ssnesas AU) Uisorer csaat et oed | = Al Time-saving P Tips Organizers for Tools, Lumber, and Supplies Jigs to Make Shop Tasks Easier and More Accurate Dip vena 08 my ii . E buitathis | | | | Betisines rt Sogn ollrzuaattaze9 llsEvery issue. Every project. Every tip & technique. The Complete WOOD’ Magazine Collection on DVD. Ca aed For the first time ever, you can own every issue of WOOD magazine from the past 25 years in an easy-to-use, easy-to-search DVD format. i Thousands of Shop Tips 1 1,100+ projects with detailed instructions @ Hundreds of woodworking techniques Each high-quality DVD contains five years’ worth of WOOD magazine. Volume 1— 1984-1989 Volume 3 — 1995-1999 Volume 2 — 1990-1994 Volume 4 — 2000-2004 Volume 5 — 2005-2009 Buy only the discs you need to complete your collection, or get all 195 issues for one low price. The more you buy, the more you save. Any DVD for $49.95 Two DVDs for $89.95 (save $10) Three DVDs for $119.95 (save 530) Four DVDs for $139.95 (save 560) All five DVDs for $149.95 (save $700) us shipping & handing Preorder online at woodmagazine.com/DVDlibrary or by phone at 888-636-4478 Volumes 1 to 4 will ship in 2-4 weeks. Volume 5 will ship in Noveriber upon completion of the final 2009 issue. 0186WP09, en Pee: sss) Pez)A hundred great shop ideas—and then some furniture each year, along with dozens of hofiday, wedding, and I: ‘my single-stall garage shop, | cranix out three or four pieces of other gifts. So my limited-space work area has to be extremely well- ordered. The erganizers jigs, racks, and other helpers in this publication will help you maximize your own shop's space and efficiency. They've alllbeen tested in the WOOD magazine shop, so you know you can rely } fon the results. Why am | so confident that you'l benefit from these shop-made projects? Because | use many of them, lke the two shown wooemagazine.com below, in my own garage. If your shop needs a litle sprucing up or youtl find more than 120 projects to make that happen. Maal. Vomit Marlen Kemmet WOOD magazine Managing Editor Setter Homes and Gatdens* 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009 ‘woodmagazine-com Eatorin-Chiet BILL KRIER ‘Managing Editor MARLEN KEMInET Deputy Eat DAVE CAMPBELL Pablation Ear Aj, HAMILER Techies Eeitor BOB WILSON Too! & Techniques tor BOB HUNTER Mulemeda eter LUCAS PETERS Mules stor CRAIG RUEGSEGGER Senior Design Edltor KEVIN BOYLE Design Eton JEFF MERTZ Producion/ Otic Manager MARGARET CLOSNER ‘amisatveAstont-SHERYL MUNYON Photographer: JASON DONNELLY SCOTT LITTLE, JAY WILDE Contrbting luster TMM CAHILL, CORNA JOHNSON, ROXANNE LeMOINE Contbating Cratran jh HEAVE Contributing Proctreader IRALACHER | Director KARE EHLERS Project art vector DESIGN MATTERS ‘Associate Art vector GREG SELLERS SUBSCRIBER SERVICE Go to woodnanssnecomfap are to WOOD magaboe, 20. 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Meredith it (1933-2003) Bae101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009 4-38 Hardworking Jigs and Accessories ‘4 good woodworking jig matched with the right tool txings both efficiency and added safety to your woodshop pursuits This collection of 28 ig its the bil 40-68 Supports, Stands, and Worksurfaces These 23 easy-to-make projects keep shop tools (and workpieces) as steady as can be. From benches and folding tables to tool caddies and mobile assembly stations, these helpers wil give you a hand every time you step into the shop. 70-93 Racks for Tools, Clamps, and Lumber Every shop needs a good place to store bulky tools and materials. These 22 projects keep tools and lumber out of the way but still ready to go at a moment’s notice, 101. Bert-ver Workshop Projects 200914 slot cut length of pipe 94-115 Hardware and Accessory Storage With well-designed storage for hardware, fasteners, smal accessories, and countless other supplies, you never have to stop warking to hunt down these smalltems, Here are 22 ever projects that ensure efficiency, even inthe busiest shop, 116-128 Shop Tips Short and sweet, these 29 projectoriented hints, ideas, ana tricks offer fast solutions to just about any workshop situation You'll be surprised—and pleased!—at just how quickly these tips can come tothe rescue in your shop. ‘woodmagasinecomHardworking Jigs and Accessories THE NEXT BEST THING TO THE TOOL ITSELF A good woodworking tool becomes a great one when you team it up with a well-designed and fitted jig. There's just no better way to get safe, repeatable results. 4 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Quick, reliable box-joint sled Box joints are strong, attractive, reliable—and often complicated to produce. This tablesaw jig makes-them easy. Snitching adustable fences, you can use Vy. depending on the length and width of 1 your tablesaws op or your avaiable cap, x eRe The drawing proves recommended ses, Bs eee The ste of and the width between, the oR runners depends on the dimensions and { spacing Your saw's miter gauge Sots _ 2002 aa m rate ne Building the jig V wxaxtie at Cut the base to size from ¥/4', Ys", or 24" FINGER CATCH ADJUSTABLE FENCE “#8 x 116" F.H, wood screws, ‘material. Now cut two miter-gauge runners #8x.1"FH, wood serew {othe height and width of your sats, each DOA e Nee ETT TAIN ee OR An acrylic back to the blade guard gives a clear view ofthe blade inside, serving as Teminder not tosaw through thejig, Four Fot utmost versatility, make several easy-to-add front faces for every size box joint you ‘crews hold the piece in place, commonly make. These attach with machine screws, washers, and knobs. ‘woodmagazine.com 5‘To establish the precise location ofthe finger catch and adjustable fence, placea setup spacer between the saw blade and catch. at least 14" ong, Test the fit in the slots, avoiding any play. Use your saw fence to square the sled base, locating the saw blade at the center of the base. With the runners extending 2° beyond the front edge of the base, and with the base flat on the saw top, attach the runners. If you have an 18-gauge brad nailerana "nals, you can temporarily pin the base to the runners to make sure everything remains square. Then drive" wood screws through the base and into Ue runners for strength, Gut two fences to size~one a fixed fence, the other an adjustable one. The fences must be rigid, so Ys" plywood is best rll and cut out the x8 slotsin the fixed fence where shown. attach this fence perpendicular to the base, spacing it 2” behind the front edge. You don't want this assembly to move at all, so glue and screw the fence very securely to the sled base. Next, for safety and fxed-fence support, add a blade guard to the sled. Begin by Cutting the pats to size, and assemble it as shown using glue and screws. Now, screw the blade guard to the base, fitting it snugly against the fixed fence. Then, ciose up the back of the blade guard, Using acrylic allows you to see any small pieces (of wood inside that can bind the dado blade, and you're much less prone to cut through the aryl back plate, making the jig even safer. (See Photo A, previous page) 6 CU NNO With the edge of the workpiece against the finger cateh, cut the fest natch. Slip the notch lover the catch to cut succeeding notches. Completing the sled for dead-on box joints To finish the sled, install your dado blade in the saw and set It to the width of the fingers you intend to cut Raise the top of the blade 7s" above the sled base and ‘make a single pass to create the inital kerf inthe ixed fence, To avoid cutting through the back of the blade guard, insert and SNUG-FITTING JOINT Use the notched first workpiece, as shown, to establish the location of the beginning (open) teh tobe cut in the mating workpiece, clamp stops into the tablesaw miter slots to limit sled travel Clamp the adjustable fence to the fixed fence, wit the bottom edge and ends flush to the sled base. Now, make another pass with the dado blade to create an opening equal to the desired finger width. Cut a 4’-long, ‘f-thick piece of wood to the ‘exact width of the Intended fingers. Now More Secrets for Box-Joint Success * Before cutting the fingers for your project, take a few minutes to lay out how the joints will go together. As the joint at upper left of PhotoB shows, the ‘sides of the box are cut closed, meaning they have a finger on top of ‘each corner of the box. The ends of the ‘box are open, as they start with a slot Label the top edge of each board, Indicating which side goes against the inger catch. Cut both ends of each side first, as they have the same starting point. Then, cut the fingers on the end pieces last, as they need one of the side pieces positioned over the finger catch {to cut the first slot To alternate the top finger at each corner to give the piece a different look, mark each workpiece clearly so you know whether to cut each end. ‘open or closed. Cut all closed ends first and then all open ends. ‘The artistic aspect of cutting box joints lies in the dimensions and layout of the fingers. You'll achieve the best results when all the box fingers are of equal width. To get these results, simply select a finger width that evenly divides into the total width of the box sides. For example, if the box has ST-high sides, then »/"-wide fingers ‘would mean you will have 10 perfectly spaced fingers at each corner. * Once you have cut fingers wider or longer than the ones you are cutting now, add a backer between the front face of the adjustable fence and ‘workpiece to preserve the sharp, crisp, ‘edges of the fingers. Serap ¥.'