Letters ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY JANE FAVORITE If Your Benchtop Saw isn’t worm holes that were made by the ambrosia beetle Edward, Making You Happy, Then it’s (hence the name “ambrosia maple”). It has been Hand-planing knots often results in tear-out. Your Time to Move On used for years as a secondary wood for cabinet best bet is to smooth the surface with a sharp card interiors and the like – somewhat similar to pop- scraper and then sandpaper. Start with #100-grit lar but not quite as stable. and finish with #220. I am looking to upgrade my current benchtop Ambrosia maple should machine OK, but I – Kara Gebhart, associate editor table saw and would appreciate any recommen- suspect it will blotch if it is stained, just like regu- dations you might be able to give. I have a small lar hard maple, birch, pine, cherry, etc. You can Craftsman 10" benchtop saw, which has served get around this by using gel stains or washcoats me well up to this point. But I am beginning to before staining. Iʼd suggest you test any stain Butcher Block Needs a Little TLC realize its limitations. The size of the Craftsman on sample boards before planning a project you saw works well because I house my tools and think you might want to stain later. I have an oak butcher-block countertop that Iʼve machines in my garage, and I donʼt have a lot of – Steve Shanesy, editor & publisher neglected. Because of the heavy use, I can see room for large woodworking equipment. some of the raw wood surface. I was going to sand I have been looking at larger benchtop models it with a belt sander and Iʼm not sure what to finish with more and better features, as well as entry- it with. Do you have a better method? level contractor saws, but I need to be mindful A Home Julie Jiacoppo of the space they will take up. Remedy for Massapequa, New York Tony Vierra Julie, San Jose, California Removing A belt sander can be used but I would caution that Tony, Saw-blade it can be very aggressive and might damage the If youʼre recognizing the limitations of your saw, Gunk surface if you arenʼt careful. A safer way would a new benchtop model isnʼt going to make you be to use a random-orbit sander. Start with #80- happy. Thereʼs a significant difference, and once Is there a suitable grit. Once the finish is removed, move to #100, you switch youʼll never look back. My recom- household substitute #120, #150 and then #180. mendation is to look at a few models and factor for removing the gum The finish you choose depends primarily on in a good-quality mobile base. My favorite mobile from saw blades? I how you intend to use the countertop. If you want base right now is from Jet. Itʼs affordable, adjust- know kits are sold in a film-building finish that can take some abuse able, stable and easy to assemble. To maximize woodworking stores, but I have a sneaking sus- (but wonʼt allow you to cut on it directly), use your space further, put a router table in the left picion that they may consist of something very polyurethane. If you will be cutting on it and wing of the table saw. It may not actually give common and less expensive. getting it wet, Iʼd suggest mineral oil. You can you more space, but it makes it easier to justify Bob Graham reapply the oil once or twice a year to replenish the saw taking up as much space. The table saw Olathe, Kansas the finish and the look. However, the oil finish is the most important machine in your shop. It Bob, will not give you the luster or shine that the film deserves a little extra room. Any brand of oven cleaner is very effective for finish will. The oil finish will always look dull, – David Thiel, senior editor cleaning gunk off saw blades. But donʼt get it on so itʼs ultimately up to you. your skin for long, as itʼs a caustic substance. – Steve Shanesy, editor & publisher Apply, let it penetrate for a few minutes, wash Ambrosia Beetle Gives us it off and dry the blade. You may need an old Ambrosia Maple, a Popular toothbrush to scrub the worst areas. Finish the Backs of Drawer Secondary Wood Fronts; the Rest is Up to You My wood supplier has wormy (ambrosia) maple Scraper & Sandpaper are Key to kiln-dried for sale for $1.15 a board foot. My Making Knots Look Good This is the age-old question of whether you should question is: How does this species machine? And finish (apply stain, varnish, etc.) to a drawer. what sort of finish would be best used on it? Is it Iʼve been woodworking for about one year. I Presently I am finishing a dresser for my wife. even worth considering for use? like the