 LUMBER CO. Poplar ...... 4/4 Select $ 1.80 ...... UR $ 78.00 sole to compensate for the side and sole not Red ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.70 ...... N $ 96.00 BOX 287 SEE O G O Walnut ...... 4/4 Select $ 4.90 ...... LO ! $ 115.00 MAYODAN, N.C. 27027 being square, or … White Oak ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.70 ...... ATA EB $ 96.00 336-427-0637 Cedar (Aromatic Red) . 4/4 1C+Btr. $ 1.80 ...... C E W $ 78.00 2. For boards that are rectangular in cross- Cypress ...... 4/4 Select $ 2.60 ...... TH $ 90.00 1-800-633-4062 White ...... 4/4 F.G. $ 1.25 ...... $ 70.00 FAX 336-427-7588 section, when shooting, flip one of the boards Yellow Pine ...... 4/4 Clear $ 2.30 ...... $ 82.00 Email: [email protected] Above prices are for 100' quantities of kilndried rough Above prices are 20 bd. ft. bundles of clear Website: www.walllumber.com of a pair that will be joined so that the angles 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. of the “shot” edges will be complementary Delivered UPS prepaid in the Continental U.S. Prices Subject to Change Without Notice even though they are not 90° (analogous to circle no. 158 on free information card. edge- two boards at once). Of course this wouldn’t work for mouldings. I was wondering if you or the author, Paul Sellers, have any thoughts on this subject. Mark Ketelsen Lincolnshire, Illinois

I always tweak the bed of the shooting board instead of the tool. Usually a strip or two of strategically placed blue painter’s tape will fix things. You can get scientific about it if you like: Use a machinist square and feeler gauges to determine how out of square you are at the top of the sidewall. In my experience, the old Stanley planes are more likely to be toed in at the top. Then measure the thickness of your tape with a dial caliper and lay down enough strips of tape on your shooting board to compen- sate for the plane. This will get you close, but it won’t be perfect. You might need to add or remove another strip of tape to get things per- fect. Test your results on wood. Once your square says you are shooting square, you’re done. — Christopher Schwarz, editor

Matching Sapwood and Heartwood I’m in the process of building a full-size, adjustable Mission-style entertainment cen- ter (adjustable for regular televisions, full- size units and the new thin televisions). I’m building it out of cherry and have cut around knots and defects. Unfortunately, I simply can’t afford to cut around sapwood. Nor could I select boards from one flitch. Having said that, I have the utmost confi- dence that I can blend the sapwood and heart- wood in the finishing process – that’s where you come in. (You didn’t know you were assist- ing with this project, did you?) I’ve read some articles on matching sapwood to heartwood (they vary so I wanted your input), but it goes beyond sapwood and heartwood. I also need

circle no. 122 on free information card. 16 Popular Woodworking April 2007 to color match the entire project since not all boards came from the same flitch. How do you do match sapwood to heart- wood and color match the entire project? Chuck Steger Corinth, Texas

The best way to do the color matching you’re talking about is with toners, especially dye ton- ers. That is, dye added to a finish you’re spray- ing. It’s harder to do it with brushing finishes, circle no. 109 on free information card. but it is possible. For example, you could add an alcohol-soluble dye to or a water- Finest Quality Reproduction soluble dye to water-based finish or even an RASS & IRON HARDWARE ® B oil-soluble dye to varnish. Using pigment can Since 1933, Ball and Ball has cause muddying problems that show at certain been manufacturing the highest quality repro- angles because of the buildup necessary over duction furniture hard- the sapwood. ware, builders hardware, lighting fixtures, and You also could do the toning with aerosol fireplace accessories available. toners. Call for our 108-page catalog available for $7.00. If you are limited to oil stains and finishes, (catalog cost refunded on first order) you might be able to achieve a partial match 463 W. Lincoln Highway (Rt. 30) Exton, PA 19341 by applying a second coat of stain to the lighter 610-363-7330 • Fax: 610-363-7639 areas. Be careful not to build up the stain too 1-800-257-3711 www.ballandball-us.com much, however, because you will end up with a circle no. 163 on free information card. weaker bond. The finish could separate at the circle no. 105 on free information card. stain layer. pw — Bob Flexner, contributing editor NO PAYMENTS for 6 MONTHS! QUESTION? COMPLAINT? (Offer valid through 3/29/07. WRITE TO US Call or visit us online for details.) Popular Woodworking welcomes comments from readers about the magazine or wood- working in general, as well as questions on all areas of woodworking. We are more than happy to share our woodworking ex- perience with you by answering your ques- tions or adding some clarity to whatever aspect of the craft you are unsure about, and if you have a complaint, we want to CLEAR OVERGROWN LAND AS address it whenever possible. FAST AS YOU CAN WALK! Though we receive a good deal of mail, we with the Amazing DR® FIELD and BRUSH MOWER! try to respond to all correspondence in a prompt manner. Published correspondence may be edited for length or style. All corre- • POWERFUL! Up to 17 HP... To learn how you can try one cuts head-high weeds, brush, out with NO PAYMENTS for spondence becomes the property of Popular 6 MONTHS, Call TOLL-FREE Woodworking. even saplings up to 2-1/2" thick! Send your questions and comments via • THOROUGH! Chops most 1-888-213-2283 e-mail to [email protected], via fax to everything it mows so there’s no YES! Please send me your FREE DR® FIELD and BRUSH leftover tangle of vegetation! MOWER Catalog and DVD, plus details of how I can try out this 513-891-7196, or by mail to: machine for 6 months with No Payments! Letters • FAST! Mows a path up to 30" wide Name ______PWD Popular Woodworking with 4 speeds! Address ______4700 E. Galbraith Road • EASY TO USE — with powered City ______State ______ZIP______Cincinnati, OH 45236 wheels, reverse, lockable differential for E-Mail ______amazing traction and easy turning, DR® POWER EQUIPMENT, Dept. 56979X 127 Meigs Road, Vergennes, VT 05491 electric blade clutch, and electric-start! www.DRfieldbrush.com ©2007 CHP, INC.

16 Popular Woodworking April 2007 popularwoodworking.com 17 Partnership in education The staff of Popular Woodworking E-MAIL: [email protected] Cartouche Award Winner Philip C. Lowe. Rockingham Community College are also offered in this well-equipped, believes woodworking education WEB: chipcarving.com Summer and weekend workshops are Highway 65 & County Home Road expertly staffed Pennsylvania studio. is essential to the development and Our school is dedicated to the study also available. P.O. Box 38 preservation of woodworking crafts- and learning of the decorative art of Wentworth, NC 27375 Tennessee manship. We are proud to offer our , taught by the acclaimed Maine (336) 342-4261 Arrowmont School of Arts and support to woodworking schools. If international carver and author Wayne Center for Furniture E-MAIL: [email protected] Crafts you operate a woodworking school Barton. Related to architecture and fur- Craftsmanship WEB: rockinghamcc.edu 556 Parkway P.O. Box 567 and would like information about the niture design, all techniques and design 25 Mill St. The Fine & Creative Woodworking Gatlinburg, TN 37738 program, contact Steve Shanesy, pub- aspects are taught. Visit our web site for Rockport, ME 04856 Program prepares individuals to build (865) 436-5860 lisher, Popular Woodworking, 4700 a class schedule. (207) 594-5611 high-quality furniture and accessories. E-MAIL: [email protected] E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH E-MAIL: [email protected] The students will begin by developing a WEB: arrowmont.org 45236; (513) 531-2690 x1238 or Indiana WEB: woodschool.org strong foundation in basic hand-tool use Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts e-mail [email protected]. Center for Furniture Craftsmanship is a and machining. Course work progresses is an internationally known visual arts Marc Adams School complex in Gatlinburg, Tenn., offering of Woodworking year-round woodworking school for all to include study of finishing, turning, California one- and two-week programs plus week- 5504 E. 500N levels from novice to professional.We veneering, equipment maintenance and end workshops in spring, summer and Cerritos College – Woodworking Franklin, IN 46131 offer one-week and two-week work- principles of operating a business. Manufacturing Technologies fall. The school is known for its excel- (317) 535-4013 shops, 12-week intensives, nine-month John C. Campbell Folk School 11110 Alondra Blvd. lence in and woodworking E-MAIL: [email protected] comprehensive and studio fellowships. 1 Folk School Road Norwalk, CA 90650 instruction. For complete course offer- WEB: marcadams.com Messler Gallery is on our premises. We Brasstown, NC 28902 (562) 860-2451 ext. 2926 ings, call or register online. Marc Adams School of Woodworking is have an outstanding international (800) 365-5724 E-MAIL: [email protected] committed to excellence through educa- faculty. E-MAIL: [email protected] Lonnie Bird’s School WEB: cerritos.edu/wood tion with the best woodworkers of modern WEB: folkschool.org of Fine Woodworking Celebrate woodworking at CerritosCol- New Hampshire time. Classes range from one day to two The John C. Campbell Folk School offers 1145 Carolina Drive lege in sunny Southern California.Study weeks and enrollment is limited. Call or Homestead Woodworking School week-long and weekend classes for Dandridge, TN 37725 furniture, cabinetmaking, turning, archi- write for information today and start your 52 Bald Hill Road all skill levels in scenic, rural western (865) 484-1145 tectural and computer-aided woodwork- woodworking dreams tomorrow. Newmarket, NH 03857 North Carolina. Classes include Windsor, E-MAIL: [email protected] ing. The award-winning Woodworking (603) 659-2345 Shaker, Twig, Fly Rod, Musical Instru- WEB: lonniebird.com Management Technologies program American Sycamore Choose from a variety of hands-on Woodworkers’ Retreat E-MAIL: [email protected] ments, Hand Tools, , Bam- is one of the largest and finest in the classes from dovetailing and casework to 7559 East County Rd 950 South WEB: woodschoolNH.com boo, Chairs, Stools, Cabinets, Tables, nation. Visit our web site or call for more joinery and chairmaking. Classes range Cloverdale, IN 46120 Homestead Woodworking School Timber , Coopering, Painting, information. from one day to two weeks in length. (877) 845-2666 offers classes for novice, intermediate and more. Call for a free Small class size guarantees that you’ll Woodworker Academy E-MAIL: [email protected] and advanced woodworkers. We’re course catalog, including lodging and get personalized instruction – you won’t 1731 Clement Ave. WEB: aswrs.com located in rural Newmarket, N.H., near meal options. get lost in the crowd. Alameda, CA 94501 American Sycamore Woodworkers’ the seacoast. Our instructors are profes- (510) 521-1623 sional woodworkers with unique areas Retreat is located in Cloverdale, Ind. Ohio Texas E-MAIL: [email protected] of specialization. and is one of the finest woodworking Conover Workshops WEB: woodworkeracademy.com Center for Essential Education schools in the nation. Small class size, P.O. Box 679 School of Woodworking The Woodworker Academy offers week- Missouri attention to detail and a relaxing atmo- Parkman, OH 44080-0679 end, eight-hour-per-day workshops and 608 Day Creek Road sphere are paramount at American Syca- American Woodworking Academy (440) 548-3491 private lessons to entry-level woodwork- Waco, TX 76705 more. Woodworking, furniture making, 1495 Hoff Industrial Center E-MAIL: [email protected] ers. We teach how to always work the (254) 799-1480 turning and finishing. O’Fallon, MO 63366 WEB: conoverworkshops.com safest way; buy, set up, align, maintain E-MAIL: [email protected] (636) 343-3750 Conover Workshops was founded in and use power and hand tools; design, WEB: cfeeschool.com Massachusetts E-MAIL: [email protected] 1980 by Ernie Conover with the mission build, wire and manage the home shop; The Center for Essential Education WEB: awacademy.com of teaching technically correct, proper and make furniture, craft items, cabinets New England School of School of Woodworking is dedicated Architectural Woodworking Woodworking you can grow with. Our and safe woodworking. All teaching and DIY projects. to establishing foundational skills in all One Cottage St. foundation of hands-on training gives is at the highest level, and all instruc- areas of traditional woodworking by Georgia Easthampton, MA 01027 students the opportunity to develop their tors are acknowledged leaders in their providing hands-on instruction through (413) 527-6103 skills step-by-step. Courses range from a fields. We offer workshops in hand- and week-long and apprenticeship courses The Dogwood Institute School single class to our 22- or 44-week Mas- of Fine Woodworking E-MAIL: [email protected] machine-tool joinery, woodturning, in general woodworking, fine furniture ter Woodworking Program. Looking for 1640 Mid-Broadwell Road WEB: nesaw.com Shaker chairmaking, etc. making and woodturning. Contact Paul a new trade, setting up for the golden Alpharetta, GA 30004 There are three woodworking training Sellers, director. years or fulfillment and opportunity to be (770) 751-9571 programs at the New England School of Oregon Architectural Woodworking. We offer your own boss? Let us help you. Wisconsin E-MAIL: The Northwest Woodworking Studio The Wild Earth School rgpeyton@ dogwoodinstitute.com a 35-week certificate career-training program in architectural woodworking 1002 SE 8th Ave. 924 County Road N. WEB: dogwoodwoodworking.com New York (503) 284-1644 Hudson, WI 54016 The Dogwood Institute School of with job placement assistance, a sum- Art’s Wood Shop & School Portland, OR 97214 (715) 749-9011 Fine Woodworking is a new school in mer six-week intensive program for the of Woodworking E-MAIL: nws_info@ E-MAIL: [email protected] the North Atlanta, Ga., area offering serious woodworker and a short-term 240 Portage Road northwestwoodworking.com WEB: aboutwildearth.com courses for beginning, intermediate and adult education introduction to wood- Niagara Falls, NY 14303 WEB: northwestwoodworking.com We offer woodworking classes for all skill advanced woodworkers. A signature working classes. (716) 285-1814 The Northwest Woodworking Studio levels. George Vondriska’s Wild Earth series consisting of five two-day courses Heartwood E-MAIL: [email protected] offers craftsman workshops led by nation- School offers entry-level to advanced teaches the detailed foundation tech- Johnson Hill Road WEB: awsnf.com ally known experts for woodworkers of classes. We have hands-on classes in niques necessary for building fine furni- Washington, MA 01223 Art’s Wood Shop & School of Wood- all skill levels, from novice to advanced. cabinet, furniture making and lathe turn- ture. Courses include furniture making, (413) 623-6677 working offers programs in basic wood- Master Woodworker and published ing. Our one- and two-day classes fit any veneering, woodturning and carving. E-MAIL: [email protected] working, cabinetmaking, fine furniture author Gary Rogowski offers the two- schedule and our Wisconsin school is New classes are now forming. WEB: heartwoodschool.com making and wood finishes. year Mastery and Distance Mastery Pro- easy to get to. Heartwood, founded in 1978, offers one- grams. Workshop schedules are available Illinois week workshops in the fundamentals of North Carolina at northwestwoodworking.com or call Ontario, Canada Furnituremaking Workshops woodworking, cabinetmaking, furni- Country Workshops 503-284-1644 for more information. Studio Inc. 1774 W. Lunt Ave. ture making and various timber-framing 990 Black Pine Ridge Road P.O. Box 839 Chicago, IL 60626 topics.The charming schoolhouse in the Marshall, NC 28753 Pennsylvania 83 Little Bridge St. (773) 761-3311 features a shop, library, dining (828) 656-2280 J.D. Lohr School of Woodworking Almonte, Ontario KOA 1AO E-MAIL: [email protected] room and classroom. Tuition includes E-MAIL: 242 N. Limerick Road Canada WEB: furnituremaking.com materials and lunch. [email protected] Schwenksville, PA 19473 E-MAIL: [email protected] Furnituremaking Workshops offers a The Furniture Institute of WEB: countryworkshops.org (610) 287-7802 WEB: rosewoodstudio.com wide range of hands-on classes, from Massachusetts Country Workshops offers week-long E-MAIL: [email protected] Welcome to Rosewood Studio! We offer woodworking techniques to building 116 Water St. classes in traditional woodworking. WEB: jdlohrwood.com an environment for creative woodwork- furniture. Classes are small, with most Beverly, MA 01915 Classes include: Windsor and ladder- Forty-eight hour, one week long and ing and relaxation, with instructors from taught by award-winning author and (978) 922-0615 back chairmaking, carving bowls and total-immersion courses in practical, around the world. Students learn how furniture maker Jeff Miller. E-MAIL: [email protected] spoons, Japanese woodworking, wood- get-the-job-done, machine-based to make heirloom-quality furniture Alpine School of Woodcarving, Ltd. WEB: furnituremakingclasses.com working for women and more. Materi- woodworking. Focus is on safe, efficient while enjoying every step of their jour- 225 Vine Ave. The Furniture Institute of Massachu- als, use of special tools, and room and production skills with home-shop-type ney. Our courses run year-round. Call Park Ridge, IL 60068 setts offers two-year programs with board are included with tuition. Estab- table saws, , planers and routers. or visit our web site for further details (847) 692-2822 Master Furniture Maker and the 2005 lished 1978. Woodcarving and other weekend classes and schedules. Compiled by Paul Anthony Tricks of the Trade Illustrations by Matt Bantly Saw Sled Expansion Innovations

THE WINNER: Aluminum fence When designing a table saw crosscut sled, I so past the end of the track to allow insertion decided that I wanted a large crosscut capac- of the hold-down T-bolt into the track. The T-bolt ity, a sliding fence and a way to clamp the hold-downs, knobs and T-track are commonly Wooden fence support work to the sled. This single-runner sled is available from various woodworking mail- 32" deep x 26" wide and was easy to build. order supply houses. Knob It will carry panels up to 30" wide, with a Steve McDaniel 24"-clamping capacity. The fence can slide Humboldt, Tennessee to align with the saw-blade edge of the sled for maximum workpiece support, or it can be Run past T-track to slid out of the path of my blade guard. The allow for bolt insertion T-track T-slots in the fence also allow for attaching adjustable stops. Aluminum fence The aluminum extrusion fence is straight and flat, and attaches to a wooden support with three T-bolts (sometimes called toilet bolts) through the support into a channel in the fence. Knobs on the end of the bolts allow side-to-side adjustment. I bought the 11⁄2" x 3" aluminum extrusion from 80/20, through the company’s e-Bay store (stores. ebay.com/8020-Inc-Garage-Sale). Wooden fence To accommodate the hold-downs, I epox- support ied two 24"-long T-tracks into grooves I routed in the 5⁄8"-thick Baltic birch sled panel. Set- Baltic birch sled ting the T-track 1" away from the fence allows Hold-down attaches clamping of 24" panels from the opposite end. to T-track Also, make sure to run the groove an inch or continued on page 22

CASH AND PRIZES FOR YOUR TRICKS AND TIPS! Each issue we publish useful woodworking tips from our read- ers. 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 $25 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.