-thick lauan plywood works well for this, 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009‘cut it into two pieces: one 1'/#" long; the ‘ther, 2/2" long. Use the shorter piece for the finger catch on the adjustable fence. The longer piece will be your setup spacer when positioning the adjustable fence on the sled, Glue and screw the finger catch into the opening on the adjustable fence, flush with the back face. It's good idea to ‘make an adjustable front fence for each finger width you want to make the fig more versatile, as shown in Photo B on page 5. To position the adjustable fence accu- rately, first place it against the fixed fence and slide the sled forward until the dado blade is next to the finger catch. Place the setup spacer between the blade and finger catch, as shown in PhotoC. Now, clamp the adjustable ence to the fixed fence and dil ‘two 7" holes through the adjustable fence, centering them in the fixed-fence sits. Finally insert machine screws through the holes and slots, adding the washers and knobs. {The version in the photos uses drawer knobs, but we've illustrated some better-suited four.arm knobs in the draw- ing—the choice is yours) Make a ost through the adjustable fence and check it. Cutting box-joint fingers The length of boxoint fingers equas the thickness ofthe mating sides, so younave to adjust the dado-blade height according (See More Secrets for Box-joint Success, opposite) When setting up for actual depth, its better to err onthe sie of making the fingers too tong, That way, once you glue the joint, you easly can sand the ends flush because they stand proud of the rating sides. Cut the sides and ends of the box ta" longer than the plan cals fr. Then, set the blade height 1" higher than the thickness of the boatds. After gluing and assembling the joint, sand away the extra finge length. Ths results in perfecting joints with glass-mooth faces, Now, testmil to scraps of wood ofthe exact thickness, Place the fist workpiece (cutside face out) onthe jg with one edge shug against the finger eatch and one end testing on the sled base. It is absolutely critical at this point thet you hold the workpiece frm and motionless. Make your first pass through the saw, as shown in Photo. Slide the sed back from the blade, repostian the workpiece by slipping the Tablesaw pattern jig Attach this jig to your saw’s fence to easily duplicate parts cre pifet cmponent, sch a Qi erie Se feu numerous ani or tapered 2s Thbsplepatem furs outtose patsinasep team by making a pod pattern to math enh pee ht sours tapered cat ten tse he ptt the stock with doula tape sre Wh a ite planing, younny obit pelon the pate ews erty wre yo Iter'mate sere holes the tnshed pice mening you wort have tof any tne requted the pattern Now mate 2 patereettng gy sero togtet wo plese Pood, woodmagazine.com as shown on the drawing. Clamp the jig to your tablesaw’s rip fence, and pasition the jig edge just a scant Yn" beyond the edge of the blade With everything secured, just slide each pattern/stock assembly along the fence to duplicate the parts, reusing the pattern as needed to complete the project. Project sgn: WOOD Statt notch you just cut over the finger catch, and make the second cut. Continue cutting notches till you have cut out al the fingers across the entire end of the test workpiece ‘To cut the corresponding fingers in the ‘mating test workpiece, flip the first board around so that its front face now rests against the adjustable fence, with the first slot you cut fitted over the finger catch, Place the second test workpiece edge-to- edge against the first and make the first passthrough the blade, as shown in Photo. ‘Complete the cuts using the step-and- repeat process used earlier until you have cutall the fingers Finally, fit. the mating workpieces together. Ifthe fingers seem tight or fal to interlock, the space between the finger ‘atch and the dado blade is too wide. Loosen the knobs and slide the adjustable fence a hair closer to the blade. Retighten. you have play between the fingers, move the adjustable fence a hair away from the blade, Repeat the test until you get a snug fit. Now, you're ready to glue up the joint. Project design: Zane Powel, 2" or tomate fenceSafety-minded thin-strip ripper Cutting narrow stock for edge trim and other purposes is a breeze with this safety-minded jig. youve cutee thin sips of wood Pees Sees eu now how aut and dangerous an operation canbe Ts thinstp Hope” combine the function of guide ence thd a pusbloc to perfor ths funtion Both lly and sale. Because the fas ony ou pats you con bul tines than an our Ripa plece of 5/4 or 6 stock 5" wide and 22g, You want the ripper broad enough tft contort, betwen the thw fence andthe ade thatthe sas Sine ga! tering wh the option dct he wn neces Is potent thatyou cut the gto an vat whole neh rmeatrermnt, 10 make seting thes thknesses). For example tha Se lia you can sete saw force to exactly Bieta cat spe Next cosscut the base extension to Sze anthem bande stepped raches into ane end, where shown th Drawings and ta The ntches make oom for the photing toggle ant prove» postive sop feyou tet into re hort postion to tupport your workpace when cuting thin ss) Note tha the pivoting toggle RIPPING STRIPS IN TWO STEPS, First, use the base ofthe thin-strip ripper asa fenc workpiece along its edge after setting up the desired strip width and the maximum width of the notches, are both 2/«, but the toggle is installed with a Va" gap between its end and the end Cf the notch. Now, glue and clamp the base extension to the end of the base. Cut the pivoting toggle to size and counterbore a)" hole into the back face by sliding the of the toggle, %" deep. Drill a shank hole through the part for a #10 panhead screw, ‘Then, dria pilot hole into the end of the base as shown on Drawing 1 and Ta. Screw the toggle in place so it rotates easly Mill the two-part randie to the dimen- sions shown, including the round-overs, ‘Asthesut proceeds, drop down the toggle to serve asa ledge for supporting the workpiece and safely completing the cut. 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Vax 522" BASE Hlexetoven view round-overs bh #8, 1 FH. wood screw 94205395" HANDLE TOP rH 1952 3¥9° HANDLE or tx tax 2w PNOTING TOGGLE it plot hole F deep (> ye moteewagher A ~ #82 Fi wood crow iad SS \ sox" dex sa) Sp pamend screw BASE EXTENSION and glue and screw the parts together. Now, screw the handle assembly to the base. For comfort, contour the handle for good grip. To ensure a safety margin as you push the jig past the saw blade and ‘Quard, leave at least 1" of space between the left end ofthe handle and the left edge of the main body, as shown in Photo B. To use the jig, set the saw fence for a ‘width of cut equal to the width of the base plus the thickness of the strips you wish to ‘cut. With the pivoting toggle in the verti- al position, place the jig against the fence and then slide it forward until the toggle is ‘against the saw table, as shown in Photo ‘A. Use the jig as a fence and push the ‘workpiece into the blade to begin cutting the strip. When the trailing edge of the workpiece has passed the toggle, transi- tion the jg from a fence to a pushblock by rotating the toggle into the horizontal position, as shown in Photo. Holding the workpiece flush against the jig, you can ‘now push the entire assembly through the blade to complete the cut and rip the thin strip off precisely. Project design: Zane Powel, Indians woodmagazine.com 4 counterbore sy, i eeperts Srsarthole centered Inside PIVOTING TOGGLE 4" counterbore "deep witha ‘shank hole centered inside pilot hole 1 deep in base Lengthen pat as heeded for stips| ‘vide than Ensure perfect cuts every ti ‘a tablesaw tune-up:Tablesaw tapering jig Here's an easy way to make repeatable angled rip cuts. ‘can make one from scrap to safely and accurately cut tapers ‘on legs and other angled workpieces. Referring to the drawing, cut the base and three cleats to the sizes shown from Ys" plywood. Cut the handle from ¥/." scrap. Drill mounting holes and screw the handle to the base, where dimensioned, Using a tapered table leg as an example, you'll want to mount the cleats to the base so they are snug, against it. Adhere the leg to the base with cloth-backed double-faced tape, aligning the top and bottom of a marked tapered side of the leg with the edge of the base, where shown, Make sure you position the leg with one mortise dawn and the other facing the blade. Then screw-mount the cleats, to the base, where dimensioned, tight against the leg, With the leg still taped to the base, position your tablesaw fence to align the edge of the base flush with the inside face of the blade, Cut the taper, as shown in the photo. Then, rotate the leg to align the second marked side with the base, and cut again, To keep the legs securely attached, replace the tape as needed. i don't have a tapering jig for your tablesaw, you easily Project deson: Jett Mert, Design Editor, WOODS magi ix 1 6 cleats mounted tight against 2x8x36" eg after positioning ieg on base * shank hole, pam os gate positioning ea peshathale, wood scr \ 10 textes ceat a mound gt a oy aganst fea — a elton oer P Sons leg onbase Position leg with top of marked taper here Location ofleg-7 Cloth-backea HOxIW EH ouble faced tape wood sere ‘Align marked taper line on bottom afieg with edge of base. Watch a FREE 11-minute video using three other tablesaw jigs at: woodmagazine.comy/tsjigsvideo 10 101+ Best-€ver Workshop Projects 2009Tenon Shoulder-cutting jig This jig is head and “shoulders” above the rest. ihe mortise-and-tenon joint offers T two major advantages: strength and invisibility, making it ideal for furn turemaking. Shaping the mating parts requites multiple setups and various cuts TTenons alone require two basic cuts: shoul- der cuts and cheek cuts. Shoulder cuts establish the length of the tenor: cheek cuts, the tenon’s width and thickness. (See Drawing 1) This project handles shoulder- cutting tas, while the project on page 12 Cuts the tenon cheeks. ‘Thanks n part toan adjustabie stopblock, this jg gives crisp 90° shoulders quickly and accurately. Note that the jig rides in the miter slot located on the right side of the saw blade. Referring to Drawing 2, cut all of the parts, except the stopblock, tothe dimen- sions shown, Drill the Ys! machine screw hole inthe fence. ‘Attach the fence tothe base with glue and countersunk screws, flushing the fence along the base's back edge. Screw this assembly to the miter gauge, ensuring it protrudes 1" or more to the right of the miter gauge. Next, set the miter gauge and assembly into the miter-gauge slot, raise the saw blade Ys" above the jig base and cut through both the base and fence. Use the kerf asa guide to center and install the blade cover with screws and glue. From J stock, cut a 6 blank ripped to Wet wide. With a dado blade, cut the IE orrise-aND-TENON JOINT Mortse Fdge cheek Shoulder woodmagazine.com Yexl'fs" notch on the bottom edge. Now, cut the stopblock to finished length. To form the 1" Jong slot used to adjust the jig or tenons of various lengths, drills" start holes, where shown, then scrolisaw between the holes. Drill a centered pilot hole in. the notched end and screw a panhead adjustment screw into the hole. The notch in the stop and the adjustable screw prevent sawdust build-up from altering the location of the shoulder cut. Now, inserta/a" machine screw through a washer, the fence, and the stopblock, secured with a small pull knob. Finally, install a Vs" plate (of plywood over the base, but only on the right side of the saw kerf, The raised sur- face prevents sawdust from getting beneath the end of your board, which would create an unwanted angle on the next shoulder cut. Further, this provides adequate space for small falloffs that potentially could bind the blade and result in kickback. Putting the jig to work Determine the length of your tenons. Then, side the stop over to the desired location and tighten it in place. Raise the blade to the depth of the intended shoul ders. Side the workpiece against the stop #84 1%" FHL wood screw! xen ENCE nang" late #81" panhead screw, Centered soca ADJUSTABLE SToPaLOCK 14" drawer pull knob friar nut ledge and run it through the blade. Now ‘you just rotate the workpiece to cut the remaining edge and faces, as shown in ‘the photo. Its best to design your tenons with equal shoulders on all four sides. ‘That way you will only have to adjust the blade height once, Keep in mind that when cutting the shoulders, you don’t need to push the jig all