Contents

ToolStand
Do more woodworking in your shoP than you ever thought possible.

Ultirnate

48
56 64 68 78

Bookcase Two-Part
Make it easierby making it in halves.

EuroHardware
Try this adjustable,German-engineered hardware on your next cabinet andyoull be hooked.

Table Farm
Buildthishugediningtableevenif your toolsaresmall.

for | 2Tips Sharpening Better

A dozen ways to help you keep your tools razor sharp.

ToolTest:

Sanders Spindle Oscillating 82

useful. andsurprisingly storable Theyreportable,

ToolTest:

Vises
on this workshop essential. We put the squeeze

88

Contents
DEPARTMENTS
K e nC o l l i e r EDITOR Timlohnson, ASSOCIATE EDIT0RSTomCaspar, DaveMunkittrick l resdner, C0NTRB I U T I N GE D I T 0 R SM i c h a e D George Vondriska Pederson, PatrickHelf,Barbara ART DIRECTORS JoelSpies Moen D E S I G NI N T E R NS h e l l e y GRAPHIC C0PY EDIT0R MaryFlanagan JOhNSON ChiIdS FACT CHECKING SPECIALISN T iNA Bill Sympson TEAM JudyRodriguez, PR0DUCTION Al McGregor JetfLarson, SH0P ASSISTANTS Filipkowski S P E C I A L I SR T oxie READER SERVICE ASSISTANTSLOriCAII|SIET, ADMI N ISTRATIVE ShellyJacobsen MichaeP l .R e i l l y PUBLISHER R|CK SITAfACE A D V E R T I S I NS GA L E SD I R E C T O R R o b e fC t alandruccio MARKETING DIRECTOR Frank(215-862-9081) SH0W MANAGER Jonathan AMERICAN W O O D W O R K ES RH O WB O O T HS A L E S BobRyan(215) 321-9662 ext.31, KristinMetzner (2 15) 32 I -9662 ext 42 Andrea Vecchio PR0MOTIONMANAGER JR OANN NC O6 PROMOTION COORDINATO Bordonaro S usan ADVERTIS NIG C O O R D I N A T O R ADVERTISINS GA L E S Ave.,NewYork,NY 10016; 212-850-7226 260 Madison CHICAGO Jim Ford(312) 540-4804 LOS ANGELESCarlMischka(949) 759-3450 N EW YORK DavidClutrer(2121 850-7124, Tuck Sifers ( 2 1 2 )8 5 0 - 7 1 9 7 (949) 759-3450 SAN FRANCISCO RonEvans Inc. Group, IFlEDADVERTI SINGTheMcNeill CLASS (215)321-562 IS N ,C . , S E R V I CP EU B L I C A T I O N PUBLISHEB DY H O M E Inc. Association, a subsidiary of the Reade/sDigest G Havens EDITOR-lN-CHIE Fa r y AI|CC GAIIEII OFFICE A D M I N I S T R A T I VM EA N A G E R FINANCE U,. S . M A G A Z I N E V I C EP R E S I D E N T .loseph Williams V I C EP R E S I D E N T C,I R C U L A T I O U NS , MAGAZINE C r a i gR e y n o l d s PUBLISHING Tzoucalis T h o m a s DIRECTOR OFOPERATI0NS ADVERTISING V I C EP R E S I D E NG TLOBAL RESEARCH Wayne Eadie EIN|C SAITO CONTROL MANAGER QUALITY PUBLISHING PRESIDENT U,S M A G A Z I N E Gregory G. Coleman O EF F I C E R C H A I R M A NC , H I E FE X E C U T I V Thomas 0. Ryder (ISSN is 1074-9152; USPS 0738-710) American Woodworker@ published August, Octoin February, Apnl, June, seven times a year
P u b l i c a t i o nI sn ,c., r ,n d D e c e m b e b ry H o m eS e r v i c e b e r ,N o v e m b ea 2 9 1 5 C o m m e rD s r i v eS , u i t e7 0 0 , E a g a nl,v l N5 5 1 2 1 . P e r i o d i c a l s p o s t a gp e a i da t N e wY o r k , N Ya n d a d d i t i o n a m o f f i c e sP . ostl ailing Woodworker@, noticeto American masterr Sendchange of address ra : .S. P.O. B o x2 1 3 4 , H a r l a nl,A 5 1 5 9 3 - 0 3 2 3 . Subscriptro nt e sU one-year, $3.95. Canada $23.88; two-year, $43. Single-copy, u n d s )G . S T# o n e - y e a$ r ,3 1 . 8 8 ;t w o - y e a $ r ,5 8 ( C a n a d i afn nu r f a c e o n e - y e a$ r ,3 5 : t w o - y e a $ r .6 5 { U . S . R I 2 2 9 8 8 6 I ] ' F o r e r gs U.S. funds)F . oreign a i r o n e - y e a$ r ,4 2 ; t w o - y e a $ r ,8 0 ( U . S .f u n d s ) . , Y t i s t r i b u t i oG , e wY o r k N n e w s s t a nd di s t r i b u t i ob ny H e a r sD n r o u pN paid at Gateway, l\4ississauga, Ontario; Postage 10019, In Canadar a n da d d r e s c s h a n g ets o American C P M #1 4 4 7 8 6 6 .S e n dr e t u r n s ., O. B o x2 1 3 4 , H a r l a n l,A , U S A5 1 5 9 3 - 0 3 2 3 . W o o d w o r k e rP @ P u b l i c a t i o nI sn , c .A l l r i g h t s Printed i n U S A .O 2 0 0 0 H o m eS e r v i c e reserued. sigest l i s t sa v a i l a b lte o d i v i s i o no s f R e a d e r 'D W em a k e o u rm a i l i n g whoseproducts and services companies and othercarefully selected l f. y o uw o u l dl i k ey o u rn a m e m a yb e o f i n t e r e stto o u r c u s t o m e r s ,i m p l y s e n dy o u rr e q u e stto : R e a d e r ' s e x c l u d ef dr o mt h e s em a i l i n g ss DigestRoad,PleasList, Attnr Circ. Dept.,Reader's DigestN4ailing abel. include a c o p yo f y o u ra d d r e s ls a n t v i l l eN , Y 1 0 5 7 0 .P l e a s e

& Answer 8 Question

14 WorkshopTips

20ffiil':'l,i::sare
Design 2 A, - Practical
rlalao

SizingaDiningTable

ShopTips 34 Small
L? Ir Woodturning

Legs TurningTable

page 34

Reviews 96 Product 104 FinishingTips HighwayTip 1 10 Blue

124Ifl'fl:lllscabin
inquiries Subscription
American Wobdworker, Subscriber Service Dept., PO. Box 2134, Harlan, IA 51593-0323; (800) 6663 I t I ; e-mail: AWWcustserv@cdsfulfillment. com

Back issues
Some are available for $5 each. Copies of past articles: photocopies are available for $3 each. For either, write or call: American Woodworker Reprint Center, 5ll Wisconsin Drive, New Richmond, WI, (715) 246+344,8 AM to 5 PM CST, Mon. through Fri. {ii

Howto reach us
We welcome your comments, suggestions,or complaints. Write to us at: American Woodworker,2915 Commers Dr., Suite 700, Eagan,MN 55121 Fax: (651) 994-2250 Phone: (651) 454-9200 e-mail: amwood@concentric.net page 124

A m e r i c a n W o o d w o r k e r o c T o B E R2 0 0 0

E d i tb ey dW i l l i s B o w m a n

Ouestlon&

Ansrcr
Jim Salas Harlingen,TX

FinalRubout
Q. I alwayshave problems getting a smooth finish.I sand the wood with 220 paper, wipe it with a tack cloth,applythree coats of high-quality varnish,and still get a rough surface!Whatcan t do to get that "professional"look?

A. You'vegot dust problems,like everybody else. Evenif you carefully tack the wood prior to finishing, the air (and you!) are full of small dust particles that settleon your finish right after you've laid it down. To get rid of the'hibsi'rub out the last dried coat with a dab of wax and extra-fine steelwool. This will polish the last coat and scrapeoffthe nibs leaving a silky smooth finish.

GIYEYOURWORK a finalrubdownwith wax andextra-fine steelwool.

Rub-Joint Gluing

the boards Q. My panelglueups drive me nuts because slidearoundwheneverI clampthem together.Then I end up beatingthem back into position.Whatt goingonl Brian Morgan Rockford,lL A. Most likely you're putting too much glue on the joints and your boards are simply"swimming" around on the excess glue. Try the rub-joint gluing method instead. Apply glue to only one edgeof the joint, slide the two boards back and forth until the glue becomestacky,and then clamp the boards. Bonus: rubbing the boards together distributes the glue evenly and producesa strong, thin glue line. BEFORECLAMPING, rub the boards backand forth for a no-slip glueup.

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& Answer Question

Truinga Framing Square

framQ. I lust inheritedmy grandpa's ingsquare.lt's bigand heavy and lU like to use it but it isn't square!How on earth can I fix it? SamO'Donnel Peabody, MA A. Get yourselfa hammer and a center punch.Then: 1.Draw a line on a straight-edged board (MDF works great)using the square. 2. Flip overthe squareand draw another Iine just to the right of the first. 3. If the lines diverge,peen the inside corner of the squarewith a hammer and centerpunch. 4. If the lines converge, peenthe outside corner. 5. Repeatsteps 1 through 4 until the linesareparallel.

ARM IS TIGHT AGAINST EDGE

GAP IS DOUBLETHE SQUARE'S ERROR

TO TEST A SQUARE, draw a line on an MDF sheet. Flip over the squareand draw another line next to the first.

PE EN IN G TH E OU TS ID EC OR N E R P E E N I N G T H E I N S I D EC O R N E R "closes" the square. "opens" the square.

RustyRouterCollets

Q. Returningto my shop after working outside this summer,I noticed a rusty film on my router colletsand bits.What's the best way to removethe rust without damaging the colletsand bits? Gary Hutchinson New Haven, CT A . U se a syntheti c steelw ool or 3M Scotch-Brite pad.To cleana ll2-in. collet, wrap the pad around a ll4-in. dowel and spin it inside the collet.Clean the rust off the bit shanksby rubbing the padsaround them.Do not usean emerycloth or sandpaper;you dont want to removeanymetal that could causethe bit to wobble later. Wipe the collet'sinsideand the bit's shank with a light, general-purpose grease, then wipe offthe excess.A thin film of grease will remain in the surface to slowfuture rusting.

CLEAN rusty router colletswith a dowel and syntheticsteel wool.

10

American

Woodworker

oCTOBE 2R OO0

& Answer Question

Board Feet Calculation

at a home center where it Q. I usedto buy planedand jointed lumber (S4S) was sold by the linealfoot. Now that I havea planerand joiriter,I want to buy my lumber in the rough but I'm confused. lt's sold by the "board foot."What does board foot (bd.ft.) reallymeanand how do I calculate it? GeorgeRobison, Horicon,Wl

Prototype

One board foot is | -in. thick x l2-in.wide x l2-in. long.

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A. Lineal feet is a measureof length. Board feet is a measureof volume. In the same way that sand is sold by the cubic yard, rough lumber is sold by the board foot. Calculatingboard feetfor 414(I-in. thick) lumber is easy. Simplyfigure out the board'ssurfacemeasure: Full width in inchestimeslength in feetdividedby 12. "Full width" is rounded up or down to the nearestwhole inch. "Length in feet"is a whole number,too. Board feet are rounded to the nearest whole foot. To calculatethe number of board feet in a thicker board, multiply the surface measureby the thickness of the board. Here'san examplefor a614 (I -l I 2-in.thick) board that's7-3I 8-in. wide and 8 ft.3-in.long: Boardfeet= (W x LxTH)lt2 - ( 7 x 8 x 1 -I 1 2 ) l 1 2 = 7 board feet For your calculations, be sure to ask your l umber suppl i er i f t heir 314-in.planed boards are considered 1-in. thick. Someare,somearen't. For more information you can order a copy of "Rulesfor the Measurement and Inspection of Hardwoods and Cypress" from The National Hardwood Lumber Association, P.O.Box 34518, Memphis, (800)933-0318; TN 38134; $7 plus shipping.rW

ELECTFIIC

llailMa$tet'"
EIFIAtrl GIUN
The ETIOO" is available whetever fine tools are sold. : Anow.Faslener Co.,Inc.,271Mayhill Street, Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07663 Canad.ajJardel Distributors, Inc.,6505 Metropolitan Blvd. East, Montreil, Quebec H.lp1Xg Uniled Kingdom: Arrow (U.K.) Fastener Ltd., i4 Barclay Road, broydon, Surrey CRO 1JN
@ 1999 Anow Fastener Company, Inc.

HEAVY

trIUTY

ETIOO"

Grab holdof theall-new ARR0W ET100- TheET100'. provides naildriving muscle andexperience thebeauty of eryonomicallywithout theburden of anaircompressor. designed comfort. lts non-slip cushioned It shoots 3 different sizebrads. gripandsuperb balance assures effortless Solidslatecircuitry, a hardened cailon jobs. work, even during long steeldelivery system for iam-proof In addition to performing routine nailing perlormance, andbothtrigger and jobs, thispowerful 10 ampbradnaiter is surlace conlact saletylockscombine specially angled to handle difficult corner,to offerincreased years of safe, accurate, jobs.Noscratched edging andframing or trouble-free service. damaged surfaces.

Celebratingour Anniaersary /Qth

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American

Woodworker

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From Our Readers

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2X4 BLOCK TIGHT FIT ON PENCIL C H A I RL E G MASKINGTAPE
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Pattern Tiansfer Tool

When facedwith copying a curved leg for a broken chair I had a hard time making a pattern.I tried guiding a pencil againstthe leg but the pencil wobbled and I couldn t keepit upright. I solved my tracing problem by making a jig to transferthe profile. In the end of a pieceof 2x4scrapI cut a (tight) slot for a flat carpenter's pencil.I cut away the pencil'sedgeto expose the lead. Then I sharpenedthe pencil, beveling only one side.Finally,I addeda strip of maskingtapeto protect the leg. with the pencil in the block and pressed againstthe leg I can traceany profile onto paper. Iulian McFowI Tllrr fX

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REMOVECORNERS TOTRACETIGHT INSIDECURVES

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CUT CHISEL.EDGE ON PENCIL

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Sandpaper File
Sorting through my sandpaper pile to find the right grit was a pain in the neck,so I bought a file folder caseand hanging files,wrote the grit number on the tabs,and filed the grits in the proper folders.It'salsogreatfor carrying around in and out of the shop. Elizabeth Sawyer Portland, ME

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If you havean original vorkshop Tip, send it to us with a sketch or photo.'We pay $200 for eachbnewe print. Sendro: Vorlchop TiFs, American Woodwo rkeg 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55f21. Submissions can'tbe returned and becomeour property upon accptance and payment.

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Woodworker

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Workshop Tips

Jointer Push Pads

My next-door neighbor borrowed my jointer push blocks(he lost his...)and he neverreturned them. I was under the gun to finish a job and I neededto joint the facesof some boards. I scroungedthe garagefor somethingand came up with some greatalternativepush blocks: concretefloat pads.They'vegot a comfortable handle and a solid, wide, no-slip pad on the bottom-even largerthan my original push blocks.Heck,now my neighbor can

StipplingTml
I cameacross an old patternmygrandfatherdrewmanyyearsagoon a big sheetof paper.I wasitching to build the piecebut I couldnt figure out how to transferthe pattern onto boardsso I could cut them out on a bandsaw. I didn't want to cut up the paperbecause of sentimental value and I dont haveaccess to a big copieiBtrrowing from mywife's sewing expertise,Imadea stippling tool by snippingoffthe headof a needleand pushingit into the eraserof a wooden pencil,sharp-pointedend out. I tapedthe pattern on myboard and pricked through the paper into the wood.I removedthe pattern and connected the prick marks with a pencil line. Slick! Mike Huber Fenton, MO

keep my old ones! EricHoffstad Stevens Point,WI

CONCRETE FLOAT PAD

RECORDS WERE MADE

TOBEBROKEN. EXGEPT THIS ONE.

Youcan Gount on our rucod of making dependable tools.Because yourplanes

and vises need to be reliable and strong, RECORD'tools are created from the finest steel and crafted in our foundry in Sheffield, England. We've been making woodworking tools for over 100 years, which is why we can promise you such high qualiff. RECORD tools-planes, vises and clamps you can

I,

SANDINGDISK
I

TiPs Workshop
START 1" BIT AT 90 DEGREES,THEN TILT 30 DEGREES

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Sander Knife Wallpaper

out with a After cleaning up glue squeeze damp rag I've alwayshad a real tough time sanding inside corners to remove the raised grain. A sanding block is too bulky to sand completelyup to the joint. I wanted somethingstiff and controllable. The solutionis quite simple:I layone 150disk on one sandpaper grit, self-adhesive sideof a flexible wallpaper knife and trim to fit. On the other sidegoes220-grit,selfpaper which getstrimmed too. adhesive Now I can sand cleanlyto all inside corners.I just peel off and replacethe sandpaperwhen it'sworn. MattWeathers Athens,OH

scrcwPockeb Quick
I dort't own a jig for making screwpockets but I wanted to use pockets to fasten a plywood tabletop to a skirt. Here's my simple way of making the pockets:First I

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theskirt.I gro,rnd insid-e drili a l-in. hole

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\ the tip short on the l-in. spadebit so it HoLE DRILL 5/32" wouldn't blow through the other side. I followed that with a 5132-in.bit in the edge of the hole. The pocket is large enough to accommodatea countersink bit for a flat-head screw. Mike Burton Ogden,UT

GHISELS THESE A WITH DON'TCOME RETIREMENTPLAN.

somethingr Whenyou Grcate Yollwant whatwe hadin it to last a lifetime' That's
mind when we created MARPLES'chisels. Forged in one piece from the finest quality steel, they are hardened and tempered to within an inch of the tang-unlike most other chisels. We manufacture them for long-term performance; in fact, you'll probably retire first.