20 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Tricks of the Trade continued from page 20 Tips for Thin Rips As a guitar maker, I rip a lot of very narrow wood strips, which can be difficult and dangerous to cut on a table saw. Instead, I cut them on the band saw using a low-profile fence, which allows setting the upper blade guides as close as possible to the Workpiece stock to prevent blade deflection, and increases accuracy. It also allows my fingers better access for feeding the stock. For convenience and quick setup, I use a commercial self-clamp- ing aluminum tool guide. If necessary, it can be angled up to 5˚ or so to accommodate band saw blade drift. Using a sharp six teeth-per-inch blade, I find that I can accurately rip pieces as narrow as about 1⁄32", with tolerances to within about .002". To prevent the narrow rippings from falling down into the throat plate, I feed the stock on top of Aluminum an underlying sacrificial zero-clearance piece that I tape to self-clamping guide the saw table. Bil Mitchell Tape sacrificial zero-clearance Riegelsville, Pennsylvania support piece to saw table

Benchtop Dust Port Stand

Dust collection for the lathe can be a problem because the port needs frame is made entirely from 1⁄2"-thick pieces. The upper and lower to be flexible and adjustable enough to direct at various areas as they’re yoke pieces screw to runners and rear cleats that allow the yoke to being worked. I devised this dust port stand for use with my benchtop adjust up and down the frame posts. Weather stripping on the yoke lathe, although it could also be used for other tools. holds the vacuum hose firmly in place. The stand consists of two parts: A weighted base and a vertical yoke Bob Lloyd frame that holds the vacuum hose. The base slides under the lathe for San Clemente, California easy positioning of the unit while working. The stand can be located wherever it serves best, and the yoke can be slid up or down for best dust capture. The yoke holds a short length of 21⁄2"-diameter “Loc- Line” vacuum hose that will retain a desired shape, and which accepts Yoke dust ports or nozzles to suit different jobs. It’s available from Penn State 1⁄2" x 21⁄2"x 7" Industries, 800-377-7297) The yoke frame detaches easily in case you Rear cleats 1⁄2" sq. x 7" want to temporarily affix it, without the base, to another tool. Screw Runners The stand is inexpensive and easy to make. The base is just a yoke to hollow box filled with lead shot. A cabinet pull on the front edge inside runners allows easy positioning. I inset and epoxied 1⁄2"-diameter rare earth magnets into the rear of the base, where they mate with magnets at the bottom of the yoke frame. (Make sure the magnetic polarity of Weatherstripping each pair is oriented for attraction, not repulsion.) The 7" x 15" yoke Post 1⁄2" x 11⁄4" x 15"

1 Yoke Rear cleat ⁄4" plywood Support cleat Round nozzle Fill base with lead shot rests on base Epoxy mating magnets into yoke frame and base To dust collector Loc-Line hose

Base 11⁄2" x 7"x 12" Side view Utility cabinet pull continued on page 24

22 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Tricks of the Trade continued from page 22 Cork Facing for a Soft Touch Shop-made Pinch Rods I’ve found that padding my vise faces with cork prevents them One of the most accurate approaches for checking a case or other from marring many surfaces, especially softer woods or finished assembly for square is to compare the inside diagonal measurements workpieces. I use 1⁄4"-thick cork, which is available by the square for equidistance. The easiest way to do this is using pinch rods – a foot in rolls from home-supply centers. I attach it to my vise faces pair of sticks clamped together with a collar to create the appropri- using wide double-stick tape. Cork is also great for holding irregular ate length for measuring. To use pinch rods, simply slide them apart stock such as or wooden balls. until the ends slip inside two opposing case corners, then lock them Serge Duclos together to check the opposite diagonals. I make pinch rods in various Delson, Quebec lengths to suit different-sized projects. For rods longer than 24", I use 1⁄ Attach 4"-thick cork to face of vise two collars, clamping one at each end of the overlapping rods. with double-stick tape I make my pinch rods by ripping 3⁄16" strips from 3⁄4"-thick hard- wood, beveling one end of each to about 30°. I make the collar by gluing together 1⁄2"-thick hardwood pieces as shown. The collar is 13⁄4"-wide by 13⁄4"-long, with a 1⁄2" x 25⁄32"-wide tunnel for the rods. The 1⁄2" dimension accommodates the two rods plus the head of a T-nut that holds a 5⁄16"-diameter x 1"-long clamping thumbscrew. I install the barb-less T-nut before assembling the collar, epoxying it in place from the inside face of the collar. After gluing the collar together, I round its edges for comfort, using a 3⁄8"-roundover bit in my table. (For safety, hold the piece with a wooden handscrew clamp while routing.) Pete Dulak Epoxy the barb-less Red Wing, Minnesota T-nut into the collar

Easy Bolt Sawing Over the years, I’ve shortened a fair number of long bolts to some desired size rather than traipsing to the hardware store for just a Collar few of the proper length. Unfortunately, I always encountered two problems with sawing bolts. The first was that it’s difficult to mark an accurate cutline on bolt threads. The second was that securely clamping the bolt in a vise for sawing can be awkward because the head and threads are different diameters. Rods It finally dawned on me that the solution is to select a nut the same width as the bolt head, thread it onto the bolt so its outer face aligns with the desired cutline, and then clamp the assembly into the vise, squeezing the nut and bolt head between the jaws. Voilà! The assembly is now firmly clamped, and by running the hacksaw Bevel each end to 30º blade against the nut, I can cut the bolt to perfect length. Brad Nixon Missoula, Montana Miter Quick Slip Hacksaw blade Here’s a dead simple little maneuver that will shave a few seconds of aggravation from your shop day. If your table saw’s miter gauge bar Use the nut as includes a washer that fits the saw’s T-slots, you already know how a guide for the awkward it can be to thread the bar into the slot from the front of hacksaw Bench the saw. Instead, drop the bar into the table slot with the washer end overhanging the rear of the saw table, then simply pull the gauge backward toward you. Hacksaw Vise Greg Strately blade Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Top view continued on page 26

24 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Tricks of the Trade continued from page 24 More Super Glue Tips White Marks the Spot Trim polyethylene pipette After reading Clark Lang’s “Super Glue Tips” if glue hardens in tip As my eyes mature, some previously simple in the December 2006 issue (#159), I thought tasks are becoming quite tricky. For exam- I’d share another way to deal with the problem ple, I was recently trying to drill a number of cyanoacrylate glue (also known as CA, of holes at precise locations marked with or “super glue”) drying up and clogging fine pencil lines on a piece of dark wood. the bottle tips. However, even in good light, I had great You can buy inexpensive The long tip of the polyethylene difficulty seeing the layout lines. In frus- polyethylene pipettes for pipette can reach down into the tration I decided to start over, but tried a applying CA glue. These bottom of the glue bottle different approach. handy little disposable I first covered the area to be marked squeeze droppers provide with white correction fluid – the kind sold great application control for correcting typing errors. Layout lines due to their long, slender tubes. You simply that come with the glue. You’ll also find that drawn on the white area were then clearly suction up the amount of glue you need from you can leave glue in one for days without visible, and I could work accurately. The the bottle, then squeeze it onto the work- it setting up. After much use they will clog, correction fluid works great because it dries piece. Afterward, you can clean the dropper but usually near the tip. When that happens, almost instantaneously, doesn’t soak into by squeezing the bulb rapidly to blow out most you can trim off that part and continue to the surface, and can easily be scraped off of the remaining liquid. If any tiny droplets use the pipette until it’s too short to reach in afterward. It’s commonly available and adhere to the inside of the tube, they can the bottle. (You can get a pack of 10 for $2.87 has a long shelf life. I suppose you could usually be removed by slapping the pipette from Stewart-MacDonald, 800-848-2273 or use white correction tape for the same on the inside of a trash can. stewmac.com.) purpose. pw In my experience, one of these pipettes Russ Merz Frank Penicka lasts about five times longer than the nozzles Cincinnati, Ohio Mount Pearl, Newfoundland

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The Domino DF 500 Q Changes the Rules of Woodworking Joinery

hen it comes to joinery, you have two Wbasic kinds. On one hand you have the traditional, strong and time-consuming joints (think dovetails). On the other hand, you have the joints that are fast to make but are frowned upon by purists (think biscuits or pocket screws). With the release of the Festool Domino DF 500 Q system, those old rules have just been chucked into the dumpster. The Domino is a hand-held tool that cuts perfect mortises in your work. A little glue and a loose tenon (which resembles a domino) completes the joint. In my 14 years of working wood, it is the fastest, easiest and most accurate way to cut this traditional joint that I have ever used (and I’ve used them all). The Domino is as swift as a but makes joints as strong as you could ever specifications want. The trick is the machine’s bit and how it moves when the tool is on. The bit (which Festool Domino DF 500 Q Street price: $700 ($660 until May 31, 2007) is available in 5, 6, 8 and 10mm diameters) Max depth of cut: 13⁄32" (28mm) spins at 25,500 rpm and moves left to right as To make a joint, you place your two Max width of cut: 1" it plunges into the work. A single four-second workpieces against one another and draw a Fence: 0° to 90° plunge creates a mortise that is perfectly sized single line across the joint at the location where Performance: ●●●●● for one of the Dominos, which come you want the mortises to go. Set the tool to Price range: $$$$ in five sizes at press time. make a mortise of the desired depth and width Festool USA: 888-337-8600 or Loose-tenon joinery is nothing new, but (it’s easy, just a dial and a switch). Then you festoolusa.com what is different about the Domino DF 500 line up the tool’s cursor with your pencil line, Q is that you can do such a traditional and turn on the tool and make a plunge cut. strong joint with little (or no) marking on the You can even skip some marking chores by All told, if you have ever used a biscuit work. And you can work anywhere on a board using the tool’s built-in retractable pins. These joiner you will be immediately at home with and at any angle. Plus, because the Domino is allow you to bore mortises at a fixed distance the Domino. And there are many tricks to hand-held, you can take the tool to the work from the ends of boards that are wider than use the machine in surprising ways (again, (always my preference) rather than moving 21⁄2" wide without marking (we’re going to check out our blog for details). large workpieces over a tiny cutter in a table post a demonstration of this on our blog at Are there downsides to the tool? All the saw or router table. Plus you can put a mortise popularwoodworking.com). controls are in metric, so get a metric ruler to in places no biscuit joiner can go, such as into guide your early efforts with the tool. And the end of a 1"-wide rail. though the tool is safer than most, you do need to be more concerned about safety with this tool than with a biscuit joiner because the bit plunges deep into the work. Some people will be put off by the price ($700), but the tool is well made and is actually less expensive than many mortise-and-tenon systems that use a router plus a (or a table saw plus a ) for the joint. After just a few weeks of use, I was com- pletely sold on the tool. Now there is no excuse not to use a mortise-and-tenon joint. Dominos come in five sizes: 5, 6, 8 and 10mm The LA-DF 500 accessory snaps on the fence and — Christopher Schwarz thicknesses and 30, 40 and 50mm lengths. allows you make mortises on the ends of thin rails. For more information, circle # 114 on Free Information Card.

28 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Makita 18-volt Drill-Driver is Lightweight At just more than 3.5 pounds the Makita The recharge time for the battery is a mere 18-volt 1⁄2" Compact Cordless Drill-driver 15 minutes. (BDF452) is 25 percent lighter than its pre- How does the power of the drill stand up? I decessor, the BDF451. The loss of weight used this tool for the entire day in the shop as is because Makita has made changes in the I made shop cabinets using pocket screws and drill that made it a full inch shorter in length not one time did I have to recharge the battery. without sacrificing much in the way of torque The next day, as I continued the job, I finally (only 20 percent) and let’s face it, you don’t had to recharge – and the battery recharged generally have to worry much about torque so fast that it was at full power before I was in the woodshop, but the savings in length ready to use the drill again. can come in handy when you’re trying to get There is one concern with this drill. If you into those small areas. Makita also dropped are a power-tool aficionado, you’ll find that the specifications back to the standard two-speed design that keyless chuck does not close 100 percent, so Makita 18v Compact Lithium-ion 1 still delivers plenty of rpm. using the smallest of bits (under 1⁄16"), will be ⁄2" Cordless Drill-Driver Kit The good news for Makita owners is that an issue. But you still have the built-in LED Street price: $219 the new drill-driver will accept the lithium light, which I found to be a nice benefit when Recharge time: 15 minutes Replacement battery: 3.0 Ah ($70) batteries from your older Makita units. The working deep in the corner of cabinets. The Performance: ●●●●❍ bad news is, the new batteries will not fit with new “gym shoe”-styled white and black exte- Price range: $$$$ the older . rior design distinguishes it from the standard Makita: 800-462-5482 or The drill-driver kit includes the drill, two Makita blue. — Glen D. Huey makitatools.com 1.5-amp hour (Ah) batteries and the charger. For more information, circle # 132 on Free Information Card.

Grex 23-gauge Headless Pinner Twenty-three gauge headless pinners have come a long way in recent years, and we were glad to test the new Grex model P645L in the shop. The new edition is an upgrade from the Lockout P630 model in a number of ways. mechanism First, there’s the additional range of fas- tener lengths. Now you can use fasteners in 12 different lengths from 1⁄2" to 13⁄4" in size. This is a 3⁄8" increase in the total fastener length from the earlier tool’s top end. Is this something big? If you’re attaching face frames, it might just be great news because of the addi- tional holding power. This was evident in plywood as well. How does the pinner operate? I shot the Next, while Grex has continued using the 13⁄4" pins through 4/4 pine and 6/4 red oak adjust-free magazine (no need to adjust for without any problems. The pins did move each change in fastener size), the double trig- slightly with the grain of the wood, however ger safety and rubber hand grip, there is a new nothing more than you would expect. The feature in the P645L that I found especially P645L is a bit weightier than the previous interesting – the lock-out mechanism (shown model by almost a half-pound but it is still light specifications in the inset photo). If you have ever attached enough to use for an eight-hour work day. Grex 23-gauge Headless Pinner mouldings to your projects only to find that Unlike many of those in the construc- Street price: $330 the pinner was emptied sometime during the tion trades, I am not a fan of the belt hook. I Fastener sizes: 1⁄2" to 13⁄4" task, you will appreciate this feature, too. Dry cannot see dragging the air hose around the Weight: 2.68 lbs. firing will not happen after the number of woodworking shop while attaching mould- Performance: ●●●●● Price range: $$$$ remaining fasteners drops below six or seven ings. Fear not, I am sure that the feature can Grex: 626-289-7618 or pins. Of course, this feature can be over-ridden be removed if need be. — GH grexusa.com if you are about to complete the task. For more information, circle # 122 on Free Information Card.

popularwoodworking.com 29 Tool Test

Blue Dovetail Using a garden-variety bevel-edge chisel when dovetailing can be frustrating. The bevels on the side of the tool are supposed to allow you to clean any junk out of the acute corners of the joint. But the problem is that the bevels are too chunky and you end up damaging the walls of your tails. Many woodworkers will grind down the The ferrules have one closed end (an unusual side bevels of their chisels to a edge or detail) and are fitted perfectly over the tool’s they will purchase a Japanese chisel specifi- tang. The handles are exquisitely cally designed for this task. turned, with a dainty 1⁄8" tucked behind But now Blue Spruce Toolworks (makers the ferrule. These tools are simply over the of our favorite ) makes chisels top in every way. in four sizes (1⁄8", 1⁄4", 3⁄8" and 1⁄2") that are Do they cut wood, you might ask? Indeed. perfectly suited to dovetailing. Not only are The blades are made from A2 steel, which, the chisels ground down to a knife edge on when ground at a 30° angle, is stout. The two specifications the sides, but those side bevels are actually sets of chisels we have tested were heat-treated concave. There is little opportunity for you to well – they weren’t warped in any way and the Blue Spruce Toolworks Chisels bruise the side of your joint with these tools. unbeveled side of the tool was dead flat. Street price: $220/set of four, $50-$65/each Overall length: 81⁄2" to 73⁄4" And perhaps because of the reduced friction, You probably don’t need the whole set Handle diameter: 1" max. the tools seem to glide through the work. ($220), but having one in your arsenal (I’d Performance: ●●●●❍ 1⁄ 3⁄ Hands down, these are the most gorgeous get the 4" or the 8") would be a worthwhile Price range: $$$$$ chisels I have ever handled. They are perfect extravagance. Highly recommended. — CS Blue Spruce: bluesprucetoolworks.com in every detail and under the highest scrutiny. For more information, circle # 107 on Free Information Card.