the way through the saw blade. Once the top ofthe blade reaches the fence, the shoulder cut is complete. Project design: Zane Powel, indianapolis Ei exetoven view ier gauge mounted to back of fence ‘fe shankchole, TD xaxa ua 5 ee A vensaine Song = 98x 1M Ei ‘wood screw uTenon Cheek-cutting jig A perfect solution for safe, vertical cuts. gry nasa Q most dangerous) operations on SW tie tablesaw is making cuts into the end of a board stood vertically. The typical tablesaw fence stands too low to provide adequate support when holding the workpiece this way. That’s why many ‘woodworkers bandsaw these delicate cuts and try to sand the cut tenons to perfection, or spend more than $100 to buy a commercial tablesaw tenoning Jig. But this tenon-cheek-cutting jig pro- vides absolute accuracy and safety for the cost of two toggle clamps (and free stock from your scrap bin). The jig rides on both the fence and saw table, as shown at sight. It's absolutely critical that the jig holds the workpiece firmly. Flexing will ruin yaur tenons, 50. use only /." cabinet-grade plywood for the |ig’s box and fence assembly. Mote: The design showri here i based on a tablesaw fence with paral sides such as 4 Biesemeyer-style fence. If your fence does ‘not howe this feature, you can secure the ‘basic saddle assembly to a siding base mounted on runners that ride in the miter slots, ora base that sides along the fence. ‘When cutting edge cheeks, a spacer placed between the opposite On wider stock, the outer clamp secures the workpiece without a edge and outer clamp helps to achieve a firm hold. spacer when cutting edge cheeks 2 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2002x3 3" BRACES 1% pilot hole deep SADDLE ™ wiath of cablesawfence Using the drawing, cut the sides of the saddle to the exact height of your tablesaw fence. Cut the top of the saddle to span both sides when they sit flush against the fence. Glue and screw the top to the sides, ensuring perfect alignment. Cut ths jig’s fence and braces to size and then glue and screw them to the base. (The clearance area makes room for the ‘waste while avoiding binding and kickback problems.) Don't skimp on screws, as this assembly rnust be rigid and dead true. Finally, cut and glue up the parts for the vertical workpiece support. It accommo- dates boards of varying widths. The first (inside) piece is 9" thick, the second 2 Note that these dimensions may vary, depending on the dimensions of the stock cut. Glue them together, leaving the thicker piece about 4” shorter than the thinner fone, Glue and screw this assembly to the fenceand addiow-sihouette toggle clamps (Get them from woodworking specialty stores or catalog such as Woodcraft: 800-225-1153, woodcraft.com,) Now, cut dead-on tenons Set up the jig by adjusting the saw fence to cut the inside cheek of the workpiece. If your shoulders have equal depth, you ‘can cut all four cheeks without needing woodmagezine.com <__toallow for wast pees vex Fe wood screws Clearance dimension ~~ T ‘to reposition the fence. When cutting the face cheeks, be sure to lay the workpiece flush to the fence and secure it with the lower clamp, as shown in main photo, opposite. When cutting the edge cheeks, ‘adda spacer board for relatively thin stock and clamp it with the outer clamp (Photo A). If the workpiece is wide enough, the ‘upper clamp will hold it in place without {a spacer, as shown in Photo B. When cutting tenons, the first cuts you typically make are the shoulder cuts. Keep in mind thatif you set your blade too high fon a shoulder cut, you'll create a shallow kerf in the tenon that will be hidden when the joint is assembled. On the other hand, ‘you set the blade too high on the cheek cuts, you will cut a kerf into the finished piece that willbe visible where the two pieces are joined. To ensure results the next time you use the jig, i's always a good idea to keep a ‘mortised mating piece on hand to test. the tenon while fine-tuning saw setups. Once you achieve that first snug-fitting mortise-and-tenon joint, you're ready to ‘aut all of the tenons of that size needed for your project. Projet design: Zane Powel Dax2ext VERTICAL WORKPIECE SUPPORT — Thickness ‘depends an thickness ‘of stock being cut Toggle amps Atleast thickness of ‘enone 2iax ii" Tenon-size Guidelines ‘When figuring tenon size, keep min¢ the thickness of your workpiece, the widths ofthe chsels and dil bts {yu own, and the purse for which Youre using a mortise and.tenon joint. Consider the basi ‘Apply the rule of thirds. For 4" stock, that means making a ‘Yesthick tenon with Y" shoulders along each des Regarding tenon width, make to tog bottom shoulders the same depth as the side shoulders. This Jets you cut all four shoulders using the same setup. For full strength, make tenon lengths as long as two-thirds the width of the mating mortised workpiece. Erron the side of ‘eating more gluing surface. The longer the tenon, the stronger. ‘Application is your best guide. In a small picture frame, a short “stub” tenon may suffice. Where racking may occur asin a table leg/apron joint, opt for a deeper tenon. BEasy-lock feather board Get perfect rip cuts with this quick-to-set tablesaw helper. 1en ripping stock on your ™ tablesaw, keep your works piece firmly and safely against the fence with this handy adjustable locking feather board, Not only does it prevent wavy cuts, it also {guards against dangerous kickback. ‘To build one, use the haitsize pat- ternsin Drawing 1 below and Drawing 2 Con the next page to cut the handle (A) and feather board (8) to size and shape, noting the Tacation of the angled notch and counterbored hole in the handle. Use a bandsaw to cut the 2y2"-long kerfs in the feather board and the curved portion of the handle. Cut the 30° angled notch in the bottom edge of the handle edge using a dado blade in your tablesaw along with an auxiliary wooden fence on your miter [parts view ® ath — w inside i a a) 7 [SP tei ore Scaie 200% for fullsize patterns. 4 ‘4! washer, countersunk on bottom side to fit screw head ~ ® FEATHER BOARD (Top view) a arr Ze 2 il SS raining? 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2008Tofinalize the feather board, countersink and slide a Shs" washer onto the head of the machine screw, slide the threaded end. through the handle, and fit a washer and four-arm knob onto the end. Fit part B into the angled notch and slide the bottom ‘edge of the handle and the washer into the miter-gauge slot on your tabléSaw, as shown on Drawing 2a. ifthe washer is too wide for your miter-gauge Sick, you may Eipione0 view ok cena es Foun Same thickness as with of your tablesaw slot {typically 3) unre hole comered ‘msde, need to grind down the outside edges for a good fit. With the saw off, slide the workpiece: between the feather board and fence. Position the traling edge of the feather board about 1" in front of the leading edge ‘of the saw blade, as shown in the main photo opposite. Put too close to the biade, the feather board can pinch the kerf and cause the workpiece to bind on the blade. $4203" FH, machine screw SECTION VIEW wr washer She washer, countersunk Position the shorter leading finger ‘against the workpiece, as shown in the inset photo opposite so the piece slides forward smoothly yet is held firmly against the fence, if pushing the workpiece between the feather board and rip fence offers too much resistance, back pant 8 off slightly ‘Once in proper position, tighten the four- {arm knob to secure the assembly in place. Project dan: Vernon Lee; Scott Splerting, Sunnyvale, Calif. ®wanove ‘Ye washer countersunk on on Dattom ade tomt screw head Bandsaw hers 4" on center. @ FEATHERBOARD Fourarm knob 203" FH machine srewTablesaw Miter sled Here's a great way to get on-the-money angled cuts every time. is miter-cutting sled offers a dual- i runner guidance system that rides in the miter-gauge slots of your tablesav, and adjustable stops that ensure ‘equal lenath parts. It also features a safety channel down the middle to keep your hands away from the tablesavy blade. To build the jg, see the drawing on the next page for the dimensions, We used Baltic birch plywood for the base and hard maple for the other parts. Refer to the photos below for tips that guarantee an ‘exact ft on your savy arid a pair of perfectly aligned miter fences. ‘Tomount the runners to your miter sled, place two stacks of two pennies in each rmiter-gauge slot on your tablesaw to serve 8s shims [Photo A}. Place a runner in each slot and then apply double-faced tape to the top of each runner, Put two marks on the center of the sled base to define the ledges of the blade kerf, and locate the rip fence to bracket those marks over the blade. Press the base against the runners, remove the assembly from the saw and permanently attach the runners with screws. Place the sled on your tablesaw and cut 1 kerf about 6" long to serve as a visual ‘guide for placing the fences. Now, cut a Fight triangle measuring 2114" on its long ‘edge and clamp it firmly to the miter-sled base, a5 shown [Photo B). Apply double- ed a faced tape to the bottom of each fence land press them into place. Now, remove the clamps and triangle guide and make test cuts in scrap to check your new sled's accuracy. When you're sure i's dead-on, permanently attach the ences with screws, making sure the fences sit perpendicular to the sled base. comers co Affix self-adhesive measuring tapes into the groove atop each fence. (Any 1’ tape will work, but a right-to-left reading tape for the left fence and mirrorimage lett. Fight tape for the right fence willbe easier to use) Make the stop blocks according to the drawing on the nest page. Before attaching the acryicto the blocks, dravs or etch acutsr line down the center of each. Tomake two workpieces of equallenath, start by measuring and marking both ends ofthe first workpiece. Miter one end using the sled, then transfer the workpiece to the opposite fence. Line up the second mark with the blade, butt the stop against the already mitered end, tighten it then make the second cut Leave the stop in place and miter the second workpiece in the same Sequence. To avoid weakening the sled bose, top your cut when the highest point of the blade passes through the fence. Use an 80-tooth crosscut blade for smooth, ready-to-glue surfaces. Project Design: Belan Hahn, Avoca, Wis 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Fourarm knob 454.1" RH. wood srew ‘with inert, Max Tee die STOPBLOCK Ydadow deep pees wereggsa NS see FENCE END VIEW YW" grgove ve deep He ne a, ¢ Te "4 groove oove werdecp een Pi abbet NR Wrdeep. axe lot Vax 4x 1 ‘CLEAR ACRYLIC IMITER'SLOT GUIDE BAR Mitered ends prertg GaaRDS. SELFADHESIVE ‘MEASURING TAPE Sexwxie sent wod dew { Magnetic auxiliary fence jig “Stick to it" with this fence- protecting accessory. 