higgest handyman disaster!

.--
PURCELL ~ U BB R A ~
919 NORTH 9TH 1
PURCELL, OK 73080 1
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TIPS, FIXES & 61AD COB A TIOUBLC-CREE

Recover a chair seat

I f you have upholstered &air seats that are stained,
warn out or just p h ugly, there's no need ro call a
pro. You can do a first-class upholstery job your&,
if YOU ~ Y WQ
C Don't:ww h u t d-
ing you ean c o r n hem by prying out &PI&
and staaing ova.
lfthecbairL~y~,youmhplyccw%r~e
&&g fabric with new mataid But it a d y
makes sense to tear off the old Uric and
~Iawtheloampadding,sinoemost~
hasalifespnafonlyheto 10yem.Maq
Fabric sfares carry foam and upholstery
bbric, but for the b e selection and advice,
start with an upbohtery store (under
*Upholstery FabricsP io the Yellow Pages).
For a md chair like the one shown here,
pl~aoosp~dnLM1100nbOM,knhg
and Fabric, Yod a h need a can of spray adbe-
she ($61, a sdssors, a shph and 5116-in.staph
T u n the chair upside down and remow the
mews that fasfen the mt to the &air frame. Thea
tear off the old fabric with a pliers and pry out t)pe staples
with a s m a I I ~ d r i w . I f t h e s e a t i s m a d e f r a m ~ e -
board, you might fmd that it's warpad, cnunbling or even
bmka Making a new seat is e a s Just ~ lay the old sear on
a piece d In-in.pl- trace m u d it and cut a new
mtwIth a jigsaw.
Cu&the foam to size with a scissors.Take the wood seat
outside and give the topside a light coat of spray adhesive
Position~seat~whenyou~itonthefoam;~~
adhesive grab bmntty and you may not be able to pull it
oB. Cut h e W g and fabric ( P b w I). Stretch he bat-
ting slightly as yon staph it into place (- 2). Staple
t h e ~ r i c a t t k d d d e o f d€aursided;tindfXpcbe~t
o w t~ make sure the pattern is c e n W II\rg the &ric
tuwwd the comers as you stapIe the first slda Go to the
op@e side and stretch the ibric a m the seat as p u
stsple iP. Repeat &is process forthe other two sides.
If $MU s a t hag rounded corners, you m wrap them so
that no Mds or aeases are visr"ble From above (photo 3).
If the seat has quare corners, aeasc a d fold h e Fabric as
you would when p u @-wrap a box (Photo 4). It's usu-
ally helpful to trim m y excess hbric as you work on m-
ners. B e k you saw the m t onto the e, consider
treating&ebb&wi&astainrepdemifitwaw'tmted
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 15-minute fix
Faster flow
for a slow-filling
washer
If y o u washing machine Nls with a slow (
trickle, you might need a W i e t &R (See
"I 1 Quick and Easy Home Repaics* JulyIAug.
'99, p. 40. To order a copy, see p. 7.) But
chances are you have a simpler problem:
plugged idet screens. These screens catch
debris in h e water supply and protect a
wail& ~~d pm Ohm, sneens
dog after a remodeling project or
after work by city crew on water
mains. Any work on water lines
A
can loosen sediment in pipes
and lead tu plugged s c m m
Cleaning rhe screens is a
simple job. The only Eri& p
is removing ttlt saeem wirhout
wrecking them (photo I). Don't
just yank rhem out. Gently squ-
\
and twist as you pull. You'll distort
the screens a little, but you can mold
them back into shape with your hgers.
Turn OHthe hot and cold water supplies
and disconnect the hoses. Use a pair of
needle-nosa pliers to q n t I v remove the
screens for cleaning.
I
If your screens are cemented in place by
.
I
mineral deposits, you may not be able to
remove them without damage. A new pair of
meem a mst a b u t $5 at m appliance parts
re.Qaw&egaeenswithmnnhgwateror

u may have to pick and scrape

-
the clean
Work screen back into the inlet by pressing arouni
2 hoses,
the
dm of the
the sueen with a small screwdriver. R ~ o n n e c r
turn ontb water and check for leaks.
 a f~ ~ P P Y
faucet
handle
I Ifpubawaloosedve~'
I on a shower, batbroom or kitchen
, faucet-tighten the screw that
II holds the handle in p k . With

same faucets, you'll haw to pry off

the metal butroo ar the center of
the b&. With oIbers,you'll h d
a setscrew near the base of the
handle. ~~ usually require a
hex (or *Allenm)wrench. Lf tight-
ening doesn't work, the stem
inside the handle may be worn,
especially if it's pIastic, Here's a
trick to tighten worn stems on
mast types of f a u m Wrap the
stem tightly with Teflon pipe
thread rape aod slip the handle
W over the stem. In most mw
a single wrap crates a snug fit.
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 -neck the fuse
Burned-out holiday lights
Q I'm putting up my outdoor
Christmas lights that I used last
year. Half of the lights won't work. I
know it's cheaper to just replace
them, but I hate to throw them away.
Yet I also hate to pull out every bulb
to find the bad one. Any solutions?
Mike Koning, via e-mail
A Judging by our mail, it seems that
most of us have experienced the
Frustration of uncooperative holiday
lights, There's a simple way to solve the
problem. First, slide back the plastic cov-
edng on the plug to check the fuse (Photo
3). Some strings have more than one fuse,
in which case they'll be next to each other.
Replace any blown fuses. New ones are
available where holiday Lights are sold and
at some electronicsstores.
Second, test the bulbs with an inexpen-
sive tester (less than $lo), available where
holiday lights are sold and online. UsualIy,
changing a problem bulb (or tightening
it) will fu he entire strand. T h e tester will
indicate which bulbs are bad and need to
k replaced. (For the tester to work, the
lights must be plugged into the electrid
outlet correcrly-the narrow "hot" blade
into the narrow slot and the wide neutral
blade into the wide slot.)
Some testers work by having you slide
each bulb through a hole (photo 2). With
orher testers, you simply touch each bulb
(photo s).You can test an entire strand in
a few minut&,Sometimes you have two or
more defective bulbs, so only identifying
one bad bulb may not fix the problem.
Keep in mind that inexpensive strings
of lights aren't durable. At the end of the
holiday season, take down the Iights with
care. Don't pull too hard on the wires. A
loose bulb, broken socket or frayed wire is
sometime all it takes for the strand t
malfunction.
After raking down the lights, plug them
in before storing them, to make sure they
stdl work Then carefully wrap the lights
in heir original or sirniIar containers,
making sure the bulbs don't bang together.
Proper storage is key to their continued
success. Wadding them up in a coil and
s t u k g them into a box d lh o s t guar-
antee they won't work next year.
ALso be aware that most holiday light
bulbs have short life qectancies, about
1,000 to 1,500 hours. This means the
&
ljghts are designed to last one to three sea-
sons, depending an your usage. Newer
styIe LED (light-emitting diode) lighw are
the exception. They can last 10 times
longer than traditional lights.
 R E A D E M Y S T E R Y P H O T O