Bosch Router Table Benchtop router tables have been around long enough that all the bugs should be worked out of them. This new one from Bosch has all the features you could want in an easy-to- assemble compact package. The cabinet helps reduce noise and control dust, and includes a safety-switch controlled electrical outlet that provides a place to plug in your shop vacuum as well as your router. The fence is taller than most, and has easy- to-adjust MDF faceplates as well as a slotted track to mount the two included featherboards and a clear plastic safety guard. Shims are also provided to allow for offsetting the outfeed fence. The router mounting plate is cast alu- minum with plastic inserts, and the laminated specifications tabletop includes a second track extrusion. Bosch RA1171 Router Table The plate can be leveled to the table from Street price: $169.99 above, and all the adjustments for the fence Fence: Aluminum with MDF faces use knobs, allowing toolless setup. Mounting Plate: Aluminum The only complaints I had were minor; it’s be removed to adjust the guard. The plusses Electrical: Two switch-controlled outlets Performance: ●●●●❍ hard to see and reach the outlet when plug- far outweigh the minuses. This router table is Price range: $$$ ging in the router and vacuum, and the dust- well-made, convenient and easy to use. pw Bosch: 877-267-2499 or collection port behind the fence is so close — Robert W. Lang boschtools.com to the knobs for the guard that the hose must For more information, circle # 167 on Free Information Card.

30 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Arts & Mysteries 18th-Century Stock Preparation

Different goals allowed period woodworkers to surface boards quickly.

I’m building a standing desk for my shop. I need a place to do design work, store important and lay furniture books. I designed this desk using the process described in my last article. The completed design is available on my blog at artsandmysteries.com. In this article, I’ll dis- cuss the techniques I used to prepare my stock for this project.

ressing stock by hand isn’t hard work. The Dtrick to doing it efficiently is forgetting everything you know about woodworking machines and just about everything you’ve read on the Internet. Woodworking machines produce a consis- tent level of surface and dimensional quality. Trying to emulate machine quality by hand is a waste of time. Some boards need more atten- tion, some need less; you need to sort them out before you start. It just doesn’t make sense to have a “one-surface-fits-all” approach. Ninety percent of what I read on the Internet involves people trying to produce aerospace precision with their hand tools then complaining about how long it takes. Believe it or not, I’m not judging these folks. It’s a perfectly fine way to work wood if that’s what you’re into. But don’t be fooled: This isn’t how people worked in the 18th cen- tury. Let’s take a look back at the evidence together.

Tools There’s little question about the tools used in 18th-century shops for surfacing stock. They

by Adam Cherubini Photos by the authorthe byPhotos In addition to woodworking, Adam enjoys Preparing stock by hand isn’t nearly as difficult or awkward as this picture makes it look. Eighteenth- drawing and painting. He studied art at the century craftsmen weren’t stupid and they didn’t need slave labor to build things. You can easily learn Fleischer Art Memorial in Philadelphia. their tricks to working smarter, not harder. Then you’ll be free of your masters: your planer, table saw Visit his blog at artsandmysteries.com. and .

32 Popular Woodworking April 2007 used a fore or for roughing, a long try plane for flattening and a smooth plane to achieve the finished surface. Anglo-American woodworkers in the 18th century did not use anything resembling a . By the end of the century, finish carpenters called used several long planes. The basic tools for 18th-century stock prepara- tion include these three planes: the try plane Technique (left), jack or (middle) and the We know very little about the specific stock smoother (right). Eighteenth-century craftsmen preparation techniques of the 18th century. undoubtedly valued planes that took coarse We have two documentary sources written shavings. Modern plane makers have focused on just before and just after the century: Joseph making tools for smoothing regardless of their Moxon’s “Mechanick Exercises” (1678) and length or configuration. This is approach is detri- mental for basic hand-tool stock prep. Peter Nicholson’s “The Mechanic’s Com- Williamsburg’s housewrights, who include panion” (1831). The techniques discussed journeyman Ted Boscana, can quickly are similar and would sound familiar to you. buying an entire tree’s worth at a time. Pitsaw produce dimensional lumber with pitsaws. The Anglo-American workmen probably started operations in the 18th-century were able to surfaces produced with these saws are surpris- ingly comparable to those from modern band with jack or fore planes, followed with longer produce lumber in the same thicknesses and in saw mills. trying planes, then finished the surface with roughly the same surface qualities as modern smoothing planes. They used winding sticks rough-sawn lumber. Craftsmen had no need to detect twist in the faces of boards. They to plane 2"-thick boards down to 3⁄4". any pieces are surprisingly fair. It could be straightened edges with their long planes. that both exterior and interior surfaces were Surface Quality given the exact same attention. But the John Stock Extant surfaces vary from undressed, rough- Townsend (of Goddard and Townsend fame) Eighteenth-century craftsmen purchased sawn surfaces, to quite nicely smoothed sur- pieces I saw at the Metropolitan Museum of lumber much as commercial shops do today, faces. I’ve maintained that exterior surfaces Art in New York last year clearly showed very were always fairer than interiors. Effort was rough interiors, backs and undersides. These placed where it had the most impact on the pieces were made for very wealthy customers. style-conscious public. But recent examina- Furniture with rough interiors does not nec- tions are causing me to reconsider. Centu- essarily correspond to second-quality furni- ries of refinishing have caused exteriors to ture, nor second-quality shops. Judging from be smoother now than they were originally. period furniture alone, it appears the effort Also, interiors of early Philadelphia mahog- expended on any given piece of wood varied

When I’m working wide stock for a carcase side, I don’t worry if the stock is cupped or twisted a little. I can usually straighten the stock with the This is one of the legs for my desk. It will have mortises at the top and bottom so this stock cannot be dovetails. If I tried to plane out a cup, I’d lose a lot twisted. The twist or wind must be removed. Winding sticks help me find where the board is twisted. of thickness and the cup would come back. Any two sticks will do. This is the next step in facing this leg stock.

popularwoodworking.com 33 Arts & Mysteries

Squaring-up is done with my long try plane. This is an important task easily done with hand tools. Sometimes I think folks only think about face (called facing) when designing and building their workbenches. Every bench should be designed to allow this basic operation.

This may not look like a big deal, but this is as regionally and according to its use in the fin- the face of the stock. These are acceptable for hard as it gets. This stock is 27⁄8" thick, and 60" ished product. the insides of my furniture, but I like the exte- long. I had to flip it over periodically to keep this riors smoother. Depending on the piece, I’ll cut square. It took me almost 10 minutes to com- Facing either use my smoother next, or my try plane plete this cut. Material one-third this thickness would probably take me two minutes. Facing is the term Nicholson used for flatten- followed by the smoother. A wide carcase side ing one side of a piece of stock. I begin with needs to be smooth but perfect flatness usu- my fore plane, working in the direction of ally isn’t required. Legs such as those for this both Moxon and Nicholson use the term more the grain. I often hold the plane askew or at a desk need to be worked straight with the try generally. For them and likely all English- slight angle to the stroke. I like a lightweight plane. If they are not straight, you’ll be able speaking 18th-century craftsmen, shooting wooden plane. I use my upper body to press to notice it from a long way away, and I’ll also meant edge straightening. In my shop, this is down on the plane, controlling both the cut have problems with my joinery. done with the board held on edge and typically and the stock below it. My fore plane has a completed in less than a minute with my try cambered blade which takes a thick, but nar- Shooting plane. I’m not getting aerospace tolerances in row (1") shaving. It will remove rough saw In the modern lexicon, shooting an edge usu- one minute. But a perfectly straight edge is marks quickly, but leaves shallow troughs in ally involves holding a plane on its side. But rarely required. I square and straighten simul-

Trying up stock

Surface 1 Surface 3

Surface 4

Surface 2 Gauging: The stock is made parallel Tried-up: Surface 4 is made Faced: Surface 1 is faced, Squared-up: Surface 2 is squared to in width by gauging from surface 2 to parallel to surface 1 by gauging or flattened. Wind is surface 1. surface 3. Plane or saw to the gauged right and left sides and planing or removed. line. Then square to surface 1. sawing to the gauged line.

34 Popular Woodworking April 2007 taneously. It’s a trick you probably know. Like Tips from my fore plane, my try plane has a curved blade. Plane iron By positioning the plane side to side, I can take Toe of a power planer off a wedge-shaped shaving. But again, I don’t plane ■ Go with the grain. When the grain typically need a perfectly square edge. turns on you, turn the board or turn the plane. Western planes can be pulled quite Ripping nicely, thank you. With one face flattened and one edge straight- Horizontal ■ Open your mouth and take a big ened and squared, the stock is said to be Cambered bite. A plane’s tight mouth limits the size squared. This is the time to do any ripping cutting edge of shaving you can take. Tight mouths are required. Ripping thin stock is easily done (exaggerated) good for finishing but bad if you want to with a good saw in a matter of a few moments. remove material quickly. I tend to leave the line, as shooting the ripped ■ Long planes make things straight. Put away your straightedges and learn to edge will be required anyway and is very quick High arris trust your long planes. work. Ripping thick stock is more difficult (exaggerated) physically. Variations in the angle of the cut IllustrationBantlyMatt by ■ Lower your bench. A bench whose top are magnified due to the thickness so it’s more My try plane has a cambered or curved iron. The is beneath your palms allows you to get difficult technically. What I do is mark both resulting shaving is thickest in the middle and your upper body over the work, using your sides and flip the board over every six or so thin at either edge. By centering the plane on one upper body weight to provide pressure and control. inches. In time, you will master a perfectly edge of the board, I can remove a wedge-shaped plumb rip. In the meantime, or whenever your shaving. This saves me from having to hold my ■ Don’t get caught up in Planeaholics plane perfectly level. stock is very thick, I recommend flipping the Anonymous. Skip the Internet pundits, and get the cheapest plane you can find. board over. The skills you develop getting it working Conclusion will be invaluable later. If you can make a Tried Up The wide range of surface treatments found $5 flea-market special work, you’ve earned Stock that has had its four long-grain sides on any given 18th-century piece of furniture, the bronze-bodied beauty you’ve been squared was called tried or tried-up in the 18th indicates period craftsmen planed their stock wanting. Of course you could end up like century. Though I typically remove the saw with each piece’s specific use in mind. While me – still using the $5 plane! or planer marks, I very rarely try-up or “four modern woodworkers, willing to use hand square” my stock. The degree to which I four tools, have focused their attention on get- square stock varies according to the needs of ting “the most” from their planes (which usu- the project. In this case, only the inside faces ally means the finest shavings), a look back are mating surfaces. But I’d like my carcase to tells us period craftsmen were instead focused be flush with the outside faces. So I’m stuck on getting “the least.” Like our approach of cleaning up all four sides. optimizing our planes and developing our techniques to produce flawless hand-worked Crosscuts and End Grain surfaces, period craftsmen clearly optimized Eighteenth-century craftsmen had planes their tools and developed their techniques they used to clean up end grain. They were to produce surfaces that we might consider called strike or straight blocks. But frankly, barely acceptable. I don’t like them. No matter what, planing From my perspective, both approaches end grain will always be a problem. For this are equally valid and are equally challeng- reason, I prefer to do my crosscut sawing very ing. They are, as the poet said, like two roads carefully and as accurately as possible to limit diverging in the woods. But I can tell you the amount of planing I have to do. Crosscut- what’s ahead along the road less traveled: For ting is usually the last thing I do before I start me, 18th-century stock preparation is not a the joinery. I have long suspected that once collection of techniques, but rather an oppor- that fresh end grain is exposed from the cen- tunity for me to express my wit and judgment ter of some long board, the board will move. and experience. The resulting surfaces are like End grain is very often covered in all sorts of footprints on a path; a record of my passing. I traditional woodwork. Because glue joints know preparing stock with machines requires involving end grain don’t work well, it’s rare less effort. But the well-trod road leaves no to find end-grain glue joints. For this reason, trace of those who’ve traveled it. So is it worth these surfaces often needn’t be perfect. taking? pw

popularwoodworking.com 35 I Can Do That Shaker Shelves

Clear finish updates the look of this classic design.

kills you’ve honed in previous “I Can Do SThat” projects are all it takes to create this graceful set of shelves, so with this project we’ll teach you a few clever tricks to draw arcs without a , and to straighten twisted boards – which is often a problem when work- ing with wider pieces of wood. This modified Shaker design, downsized from a set of creamery shelves, is adapted from a Shaker Workshops catalog. To ensure our ParrishAl by Photo 3⁄4"-stock would not bow under the weight of even the heaviest items, we decided to make these shelf pieces a bit shorter than those you’ll Pocket screws and two back supports make this handsome Shaker-inspired shelf simple to build. find on the company’s web site (shakerwork- shops.com). Many home centers carry only pine, poplar blade before completing the cut (see picture problem. It’s easy to make a compass jig. Sim- and oak (you may also find maple or , at right). ply grab a thin piece of scrap and drive a nail depending on your region). We decided on Now, you’re ready to lay out the arched top through the middle near one end. Now, using oak because we think it has the best natural and cutout at the bottom. Align the top edges the same measurement you already established appearance. of the sides and stick the faces together with to find the compass point (again, it’s 5⁄8" on One of the biggest challenges you’ll have double-stick tape to keep them from slipping, our plan), mark and drill a hole that distance with this project is finding wide boards that are then clamp both pieces together flat to your straight and flat … and that remain straight workbench. Now, measure across the width to and flat after you cut them to size. Take time find the center of your board, and make a mark. to look through the racks for the best boards That measurement is the same distance you’ll – and if at all possible, avoid shrink-wrapped measure down from the top edge to mark the boards, no matter how pretty. You’ll need two intersection of the two points (55⁄8"unless 6' and one 4' 1 x 12s (or one 10' and one 8' you’ve resized the plan, or used different-sized length). You’ll also need a 6' length of 1 x 4 stock). This point is where you’ll place your for the supports. compass point to draw the half-circle arch Once you’re back in the shop, your first across the top. step is to cut the sides to length on your miter And if you don’t have a compass, it’s no saw. If you have a 10" , your crosscuts Because the wood for the sides and shelves is on the sides (and shelves) will be a two-step by Megan Fitzpatrick & Glen D. Huey 111⁄4"-wide and your miter saw is likely a 10" process because the diameter of the saw blade Comments or a question? Contact Megan at 513-531- model, you’ll have to cut the pieces in two steps. limits the width of the cut. You’ll need to first 2690 ext. 1348 or [email protected]. Measure and make the first cut. Then flip the cut on one side of your board, then flip it over Contact Glen at 513-531-2690 ext. 1293 board over and line up the saw blade to the kerf and carefully line up the kerf with the saw or [email protected]. you’ve already cut, and make the second cut.