10 avoid drilling nto your expensive tabiesaivfence toatach igs, mount them instead toa wooden fence ached to your real fence with rare-earth magnets. Because the magnetic attach- ment grabs the se! body ofthe fence, you dort have to work arownd carps. With no clamps or screws, installing and removing the fence takes only seconds ‘Adhere the magnets by cutting a file strip of wood to fit on top of the fence between its faces, Then, bore holes through the filer strip to Ft the magnets, Glue and screw the stip to the auxiliary fence, and epoxy the magnets in the holes To prevent the jig from sliding as you feed stock through the saw, attach a stee! Lubracket end stop tothe ji, where shown, Projet Dang: Seott Spencer, Rochester, oodagazine.com Dales ough fer so ers See lige isnt unger sp fence andj,Fence-tiding tablesew Stock feeder This clever jig helps you run thin workpieces safely ‘through your saw. re you looking foro safer aera A: than a pusstck for png tn steps? Looe no forter Ths fencetng stock feeder poise do ward pressure on the werkpee, and at the same time it keeps your hand well clear She sping ace ‘his teeae set pai of subassemblies a fence maging se and the ho, are held together by a '/<" wood Shovel rat allows ldo to et termateh stock hicks Te mensions Shown‘ the arawing, sr we ora fence body tts wie an 3 ta you may ned'to aan trem toe your ence the estos shown ne rong then the sera weghe ofthe fat yeu can sip them yes pete, ‘serie the ports sown and doit forges bevel bad notch the Sed pars were “ndested. the eve allows the Tatacdown to folate feeb. ASO, eat the ovr 0 tenger ten he th etthe sembly toy hve space oi Rates an rst coer ist bth eri Pree Des: Bob Carter, Owens Cross Roads, Ala Ceres ens Having trouble ining up your fence Parallel with the blade or miter-qvage slot on your tablesaw? Ifyou fence has ‘asquareor lat ear al here'sa quick solution. tfixan adhesive-backed tape measure tothe resi all soit reads the ‘exact same measurement athe right- hand miterslotas the measurement scale on the front ofthe fence. Then, set your blade parallel tothe mite slot per ‘the saws owner's manual. Whenever you position the fence, just make sure that the face of the fence bar aligns with the ‘ame measurements onthe frontand bback aii before locking, ‘Scott Geurin, San Clemente, Cait 18 vo10 001m aoe a =<” 7 set =e cng cae Yi pilot hale a deep dowel tenho ‘eauied - caller pin 4 eo arts - we mater { Py shoe tae once) ye i Note ato ene 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Quick-and-easy height gauge Raise your cutting accuracy to new levels. Teac am or cow to shape we seule sing tar tshe nee Svnsshown Creteeadusureninsy ———-EYTOP VIEW Sings pir oie tle ahr shows Trem Sr the eget the le treater eigen ar cay nnetle Butte out eg peu wa toe than panrcoke Nou sates coat EREXPLODED VIEW cE ‘Attach the steel rue in the groove using machine Stew double-faced tape. Place the bottom end ? of the rule Vom the bottom of the body Then instal the siding ba. ve DD Toast gouge set he uso tne to the dsted helght Hol the sting bain its groove while adusting the gauge (© leep he bar sure ith the base. Pee vetornoster the body onthe tablesaw top bese the blade, as shown in the phot, then Tae the blade to st the height Whole, eountersunk onbacnsie Source Four knob ardware. tines scl ue no 06K20.06 $2.40, Foun sea 14" ourarm plastic nob (20 tread) 10. 045.30 82.20. ee Vly; 800-871-8158, Icevaecom suDING BAR t woodmagazinecom 19Bandsaw Jumber mill Tur firewood into free stock for small projects. he more we work with this ig, the ‘more we like it for tuning found wood into valuable stock. Here, well cover the basis of building and using this jig for ripping small logs and other odd- shaped blocks of wood into short boards Cut the jig pieces to shape Cut the subbaie, base, fence, boltsuppet block, and braces to size from 3." plywood {Drawings 1 and ta]. The height of the fence will be determined by the clearance of your bandsaw blade guard to the band- saw table, Bandsaws with riser blocks and 16" bandsaws will rip wider stock, allowing for taller fences than the clearance of a standard 14° bandsaw, Cut the dado, dil the holes and form the slots in the pieces, where marked. See Drawing 1a for slot locations inthe fence. (We intentionally offset the midale slot in the Fence to the knab slot in the base to better access the middie-fence slot) Cut the runners to size from solid stock. Rout “Je round-overs on the handle openings in the braces. Assemble thejigin the configu. ration shown using glue and screws. Add finish wo the different pieces. Do not glue the runner to the base, as you have to remove it later fr certain operations EB Fence (alade side shown) 1, Location of brace “Lgeation pte oraase “Pe Tatas (allies 20 EB exrtoneo view 20 star knob se whe TS emesis SE cumr gee “Height offence wil «.*10" depend onclearance Between bandsaw table ‘ed blade guar RUNNER NT 50 oles countersunk fH hole deea nto Support black wth 2 ‘ws hale centered inside {B0LT-SuPPORT BLOCK eK 2 a2" Thickness to dear lopoltence ras Distance from bandsaw — Blageto mter gauge slot [MITER-GRLIGE SLOT RUNNER craks Masking tape Ww carriage bolt 3"1ong 10+ Best Ever Workshop Projects 2009Caution: Resawing exposes large portions of the bandsaw blade, as the blade guard hhas to be raised just above the workpiece 10 allow the stock to move through the blade. When making resaw cuts, the blade 's often hidden deep in the wood being cout. Always know exactly where the saw blade will exit the wood and never push, the workpiece at the blade exit point when finishing a cut. Use a block of wood as 8 pushstick if needed, : Using the subbase as a sliding table Forlog half sections and other workpieces too large to it between the asembled jg subioae and blade quar, secure the log section or workpiece to the subbase with wood screws, making sure the screw heads Sr countersunk so they dont scratch the bandsaw table surface Forastabethagainst the subbase, machine the bottom surface ofthe workpiece as fat as possible with @ hand plane, power plane, o wide joiter Draw a cutline onthe bottom surface of the workpiece of where you want to make the fst bandsaw cut. Poston the subbase upside down on the workpiece and tne up the edge ofthe subbase withthe marked cutie. For stability, the subbase should over at easthaf of the workpiece in order to keep the workpiece from titing winen being cut on the bandsaw. Screw the workpiece tothe subbase Position the jig on the bandsaw table wth the mitergauge slot unner in the titer gauge groove and make the fist cut [Photo a]. Do nat use tis process for 2 completely round piece of wood (log or branch). For round stock, use the subbase with the fence for maximum stability. Combine the subbase and base/fence for max support Secure the basefence assembly on the subbase withthe catiage bolt and knob, and screw the workpiece to the fence in at least two places foc a secure mount. Some ‘workpieces [Photo 8] may require shimming tokeep ther perfectly stable when cuting With the workpece screwed to the fence, position the workpiece so it overhangs the Subbase by about 1 to allow for drying and planing, Tighten the knob to secure the base to the subbase, For long stock (anything over about 18"), we recommend tising a helper ofan infeed and outfeed table to keep the jig flat on the bandsaw table when staring an frshing the cut. woodmagazine.com Make the first ripping cut as in Photo € Con opposite page. The handle openings in the braces allow you to push the stock through the blade while keeping your hhands clear of the cutting blade. Turn the saw off, and back the jig and stock past the blade once it has stopped moving Using a combination square, mark an incre- ‘ment line on masking tape [PhoteD). Allow about 1s" extra for the kerf and any possible follow-up machining (sanding or planing) you may want to do to the resawn stock lazer. For example, if you need 1" finished stack, mark increments Loosen the knob and repasition the fence/base assembly on the subbase, aligning the outside edge of the fence with the next increment mark on the masking tape. The runner on the bottom of the base allows you to move the base/fence parallel to the subbase and bandsaw blade, to allow for consistent width from the front tothe back of the piece being cut. Tighten the knob and make the next ‘cut, Determine exactly how far the screws through the fence enter the workpiece to avoid cutting into the screws with the blade. Our 114" screws protrude into the workpiece ¥ Ye from the fence, allowing us a full f° of clearance between the blade and ends of the screws, Using the fence for standard resawing operations Aemove the baseence from the subbase. Place the baselfence assembly between the bandsaw column and blade [Photo E]. Adjust the postion of the fence to the blade for the desired ticknes to be cut Clamp the base/fence to the bandsaw table keeping the fence parallel to the mitergauge slot. I's the work on the bandsaw table ‘0 we never cut closer than important that 1 have a flat bottom to ride Project Design: Brlan Man, Avoca, Wis. Watch a -minute video of this bandsaw jig in action at: woodmagazine.com/resawvideo 21Bandsaw Circle-cutting jig What goes around comes around with this sawing aide. aking perfect circular workpieces is easy with this handy helper. The jig consists of a piece of plywood with a dovetail slot glued into a Centered dado. Into the dovetailed slot slides a matching key with a dowel pivot pin at one end, as shown in the drawing, To use the jig, determine the radius of the circle you want. Then, with the jig clamped to the bandsaw table, move the dovetail key until the distance between the right-hand tooth of the blade and the center of the pivot pin equals that radius Clamp a stopbiock on the key atthe end of, the dovetall slot, as shown a right. Center a Ve hole on the bottom of the workpiece. Slide the key back and fit the workpiece onto the pivot pin. Turn on the saw and side the dovetail key and workpiece toward the blade. Rotate the workpiece clockwise into the blade, applying sight side and forward pressure until the stopblock abuts the end ofthe dovetal slot. At this point, you'll begin cutting a perfectly round circe, with the side and forward pressure keeping the dovetail key in place for the duration of the cut. Project Design: Michael Fortune, Lakefield, Ont Frontof teeth on centeine of pivot Bandsaw able Mix} x18" damped Tobandawicble [4 wondscew 2 1 hole.centered 24x 1x4" stopblock clamped —_ ‘ordouble faced taped to key ee You can find lots of bandsaw tips, guides, and plans at: woodmagazine.com/bandsaw 101+ Rest-Ever Workshop Projeets 2009Exact-width dado jig Adjustability is the key for a perfect cut every time. eres a jig for routing bookcase- or Heres ees ey match the thickness of your shel stock. Better yet, no special bits are needed. Just use an ordinary straight bit and a guide bushing, (We used.a 1 guide bushing and a Ys" straight bit) To start, cut a %rabbet 9%" deep along the inside edge of both guide rais (A). Then, com. plete the jig, as shown in Drawing 1. To customize the rails for a different bushing and bit, install them in your router and trim the protruding lp ofthe rabbet inthe guide