Leaking roof

Q Our ceiling leaks under this

section of roof whenever
we ave a severe rain and in the
winter after heavy snowfalls.
How do we stop it?
Rick Caville, Grand Rapids, MI
strip of adhesive ice-and-water barrier
(available where roofing products are
sold) under the sofitlmain roof joint.
Depending on how the roofs join, you
may have to cut a slot to work it in hr
enough. It should overlap another piece of

kmePqoo Series
kit containing , ,
A %u're getting a double whammy
&om poor flashing and ice dams.
The cllfprit is almmt certainly the soffit
ice-and-water barrier laid below, all the
way down to the roof edge. This should
cover the most leak-prone areas. Then
that meets the roof, which is one of the reshingle, sliding metal step flashing
'- Dremel sides XPR

t
toughat areas to waterproof. In your behind the fascia board (the trim behind
fexshaft photo, you can srill see signs of an ice the gutter). (See " C h e y Flashing,"Oa.
Circle Cutter dam. An ice dam occurs when snow '03, p. 91, for a step flashing example, To
Cutting Guide melts and the water f r m when it hits order a copy, see p. 7.) The valley flashing,
Lawn Mower and Garded the coIder edges of your roof. Eventually, hid over the joint where the two rook
, Tool Sharpener water pools behind the dam and works meet, should overlap the step flashing a t
55 Genuine Dreme its way back up under the shingles and least 2 in.
Accessories under the sofit until it h
n
ids an opening If leaks continue to occur from ice
Deluxe Storage Gas, . through your roof. The fact that you get dams, consider installing roof edge heat-
XPR Planer and XPR Ieaks during w e r e rain also suggests a ing cables. (Find them locally at, hardware
1 ' MulfiSaw atta~hments
available separately
roof detailing problem.
Start with good flashing, since this
stom or home centers, or type "heating
cables" in an Internet search enginc)
should stop leab from rainfall and Improved attic insulation and ventilation
b n l y at Lowesj might stop the leaks from ice darns as are usually the best ways to prevent ice
well. b i n by removing the shingIes dams, but they might nor be effective in
down to the wood sheathing and slip a this complicated roof situation.

/DO you have a problem that's bugging you. a nagging

question or a mystery that you can photograph?Please sand k via
e-rnail to askhandyman@roade~lgestestcom or mail it t o Ask The
Family Handyman, 2915 Cornmars Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 65127.
Include your name, address and phone number. Although our editorial
staff reads each one, we can't respond Individually.

DeCEMBERIJAilUARY 2000 THE FAMILY H A t t D Y H A U

Too much -*c
f n ~ w i Im ~ big prob
havea
Ism-with atatlc sl&trkHy. I
hot W e r radiator heat and
rum ~ ~ my IWusB*
g b there h ~
s better solution than putting a
hurnidftw in wry mom?

b
I
L

s Onllhe Panel and get

5 01 aest prqects absolutely free! Log on to
www.familyhandyman.c~panel I
Hardware honeycomb
ooking for the night fastener will be like a bee going to nectar with this multi-

L pocket storage bucket. To make one, round up a plastic 5-gdon bucket ($3 at a
home center) and scrap pIywood for partitions and floors. Use 314-in.plywood for
the partitions and 114-in.plywood for the floors to match the bucket cutout dimensions
'
r

shown.
Cut the bucket holes with a saber saw as shown, then saw the crisscrossingbottom par-
titions with shghtly angled ends to fit snugly against the bucket sides. Saw notches halfway
down the center of the partitions so they interlock. Next, cut the round floor to fit the 1
bucket on top d the partition, then drop it in. Cut the next set of partition+ drop those
in and then add the next floor. Create the egg carton partition to fit on top and grew or
nail it to the upper floor. Then load your bucket. Our system is daigned for miscella-
neous screws and nails; feel free to try your own configuration to 6t pur needs.
Bucket loads of thanks to Patrick h c o x for this honey of a tip.
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 Y Snap lines
d set the
in place

cornefands3X3pcMk
ha. Mark the
' l o c a h of M-

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W l l ~ ~ ~ l ~ m ~ c o
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mwweandnrtaiopdbot-
t o m ~ h ~ ~ a s s b o w

LEAKY OIL
Unsightly globs, tptt by cars that
wwe nd wali mekrtaid.
 n
the'%ou& opening (given on your plan or in the window litera-
~ ) . and ~measure
m out to the left and right of the center
mark Write a "T" to the outside of both marks to indcate trim-
mer locations. Measure over 1-112 in. and draw another line.
Mark an "X"outside these marks for the full-height king studs.
With the o w g s markd, lay out the stud Imtions (tfgm
edges of 4x8 sheets of pIywmd d g n wilh h e centers of studs.
Subwa 314 in. from the first layout mark. Then hook your lape on
a patidly driven nail at this mark, and nlark at each 16- or 244.
multiple. Make an 'X" on the same side of each layout mark to indi-
cate the stud position. Mark studs that land between window or door
simmers with a"C" to indicate cripples ratherthan full-height snrds.
THE FAMILY HANDYMAN OECEMBERIJANUARY 2006 f# -
USED CAR PROBLEMS.
GM CERTIFIED OWNERS
TEND'TO FORGET
AT THEY ARE.
 I plate ~ by side and trans-
Set the p l a side
fer the marks h m the top p b to
the b t b m piate using a quare.
Some mrpenters mark only tbe
edge of the p k We show m k -
hg tbe wide hce, wI& d help
p u a h g n ~ & T ~ t h e
p i n of plam together with 8d
nails after m w h g hem i a they
P don't get qamted and mixed with
BUILT-UP
V C O U N E R MARK ' ofher plates. T h set rhm aside
until you're m d y to build that waL