Workshop Tips

Extension Cord Hanger

SCREW EYE HOOK INTO RAFTERS NYLONCABLETIE

I've got a small garageshop but I use every square inch if it. That means pulling an extensioncord from my one outlet to all my projects. I was always tripping over the cord and getting it snagged on stuff. Then I cameup with this ingenious,simple cure. I hang the extensioncord from the ceiling!A steel cableruns from one end of my garage shop to the other.The extensioncord (I usea very flexible,outdoor cord) is hung from the cableusing metal showercurtain rings. Now I pull the cord to where I need it and it staysout of the way.Best yet, it cost me under $25, including the cord. lerry Glazman Winstead,CT

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# When the SawdustSettles-.:*"$! .

RisesAbove the Restt Quality ZAR@ $
you'recreating your own masterpiece or wantto givenewlife to a treasured family lyThether W heirloom only the best uLur wood rvvvu JKrr wu uv, stainwill do. Ifl\ ZARWood wvuu 6:,! *,... drul StainrJ is rullllulzllEu formulatedusing UJIIIB only UIUy the tllc ,' ;finestingredients.ZARWoodStain'scontrolledpenetration formula allowsyou to work at yourl s..* own [Efe. ZARwipeson easilyand penetrates evenly for uniform color tonewithoutstreak, lapmarls or blotches, ZARWoodStain's extrarich formula makesit ideal for all typesof wood; :e from oak to Aspento Poplarto Pinewith beautifulresultseverytime. so whetheryou're a

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professional or iustwant professional looking results use ZAR Wood Stains and

Dust BagHangerc
When it came time to rehang the bag on my dust collector I alwayswished I had five hands.One day I had an idea: I made five hooks out of a wire coat hanger.I simply pull the bag over the dust collector'sflange,slip the hangers through the bag'sbelt loops and then adjust and tighten the bag belt. fW

ZARVood Stainwipes on evenly. Its controlledpenetration gives you a unitormcolor tone withoutstreak or lap mark.

For afuebrmfiure the and name of y$r:nsatest&aler call 1{I}?2.385, or,vf$t usatwwwugl.com.

;tm
ZAR Other Brands Wipes on LeaveUneven, Evenly! Blotchy Color Tone. Match ColorTone on Different Kinds oflVoods. o c t o g e2 no o o

ZAR'scontrolled penetrationallows you to applythe samestainto differentspecies ofwood and get matching color tones.

JohnKing,Jr. Thomasville, GA

t8

American

Woodwo rker

O n e. D ay P ro j e ct byRandy Johnson

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Portab
more smashedfrosting, cracked T\To I \ crusts or capsizedcasseroles.You can take your culinary creations anywherewith this portable food safe.You can adapt the design to accommodate two pie plates,a deep casserole dish or a 9 in. by 13 in. baking pan.If you'rea bread baker, size the safefor two loaf pans with a pull-out cutting board on the bottom. Whatever you're toting, it will arrive in style and in one piece!

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Food Safe
This safe features two sliding doorsand two
removabletrays.
Pine's a good choice for wood because it's easy to work and light in weight. Acrylic doors allow for peeking and the brass handle is 6n easy grip. Total cost:around $35. (Note: The folAmerican Woodworker O C T O B2 E R O Oo

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2 lowing how-to containsspecificinstruc- o F tions for the food safepictured here.) c) lrJ E The four sides are wide so you may 6 have to glue up some stock. Plane the material to 5/8-in. thicknessand mill to :< I E width and length (Fig.A).I like to cut F = the parts about 1/16-in. long so each z. f r box joint protrudes about 1/32 in. It's = UJ ? better to sand the pins flush to the sides o E than the sides flush to the pins! Once . F o o the box joints are milled (Photo 1), take UJ
F E a F

20

One-Day Project
the two s ide pa n e l s a n d ma k e th e dadoesfor the two sliding doors.The acrylicI usedcamea little under thicknessso it worked well to make the dadoesright at Ll4 in. Next make the dado for the upper sliding tray.Now is a good time to finish sand the inside surfaces. Gluingand clampingall four sidesat once takes four hands; here'sa better way: Dry clamp the four sides, pull the top offthe sidesand brush glueonto the mating surfaces of the exposedpins. Replace the top and clamp (Photo 2). Make surethe top is squareto the sides. When dry, flip over and repeatthe gluing process with the bottom panel. When the glueis dry, you can sand the joints flush. Cut the tray bottoms from 1/8-in. hardboard.The upper tray bottom is wider than the lower traybecause it needs a lip to slide in the side dado. Cut and attach the rim boards. Your hardware store can cut the acrylic doors for you. If you chooseto cut them yourself, usean 8O-tooth, carbide-tippedtriple chip designor a finetooth steelplywood blade.To remove sawmarks on the edges of the acrylic, use a sandingblock. The wood trim on the doorsserves asa fingergrip and is attachedwith epory.Scuffthe acrylic with sandpaper and tape off any place you don't want smearedwith epoxy.

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MASKINGTAPE ALONG JOINT TAPE CAULS IN PLACE

Clamp up the box usingcaulsto clear the protruding pins.Taping the caulsin placemakesthe job easier. For easy cleanup,line the cornerswith masking tape to catchglue squeeze out. Peel off the tape when the eporyis still semisoft. Stain and finish to your liking. Add the handle and you're ready to go.

Routingbox joints with a dovetailjig is very fast (this one is by Keller).Thejig is easyto set up,reliablyaccurateand can also be usedto make dovetails.

F I G .A

Project One-Day

List* Cutting
D 2 "x I l - 1 3 / 1 6 " Wx I l - 1 3 / 1 6 " O v e r a fD l i m e n s i o n s T - l 1H
Ref. Qtv Dimensions

114" x
114" DADO IS SET BACK 5/16', FROM EDGE SLIDING ACRYLIC DOOR

Part

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x" 7 - 9 1 1 6 " * *Sides 5 / 8 "x 1 1 - 1 3 / 1 6 " 11 - 7 l 8 " * Bottom 5 / 8 "x 1l - 1 3 / 1 6x " I 1-7l8"** 5 / 8 "x l 0 - l 1 / 1 6 x x5l8" x l0-5/8" 5116" l/4"xIl-l/8"x6-718" l/8"x11"x10-5/8" l/8"xl0-5/8"x10-5/8" x718" x 10-5/8" 314" x8-5/8" x718" 314" Door trim/handles Acrvlic doors
trav bottom Lower tray bottom Front and back rim boards

9/16" BOX

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Siderim boards

*Designedfor two 9-in. pie plates, Corning Ware P-309 9" xl-114." Boxjoint pins are9/16"wide. **Includes1/16"extra(1132" for sanding eachend) pins flush after box is assembled.

Sources
Woodworker's Supply (800) 64s-e2e2
ltem # 94l- 183;$7 Brasshandle: Keller 15" journeyman dovetail s),stem: Item#934-385;$140.

3/16" x 3/16" SIDE DADO CENTERED ON BOTH SIDES

LIP SLIDESIN SIDE DADO (BOTTOMTRAY DOES NOT HAVE A LrP)

AJt/

Qualit|.,,Morc Affodable ThanYouThink!

TSC.IOC Table Saw... powelulAnerican withleatures suflace, suchas a largeworking you'll seewedidn't spare made notorandsturdy construction quality to make an economical tablesaw . Miter gauge groove . Cast ironextension wings withT-slol . Magnetic plug release connection onmotor switch . Quick . 4"dust 27"x 40'lable hook up . Large collection . Beveled gauge miter lront table edge lorsmooth operation . 1 1/2HPAmerican made motor . Comes (shown) fence withVEGA@ U-26 BW.6R Jointer Ask about easy Acclained a "best buy" among 6"Jointers Bddgcwoodiror{rer publication woodworking by a prolessional rrnsr PLAils .3-knife cutlerhead . Jackscrew knife adiustment . New quick fence ways, andeasy adjustment. 3 positive stops tiltsboth . Enclosed sland . 1 HPmotor . Rabbeting table andledge . Surface ground tables . Pushbutton switch . Cast ironwheels

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Bandsaw...

' BW-iSP Planer.., priced yet builtlikebigprofessional economically planers. it otfers vibration heelinishes absolutelv .3 HPmotor . 3 v-belt frommolor drive lo cutlerhead
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problems porlable, yourdust lowcr,st at a very colledion nmpactunitcansolve . . 1 Micron, 16.2 4'dia. hose inlets . 1059 CFM sq.tt. fillerbag . Two . 43.5 gal.see-through release metal collection bagattached withquick straps . 2 HPsingle-phase (notplaslic) motor . Metal impeller
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Practical Design byrom Caspar

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ew projects are more personally satisfying than building a dining table for your family. To size it right, follow the guidelineswe'vegathered'here.We'll cover the amount of room eachdiner and their chair needs, give you pointers on figuring out the height that best suitsyour needs,cover the hidden benefitsof trestletablesand look at fitting a table into a typical dining room.We've even included a chart of typical table sizes. Theseguidelinesare not hard and fast rules. Your personal preferences come first, so here'show to test the guidelines in order to figure out the dimensions of a dining table that'sjust right for you and your family. Elbowroom Let's start with the overall size of the tabletop.Answer thesequestionsfirst: how manypeople will usually sit at the table?; howmuch elbowroom doeseach person need?The first question is easy, unlessyour kids are like mine and you never know if they'll be home for dinner! But let's assumethat youll want a table for four or six or eight peopleand tackle the harder question of making room for everybody. Thkeyour choice of traro commonly agreedupon numbers for determining the sizeof a placesetting (Fig.A). Two feet for eachdiner is considereda bare minimum, but you can allow more if your room can accommodateit. Consideryour familys dining style. If your place settings are minimal and informalityrules, usethe two-foot standaid. But if your table is going in a for24
American Woodworker

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F I G .A Sizeyourtabletop based you're on the amount of elbowroom comfortable with. lf youdon'tmindsitting close to yourneighbor, allow 24 in. for eachperson. lf you likelotsof room, or planto usethe tablefor formal you'llneedup to 30 in. dining, Thehead of the tablerequires additional space. Thewider the table, the lessadditionalspace maybe needed because there's moreroomat eachcorner. FlG. B Typical sizes for rectangular, square and roundtables. Number of People 2 4 6 8 Rectangular 24"x 30" 30"x 48" 36"x 60'1 42"x86" Square 30' 36' 48" Round 30'! 36" 48" 62'
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mal dining room where you'll set it with your bestchina,expandto a 30-in. space for eachdiner. To really settlethe matter,take a tape measurealong the next coupleof times you eat out. Seewhere you and your family settlenaturally at different-sized tablesand jot down some numbers. Hundreds of table designersdoing

this fieldwork have come up with a set of standard sizesfor square,rectangular and round tables (Fig. B). we've assembledthese numbers from many differentsources, none of which exactly agreewith one another,so usethem as a reality checkagainstyour own calculation of the perfect table size.

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P r a c t i c aD l esign

F I G .C Base thedistance
between the legsof your tabl e on t he num y ou'llbe berof chai rs using. No onewants to straddle a leg,so plan ahead !

Table Widths Narrow tables, from 30 to 36-in.wide,dont havemuch room in the middle for servingdishes and centerpieces.You mayhave to servefrom a buffet if you havea lot of dishesto pass. But it's a practical width for an average dining room and brings everybody closertogether. Wider tables(from 36 to 42 in.) have more room in the middle, of course,but it becomesharder to passdishesacross the table asyou add width.

Room Between Table Legs Haveyou everbeen stuck straddling a leg at a dining table? You can avoid subjectinganyoneto that torture bybasing the distancebetweenthe legsof your table on multiples of n,rro feet (Fig. C). That is the bare minimum for side chairs.Thirty inchesis a more generous distanceand alsoa minimum for armchairs.Usethesenumbers for the distancebetweenthe legsat the end of the table,too.

price Does matter?

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Practical Design
Table Helght Factory-built dining tables representa consensus on comfortable table heights and are typically 29-ll2 in. or 30 in. from floor to tabletop.Experiment to find the right height that best suits your family. Build a small prototype table from 2x4s and plywood (Fig.D), try it out and yodll havemadethe best I 30" investmentyou can to be sureyour table is well sized. The height that feels best depends on the chair you're sitting in. Build or buy your chairsfirsr. youll probablyfind that a top at the lower end of the height MIN.I range feels more relaxed and informal. you ll definitely notice a difference in how the table feelswith everyhalf-inch changein height.

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Builda prototype of yourtableto establish its height. There's no magicheight that'srightfor everyone. lt's a veryplrsonal decision,anddepends largely on the chairs. Buyor make yourchairs first,thensit downin frontof the prototype andtest ii out.

Floor to Rail Clearance Clamp test rails of different widths to the prototype table to checkthe clearanceaboveyour knees (Fig. D). The bottom of the rail should be no lessthan 25-in. from the floor. Dining tableswith lower rails can feel very confining, especiallywhen sitting in a chair with a high seat.

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P r a c t i c aD l esign
Trestle Tables If you like a low dining table, or the freedom to place chairs anywhere around your table to handle a crowd, considera trestletable (Fig.E). There's plenty of knee clearance under a trestle table because there'sno rail under the top.You can havea thick top that's fairly low to the ground and still haveroom to crossyour legs. And you can squeeze in an extra chair along the side of a trestletable without asking some poor soul to straddle a leg. In designinga trestletable,you dont have to worry about fitting chairs in betweenlegs,but the person sitting at the end facesa new problem. Theywill bump their kneesand feetinto the trestle base of a table with a small overhang (Fig. F). (Many trestletablesare designedthis way and dont work well for diners at the end of the table, but they're fine if everybody sits along the sides.) Although it changesthe proportions of the table, one answeris to

FIG.E Trestle tableshave fewerlimitations than standard four-legged tables. Youcancrowd chai rs around the table a n dn oo n ew i l l have to straddle a leg.

9'' MINIMUM FOR CHAIR 15" FOR AMPLE KNEE ROOM

FIG.F A trestletable limitskneeclearanceat the ends. A large overhang maynot lookas wellproporti oned, but i t plenty affords of legroom.

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30

American

Woodworker

ocToBE 2R 000

Practical Design
increasethelength and the overhangof the ends,so your kneeshave plenty of room. room to pull out chairs and you should be able to walk around the table when people are seated(Fig. G). Draw a one-quarter scaleplan view of your room and include the doors, windows, ceiling light and other furniture. Trycenteringyour ideal table with

The Dining Room Finally, sizeyour diningtableto fit the dining room.Thereshouldbe enough

FIG. G Planfor clearance yourdining around yousettleon the dimentablebefore sionsof the top. Adequate space around yourtableis justas important asthe theoretical amount of elbowroom.

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the light and a window and see if it works. Do you havethree feet of clearanceall around?You mayhave to resize your top. Dining rooms are often not large enough for a spacioustable,which is why most traditional tables are built to expand with additional leaves.Size your table without leavesso it fits in the room with adequateclearance. With leaves added,dont get too hung up on clearance. Come Thanksgiving, with lots of guestsmilling about and all the leaves groaning under the weight of a big feast,everyoneexpects a tight fit! Bon appetit! Aftl Note:Most of the measurements in this article havebeencollectedfroma standard reference book usedby architects. Architectural GraphicStandards"is publishedby theAmerican Institute of Architectsand is availableat www.bar nesandnoble.com; $50paperback.

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32

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2 R ooo

Hold ltl Roll lti Hangltl Store lt!

Edited uyDave Munkittrick

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secondwork surface, until I madethis one

from asalvaged pre-hung door. Look fora

flush, so/id-coredoor with the jamb (door frame) attached. A solid-core door is FLANGE sturdy,provides strong attachment for the bench legs and is heavy enough to take a \ pounding. I reinforced the jamb with \ screwsand added stockwhere the threshold used to be. Then I screweda I in. x 4-in. flange onto the back edges of the ja-b with #8 x2-rn. screws.The jamb is h*g on the wall at a comfortable working height with #10 x 3-in. screws. For convenient tool and accessorystorage,screw perf-board to the

ANGLE BRACKETS

flangethat'sinsidethe UJ door opening.Make Y two legsfrom 314-rri'.- r threaded pipe and I screwthem into two o o z 314-n.pipeflanges to o supporttheworkbench z o when it's down. Sup= z port the bottomjamb o = with anglebrackets andaddahaspto hold the door shut.
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Power DrillStation
My driils, chargers andall their wirestook up too muchprecious benchspace. Thiswallh*gdrill station reallyclearedthe clutter. Nowallmydrillingneeds arewithiheasyreach , in onelocation.With thepowerstrip I onlyuseoneoutletfor all mychargers andI dort't haveto mess with an extension cordwhenI'm usingpowertoolsat my bench.
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American

Woodworker

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S m a l lS h o p Tips

Heads-Up I RagStorage Shop

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Craftsman Professional 175max PSI produces 2-stage compressor higherpressure rangesmore efficiently than sin$e stagemodels. Air is compressed in a largebored cylinder and cooled. lt's then compressed a second time in a smaller cylinder to the achieve the maximum amountof pressure.