ras as shown in the Dadoing Detail in Drawing ta, The remaining lip wil now match your bustingybit combo. To adjust the jg for the exact width of your shelf stack, slip the jg over the shelf Stock, as shown inthe Exploded View. Pull the guide rails (A) tightly against the stock and tighten the wing nuts. Sip the jig off the stock and clamp the jig onto the piece being dadoed, centering the opering between the rails (A) over the marked dado on the side panel. Adjust the depth of cut with your router sitting on top of the ras. Start the router and rake one pass with the guide bushing riding against one of the rabbeted rails. Make a second pass, riding the bushing against the opposite rabbeted rail Paget Designs Wayne Kovl, Wallingford, Conn DADOING DETAIL. rt | cite HS | ee ras ® a2 ® Toude | bushing straigh bit ™Shelf dado woodmagazine.com wr wing aut SO. 48x16 FH ‘wood screws, ‘outers Ne seerare | cartage bat 2"1ongMuttihole doweling jig Speed dowel tasks with accuracy and high visibility. Bry o'ts provide extra mechanical ) strength when joining end to edge BP rain, and dowel joints are taster to make than hand-cut dovetails. Dowel joints ate pretty much fool-proof, and with this Jig you can take the joint further and have the dowels come through the other side In addition to accurately positioning dowels for most doveling joints (the jig comes in particularly useful for face-frame joinery), the jig excels at tasks such as aligaing shel support pins [Photo A} The 2" counterbored slots in the % thick plastic jig make the jig versatile. The adjustable, removable stop will help you precisely position face stock. Follow Drawings 1 and ta to build the ji. Lay out and dil the "holes as accurately a5 possible in the plastic; a drill press for this step speeds assembly. Using the jig With a-guide bushing (Photo 8] in your router, dovel holes alvays line up regard less of how accurately you spaced the sa holes for your jg. For this type of plunge routing, use upcut spiral bits ike the one shown below. To position the jig and router to make identical spaced dowel holes infae-fame stiles and ras, see Drawings? and 3 Project Design: Patrick Splelman, Fish Creek, Wis 24 ‘The doweling jg makes quick work of doweling tasks, including the face-frame joinery fend to-edge grain) above. The*/s” guide-bushing hale compatible wth Vx", ors" dowel pins. The positioning block ensures quick, accurate alignment ofthe stock. Drawings 2 and 3 ‘opposite show routing dowelpin holes in the rail and stile a> shelf pip holes + ° no a _- Originally designed for doweling this jig also Two-piece guide bushings easily attach helps you make evenly spaced holes or shelf to your router's base and offer exacting pins. To avoid goofs, tape overholes you accuracy when lining up holes. won't use and remove the positioning block {Spacing of 1-2" between holes works wei inmost shelfpin applications) 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009EXPLODED VIEW 5 counterbored slot deep win. we slotcentered inside 3 counterbore ir deep witha Sehoe Centered inside %-20%3" panhead J machine srew lock washer W" SAE washer POSITIONING BLOCK. EE CUTTING Hotes on naiL ENDS Fourarm knob woodmagazine.com SLOT DETAIL 5 counterbored sot Ye deep witha W deo eenered inside 25Right-angle router-table push pad Cleanly cut 90° ends with precision and ease. asota, Fla Project Design: Tom Clark Editor's Choice This siomple and perfectly, ukiltcavian jig belongs o* coory vouter table. keep, = several of these on hand for ferent bit profes. is AA HANDLE pa ounces ‘4 shankhole, 7s shankhole, countersunk LA y ey | << SN Zeer wf 26 101+ Best Ever Workshop Projects 2009Router-table Cope-cutting sled Rout rail ends safely and precisely with this easy-to- make accessory. rock-solid support system helps you rout rail ends that tightly fit ating stiles The large base, dado, and hold-downs designed into this sled accomplish just that, while the handle and dowel keep your hands safely away from the spinning bit This sled shines at production-oriented ‘weork—cutting lots of raison a regular basis, for example. For more basic day-to-day tasks requiring 90° sauting, consider the push pad on the previous page. Better yet, make both for a perfect routing tear Build this sed by cutting the parts to the sizes noted on the drawing. Make several extra sacrificial backer strips. The backers create zero-clearance supports for cleaner cuts and can be easly replaced after becoming too chewed up. Glue two pieces of Yox7'/x7" plywood together face-to-face for the base. Cut a 2J¢-deep dado 4” wide in the 1"-thick base Greate the handle and rout %' round ‘overs along the handle edges except for the bottom. Screw the handle, dowel, and toggle clamps to the base, making sure the screwheads are countersunk so they won't rub against the router top. To cope the end of a rail using the sled, raise the bit Ya! higher than if you were Cutting the all rectly on the router table 499 to accommodate the height of the sled base. Use the toggle clamps to secure a scrap piece of stock the same thickness as your rails firmly against the router-table fence and backer strip with the toggle clamps. Turn on the router and ease the sled and workplece into the bit. Just after completing the cut in the rail end where shown in the photo, slide the sled and test piece backward. Doing this prevents destruction of the sled’s trailing inside edge, Check the fit of the joint against ‘your previously routed stiles, and adjust the height of the bit as necessary before cutting your rails Projet Design: Rod Cox, St. Pau lowa dowel 44° long 4a pil hole ‘deep, centered inbottomn J ee ssc Siete — Togo came wexr Fe. (k* 4 shank hole, countersunk OL FH. wood screw 16 coumterbore 1s" deep with a” Sie"shank hole, centered inside and countersunk on bottom face 18M FH, wood serew ~ 27Router-table Spline-cutting jig co Beef up picture frames quickly and easily. ding splines to mitered picture Av Strengthens the joints, and the easiest vay to create them on your roter fable swith a desist sled Bil the sed from hardboard, using 2ye plywood or mediumdensiy fiber Doar (MDF) forthe stops, as shown nthe drawing, Measure careful to ensure 290° angle and attach the tops with gue, 0 screws counterbored from underneath. To ‘wthardboard cut splines, instal a Ys" slot cutter in your router table centered on the mitered cot- . net. Adjust the fence flush with the bit’s . bearing. Then, holding the frame in the sled and tight against both stops, rout the slots in all four corners [Photo Al. ‘Cuthardwood spline blanks in 3" lengths. Glue and insert the splines into the frame slots, After the glue dries, trim the excess [Photo]. Then, sand the splines flush. W slot W" aeep Here's some help with holes. any commercial jigs for ding M het pinsaelimted with espect tohole sizes nd spacing Butts nak ficult to make your own using srap Tardvood, her ruts with, an iternal Uiveod ameter sghly smaller than your | desired holes, and a bit of epoxy. “ seer eo Make the ig shown tight, counterbore holes in the top deep enough for two stacked nuts then epory the nts into the hoes Let the epoxy cure completly and Gri trough the nt thread epoxy, ond wood withthe dested bits, Camp the i to a workpiece and use the hex huts 08 Aude: to al your shel oles, moving and redamping the jig as needed unt! you've tiles your holes You can dil ured of oes before te nuts wea ut and when they d, you ean cheaply replace them. Project Design: Frank Penicka, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland 28 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Vertical hole-boring guide Bore clean, 90° holes in a benchtop—or any surface a Gill press can’t reach. Bp Nd Bench dogs, lke the ones in BaP tne workbench aright, install very B casi. just bore 4" holes, cnamter the edges and you're done. For bench dogs to work properly, though, the holes most be perpendicuarto the benchtop surface You could wrestle the top onto your dril- pres table, support with outleed stands ind bore the outside rows of holes. But what about the inside rows? Theyre beyond the reach of most dil presses. With just 2 sap of harciwood anda 7 brad-point dil bt, you can avoid the hassle and dill dead-on 90° hoies anywhere Fist, cut hardwood stock to the width and length shown on the drawing, (We used a scrap of [thick sol stock Buta blank laminated from thinner stock also does the trick) Next, bore a centered" hole with your dil press and then bevel the comer at 45% The 21%" width of the guide keeps the bit perpenciular to the benchtop and provides enough bit travel to bore ali the way through the beenchtop. At 15" long, the guide extends ea ON aaa eek’ er prevent the guide eer raat STE? sporethrough = Shetop be tadrpomr bt STEP2Positionthe! ‘ulde by aligning thebitwiththe marked cen to the benchtop edge for clamping when boring an inside hole. The 45° cut exposes the bit’ tip, and the marked hole centers for easy alignment and chip clearance. To use the guide, apply masking tape to the benchtop and lay out the hole centers ‘on the tape. Then bore holes through the ‘op, following the five steps shown [Photo A, To bore bench.dog holes in the edge, lay out the hole centers and follow the four steps shown [Photo 8) ‘STEP 1 Clamp the guide tome edgeafthebenchtop,flushat the top ard)Pen-blank drilling jig Simple, but efficient, this holder adds precision while cutting down time. iil press plays a major role in pen- making but is effective only if you ‘old the blank securely and squarely while driling. Made from any available shop scrap, this jg with its integral clamp: ing fence promises perfect results every time. Construct the jig from plywood, solid wood, or medium-denst fiberboard (MOF) as shown in the drawing. Measure the angle of the support fence carefully and attach t to the base with countersunk Screws rom underneath, Extra holes driled into the top of the fence store pen-blank Gil bits when notin use. To use, put the pen blank in place and hold it ight with a spring clamp. Center the bit over the blank and clamp the ig to the drill-press table Projet Design Erik Jorgensen, Chesapeake, Va. | Panblank clamped vf abs etnvor Hole store ‘lots Velen %x3)8 x78" base 30 Claas LI ‘This dling jg can ensure a perfect 90° hole Jnyour pen blanks. However, because the jig registers to the table on your dil press it ‘can't dois job if the table isnt perpendicular tothe diil bit Instead of using a square to {rue up the table, a short length of coat ‘ranger wire will do the job quickly and accurately. Cuta length of wire approximately 6' ong, anébend tat ight angles in opposite directions about from each end. Don't ‘worry fyourangles are't exactly 80". Chuck ‘one end into the driland tighten while the angle on the other end points down atthe table. Now raise the table so itroucnesthe wire. Slowly rotate the drill chuck 180° by ‘hand so you can detect any high o low spots ‘on the table and adjust accordingly. John Clark, Cuddebackville, NY. 