36 Popular Woodworking April 2007 A thin piece of scrap, a nail and a drill are all it takes to make this simple compass jig.

from the nail, and stick a pencil point through it. Voilà – a compass jig. You can use that same jig for the bottom arched cutout. Simply drill another hole 31⁄8" away from your nail. Set the nail as close to You can pull a cup out of a board by clamping the Make sure your drill is at a 90° angle to the most the center of the bottom edge as possible and piece to a straightedge and pulling it tight with narrow stock through which you’re – in this clamps before screwing it down. case, the 3⁄4" edge of the side beneath the support. mark the cutout arch. Or, mark the arch with a traditional compass. Now use your to cut as close to the clamped together during this process, you Drill countersunk holes at the top shelf, at the lines as possible, and use a and sandpaper should end up with nearly identical arches. bottom shelf, and at the inside edge where the to clean up the cuts. If you keep the pieces If you’re not confident in your jigsaw skills, support meets the middle shelf. Be sure to hold practice making curved cuts on some scrap your drill at 90° to the sides; because you’re pieces before moving on to the real thing. drilling into 3⁄4" stock, you could easily drill Now cut the shelves to length. through the side if you’re not careful. 28" Set up your pocket-hole jig for 3⁄4"-thick Attach the uprights with #8 x 11⁄4" screws material. Mark the placement for three pocket (rubbing the threads on some wax will help holes on each end of each shelf, two of them them seat more easily). Pay particular attention 3 261/2" ⁄4" from each long edge, and one in the center at the top and bottom as the stock can easily of the end. Drill the holes. (For more pocket- split. If it does crack, stop your drill immedi- hole instruction, see the December 2006 proj- ately – but don’t panic. Just back the screw out 121/8" ect or the PDF manual.) a tiny bit, and the split will close up. 38" Cut the back supports to length, and sand Finish the shelves with two coats of wip- all pieces to #150-grit before assembly (#120 ing varnish. PW if you’re planning to paint). 313/8" Now you’re ready for assembly, and the 131/8" second trick we promised. Lay one side flat on About this Column your bench and mark the location of the top shelf at either side. You may not be able to line Our “I Can Do That” column features proj- Illustration by John HutchinsonIllustrationJohn by up the shelf with your marks because of cup- ects that can be completed by any wood- 1 1/ R 3 /8" 3 2" ping in the wide board; that’s where the trick worker with a modest (but decent) kit of 37/8" comes in. Position the back support (or any tools in less than two days of shop time, 1 and using raw materials that are available 11 /4" straight piece of scrap) along the bowed side at any home center. We offer a free online of the shelf, if there is one, and use clamps to manual in PDF format that explains all the bring the edges of the shelf flat to the support Rear view 21/4" tools and shows you how to perform the or straight scrap. Slide the clamped unit to the basic operations in a step-by-step format. layout lines, hold or clamp it in place then use You’ll learn to rip with a jigsaw, crosscut shaker shelves screws to attach. This trick will work to pull with a miter saw and No. item dimensions (inches) material the bow from any of the shelves. drill straight with the T W l Attach all three shelves to both sides, help of our manual. ❏ 2 Sides 3⁄4 111⁄4 38 Oak straightening the pieces where necessary. To download the free ❏ 3 Shelves 3⁄4 111⁄4 261⁄2 Oak Now lay the assembly face down, line up manual, visit ICanDo- ThatExtras.com. ❏ 2 Supports 3⁄4 31⁄2 313⁄8 Oak the support with the top of your top shelf.

popularwoodworking.com 37 Michael Dunbar Sharpening distills three decades of sharpening into a simple, inexpensive for the and do-able system.

Sensible his is a subversive article. Woodworking gurus and Tcompanies that make expen- sive sharpening equipment don’t want you to read this, because when you discover that sharpening is both easy and inexpensive, they are all out of a job. When I began teaching Windsor chairmaking in 1980, I was an itiner- ant. I traveled from city to city and provided a tool list for the students in advance. When the class began, I was amazed at the tools that showed up. Few were ready to use. Many were brand new and had never been sharp- ened. Others had been on the barn wall where great-granddaddy had hung them decades ago. These tools were not in working order because the students who had brought them did not know how to sharpen. That meant that I either spent the first morning of a class sharpening tools, or the class would be a disaster. My problems were compounded by the absence of suitable sharpening equipment. None of my hosts ever had a dedicated sharpening station, and any paraphernalia they could provide consisted of a few waterstones or oil- stones. I had to develop a solution, or stop teaching.

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. These were my criteria. I had to with sandpaper. I prefer aluminum on the other. You will be more able of many cutting edges on newly do more than just hone an edge. I oxide, as it seems to hold up best. to plan your own setup by read- purchased tools. The grinding had to be able to reshape an entire You can adhere the to the ing on. leaves behind a series of parallel blade in very short order. My class- lapping plate with spray , scratches. If you were to magnify rooms were full of unusable tools or purchase self-adhering rolls. I Know What a Sharp Edge Is these scratches, each one is a tiny and I could not spend a lot of time do both. Purchase the rolls from a A lot of the problems woodworkers furrow in the metal. Where each on each one. A lot of chairmaking sandpaper catalog and the adhe- have with sharpening stem from furrow intersects the cutting edge tools have curved blades, and also sive at a hardware store. not knowing, or not being able to it creates a dip. Under magnifica- use both chisel- and knife-edge You will need a variety of grits. envision, what they are trying to tion, this row of dips looks like the profiles. So, my eventual solution We use #80, #120, #180, #220, accomplish. A sharp edge is simply teeth on a saw. Imagine trying to would have to be versatile. Finally, #330, #650, #1,000 and #1,500. two flat, polished surfaces inter- push a saw blade across a piece of I would need supplies that were The last three grits are wet-and- secting at an angle that will cut wood. It would take a lot of force easy to find and provide. Hosts dry sandpaper available from wood cleanly. While that is a sim- and the result would be a row of were not going to buy expensive automotive-supply dealers. Do not ple definition, it is very demand- scratches. That is what happens if equipment just for me. confuse these sandpaper grits with ing, in that anything less is not you try to use a factory edge. waterstone grits. They are not the sharp. The definition permits no A beat-up edge, as you fre- The Answer: Sandpaper same measurement. shortcuts, no half measures. quently find on secondhand tools, Three things I could find in any You will also want to have on How to proceed depends on usually has nicks and rust. A nick host’s work space were sandpaper, hand a stiff brush for keeping your whether you are starting with a is similar to a furrow as described a flat surface and small pieces of paper clean of loose grit. I use a new, factory-ground edge; an old above, but nicks are not evenly wood. This was my answer. It was brush. Single-edge beat-up, nicked and rusted edge; spaced and are frequently bigger. not so much a “eureka” moment as razors and a holder help remove or a well-maintained edge that Rust will pit the steel, and these it may appear. I had already been worn-out paper. Paint thinner merely needs to be honed. It will pits too, when they intersect the using sandpaper on plate glass for dissolves any leftover adhesive. also depend on whether the tool cutting edge, act like the furrows. a decade to lap plane soles. I was These are all available at a paint has a chisel edge or a knife edge. They leave scratches and require really taking a process I already store. Finally, you will need a As you can see, this requires some more force to work the tool. used and expanding on it. variety of hardwood 3⁄4" blocks judgment. Sharpening is not a Furrows, nicks and pits need Sandpaper sharpening solved of a size that will fit comfortably rote process of so many strokes of to be removed. This is the reason my problem. It also had an added in your hand. Pieces of of this surface, followed by so many for the #80-grit sandpaper in my benefit. It is so easy and simple various diameters about 4" long strokes on another. You need to system. It will cut metal fast. that once shown, my students got complete the equipment. combine whatever variety of pro- it and were able to sharpen their Setting up your sandpaper cesses your tool needs to achieve Sharpen a Chisel own tools. Other advantages are system depends on your needs. our definition. Let’s start on a chisel edge as it is that you will never again burn an I keep a strip of #80-, #120- and Factories usually create an the one most woodworkers rec- edge, and you will be able to use #330-grit paper on one side of the edge by coarsely grinding the ognize. Remember our definition. this system to sharpen just about plate and the wet-and-dry papers two surfaces. This is the condition An edge is two flat, polished sur- anything, from your best plane to a lawn mower blade. You don’t need The primary piece of equip- expensive equip- ment and the one that will prob- ment to get a ably cost the most (but not much) sharp edge. Here is a suitable hard, flat surface. In you can see my the beginning I used plate glass, aluminum plates, as glass is easy to find. However, sandpaper and it breaks. While no one was ever small scraps of wood that allow hurt, I worried. Today, I use 1⁄2"- me to sharpen thick aluminum plates that I all of my tools. bought from a metal dealer. You The razor blades, could also use a piece of granite utility knife and countertop. Whatever you select, brush round out it should be long enough to hold the equipment numerous strips of sandpaper of needs. various grits. The actual sharpening is done

popularwoodworking.com 39 step, as this grit will damage later stages of the process. Move to the next grit, in my case #120. Repeat the side-to-side lapping, the same as before. If you look at the results after about a dozen strokes, you will see the finer scratches begin- ning to replace those created by the #80 grit. This is a eureka moment for someone learning to sharpen. The polishing part of our definition is really a process of replacing coarse scratches with finer ones. You have completed the work on the #120 grit when this matte of finer scratches has completely replaced the previous coarser matte. If you look at this With a new tool, you need to address both the flat back surface in a good light you will of the tool and the bezel. Here I’m removing factory see what appears to be a shadow grinding marks on #80-grit sandpaper. Note the hand After a few dozen strokes with #80-grit paper, you can moving within it. That shadow is position, which allows me to apply consistent and heavy see how the scratch pattern is consistent on the back of you, beginning to reflect on a sur- pressure on the tool. this chisel. This tool is ready for the next finer grit. face that is becoming increasing more polished. Now, move to the faces. The wide surface is the back evidence that you have begun to faces are. It is not always necessary #180 grit and repeat the process of and the narrow sloping surface is remove the surface grinding, and to flatten the entire back of the replacing the #120-grit scratches the bezel. No, this is not a typo. It to reduce any nicks and pits. You blade. A couple inches is usually with an even finer matte. is actually the precise word. The may also detect low spots in the sufficient. You will probably feel At this point, I will usually dictionary defines a bezel as the surface. It is not uncommon to find the tool grow hot. It may even get focus some attention on the bezel. sloping surface of a cutting edge. that a blade is not actually flat. too hot to keep your fingers on it. I This is a narrower surface and flat- In other words, all bezels are bev- Continue this action on the usually blow on the tool to cool it. tening and polishing it does not els, but not all bevels are bezels. #80 grit until these blemishes are The good news is that you could normally require the coarser grits. Begin by flattening the back completely replaced by an even not possibly hold the tool long However, if the blade has nicks surface. Place it flat on the strip of matte of sandpaper scratches. The enough to burn the edge. That or pits that were not removed in #80 grit. It is imperative that the exception is a nick or pit directly old bugaboo does not occur with flattening the back, you may need blade remain flat on the paper, and in the cutting edge. These may sandpaper sharpening. to work the bezel with a coarser that you never lift it, which would not completely disappear until Use the brush to clean away paper. The bezel is one of our two round the surface. The action on you work the bezel. any loose grit that remains on the flat surfaces and you need to be sandpaper is side to side, rather Our definition does not men- lapping table. This is an impor- careful to not round it. No need for than front to back, as you would tion how wide those two flat sur- tant procedure to perform at every a honing jig. The trick is to place hone on a stone. I rock on my legs and move my body with the blade. This helps to avoid rock- ing the tool, or applying uneven pressure. After a dozen or more strokes, examine the results. It is best to do this under natural light and I will usually step to a nearby window. Use a magnifying glass or a jew- eler’s loupe if your eyes, like mine, are aging, and no longer see details To find the correct position of the bezel on the sandpa- Then I pivot the tool until the bezel rests flat on the sur- very well. You will see scratches per, I first set the tool down with the heel of the bezel face of the sandpaper. left by the #80 grit. Scratches are touching.

40 Popular Woodworking April 2007 the bezel on the paper on its heel. Now, lift the back until you feel the cutting edge make contact. It is a positive feeling that you can- not easily miss. This is the angle. Apply even downward pressure as you go back and forth, and you should have no trouble maintain- ing the angle. The remainder of the process of sharpening a chisel edge is mov- ing through the finer grits. You will notice that your reflection takes on more definition with each finer grit. By the time you reach the wet-and-dry paper, you should be able to recognize that good-looking face peering back at you. In fact, #1,000 grit will create a polish so fine that you cannot detect any scratches in the metal, and by looking closely you can pick out individual hairs in your eyebrows. Examine the cutting edge by looking directly at it and rolling it slowly up and down. You Here you can see my body motion as I sharpen the bezel. My arms are fixed and I rock my body forward and back. This motion assists in achieving consistent results. should see no metal glinting back at you. This is because you can see a dull edge, but a sharp one disap- I do this by applying strips of vari- pears. If the tool is as described, ous grits of sandpaper to appro- it should be razor sharp. Test it by priately sized dowels. The larger paring end grain. You should be the gouge, the larger the dowel’s able to slice off a shaving that will diameter, up to about 1". hold together, and the resulting If the gouge’s condition surface should be glassy smooth. requires, I will start with #80 grit and move on up through finer Gouges and Their Cannels papers. The trick is to lay the Chisels and blades dowel flat on the gouge’s concave Sharpening the concave section of all have the classic straight cut- surface. This means you have con- a gouge involves sandpaper around ting edge. A gouge is essentially tact all along the dowel. Unless a dowel – use a bigger dowel for gouges with shallower sweeps. As a chisel, except the blade is rolled you are trying to create a knife with sharpening a chisel, you want like a rain gutter. To complicate edge on a carving gouge, you do the unbeveled part of a gouge to our jargon even more, a chisel’s not want to round over the con- exhibit a consistent scratch pattern bezel is called a cannel, and a cave surface. Work the dowel (left). gouge can either be out-cannel down one side of the curve and or in-cannel. A mere word does up the other. Repeat this until you not change our definition of sharp. have a uniform matte all the way here.) The cannel is worked on the Try to make this a smooth, fluid If you cut a section of a gouge’s out to the cutting edge. Repeat lapping plate. Once again, find the movement. After a few strokes, cutting edge, it is still two flat pol- this through the grits. correct angle by placing the heel check the width of your cannel ished surfaces. When you reach #120 grit start on the paper and raising the han- to make sure it is uniform. Most gouges you will use are to work the cannel through the dle until the cutting edge makes An in-cannel gouge is easier out-cannel. In this case, the prob- same grits as was on your dowels. contact. Now, roll the bezel on to sharpen. Flatten the convex lem is to flatten the blade’s back (Depending on the size of the the paper. Roll up to one corner of surface by rolling it from one edge surface, which is a concave curve. gouge, some judgment is required the cannel and back to the other. to the other while moving it side

popularwoodworking.com 41 Sharpening a crested blade

More pressure here

Sharpening the cannel of a gouge involves rolling the tool as you move it along the sandpaper. Begin with the cannel contacting the sandpaper on one end (left). As you move the tool along the paper, roll the gouge (right) so that at the end of the stroke you have the opposite corner of the cannel touching The motion is side to side and in an arc. At the beginning of the arc, my the paper. finger pressure is on the right corner of the plane blade. to side along the paper. To work ingly finer grits, return to the bezel the cannel, use various grits of and work it in conjunction with sandpaper applied to dowels. the back.

Crested Plane Blades The Knife-edge Tools Jack and smooth plane blades are Many tools have a knife edge. A crested. In other words, the cut- knife edge is most desirable when a ting edge is an arc that looks like tool cuts down into wood and back a fingernail. This is easy to do on out again. Most knife-edge tools sandpaper. In this case, I shape the are used for shaping and other edge before flattening the back. fairly rough work. An ax, and Place the blade on its bezel and scorp (inshave) are examples of find the correct angle by lifting knife-edge tools. A is the end until the cutting edge also a knife edge, but is a slightly makes contact. different matter. I do not use the You are going to use a side- lapping plate for knife-edge tools. As I move the tool to the right, I shift my finger pressure to the center. to-side motion, but it will also be Instead, I use wood blocks or dow- arced. Begin on one corner apply- els with paper adhered to them. ing pressure there with the fingers The two sides of a knife edge of one hand. As you slide along the are symmetrical. Although they edge, gradually shift the pressure are slightly rounded, their shape to your other hand, so that by the only defines the angle of the cut- time you reach the other corner ting edge. Our definition of sharp the weight is all on those fingers. still applies, for at the very cutting By moving the blade along an arc edge the surfaces are still flattened and shifting the weight, you will and polished. abrade more metal from the cor- ners. Keep up this motion and the Sharpen an Ax More pressure here blade becomes crested. How much The ax is the simplest knife-edge you crest the cutting edge depends tool. So, let’s start here. I adhere on the plane’s purpose. several grits of paper to 3⁄4"-thick Once the cutting edge is hardwood blocks about 3" by 4". I crested, flatten the back of the have a small hand with stubby fin- At the end of the arc, I shift my finger pressure to the left corner of the blade. plane blade as you would a chisel. gers. If you have a big hand, use a As you proceed through increas- block that fits you comfortably.