B1ISTSITIROUGH IIIEBOUTIIARIES

I could never find a rag when I needed one until I discoveredthoseboxed rags. But I got tired of kicking the box around the floor and I suredidntwant it to take up valuablebench space.Iwaschanging a light bulb when the solution hit me.I built a simple plywood box, mounted it between the floor joists and added a coupleof retainer clips to keepthe box of rags from falling out. Now a rag is at my fingertips wheneverI need it. Ben Downey Plainfield,IL

Tuck-Away Sandpaper Dispenser

This sandpaperdispenserholds four rolls of self-adhesivepaper. Mount the box 3/4-in. below the joists, put measuring sticks out from either end, and fastena pair of old hacksawbladeswith a singlescrewon one end. Slip the paper through the blade and pull it to the desired length. Clamp the blade down with your thumb and tear offthe paper. BiIl Schmoll Sioux Falls,SD

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Power source Requires specialwiring? Portable? Runs30% quieter than standard compressors Pumpdesign
Maintenance

12GV 240-V 24GV 15amp 15amp 15amp

No

Bridge Your Radial-Arm Saw Table

My radial-arm sawtable was a handy placefor my benchtop power tools. Unfortunately,I had to move a tool or two whenever I needed to cut a long board. I solved the problem bybuilding a bridge over one side of the table.Nowwhen I go to cut a long board I simply slip it under the bridge without having to touch mybenchtop tools.If I everneedto cut anything reallythick,which rarelyhappens, I can easily remove the tools and the bridge. PeterLundebjerg Greeley, CO

Yes No No 1-stage Very little Yes #16650

Yes No No 1-stage Very freque Yes #L8476

Yes Yes 2-stage

Verv titil6
Yes #t6777

Continuous operation of air tools Item #

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36
American

THE GOOD LIFE ATA GREAT PRICE GUARANTEED'"

Woodworker o c r o B E2 R ooo

S m a l lS h o p Tips

Turn Your DustCollector on lts Head !

I usemy 2-hp dust collectorasa centralunit. Turning the collectorupside down and hangingit from the ceilingallowsme to hook up mytrunkline without any elbows.It alsosaves on floor spaceand because the barrel handlesthe chips,there'sno lossof cFM from a full bag.But best of all,

this system eliminates the dust storm createdwhen removing a full bag. Replace the metal basewith 314-in. plywood sizedto spanyour floor joists. (The old basemakesa greatshop cart!) With the help of a couple friends, bolt the whole assemblytoyour floor joists. To h"lp dampen vibration, drill out the centers of six l-Il2-in.-thick rubber stoppersto useaswashersbetweenthe base and the bottom of your joists. Finally,removethe fabric bottom of one bag and usea cinch strap to attach it to a barrel with an approximately 20-in.diametertop. Rubber stoppersare availableat most hardware stores for about $4 apiece. You can pick up used barrels for $6 to $10. Look under "barrels" in the YellowPages. /W

T he Worldts Best Rorrter lig Systern

Thinking Jig? Think Leigh. '\il?hether you're a hobbyiit or a

@
38

professiond,the Leigh Jig will help you createyour best work. Versatilirywith precisionmake the kigh Dovetail Jig bener than tJrerest. Rout through and halfblind dovetails,wi*ivariable spacing of pins and tails, on one jig. Createdecorative.Isoloc joints, finger joints, and multiple

mortise & tenons easilvwith Leigh attachments. And our easy-to-follow user guide will help make it happen fast! Call toll free now to learn more.

Ross Peterson Hanover,MN

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American

Woodworker

ocroBE 2R ooo

Woodtu rn ing by Aran Lacer

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Legs
FIRSI,turn a prototype leg. Place your prototype leg directly behind the blankfor each final leg. By sighting alongthe upper horizonsof both pieces, you'llsimplif the processof repeating specific shapes.

four table legs that match furning I may sound impossible, but it'snot. With thesetried and true tips, and a little practic,Iou can successfully turn even the largestlegs.And thesesame techniquesapply when you're copying a broken chair spindle or producing a setof balusters. Here'swhat we'll show vou: I Safer ways to mount i.rg. stock. (This reducessome of the intimidation if you're new to turning on this scale.) I How to work pommels (areasleft square). I How to mark the blank for key details and diameters. I How to accuratelyand quickly size diameters. f How to repeatthe sameshapefrom one Ieg to another.

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Beforeyou start turning tablelegs, here are some insights on making multiples that I've picked up over the years: I Perfectioncan be very boring and needlessly tediouswhen making matching parts! I usedto obsess about making an exactcopy.NowI settlefor similarity.If you getthe layoutright and the diameters and shape close,you ll do fine. As duplicated pieces get further apart (such aswith table legs),approximate diametersand shapes start looking identical to the eye.Plus,slight varia ti o n s a d d w armth and a human elementthat machine-madeparts lack. I Learn to trust your eye.After making the first leg to your satisfaction, place it immediately behind the next

blank on the lathe. Learn to look at the upper horizons of the prototype leg and blank and not the wood itself. This helpsyou to really"sed'and duplicatethe form (seephoto above). I Make at least one prototype before you commit to four legs. Even if you have an accuratedrawing to scale,the transition from two dimensionsto three will surpriseyou. I As you make the prototype leg, remove it often from the lathe and view it in an upright position, as it will be viewedmounted on the table.The transition from horizontal viewing to vertical is also astonishing, and may lead you to changesin design.

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42

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2 R ooo

Woodturning
LAY OUT the pommel (areato remainsquare)with a squareand pencil. O n l y o n e l i n ei s necessary at the shoulderof the pommelbecause the spinning wood will show the line clearly.
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PARTDOWNTO CREATEA CYLINDER

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CUT l/8 in.to the right of the layout line with a parting tool. Make sure the edge is keen;the handleis low: take only lightcuts;and widen the cut as you go deeper to prevent binding. Cut to the left until you reach the layoutline.

TURN the areato the right of the pommel to a cylinder. lf you're makingrounded shoulders, turn the corners of the pommel with a I l2-in.detail gouge. The line to the left of the shoulder indicates the top of the roundedportion.

YOU CAN ALSO use a skew chiselto do both squareshouldered or roundedpommels. The long point (toe) of the skew is down and leading the cut. Skewsleavethe best surface, but require more skilland Practiceto use.

USEa layoutboard with cut pins to accurately lay out the placementof elementsbelow the pommel. Securely placethe board on the tool rest and push it into rhe cylinderbelow the pommel.

THE PINSare simply bradsor finishnails driven into the edge of a3l4-in.-thick board at the critical points and clippedoff about l/4 in.from the surface. On longer work it's often easierto manipulate the layout board by makingit in two or three sections.

TIP: Driving witha Dead Center

Although normallyused in the tailstock, the deadcenter is a good alternative to a spur center for drivingthe work at the headstock. By controllingthe pressureon the tailstock handwheel, you can determinethe amount of slippage in drivingthe work-a real benefitin caseof a catch or if you are intimidatedby a largespinning square.You also can remove and accurately remount the leg several times,which is important for viewingthe leg verticallyduring the designprocess.

To use the dead center for driving, file the shoulder ofthe deadcenter to a sharp edge.You can cut severalshallowscallops alongthis edgeto increase its grip on the wood.This shaping is easilydone with a rotary tool and a smallstone or a chainsaw file. Prior to mountingturning stock on the lathe,drive the center into the headstockside of the blankwith a deadblowmalletto make an indentation.

44

American

Woodwo rker

ocroarR zooo

Woodtu rning
USEa calipers and parting tool to size criticaldiameters. The calipersmust haverounded edges and make contact 'only on the side oppositethe cutting tool.There must be no gap between the wood and tool rest. Hold the partingtool handlelow,tucked under your forearm. ROUND the ends of the outside calipers with a fine mill file or rotary tool before usingon the spinning wood. I finish off the processwith 220-grit sandpaper.The goal is to eliminateany sharp edgesor corners that might catch on the wood.

CUT detailswith the detailing gouge.For long,gradual curves, cylindersor straight tapers,use the roughinggouge.After turningthe pommel, work from the headstocktoward the tailstock until the leg is finished. Control the shapeby watching the upper horizon of the piece rather than the tool tip.

10

USEthe skew chisel (long-pointdown) to add shadow lines, crispness and emphasis to beads, shoulders, filletsand other details. Be sure to check the leg by removing it from the lathe and examining it in a vertical position.Complete the leg with final sanding.

Wood to Turn Youll needfour pieces of 3-ll2 in. by 3-l 12in. by 30-in.squared stock cut exactly to the same length. (Note:We usedtwo pieces of 814 ash,gluedand squaredon the jointer.) Having squaredstock is critical when leaving pommels on the finished piece. Cutting all the blanks the same length greatly simplifieslevelingthe table. Tools and Supplies f A spur or modified deadcenter (highly recommended if you area novice turner) for the headstock side,and a live centerfor the tailstockside. lAn outsidecalipers, at least4-in. capacity.(I keepa number of pairs sizedand labeledfor the different diameters.For a project of this kind eventhreepairswould suffice
46
American Woodworker ocroBE zR ooo

to speedthe process along.) I A double-posted24-in. tool rest.(This is optional,but very convenient if you plan to do longer spindle work on a regularbasis.This rest alsorequiresan additional tool restbaseor banjo.) I Turning tools:a roughinggouge(any size);all2-n.detailing gouge ground to a fingernail shape(seeAW #80, June2000,page 16); a ll2 in. or largerskewchisel;and a parting tool (any size). I A squareand a pencil. I Layout board materials:6 in. wide by 28 in.long 314-in.poplar, l-in. brads or finish nails,a hammer and a nippers. I Sandpaper; four sheets eachof the following grits: 100,120,150, 180, and 220. tt'l

sources Dead center,#2 Morse taper, #l 146-439, $22, plus shipping. 24-in. Double-posted tool rest (for basesthat hold l-in. stems and lathes with | 2-in.swing),#l 146-694, 993, plus shipping. Tool rest base (banjo) to use with 24-in.rest.Check with suppliersof your brand of lathe. (Packard Woodworks sells a tool rest basefor latheswith a l- l/2-in.gap in ways,and a l2-in. swing-on lathe,ltem plus shipping.) #l 146-707,$73, Packard Woodworks, (800) 683 8876; www. packardwoodwo rks.com

by Dave Munkittrick

Downdraft Sanding Table Glue UpTable

48 American Woodworker ocroBER2ooo

Stand Saw Ghop

lable Routet Huge

Stand Planet Poftable

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thoseof us who share T-ror F{ with a caror a I'shop space w asher and dryer, el bow room is alwaysa problem. This tool standis the answer. of floor A2 ft.by 6-ft.section is all you needto store space it. When you're ready to work, just roll it out, lock it down (thesecasterswon't budge)and plug it in. It not only storesthree benchtop pow er tool s, i t provi desa working platform that actually improves their perforyou can mance.In seconds shift from a chop sawstation to a huge router table and then to a portabl e planer stand with infeed and outfeedsupport. A dead-flattorsion box is the foundation of this tool stand.This torsion box is a sandwich made from two skinsof medium-density fiberboard(MDF) and a grid incredcore(Fig.A).lt offers to and resistance iblestrength It simplywon't twist sagging. out of shapeno matter how unevenyour shop floor is.
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GETTING STARTED $300 buys all the material you need to construct the ultimate tool stand.We used3/4-in. MDF to build ours. The onlytools you needarea circular saw,a router, a drill, a tablesawand an accuratestraightedge. A pneumatic nail gun makesassemblya lot easier. Butt joints, screwsand glue make for simple,sturdy construction. D I ME N S ION IN G TH E TOOL STAND There are two things to considerwhen dimensioningyour tool stand: 1.The height of the bed on your chop saw. 2.The height of your tablesaw. The tool stand consistsof naroboxes permanently fixed to the top to form a tool well (Fig.A). The 4-ll2-in. height of eachbox wasdetermined by the height of our chop saw's bed mounted on a I I 2 -in.plywood base. Adjust the width of the ribs (C5) to match the height of your own chop saw. The 34-in.heightof the tool standis just belowour tablesaw so it canbe usedasan out'eedtable.If you need a dif;ferentheight for your saw,adjust the length of the sidesand dividers (C2) accordingly. ACCURATE MACHTNING OF PARTS Any part that's a little bit out of square or not exactlytheright sizewill havea ripple effecton the outcomeof this project.Sides and dividersthat are not squareor exactlythe samesizewill resultin an uneventop. Out-of-square tops andbottoms make for poor-fitting inserts.

The chop saw stand handles long stock with ease. A portable chop saw begsfor additional bed support and fence extensions.Theultimate tool stand does both, and set-up is as simpleasABC.

THE SQUARE TEMPLATE Here'sa recipeto guarantee square, perfectly sizedparts: First,rough cut the tops,bottoms and sidesaboutll2-in.oversize with a circular saw(Photo l). Then rip all the pieces to finish width on your tablesaw. Organize your work so thefence is setjust once for each dimension.This guaranteesthat every piece is exactly the samewidth. Eachpiecemust be crosscutperfectly square.One surefire way to get a square end is to usea straightedge and a router with a flush-trim bit (photo 2). Once you'vecreateda perfectlysquare24in.by 72-in.piece,useit asa templatefor routing the other three24in.by72-in.pieces. Simply clamp the finished pieceover the rough one making sure the edges are exactlyflush and the endsto be cut overhang about Il4 in. Then trim the ends with a router and a flush-trim bit. Use a 24 in.by 24-in. pieceas a template for trimming the ends of the other 24 in.by 24-in.pieces. The smallerparts can be accuratelycut on your tablesaw or chop saw. USE THE CARCASS AS AN ASSEMBTY TABTE There are two problems with building a largetorsion box: 1.It will onlybe asflat asthe surface you build it on. 2.It canbe a bearto clampup. We've solved both of these problems for vou.

A. Pull the saw from its compartment and set it in the well.

B. Align the front edge of the basewith the front edge of the tool stand and secure with T-knobs.

C. Butt the fencesup against the stop blocks and secure with clamps. Elapsed times 55 secondst

ROUGH CUT sheet stock down to a manageable sizewith a circularsaw.A piece of l- l/2-in.foam board makesan excellent backer. Make sure the bladeis set to cut only slightlydeeperthan the thickness of the stock you're cutting! Remember, MDF is dusty stuff, use dust control wheneverpossible.
o c r o B E2R ooo

MAKE A PARTTEMPLATE FROM

MDF. Squarea straightedgeon a rough-cut end,then rout a perfectly square crosscut with a flush-trimbit. Once you haveone 24 in. by 24-in.piece perfectly squareyou can use it as a templatefor makingother squarecuts.

50

American

Woodworker

FIG.A
72-112" 8-5/8"

Exploded View

t
I

+ 3:4" -T
--_-J

8" CrYP.) f
1-114" 72'112" 5-1/8"

-Ls+" -T
5" (TYP.)

8" CryP.)

* -T
8-5/8"

1-1l8" HARDWOOD e

t
E

B I

3/4" PLYWOOD

MDF is prone to splittingwhen screwsare driven into it.To minimizethe problem,keep the screwsin about l -l 12 in.from the front and back edgesof the top and bottom.This keepsthe sidesand dividersfrom splitting.Also, the pilot holesshouldbe madea little deeperthan usualand countersunkfor the screw heads.
American Woodworker o c r o e rz Ro o o

51

Create a flat surface on which to build the torsion box by building the carcass first. Assemble the carcass top,bottom(Cl) and sides (C2) using glue and screws.The dividers (C2) are fastenedwith screwsonly, so the interior divisions can be altered for future needs.Be sure all the edgesare flush asyou build. Usea perfectly squareback (Da) to squareup the c a b i n e t. Lai d on i ts back, the assembledcarcassnow provides the dead-flat surfaceneeded to build the torsion box.
Planing large stock is a breeze with this setup.Perfectlyflat infeed and outfeed support dramatically reducessniping.The plywood baseis securedto the table with clamps. Note: Height of the support blocks may be alteredto suit your machine.

An optional pullout shelfmakes for easy-access storate.

THE TORSION BOX The torsion box is designedto resisttwisting. It consistsof a web core made up of MDF strips notched for easyassembly (Fig.A). To ensureeach piece is notched the same, gangcut the notcheson the tablesaw(Photo 3). Glue and screwthe sides(T2) and ends (T3) first to createa frame. Assemblethe coregrid (T4 and T5) insidethe framealong with the cornerblocks (T6) (Photo4). Place the torsion top (Tl) over the core grid and tack it in place.Be sureall the edges are flush (Photo 5). Then weight the top for clamping pressure(Photo 6). Once the glue has set, gAacAss removethe weights,flip over the torsion box assembly and glueon the bottom (T1). With the torsion box complete,add the SPREAD GLUE on all the edgesof the casters and the levelers(T7). The carcass is torsion box core.The torsion box can only be as then screwed down onto the torsion box flat as the surfaceon which it is built.Build it on the carcasslaid on its back (which will be dead flat). Lay (Fig. A). BU IL D I NG TH E B OX E S There are four boxesthat complete the tool stand.TWoof the boxesare permanentlyfixed to the top to form the tool well (Fig.A). The other rwo, the downdraft table (Fig.C) and the router tablebox (Fig.D) are usedas insertsbetweenthe fixed end boxes. Assemblethe fixed boxeswith glue and screws(Photo 7). Add plastic laminatefor a durable top. Oa skip this step and simply treat the surfacewith a couple coatsof polyurethane (it's a greatway to useup that old can that'sbeen openeda few too many times). ,t#tsF%ffiry:: '-n '.S Cut the 3/8-in. T-slots in the top with a [llc i I recKTHETop ontothe dado bladeon your tablesaw.Attach the fixed sure all the edgesare flush.
o c r o B E2R ooo

GANG ALL the torsion box core pieces together and notch them on the tablesaw. Mark the common ends of eachcore pieceso they can be assembled in the sameorientationthey were cut.

the bottom of the torsion box on the carcass and assemble the core grid.The corner blocksare attachmentpoints for the casters.