appearance of some knots in my wood I will apply finish to the fronts of the drawers, but Bob Porter projects. However, Iʼve yet to find an easy, ef- Iʼm not sure if I should apply finish to the insides Celestine, Indiana fective way to smooth the knots out. I mainly use and remaining outside of the drawers. Also, if you Bob, oak and poplar for my projects. Does anyone on were to apply finish to your drawers, what type “Ambrosia” maple has become popular dur- your staff have any suggestions? of finish would you use? ing the past couple of years because itʼs cheap Edward Relyea Bruce MacEachern and plentiful. This type of maple features small Marion, North Carolina Ottawa, Ontario 2 O WOODWORKING MAGAZINE Spring 2004 Bruce, Japan Woodworker catalog. Are these largely out the warp. These usually are 2"-wide lengths I finish my drawers. No stain, just finish. But itʼs handmade chisels really worth the money or would of a stout hardwood (such as maple) installed in a personal preference. At the very least you must I be better off with something from the usual sus- a sliding dovetail housing on the underside. They finish the backside of the drawer front; otherwise, pects, such as Marples, Two Cherries, etc.? arenʼt glued in, just built to have a tight press-fit. your drawer front will warp because of uneven Don Rader A professional furniture restorer will have more humidity absorption inside and out. Huntington Beach, California ideas for fixing your leaves. I finish my drawers because it looks better and Don, – Christopher Schwarz, executive editor offers some protection if anything is ever spilled Chisels are strange animals. You definitely can in there. But I wonʼt argue with anyone who opts spend far too much money if your goal is merely to leave the drawers bare. to get a tough, useable tool. For the Japanese As far as what type of finish to use, any film tools, you are paying as much for the beauty, finish is fine. Oil will take forever to dry, especially history and provenance behind the tool as you in an enclosed space. Plus, it can smell like oil are for its edge-holding ability. Iʼve had the honor inside the drawer for years. Shellac, varnish, of handling a good number of Japanese chisels lacquer and polyurethane all will cure quickly from private collections and they are indeed spec- and none of them will leave a smell for long. tacular. Are they 10 times as durable as Western – Christopher Schwarz, executive editor chisels? Of course not. Buy the Japanese chisels if they will make you happy. If you want a chisel that will hold an edge Get the Smoothing Plane and long enough for you to chop out the dovetails Spend $8 on a Card Scraper for some drawers, I can recommend chisels that we have tested: Ashley Iles, Two Cherries and I am interested in buying a smoothing plane, but Matsumura Blue Steels. Marples and Stanleys have noticed all the scraper planes offered as well. also are good bargain options. I canʼt seem to figure out why you would use one If you want the ultimate chisel set, I recommend over another as they both appear to be for final the Lie-Nielsen chisels, which are due out some- surface preparation, in lieu of sandpaper. Can time this year. Iʼve been testing preproduction you offer a little insight? models and find them to be as good as any exotic Brian Dickerson chisel with a price only slightly higher than the Mound, Minnesota fancy European ones. Help for a Crooked, Old Saw Brian, – Christopher Schwarz, executive editor Smoothing planes do a lot of other chores that a I recently dug out an old Disston #4 backsaw that scraper plane canʼt do, such as leveling joints, was my grandfatherʼs. I went to vintagesaws. cleaning up edges of boards, fitting drawers and com and got some great information on sharpen- Two Tricks for a Warped Table doors, and the like. A scraper plane is good for ing. I got a saw vise, some files and a saw set. one thing only: preparing a surface for finishing. I need some advice. My mom has a very old I have one problem, though. The saw needs to be Scraper planes also require considerably more Queen Anne dining table. A couple of the leaves straightened, too. I would rather have this done effort to push than smoothing planes. have warped, and she has asked me to fix them. professionally. Can you recommend someone Smoothing planes and scraper planes are both The only idea I have is to put them on the con- who specializes in this area? good tools to have and well-equipped shops have crete floor with a lot of weight on them and hope Roderick Jensen at least one of each.