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Drawer-box helper A surefooted partner for unsteady nailing. ating caves bores ogee Noeceisessteroests eye oot pars uh sein the anc ae ne sara ee tne Te doe igus sty wine uguny poce vn te tev bn is yaurneeds bate dessa we doving Suis ecmmode vy te tn yal bo old he foln ay pe of ep sisted Pato, See med Shy Ford QO) wer ed saree abe and Ti woodworking supply stores or through ‘This adjustable jig makes quick and accurate work of securely and squarely supporting the pleces when assembling drawer box Tt 1 starknob . Pur washer * a meer | Te sanhetendbons ‘Whole centered ‘Project Devon tynn Lawrenz, Algoma, Wis p Tack 36"fong reer wood srew 32 101)Dowel Chamfering jig Create precise chamfers ao with this accessory for your disc sander. Bp pier 28 for alignment pur WAG cose: cratered dometsinser WW nore easily, The chamfered ends also create glue space for stonger dowel joints, Giving glue someplace to go aso Cuts down on squeeze-out) To quicly create your own consistently chamfered dowels, build the Jig shown, We uied "4" plywood for the base and plywood or the two 45*quides. The Keys that the righthand guide is movable to widen or narow the gap between guides Allowing you to inreate or decrease the Sze of the sanded chamfer as needed. We screwed the lefthand gulde in pace, and then secured the righthand guide vith double faced tape To use the jg, simply clamp it to your ciscsandec tales the inside edge of the jigs nex to but not touching the sanding Gike, Start the sande, side the dowel along the lefthand guide, and rotate the end of the dowel clockwise against the disc. The righthand guide acts as a'stop to prevent you from sanding too large a chamfer if the charnered end it sanding enough, simply move the right hand guide 2 it farther aay from the other guide Project Design Kevin Boyle, Senor Design Ealtor, 170008 magazine Boon To score hardwood dowels, whether for decorative purposes o to reduce splintering when cutting them, usea tubing cutter or pipe citer produces clean line with Several ight twists around the dowel and {doesn't tear the surrounding wood fibers. Philip Daniels, Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. woodmagasine.com ‘wien of opening equa the vwh of desired chamfer, \ Disc rotation ‘6 Dowel Obe-srder ere cues x44" plywood cutausrand aie / Adhere right-hand guide tothe: basewith doublefaced tape, Adjust chamfer Size by moving righthand! guide, 33Radial-arm saw Stopblock An additional measure of safety for cutoff tasks. length stop on your rala-am saw A= rakes repetve cuts move Tarte. But sort pest eth get trapped ‘beween the Bide and. sop danagin them or uneing ter bat atyou To prevent ths buld ths peting space ary Ue shown Smereone eee t su your sa Ta ws the sopbiod, alg the cutine on your werpice withthe Bde, butt the movable td The stop against the tne ofthe wrkpiece and then camp the opposite end ol re stoptothesows ence 2a you pul the saw head towed you fo make the cut, the saw head bumps the tached phywood “sa” pein the Stop hares ou ofthe way to prove thet om beng pea, Project Design: Arthur Hoff, Lakeland, Fla, Lockrut Se counertore Washer Se Seep wt hott emer inside vrradius zon] 34 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2008Zero-clearance Cutoff guide This custor-ft uide helps EM iceman eliminate chip-out. ese two cutoff guides, a 4- and ‘8 footer, handle a range of workpiece lengths. You can make both-guides to custorsfit your circular saw and router MEM EXPLODED View taped nace froma single sheet of Ys" plywood. A sheet ew cowoniess with sanded faces works best. Weddicew Fdgesfusn ‘) Snap a chalk line along the entire length of the sheet 11" from the edge. Using your "shank hole, circular sav, rip along that line. Now, use Courtersurk the factory edge of the cutoff piece as a guide for your ccular saw to make the rest of the cuts. From the remaining ply ‘wood piece, rip two strips 2" wide, twa strips 8" wide, and one strip 11° wide. CCut the strips to the dimensions shown in Drawings 1 and 2 and assemble the guides, removing any glue squeeze-out. ‘Once dry, secure each guide to your 4 ‘workbench, allowing clearance for the saw blade. Using your circular saw withthe blade you would commonly use, rip the edge on. the wider side opposite the fence, as shown shank hole, countersunk in Drawing 3. Do the same for the other side with your router. Whichever diameter router bit you use will be the size you should Use in the future for making cutoffs (a Bex8 FH, ‘wood screw Eb amine THe e0ce oF THE GUIDE crrcutar SAW ROUTER With your circular saw’s base riding against the fence rip the waste off each guide (eft). To use the guide, clamp ittoa workpiece withthe cutoff edge aligned on your mark. Set the saw blade tothe appropriate depth and make the cut (right. wordmagazine.com 35Hacksaw dowel trimmer Cut trimming jobs to the quick with this plug cutter. block of wood or scrap of 2x8 A= shot enh of hacks cy an our a dota Waes ake ie chop abe ei toes or wrewhilng pugs te ane pronaiag done tes covet ete Bre et decorate plug for Janey Mtoeree ou nant the deel or gt wrote day Bula Ue tinmer shown, routing round ones along the top cages or Fara comioa The doar al heap the four of ec back datreierieenste atthe dowel or pug ptrson at ren str coking cee 2 hal gjose ne fa toto for tseing Stowe nay ch wih te sure one Sirowncing od lent a eye ‘onda done sided Ox open epreorcand kr the deacon pogsond ast eramon proses Tar teming dowels am cg lt asthoun nO wet igh clanpon a paw tsp supports cates nger ft Siac rte byte of Raw Projet Design: Dale Toms, Bedford, Va heckeaveblade width, "ht deep, centered diam fee dot Hacksaw blade — cute as"Iong ported into grooves “Adjust this dimension for rosscuting plugs to diferent lengths 36 101. Bester Workshop Projects 2009Fasy-adust picture frame jig Ensure tight mitered corners while keeping frames flat lyou know the difficulties of creating seamless miters and a flat glue-up. Sometimes, numerous clamps and an extra set of hands don’t seem to be enough. WOODs magazine reader Dennis Parrot of Greenfield, Massachusetts, solved that with this adjustable frame jig. Cut the base and braces, as dimensioned in Drawing 1; make the corner clamp according to Drawing 2. Our jig measures 27%32', but you can adjust the dimensions cf yaur ig to work for frames of just about any size. The three braces across the bot- tom act as cleats to keep the base flat when applying clamping pressure. Glue and clamp the comer clamp parts ‘ together. The overhanging hardboard EXPLODED VIEW captures the clamp banding when using the jig. After marking diagonals on the base to locate the slot centerlines, we ordoud_ wads, drilled a 9/4" hole at the end of each slot, ™ overhangs to conected the outer edges ofthe holes QS 7 hwnd 27) ye band dome with straight lines and cut the slots to eee oye eS L you've ever assemibled a picture frame, 16 wing rut CORNER CLAMP Z Aw tender washer shape with a jigsaw. Sand all the parts ease smooth and_ apply clear fish, Then, ue tagonaeto so | RTARE Dio Secure a corner clamp to each slot with eee Secs } bolts, washers, and wing nuts, allowing just enough slack so the clamps can slide fn the base. To use the jig, place @ corner clamp at each corner ofthe frame being camped. Waxed paper beneath the frame comers prevents the glued joints from adhering to the base. Wrap a V-wide band clamp 16 fencer washer “testa around the corer clamps and tighten, as a | Pong shown in the photo, —~ sbene BXCORNER CLAMP TA] wood screw Project eign Denn Perot, Greene, Mass . i mel ae i 16" overhang of hardboard over plywood woodmagazine.com 37Edge-banding Clamp guides Perfect alignment makes Cee for perfect clamping. WAY 22.c2n vse these shop helpers when YF edge-banding any cabinet or shelf ¥ part. But they really save the day wen latching bands. fter assembly when there'sno room for eror. Such the ase withthe dresser carcase ing builtin Photos A and B “To build the guides, cut pairs of 3x4 alignment blocks from scraps of A ply- woad. (We recommend one guide for every 80 10" of band length) Then, cut Spacer from scraps of the plywood, parti- dleboard, or mesium-density fiberboard youll be edge-bancing, To keep excess glue from sticking to the guides, apply plastic packing tape to the alignment 7 blocks, where shown on the drawing fox2 Fh. woodsoew Next, clamp a spacer between each pair of a algniment black, dill countersunk screw holes and cv the srews To we the guides, fst plane the edge bands to the exact thickness ofthe panel receiving them, Use one ofthe guides asa thickest gauge to test the edge bans to ensure ® tight ft. Then, follow the two steps shown in the photos Leow. Ta t Panel Project sgn: Chuck Medlund, WOODe magazine = Master Craftsman * AY — With the edge banding seated within the clamping guides, apply Clamp the edge banding into place. To give the far clamp awa centered bead of glue, To avoid squceze-out, apply glue sparingly. _ surface to bear on, apply the edge bands with the case back off 38 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009+ Custom engrave your products — from cabinet doors, to cigar boxes, to gun stocks. + Cut intricate models from any type of ‘wood, acrylic, leather, plastic, paper, and much more. With lease payments starting at about $150/month*, Zing laser systems are unbelievably affordable! “With Approved Creat Refinish Your Future. Own your own business sncnpeprap ay ces ty ee en ee es eee eee ee ‘nd restoration-efinishing butinese servicing Ce cee ed ‘meving and insurance claims, We offer Ce een et ed Ce eee ee ee eee eed ‘and franchises are offered nationwide. Cee eee Loar oc mee PUSupports, Stands, and Worksurfaces | In Hollywood the best actors rely on the help of others; without a support cast, even A-list performers can’t do their best work. The same is true in the workshop. This collection of work supports, tool and equipment stands, and rock-solid worksurfaces makes your work as accurate and safe as possible. 