The downdraft table insert capturesfugitive dust and keeps your shop ond your lungsclean. Flip it over and you havea continuous top with slotted channels. for machining and gluing.

52

American

Woodworker

FIG. B Electrical Gonnections

ELECTRICAL
Part Description

This router table is huge!The router table insert can be set up without or stored in seconds havingto remove the router.Just slide it out (seebelow),drop it into the well and clamp it to the top.The slotted top allows the fence and featherboardsto be router is clampedwith ease.The plugged into a convenientpower switch below (Fig.B).

Redwire connectors w i re.stranded # l 2 TH H N bl ack or sol i d

# l 2 TH H N ereensol i dw i re

Ground screws. # l0-32

"li,;..-TK

| 6 I cuMPTHEToP

ontothe gridwith

weights and extra sheet stock.The extra sheetstock helpsdistributethe weight of the blocksevenly.

4-in.square x | - | /2-in.deep metaljunctionbox 4-in.square x | -l /2-in. deep metal junctionbox with an attached coverfor one-duplex 4-in.sq. raised receptacle cover for two-duplex plasterring,raised| /2-in. | /}-in. flexiblemetalconduit | /Z-in. flexible conduitconnector | /2-in. flexibleconduitstra D upl ex l 5-amp 12O-vol receptacl t e round cord l2/3 SJcord set, (removefemaleend) Strainrelief cord connector push-in for Plastic connector two cords Router switch
American

Well Grosscut

usE A t-3/8tN.BY I tN.BY 24-rN.

SPACER STICK to help layout the ribs on all the the boxes. Use the l-3/8-in.sideto space doubleribs on all the boxesand the l-in. sidefor C and D). the overhangon the two insefts (Figs.

Cut sheet stock down to size over the open well. No more wrestlingwith largestock on the tablesawor trying to cut it down on a pair of wobbly sawhorses.
zooo ocroarn

Woodworker

53

boxesto the top and besureto keepall the edges flush (Fig.A). DOWNDRAFT BOX Assemblethe downdraft box from the insideout (Fig.C). First,glueand screw the two inside ribs (C5) to the filler pieces(C6) to createthe interior structure. Then attachthe bottom. Usethe spacerstick to attachthe outsideribs. Note:The sidesof the insert boxesare inset l-in. so they will clear the chop sawfencestop blocks (C8). Drill a 3-in. hole into the centerof one filler piece for a dust collector fitting. Perfboard makesa greattemplatefor drilling the ll4in. holes in the top. Use a countersink to widen the opening of eachhole. ROUTER TABLE BOX Assemble the router tablebox. Note:The bottom of the router tablebox is cut 2-in. narrower than the top, making it flush with the outsideribs (Fig.D). This allowsthe router table to be lifted in and out of the well with the router attached. The router is mounted onto a tableinsert that sits flush to the top. This allows you to lift the entire router out of the table for changingbits. Make two 8 in. by 16-in.access holes, one in the bottom of the router table and the other in the top of the carcass. Theseholesallow room for a pair of handsto adiustthe router. TOOL BASES T h e c h o p s a w i s screw edto a pi ece of Il2-in.plywood sizedto fit inro the well. To makepositioning of the sawand the auxiliary fences easier,line up the front edgeof the saw basewith the front edge of the tool stand well. Behind the saw,drill two 1/4-in. holes through the baseand the carcass. Mount Tnuts to the undersideof the carcass top (Fig. A) and secure the sawwith T-handleknobs. Clamp a straightedge to your saw's fenceand position the chop sawfences againstit. Nail the stopblocksto the fixed boxes. The planerbase is made from a pieceof 314-in.plywood.The two l-5116 in. by 24-in. supportsbring the planer bed up to the sameheight asthe fixed end boxes. Your planer bed may vary, so size the supports accordingly. That'sit. You'redone! Now your shop will seem two sizeslargerwithout moving a singlewall!
ocroBE 2R ooo

FIG. G Downdtaft Box

Accurate glue ups are guaranteed on this deadflat surface.Saygoodbye to twist'ed assemblies.

FIG. D

Router Table Box

A self-storingdrip shield keepsyour tool stand clean.

2-1l4',DUSTPORT

INSERTCUTOUT

Slots in the top allow you to clamp anyrhing, anywhere on this table.Machining has never been easier. Here the clampshold straightedge guidesand the piece being machined for cutting multipledadoes.

ACCESS HOLE

54

American

Woodworker

A rock-solid outfeed support that sets up in a minutesis like having secondset of handsat the tablesaw.

Heavy-duty casters and levelers can handle unevenshop floors and make this tool stand mobile and stable.IW

CUTTING LIST
3:4 -| /4 ' H x 7 7 " W x 2 5-3/4" D Dime n s i o n s O v erall
Part Description Qty. Dimensions

S H O P P I N GL I S T
goods Sheet 4 3/4in.x4ft. x8ft. MDF |/4-in.x4ft..x8ft.hardboard | | /2-in. x 6-in. eye bolts 4 | /Z-in T-nuts 4 4 | /2-in. x 3 in. lagbolts

andBOXES CARCASS {C} 3/4" VDF 2 Too and Bottom CI 4 Sides and Dividers C2
C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 Box Tops and Bottoms Router Box Bottom Ribs Fillers Router Box Slides ' | /2 sheetstocl< Stop Blocks Chop Saw Fence C8
| C9 ' thick squared up 2x4 stocl< Cord Cleat Face

7 4 "x 7 2 " 24"x20"

24 " x 24" 22 " x 24"

$80 $8 $27 $3 $2

7 |

70 3" x24" 4 3"x|6-l/4' 2 2 X24"

4

l-3/4'xl-3/4" 2"x3"
l-l /4" x2"

C l0

Cord CleatBase 7 2

TORSION BOX {T} 3/4" MDF Tl Too & Bottom Sides f2

74" x72" 7-l /2" x72"

T3
T4 T5

Ends

2 -l /2 " x 2 2-l/2'

3 2-l /2" x70-l /7" LongCore 7 7-l /2" x72-l /2' Short Core sandwich 3 / + ' p l y w o o d a n dh a r d w o o d 2-l /2" xl-l /8'x 8-518" 8 T6 C o r n e rB l o c k s 3"x6" f7 Levelerblock CHOP SAW FENCES {F} 3/4" YDF F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 Bases Brackets Face Base Brackets Dust Port

Electrical Redwire connectors or solid # l2 THHN blackwire, stranded 5 ft. or solid # l2 THHN white wire, stranded 5 ft. # l2 THHN greensolidwire 5 ft. Ground screws,#l'0-32 3 x l-l /2-in.deepmetaljunctionbox 4-in.square 7 x | -l /2-in. deep metaljunctionbox 4-in.square I with an attachedmountingbracket receptacle coverfor one-duplex 4-in.sq. raised | 4-in.sq.raisedcover for two-duplexreceptacle | plasterring,raised | /2-in. I Single-gang | /Z-in. flexiblemetalconduit (or lengthas needed) 3 ft. conduitconnector | /2-in. flexible 2 | /2-in. flexibleconduitstraps 2 recePtacle Duplex l5-amp, 120-volt 3 25 ft. I cord set, round cord 17/3 S)extension Strainrelief cord connector push-inconnectorfor two cords Plastic

2 4 | | 2 | 2

3-l /4" x24" 3 -l/4 " x5-3/4" 4 ' x 2 5 -l / 7" 3-| /4" x24" 3 -l/4 " x 4 " 4 -5 1 8x " 5" x7-3/ 16" 2 -3 /1 6 "

TOTALCOSTOF ELECTRICAL (800) 74t-6748 HARDWARE HIGHLAND with CordSet Router Switch Item #W 2001 ltem#RM-3509 Table Insert, Router
ltem #10.20.23 lnseftTemplate, I (800)22s-| 153 wooDCRAFT SUPPLY 4
I

$3s

FENCE 3/4' MDF TABLE ROUTER -

FB

Blocks

$ 13 $33

TRACKS{D} 3/4" hardwood DOOR AND DRIPSHIELD 2 3 / 4 "x 7 2 " DI Door Tracks 2 3/4" x29-l /4" Track D2 Drip Shield Drip ShieldBottom Stop D3

$ts $s8 $4 $2

Casters,ltem # 140639 Knobs,ltem #27R | 6 | /4 in. T-nuts. ltem # 130226

R I PS H I E L D D5 D6 D7 D r i pS h i e l d Door Door |

4" sheetstock

2 4 "x 7 l "

Dtr

FillPieces Back Track

| | 2

20-| /7' x28' 20-| /2" x l9-l /4' 3/4" x3-l /4"

(800) s33-e2e8 MLCS

I Bit, ltem #7808 Flush-Trim

$ls

TOOL BASES {B} Sheetstocl< 19"x74" | El Choo SawBase l2'x24' I Base BZ Planer S q u a r eu d p 2 x 4 s t o c k ,l - 3 l 8 " t h i c l < 2 l-5/ 16"*x24" 83 SuooortBlocks
*Adjustfor your planerbed height
American Woodwo rker 2R ooo ocroBE

55

T\n/O-IZART

in asmallshop. youcanbuild that Here's abigbookcase

can stretchthe limits of a small 12 uilding a tall bookcase I-Dshop.Weall know that big boardscanbe a bearto handesignand dle andglueup,so I'vetakenan old Scandinavian My solutionis to breakthe pieces. slicedit up into bite-size that requireonly into two interlockingsections bookcase short and narrow stuff.Not to mention,that'sthe only way I stairs! couldgetit out of my shopand up the basement join the shelves It'sa snapto put together and sides. Biscuits with a platejoiner.But biscuits wide boardsat right angles so I've addedbackalonearen'tenoughto makea stiff case, into a rigid unit. boardsthat lock the wholebookcase
z

o
f F a

=
e F a
I J

=
a U
J

:<
I ul f N J J

co

;
o F

I o_ E

o
I

I o_

)
L! I (J E. F

TRIM LONG ANDWIDE BOARDSon your tablesaw with a crosscutsled.A sled is easierto use and more accurate Clamp a hooked stick onto the fence than a standardmiter gauge. that all your boardscome to act as a stopper arm.Thisensures out the samelength.

o_

2
F

SIDE V I E WO F BOOKCASE

L! E.

F E

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2R ooo

MO.PART

RIPTHE STEPPED BOARD (C) on the bandsaw. A simple fence helps you make a straight cut. Stop the cut at the top of the ogee curve and withdraw the board. Removethe fence and cut out the ogee.

GLUETHE UPPER CASE SIDES from l-in.-thick

rough boards that are planedto 7/8-in.thick.This leaves some untouched low spots,but that's OK. Align the outside boards so their bottoms are even.

Materials and Tools Ratherthan splurgeon the best qualitylumber simplyto make shelves,you can savemoney on this project by using a lower grade of hardwood, No. I Common. you'll find many good boards that are too short or narrow to make the best grade but are perfect for this bookcase.I usedNo. 1 Common birch because (about its inexpensive $1.75per bd. ft.), a light color (the case looks lessmassive) and stiff enough to support heavy books. Youll need about 7sbd.ft. for a total costof $130. As an alternativeyou can use 3/4-in.-thick boards from a home center.Pick straight ones,glue them together and plane them to 5/8 in. I built a prototype bookcasethis wayand it workedjust fine.To tell the truth,I preferredits slim look to one madeof thicker wood. However,I found that 5/8-in. thick shelves bend under a lot of weight, so theywouldnt be suitablefor a setof encyclopedias. (For more on designing strong shelves, seePractical Design, AW #7s,October 1999, page75.) Youll need the three basic machines for processing solid wood to make this bookcasefrom rough lumber: a tablesaw, a jointer and a planer. (If you build with preplaned,3/4-in. boards that haveone straight edge, you can getbywithout a jointer.) A crosscutsledfor your tablesaw isnt required but it sure makeslife easier(seeAW #75, page38 for plans).In addition, you'll need a router,plate joiner, bandsaw or jigsaw, an accurateframing square (seeQ&A, page10)and eightpipe clampsto hold the case tbgether during glue up. Any white or yellow glue works fine for the biscuit jolnts, becauseboth glues contain the water needed to
American Woodworker o c r o B E2 R ooo

Do you havea poftable planer?

Great,because we've keptevery part less than 12-in.wide. That means you canflatten the sides and shelves with your planer.

PLANETHE GLUED-UP CASE SIDES untitthere

are no low spots left. All the parts of this bookcaseshould be the same thickness, which can be anywherefrom 3/4 in. to a minimumof 5/8 in.

BOOKCASE

CUT BISCUITSLOTSin the ends of the shelves. You cant go wrong if you clamp eachshelfin position,right abovethe double lines. Set the shelfin from the back edge by the thicknessof one backboard.

SLOTSin the caseside. CUT MORE BISCUIT the end Standthe platejoiner up on end and butt it against of the shelf.Align the center mark on the bottom of the machinewith the pencilmark on the bottom of the shelf.

's strongto hold a shelf weight.Theywon't shear off undera load because t h e g r a i no f a b i s c u i tr u n s diagonally.

FIG. A BiscuitPlacement #20biscuits areplenty

yellowgluewith a swellthe biscuits. Usea special page 63) if youte long open time (seeSources, goingto glueup the cases byyourselfand dont like working like a speeddemon!

Do you buy lumberat a homecenter?

Our 3/4-in.boards. Go aheadand buypre-thicknessed

ptan ew ith'#:.';T:"##:f sw ork fin #:;f,f;#;'*

Preparing Rough Lumber For the sidesand backboards, select boardsthat don t havea pronouncedtwist. Twistedwood isnt worth the hassle. Rough cut your boards 1 in. over final length and Il4 in. over final width. Setyour jointer to remove| 132in. Run one faceoverthe jointer only a coupleof times.It's OK if this doesnt cleanup the whole board. Run the other faceof the boardsthrough a portableplaner until most of the rough spotsaregoneand the boardsare all about 7|8-in.thick. Don t sweat it if they end up a bit thinner. Then joint one edge, rip the boards ll32-in. over final width and joint the secondedge. Payattentionto boardsB and Fone end and they'vegot to be exactlythe samewidth. Square trim the boards to exactlength using a crosscutsled and a stopper arm (Photo 1).

Gluing the Sides The upper and lower sidesarecomposedof threeboardsthat no trick to getting form a tongueand notch (Fig.F). There's It'ssimplya matterof being the sides to nesttogetherperfectly. careful at glue up. Start with the upper sides.Lay out the ogeecurves on boardsC and the cutoutson the top end of boardsB (Figs. (Photo2). C and D). Cut out the curveson the bandsaw BoardsA and B are Dry clampboardsA, B and C together. flushat the top.BoardsA and C areflushat the bottom. Check then draw an alignmentmark both endswith a straightedge, across all threeboards(Photo3). Glue the upper sidestogether.Getting a perfect alignment end-to-enddroveme nuts until I adoptedthe method of rubbing the boards togetherfirst, beforeclamping (see (textcontinued onpage 62)
American Wo odworker o c r o B E2R ooo

59

M0.
F I G .C Detailof TopCutout
It's easierto cut this with a jigsawthan a bandsaw becauseit's hard to balance the board on a bandsaw's table.

--t-

**\____.-"_*_

F I G .D Detailsof Ogee Curue and Shelf Molding

This is a SO-percent reduction.Makea copy, double its size on a photocopy machine, pasteit onto an index card and cut it out.

1/8" R

30-3/8"

3/g" t >
F I GE . Detail of Bottom Cutout

\+_s.l-

__.__
f

Scribethe back ofyour bookcase to fit around your baseboard molding.Theback of the bookcaseshouldfit tight against the wall so the bookcasecan be firmly anchored.

F I G .B Exploded Viewof Tall Bookcase

Safety Note: Anchor this bookcaseto the wall with screws through the backboardsso it cant accidentally tip over.

60

American

Woodworker

ocroBE 2R ooo

BOOKCASE
OA
-.-*-..-\ F I G .F Between Connection Topand Bottom
The top half of the bookcase fits snuglyonto the bottom half.The lower backboards (H) prevent the top half from and the shiftingside-to-side, notched sideslock in the top, front-to-back.
TRAPPEDBETWEEN

o/

OA

F I G .G Detailof Shelf Slots

the backboards Screwing to the shelvesstiffens but an the bookcase, allowancemust be made for the backboardsto shrinkand swellin width with the seasons.That's why the screw passes through a slot rather than a hole.The backboardis dadoedso the head of the screw doesnt stick out.

CUTTING LIST H x 36"W x I l" D DIMENSIONS:88" OVERALL

Part Name Qty. Dimensions 7/8" x3-l /2" x52-l /4" 7/ 8 " x 5 - l / 2 " x 5 l " 7/8" x2" x28-l /2" 3/4" x5-l /2" x50"
Lower Unit

Comments
Glue together, thicknessto 3/4" and trim bottom end so overall length is.52."