CaIculate header I@ by adding

3 in.to the ruugh opening width.
Add 6 in. to haden h a t require
two h e r s on eacb side. a
header parts and naiI them togeth-
er. label the headers.
In many plan4 headers are psi-
tioned against the top plate. lfyour
are, begin wall &Iy by @-
tioning and i d k g these *fulI-
lqbf'headers to the top p h e with
16d n& (top ri@t photo). Then
lay fUII-lagth studs k w e e n the
plates and nail. king studs to the
headers md to t h top d bottom
plates (bottom rtglwt photo). N d
in all the fulf-height mds as vrell as
corner a d t i e s . Note: Sight
down a& stud before you mil if in
mi orient aay bow (crown) up
ward. Next install the trhmms
(-m fieM).
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 grown-up ver - I. Fc
=qme looks, ,r. mlli
wrrq and designed i
ed doorb, cfown
Id tmll, o w n shakes. F
'- -'leal uaa, I t has twa

--,..AS of 8helven to hhal~

oka and treasuras and
rge oablnets to hide an
sortment of stuff.
1 this artlcle will show eve1
thing you need to know to
butld this bookcase from thq
bottom up. The six8 and elr-
gance of this piece are decs
tlw; don't assume it'a too bl,
or diiflcult fbr you-you may
be pleasantly surprised whm
you look over the following
pwes. You'll see how the
modular conatruetion makes
it buildable in a small work-
shop and easy to disassemble
and reassemble in your living
mom or gwat room. You'll
so see that re am lots of
ut none of

THE FAMILY HmWMr

 P
Overall dlmwrslons: 34-112" tall x 9&1/2" wlde (at crown) x 18-112"deep (at cabinel top)
1 Glue and n d t o m a r three plywood d i n e t boxes
lRgure Al. Square each box by taking diagonal m e a r m
mmts, then attach the back. Equal measurementsmeans the
box Is squera. Edgsbandthe front wtth i r o h blrdr.
2 Assemble fhe door frsmttli with glue
and pocket screws. Glue and nail a
plywood panel to the back of each frame.
4.
Miter, glue and nail molding to the panel front,

TOOIS, money and time
EW project consists mostly of quickIy
a d k d plywood boxa and solid-wood
h a The only fusg. steps are cutting
d instalting the mimed moIdin&sthat
trim the doors, panels, base and crown. If
p u have qerienee wih a table saw, a
mim saw and a muler, yuu mn build this
b o o b . You'll also need one special tool
pm to the dimensions g i v e n h the
Cutting List on p. 47. Before you e m b l e
rhe born, cover the h n t edges of the 314- second, skim coat after four hours. Sand
in. plywood with iron-on wood edge
band. Also driII 1IPin. h o l ~in the cabi-
net sides for adjustable sbelf supports. For
some tips on edge knding and driing
shelf support holes, m?"Storage Galore,"
Sept '05, p. 47.(To order a wpy, see p. 7.)
'
fill large, deep hole). The filer will
shrink as it dries, so you'll have to apply a
the joints flush on both $idea of the doors
and lightly sand t h e plywood panels
before assembly with 180-grit sandpaper.
Pasten the panels wi!h 112-in. brads.

you haven't d pocket screws before, togerher with a brad d e r . Then drill
donkwrry. You can learn to use them in 311 6-in. pilot holes and drive four 2-ia
minutes. We m n g l y suggest you use a screws along each joint for strength.
brad nder Father than damps to tack Fasten the backs wih 1JZin. brad nails.
glued parts together. A brad d w is hs~er
and acttidy cheaper than h-rtmm Easy, elegant doors
of damps you would needTor this projen
The t o d materials bill for our cherry l k cabinet doors may look fancy, but
thefp're just solid w d frames with a ply-
bwkcssewasforS13WmBui1~hma1erp
mdpanddappedonthebackTh~hebase
erph specS like this a p moldings surrounding the panel gke
would hare a maI
of about 5800' A thcw simple doon a rich look. Cut the
similar piece of comparablequality would
solid d rails and stiles Mowing the
cost three h e s that much, or more, at a
Cutting List and assemble them with
farnitwe store. +a to spend at k t 20
pocket scmvs (photo 2). tf you haven't
hours buildhg this book- and another
10 hours W i n g i t
used a pocket screw jig before, see "Using
lbols:Feb.'03, p 23.(To arder a copy, see
cabinet boxes p.ble7.)onThe p k e t screw holes will be visi-
the back of door, so 6ll them
The three cabinets are simply b m made with a solvent-hd wood f l e r such as
h m 314-in. pJ;ywcMd with U4-in. ply- Plastic Waod (water-based fillers dry ere are two door sizes.:
wood backs (Phota I ). Cut the plywood dowly and can swell wood when used to
 3 l a y tha cabinet boar on ks dda and center the &or
agalnst k Mark h i n p guidellnea on the door and Eablnet
udng a 2-114-in.-wide spacer block,
Center t b moudng plate templ8im on the cabhet
gutdeline and ddU two 3132-In. pilot hdes for thu mourPt.
Ing plste. Screw the mounting plate to the aablnea

Mark the center point of the hinge hole 718 In. from the Snap ttse hinges onto the
dmh edge using a homemade spacer jlg. Drill tha hinge mourrting plates to make sure
hole wiih a l41Sin. Forstner bit Insort the hinge and screw
it t o tho door. doors by pullingthe release lever.