42 Popular Woodworking April 2007 Because I am running a block Drawknife flat bottom. Now, move through You can see if an edge is dull. Take over the blade with the cutting This is a modified knife edge. a progression of finer papers until the blade to a source of natural edge uncomfortably close to my Unlike the other examples, a you have the degree of sharpness light and examine it closely. fingers, I like to have the tool well drawknife’s cutting edge is not you desire. Again, magnification will help secured. If a knife-edge tool will symmetrical. Like a chisel edge, weak eyes. Roll the edge in the not rest stable on a benchtop, I will one side is flat, while the other Maintain the Edge light and you will see the rounded typically hold it in a vise. is rounded. This point is not These are the steps for sharpening edge reflecting the light back to If I am working a new tool that appreciated by most modern a new tool fresh from the factory, you. Remember, you cannot see a has been coarsely ground, or one drawknife manufacturers, who or a secondhand tool that is worn. sharp edge, so this is visual proof that is beat, I begin with #80 typically grind the tool to a chisel Some new tools (such as Pfiel carv- that it is time to hone. grit. The process is one of strok- edge. This shape edge prevents ing gouges) are sharpened by the The good news about honing ing the block along the cutting the tool from being able to slice manufacturer. They and any tool is that it usually pretty fast. Unless edge, starting at the edge itself, into the wood and out again, in you have sharpened, will even- the blade has been nicked, you can and then overlapping the strokes the way that knife-edge tools are tually dull and will have to be usually begin on a medium grit down the curved surface. Work supposed to work. Instead, a chisel sharpened again. This is a slightly such as #180 or #220 (for a large both sides the same and keep at edge on a drawknife causes the different category that I think of tool and even finer for a small one.) the process until all blemishes tool to dive into the work, frus- as maintenance, as opposed to the Hone a chisel edge by lapping the have been removed. trating the poor user. preparation described above. back until the rounded edge on Once again, the result will be Begin by flattening a drawknife A tool usually dulls due to fric- that side is completely removed an even matte of scratches. Now as you would do lapping a chisel or tion and wear resulting from use. and the uniform matte extends all move through the finer grits, plane blade. However, the tool’s The keen cutting edge created by the way out to the edge. Remem- repeating the process of polish- handles prevent this from being the arris of two flat intersecting ber, there are no shortcuts and ing. With each grit be sure to work possible on a lapping plate, and surfaces rounds over. Instead of half measures. Here’s a trick that right up to the cutting edge on you need to use a wood block. The engaging the wood and shaving it, may help as you learn to sharpen: both sides of the blade and then back is as much as 13⁄8" wide and the rounded cutting edge begins to Color the rounded edge with a red back down. usually 8" to 10" long. I typically skate. Engaging it into the wood is Sharpie and lap until that red dis- begin with #80 grit, as there is so only possible by using more force. appears. Now hone the bezel until Scorp and Adze much metal to remove. Both these tools are concave. With the back flat and with a A drawknife While a block works well on the uniform matte, work the curved should also be convex surface, you have to use upper surface as you did on the secured in a vise dowels on the inside curve. The ax. Overlap your strokes all the when sharpen- only difference between them and way out the cutting edge. Repeat ing. Work both an ax is that the stroking is done across the blade until you have cutting surfaces along inside and outside curves. the same uniform matte as on the of the tool using overlapping strokes until you obtain a con- sistent scratch pattern.

Sharpening an ax is best done with the tool secured in a vise, leaving both of my hands free to work the edge. The sandpaper here is affixed to a block of wood.

popularwoodworking.com 43 the rounding on that side of the remove the line of polish that to change the blade’s angle. The the grinding wheel. With sandpa- edge also is removed and the red reveals a rounded edge. Now, angle can increase to a point per sharpening, you return to the ink is all gone. You can polish work in the same way through where it no longer cuts well. If #80 grit and reestablish the origi- through as many finer papers as the finer grits. the blade is mounted in a tool nal angle through the aggressive you need to achieve the desired Routine honing brings back a such as a plane, it can even lose abrasion of a coarse paper. Now, result. sharp edge for a while. However, the clearance behind the cutting hone the newly shaped edge with For a knife edge the process is repeated honings will eventu- edge that’s required for the tool to finer papers.PW similar. Only here, use a medium- ally remove enough metal from take a shaving. In most sharpen- Next issue: Dunbar on setting grit paper on a block or dowel to the cutting edge that you begin ing methods, this requires going to up handplanes.

Sharpening Philosophy: Don’t Go Crazy; Use Your Judgment

Here are some general thoughts and advice The sharpening sys- on sharpening, as well as answers to some tem outlined here frequently asked questions. Every shop should works for the wide have a dedicated sharpening system. You variety of edge tools should work with sharp tools. It is easier and for woodworking, safer. You are less likely to stop and hone a tool including the small that is beginning to skate if you have to dig out selection shown your sharpening equipment and set it up. here that I maintain Sandpaper sharpening is a complete sys- for my chairmaking tem. I not only maintain all my personal tools classes. with it, we maintain the many score of tools we provide for our students’ use. Fred Chellis, who teaches with me, runs a sideline sharpen- ing service, and uses the sandpaper system. When sharpening as many tools as we do, one wants a system that is fast. However, there is no reason why the method cannot be blended one writes the proper angle for a tool should be with other equipment you may already own or 35°, do you think it will matter if you really get prefer. For example, Fred likes diamond hones 37°? No. In other words, use your judgment. and uses those instead of wet-and-dry paper I think (insert any system here) results in a applied to a wood block. sharper edge. Assume there is a sharpening How flat is flat? I receive e-mails and read scale of 1 to 100. If your tools were only at 50 comments from people who are unsatisfied on this scale, would you complain if a system with a lapping plate because when tested with resulted in 93, as opposed to another that a dial indicator or other precision equipment created 95? I once visited a shop run by a real it was out of flat by some otherwise impercep- latter are for shaping and heavy stock removal. sharpening fanatic. He was so proud of his tible amount. Don’t go crazy here. Over the I only take my drawknife up to #330 grit, but edge that he gave me jeweler’s loupe to watch years obsessive-compulsive authors and letter- my best Bedrock 404 smooth plane is honed to the action as he shaved hair. It was not like to-the-editor critics have convinced too many a bright mirror polish on #1,500-grit wet-and- shaving your beard, he shaved along the fol- of us that we cannot work wood unless we are dry paper. licle like you would whittle a stick. I asked how accurate to three decimal places. Remember, What angle should I use for my cutting long such a sharp edge would last in a plane. when lapping we are sharpening woodwork- edges and how accurate do I have to be? This He replied: “About a half dozen strokes. Then ing tools – not making equipment for NASA’s answer combines the last two. It depends, the super edge wears to merely sharp.” Mars Rover. and don’t get crazy. The more acute the angle, How often do you sharpen? Sharpening is How sharp is sharp? The answer to a lot the more easily it will cut. However, the more a function of use, not time. Simply put, sharpen of woodworker questions is, “It depends.” In acute the angle, the more fragile the edge. So, when you need to. A dull tool requires more this case, it really does. Not all tools have to be the heavier the work you do, the less acute force and does not create a cleanly cut surface. equally sharp. A tool one woodworker relies (or more robust) the edge. For example a jack You can also see the rounded edge under on for finish work, such as a plane, another plane blade’s edge will have less angle than a good light. may use for rough stock removal. Generally smooth plane. Mortise and firmer chisels have What about micro bezels? I don’t use them speaking, chisel-edge tools will need to be more robust edges than paring chisels. Don’t and my tools cut fine. Sandpaper sharpening sharper than knife-edge tools. The former are get wrapped up in how accurate your angles is real easy, and I don’t like to complicate what more commonly used for finish work, while the are relative to what you read or hear. If some- can be done easily. — MD

44 Popular Woodworking April 2007 WOODWORKING ESSENTIALS BY SCOTT GIBSON

CHAPTER Setting Up Shop: 5 Material Storage t takes more than a room full of tools to make a productive woodworking Ishop. Along with stationary power tools and a collection of handplanes and chisels comes a diverse list of materials that must be kept on hand and accessible when you need them. Not surprisingly, most of us focus on storing lumber. In addition to being the basic raw material that woodshops must have to operate, lumber has its own intrinsic pleasure. We can always make room for it. Lumber also varies tremendously in size, shape and potential use. Rough hardwood that needs jointing and thickness planing before it can be used is nothing like the finished pine we can buy at the local lumberyard. In addi- tion to various kinds of solid lumber, most shops also will need at least a modest inventory of plywood and other panel goods. And wood is only the beginning. Shops also need everything from stains and finish to boxes of wood screws, pencils and paper, nuts and bolts, glue, cleaning supplies and light bulbs. It’s not hard to find yourself awash in shop clutter. You know you’re in trouble when you’d rather go to the hardware store and buy a tube of 5- minute epoxy rather than take the

time to look for the tube you know you PHOTOPARRISHALBY already have. It’s just plain easier than Finished work, whether it’s a turned bowl or an entertainment center, is at center stage in pawing through the stuff you can’t most woodworking shops. But material storage and handling, such as these racks of lumber in seem to keep organized. the background, play an important if not as obvious supporting role. Layers of boards are separated from each other by narrow stickers that Careful stacking will help preserve these walnut boards for Popular should be aligned with each other vertically. The ends of these freshly Woodworking Publisher Steve Shanesy. The wood pile should start on a sawn cherry boards will be painted with a wax-based product to help flat base elevated off the ground. prevent end checks.

Keeping all of these supplies straight have an easier time matching figure in Take the time not only to level each 4x4 is something like the process of orga- adjacent boards when it really counts individually but also to arrange them so nizing tools. By balancing work flow, or finding a board of exactly the right they are all in the same plane. The idea convenience and safety, you can come width when you need it. is to create a stable platform that’s as flat up with a quartermaster’s plan for your A big stack of lumber represents not as you can get it. shop. All you have to do is stick with it. only opportunity but also responsibil- The space beneath the bottom layer But that’s another issue. ity. If properly cared for, those boards of lumber and the ground will promote will be sound and straight years down air circulation. If the lumber is just com- Storing Lumber Outdoors the road. I still have some walnut that ing from a mill, that will also help it dry. came from a tree my father cut on the And moving air will reduce the risk of Saves Space in the Shop family’s southern Maryland farm in mold. It’s also a good idea to put a layer Many woodworkers keep a good deal 1949. Among the planks is one that’s 11' of polyethylene plastic or tarpaper on of lumber on hand – not just enough long, 18" wide and 21⁄2" thick. I’m sav- the ground beneath the 4x4s to keep for the current project but hundreds ing it for a table. moisture from migrating upward into of board feet tucked away for future If, on the other hand, wood is the bottom layer of lumber. use. Maybe the wood was available at improperly stored you’ll have a king- Next are the stickers, the narrow a great price, or the big cherry tree in sized headache but nothing you can pieces of lumber that are used to sepa- a neighbor’s front yard came down in a make furniture with. rate each row of lumber. It’s better to use storm and you’ve paid to have it sawn It’s always better to keep lumber dry material for stickers to minimize the into boards. indoors where it’s protected from harsh risk of mold. Keep them narrow to get If you can spare the room, stocking sunlight, rain, snow and insects, than the most air circulation possible; mate- lumber is an excellent approach. It’s lib- outside. But lumber can successfully rial that’s 1" wide and 3⁄4" to 1" thick is erating to have a stack of rough lumber be stored outside, too, as long as you’re more than adequate. Use a consistent at the start of a project. Resting in those careful about it. thickness throughout each layer. planks is a diversity of grain and range Never store lumber on the ground. It When you go to build the pile, the of color that opens many possibilities as will rot. Start with a sturdy, level foun- key is to align the stickers in the pile a piece of furniture takes shape. You’ll dation of 4x4s spaced 16" to 24" apart. with one another, beginning with the

Popular Woodworking first ones that are placed directly over the 4x4s at the very bottom of the heap. Here’s the sequence: 4x4s, then a layer of boards separated by an inch or so of The lumber rack on space between them. Then a layer of the far wall of this shop doesn’t take up stickers placed exactly over the 4x4s, much floor space. But then another layer of lumber, then one disadvantage is stickers. As long as the stack is stable that the area in front and in no danger of toppling, you can of the rack must be make it as high as you like. kept relatively free of Stickers aren’t arranged in that way clutter to make the to satisfy some pathological need for lumber accessible. neatness and order. They help the lum- ber stay flat. If you locate stickers with- out regard to the layer below you run a good risk of getting lumber that dries into a series of delicate waves – like the pasta that goes into lasagna. The distor- tion may be too much to joint out of the wood, rendering it useless. If the 4x4 foundation is not flat, it’s easy to create a twist in wood that will likewise make it useless for building furniture. A piece of salvaged corrugated roof- ing, weighted down with scrap wood or rocks, will keep most of the rain and snow off the lumber. If you buy the lum- ber green, paint the ends of the boards or use a specialty sealer from a lumber- yard supplier to keep the boards from drying at the ends first and splitting. Just remember that wood that’s been stored outside will need to shed some of its moisture before it can be used in A rack made of 2x4s and pipe lagged securely A lumber shed at the shop of Kelly Mehler furniture. Bring it into the shop and let to the wall makes excellent wood storage. provides lots of storage possibilities. This it acclimate for a couple weeks. If you Here, it makes use of wall space that’s not open-ended rack makes it easy to see what’s have a moisture meter, take advantage practical for other uses. available. of it. Also, outside storage probably shouldn’t be viewed as an indefinite solution for furniture woods. fancy, just strong and mounted securely wise would go to waste. In a shop with a to wall framing with adequately sized high ceiling, a two- or three-shelf rack Inside the Shop, Build Racks or lag bolts. One advantage of a rack is above window height is a great way of that lumber can be sorted by width or storing wood you don’t need access to Store Lumber Vertically species or in some other way that makes very often. When the time comes, get There are two basic strategies for storing it easy to find what you want. The closer a stepladder and haul down what you lumber inside a shop: It can be orga- that supports are to each other verti- need. For the rest of the time, you’re nized in wall-mounted racks, or stood cally, the greater number of shelves the saving a lot of floor space. on end vertically and leaned against the rack will provide. Even when supports The downside of a rack is that you wall. Both methods have their advan- are separated only by 12" or so, they can usually end up moving lumber to get the tages and disadvantages. provide lots of useable space. board you want. Unless you can slide Wall racks can be made from either Another plus is that a lumber rack the board from beneath the stack you’ll wood or metal. They don’t have to be can be mounted on a wall that other- end up removing a number of boards,

popularwoodworking.com retrieving the one you’re after, and then restacking the entire pile. At the same time, you can’t see everything in this sort of stack. Visibility is limited to the top board and then a series of edges along the side of the stack. For a really good look at what you have, count on taking the boards off the rack and examining them one at a time. Another disadvantage is that the space in front of a rack should be kept relatively clear of clutter so getting to a piece of lumber is not akin to running an obstacle course – not only a pain in the neck but potentially hazardous. Avoiding this problem can be tough in many shops where space is at a premium. The other school of thought is to store boards vertically on their ends and lean them against a wall. George Nakashima, the influential post-war Woodcarver David Monhollen has ready access to lumber that’s stored upright. He can easily furniture maker whose studio is still leaf through what he has on hand. in family hands, used this approach to store some of his lumber. He was a great collector of wood For shorts and small offcuts – those veneer-core plywood, high-strength in many forms. Nakashima would buy boards that are left over when you cut a Baltic-birch plywood, particleboard for whole trees and cart them to a mill big plank – vertical storage is probably countertops. A time will come for all of where they were turned into boards. He the best solution. They won’t easily fit them. And because most panel goods had them stacked in exactly the same on a rack horizontally and a large num- come in 4' x 8' sheets, there is often a order in which they came off the saw ber of pieces can be stored on a rela- good deal of leftover when a job has and banded together so they could dry. tively small amount of floor space. The been completed so you may find yourself That method, storing wood in boule only caveat here is to remind yourself to the curator of many pieces in different form, is beyond most of us. But vertical sort through the pile periodically and thicknesses and materials. storage is not. get rid of anything that doesn’t serve a Their size dictates that panels be In his book “The Soul of a Tree” genuine purpose. It’s easy to hang on stored on edge. Very few shops will (Kodansha), there is a wonderful to every bit of scrap lumber you create have the kind of room you need to store photograph of Nakashima in his wood (“I just know I’ll use that for something panels flat. And besides, unless you room, surrounded by a thicket of wide someday”) but the truth is that without have a lot of one kind of panel, this is hardwood planks as if he were standing periodic weeding every garden becomes probably the least practical of all storage in a grove of trees. All of that beauty in overgrown. solutions because you’ll have to move a anyone’s shop is inspiring. You will be Another approach for short scraps is lot of material to get the one sheet you limited, of course, by the height of the to make a storage bin from short lengths need (remember that a 4' x 8' sheet of room. And the more lumber you collect of PVC pipe. In these makeshift bins, MDF weighs nearly 100 pounds). and store this way, the harder it will you can sort short pieces of moulding, A practical solution is to build a nar- be to get to any particular board you’re lumber and dowel for easy retrieval row rack, a couple feet wide and 8' long, looking for. when you need them. to hold panels on edge. Locate it so you But one advantage is that you can can pull a full sheet of plywood straight easily see all sides of a board once you’ve Panel Products Need Their out without running into anything found it. By tilting a plank up on one of else. The width can be divided into its lower corners and holding the board Own Kind of Storage two or more individual bays to help you in a near-vertical position you can pivot Panel goods are a mainstay of many organize different types of panel goods the wood freely to see either the front cabinetmaking jobs and shops often – 3⁄4"-hardwood plywood can go in one, face or back face. gather a good assortment of them: MDF, a mixed lot of sheet goods in the others.