I
I

7/8"x3-l/2" x36" 7/8" x5-l /7" x37-l /4" 7/8" x2" x36" 3/4" x5-l /2" x32-l /2"
Shelves

thicknessto Glue together-, 3/4" and trim middle boaro to fit notch in upper unit.

to 3/4"and trim thickness to l"ngtt't.

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2R 000

6l

TWO,PART
Working in a small space?
Noproblem. Wdve designed thisbookcase from short and narrowpieces. Twostackinghalves makeit easier (fewer to assemble dampsj andeasier to move.

(continued from page59) Q&A, page8). Glue the lower sidesthe sameway.Here all dl\ree boards are flush at the bottom. Milling the Sides and Shelves Planeboth facesof the sidesand backboardsso they're 314-in. thick (Photo 4). Congratulations if you've removed all the low spots,but don't hang your head if you haven't.You can plane all the boards thinner, down to 5/8 in., if that'swhat it takes. Remove all the mill marksbysandingwith 100-and 120grit paper. Here'show to use the crosscut sled to trim the top and lower sidesuntil they mate:First,sawoff ll4in.from the bottom of both upper sides.This guaranteesthe bottoms are square and straight, leaving a l-in.-deep notch. Then trim the tonguesof the lower sidesuntil theyfit the notches.Because the middle boards (B and F) are exactly the same width, everything should fit tight as a glove. Finish the lower sidesby sawing the cutout at the bottom (Fig.E). It's easier to usea jigsawthan be a hero and try to balancethe board on the small table of a bandsaw. Make a pattern of your baseboardmolding and cut out the back corner of the sideso it will fit tight up againstthe wall. (For more on customfitting cabinets,seeAW #78,February 2000,page 56.) Layout the positions of the shelves on both the upper and lower sides(Fig.B). The shelves will be setin from the back of the sidesbythe thicknessof the backboards.Drawthis backboard layout line on the sides,too (Photo 6). Glue up the shelves, thickness and sand them, then rout the molding on their front edges(Fig.D). Trim them to length with the crosscutsled.Finally,lay out centermarks for the biscuits on the bottomfaces. Now for the easyjoinery. Cut biscuit slotsin the sidesand shelvesat the same time (Photos 5 and 6). Use a framing squareto make sure'theshelves are clamped in the right place. Fitting the Backboards If it weren'tfor the backboards,this bookcasewouldnt last a week. These hard-working boards help lock the upper and lower sectionstogether,but more importantly they stiffen the case(Figs.F and G). Cut the backboardsto length,placethem in position on the. casesides and lay out the slots for the

GLUETHE BACKBOARD onto the case side. Make

sure it's squarealongthe entire length.Check opposite each clamp as you tighten it down. Shift the head of the clamp in or out to changethe angleofthe backboard.

w!

NutslWe forgot to remove some squeezed-out glue before it dried! Finishwont stick to it, so the glue has tq be removed before we can move on. Fortunately, yellow glue can be softened with hot water and scrapedoff with a sharp chisel daysafter it has dried. Hot water turns the clear glue back to its original yellow colon so it's easyto see what must be removed.After scraping, wash the area with a rag dampenedwith hot water,let the wood dry and sand off the raisedgrain.

62

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Woodworker

ocToBE 2R ooo

BOOKCASE

on the MARKTHE POSITION of the shelves referencelines with light pencillines.These backboards Clamp each shelf help you glue up the entire casesguare. without glue,and adjustit until it's squareto the in place, caseside.

with cauls UNITTOGETHER LOWER GLUETHE

thick caulsdistributeclamping and pipe clamps.The pressureover the entire width of the side.Use short the backboards. tight against clampsto pull the shelves tighten the with the referencelines.Then Align the shelves pipe clamps.

Standthe screws(Fig.G). Cut the slotson the tablesaw. backboardson edgeagainsta miter gaugeand make two overlapping cuts with a standard saw blade. Then cut for the screwheads. the dadoes Cut biscuit slotsto join the backboardsand casesides. Thesebiscuitsalign the backboardflush with the side, but do not add strength. GIue the backboardsto the sides(PhotoT). Final AssemblY The backboardsalsohelp you squareup the whole bookThank together. case when you glue the sidesand shelves can get into lots of trouble bygluing things goodness!You is slick.Dry clampeachshelf out of square,butthis system in placewith the biscuits loose in the slotsand mark the shelf'sposition on the backboard (Photo 8). Make the you wort'tbe ableto getinto pencillinesvery light because the cornerswith an eraserafter the glueup. That'sthe one downside of this easymethod. Thke your time and walk through a dry run of the glueup beforeyou attemptthe realthittg (Photo 9). Here's the bestway to do the glueup, alone,without going crazYi Supportone sidewith a narrow (7-in.),woodenbox that leavesroom for the clamp heads.Insert one shelf at a

lines on the backboardand 1il1s,align it with the reference areupright,place the all the shelves place. it in Once clamp clamp the of the shelves, ends other caseside on the shelvestight to the backboard and finally add the pipe clamps. Finishing and lnstallation sandthem with 150-gritpaper. After gluing both cases, it hasa tendency Avoid dyeing or staining birch, because blotchy.Evenan and become up color to unevenly soak brushed-on oil finish canlook bad,so stick with shellac, varnish or lacquer. standsquite well on its own,but for This tall bookcase Then fastenit to the wall through the backboards. safety, there'll be no chancefor it to tip if a pet or rambunctious kid tries to climb the shelves!/W

Sources GarrettWade (800)22t-2e42 I pt.,$7. Glue,62J04.0l, Slo-Set Special

American

Woodworker

ocToBE 2R ooo

63

Eqqgpean
Gernan engineering results ina clean look, sinnp/e and predictable insta llation and three-way adjustability,
I discovered the sirnplicity of hang/\nce doorswith European Ving hinges,l was hooked. Unlikebutt hinges, European hinges aretotallyadjustable and very easy to install. With the helpof a simpledrill press tableand jig, you canhanga door in just a a rnarking f-ew mir-rutes. Soundsood?Readon.

illiges
(]l I

C)

:<

FIG. A Partsof a European Hinge

Thesesophisticated hinges allow complete adjustment of a door ofterinstallation. In addition, doors can be quicklyreleased from the cabinet without removing a single screw!The hinges keeptheir settings
when reattached-a wonderful feature.

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#6 X 5i8" WOODSCREW

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Background
European hinges are part of a standardized construction systemdevelopedover 50 yearsago in Germany.lt radically changed cabinetmaking by streamlining productionand reducing costs.The resulting European hingeis a beautifully engineered precision product (Fig.A).Therei a hingefor nearly everyapplication.I've usedGrassbrand hinges for yearswith flawless results. Major brandssuchas Grass, Blumand Mepla make a great product that lastsfor years.Expectto pay about $8 to 9l 3 per pair.

o .E
:F

64

Amegican
' ,::1 . ."j : :

Woocl *'orlicr

o c r o B E2 R oo0

F I G .B Table Drill Press

time and helpsyou achieve This easilymadejig saves consistentresults.

Tools Required Setting up for Europeanhinges is very simple and quite a boring bit and inexpensive.You only needa drill press, a screwdriver.The drill press is a must for drilling a straight hole.While you could drill the holesbyhand, it's success. riskier.A drill pressensures If you havea lot of doors to hang,I recommenda 35 mm carbide bit, a self-centeringdrill bit and a magnetic-tippedscrewbit.A $25,35mm carbidebit keepsa sharperedgeand outlastssteelbits, especiallyin tougher drill bit, such materialssuchasMDF.An $8,self-centering hole and it the screw asaVix bit, is greatbecause centers controls the drilling depth. In addition, the bit's outer A maghousing protectstemplateholesfrom damage. so well it's netic-tippedscrewbit ($+to $5) holds screws the next best thing to an extra hand. Finally,consider spending $10 on a PoziDrive screwdriverfor the adjusting screws. It deliversmuch better control than a standard Phillips screwdriver. If you have only a few hinges to install, you can save some money.Use a 1-3l8-in. Forstnerbit or a 35 mm, high-speedsteelbit (costslessthan half the carbide).A Phillips screwdriver is fine for installing a few screws and adjustingthe hinges. lnstallation I alwaysapply finish to the cabinet and doors beforeI install hinges.For an inset application (asshown in these photos),cut the doorsleavinga 1/8-in.gap at the top, bottom, sidesand at the centerdivision betweentwo doors. fust follow Photos 1 through 8. With all the parts readyto go, installation of Europeanhingesis aseasyas eins,zwei,drei!

Drill a hole for the hinge cup. Clamp the drill press the fence, table in position (Fig.B).Hold the door against hole.Pull butt it up to the pin and drill the left hinge-cup out the dowel pin and insert it into the right hole of the jig.Thendrill the right hinge-cup hole.

Screw the hinge to the dooa First,insert the hingeand to the arm perpendicular use a squareto alignthe hinge's bit. door. Drifl pilot holes into the door usinga7164-in.Yix (AVix bit automaticallycenters the pilot holes at a fixed drill through the door.) depth,so you won't accidentally Installthe screws.The soft pad under the door protects the finish.

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2 R ooo

65

Euro ean Hin es

FIG. C Baseplate Template for InsetDoors
Insteadof measuringand marking the cabinet for each doo6 make a template to locate the baseplateholes.Thisone is for inset doors. For overlay doors, the first hole wciul{ be about 3/4 in. from the front edge,with tire other distancesremainingthe same. This template is dimensionedfor Grass hinges. However, each application and each brand can have a different drilling pattern, so be sure to read the specsfor the hingeyou are installing.

Drill piloq holes,for the baseplate. A simple templateautomatically locates all four holes(Fig. C).The Vix bit centers the hole,without damaging the template.

I
Fasten the baseplate to Ghe cabinet lnstallthe baseplatewith all four screws. A t'nagneticbit makes it easier to hang on to such a small screw!

3 -1/8"

3-1/8"

Clip the door onto the baseplates. Attach the upper hingefirst.This allows the door to hangso it's easierto handle.
American Woodworker o c T o B E2 R ooo

Engage the front ofeach hinge first.Then push on the back of the hingearm until it clicks in place.

European hinges make on-site adjustments a snap. Uneven floors ahd walls can move doors out of line when cabinetsare installed.lmaginetrying to fix these misaligned doors if they had butt hinges!

Sideto Side
Adjust the door left or right with the front screw.Thischanges the gapbetween the door and the cabinet side.
This is a direct-action screw, movingthe door l/ l6 in. per turn. Clockwise rotation decreasesthe gap between the door and cabinet.

Up and Down
Loosen the middle screw.This adjusa the gap between the door and the top and bottom ofthe cabinetLoosen this screw on both hinges. Move the door to the desired location. Retightenboth hinge screws.

ln andOut
Loosen the back screw. This adjuststhe door so it will be even with the side of the cabinet. Move the door in or out,then retighten the screw.

Sources
Europeanhingesare available in I l0-degree openingsand 165-degree openings.Thehinge used in this article is a I l0-degree Grass 37M clip-on hinge with a winged baseplate (Constantine's ltem # CH3700).This hinge and its overlay versions, along with the other necessary items, are availableat Constantine's, (900) 28-9087. I l0-degree opening hinges: CH3700,full overlay,$3.75each; CH370I, half overlay, $3.95 each; CH3702 (lnset),$4:20 each. l-651egree opening hils-e-s: CH3900,full overlay,$5-95 each; overlay,$6.20 each; 9Hl?9!,half CH3902 (lnset),$6.40 each. All include hinge and baseplate. 35 mm drill bits: DB35, highspeed steel,$ 10.75; CDB35, carbide,$24. PoziDrive screwdriver: CH9800, $10. Sep-centering hinge bicVlX l, 74'4 in.,$g.25. othei sources for European hinges and hardware: Mepla bra-rid, McFeely's,(g0O) 4437937; Blum brand, Woodworker's Hardware, (800) 383-0130'

Ganzgetan(all done!). Ai,

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2 R ooo

67

By Tim )ohnson

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This table is made from white ash,a hardwood that's beautiful, durable and affordable.The top floats on a basethat'sbuilt to last. Strongjoinerybetweenthe legsand aprons is accomplishedusing an innovative and inexpensivecommercialjig. Internalsupportingrails are dovetailedto stiffen the structure, yet you can make and install them in minutes. And dont worry about the huge top. I'll show you howto managegluing it all together, but onlyafter I've shownyou howto edge-jointits long boardsperfectly withoutusinga jointer! WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD Youll needa tablesaw, a router that accepts ll2-in.bits, four router bits, an electricdrill (a drill pressis very helpful, but not absolutelynecessary), a BeadLOCKdowelingjig (see Sources, page77),a jigfor ripping a straightedgeon rough lumber,sawhorses and assorted clamps. In addition to the lumber ($+SO;, b u y t w o 4 x 8 s h e e t so f 3 1 4 - i n . medium densityfiberboard(MDF) ($s01. One serves asa work surface and the other providesthe straightedgesfor jointing and squaring operations(seeFig. H, Photos 3 through 5 and 10).You won't needa

Youdon't bauea battleship -sized j ointer? joints perfect edge jointer.Youdort'thave Fine! Get to own a planer either, on theselong boards using becausemost hardw o o d l u mb eryards will mill rough lumber for you. a ror,Jter instead, Youll need
a lathe if you want to turn your own legs. Therearereadymadealternatives if you dont (935 to $75each,see Sources,pageTT). C H OOSI NG A N D U S IN G YOUR LUMBER The top, apronsand internal support rails are made from 8-ft. long 514 boards,about 80 bd. ft., milled to 1-in.thickness. If youle havingyour lumbermilled at theyard,have them alsomakea straightcut on one edge (called SLIE or "straightlining"). Milling and straightliningcostonly about 30 centsper ft. and save you the trouble of doing it yourself (Photo1). If 514boards aren't available, substitute100 bd. ft. of 6l4.you could alsouse4/4 stockand rework the dimensionsfor 3I 4-in.material. A3l4-in.-thicktop will be lighterin (maybetoo weight and appearance light for your taste), and the splines will haveto be no wider than3ll6in. The thinner,6-ft.-longaprons will be more likely to sag.You'll alsohaveto usesmallerloosetenon (continued onpage72)

JOINTING WITHA ROUTER

StepL: Flush TrimCut

ROUTER

THE FIRST GUT is an ordinary fl ushtri m (P ho t o 3) . The trickis that bothedges of the jointarerouted froma single straightedge set-up. That way, the twoedges will mate perfectly, evenif the straightedgeisn'tperfectly straight.

RIP STRAIGHT
EDGES easily with inexpensive jigs straightlining (seeSources, page77).One thumbscrewon eachjig holds the rough-edged board,the other grips an 8-ft.long by 7-in.wide MDF straightedge. After straightlining one edge, remove the board from the jig and rip the other edge parallel. (You can also have straightlining done for you at the lumberyard.)

I CUTTING FLUTE

A BIG PATTERN.
BEARING

CUTTING BIT works best for jointing edges.lts largecutting diameter leavessmooth, chatterfree surfaces.

.A
1/2''SHAFT

70

American

Woodrvorker

OCTOBER

WITHA ROUTER JOINTING

Edge the Mating Step2: Cutting
MAKING the WHILE second cut,the bit bears oattern t hesam e agai n st but straightedge, it cutsthe second has boardwhich , into beenmoved posi tion on t he oppositside e (Photo 5). Keep in mind t h a tj o i n t i ngthet op boar ds reduc es t hewidt h of the top about 1 / 1 6i n . p e rj o i n t , so layit out oversized. cur, sEcoND
REMOVING 1/32"

ROUTER

DIRECTION OF CUT

\
ROUTTHE FIRST EDGE of each joint, usingthe pattern-cutting bit and an laying out 8-ft.-longMDF straightedge.After the boardsfor the top, draw a line across from the end.Aligning eachjoint, halfiaay theselineswith a similarline at the midpoint that the jointed of the MDF guarantees edgeswill fit together.

ahgn the boards in the toP, SpWnes soyou don't spendhours sanding thejoints flash later,

BLOCKSto USETHREESPACER
positionthe secondboard for routing and clamp it in place.Makethe spacersll32-in. narrower than the cutting diameterof the pattern bit, so the secondrouting passwill remove only | 132in.from the board.

R OU TTH E I/2.IN. . DEEP

GROOVE for the splinein several slotpasses, usinga l/4-in.-wide avoid cutting bit (above).Tip:To tear-out,makea couple light scoringcuts,about l/8-in. deep, moving from right to left.Then move left to right,full depth.Stop the cut 2-in.from eachend of the board,so it won't show

TEST FIT the spline.lt shouldslip into the groove freely, but without beingloose.lt can be one long pieceor several ends short ones.Rounded match the ends of the slot. Dry fit eachjoint to make sure the splinefits insidewithout binding. eachjoint, while keeping the router firmly held against the straightedge. Because the cut is made oppositethe bearingpoint,the edgewill be ruined if the bit wandersaway.