Carefdiy center the pan& so sothey're 1- installation much easier. The best feature The template we
314 in. from the edges of the door h u e s ; of euro binges is that they're a d j j b l e : used (Photo 4)
this leaves ample space for mounting the To move the door up and down, left or im'i absoIutdy news-
binges. Miter he moldings and install right or in and out, yon just turn adjust- m,but it will save you lots of
them with glue and 1- 114-in. brads. ment screws. That means you dadt have
f w y measuring and costs only $6,
Throughout this project, use b wds spar- to spend hours sanding or plaoiag doors
Our spacer jig (photo 6) is simply a block
ingly. Drive only as many as it rakes to to get a perfect fit-Thehinges we choselet
of w d glued to a scrap of b a r d h a d
draw glw joints tight. Fewer brads means You'll have to buy a 1-318411.
you hang and remove doors in seconds by Fommer bit
less time spent f d h g holes later. For some
releasing a lever. ($18). Use a corded drill to bore the hinge
tips on installing mitered moldings, see Choosing the right type of euro hinge holq most cordless models don't have
the Edito3s Note, p. 44. for the job and poitiming the parts cor- enough power, Clamp down the door and
rectly a n be confusing. But we've done dl hang on ti@ t to the drill; the bit might
I Hi-tech hinges simplified the calculating for p u . II YOU rn h e b i d and lwisl the drill or h e door. stop
European hmges--also d e d "cup" or model we recommend[see the Materials drilling occasionally and insert the hinge
: ' e m n hing-st less thangod-qdty List, p. 47) and follow the steps s h m to check the deprh of the h o l d you
'
traditional hinges and make cabinet door here, yodIl End the pr- fmlpmoE bore roo deep, pu'U ruin the door.
91DECLIMRCRIJANUARY 2008 T H l F M l L Y HANDYMAN

L.
7
-
W 2 1144n.-~ldag u b Mocks to ply-
blwrr and lock @&I
r
~ t o m a l r e a p ~ l l g . ~ o n a ~ e
pilaster In placia vrlW1 a-
FhDltt#v~hthe~sMmwftha31&.br.oovebir.
.
8 Bulld the facades jw as you bullt the doors. Glue fb
p f h t m t o the facades. Glue 1-112-in.-wlde t&iw ofply-
wood t w d ~ a to
falpadw.
r make L-cleats, and m eh the cleats to the

9 h b l l the base {ngure A). Then & the ~zlbinetboxes

on the baaa. Screw fhe facades to the slde boxes and
screw the pilwters betworn b x e a . Carefully posi-
10 Band three sldes of the plywood cabinet top with 314
x 314-In. solld wood. Cut a cove In the undemide of
the banding with a touter.
tion and scrsw the boxan to the base.

The three cabinet boxes are and
h k e d by bur flat, prormdmg columns,
or "pihttmn M h the pilasters using a
318-in.cove bit and simple jig that guides
your router bit at the beginning and end
of d cut (Photo 7 ) . To get perfed,
sphter-he cow, rout the edges of each
pilaser in two passes. Set rhe bit to a
depth of about 3116 in, Rout aII the
pilasfer edges once, then set the bit to a
114-in. depth and make a h a l pass dong
each edge.
Next, b d d two had= m ccrver the
sides of the MI and right cabinet boxes.
The fiicades are mnstructed jus~like the
doors, wilh fi-ames,a plywood panel and
mitered moIdings. Glue a pilasler to the
front edge of each Eacade. Also add
L-cleats to the back of the facades (photo
8). Space the rear cleat 3/4 in. from &e
back edge of the facade. T h m dears allow
you to attach the ficades with scm drjv-
en from inside the cabinet born (Photo
8). Glue two layers of 3N-in. plywod to
the backsidcs of the two middle pilasters
that fit between cabinet boxes.
Set the cabinets
on the barn
The base is simply a plywood platform
covered on three sides with mitered base-
board and base cap molding (~iaureA).
Assemble the platform parts with brad
nails and then add 2-in. screws for
strength. You can use construction-grade
 grand bookcase

Frame on the underside of tha cablnH tap wlth two

layers d 314-in. plywood. Then wrap three ddas d the
frame wIih mltered basa cap moldlng.
12 A m b k shew boxes and dde framos following
Figure A Glue side framm to both end shelf boxes.
Then install base cap molding lnslde the frarnw.

1
You have to renlovs the
blade guard to make
these cuts. Keep hands
end cloth in^ away from

13 Rout 11Cin.-deep coves into both sides of the top

rails. Then cul a rabbet on the back by making two
cuts with your table saw.
14 Cut the top rail to length so that the hasf pllaster pro-
trudes about 1132in. beyond the side of the shew
box, Glue and nail the top rail ir'rtoplaee followed by the half
pilaster.

pIywood for the sides of the platform, but
use finish-gradeplywood for the lid, since
the perimeter of the Ld will be visible.
Make the baseboardfrom a 4-5/8-h,-wide
board using the same cove bit you used on
the pilasters, and use the same base cap
molding that you used on the doors.
Attach the base cap to the platform first,
making it flush w i ~ hthe lid. Then add the
baseboard.
Set the base on furniture dollies ($20
each at home centers) or make your own
dollies from plywood and casters ($3
each). Set the cabinet boxes on the base.
Screw on the facades and join the boxes by
screwing into the two other pilasters
(photo 9). AU four pitasters protrude
1-114 in. from the cabinet boxes; cut a
spacer block to help you position them.
Gendy shift the whole cabinet assembly to
center it on the base and then fasten each
box to the base with four 1-518-in.screws.
The cabinet top is a slab of plywood
banded with solid wood edging. Be sure
to drive brads at the center of the band-
ing. If you drive them too dose to the
underside of the banding, you might hit
them with your router bit when you cove
the banding (Photo 'to). Next,glue and
nail two layers of 314-in. plywood strips to
the underside of the top to form a frame.
The back of the frame is flush wirh the
back of the top. The other three sides are
inset 112 in. from the edge af the plywood.
The Frame acts as a deat, allowing you to
screw the top in place from inside the cab-
inet boxes, and provides backing for the
base cap (Photo 111. This is the m e kind
of molding that was used on the doors.
With the entire cabinet unit assembled,
snap the doors onto their mounting plates
and adjust the hinges If any doors Fit
badly, trim &ern with a belt sander or
shave them down slightly on the table saw.
Label each door with its location and set
them aside to avoid damage-
Shelf units
To build the shelf units, you'll repeat the
techniques you w d on the cabinets. The
shelf units begin as plywood boxes (Photo