Popular Woodworking 20°, each end of tube

Each row of Make the bottom of the rack smooth tubes is cut to and flat so the sheets will slide easily be 11⁄2" longer and elevate it slightly from the rest of than the row above the floor (hardwood plywood is ideal for this). This works especially well if you have a shop with a concrete floor – it’s hard work to drag plywood across rough One screw at the bottom of concrete, and it’s tough on the material each tube attaches it to the as well. plywood base Unless you have a very large shop with lots of wall space, try not to store This storage bin is made from sections of 4" PVC posts. Its graduated rows provide lots of plywood against a wall so you have to Metal strap keeps inexpensive storage for just about anything a approach it from the side. Only the top unit together shop produces, including short scraps. sheet will be readily accessible (every- thing else will have to be moved to get to sheets on the inside) and it is virtu- In Scott Phillips’ ally impossible not to lean offcuts and large workshop, shorts against the pile. Before you know panel goods can it, the sheet of plywood you need is bur- be stored upright ied beneath a pile of scrap lumber you against a wall. don’t want to handle. Rotate the panels once in a while if Whenever sheet goods are stored on they sit around so edge, take care to get them as vertical as they don’t develop possible and rotate unused sheets once a bow. in a while. If not, the sheet will take on a bow that will make it tough to build straight cabinets and shelves. One way

Jigs and patterns are another kind of material that most shops have plenty of. Furniture- These metal racks, in the workshop of Tom Willenborg, hold a lot of plywood. Storing panel maker Troy Sexton is in good company keep- goods on edge, as Willenborg does in the rack in the foreground, saves floor space and makes ing them on a wall over a bench. access relatively easy.

popularwoodworking.com Some materials com- to avoid this if you do store plywood mon to woodworking against a wall is to secure it flat against shops are hazard- the wall with bungee cords, rope or by ous if not handled some other means so it can’t sag. properly. Rags soaked in oil finish can ignite spontaneously if they Liquid Storage: , Stains, are not spread out to Finishes and Glue dry or immersed in a pail of water. The many liquid materials that wood- shops accumulate present their own storage and handling challenges. While the containers take up far less room than does lumber, what’s inside all those bottles and cans can be a good deal more finicky. In some cases, liquids can present safety hazards if not handled carefully. Finishes come in a wide variety, from A locker specifically water-based latex paints to and designed for flam- made with volatile solvents. In mable materials is a good investment. general, water-based finishes must be Its double-wall con- protected from freezing temperatures if struction would help they are to remain useful. If you work prevent the spread in an unheated shop in a cold climate, of fire. these materials will have to be stored inside when it gets cold. Solvent-based finishes are not as temperature sensitive, but they are usu- ally more flammable and the powerful solvents they contain can be a fire or explosive hazard in an enclosed space. Companies that specialize in safety equipment sell metal cabinets made specifically for hazardous liquids – it’s a good investment if you have a lot of finish on hand and want to protect your shop from the possibility of fire. Finishes also don’t last forever. Polymerizing oils, and similar finishes have a way of turning into thick gunk over time. It’s a good practice to mark the cans with the date of pur- chase, or the date on which they were mixed if you make your own brew, so that you know when they should be retired. (When the time comes, don’t toss them out the back door or dump them down the drain. Contact your They will last longer. glues are happier if they are not allowed local municipal offices or state environ- Glue is another material that can be to freeze. Even if still in a liquid state, mental office for advice on getting rid of sensitive to time, sunlight and tempera- these glues should not be used if they expired finishes.) ture. Yellow and white are too cold because the bond will not Try to store finishes out of direct glues (Titebond and Elmer’s Carpenter’s be reliable – check the label for the sunlight and away from sources of heat. Glue, for example) as well as liquid hide specifics. If you have a heated space for

Popular Woodworking water-based finishes, store your glue in there as well. Epoxy and other two-part adhesives that are not water-based don’t need as much hand-holding although these adhesives do have a limited life span. The manufacturer of West Systems epoxy says this adhesive has a shelf life of about one year from the date of manufacture, although this is probably a conservative estimate. Polyurethane glue and liquid hide glue also are given about a year’s shelf life from the time of manufacture before they should be discarded. Glue that comes in powder form can pick up mois- ture from the air over time. As with finish, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on glue containers and get rid of those that are no longer reliable. Glue is one of those things you should buy as you go and use when it’s fresh – you’re not accomplishing much when you buy a 10-year supply of an adhesive that only lasts a year.

Nuts, Bolts and All Those This easy-to-build cabinet holds a series of plastic trays – perfect for storing everything from Other Loose Ends ferrules to rivets. Who hasn’t been in a woodshop at least once and looked up to see a series of neatly labeled baby-food jars suspended from the ceiling for storing nuts, screws and washers? In theory, it’s an inge- nious approach to storage. All you have to do is nail the lid to the ceiling and screw on the jar. When you need what’s inside, just reach up and remove the jar. But in truth, most of have trouble staying that organized. Even with the best of intentions, nails, screws and everything else too small to bother with ends up in a couple coffee cans under the bench. In time, we have absolutely no idea what’s in them. Like the missing tube of 5-minute epoxy, the fastener we need is easier to replace at the hardware store than to find under our haphazard storage system. Open bins and trays for the fasten- ers used most frequently can help. With a few hours to spare and a bit of Wire shelving helps turner Judy Ditmer stay organized. These shelves not only hold a lot of 1⁄2" plywood, you can make a stack of material, their design promotes air circulation.

popularwoodworking.com Everything you need to know about setting up your shop! From getting the most out of your sturdy storage containers that will hold can be turned into a storage rack with space, to choosing machinery loca- a dozen kinds of wood screws in plain multiple shelves in very little time. Even tion, lighting, power and material view. These stackable containers can be if your system is as simple as lumping storage, this seven-chapter series parked on a shelf and pulled out when “rough,” “medium” and “fine” grits of offers all the answers. WOODWORKING you need something. paper with each other it will save you ESSENTIALS

CHAPTER BY SCOTT GIBSON Plastic storage bins – either those time in the long run. Chapter 5 Setting Up Shop: 5 Material Storage t takes more than a room full of tools to make a productive woodworking Ishop. Along with stationary power with flip-up tops or banks of small draw- For bulk storage, there are a variety tools and a collection of handplanes and chisels come list of materials thats a surprisinglymust be kept diverse on hand and readily Material Storage need them. available when you Not surprisingly, most of us f on storing lumber. In addition to being the basic raw ocus material that woodshops must have to operate, lumber has its ers – are an excellent way of organizing of low-cost avenues to explore. Used own intrin Proper lumber and sheet-good make roomsic for pleasure. it. We can always Lumber also vari size, shape and potentiales tremendously use. R in hardwood that needs jointing and thickness planing befor ough is nothing like the finished pine we can e it can be buy at the local lumber y used tion to various kinds of solid lumber, very small parts that you don’t need kitchen cabinets are worth looking at ard. In addi storage keeps the materials most shops also will need - modest inventory of plywood and other at least a panel goods. And wood is only the beginning. Shops also ne and finish to edboxes everything of wood fromscrews, stains pencils an cleaning suppliesd paper, and nuts light and bulbs. bolts, glue, many of and don’t use all the time. Cot- (skip cheaply made cabinets because straight and handy. It’s not hard to find yourself aw in shop clutter. You know you’re in trouble ash when you’d rather go to the hardware store and buy a tu minute epoxy rather than take the time to look for the tube youb ekno of 5- already have. It’s just plain easier than pawing through the stuff y w you Finished work, wheth H

RIS ter pins, set screws, small lock-washers, they won’t last). Yard sales, used furni- ou can’t most woodworking shops.er it’s But ma a t in the background, play an importanturned bowl if no or an entertainment center, is at terials storage and handling, such as BY AL PAR

HOTO

center P t as obvious s stage in upporting role. these racks of lumber machine screws and small electrical ture stores and newspaper classified ads IN FUTURE ISSUES components may not be what we think all are good places to look. of first when it comes time to build a If all this organization makes you Chapter 6 highboy. But when your router is on the nervous, try to remember that it really Workstations fritz you’ll be glad to know where to find will make the shop safer, because it & Benches an extra switch. eliminates clutter, and more enjoyable, Beyond machines, work- Sandpaper is another commodity because it eliminates the frustration of stations and benches are item that’s easy to lose track of. A few never finding what you need. It’s worth where everything gets done in pieces of leftover or plywood a try. pw a woodshop. Choose well. Chapter 7 Ditmer’s system includes a Dust Collection labeling system for mate- Keep your shop (and your rial stored on shelves. It lungs) dust free by planning makes identification and ahead for any task. retrieval much easier. IN PAST ISSUES (issue #157) Chapter 1 800%803,*/( &44&/5*"-4

$)"15&3 The Right Location #:%"7*%5)*&- 4FUUJOH6Q4IPQ  5IF3JHIU-PDBUJPO PTUXPPEXPSLFSTCBDLJOUP Learn the pros and cons of XPPEXPSLJOH HBUIFSJOHUPPMT .BOEFRVJQNFOUTMPXMZ#FDBVTF OVNCFSPOFBOTXFS GPMMPXFEDMPTFMZCZ PGUIJTGBDUNPTUXPPEXPSLFSTBMTPHSPX NPSFUJNFBOEMFTTFYQFOTJWFXPPE UIFJSXPPEXPSLJOHTQBDFTMPXMZBTXFMM 5IFZNBZTUBSUPVUXJUIBDPSOFSPGUIF (JWFODBSUFCMBODIFUPTFMFDUB WFSUFEHBSBHFPSCBTFNFOUTQBDFGPS iSJHIUTJ[FEuXPPEXPSLJOHTQBDF NPTU HBSBHFPSCBTFNFOUEFEJDBUFEUP4BU UIFJSXPPETIPQ5IFMVDLZGFXIBWF PGVTXPVMEQJDLTPNFUIJOHBCPVU VSEBZQSPKFDUT CVUBTUIFJSJOUFSFTUBOE BOPQQPSUVOJUZUPDPOWFSUBOFYJTUJOH UXJDFUIFTJ[FPGBUXPDBSHBSBHFUIBU TLJMMTCVJME TPEPFTUIFOFFEGPSTQBDF PVUCVJMEJOHPSHFUUPBDUVBMMZCVJMEB JTIFBUFEBOEBJSDPOEJUJPOFE IBTB TIPQUPUIFJSPXOTQFDJàDBUJPOT&BDI 5IBUTXIFSFXFXBOUUPTUBSUXJUI WBVMUFEDFJMJOHBOEIBTXJOEPXTPO UIJTàSTUDIBQUFSPG4FUUJOH6Q4IPQ PGUIFTFPQUJPOTIBWFDPNQSPNJTFTBOE UISFFTJEFTBOEBMBSHFHBSBHFEPPSPO m4QBDF8IFOXFQPMMXPPEXPSLFST JTTVFT BOEXFMMMPPLBUUIFNPOFBUB UIFGPVSUI8IFOZPVMPPLPVUBOZPG basement, garage and out- BCPVUXIBUUIFZOFFEUPJNQSPWFUIFJS UJNFUPIFMQZPVBWPJEDPNQMJDBUJPOTJO UIFXJOEPXT UIFSFJTBCVDPMJDMBOE QMFBTVSFJOXPPEXPSLJOH TQBDFJTUIF TFUUJOHVQZPVSTIPQ TDBQFEWJFXXJUIOPUBOPUIFSCVJMEJOH JOTJHIU8IJDICSJOHTVTCBDLUPSFBMJUZ .PTUXPPEXPSLFSTBSFVTJOHDPO )PMF*O5IF(SPVOE 1SPCBCMZUIFMFBTUBQQFBMJOH CVUWFSZ GSFRVFOUMPDBUJPOGPSBXPPETIPQJTJO building shops – and how to UIFCBTFNFOU5IFOFHBUJWFTBSFNBOZ make the most of any shop.

8PPEXPSLFS DIPTFIJTSFUJSFNFOUI(FPSHF+BFHFS OPSUIFSO,FO PNFJO GVMMZ5IF TRVBSUDLZWFSZDBSF EFUBDIFECBSOMFTTUIBOFGPPU GFFUGSPNIJTIPNF QFSGFDUXPPETIPQXJUIBONBLFTB VOCFMJFWBCMZQBTUPSBM 800%803,*/(TFUUJOH Chapter 2 (issue #158) &44&/5*"-4

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Chapter 3 (issue #159) Placing Machinery The right machines in the right locations will make 800%803,*/( your woodworking smooth. &44&/5*"-4

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WFSZDBSFGVMMZ5IF TRVBSFGPPUEFUBDIFECBSOMFTTUIBOGFFU Balancing maximum storage H with accessibility will save time and energy.

Order back issues online at popularwoodworking.com or Popular Woodworking call 800-258-0929. Longworth Chuck

This jig helps you easily reverse your roperly finished bowls never how the turner mounted them. How- work for base turning. Pever, traditional methods for reversing a bowl to turn the base involve a lot of fuss and bother. Cole Jaws, for example, require crank- ing at least 48 hex screws for each use (not to mention the aggravation of having to scrabble in the shavings for dropped screws). Leslie Longworth must have been aggra- vated, too, because he did something about it. Two decades ago he conceived an inge- nious self-centering scroll chuck that does the reversing job fast and elegantly. Unfortunately, it attracted little inter- est, perhaps because it appears complicated. His instructions were incomplete, because he was able to write only the first of two intended articles on its construc- tion before pass- ing away. However, with a little imagination, the first article con- tains enough informa- tion to not only make his chuck but to develop it further.

by Garrett Lambert Garrett got his woodworking start in his father’s profes- sional woodshop in Toronto, Ontario. After years in the Canadian Diplomatic Service, he’s now semi- retired and is the editor of WoodCentral.com’s

Articles & Reviews department. Photo by Al Parrish Al by Photo The chuck is just a pair of suited to handle side pressure. I an expensive component, because lathe and clamp it in a vise. Draw counter-rotating disks. Their discovered that it’s just as easy to removing and replacing the face- three circles. The smallest is the maximum radius is a smidgen less make a six-jaw chuck. plate would soon wear the screw diameter of your faceplate or nut, than the distance between the 2. It’s crucial to do the follow- holes in the MDF. An alternative plus about an inch; the largest is lathe’s headstock and bed. Out- ing steps in order. Trust me. is a nut with the same thread as the diameter of the disk less about board turners could size chucks 3. The jaws and wing the lathe’s headstock. (See “Make an inch; the middle circle is cen- to accommodate still larger work, nuts can hurt. A lot. the Headstock” on page 55.) tered between the other two. but they should consider increas- Start by cutting matching disks Whatever you decide, tack the At this point, if you’re making ing the thickness of the materials. of 3⁄4" MDF for the back and 1⁄4" front disk to the back disk with a chuck larger than about 14", you One further outboard consider- Baltic birch for the front. Other four small finishing nails set about have to decide how many jaws you ation is that the routed arcs should materials might work, but I know 1⁄2" in from the rim. Mount the want. I’ve made both, and while be cut in the opposite direction these stay flat. assembly on the lathe, true up the four are adequate, I recommend from those described below if the The next step is choosing how rim, and round the edges. six. The photo at the bottom of headstock is not reversed such to mount the chuck on the lathe. Now for the most crucial step: the page shows the layouts for a that the workpiece is rotating You could turn a hardwood flange Use a chuck in the tailstock to four-jaw and a six-jaw chuck. For counterclockwise. to fit your scroll chuck’s jaws, and drill a 1⁄16" hole through the exact four jaws, draw two perpendicular Some preliminary comments glue and screw it to the MDF disk. center of both disks. This hole will lines through the center of the before starting to build: However, a self-mounting chuck is ensure the chuck runs true after 1⁄16" hole you drilled earlier. For 1. Longworth’s design shows a convenience, so adding a small final assembly. six jaws, draw three lines at 60° only four jaws that are not well faceplate works well. It also ties up Remove the chuck from the angles. I used drafting triangles. Dimple the intersections of the diameter lines with the middle ring, and then use the dimples to draw arcs from the outer ring to the tangent of the inner ring. (Drawing these arcs helps avoid mistakes while routing.) Keep the compass set for the router jig. I made a circle-cutting base (photo next page) for my router out of 1⁄4" Baltic birch. The hole is 3" in diameter for good vision, because all start and stop points are by eye. With a 1 ⁄4" bit in a router, set the compass pin against the edge of the bit closest to the wing on the router base, and draw 1

Step photos by the authorthe byphotos Step a short arc on the wing. Drill a ⁄16" This 15" version of the Longworth chuck has six long jaws. Use your band saw to cut matching disks of 3⁄4" MDF for hole through that arc and insert a Here, it’s being used to hold a small spalted maple bowl. the back and 1⁄4" Baltic birch for the front. nail as a pivot pin. Push it through so that about 1⁄2" protrudes and set it in a dimple on the disk. Push the jig flat and hammer the nail in at least 1⁄8" to ensure the jig can’t slip out of position. Routing the arcs is so easy that one can become a tad complacent and make a ruinous mistake. Take your time. Begin a cut by plung- ing the bit partially into the work about 1" away from an outside start point, back it up to that point – cautiously; this is a climb cut – and The layouts for both a four-jaw and a six-jaw chuck. (You could use a trammel for both layouts.) then pull forward to the end point.