American

Woodworker

o0o o c r o B E2R

7l

pairs of cauls Three

makegluing tbe huge toP ma,na,geable and
(continued from page70) stock and a difierent BeadLOCK drilling jig that requiresdrilling more,albeit smallerholes. Us e 8/4 s to c k fo r th e l e g s , milled to 1-3l4-in.thickness, cut into 30-in.lengths, and glued up. Youll needabout 25 bd. ft. White ashlooks similar to oak, with one noticeable difference. Its heartwood is a dark brown color that contrastssharply with its light-coloredsapwood. When choosing or ordering lumber, look or ask for piecesthat are all sapwood, especiallythe 8/4 stock for the legs.The 5/4 stock must have one good sapwood face. Heart wood on th e b a c k s i d e wont show,excepton the edges of the top. Youll need twelve 5/4 boards that are at least 7-in. wide. Use the s ev en tha t l o o k th e b e s t together,consideringgrain pattern and color, for the top (seven boards 6-in. wide after jointing will makea 42-in.widetop).The four aprons,including their addon half-round details,require three of the remaining boards (you can get the four piecesfor both s hor t a pro n s fro m o n e board). Use one of the two remainingboards for the internal rails and the other for splinesand testpieces. Make the top first. Don't worry about making it to exactdimensions.Justuseyour best-looking boards and come as closeasyou can. (My top turned out to be 4l-Il2-in.wide). Then adjustthe size of the base,changing the lengthsof the apronsto maintain the overhangof the top.

guara,nteetbat it

will beflat.
CENTEROF CLAMPING PRESSURE

CAULS FOR GLUING THETOP

THE LOWER GAUI liftsthe top off the pipeandcenters it at pointof the the pressure c l a mpT . h eupper cauli s extra wideso it'sstiff enough to holdthetopflat asthe p i p ec l a mps areti ghtened.
PLACE CAULS DIRECTLY OVER SAWHORSES (3 REOUTRED)

STACKTHE BOARDS asyouglue

them. Put a beadof glue at the bottom of the groove ofthe first board and add the spline. Roll a layerof glue onto the edgeof the adjacentboard,add a bead in its groove and assemble the joint. Dont put any glue on the splines. The glue causes them to swell and makethe joint impossible to fit. Glue the top together in stages, two to four joints at a time.

CLAMPTHE CAULS to the

work surfacewith the top sandwiched between (see Fig.C).Then tighten the pipe clamps, startingat the center and working out to the ends.Removethe glue squeeze-our at the joints after it sets up, but before it hardens.After gluing, trim the long edgeswith the router and straightedgeso they're straightand parallel.

72

American

Woodworker

ocroBE 2R ooo

112"#10 SHEET METAL SCREWS

VIEW EXPLODED

CuttingList
86" Lx 42"W x 30" H DIMENSIONS OVERALL BASE79" L x 38-l/2"W x 29" H
Part Qty. ^-. SQUARETHE END of the top, usinga pieceof MDF with a factory corner as a template.lf you havemore than I 14 in.to remove,use a sawfirst,to get close.Align one edgeof the MDF with the long side of the top. the Clamp a block against oppositeedgeof the top to avoid blowout.Thentrim the makingshallow edgesquare, passes with the patterncutting router bit. me Dimension

A B 6 c 4 D 2 E 2 F 2 G 2
H

K
L N

1"x42"x86" Top l 1 4x " l 5 / 1 6x " 8l-l/2" S pl i nes x29" x 3-| 12" 3-112" Legs x72" | " x 3 -| 1 2 " LongAprons x72+ l12" x l-114" Long Beads l " x 3 - l 1 2x " 3l-112" ShortAprons |12"xl-l14"x3l-|l2+" Short Beads x2-718" l12" x l-114" t 6 LooseTenons " l-112" l 6 Corner Blocks l - 1 1 4x " 35-3/4" 2 lnternal Braces | " x 3 - | 1 4x x 5" 8 MountingBlocks | " x 3 - l / 4 "

x f " x 10-314 M 4 Runners 22 MetalTopFasteners

American

Woodworker

octoatn 2ooo

73

Don'twotry aboutchoppans
mortises or trying to cut tenons

on the endsof tbe 6-Jfr.-long Aprons.

LEG PROFILE AN DD IMENSIONS
l<- 3'1/2"-->l {
1,,'i

-f
5-112"

:'

With tbe new BeadIOCKsystem, all you needfor mortise-and-tenon stylejoinery is a driU and a bit,

1-314" 1" 5/16" I tt

ffi
EXPLODED VIEWOF LEG ANDAPRON J OINERY
t-t t"--*
3/8" SETBACK

/4

v*

t00SE TEN0NS, cut fromspecially made dowel stock, fit scalloped mortises created bythe BeadL0CK i g,w hi ch d o w e l i njg adj usts to dri l l o v e rl a p p i ng hol es.

2-1116" 5/16' I v 1-119"

TURN THE LEGS from

laminated3-l l}-in. squareblanks, using the dimensions from Fig.E,or order the legsthrough the mail (seeSources, page 77).lf you want to turn them yourself, see"TurningTableLegs" on page42. for the BeadLOCKjig on the legsand aprons. Offset the centerlines on the leg by the thicknessof a credit card.This slightlyraisesthe rail abovethe top of the leg,allowingyou to planethe apron flush after assembly (see Photo l6).

74

American

Woodworker

o c r o B E2R ooo

spacerin the made l/2-in.-thick BeadLOCKjig to locatethe holes properly.A drill pressworks great for faster and more this operation.lt's easier, accuratethan drillingby hand.

DRILLTHE APRONS from the end so you can be sure the holesgo in the lf the holes aren't straight, straight. tenons will be angledand the ioint won't fit. Center the drill on your body and sight down the apronwhile drilling.

FIRST. Avoid a twisted glue-upby clamping the legsflat to the MDF before you tighten to keepthe a spacer the pipeclamps.Use under the weight. apron from sagging

PLANE THE APRONS flushwith working from eachend the top of the legs, to the center.lt'sOK to leavethe apron slightlycrowned at its center,so the top doesn'tappearto sag.

Do squarethe baseafter final assembly. this before the glue sets.Shortenthe longer side by addingtension until both measurethe same. diagonals

reinforceeachjoint.The upper blocks lower leaveroom for top fasteners.The blocksextend and serve as stops for the half-rounddetail.
American Wo odworker o c r o B E2R ooo

75

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Douetailedbraces strengtben the base,support tbe top and keep the long aprons from bowingand twisting.

MAKEANGLED CUTS on the end of the rails,usinga tenoningjig,with the blade heightslightlylessthan the thickness of the mountingblock.Thenraisethe bladeand crosscutthe mountingblocksat the sameangle.

INTERNAL RAIL ASSEMBLY

26'' FROMEND

1/8" R ON ALL EXPOSEDEDGES

LOCATETHE SHOULDERof the

rail'sdovetailby usingthe mountingblock.Then cut the shouldersquare, keepingthe bladelow enoughso it doesnt cut into the dovetail.

-A)

^-.
GLUETHE RUNNER in place after the first mountingblock has beengluedand screwed squareto the apron.lt'llhold the rail at exactly the right height.Therunner extendsbelow the apron,f ust like the corner blocks.

CAPTURE
THE DOVETAILED RAIL between rhe mountingblocks.After applying glue,set the rail on the runner and snug it againstthe first block.Thenslidethe secondblock tight against the rail and fasten it.

76

American

Woodwo rker

OCTOB 2E 0R 00

c,i
MAKE
HALF.ROUND molding for the aprons.Round the edgesof l/2-in.thick stock with a I l4-in.round-over bit. After routing, rip the stock into separate | - l/4-in.wide pieces. GLUETHE HALF.ROUND MOLDINGS to the aprons.Cut them slightly long and spring them between the legs,pressed againstthe corner blocks and runners that hang below the apron.They'llstay in placewhile.you reach for the clamps.

ROUT
SLOTS for the tabletop usinga fasteners, l/8-in. slot cutter (see Sources, below). Make a wider surfaceto suPPortthe router by a clamping second board to the apron.

ATTACHTHE
BASE. Allow for seasonal movement of the top by usingscrews at the center of each short apron and suPPort brace and sshaped metal fasteners everywhere else (see below).To Sources, position the basefor align centerlines fastening, drawn on each of its sides with correspondinglines drawn on the top.Then clamp the basein place.

Artt

SOURCES

MDF FOR DIAGRAM CUTTING

yieldsbothstraightedges for jointingandsquaring needed Onesheet for jointing. anda worksurface the top, as well as spacers

WhiteAsh (Askfor lightcolor.) Jigs and Hardware Lumber Company SteveWall WoodcraftSupply (800)633-4062; (800) rs3 22s-r www.walllumber.com q/stem: BeadLOCK doweling 'Groff andGroff Lumber, lnc. For l/2-in.tenons, #l 40354, $33. (800)342-0001 For 3/8 in.and l/2-in.tenons, wood4u@epix.net e-mail: #140355, $47. Extra l/2-in.tenon stock AW FarmTable Legs #140357,$6(needone extra pack). turnedin whiteash; Fasteners, Tabletop #27N | 0, required). $75,plusshipping. $l/bagof l0 (3 bagB in other woods. Also available Straightlining Jig Joint-R-Clamp ' Alan Lacer #15J50, $ 15. (6st) se2-4421 Router Bits MLCS Factory-turned legs (800)533-e2e8; (similar sizebut shaped rking.com differently) www.m lcswoodwo in several woods, Available l - | /8 in.patterncutting, but not ash. #8809, $?4. $30to $60 plus l/4-in.slot cutterwith l/2-in.shank . shipping. Products AdamsWood arbor andassembly, #7648,$ | 6. (423)s87-2e42 l/8-in. slotcutter, #305, $ 12. ucts.com I/4-in. round-over; www.adamswoodprod radius #6602, $ | 7.

American

Woodworker

ocToBE 2R ooo

77

by Ed Krause

ISsHARPENING

'|-'PS

FORBETTER

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Get better results in less timewiththese great tips.

78
American Woodworker octoBrn zooo

Hand tools are a joy to use,but only when they'resharp.]ust as learning to walk is the prerequisite to running, successful sharpening is the key to "unplugged"woodworking.Tiy thesetips and you'll be surprisedat the strides your sharpening skillstakeand by the quiet satisfaction you get from your hand tools.

o U

made from a plasticlid, is a simple This anglechecker, (and free) way to check the bevel on your chiselsand planes.It only takesa few minutesto make. Simply cut a 4- to 6-in. diameter plastic lid in half. Then, using a protractor,mark the desiredangleson a pieceof paper.Cut out the trianglesand usethem as a templateto mark the angleson the lid. Cut out the angles Drill a hole at the top and on the lid with a pair of scissors. hang it on the wall nearyour grinder.

There'sno getting around it-waterstones are messy. Pick Here's a simpletip for keepingthat messcontained: (about$7) 13in. by 19-in.cookiesheet up a heavy-gauge, at the grocery store,hardwarestore-wherever. It's large board Usea 314-in. enoughto easilyhold three stones. and down the board clamp and the stones pushedagainst just done, the cookie sheeton your bench.Whenyou're wipe the cookie sheetdry and hang it on the wall.

Dont temper. I meanyour chisel's Everloseyour temper? unevengrinding wheel.Dressgetburned by a clogged, ing your grinder wheelsperiodicallyto keepthem clean heat that leadsto bluing and flat helpspreventthe excess and lossof temper(s). do a greatjob but Single-pointdiamond wheeldressers they're difficult to use freehand.Try a flat-tip diamond dresserinstead.It has 36-grit diamond stone particles imbedded inall2-in wide by 3l4-in.-longface.Simply placeit on your grinder'stool restand make contactwith the wheel. fromWoodcraft areavailable Flat-tip diamond dressers -1153, (800) I #124670, 8. 225 Supply, $

Yodveprobably heard other woodworkerstalk about what a great tool the scraperis, but maybe youve never had getting a much luck with one yourself.Usingthem is easy; good edgeon them is the tough part. The hardeststepin is the first one-filing the edgesquare a scraper sharpening file holder: and flat. Start offrightwith this easy-to-make of an 8-in. mill file in Cut a kerf equalto the thickness a l-ll4-in thick by 4-in. wide by 6-in.-longpieceof wood. The kerf shouldbe a little deeperthan half the width of the file. This allowsyou to setthe file at differentdepths to avoid dulling it in one spot. Clamp the scraperin a firmlyagainstthe holder Pushthe scraper wood-jawvise. while filing for a perfectlysquareedge.
American Woodworker 000 o c r o B E2R 79

ft= t'2, @
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r.'

Getting a mirror finish on the contoured profiles of carving gougescan be a real hassle. The curved surfacesdort't lend themselves to polishing on a flat stoneor strop.Making a custom strop is easy. Usethe chiselto cut its own contour in a pieceof poplar or basswood. Rub chromium oxidepolishingcompound in the contour and you havea custom-madestrop. Chromium oxide is available from LeeValley& Ver( 800)8 7 1 -8 1 5 8 itas , #,0 5 M O8 .0 1 $,7 .

Dont keepyour sharpeningskills confined to your shop tools. Why not tackle that dull set of kitchen knives you'vebeen crushingtomatoeswith? Here'sa greattip: Go to any officesupplystoreand buy one of thoselooseleaf folderswith a plasticspline (about40 cents).Cut and trim the spline to fit over the back of the knife. The spline raisesthe back of the knife just enough to put a consistent bevelon the cutting edge. Nowyour kniveswill glide right through thosetomatoes!

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Lesstime sharpening meansmore time woodworking.Isnt that what we all want?Honing guidesget the job done fast, but setting the blade in the guide to get the right bevelangle can be time consuming. Here'sa quick trick: Mark the appropriateblade extension for eachbevelangleon your benchtop,or a wood scrap, for convenientreference. Hold the edgeof the blade to the desiredbevelmark, butt the guide to the edgeof the bench and tighten.The side-clamphoning guide,shown above,automatically squaresthe blade and preventsit from rocking or shifting in the jig. This guide is available from GarrettWade, (800) 22l-2942,Item# 10M0701, $12.

Chiselsand planes have bevel anglesfrom 25 to 35 degrees dependingon their intendeduse.Youcan buy a jig for grinding theseangles,or make your own angle blocks at no cost! Make one block for each angle.Glue up a block 2-Il2n.deep by 4-in.wide by t0-in. tall.Mark the desired angleon the top of one side.Drill a l-in. hole through the sideof the block at the halfi,vaypointof your anglemark. Then cut the angle on your tablesaw. The remaining groovemakesan excellentguide foryour fingers.Cut the block to length so the top is equalto the centerheight of yourwheel.To secure the block,drill a l-ll4-in.hole near the bottom of the block for a bar clamp.

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The edgeleft after filing a scraperis a little rough for fine work. Use a piece of wood to align the scraperwhen moving it againstthe stoneand youll retain the square with your file jig. edgeyou achieved An extra-fine(1,200)diamond stoneis a good choice the scraperwon't wear a groove in the for this because (800) 767-9999, can getone from Tiend-lines, stone.You Item # DM6E, $45.

benchtools,but their soft aregreatfor sharpening Waterstones binder makesthem prone to dishing out and grooving.Fortuflatteningthem is no big deal.An 11in. by l2-in.piece of nately, proIl4-in.plate glassand a sheetof 180-gritwet/dry sandpaper all for flattening vide a cheap, perfectly flat abrasive surface (be sure will costyou about six bucks The glass your waterstones. about 70 sanded)and the wet/dry sandpaper to havethe edges Usewater to centsa sheet.Both are availableat hardwarestores. hold the paper on the glassand to flush awaythe slurry.

3 Waysto Testfor Sharpness lL2

1, If you can seelight on the edge, it's not sharp.A sharp edgeis too fine to reflectlight.

It would be greatif chiselsand planescamefrom the factory ready to use,but they dont. A perfectly flat, mirrorlike finish on the back is essentialfor a truly sharp edge. and Flatteningalwaysrequiresa large doseof elbow grease patience.The fastestmethod is to use an extra-coarse diamond stone.It won't dish out the way oilstones and waterstones do and it can easilybe clamped in a vise. on to finer stones Onceyou havea flat surface,.move until your chiselsand planesshine like a mirror. Extra-coarse diamond stonesare availablefrom Lee , " x 2 -5 l 8 ," Item V erit a s ,(8 0 0 ) 8 7 1 -8 1 5 8 8 V alley & #70M04.01, $66.
j i

2. A sharp edge catcheseasilyon the side of a plastic pen barrel. A dull edge slidesright off.

3. A sharpblade slicessoftwood end grain cleanly(left).A dull bladetears the end grain (right). rw

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A n oscillating spindle sandermay not be the first tool fLyoubuyforyour shop,butif youdo a lotof curved work the time yor/ll save sanding is well worth the investment.Unlike a drum sander on a drill press,the oscillating spindle sanderis designedfor sidewayspressure. AlSo, the drum moves up and down as well as around. The oscillation of the drum gives you a smoother edge,more aggressive cutting,longer life for the sleeves and lesschance of burning the wood. The benchtop models are easy to store when not in use. Oscillating spindle sanders are fun to use, too. The wood seemsto melt away as you sand precisely to a line. The feeling of control you get with thesemachines is impressive. Some tool testsreveal noticeable differencesin tool performance and qualiry Not so with these sanders. All the machineswe testedperformed well; producing asmooth,even surfacewithout scorching.But, therewere differences in other areas,and each machine had at leastone outstanding featurethat may form the basisfor your buying decision.Here are the featureswe considered most important D R UM CHA NGE S A drum that's easyto changemakes for more enjoyable and productive work (seephoto below). For best results

you should alwal'susethe largestpossibledrum for eachcurye. It's much easierto follow a shallow curve with a large drum. For pieceswith different-sizedcurves,this requireschanging drums frequently. The Clayton had the best system for quick and easydrum changes, We preferred the simplicity of the fixed spindle system found on all but two of the machines.Howeve! the replaceable spindle systemon the fet and the Bridgewood (even with its spline,clips, and three wrenches)had an advantage; namely the smallestdiameter (l/a-in.) sleeveavailable.