40 ‘101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Flip-up pipe-clamp supports Upright and ready to go when you need them, folded down and out of the way when you don't, these pipe-clamp supports add versatility to any workbench. rusted wth pipeclamp holes Princesse era ri nba care up with some ngs Apap upporistorNe workbench shor pce el sps inte lest ep the finged hoes inthe up and dow pos, tons Fora’ long bene cutout the pipe Supports an stabtze's tothe denser shonin thellrion ofr a bench Of a erent sat the dimers tatch wat works best for you Ad the Tardvare and meurt to your benehop \ Nowy dit Gonel hoes in the en . the Benchtop tone up th the hoes in the sable To protect the worsen tom gt dip mount rl oF paper beneath the ber or ay sees Diameter of pine clamp Project design: Paul Amberg, Hubertus, Wi WORKBENCH oe Total lenath TPorlengih of workbench “2 svaphinge Note: Only one haf of camp support shown, STABLIZER be dowel tong How much clamping pressure is too much? Find out at: woodmagazine.com/clamppress * woodmagazine.com aDouble-duty outfeed table Use this outfeed support for both your tablesaw and portable circular saw. mis simple table handles two kinds of cutting chores: Firs, i's helpful I when ripping long boards, as shown above, and is just as handy rough-cutting large sheets of plywood, at right. For sheet ‘goods, ust pull the table away from the saw, attach a cutting guide to the panel and make the fist cut with the cular saw. Next, remove the waste side the panel over to the tablesaw and trim it t0 Top; Having big outfeed table atthe far end of your aw is the best way to keep contol over Size. When not use for cutting, the table [ong board or suet goods Curing the cut ABOVE: ulin he tale slighty eo rom the sefves as a surface for project assembly. sew transforms the oueed table nto plywood crosscutting station. a2 101+ Best Ever Workshop Projects 2003To construct this outfeed table, first measure the height of your tablesaw to determine the total height of the table, being sure to factor in the melamine top, legs, and lag-screw levelers [Drawing 1] You'll want to keep the table's height just below the saw table so you can adjust up to itwith the lag screws. Attach the table aprons to the 2x2" legs Using mortise-and-tenon joinery [Drawing 1a]. This will better help the table with- stand the stresses encountered if you need to rearrange your shop or drag the table to diflerent locations to fill different needs. Ellexrtopeo view After cutting the parts to size, cut the mortises with a hollow-chisel mortiser or with a combination of drill press and hand chisels, Machine the tenons on the table- saw or a router table. TTestit the aprons and legs, and then ‘measure the center rail to fit and cut biscuit slots, where shown. Next, drill the pocket- screw holes for attaching the top. After cutting and driling the parts, glue and clamp the aprons to the legs. To make the top, cut 2 sheet of »/." melamine-coated particleboard to size and then cut and attach the edging with Miter gauge sots routed assembly iN Doin Lestat edging ve f 2% FF biscut Leng equals belght 4° ae Wag sdew ang glue. Screw the top to the rails; then flip the table over and insert the lag-screw levelers. Adjust the table height so that t's about he’ below the height of your saw. Finally, mark the location of your saws miter-gauge slots on the tabletop. Rout these grooves so the top won't interfere with the travel of the bar on your miter _gauge or with any other jigs you have that use these slots Project design: Paul Anthony, Rigelsll EI Morrise-ano-TENON DETAIL oP vax 24" mortse| Seep Getting a tenon toft a montse snugly can be tricky lot of ite things ean happen te produce atenon joint that doesn't have the snug fit necessary fora strong Joint Rather than trashing the undersized ‘member, cut some thin shavings froma scrap plece ofthe same material with 2 hand plane. Glue these thin shavings to ‘the tenons and then sand tof. ‘David A. Alexander, Oneonta, NY. 3Mobile Utility bench The perfect size for smaller tasks, this handy bench rolis—and then stays— wherever you need it most, yyou need some additional worksur. face fora project, this smal bench fils the bill With casters on one end only, yous ‘can easily move it like a wheelbarrow, yet the bench is rock-solid when lifted off the caster with the load leveler. The bench shown here features alder sides, exterior. grade %" medium-density overlay (MDO) for the carcase, and construction-salvage ‘oak 2xds for the benchtop. Laminating the top with 24s it makes for a more stable than a solid slab Fees limited space, or when Project design: Dale Faulstch, Sequim, Wash, slag screw ees 7 / pried v0 ; vasaae ee ‘locking )) suet caser Load old stock leveler Selig 44 101. Best-Ever Warkshop Projects 2009Folding assembly table Wali bicch plywood covered ‘eitmaminate| SJ 1° dowels with mating Helesin top Heavy END ASSEMBLY Continuous hinges 30" long joining side assembles Toend assemales as — Cutout opening tot dil press ‘ble support arm, ickness of existing press table 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Rotating Sharpening station Chisels and gouges—and the means to sharpen them—are never far away with this rotating stand.” ld this project for ext to your Botte retires cing cae and youl ever hve torte for your tol othe gre fo sarpen them gain Tne tang Op Ns ho mating Peles on tee ses onda gd on the Tourh, So eveything you meas st pin toy, A thinset fut molec wr UHINA im sth tp son ey, Seyou cule tte any Sean mecha Pian Aond supe sre ot oF ah Denndatamesnd pene dos Projet cesign: Walt Seg, Pe woodmagazine.com Find more shop project plans at: ‘woodmagazine.com/freeplans ® 1 carriage bolt3"fong AF terhoecentered Holes to turning tool eruls 1 dowels 4" long mounted ‘on end for hong calipers 196 counterbore deep with 9 hole centeredinside a 12x 16" UHM film Note: Al stock W" except butcher Bock top and ick door pane. 6Orbital sander Cradle Customize this basic design to support your machine. ‘The optional support Project design: Chuck Medlund, WOODS magazine ‘atright, works well Master Craftsman forthe vacuum hose torest on, preventing ‘the sander from tipping over. I" soldstock — OPTIONAL SUPPORT \¢ Porvacuumhese models) Height sufficient to. suppor vacuum nose Diameter ofhole larger than the diameter ofe sander base, centered if B : . That part uber sone culm lat Falset up Now younave bi chunk of venice tated cul thayou maya wel ow away. While you can'tstop deafts and leaks - with tany longer, that caulkcan stillserve youlin the shop. Strip away the tube and dean your abrasive belts or discs with the solidified silicone. Location of top —Rabert Thompson, Buckeye Lake, Ohio 1%" pllothole 6" deep ‘shank hole charter along ottom edge + shankhole ‘counters con bottom face NN #84118 FH.wood serew Note Allstock's" phawood __ (except suppor 62 101+ Best-tver Workshop Projects 2009Inverted Sander stand This hands-free holder works great for sanding small parts. sand difficlt-o-hold components efficiently, you sometimes need to use both hands. This stand firmly holds your sander upside down, freeing your hands for more effective control of the part being worked. The slots holding the sander are tapered on the sides for a good grip. When sizing the slots for your sander, I's best to make them slightly on the small side at first, then enlarge them gradually until you get a snug fit. A clamp. secures the stand to the bench, Project design: Tom Clark, Sarasota, Fla. woodmagazine.com 8at-the-ready router rest This simple support offers you convenience and time savings for handheld work. posing stable ime wating fr DA Joe erence csp sprang eyes ee retour down? Wold you yor tester wrenches sod bis near pact youre won on for 8 speedy change Aes bat concerns seutoncosy by baling tis rane pyweod outer re, Pace yout power towrvter in Wie Ushaped pening ine set soppot ost he Shivering tse) afoy fom bath your orton and your hans aid Spe project, cut the pieces to theses noted nthe owing Pace age fren cae roevea geo we deep the se pecs here Som Ori he outer shakoten sre te farsonthebaveweutome toon your bis and wrenches, bri count Prout hte an seb whe ces Ahora of Swen tne base os tly told on ona coe had atest at deed Note Al stock's" 1" grooves" deep "from top edge 20" bevel Prone des chuck Medlnd 0008 mogsrne he plot hole deep” Become an expert at the 1 shan hol, countesunk router with our collection of meneame how-to videos at: woodmagazine,com/routertips #8115" EH wood screw” | Me 64 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Right height Outfeed Support Versatile and effective, this handy extension adapts to fit a variety of shop machines. Jere’s a solid but adjustable solution to stock PHistrrcncese wean sown, Jor add legs for a stand-alone support. Easy height adjustability makes it a versatile addition to any woodworking shop. We used 4" MDF for most of the construction and laminated two pieces of '4'thick stock to form the movable post (F) The beveled support pad (}) allows stock to move over it with ease. When assembling the unit, note that only the bot- tom end of the sleeve front (6) is screwed in place, allowing the top of B to flex. This enables you to lock the post (F) in place in the sleeve assembly (A/8) using a four-arm knob, pressure block (C), and a steel mending brace. Projet design: John Lanigan, Concord, N. 20" bevels “E bottombracket post mw te IPP SS agprtece ee or “i. supportped we Materials key: U0F-medivn-densty bebo P-pie Supplies 8x14 fatead wood sens aft edd wood sce, 4 20fourarm knob 4 Fut, vexren we’) ‘Ye mending race Natonl 18340. woosgeew x } wa0 fourari knob woodmagazine.com 65Movable task-light support Let there be light wherever you want it with this cleat- mounted vision aid. or maximum efficency in wall F Imounted sore, © eat sytem i hard to beat tps of 3 stock De eled at 45a the top and anchored tothe shop. wall mate th matching stips attached to st about anything tom ea ets to table for easy wall mouning, Ts Casytosid Hg suppor sand ick orto these cet for placement whet ever needed To mate this shop helper, cut the cat andthe trutton tom sol stock ad the She bracket, and back rom 3 plywood Drilcountersunk screw holes and hole n the sel to yur hghts mounting post The bottom edge ofthe back mut be {ksh withthe bottom edge of he al hung letwhenin pace Adjust needed Ge and scew the support together and then postion the assembled ght support wihere you need Drop the ight ino place inthe hoe and swe the urdu ton asshown nthe photo bbw to scure the support tothe wal cst. Foruseina shop without dea system, consi the project 30 the shells feat ecge i tsh wth the rear surface ofthe back, Omit the tmbutton and cet, and screw the assembled suppor tothe wal centered over stud, Then, sip the lamp extension tothe hole the ha Hole ro lamp extension Project design: Kevin Boyle, WOODS magazine Senior Design Editor AR devel LC vaxier NW ‘wood stew “Allghankles are Sircountesunk wth Jae plot les rod Note: Cleat support and tu button bi nade rom ¥sofd stock Al J ‘thes parts are "plywood. ryoaron Vox 1 fxr pee 66 101+ Hest Ever Workshop Projects 2008Telescoping-top router table Easily stowed when in the lowered position, this routing station rises to the occasion when needed. shop for another large stationary cabinet. His solution was a telescoping table that slides down to fit under a work counter ‘when not in use First, build the base to your desired dimensions so the entire assembly wal fi Under the counter. (The dimensions shown should work in most situations) Cut Y's ‘wide slots as shown in the table sides for the telescoping function. The slots have an L shape at the bottom to help stabilize the table when it's in the working position Use T-knobs, carriage bolts, and locking washers to secure the sides to the base. Project design: fh Treece, Knoxville, Tenn. Lowered to stowed postion woodmagazine.com Adjustable night router table raised to working height positon 1e'slon with rican Et ‘Atable-mounteé router can suck na lot of sawdust ‘under the table. To help it