54 Popular Woodworking April 2007 make the headstock Headstocks on smaller generally use standard pipe thread, and nuts are readily available. Unfortunately, for those with 11⁄4" headstocks, the standard 11⁄4" pipe thread is seven teeth per inch (TPI), so you’ll have to go to a specialty supplier for 11⁄4" x 8 TPI nuts. I bought several and have been using them to make a variety of faceplates. To mount them, Use a solid carbide upcut router bit to cut your arcs, as this will produce the cleanest cut in both plywood and MDF. I drill and three holes through the face of the nut – the metal is soft – and A solid carbide bit required only The jaws are made from rub- against the workpiece. use wood screws to fasten it. two gentle passes to go through ber leg tips available from hard- Rotate the disks until the outer (Size the holes so the screws fit both disks. Repeat until all arcs ware and housewares stores. (Do ends of the arcs overlap. Insert the snugly.) A small nut has a further are cut. The result will look like not buy the vinyl versions. They jaws and place the washers and advantage in that the diameter of the nut/faceplate establishes the photo at above right. do not grip.) The 5⁄8" sleeve type wing nuts loosely on the back side. the limit of inward travel for the Now drill finger holes (about is best for large chucks, and also Rotate the front disk again, and . 3 ⁄4" diameter) around the perim- provides more reach. However, watch how it perfectly synchro- However, manufacturers eter of the disk sandwich; drill I’ve found the screw-on nizes all four or six jaws as they have no need to ensure the faces four for a small chuck, and six for type is the best choice for smaller move in and out. Place a reversed are perfectly coplanar. All of a large one. These provide the models. bowl against the disk face, rotate mine have been off just a little, means to counter-rotate the disks The sleeve tips require wooden the jaws until they press against inducing wobble in the chuck. to set the jaws. inserts for attachment, so turn a the outer – or inner – edge of the The fix is not difficult. You can A #10 x 1" roundhead wood dowel to 5⁄8" diameter, and cut bowl, tighten the wing nuts, and put the nut on the headstock, screw with an unthreaded shoul- lengths to fit inside each sleeve. the whole unit is secure. and use a sanding disk in the tailstock to face it. Alternatively, der serves as an axle, so enlarge Drill 1⁄4" holes lengthwise through Now, retire your Cole Jaws and mount the nut on the MDF disk the center hole in the front disk the top of the rubber tip and the jam chucks. pw centered as well as possible. 1⁄ 1⁄ just enough for a snug fit on the dowel. With 4" x 2 2" machine A more detailed story of this pro- Although this positioning is screw shoulder. Enlarge the center screws inserted through the dow- cess is available in the articles section not critical, I turned a plug that hole in the back disk to the inside els and the arcs, wing nuts and at WoodCentral.com. will just squeeze through the diameter of the screw’s thread. washers on the rear of the back nut, and drove a small finishing Sand both faces of both disks disk make for quick and easy nail into its center. By dimpling smooth, taking particular care to adjustment. the center of the disk, the nail get rid of any fuzz on the edges of The buttons that back will ensure the nut is centered. the routed arcs. Apply a couple the sleeve tips require Tapping the three screws with a well-buffed coats of paste wax to washers (smaller in hammer marks the pilot holes. the face of the MDF disk, and to diameter than the If your nut does induce wob- ble, you can reduce it to almost the face of the Baltic-birch disk buttons) under the nothing by shimming one side that has the drawing on it. This screw heads to com- of the nut with a single business will ease rotation. Now reverse the press the buttons card. Eliminate the rest by facing front disk and place it against the the rear disk. — GL back disk so that the routed arcs cross. Drive in the axle screw, and back it off just enough to permit the front disk to rotate. This com- pletes the chuck body. Now for the jaws. The photos at right show the buttons on the The buttons on the front of a front of a 10" four-jaw chuck and 10" four-jaw chuck and the wing the wing nuts on the rear of a 15" nuts on the rear of a 15" six-jaw six-jaw chuck. chuck.

popularwoodworking.com 55 Barrister Bookcases

Photo by Al Parrish

56 Popular Woodworking April 2007 lmost everyone likes the One Panel Chops into Three Sacrificial look of barrister book- We wanted the grain on each case fence Acases. But what makes side to be consistent from top to them so appealing? I think there bottom as we stacked our indi- are a number of characteristics vidual units. This is a matter of that make the barrister design aesthetics, not a necessity. (I’m popular and enduring. sure somewhere during this case’s First is that the individual lifetime, the units will be stacked Raising the blade height is the only units of the case stack together. without regard to the grain.) Using the widest setting on a adjustment needed to cut the back- And because they are separate What is a necessity, in order stack along with a sacrificial fence is board . The front edge of this units, they can be arranged in any to get the units to stack without the best choice for creating rabbets side looks as though it is raised from desired height configuration to fit problems, is to make the width of for these case sides. This will ensure the saw top because of the previous that the cut clears the waste entirely. cut. any area of your home or office. each unit equal in size. This is best Second, they are elegant as accomplished by starting with one well as functional. The wood- large glued-up panel of the correct height of 1⁄8". With this setting, a router with a guide fence and a 1⁄4" framed glass doors, when low- width that is then crosscut into single pass over the blade will cre- upcut spiral router bit. ered, protect your books or other the appropriate lengths. ate the 3⁄4"-wide x 1⁄8"-deep rab- Positioning this groove is the valuables from moisture and dust Once the sides are milled bets at the top and bottom edge trick. It needs to be located cor- – not to mention those tiny pud- according to the plan, there are of the side panels. rectly from the top edge of the ding-laced fingers of the little three rabbets that need to be cut Next, again with the blade sides, so the guide fence of the ones. They also allow you to look in each side panel. One rabbet moving, raise the height to 7⁄16". router becomes key. Set the fence through the glass for a specific so the router bit plunges into the item without the undo stress of side with 11⁄8" of material between operating the doors. In the open We’ve rethought this classic the top edge and the groove. The position, with the doors raised and 1⁄4" cut will then be perfectly set slid back into the case, you have with techniques so simple for the placement of the centered easy access to those leather-bound rods in the bookcase doors, sources of knowledge. even a beginner can do it! and it builds in the necessary 1⁄8" Third, as you will see, we spacing so the top edge of the door rethought the construction so does not bind when opened. these cases can be built with the goes at the top and bottom of each This is to create the rabbet for Next, you need to find the easiest techniques – without sacri- side panel. Those rabbets are for the backboards. They fit into a starting or stopping point of the ficing any classic design elements. the full-width case bottom and the 3⁄4"-wide x 7⁄16"-deep rabbet. If cut depending on which side you’re These are the easiest barrister front and back rails at the top. You you are trying to keep the grain working. On each right-side panel bookcases you will ever build. also need a rabbet at the back edge aligned, as we have, you need to you’ll plunge at the front edge and We decided to build a stack of the side panels that will house determine the front edge of the finish the cut through the back- of three units – each identical the backboards. That rabbet hides bookcase prior to crosscutting the board rabbet. On the left-side pan- in construction and design, with the backboards when viewing the individual side panels into smaller els you’ll begin coming through one slightly different in height. bookcase from the side. sections. Or, choose the best edge that rabbet and complete the cut There are two larger units for over- A dado blade is the best choice of your stock for the front face at by stopping at the correct loca- sized books and special keepsakes, for cutting the rabbets. Install a this time and cut the backboard tion and removing the bit from and one that is slightly shorter in sacrificial fence, set the blade for rabbets into the opposite edge. the work surface. Attacking the height. Those, along with the top the widest cut (at least 3⁄4") and groove this way registers each cut and bottom units, add up to the position the blade below the saw Your Groove is Important off of the top edge of the side pan- appropriate design for our book- top. Adjust the fence to the blade Creating the groove in which the els and makes the best use of the case needs. so that 3⁄4" of cutting width is doors slide is the most difficult task guide fence. Your set can be created with exposed and with the blade run- involved in building these book- The location that you need to only one unit, or it could be a ning, slowly raise the cutter to a cases – but all it takes is a plunge stop on is 3⁄8" in from the front stack of five, along with the top edge of the sides to the beginning and bottom sections. (More than by Glen D. Huey of the routed groove. Where did five units is unwieldy and poten- Comments or questions? Contact Glen at 513-531-2690 ext. 1293 or this number come from, beside tially unstable.) [email protected]. You can view his work and books at woodworkersedge.com. the plan? The 1⁄4" brass rods that

popularwoodworking.com 57 are used to hang the doors are located in the center of the 3⁄4"- thick doors. The outer 1⁄4" of door stock along with the design fea- ture of the 1⁄8" offset of the door to the front edge of the case adds up to that exact location. With the setup and location locked in, rout the 5⁄16"-deep Creating the groove for the door pins to ride in is the most There are pin locations at both the top and bottom that act as guides for the doors. Use the drill press for grooves into the sides as shown exacting step of the process. A plunge router with a guide fence makes it short work. Check the layout before routing. this step – unless you’ve a steady hand and good eye. in the picture at right. The doors will be held in posi- tion toward the front with two rear rails and the catch rails, as your bench and match the two rabbet area. Attach the rails to the brass rods per side. The top rod is well as the bottoms. You can get sides to the bottom, making sure bottom with wood screws. centered 13⁄4" from the top edge away with using a secondary wood that the bottom fits into the shal- Creating the frames for the top of the side and in 1" from the front for the rear and catch rails, as we low rabbets. Next, slide the top and base units is next. We found edge. These two rods act as a pivot chose to do, because these pieces rails in place – the oak at the front that building the frames and then for the sliding door. will not be seen as you view the and the secondary wood at the attaching the mouldings was the The second rod location is bookcase. All pieces connect to rear. These rails fit into the rab- best way to approach this part of pulled from the bottom edge of the sides with pocket screws. bets at the top edge. Add clamps the project. It also allowed us to the sides and is also set at a mea- Cut three pocket-screw holes as shown below then attach the use secondary wood for these hid- surement of 13⁄4". It too is located on the worst face of the bottoms, rails to the sides with the screws. den areas. 1" in from the front edge. This rod leaving the best face for the inside Flip the box then add the screws Each frame starts with the placement gives the door some- of the piece. Position a hole at 11⁄2" to attach the bottom. assembly of a box. The end sup- thing to close against while hold- from each edge and one that is With the box set on its top, ports receive the pocket-screw ing the door parallel to the case centered across the bottoms. The position and attach the catch rail holes and are attached to the rails front when closed. rails used for the top also attach to the bottom. Align the piece off through that connection. Also, with pocket screws. Place two of the front edge of the unit and while you have the pocket-screw Assemble the Box holes at each end of both rails. center the rail from side to side. jig out, add a number of holes to Mill to size and thickness the Now you are ready to assemble Each rail lines up with the inside the top frame that you’ll use for material for the top-front rails, the boxes. Position the bottom on face of the side, not the edge of the attaching the top.

The catch rail is fastened to the box bottom. It is impor- tant to properly align the piece to fit the other units.

The catch rail for the top unit rests inside the end rails. To keep the rail from sliding down- ward as the screws are installed, rest the piece on a Assembling the boxes is a matter of 14 pocket screws. Clamping the box ensures that it will be block cut to the square. The opening in the top is for the adjoining catch rail on a second unit. correct size.

58 Popular Woodworking April 2007 1"

35" 3⁄8" With the narrowness of the 33" frames, you should arrange the 131⁄2" 11⁄ 32" pieces so the screws are to the out- 12 16" side of the unit. The drill, with the square drive installed, is too 3" large for the inside of the frame. 33⁄4" 33⁄4" 33⁄4" You should also attach the center support, the piece that runs from 1⁄8" 2" front to back and is centered along the width of each frame, through 15" the outside with four #8 x 11⁄4" 15" wood screws. From this point the construc- tion of the frames differs. In order 2" for the top and base units to fit the design of the bookcase, the top 12" unit must have a catch rail while 1⁄8" the base unit receives a front and 17" 1⁄ back flat rail. 11⁄8" 11 2" The catch rail of the top unit fits between the frame’s side rails, 1 with a 1⁄4" extending beyond the ⁄4" 11⁄4" side rails, and attaches to the cen- ter support with two #8 x 11⁄4" wood screws. Make sure that the catch rail is aligned to fit into the top rails of 17" any of the bookcase units – they are all consistently positioned, 3⁄8" making them interchangeable. Chamfer In the base unit the front and 33⁄4" 3" rear flat rails are set flush with the top edge of the frame and attached 4" using the pocket-screw method. FavoriteIllustrationsJaneMary by 3 Remember that the front rail is 12 ⁄4" 2" only 3" wide, whereas the rear rail is 33⁄4". Each of these flat rails Section Elevation also attaches to the center support with #8 x 11⁄4" wood screws. The mouldings are next. Mill the material for the crown mould- ing, the base moulding and the bookcase top to size and thick- ness. The top edge of the base moulding has a 3⁄8" chamfer. Cut the edge with a router equipped with a chamfering bit, then fit the pieces to the base. Because there is a solid frame backing the mouldings you can nail the pieces in place with brads. Add a small The 3" rail in the base unit is toward the front while the The chamfered base moulding is fit to the base frame on bead of glue at the mitered corners wider rail is held to the back. Each rail is not only con- three sides. The secondary wood of the frame is hidden as you assemble the mouldings for nected to the frame sides, it is also attached to a center when the bookcase is stacked. added strength. support.

popularwoodworking.com 59 Make the Crown Moulding marks on my mouldings. Set a corner and clamp the pieces to Place the top unit, with the The crown moulding is a bit more light depth of cut and be sure to the frame. Slide the third piece, moulding now applied, onto the complex than the base moulding. use push sticks. If you choose not with its end cut square, to meet bookcase top, centered from side It begins with a cut at the table to use the jointer you can sand the the back of the front crown piece to side and flush to the back edge saw. Tip the blade to 10º and posi- moulding face smooth. Once the as shown in the photo below and of the top unit. Use pocket screws tion the fence so that the blade piece is cleaned and sanded it can mark the top edge on the front to attach the frame to the top then exits the stock about 1" down from be attached to the top frame. moulding. set the completed top unit aside. the top. This will leave about 3⁄8" I work counter-clockwise At the miter saw, align the of material at the bottom edge of around the unit to get an accu- mark with your blade (saw angled The Doors are a Snap the stock. This setting will need to rate fit when wrapping mouldings. to the right) and make the 45º cut. The only easier method that could be fine-tuned at your saw. Run the This allows for easy marking of With the top edge up it is easy to be used to build doors would be cut for both pieces of stock – one cutlines as well as easy positioning match the blade to the layout line. a flat-paneled door and that for the front and one piece that is of the cuts at the miter saw and it Now to cut your final miter, simply wouldn’t give us the glass panels crosscut into the two ends. allows me to make my mitered cuts place the end piece at the saw with that we need for these cases. The I elected to make a pass over without changing the angle of the the top edge pointing down while secret for these doors is accurate the jointer to clean up the saw saw. Cut and fit the first mitered the face side is out and make the cutting of the pieces. cut. The angle of the saw doesn’t Rip the material to the change and the cuts are correct. required width then set stops at While the setup This is also how I would cut the the saw to allow for accurate cut- is involved, the ripping of the first mitered corner. ting of the required lengths. If crown moulding is straightfor- ward. Just make sure to have a push stick handy.

The cutting of the crown moulding can leave saw kerf indications and burn marks. A quick run over the jointer works best to clean the face.

Side moulding

Front Cut miter here moulding

The crown moulding is attached to three sides of the top frame. Miter the cor- Complete the work on the top unit by attaching the moulded frame to the ners and add a small amount of glue to reinforce the area. Brads will affix the case top. Pocket screws are quick and easy. pieces to the frame.