Tip: Occasionallywe foundthe rubberdrumswould stick onto the metal spindles. A little baby powder sprinkledinto the insideof the drum eliminates this problem.
DUST COLLECTION Power sanding is a dusty business.The health and housekeepingissuessurrounding wood dust make effective dust collection an important feature. If nothing else,it's annoying to be blowing sawdust off your piece in order to see the line you're cutting to. We tested all the machines using a standard shop vacuum with a 2-ll2-in. hose. The Clayton, Craftsman, Delta and Ryobi were the best at dust collection. AGGRESSIVENESS OF CUT This is more or less.afunction of motor power. The Bridgewood,Clayton and fetwere the clearwinners in this category.Theexceptionwasthe 3.5-amp induction motor on the Delta B.O.S.S. that seemed far more powerful than the 3.5-amp universal motor on the Ryobi and the Craftsman. STORAGE With all the drums and parts that go with spindle panders, self-storage is a welcomeconvenienceand is offered on all the machinesexceptthe Bridgewood and the ]et.

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Typical single-spindlesystem We found the three spindle, three wrench, screwdriver, clip and spline system used by the Bridgewood and Jet a bit cumbersome.The other machinesall have a fixed spindle onto which the drums are fastenedwith a singlebolt or nut
American Woodworker o c r o B E2 Ro o o

Bridgewood{et Bridgewood{et

TOOL

TEST

Munkittrick Dave by

Portable and storable, these sanderswill smooth all of your rough edges.

CLAYTON
strengths: The Clayton was our Editors'Choice. This thing's built like a truck.In fact it usestruck bearingson its spindleshaft.At 78 lbs.,the Clayton provides a very stablework platform. There'sno castiron usedin its construction so most of its heft is due to its heavy-drV components. The clayton has excellentdust-collection and changing drums is a breeze. Clayton also offers the best range of accessory drum sizes. Weaknesses: It's too heavyto be truly portable.

!? ,$
BRTDGEWOOD/IET

d*..

Outstanding Feature
Built for heavy-dutn continuous use, the Clayton offers the power and durabilityof large industrialmachines. Heavy-duty V-belts, machined-steel pulleys,large ball bearings and a high quality,7.6-ampAmerican-mademotor. A cam-and-follower assembly creates the oscillation and is sealedin its own oil bath housingfor maximumdurability.

Strengths: The Bridgewood and the fet are very similar in design and construction. These are the machines to buyif you needextra-smallspindlesize or a tilting table. They both feature a powerful 7.S-amp motor that can cut aggressively without bogging down. Weaknesses: Dust collection seemed to be an afterthought in thesesanders. The dust port is too far from the drum to be effective.The 18-1/2-in. table height requires an unusually low bench for comfortable operation. Despite all the parts and tools required for drum and spindle changesthere is no built-in storagefor accessories. Outstanding Features

DEITA
strengths:The Delta is our choicefor BestBuy.It offersthe best combination of performance, features and price ($zoa;.Dust collectionon the Deltawasunbeatable.Its 3.5-ampmotor is surprisinglypowerfi.rl and drum changesare quick and easy. Its large,round, castiron top provides good support and is heavy enough for stability but light enough for portability. Complete onboard storagefor accessories comeswith the optional accessory drum kit ($50). weaknesses: The dust collection fitting is too small for a standard 2-lll2-in. shop vacuum.Universaladapters cost about $10. Outstanding Feature
An internal fan boosts the dust collectioncapability of the Delta B,O.S.S. ahead of all the others.Hook up a shopraorumfor unsurpassed dust collection.

The only machines that offer a l/4-in. spindte for small-diameter work, the Bridgewoodand the Jet also feature tables that tilt from 0 to 45 degrees allowing for beveledcontours.

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RIDGID
belt sander The Ridgid comeswith an oscillating Strengths: of all versatile the most machine makes this that attachment onboard includes move and to easy light and the sanders.It's to the Drums are fastened storagefor all its accessories. bolts eliminatingthe needfor spindlewith rubber-knobbed the knobs or you ll a wrench.Be carefulnot to overtighten be reachingfor the pliers to get them offl for the belt sander The tilting tableis designed Weaknesses: Drums tighten down onto sander. not the spindle attachment a snap ring on the spindle rather than a welded plate.The dust collectionwasa little weak. /$/ 0utstandi rtgl reature
At 26 lbs. the Ryobi and the Craftsmanoffer exceptionalportabilityat a most affordableprice. Perforated table inserts help both machines a c h i e v ee x c e l l e n td u s t collection. The oscillating belt attachment sander expands the Ridgid's to includeconvex capabilities curvesand straightedges. Designedfor wrench-free d r u m c h a n g e st,h e R i d g i d usesrubber knobs in place of hex nuts.

RYOBI/CRAFTSMAN
Strengths:If you want a machineto pull out of storagefor useand you don t expectto be sandinga lot of 814 occasional stock,then the Craftsman and the Ryobi are hard to beat. of all the machines They arethe lightestand leastexpensive arevery effective. and their dust collectionsystems motor is noisyand bogsdown in The universal Weaknesses: a heavycut.

MAKE

+
7 . 5 6U I 78 18-1/2', x 1 45 / 8 " x 1 45 / 8 " 18" x 14-5/8" ' x 14-518

$229 BRIDGEWOOD

NO

ACCESSORIESTACCESSORIES COMMENTS AVAILABLE INCLUDED ./ isvery stable. Wide base stance 1 l 4 ',,1 l 2 ',,5 1 8 " areflimsy. Plastic inserts 1-112" plus spindles and2" drums

50uRcE
WILKE MACHINERY (800) 23s-2100

CLAYTON m o d e1 l 40

s638 7.6
I

3 1 / 2,' 3 , 1 4,'2 , "and YES* drums plus a 1/2"spindle

HTC spindlerotation / 2 ", Counterclockwise 1 ', 1 - 1 t 4 ', 1 - 1 624-2027 reverse threadon spindle. (800) 2-114 a"n d 2 - 1 1 2 "eliminates orums

CRAFTSMAN $160

3.5 U

16

1 3/34', x14" x20"

12"x18" diameter

F YES 1 " d r u m
1 / 2 "s p i n d lp el u s and YES 3/4"drum
uu)r uog

3/4', , ,1-1t2" 2"and 3"drums

1 ',,1 - 1 1 ,2 2' , 3"drums

spindlerotation SEARS Counterclockwise -7414 reverse threadon spindle. (800],377 eliminates laminatetoo. Plastic

DELTA

$208 3.5 4 5 I $279

75

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DELTA cool and works Sounddesign.Looks (800) 438-2486 welt.

IFT than Base is narrower inserts. Metal (800) 274-6848 notasstable. the Bridgewood,

JET

66

18-1/2', x 14-518" G x 14-518"

NO

1 t 4,"1 t 2 , 3" drum 5/8" ', 1-1l2" plus spindles and2" drums

RIDGID

13-3/8 $239 4 . 6 43 x 16-5/8 x19"

$160

1 / 2, 3 / 4,'1 , ',,1 - 1 1 2 ' , plus 2" drums YES and beltsander oscillating plus 1/2"spindle

the spindle RIDGID Easy to overtighten (800) 474-3443 tightendown on a knob.Drums than a weldedplate snapring rather

RYOBI

26 U

13-3/4', x14" E x20"

F YES a 1 " d r u m
F=Fak G=Good

3/4'* , ,1-1tz', 2",3"drums

E=Excellent

RYOBI spindlerotation Counterclockwise s25-2s79 threadon spindle. (800) reverse eliminates Plastic laminate top,
* Separate benchtop rack

| = lnductionmotor

motot U = Universal

spindlesanderson the market this and Grizzlyare bringingnew oscillating OTHER SANDERS TO CONSIDER: Porter-Cable pages96 and 98 for more details.Plus,severalcompanies(including Grizzly and Bridgewood) fafl and winter. See Product Reviews, spindlesandersfor $500 and up. offer floor-model
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Here'sa quick comparison: Metal-jaw vises are easyto install (Photo l). To drop the jaws slightly below the top of your bench, make a wooden plate that fits betweenthe bottom of the bench and the vise body. If you want the inner jaw of the vise to be flush with the edgeof your bench (the set-up we prefer),you'll have to cut a Two llpes of Vises notch out ofyour benchtop. In any case, Everybody's familiarwith thestandard add wood cheeks. metal-jawvise, but there's a second type Wood-jaw vises generallycome as of viseto consider: thewood-iaw vise. starterkits (Photo 2).Youbuy the metal
88
American Woodworker ocroBE 2R ooo

A goodviseis tool money Fl well spent.It's a solid investmentin your workbench that pays off every time you needto hold a piece of wood.

E.

hardware and make the front jaw, an optional lower rearjaw and turn or buy the handle. If you want a traditional look to your bench,this is the way to go. The front edgeof your bench must be straight and squarebecauseit serves asthe rearjaw. Features Vises are built to last. Every vise we testeddeliveredplentyof clampingpressureandwasrobustenoughto hold up to a lifetime of service.Ifyou'regoing to

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A METAL-JAW VISE is ready to go right out of the

bo2<. Add wood cheeks,bolt it to your bench and you're ready to clamp.

your Make assembly. A WOOD-fAW VISE requires

own jaws and turn a handleof any length (or buy one).The front of the bench doubles as the uPPerhalf of the rear iaw.

spend your woodworking careerwith to buy one that's one vise,it makessense a pleasureto use.Here are the features we feel make the most difference: ofawSize. Largejawsoffermore surface areato hold your workpiece.More surface area meansmore friction to keep your work from slipping. You can increasethe effectivesurfaceareaof any metal-jaw vise by adding oversized but we prefervisesthat start out cheeks, with largejaws. For a wood-jaw vise you can make virtually any sizejaws.Usea.stiffwood suchashard maple and make the front iaw 3-in. thick.

o faw Opening. Rarely will you open your vise all the way,but a deep caPacity givesyou more clampingversatility. The day will come when you ll need it! Some metal-jaw vises have a huge but wood-jaw visesgenerally capacity, have shorter openings after allowing for the thicknessof the jaws. r Quick Release.Sliding the front jaw in and out without turning the handle is convenient but not a feature you're likely to useoften.Almost all the metaljawvisesoffer one of trwotFpesof quick They all work well. It's a matter release. but we like the of personal preference, (Photo 3). lever action best

Most of the wood-jaw visesdo not but two (seethe have a quick release, reverseaction the offer page92) chart, (Photo 4). type o Vise Dog. Youcanhold workon topof your bench with the vise dog that's found on every metal-jaw vise (Photo 5). Friction-fit, spring-loadeddogsare to use. the easiest You'll have to make your own dog hole in the front jaw of a wood-jaw vise.One pre-madekit includesthe dog hole (seethe chart, page92). o Handle. You'll be using it a lot, so a handle ought to be comfortable.Some metal-jaw vises have large-diameter

mechanism to slidethe front jaw in or out.The spring-loaded the nut from the lever is connected to a bar that releases vise'sscrew. We prefer this type of quick release.

turn for another REVERSETHE HANDLE one-half the the nut.To engage action releases type of quick release.This nut,turn the handleclochnise.One metal-iawand two wood-jaw vises havethis feature.
American Woodworker 2R ooo ocToBE

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OURRECOMMENDATION:

Get the largestvise your benchand

wallet allows. The essenceof a

great vise is even pressure applied

over a large area.

Types of Handles
LARG E.DIAMETER HAN DLES are comfortable to grip. One metaljaw vise comeswith a short metal handle(below left),while two others havelonger wooden handles(below right),similarto what you'd add to a wood-jaw vise. LONG METAL-ROD HANDLES giveyou more leverageand a more sensitive adjustment (below,right).We find short metal-rodhandles or those with capscrewends (below,left) lesscomfortable.

HOLD A BOARD ON TOP of

the bench with a vise dog. All metal-jaw visescome with dogs.Make your own dog hole in a wood-jaw vise.

handlesthat are easierto grip than the rod-type handles. To fine-tunethe amount of pressure a vise is exerting, a handle should havea long"throw" (the distance from the center of the screw out t o t he handle'stip). Regardless of the amount of throw, all the vises have plenty of clamping power. Chooseyour own handlelengthwith a wood-jaw vise.The handle must be a fairlylarge diameterto fit into the socket.

souRcEs
GarrettWade,(800)221-2942 GrizzlyTool,(800)823-4777 (Grizzlybrands;Reco rd) Highland Hardware, (800)241-6748 (Record;Veritas lg. and #01.97.01 sm. #0 |.97.02) Lee Valley, (800)267-8735 (800)267-8761 Canada (Veritas; Record) Sears, (800)349-4358; (Wilton) Toolson Sale, (800)328-0457 Pony; Record;Wilton) florgensen; Trend-Li (800)767-9999 nes, Woodcraft Supply, (800)225-| 153 Record;Woodcraft brands;Veritas florgensen; lg.#0 | E22andsm.*f0| E22; handle for woodjawvise#17E52,$4.50) Woodworkerl Supply, (800) 645-9292 Supply brands) florgensen;Woodworkerl

The lVilton Vise

TWofeaturesset this vise apart from the others: o Pivotinglaw.It's perfect for holding tapered work. Raiseup the pivotingjaw to make a huge dog. Removea pin, slide offthe jaw and you've got a standard vise. o U-Channel Guide Bar. You can placeyour workpiece very closeto the screw minimizing side-to-sideracking. The channel also protects the screwfrom damage.

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ttYhatts the Deal

with Rackingl
When your workpiece sliPsin a vise, blame"racking." Beforeyou tighten a vise,the jaws are more or lessparallel,but when you applypressurethe front jaw can noticeablytilt or twist. That'scalled racking, and it resultsin unbalanced on your work (Figs.A and D). pressure Someamount of racking is presentin everyvise, but some suffer more than others.Vise manufacturershavetwo to combat racking tricks up their sleeves (Figs.B and E). |ust asgood arethe solutions that woodworkers haveused since the daysof sloppy fitting all-wood vises (Figs. C and F).

The Problem

Manufacturerts

Solutlon

Shop Solution

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f n g ' it to causing of yourworkpiece bottom fi t i s th e T . h ec u l p ri t s lipor v ib ra te andtheirsupbars theguide between playthereis,the ports. Themore w i l l ra c k . mor e th ev i s e

pressure Uneven

yourowntoe-in Create tapered by making to find the right Experiment racking. cheeks. top-to-bottom to counteract works Thissolution of taper. parallel top-to-bot- amount Thejawsbecome vises. andwood-jaw for bothmetalis aPPlied. tom whenpressure

OFFSET SCREW

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pinches pressure Uneven workof your oneedge

piece.The moreyou tightenthe handle, the worsethe rackinggets!This rackingis also causedby play in the guidebar system.

blockon Usea spacer Placing the screw sideanyviseto defeat to the right closer Theblockmustbe racking. to-side by adopted guidebaris onesolution asyourworkthickness visemanufacturers. the same wood-jaw some pi ece. w i tht aPe. H ol di t i n pl ace

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Woodworker

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Metal-faw Vises

E ditor s ' C h o i c e Record # 53 is a robustvise.It has hugejaws,greatfeatures and very little play in its smooth-actingguide system.

E di tors' Ghoi ce Best Buy The GarretWade9-in., quick-release vise Woodcraft's9-in. vise combines hasan extra-longhandle,amplejawsand good features, smooth action and a unique plasticdog to protectyour cutan excellent price ($001. ting tools from accidental damage.

Wood-faw Vises
Editorst Choice Woodcraft Supply's #I7 AII features both an offsetscrewand a quick release. Best Buy Startwith the GarrettWadelarge visekit (or the kit distributedby VeritasTools)to build a big, economicalvise($0S;.