I DECEMBERIJANUARY 2008 TH@FAMILY HhMIYMAH


15 Set the ah& u n b an the cabinet top and
position them, Fasten thsm to t)le cabinet unk
on the backskt8 udno metal strap. Position tha lower ends
of the pilasters wfth a taw measure and fasten thsm with
small brackets hidden inside the shell unlts.
12 and ngure A). Before assembly, drill
holes for adjustable shelfsupports just as
you did with the cabinet boxes. There's
no need to edge-band the shelf parts.
They'll be mered When you asembIe
he center A e I f k , keep screws at least
3-112 in. from the front of the box; that
protruding part of the box will be
exposed. Square the shelf boxes just as
you did the cabinet boxes.
To make the pilasters for the shelf
units, buiId a 47-112-in.-long version of
the jig shown in Photo 7. You'll need four
full p h t e r s and two hatf pilasters. The
sides of the shelf units are uwered with
frames. These frames are like the b c a h
used on the cabinets, but without the 114-
in.p b o o d panels. Instead, h e sheIf box
sides act as panels. When you add the top
rail and half pilaster (motom 13 a d 14),
allow the half pilaster to protrude slightly
h m h e shelf unit's side. This makes it
easier to create a Qbt joint between the
side units and the middle shelf unit. The
Edimnm
-tmikm
This book- has a dozen door
and side panels ttlat are I n d \wftfi
molding. W n g moMIngs t d d a s -
frame L slow work You m b one
e n 4 t h m miter the other endsothe
piam B a halr tua long, then shave
that end again and again until tile
molding fits just dght The pr-
Is painwaking, but I have learned a
iewMebtospsadupthejob:
m DonWnwlng your saw h m left to
right a hundred timm Sat your
saw46degrwsmt)Eslaftand
r o u g h a t all *the pfaces, maklng
them '114 In. tw long. 7hen sat
your saw to the d g h and m
tham to length
Dm? ImUw with a tape measure.
To mark the length of each piece,
hold the mitered end in place and
mark the other end wfth a s h t p
middle shelf unit has no h e ; cover the
pencil (photo above].
h n t plywood edges witb two plasters
m U i m h t e miter saw guessulrork.
and a top rail.
Attach a flat scrap of plywood to
#en the shelf units are ~rnplete,set
the bed of your ssw and cut kerfs
them kn place and flma them to the mb-
hers bdow by suewing metal straps to in it When you position a mallted
the backs of he shelf units and cabinets. piece for Wng, you'll know
The sida of the shelf units may angIe exactly where the blade wtll land
inward or outward slightly, so check the O+
I guaesing To attach the pqh
positions of the pilas~erswith a tape woodIyou mn drill holm Into the
measure (photo 18). Then anchor the metal~orp~et)rebad
shelf unit to the cabinet top with small and use doublefaeed cqmt tape.
brackets hidden behind each pilaster
(photo abovm).
Top it all off with a crown
The crown begins as a solid wood hm
joined with pocket saews (Flqnre c).
GIue a board to the h n t of t h ~ sframe to
cover h e protruding middle shelf unit
(you'll need three damps that open at
Ieast 6 in. to attach this part). Then build
a plywood parapet around he perimeter
of the kame to support the crown mold-

16 maldng and Instanwawn rnddhtg. W e and nail In V-bIo& to q
tha wown molding.
ing. Run mitered base cap molding
around the front and sides of the frame.
We couldn't find a murower version of
base a p in cherry, so ~ v cut
e it down on
the table saw {phota, nbmrs right).
If you haven't worked with crown
molding before, see "Crowning Touch,"
Nov. '04, p. 40. (To order a copy, seep. 7.)
Crown moldingin rooms is usudy copd
at inside corners to account for out-of-
square walls. Sincethe hame has p e W y
square corners, we mitered the two
I Disassemble
I for easier
finishing
By removing a few dozen
I ~ v o u c a n ~ t h e ~ ~ l e
book& apart in abour 10
minutes. LaM the parts to make
reassembly d e r . Cherry a n ahorb
stain unevenly hr a blotchy appearance,
so we tint applied M i n w P d d ~
Wood Cunditione~Then we wiped on
two coats of Warm cherry oil fkhhAfm
three day%WE lightly sanded the
~ Gght
n mats of &Ulaquer (em spray
cans).Think twim &re you c h o w a
brush-on finish for this project; the
oomer joints (Photo 16). Whm yon cut intricate doara and side p e l s will
rbe two &on pi- of c m m k t flak require canful hushwork. We let the I
the middle protruding d m ,do if d e - W dry overnight and spent 30 +
ly: Cut them horn a piece at least 12 h. minutes rasemb18d the parts in the
long while holding on to tbe.waste side. bookcads new home. A tall, hamy piece
Don't hold on to h e short piece. When of furniture like this a n tip f o m d and
the mown molding is in place, glue in badly injure =meone, so drive two 3-in.
V-bl* to support if. lfyou want to d& mew through the ba& of tfie prnpet
D
~ : , ~
play items on top of the crown, cu t a sheet into wall studs. -
of 314-in. p I y w d to fit. The parapet is
314 in.-I than the crown mold& so -m
a plpmod top will fit down inslde it, 8trs~lrdolo RIANU wmmi HI
Avoid these common
mistakes-and save
yourself BIG headaches
and BIG money
 -Workb"ench
1-
3d