60 Popular Woodworking April 2007 the pieces are all cut to the same sizes (two matching sets of the rails and stiles per door) two things will Climb cut happen – one, the doors will be square when assembled and two, the assembled doors will correctly fit the openings of the boxes. Cut the stiles to be 3⁄16" less 3 1 than the opening of the box and Positioning the pocket-screw holes in the door rails is The ⁄8" x ⁄2" rabbet for the glass and the retainer strips important. Too close to either edge can cause problems. requires that you climb cut a portion to eliminate any the rails to be 41⁄8" less than the Don’t forget to add glue at the joint. tear-out. total width of that opening. This will build in the appropriate reveal around the doors. These doors are also assem- bled with pocket screws placed in the rails, and the location of the holes is important. If the hole is too close to the outside of the rail, as you drive the screws there is potential to crack the end of the stiles. If the hole is set too near the interior of the rails, as you rabbet for the glass, you have the pos- Squaring the corners left rounded from the router bit is a Adding a small bevel to the edges of the piece will help sibility of cutting into the screw job for the chisel. It works best to begin with a cut across hide the joints between the separate units. This edge the end grain and to then take small cuts with the grain, work also allows the doors to flip up and slide back into area. The best location is at 5⁄8" removing the waste. the case without binding. from both edges. With the pocket-screw holes cut you can now assemble the of routed area from climb cutting, store) on which the door will doors. Place a clamp over the the removal of the balance of the hang and travel in the groove as intersection of the two pieces, waste material will shear off at that it is opened. A shop-made jig is a rail and a stile, and drive the point and prevent most tear-out. just the trick to complete this step screws. Work the four corners of To complete the rabbet you’ll quickly and accurately. each door in the same manner. need to square the rounded cor- Build the jig using a scrap of Rabbeting the doors for the ners left from the router bit. Use the cutoff material from your door glass and glass-retainer strips is a straightedge to continue the pieces. Locate the center of the another router operation. Install lines to reveal the exact corner piece, which will be 3⁄8" from the a rabbeting bit, set for a 3⁄8" rab- and use a sharp chisel to bring the edge, and also mark a line that is bet, and cut the interior of the rounded corners to square. Clean 3⁄8" in from the end. At that cross- Drilling frame. It is necessary to position the corners until you’re level with ing is where you need to drill the jig the door hanging over the edge of the bottom of the rabbet. 1⁄4" hole completely through the your table or bench so the bearing Before moving forward now is block. Use the drill press because screw does not rub the bench. the time to create the small bevel you need the hole to be straight. If you try to make the entire cut on the edges of the doors as well as Next, add two pieces of by running the router in the stan- the edges of the boxes themselves. Masonite, or other thin plywood- dard manner, into the bit rotation, Chuck a chamfer bit in a router type material, to both sides of the you’re likely to have areas, espe- and set it to cut 1⁄8" and run the block. To use the jig, slide it over Door cially in quartersawn white oak, profile around the doors outside the long grain of the stile, keeping that will splinter and tear out. To edge and along the top and bot- the 3⁄8" space toward the top edge remedy this you must climb cut tom of the boxes, including both of the door. Add a clamp to hold during a portion of this process. sides and the front. the jig and drill the hole using the Start by climb cutting the first Each door edge, at the top of jig as a guide. Set the to 1 3 ⁄8" of the rabbet then reverse the the door, needs to have a hole cut to a depth of ⁄4". Aligning the holes for the doors to routing procedure and complete drilled to accept the short brass Drill two holes per door, install pivot becomes easy work with the the rabbet. By having a small shelf rod (available at any hardware a 1" piece of brass rod using no use of this shop-made jig.

popularwoodworking.com 61 glue (we need to be able to remove BArrister bookcases them over the remainder of the No. ITEM dimensions (inches) MATErial Comments project). Once the rods are in T W l place you can test the door to the ❏ 2 Case sides 3⁄4 12 50 QSWO* Cut to length shown in drawing opening. If you have a problem it ❏ 3 Bottoms 3⁄4 111⁄4 303⁄4 QSWO* will most likely be binding at the ❏ 3 Top front rails 3⁄4 33⁄4 303⁄4 QSWO* top or bottom. ❏ 3 Top back rails 3⁄4 33⁄4 303⁄4 Poplar In either case you will need ❏ 3 Box catch rails 3⁄4 33⁄4 303⁄4 Poplar to remove a sliver of material to ❏ 2 Top frame rails 3⁄4 3 32 Poplar allow the fit. This can be done at ❏ 2 Top frame sides 3⁄4 3 101⁄2 Poplar the jointer or with a plane. Both ❏ 1 Top frame center support 3⁄4 21⁄2 101⁄2 Poplar solutions require you to work care- ❏ 1 Top frame catch rails 3⁄4 33⁄4 301⁄2 Poplar fully around the end grain. All ❏ 1 Front crown moulding 3⁄4 3 36 QSWO* that’s left is to cut the plywood ❏ 1 Side crown moulding 3⁄4 3 26 QSWO* Makes both sides pieces that comprise the backs ❏ 1 Case top 3⁄4 131⁄2 35 QSWO* of the individual units and mill a ❏ 2 Base frame rails 3⁄4 4 32 Poplar number of pieces to use as the glass ❏ 2 Base frame sides 3⁄4 4 101⁄2 Poplar retainers from some scrap. ❏ 1 Base frame center support 3⁄4 31⁄4 101⁄2 Poplar ❏ 1 Base frame front flat rail 3⁄4 3 301⁄2 Poplar Finish as Easy as the Project ❏ 1 Base frame back flat rail 3⁄4 33⁄4 301⁄2 Poplar This finish technique was devel- ❏ 1 Base moulding/front 3⁄4 4 36 QSWO* oped by Popular Woodworking ❏ 1 Base moulding/sides 3⁄4 4 26 QSWO* Makes both sides Senior Editor Robert W. Lang. ❏ 6 Door rails 3⁄4 2 263⁄8 QSWO* Rails for three doors If this method had been around ❏ 4 Door stiles/tall 3⁄4 2 151⁄16 QSWO* Stiles for two doors years ago when I was working with ❏ 2 Door stiles/short 3⁄4 2 131⁄16 QSWO* Stiles for one doors oak, I would have built many more ❏ 9 Glass retainer strips 5⁄16 5⁄16 28 QSWO* For three doors projects from this hardwood. You ❏ 1 Short unit back 3⁄4 147⁄8 317⁄16 QSWO* Plywood will not find an easier finish any- ❏ 2 Tall unit back 3⁄4 5⁄16 317⁄16 QSWO* Plywood where that I know of. * QSWO=Quartersawn White Oak To begin, don’t waste a huge amount of time sanding. I know The barrister you like the sound of that! Bring bookcase gets the piece to #120 grit with the ran- an Arts & Crafts dom-orbit and finish sand look with the by hand using #150-grit sandpa- simple finish- per. Done! Now you are ready to ing method stain the bookcase. described for this The staining process contin- project. It works great for oak ues in the easy category. Rag on a – both white coat of Olympic oil-based “Special and red. Walnut” stain. Apply an even coat and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before wiping any excess away. That coat needs to dry for 24 hours before moving on. Next up is one coat of Dark Walnut Watco . Apply this in the same fashion as the stain. Rag a coat onto the stained adds color to the project. Again, floor of your shop or put them into The final step in the finishing bookcase and allow that to cure let the oil coat dry for a day. a bucket of water. Combustion is process is to apply a coat of amber for 15 minutes, then wipe away The rags used in both of the a result of these rags thrown into shellac. Can you guess how this is any extra oil with a clean rag. In previous steps can become a fire a pile either in the trash can or a applied? You bet: Rag it on. Keep a this process the oil acts as a toner hazard if not disposed of properly. corner of the shop. Always dispose wet edge on the wide-open areas that will even the shading as it You can lay the rags out on the of rags properly. and on any other areas simply coat

62 Popular Woodworking April 2007 a snap. A bit of wax on the threads The great thing about this will ensure easy installation. barrister bookcase design is that Sliding the doors into the as your collection grows, and you boxes is the last step before fill- know it will, so can your book- ing the bookcase with your books. cases. You can add to the existing Slide the door into the case on a stack or start another bookcase. slight angle to the front, lift the They are easy to build and adding brass rod on the side toward the to the stack is something you will rear of the case into the groove enjoy. pw and position the other rod to move into the groove as you bring the door square to the front. Supplies Lift the door so it is perpen- Horton dicular to the case and slide it to 800-754-9127 or the rear of the case. Holding the horton-brasses.com door up to the top of the unit, 6 • knobs, 3⁄4" semi-bright 3 install ⁄4"-long brass rods into the #H-42 remaining holes. Your barrister Call for pricing. bookcase is ready to use.

With the fin- ish complete, an easy way to install the glass for the doors is with matching retainer strips. They are cut and fit then attached with a 23-gauge pinner. Illustration by Mary Jane FavoriteIllustrationJaneMary by

No glue is used Center support to hold the brass rods in place. They can be Exploded view removed if the door should ever need to be taken out of the book- them. That’s it. Once the shellac Use a countersink and wood case. is dry (the next day) add a coat of screws for a professional look. paste wax after knocking down Installing the glass and knobs any nibs with a non-woven abra- will complete the bookcases. Have sive pad. 1⁄8" glass cut to fit the openings of the doors and fit a glass-retainer The Finishing Touch strip around the inside of the rab- Attach the plywood backboards to bet holding the glass in place. the back of the units with screws The knobs are like the rest of after the finish is complete. All the project; simple and elegant. that is needed is to run four screws, What would finish this project one at each corner, through the better than a simple brass knob? pieces and into the unit bottom Find the location and drill a pilot and the rear rail of the unit top. hole to make installing the knobs

popularwoodworking.com 63 Regluing Doweled Chairs

Practical methods to fix the common wobbly chair. Photos by the authorthe byPhotos The chair I’m regluing is factory made, glued with animal hide glue and fin- or early 1930s. Once you have cleaned all the joints and replaced dowels as ished with shellac. The dowels are spiral-grooved and the nails used in the explained in the article, apply glue and clamp the chair together. stretchers are wire, not “square.” So the chair is probably from the 1920s

s a woodworker, you I love regluing chairs. Call me tions. I don’t know how many chair construction: mortise-and- must be asked now weird, but I get really deep into chairs I’ve reglued during the last tenon or dowels. Mortise-and- Aand then to reglue loose the subtle construction differ- three decades, but it must be in tenon joinery is pre-industrial, chair joints. Chairs are the most ences. Even with a set of six or the thousands. though many woodworkers and abused of all furniture and also eight factory-made chairs, I can There are two primary types a very few factories still use it to among the most complex. The get lost in the minutest varia- of joinery used in straight-backed join legs and rails. Dowels are subject of chair regluing is huge machine age because the dowels and, to my knowledge, has never by Bob Flexner themselves are machined. been covered well in the wood- Bob is a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking. His video, “Repairing Dowel joinery is much easier working literature. Furniture with Bob Flexner,” is available from Taunton Press, 800-477-8727. and faster to cut than mortise and

64 Popular Woodworking April 2007 tenon. But doweled joints don’t hammer. My favorite is a deadblow have nearly as much glue surface, hammer made of plastic with a side-grain-to-side-grain, so these hollow chamber containing shot. joints don’t hold up as well. I find this widely available ham- Because most chairs made mer far more effective for disas- since the mid-19th century are Illustration by Mary Jane Favorite sembling furniture than rubber doweled, and because doweled Mortise-and-tenon joints (left) are much stronger and longer lasting than or leather . (If you use a chairs don’t hold up as well as mor- doweled joints because they have far more side-grain-to-side-grain contact. metal carpenter’s hammer, be sure tise-and-tenon joinery, the chairs Dowels inserted into legs have less wood contact overall, and fully half the to cushion the blows with leather you are asked to reglue will most contact they do have is with end grain – top and bottom. or blocks so you don’t put likely be doweled. So this article dents in the wood.) is about doweled chairs. other joints you’re regluing, or fig- because they have to be removed. Corner blocks will usually have For illustration purposes, I’ve ure out a way to get them apart. In many cases, the devices cause separated from one of the rails, so chosen a simple doweled chair If you have determined serious damage, including splits you can also wait until the chair is from the 1920s or ’30s with prob- the glue is animal hide glue (it and breaks that are sometimes disassembled to remove them. lems typical of factory chairs. becomes sticky when you rub it difficult to repair. Removing nails is a problem. with water or saliva), you can usu- In this chair, the corner blocks I don’t like damaging the wood Philosophy of Regluing ally get the joints apart by insert- were inserted during manufac- and finish, but I’ve given up with Unfortunately, it has become ing denatured alcohol. If the joints ture to support the chair seat. nails. The only efficient method of common to reglue, or “tighten,” are held together with a modern Nails were also inserted in all the removing them is to dig them out. chairs by inserting some sort of adhesive, such as white or yellow stretcher joints. This is typical on I first cut away some of the wood adhesive into the joints in order glue, epoxy, polyurethane or urea- factory-made chairs, but I’ve never on two sides of the nail using a 1⁄8" to avoid having to take them formaldehyde (plastic-resin), you understood the reasoning. The chisel, which I don’t keep sharp apart. Sometimes it’s done using may not be able to get them loose if nails don’t prevent the glue from and which I dedicate to this opera- a syringe held right to the joint, they aren’t already. You may have giving way and they are a pain to tion. Then I pry out the nail with hoping the adhesive wicks inside. to work around them. remove, which they have to be to some sort of tool. My favorite is a Sometimes tiny holes are drilled Speaking as a repairman, I get the chair apart. pair of electrician’s pliers. at an angle into the joint and the hate all glues other than animal To remove the corner blocks, Sometimes you can knock adhesive inserted with a syringe. hide glue because they are so dif- first take out the screws. Then try the joints apart with just the Sometimes “magic” swelling prod- ficult to work with. knocking the blocks loose with a right amount of force to cause ucts are wicked into the joints to cause the wood to swell and pro- Knocking Apart duce temporary tightening. The first step in regluing a loose None of these methods works chair is knocking it apart. Before for long. Wicked adhesive bonds you can do this, however, you need only to the old glue that has to remove the corner blocks and already given way. It doesn’t bond any nails or other restraining to the wood, which it can’t get devices that have been inserted. to through the old glue. Swelled It’s glue that holds chair wood compresses again with joints tight, not corner blocks, seasonal humidity changes, and nails (wire, square or “wooden”), when the chair is racked in use. screws or metal brackets applied The only way to restore the during manufacture or restora- original strength to joints is to tion. This is basic woodwork- disassemble the chair, clean off ing, but many people seem not the old glue, apply new glue, then to understand it. These devices clamp the chair back together. might keep joints from coming In the case of doweled joints, it’s apart but they don’t keep joints often best to replace the dowels. from becoming loose. You’ll sometimes find joints This is an important point The first step in regluing a chair is to remove corner blocks inserted to support that resist separation. You then because so often chair repair is the seat. Remove the screws and then the blocks using a deadblow ham- have to decide whether to leave done by adding metal devices mer. If the blocks resist, try wicking denatured alcohol into the bond using a them attached, betting they will that do little good but make the syringe. If these blocks were attached with animal hide glue, the alcohol will hold their strength as long as the eventual regluing more difficult crystallize the glue, making it easy to knock them loose.

popularwoodworking.com 65 Nails are often inserted into stretchers in factory-made chairs. To remove the nails, first dig out some of the wood on two sides of each using a 1⁄8" chisel.

With enough wood removed so you can grab each nail with a pair of electrician’s side-cutting pliers, pry With all restraining devices removed, knock the chair apart. The most effi- them out of the wood. cient tool to use is a deadblow hammer. Hold the parts a fraction of an inch Fill the damage with above a soft surface and strike them as close to the joint as possible to avoid if you are breaking or splitting something. refinishing, or with a matching colored wax If a joint resists crayon after the chair separating, try has been reassembled if wicking denatured you aren’t. alcohol into the joint using a syringe. If the glue is ani- mal hide glue, the the nails to bend. But you always If the joints resist and they are alcohol will cause it risk breaking or splitting some- glued with hide glue (almost all to crystallize mak- thing. In most cases, I remove the furniture made or restored before ing separation easy. nails first. It’s easy enough to fill the 1950s), you can cause the glue If alcohol doesn’t the damage with a colored wax to crystallize, making it easier to work, try white vinegar (white so as crayon after the chair has been separate, by wicking in some dena- not to cause stain- reassembled. (I don’t put the nails tured alcohol. A syringe is a handy ing). It will soften back in unless I can see a purpose tool to use because it concentrates white and yellow for doing so.) the alcohol where you want it. glue, if it can get to With all devices removed, it’s Alcohol may cause the finish the glue. usually easy to disassemble a loose to turn white. If you aren’t refin- chair with a few whacks of a dead- ishing, you can easily remove blow hammer. To reduce the risk this “blushing” by rubbing with of breaking something, lift the #0000 steel wool. In almost all part you are hitting a fraction of cases, it’s best to do the regluing I prefer the second method to-wood contact. When gluing an inch above the table or work- before stripping and refinishing, because it’s faster. But I have done new wood, cleanliness is not an bench surface and hit the wood not after. You don’t want to get this many times, so I have a system issue because the parts are newly as close to the joint as possible. glue on bare wood or damage a I can trust. You should probably machined or cut. To reglue, you You should place blankets or other newly applied finish. do both to begin with. Eventually, must re