$80 $50 $60 $85 a $55 o .9 Garrett Wade 0uick Release $100 Record #52 ; $e0 o Rword#52-112 $125 3 (E Record #53 $130 o = Jorgensen 40709 $100 Jorgensen 4i012 $115 Pony 27090 $33 Wilton 78A $100 (JTJ7) Trend-Lines $63 (JTJ9) Trend-Lines $72 (JTJ12) Trend-Lines $st Woodcraft (1 Supply 7Al1) $135 ('17D04) Supply $95 o Woodcraft o Woodcraft (17D03) Supply p $65 Woodworkers (907379) $150 Supply 3 -large G Veritas Tools soJ ? -small Tools tt Veritas $45 o o Ganett (70G04.0'l Wade $60 ) (70G03.01) GanettWade $40 ('10H03.01) $170 Garrett Wade
I

(G9850) Grizly (G9851) Grizly (G2780) Grizly (129849) Woodcraft (129850) Woodcraft Woodworkers (81 Supply 7-575) -801 (801 Woodworker's Supply )

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2-12x7^ 2-5l8x9" 2-314x9' 3"x 7" 3-'12" x9' 4"x 10' 3-114" x7" 4"x9' 3"x7" 4"x 9' 4"x10-U2" 4"x7" 4" x 10" 4"x7" 4"x7" 2-314" x9" 2-314" x9" 2-314" x9"
your Make own your Make own your Make own your Make own your Make own your Make own your Make own your Make own 2-114" x14-314"e

Lever Lever LEVCT Lever Lever Lever LEVET LEVET Lever LEVET Lever q" Reverse 12-112" Reverse 9" None 10" Reverse 7-112" Lever 9-1f2" Lever

8" 10" 12'^ 8" 10' 12" 10-112 13-112" 8', 13" 15"

12',
8',
g"b 60G g,,b 84p',b
^nc o

LEVET

Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Handle Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Friction Friction Friction Friction Thumbscrew Thumbscrew Thumbscrew
You Make Hole You Make Hole You Make Hole You Make Hole You Make Hole You Make Hole You Make Hole You Make Hole Hole Provided

7-1f2" Rod 7-112" Rod 7-12'Rod 6-1/2"Rod 7"Rod 5l/2"Rod 5"Rod 10-1/2' Rod 6"Rod B"ROd B"Rod 8"19. Dia. Wood B'Lg. Dia. Wood 8"Rod 6"Lg. Dia. Metal 7-112" Rod 7-112" Rod 7-112" Rod Variable Variable Variable Variable Variable Variable Variable Variable 10"

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No NO Yes NO Yes Yes Yes

Handle has cap nut ends Handle has cap nut ends Handle has cap nut ends

0uick release ison/off lever release 0uick ison/off lever

Editors' Choice Runner-Up

Handle has cap nut ends Handle has cap nut ends Handle has cap nut ends

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6-1n',

Reverse None None Reverse None None None None None

Offset tightening screw 0ffset tightening screw

0ffset tightening screuv 0ffset tightening screw

Comes withiaws and handle TW

b Distance from screws cenler t0end jaw 0fhandle. Based on3"thick front andi-3/4"thick lower rear iaw

cBasedon dDesignedlorl-3/4"thickbenchtop 2-l2"frontjawonly.

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New and Interesting

Shop Stuff

Edited byGeorgeVondriska

rcvbws
Hand-Held Oscillating Sander
Yep,that'sright-a hand-held oscillatingspindle sander. Brand new from Porter Cableand totally unique, this sander can be taken to your work, insteadof taking your work to the sander. The variable-speed, 6-amp motor runs from 2,400rpm to 3,600rpm. You'llget 40 to 60 oscillationsper minute with a ll2-in.oscillatingstroke. I really like this hand-held design.Thbleson oscillatingsandersare pretty small,so when I've tried to use them for bigger work,like apronsor case'sides, I've had to build auxiliary tables. This sandereliminatesthis problem. Haveyou evertried using a portablebelt sander porter Cable to sand a straightedge? It ain t easy. addresses that too.You can usethe included edge guide to preciselycontrol how much material you're taking off. The edgeguide has two fences that work like infeedand outfeedtableson a jointer.Setone flush with the drum and setthe other to the amount of material you want to take off. If you want the bestof both worlds,mount this sanderin your router table.Youll need a router table insert just for the sander.The 5-ll4 in. by 9-314-in.base fits in your table. A dust port is included and dust collection is good.A 2-in.drum and optional ll2 in., 314in, I in., and l-Il2-in.drums areavailable. If you only work with small parts, a drum sanderin a drill pressor a stationaryoscillating sanderwill probably be adequate for you. But if your woodworking includesa mix of big and small parts, you'll like Porter Cable's latest innovative tool. Youcan buy it for $250.
The fenceson the edge guide can be offset, makingsanding a long, straight edge easy. 96
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Porter Cable,(800) 487-8665

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F E

ProductReviews

BigSandor, Small Price

GrizzlyIndustrial is working on a new oscillatingspindlesanderthat shouldbe available in fanuary,2001.It looks like a heckof a deal! will get you a floor-model sanderwith a U2-hp,4.6-amp induction $175 motor.The castiron table (14-l12 in. by r4-U2 in.) tilts to 45 degrees. A 5-ll2-in.-long spindle spinsat 3,450rpm, with 64 oscillationsper minute and a l-in. strokelength. As we went to press,Grizzly was still finalizing production of this tool, so final specs and pricing could change, but this soundslike a sander that'll be worth a good look! Grizzly Industrial,(800) 523-4777

Bry Our Best Seller

10" x 40T only $107 or $l0l on 2ndblade
EXTRA BONUS: 3 AT $5 [A(;H:

\MOODWORKER

II

CHOPMASTER BI-ADE
6t/2" to 15" diameter available Specially desimed for slidine comoound mitei",mitdr-chop, and ra"dialsaiws. Sale lllo/o Off 1b%Olf Pfice1slBlade 2ndBlade 61/z" x40T S84 $94 Sag Delta,Sidekick,& Others 8t/a" x60T 9a 93 1F Sears, Delta, Ryobi 8r/z" x 60T 1O7 1Ol 7F Hitachi,Dewalt,Ryobi,FreudTRl 25 e"x80T 116 11O 7p Delta & Others 10"x80T 125 118 7p Detla, Bosch, Mitachi, Makita, Ryobi, AEG, & Atl 12"x80T 134 127 tF Dewalt, Hitachi, Makita, B+D, Sears, & All 14"x 100T 17O 161 7F -:i; Makita,Ryobi 15"x100T tzg 169 tb Hitachi,Ryobi

St/a" to 14" diameter available All purpose-tablesaws and Buy a blade or dado and get $15 worth of p:ortable circular saws. sharpening discount coupons from Forrest, Special-10% Discount! Take lSVo off good on any make blade or dado set you second blade ofyour choice. own. The first 100 customers will receive a EDrroR's Cgotcr aNo Top RarrNc IREE Picnic Table Plan and Router poster! ovEn l8 CoMpETTNG S,rw Braons. 'l'fu 10" t 10'l'rurnul.tht liditu.'s Olnice ,|unnl for lht ht.st rtgarrlles.s lnrJbrtnanrc of tlu'pirc. Scr American Wooduorker nugazinc, April 1998, pp 68-6q. Sate 1tp/o0ft tb%0tt price1stBlade 2ndBlade gtF 14"x 40Tx f " $127 i134 'f4"x30Tx1" 1 2 5 118 t;p 12"x40Tx1" Outperformed 36 other premium btades, 116 11O lp both foreign and domestic, WOOD - 1 2 "x 3 0 T x1 " 1O7 1O1 tp It0"x40Tx'/a"r magazine fesf, Sept. 1998, pg. 45. "Jp 1O7 1O1 g4 10"x30Txl/s"a "P 89 9"x407 98 93 tF 9"x307 *8'A"x40Tx3/gz", { ' 8 9 8 4 A9 84 7'/q" to 16" diameter available F 8 "x40Tx3/p" F A9 A4 Cuts MELAMINE PERFECTLY. 220 mm 8 " x 3 0 T x 3 / s z " 78 a O F 300 mm available. Our best PLYWOOD 7'ln"x30Tx3/sa" 59 62 blade. 8", It/e" & others available. F 7A aO Sale 10%off 15%otf F -*6"t40Tx3/s2" -**5%" x 40 T x l0nm Price lsl Blade2ndBlade 78 aO JBO *Sears glEg 10"x 80-T NEW for $143 s135 & Makita Table **Saw ***Dewalt ('/a"0r %2" K) Saws Boss Cordless 12'x80T 163 1S4 .'/r" 81 ( %" or t " hole, K) 1 4 "x 8 0 T 177 168 tsl BI-{DE

Peels Plus 16 oz,can may be purchasod sspa.alsly t 56a + $st{

ntE 01tE BtlltE TIIAT IIAUES A SMOOTH-AS.

sAiltED

Select one of these items trREE when placing an order for any saw blade or dado ptirchasE from this ad in' AW magazine. Cho6se from the eight book titles shoin, imprinted cap, or l6 oz. can ofsDrav blade clearrer. Hurry! This sulcial offer is limited while supplies last on ordersplaced by September 30, 20001

DURALINE

FORREST DADO-KING
Unnatched Precision on Every Dado Cut! The Forrest Dado-King gives you flat-bottomed grooves and no iplintbring----ven when crosscutting oak plys and me-lamine. This award-winnlnq sei iomes with six 4 tooth chippers (inc-luding 3/32" chipper), two 2.Ltricith ouside biides plus ihims. Cus 1/8" to 29,/32"grooves. Sale 10%0ff 150/60tf J& Price lstDado 2ndDado l-

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STIFFENER

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Product Reviews

Tool Layout Handy

Here's a greattool for only $16.The Tri Scribeis a well-machinedpair of pencil holdThey can be usedthreeways:like a pencil gauge, ersthat attachto a ruler or square. or to make parallellines. to layout circles, Both headscome with scribe points, which can be used insteadof a pencil if you prefer a scribedline. Clamp the Tii Scribeto a ruler (2-in.wide or a less)usingthe brassknobs (included).Insert pencil and you're ready to lay out. My fav.orite wayto usethis tool is on a combinationsquare. It's remarkablyeasyto adjust.You can alsouse the Tri Scribe to lay out mortise-and-tenon joints. If you want to usethe Tri Scribelike a cutting gauge,get the optional Tri Blade for $7. It's a small, snap-off razor knife that replacesa scribepoint. (800) 225-| 153, Woodcraft Supply, www.woodcraft.com ltem # l4l al6 Tri Scribe, Tri Blade,ltem # l4154l

Heoting Cost To 0nHome 5070 Up Sove

And neverhove to buy fuelwood, oil,gos,keroseneever ogoln,
sysroomheoting iso unique Hydro-Sil tem thot con sove you hundledsof in homeheotingcosts, dollors It con reploceor supplement yourelectricheot,oilor gosfurnoce, heotersond woodstoves, kerosene FROM TO CHOOSE TODAYAND SAVE . TWOMODELS ORDER forwholehouse isdesigned Hydro-Sil 22OVOLI 1I O VOLT- PERMANENI PORTABLE roomcomfort,Hydro-Sil or individuol inside theheoter works like this: heoting Discount Approx, Areo ' cose is o seoledcopper tube filled Sove with Hydro-Sil: Mony fomilies ore benefitting 220VolI Price Quontiiy Permonent ToHeot fluidthot will - you con loo! silicone with o hormless 2000 wotts SUU so,tt, s259 ll'spel- . .1500 leok,boilor freeze, never spill, Consumel Digest Buying Guide rotes Hydro-Sil s239 wotts 250so.ft. You'll nevelrunoul.Running "Best Buy" for heoting- o product thot offers out- 6' .|250 monent. s2t9 so,ft. 5' .|000 wotts 200 throughthe liquidis o vodoblewotl stonding volue for its price. 150 sq,ft, sl 99 4' wotts .l00 elementthot is only . hydroelectric Gronl M. (Accounlonl): "With no insulotion or 3'750 st79 sq.ft, wotts omount o proportionol supplied being from chonging when windows, I soved 5l% 75so,ft, sl69 wotts 2'500 of power on on os-neededbosis. storm oilto Hydro-Sil." - CALLfor options isturned on,the When thethermostot Ihermostots heoted,ond . Williom C. (Generol Conkoclor): "l reploced liquidisquickly silicone ortohles f i l0V) Thermostot lncludec I om pleosed to report 5' Hvclro-Mox quolities, con- electric heot with Hydro-Sil, with itsheot retention 750-1500 wotts s2t 9 provided sofety, ond your comfort, hove units thot tinuesto heot ofter the Hydroeled' Conrrcr-tor - Dr rol wotf st79 electricifu." sovings on consideroble ment shutsoff, soving you money. l'750 wotts - Silicone sr69 technologygreotlyin- . R. Honson: "l connot begin to tell you how This exclusive per $heoter shipping $.|5,00 time in 25 yeors our sovings ond comfort. pleosed I om with Hydro-Sil.First energy creoses

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Product Reviews

1731Clement Ave.. Alameda,CA 94501. 1-800-537-7gZO

THE JAPAN WOODWORKER

Bandsaw Duplicator
Cuttinglots of identicalcurvedpartsis easierif you usea templateand a template follower. This $20 setup from Woodworker'sHaven, is one of those "Geez,why didn't I think of that..?" tools.Attach the duplicatorto the upper g u i d e o n y o u r b a n d s a wu s i n g t h e included hardware. The guide pin that projectsdown off the duplicator follows your template. You can setthe pin to the left or right of the sawbladeand control how much wasteyou leaveoutsidethe templateedge. Unlike shop-madefollowers,nothing gets clamped to the table,so your work isn t bumping into a tableful of obstructions.I've beenusingmy shopmade duplicator for years (AW #74, August 1999,page 43), but now I've traded it in for this one. When you'renot usingthe duplicator you can remove it, or just raise the upper guide so the pin is aboveyour work. To changeblades, it only takesa few seconds to pop off the duplicator. The duplicatorsaresaw-specific and are available for most models. Woodworker's Haven, (888) 994-2836, www.woodworke rshave n.com

Edi ted by T im Johnson& Dave Munkittrick

Flnlshlng

TheBest Brush for Waterborne Polyrrethane

nps

Readthe labelon most cansof waterborne polyurethaneand it will sayto use a synthetic brush. That'sbecause water causes natural bristlesto splay, making the brush useless. What they don t tell you is that synthetic bristlebrushesaremadefrom either nylon or polyester.Always go for the nylon. Thesesofterbristlesare lesslikely to leave brush marks in a clear finish. Polyester bristlesarestifferthan nylon making them bettersuitedfor usewith latexpaint.

Use TwoBrushes to Control Drips

A big brush that holds a lot of finish is greatforcovering a largeflat surface. But that samebig brush often leaves too much finish on its thin front edge.The remedy:Usetwo brushes. First,usingthe big brush,quickly coverthe front edgeand an adjacent sectionof the top with finish.Tip off this swathof finish on the top with the big brush. Then switch to a secondsmallerbrush and smooth out the coat on the edge,removing any sagsand drips as you go. Oncethe edgeis finished,switchbackto the big brush,feather in whereyou left off and finish the top.
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DRIPS AND SAGS on the front edgeof a board are hard to cleanup with a big brush because it leaves a heavycoat that'slikelyto sag.

lO4

American

Woodworker

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F i n i s h i nT gi p s

Applying BrightColored Stains

Ground pigment stainscan now offer you bright, transparent colors that are clear and colorfast-a combination of the best features of stainsand dyes. They'rehighly concentrated-as the tiny bottles attest. Here's a trick for evenlyapplyingtheseconcentrated colorsto a large surface:First, wet the wood with mineral spirits. This makesit easyto add and spreadthe color which won't soak in right awaybecause the surface is saturated.Instead the color mixes with the solventand slowly soaksin asyou spreadit d around. To deepen the color, work in more of the -E conCentrate.
t|CE

Sources WoodburstWood Stains S i xc o l o r s e t , 9 2 3 EmeraldCity Color Company 3234 Ocean Gateway Cambridge , D 2l6l3 M (4t0) 22t-8700; www.woodburst.com

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American

Woodworker

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F i n i s h i nT gi p s

Remove WaterSoluble Dye

It happens to everybody. On your sample,the color wasperfect,but on your piece, it doesn't look right. Don't despair. There'san easywayto remove water-solubledye color so you can try again.Sponge the surface liberallywith regular household chlorine bleach. Almost instantly the color will lighten and begin to disappear.Two coats of bleach may be necessaryand the processmay slightly changethe color of the raw wood. Rinse everything with watet sandthe raisedgrain, and yodve got a secondchance.lW

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Blue Highway TipS uysam satrerwhite

Slmple TableSarnr Sled

{ sawopsr
i CLEARAil{CE

5. slot

FIG.A Use it for cheek cuts.

InAW issue#75, October l999,we showed you how to build the ultimate tablesawsled. For small jobs,build this simple and versatile,scaled-downversion of a tablesaw sled invented by Frank Gregg.Frank'ssled has five sterling qualities: 1. With only threemajor pieces, it's easy, fastand inexpensive to build. 2. Youcanmakeaccurate crosscuts on smaller stock. 3. It doublesasa tenoningjig that uses your rip fencefor a rail and guide when making cheekcuts. 4. It canbe usedwithout removing the bladeguard. 5. It stores easilyand compactly. To build the jig, you'll need: A flat 14x 18-in.pieceof ll2-in.plywood (g-ply Balticbirch is ideal);a straightpieceof 14x 2 x L-l | 2-n.hardwood;an I 8-in.plastic runner that fits your miter slot (available from (800) 225-1153, WoodcraftSupply, or www.woodcraft.com). STEP1. Place the plasticrunner in the miter slot and attachthe oversized plywood base with threecountersunk3| 4-in.wood screws. STEP2. Tiim the right sideof thejigbyrunning it through the left miter slot, then usethe other miter slot to trim the left side. STEP3. Usingyour largetablesaw sled, squarethe endsof your jig. STEP4. Cut the rabbets(Fig.C) on eachside of the push block/rail. STEP5. Cut a l/8-in.-deep dado across the plywood base.Make the dado aswide asthe narrowshoe of the push block/rail and position it so thejig floats 1/8-in.abovethe tablesawtable when it's usedasa tenoning jig. STEP6.Attach the push block/rail to the basewith 3-3| -in.countersunk wood screwsand trim the ends by running the jig through both miter slots.

FENCE ACTSAS .GUIDE

FlG. B Use it for cross cuts.

i ,

HOLE FOR

r:-L-%{"rt

HANGTNG

FIG.C Constructed from three simple pieces. 110

American Woodworker

ocroBER 2ooo