Build y o q own mobile workbench

sawdust flying in minutes. k t ofall, you

h ' t need the skills of a woodworker to build it. Even
- thou@ the workbench loaks like e fine pi= of furni-
'
lure, si mpk joiner a n d cut-to-fit Vim make this p r o w
fairly easy even if pu'w done only rudimentary cabinet
' uildiq, I i a simple b d c m .
. In thi$ ptm, we'll wdk yw thwgh hkey wnaruc-
bfik&ni4-% irvd&nga wique,loraktech w q Yo due
up the thick top. b u m A an p 59 I T ~ O WdSl the derails,
Yuu wad^ need any e x d c tmS,only a table w,aq&
+ r ar -1 fnur4-&&4q5
saw* a heavy-duty Mt ~ n d e .and
baeclamps, +nd thos~,a&&trsiawm$.g~~
..
-
J I . .
 Buying tfie materials
~ s p e C i a l ~ ~ ~ ~ k &
~ t h e ~ ~ t t m C ~ ~ O . I n ~ -
tion, pick bmds h t have light
Bench design ~ ( o r n ~ w ) o n o n e + f o r ~
T h e ~ O f ~ b e a c b i s t h e ~ ~* W~ ~ l 4 - k a 4 1 1 d
top, wbih is milde km @mi-up&& c n t t h e m t o f . & ~ - ~
(PIPWOS 12 - 10). The s u p e r e * b ~~~~d~~~
h d b ftom h e idtaw 3/&h pIy- ~ m ? & ~ ~ ~ I f ~
& ~ ~ t a a 2 8 : t 4r a ~~ ~~ t ~h e~ l o n g ~ h m c
(?hot0 lh wb then d z m d ug the base h s r a c b ~ c t r t ~ i p ~
wittr venemd plpmd, kimlwd the br you.
bihwi~;idad&dheavp- We z e c o whg~ 314-ia
~~
~drawefs.omd
~~~~~
forslm- K ~ f a r ~ ~ a b
hitt-~mmd
O s t r w ( 1 ~ c h L ~ e d ~~ &~ ~ ~ a n d
e
a
n7g
@ ~ d g d l d o a k . ~ H ~ y~ o ~u p o t f w ~ d &
m ~ a b o u t 8 ~ 0 0 i F y o n b v i I d fpt l~p m d don't wmq &at &
=--PW~-* d&mFlawswiun~bes;eesr.~
forthe* ~ ~ h ~ a r e & t ~ ~ 3 l 4 -
This h d i is a me hceqmightr h - t b i & ~ e t r ~ & g ~ t o W ~
wd&hginar*rnh(withwt ~ ~ a n d t r , ~ h d o g r s
mb1. W s h t m i o d kr gb it the a r r d ~ h ~ r a a d ~ & d e & r f p i
~ m d ~ b r h -~ ~w P & W ~ W & -
I t m a n ~ d ~ ~ s o p u cinga(orn ixim
 1 Cut all of the 314411.AC plywood pleces and 2x4
platform parts lFlgure AI. Screw the platform
framing together and then screw on the plywood base,
2 Glue and pin the box sides togather with 1-112-In.
brad, then predrlll and anchor them with threa
1-51841. screws alono each edge.

3 Screw tha three boxm together, then mntw the

box assembly on the base (3i4 In. from each end)
and screw h dawn. Then screw on the plywood top.
4 flip the bench upside down and screw the vuheels
to the underside with 1-112 x 5/1&ln. lag screws.
Position two In the cabinot center.

Cut the parts and build the b

Staxt by cutting all of the AC plywood pieces foUowing back with xhe oak plywood cut to 5t (PW 5). each
the cutting diagrams (Figure C, pp. 6-9). TO save an p k e mund the perimeter with 1-112-in.brads spaced
maarials, we cut a few of h e pieces h m IeFtover oak evay 4 in. Then add I-518-in. screws to h e Ixk p a d s
plywood. Mslrk each piece with its lener to save confu- for more men& (they'll be r m d by irh lam).Tfim
sion later. Assemble the base pktform and then the out the cabinet by cutting baards to fit as &own in
boxes (Pfio-I 1 and 2). Finish the back c8bi.net shut- FigureAandPhoto B,&gwhb thehofimncalhds
ture by centering the tripIe box assembly on the base, at the k e and top. It's a little extra wrk, but the bench
screwing it down and mewing on the top sheet of ply- will look more polishadif p u miter ehe top and b o r n
. ~od(Phob3).Whenpournountthewh&(~hao horieonral trim at the corn= F m d cut ~ m d n don the
41, make sure they pivot freely and won't bind against vertical t x i m b d s . B e r n to car o r ~ ~ t b e ~ e a
the h e , trimbwdflusbwithbboxopinpattheht
After the stmchre is together, hishing the outside of 0 th- the drawer slides will be too narrow at tbe
the cabinet is s m i g h d o d . Simply cover the sides md b n t and won't o p t e smoothly.
I 6
Glue the plywood end and back panels Vllw u10 Mher, then glue and nail on the bottom and top
boxes and nail them with 1-libin. brads. S m horizontal trim pieces. Then cut, glue and nail the
the perimeter of the three ba& pane18 to the boxes vertical trim in place (figure A).
with 1-5ia.h. screws.

7 Glue and nall the drawer Jdes to the fronts and

backs Square up e ~ drawer ~ h with the bottom
panel and glue and nall it into place.
8 Rest the top-drawer slldes on a spacer flush with the
fmnt trim, then extend them and screw them to the
ddm of the cabinet box

WthBdrawwS
We give you the measurements for the drawer fronts and
backs, but that assumes that you cut and assembled your
cabinet k e s pmkctly. It's best to mwure he box
widths at this point and cut the front and back of the
dmvets exactly 1 in.shorter than the openings. Double-
c h d those pieces before assembling the drawers. If
they're any larger or smaIler, h e slides won't work.
Photos 8 and 9 s h o holy~ to IE&plpwod S p W S to
mount the drawer slides accurately. (ISee the Cutting
List, pp. 6849, for spacer sizes.) Slightly m@e in the
spacers and rest the drawer on them so tbe drawer proj-
aa few inches beyond the cabinet front P d out bath
drawer slides until they're flush with the drawer h n t
THE P A W Y WWMW JYMWBIJANUARI 20# #
workbench
I
9 10
Rest lhe drawm on the spacars. Screw the slides
onto h e drawer at the front Rrst, slide the dranrer
out and drive the second patr, then repeat for the t h l d
11 Lag-screw the angle iron to the bench-top sup-
port boards wfth 1-112-in. x 5/l&in. lag screws.
Then bolt them to the base with 2-in. x 5116-in. nuts
and b o k
and drive the first screws through the dots (Photo 8).
Slide out the drawer until the nexr ram hola are show-
ing and i n d l the next two s m and then slide it out
farther to accm the last ones. Rip tbE s p a r and mount
the s a n d drawer the same way. Use a 114-in,spacer for
the h o r n sliding shelf, bottom drawer and utility
drawer (Photo 10).
Cut and edge the d m r
and dmr fronts
Cut h e identid panels of oak -p (Figure A)
the doors and &. Cow the edges with sh-ip-s.of
maechrng hardwood for a n a t , d m b k edge meament.
I
Mount the draww alldm to the udlhy drawer
blocks uslng 1/44n. spa- and tfien mount the
drawer. Center and demp the drnwur blocks to the
cabinet basa and fastm them WIUI3-In. w o w s
I built a version of this bench last winter
for my shop and belteve me, K s a joy
to usa. [My wlfe complains that Ks nlcer
than our kltchen abinetsl) If you've
never had a decent vise coupled with
bench dogs, you're in for a trertt. They're
great for planing, sanding and many
other tasks.
I urge you to cud0miz0 the drawers
and sliding shelves. When building my
bench, I laid out my tools and supplies
-
and decided the number and sizes of the
drawers and sliding shelves to store
them all. The &in.-tall drawer In the space '
between the bench top and cabinet base
Is my favorite. ft stores my tape m a *
ures, squares, uhisels, drill bits and mark-
ing knives. t added slotted bins in the
bottom of ons of the cabinets for my air
guns.
Send me soma digital photos of
your new ban& akng with comments
regarding the building of your bench
and any problems you encourvtered
We'd love to see and hear how your
bench took shape. Send tham to
travisJarson@readers digest.com.
for
-
 12 Rip twenty-four 74t.-long 2rr4s to 3-11Mn. widths.
Lay thrw pipe damps on a R a t surface. Roll a
thin layer of glue ovar the two maling f a of the 2x4s. clamp and more screws as needed to dose large gaps.
14 Mark the bench at 6 ft long, then cm m aotn
ends witf~a guide and circular saw. Cut from
both sides.
Rip your own strips or buy 112 x 314-in."parting stop" at
the lumberyard. GIue and pin on the edging with 1-in.
brads and slighrly ease the edges with sandpaper to pre-
vent splinters. Then cut the drawer fronts from one of the
panels on the table a w . When the drawer fronts are
mounted, the spa= bemen the drawers will be the
thicknessof h e saw kerf (use 16d nails as spacers), so the
top and bottom wiIl remain aligned with the doors,
Mount the fronts as we show in Photo 17. Tack strips of
wood spaced 112 in. from the openings on the bottom
and one side to d i p the bottom drawer fronts. Screw the
hinga on the cabinet doors (3 in. from the top and bot-
tom) Erst and then center the doors and screw the hinges
to the cabinet.
DECEMBERIJAPIUMY 1000 lrrE FAMILY IiANPYMAH
13
Clamp each bosrd and screw It to the others
with 3-111, screw spaced every 6 In. Add another
15 Bah-sand the top flat diagonally Rrsf one way,
then the other until the *progress" IInes -r.
Then finish sanding wtth a random ortrkal sander.
Glue up the knch top
Gluing up and flattening your bench top will take most
of a day. You can get by with lour pipe clamps, but if
you have any buddies with pipe damps, borrow them
too; they'll speed up the process and ensure gap-free
glue joints.
Begin your top by mrting twelve 14-ft. long 2x4s in
hdf. Choose the best edge of each piece: the one with the
fewest, smallest h t s and without any comer defects.
Rip each 2x4 to 3-114 in. wide, trimming the best edge
square. Cluster together the first h e boards, h d the cen-
ter of the group and mark lines every 6 in. ( ~ h o t ats).
Later, avoid these locations when you're driving mews so
you can drilI dean holes for the bench dogs.
 q r r d md Illq
m
~ ~ m d q s&S marmu g r
-Am vnq I ~ ' L F Odm ~ IIW
au *spapaw hn 1 - P m= P *P I*
re asn rFm d s , l q .dm aag-ds% d p p d a
~ o j S ~ p d n ~ Q X ~ 1 p ~
h p m q a p 8-p xaddp- marl dn Bop w
an@ a q .(Xpo doi) %w dmap B qoj
a v J 3 o a d ~pw IWTB w (mauoq P no
-azaanbs an@ a q 30ad- 'qmq ma^ e Sup@mgv
"aq- m q a q 9dpq - JqP Z
IsQ aV @W Wclq 'Y-8111I!W a! anfo
-mu q q ~ x ary saqs%i@ 03 dmp q m q q
pps %n@ 8 q m o as acuopna4 a mm(IqnmmmbsII an@
m a ue 1o-j Syqool rlq 1p9gq atp g p~rrrw n q
."rausjo MOJ aq3 vp =p %g p ! ~
03 08 nd se dw puaq av no WDS atp ymw p q x a q
B q p m ququp 01a[q!ssod SE qsnp se sdal p qa q
d q d ~ q e ~ a pO~q m m 1 d s a@ arp dn spaads 3 a p
3q-d pw a u .(sr pus ZL world) an0 dq auo sp8"t
atp ~ m pue
s an@ PUB s d w q ad!d a m p $noL q .asq
-ms j qB ~
uo & a q dmp odq
pntr an@OI ~ n ~ ~ l SJI
 by Eric Smith ,
.. -
W b Cb?m€Ir,
rrtralgbr and
Y
w eatherboards for an extm set of hands
it's tough to keep a h a r d
aligned with the fence, pull out a
featherboard for smooth, straight
cuts. Featherboards have a series
of wooden "fingers" that hold
wood tightly against the saw
fence. The fingers are slightly
flexible and cut at an angle, so
they anow you to push the wood
through w M e maintaining firm,
even pressure, They a h dig in
and hold wood in place if it starts
to kick back. They're a great
*third hand" when you want the
perfect rip. Justpush the feather-
board firmly against the piece of softwoods)-thin enough so the
wood 1 to 3 in. before the saw long fingers flex slightly.
blade, then damp it tightly to the
saw rable, It should be fairly easy
1
!
to push the wood fomrd but
hard to pull it back. And when
you're ripping large boards, add
a second damp for --firm
pressure. 118" TO 114"
Make your own featherbwds
from a 2-A. length of b t - f r e e
1x4. Cut one end at 45 degrees.
Then cut a mies of 4-in.-long
@
kerfs every 118 to 114 in. (narrow-
er on stiR hardwoods, wider on
C
THE PAMlLY HAHDYHAU OECEMBERIJAMVARV2008 81
 Set up simple outfeed support
l y i n g to rip h e last few feet of a long
board wirhoupahelper or support at the
possible. An expen-
solve the problem.
e, set up a tempo-
Keep in mind that this works only with con-
tractor-size and larger tabIe saws with heavy
steel or iron tables. It could cause lighter
bench-top saws to tip or bend.

e plywood perfecdy in Iine

, underside of the 2x4s.

 When gas
sits. gum can
form that keeps
engines from
starting. When
you add STA-BILD
Fuel Stabilizer to
your gas can and
gas-powered Usa a half feme
equipment this fall, for mplioated gmm
you'll guarantee W d w h b I P l O t g ~ ~ ~ g r a i n d w d d r a t ~
a quick start ~ w i n ~ ~ ~ a s ~ ~ p i t
next spring.
~ a ~ o r m ~
~ ~ w m k ~ p e n , d a m
sumth, smi& h g f i l of 3J4-in.
d ~ ~ f e n G % e n d b g a t
~~tef.dbw#um
Wf-+=b+*
( ~ ~ ~ t h e
the he)m m ta Wwihut
pushing badF a@mt the Wda
lgQep~~~ahand9
p u ~ ~ m & &
andOOrnpl*&e m ~
I r f t h e m ~ b e & ~
a & & m w ~ ~ r a t -
ph~~spIitferat.t~of
the W e g m d - h n h c m o f f
a n c l ~ a ~ ~ t k e t
Whm. I str , I pi-.Thtn~*nrt.
&art WMSTh-B,
Sold In Ihe automhe &en
at leadt~rgn!eU6Ks.
I
 by George Vondriska

1 No problem
When the w i d is blows the rain
h 0mhg and the pwr is going,
what do p u do?Scurry around the
h o w hoking for a flashlight and
radio with pod W e $ ? Hope
your cell pbom has a f d charge?
The Black & D d e s Storm Station
($100) is an all-in-one axlsww to
stormy weather and poww outages.
PIug the Storm Station in and
the onboard batteries wiIl be
dlarged when you need them. If
the power d m go old, a Small
*Find Me Lighf' comes on so you
can 1-a the Storm Station in the
dark A r e m d k f la *d h
baWs that also charge when he
s t i o n is pIu& in, canbe dto
l@t )pow m y so you don't stub
PUT roes. A larger light, builf into
the St&&, will ihmhte a sman
mom, The onbaard radio cao be
w e d to 1 d tdwbim 6PBEo iw
cIaeAMorFMdial,or,bywingthe
w e r t d m band, to weatherspe&c
dl&.
The Storm Station dm indudes
an inverter that will power house-
hold phones that q u i r e e l d c i -
iy, a d wen some laptop comput-
ers. The m h u m output of the
inverter is about -22 amps, not
enough juie to make coff~eor run
a blow dryer. The Station a h has a
&are& lighter-style 12-vdt DC
I wnnection with an output of 25
I
amps. If p u ' pet ~ a d l phone
d-mger yon we in pur car, it can
be plugged into the Storm Station.
I The Storm Station is available at
home centers.
Bhok & m r , (800) -.
-.bbE-k*r-
 blade mechanism kick in. Cutting w d won't trigger the si@
According to the manufacturer, the system is self-monitor-
ing and won't allow the saw to be turned on if the system isn't

You really don't want to do your own hotdog experiments

with the szlw, because activating the brake mechanism desuoys
Sfart 10,end with 10 both the blade and he brake. Replament brake cartridgesare
$69 for 10-in. blades and $89 for &in. dado heads. Swapping a
A table saw accident will ruin anybody's day. Even incidental blown cartridge only takes moments. A 30-in.
contact with a spinning blade can cost you a digit. Enter the fence comes standard with both the cabinet
Sawstop machines. T h e table saws include a revolutionary and contractor saws. Larger fence capac-
Made retraction and braking system that instandy stops the i ties are available for an additional fee.
blade if it contacts skin. Sawstop table saws are more expen-
How does 5 milliseconds sound to you? That's 5 tlrorr- sive than most other table saw. But
s n ~ r d t hof a second-the time it takes for the SawStop mech- they're quality, welI-engineered saws
anism to stop a saw blade and drop it below the saw table, and may save you a trip to the hand
,,r
once your h g e r contacts the blade. That's less than the blink surgeon. Whah that worth?

ER!" injury to an "Oops, I need a Band-Aidn injury. On the SawStop. The company's cabinet
SawvStop Web site, watch as a hotdog is run into the blade to saw is available now for $2,799 and
sirnuIate a table saw accident. You just can't beIieve how its contractor-style saw will be
quickly the retractionlbrake m ~ h a n i s mmcts.

I,
-- . .

No lost straws, ever

It's a little thing, but it drives me nuts.
I buy an aerosol can of silicone, car-
buretor cleaner or penetrating oil, use
it a c e or nrice, and the next time I
need it, I mdt find the straw that
focuses the stream. It's gone, some-
where in the Black Hole of Lost Stuff.
But the Black Hole isn't getting any
more of my straws, because I've
found HsId-Its ($5 for 12).
This is a cool ljltje problem
solver that lets you put a leash
# on those straws so they can'r ever run 1
oiTagain.
It wuldn'r be simpler. There's a big
loop that stretches around h e top of
the can.At the end of the leash is a rub-
ber balI with a straw-size hoIe in it. I
HoM-Its are durable enough to be used
over and over. Get 'em straight from
the manufacturer.
nou-I#, (201) 440-lea@.
www.ho~c#-~t.net

- .
e s ~ m a u m J A w ~ ~ ~ ~
 Tough-as-iron work pants
Adayinrhr:l&ofaEreb~drrlggadtbughb&t,
r u n m , ~ o n a n d ~ j t o I o t s a f p ~ A
dayin ~ e t i f e o f m y ~ d o & ~ ~ ~ u g h
dirt, nm over, tugged on and subjected to tots af pmmm
Ifadypumuld get dotha that areaslonglashgand
toughasafmh~~e.Nowpucani~uth~dingCds
Fire HOSEWork Fan&($SO plus $9.95 shippSngl are made
fiam the same stuE fire hoses we made h m , which
Inam t h ~ ~ t o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ u t ~ m
durywrk pants, you don't 4 w drag cbem bekid+
~ " w ~ t o s o ~ h n p ~ o x e
t3me.Thq'ncomfm%a&sofirigbtfromthesntrt
Thew aren't tight-fitting j m r ~They're
~ p m n S r y art
w r k pan& &at: let p u had o w , dimb a ladder add
heel in the &And k f r e @;-rich, inddhga spe-
d pou& for the latcsr Wi-pWer tm&pu d
pPone.Tke are 90 m m y ~ t h a canalmat t ~
I~pkIr~behind~pan&eanbandk@ny
thing you?

HAVE A TAPE OR GLUE QUESTlONl

~ w . g o r i l l a t a p e . c o n i www.gorillaglue.com
I-BOO-966-3458
 newproducts

Have an impact
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~ ~ M o p ~ ' l b u & - ~ ~ ? b
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getsiato~~dpackSr~p~letsfidrhe
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It's~eodriPescrcwswitbm~driwrh
V P i t h a n w - i m p a d ~ ~ ~ ~ d r i ~ p ~
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and can be p c b d only from Rome D e p t
stores.

Do ii Once. Do it Right.
 dhat Size? How Many? How Much?
Get It Right The First Time!
I

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