vente a ite cleaner air affix bag-type painters strainer tothe top of the routers motor housing. Cuta holefr the cord and secure the bag tothe router with a wide rubber band. Ithelps to drop a small piece of scrapwo0d Inte the nylon-mesh bag to keep itextended. Shake ‘orvacuum the dust off the bag occasionally sot wont clog and cutoff airflow. ‘—Bruce Buckingham, Mt. Pleasant, lowa 67Torsion-box Mobile base Sturdy, strong and mobile, this rolling pratform can take on even the heaviest tools. lade of medium-density fiber- ard (MDF) with 4° locking swivel casters, this movable base can be adapted to ary shop machine. For heavy machines—ike the $00-b tablesaw” shown here—MDF alone can't support the weight. The answer isto construct a tossion-box subbase out of solid Wood that attaches beneath the MDF platform The tablesaw rests ctecly on the sub- base because it protrudes through acutout in the MDE platform sized to exactyfitthe Save The extra length ofthe mobile base is perfect for constructing a drawer cabinet beneath the saw's right extension. Projet design: Jeff Tobert, Spruce Grove, Alta, PLATFORM 4 locking sve canter TORSION-BOx ‘SUBBASE 68 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009DT Book Offer! Buy 2 or more WOOD books and get 365+ Great Shop Tips FREE! {These op-seling books fom the etors of WOOD magazine ote in-depth information ta wil Sa | help you master many woodworking fundamentals and give you endless project ideas. \\ You'l find professional advice, tips, charts, tables, diagrams, plans, patterns, and much more. DO ~ | Amust-have for woodworkers ofall levels. brings you woodworking wisdom fram camping to sawing and sanding toting Al ps are ustreted to czar show how this sop proven information can be pt to use in your sha, saving you tne, money, and materials. (a $12.95 valu) El AM TENSES, Teders maibores and Everylng pou need Yo master the router join, hardware, and fishes plans ltrs to arb, benches, eh, and and ue able. Safe make Can cts the mea corel and chosing te ‘or Tesi proets; ad an Ars ant abe, ifs a hae. ea bull pets using shop-mad jis and td's mst product ns applaton metas that (ats om makoor nat ar st nt eomonts innovative and tresting be ed canal sis. i me (A | te {earn Be bases of scan and Find plans fv moe tan 30 charming ‘build stage pecs tom cabinets apy them incu ay of Vee 50+ bows that ste every tiket and to satin op cases ts orm anapractealpects. treasure imaginable All books are full-color, from 176 to 192 pages, and sell for $19.95 each. Order your hooks today! eos wootimagazine.com/wootbooks or call :PLACE FOR EVER’ 3 For your woodworking shop to operate both efficiently and safely, an uncluttered ‘work environment is essential. Here are 22 clever and effective ways to create accessible homes for your wood, tools, and shop equipment. 7 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Modular lumber rack This two-module rack keeps boards and panels out of the way but always within arm's reach. Modular design gives true size-it-to-fit versatility. who is also a Book author and a teacher would need three fullsize shops. But Paul Anthony's shop is just a converted one-car garage. “With space at 1 premium, organization and efficiency are key,” he says. With that, Paul designed this modular rack to keep things running smoothly as he works A modular rack for loads of lumber and plywood “The system keeps heavy iting toa mini imum,” says Paul. "The wood travels in a straight line from the truck to the rack to the tablesaw” His rack consist o a pie of individual 6'-tall modules connected only by the boards and sheet goods supported fn the arms and bases, Spaced 2" apart, they can easily handle 8-long panels and 10%1ong boards. The freestanding design can be placed anywhere, plus it allows you to stack wood fon both sides, Smale stacks translate into Jess suing when you want to get to that bottom board. Constructing the rack ‘Note that each storage module consists of two support trees connected by four long side stretchers. (See illustration at right) Paul made the vertical posts from poplar, but you can substitute kiln-dried 24s. Be sure to use 2" plywood for the arms for maximum strength. Rough- J sin BonterRtngs KSOn Bois SorisusBoocase OU Lr ors chor CoReRBHade Panos S985 ars OPN. $585. PansP-ONGT $595 ans O-coa5e Pan DP-OHN $1095. Mable Crane 95 or os 5350 Download any of these woodworking plans for the prices listed, or view a larger image, at woodmagazine.com/plans ‘To have paper plans mailed directly to you (add $3 per plan plus S+#), call toll-free 1-888-636-4478. Please have your credit card available, 101BEWP09Easy-access Stock rack Compactness and easy access go together to make a space-saving storage winner. you do most of your woodworking in Joesrteerasnp ea oe age is probably a continual problem, especialy for long boards. The storage system shown here offers equal access to ail stored boards (meaning the one you want will never be pinned on the bottom of a stack) Plus, the racks function like stickers by allowing air to circulate freely around the boards so they acclimate mare {Quickly to your shop's environment. Tormake a set of racks, cut wide parts from 4" plywood. To store thick stock, Gril a series of 1 holes, with centers 2° apart. For thicker boards, reserve some space for 1¥#-diameter holes, centered 3° apart. (As shown, a 48"-Jong rack will hold sixteen 4/4 boards and three 6/4 boards) Lay out the slots of the rack by extend- ing two 20° nes out from each hole with a sliding bevel (Drawing 1] and then cut out the slots with a jigsaw. For wall mounting, add a 1%" cleat alongside each rack (Drawing ta], or sim- ply suspend the racks by serewing them to the side ofcelingytloor jist (Ef rack stor Lavour Cursors at Projet cesgn: Larry Courtols, Imperial, Mo. WALL MOUNTING DETAIL Top view 1s" aren. {fp weeaserew wood sew ack 76 101+ West-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Combination lumber/clamp rack When lumber and clamps share a single space, both can be ready for woodworking at a moment's notice. ur uberis long and sigh, ad YJ eset sects eats flocs fo store bat Se ham aut combing wo gol ata sngeace The st supports fois umber rack stovenes chimp older, mating tem sean Rep the shop Pet these tne. The an especaly goad shop auton ityou have somal! shop tha shortonwalspace The vertical ardood suppers provide comestet beaters camp orage fe ok ded Urough the ist pl ‘ippars in each row fod be camp Shor tok sccuples the space betwen the horizon suppor Projet design: Fred Collins, South Duxbury, Ve "lag screw Sista ino wal stud 1" counterbore 14" deep with a4" hale centered inside — woodinagazine.comHang-anywhere clamp racks Here, there, anywhere: Made with hanger holes, these clamp racks can be Moved at will. shop layouts from time to time, these clamp racks are just what the doctor ordered. Hanger holes allow them to be mounted on dowels, hooks, screws, nals, ‘or whatever you have, meaning that theit locations ae never permanent FE: woodworkers who change their Project design: Kevin Boyle, Serlor Design Editor, WooD® Magazine Pips Pipe clamps are often found standing in the comer of te shop or on the foo in 2 pile. The rack shown above, made from 34° Stock, has sic notches for clamps. Extend the lengths of the shelf and back in 24" Inrements to hold even more clamps. The spacer athered on the back side of the unit angles the self sightly so the clamps don't side tothe tronkaf the support ang fal oft, 78 1 hanger hole with 6" chamfer ‘To make one, mark the centerpoints of the notches where dimensioned on the drawing, Use a flat-bottomed or spade bit to bore a 114° hole at each marked center- point. Rely on a small square to mark the Cautlines from the front edge of the support to the outside edge of each hole. Cut along the lines with a bandsaw or Jigsaw to finish forming the notches. You ‘can use the same cutouts for rectangular bar clamps, or simply cut rectangular. SPACER yore ‘6 shankhole, countersunk On back face’ shaped openings. Now, bore the 1" hanger hholes. Rout chamfers along the edges indi- cated for a smooth appearance and to prevent chipping of the edges when the racks are moved around. Next, clamp the support to the back, countersink mounting holes through the back into the support and then glue and screw the two parts together. Glue the spacer to the back where shown. 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009C-clamp holder To organize C-lamps, make one ofthese holders for each size clamp. First, measure the openings of your clamps and size the wath of the protruding shelf "ies than that measurement. To construct the helder, cut the back, support, and spacer to size from %" stock. Next, mark the center point and bore the hanger holes through the back. Chamfer the hanger holes plus the edges and one end ofthe support on both faces, Then attach the support tothe back, where shown onthe drawing, using glue and #8x2" flathead wood screws. Next, glue and lamp the spacerin place. Bar-clamp rack This small barclamp organizer can hang ‘on the wall, ut t's also perfectly sized to mount on tool cabinets. Cut the back, sup= ort and spacer to the sizes nated on the drawing from %4" stock. Mark the center- woodmagazine.com 1 chamfers points of the hanger holes and the clamp slots where indicated. Now, chamfer the ledges of the support. Bore the hanger holes and cut the siots to shape. Drill the mounting holes, and gkie and screw the pieces together where shown. "hanger hole with ‘chamfer - eat aS susan 1 hanger hole with "chamfer 7 eshte, a Nountersune ‘onback ace chames 79Basic bar-clamp rack Clamp storage doesn’t have to be fancy to get the job done. hen you need to get clamps up and out of the way, there’s'no reason to be fancy about it Sometimes basic is better. These simple bar-clamp racks are made up in pairs— fone on top and one on the ottom—and hold eleven 24" bar clamps perfectly for the space allotted, Of course you can ‘make the holders as long or as short as you. need them, depending on haw much room, ‘you have in their intended mounting spot. The racks shown are made of 54" oak, but any hardwood will work just fine. Mount the racks at an appropriate distance ‘apart based on the size of the clamps you plan to store there, and justslide them into, place in the slots. Gravity does the rest to Fold the clamps in place. Peas Tan ‘Most bette-quaity bar clemps come wit oft plastic protectors to prevent maring wood ‘when clamping, you've lst clamp pads or cant find ony tofitthe damps you have, here’ another way to go. Coat the business end of your camps with the Pasticdip Imaterat marketed to coat toot handles. Ides toa soft lexble coating ‘that wll protect even finshed wood. Apply it by dipping or brushing, taking care to keep it ‘utaF movable joints threads = Raymond Babcock, San Angelo, Texas 80 101+ Best Ever Workshop Projects 2008Frame-style Clamp hanger With its open-frame design, this rack accommodates a variety of clamps in a compact space. I: may not be apparent at frst glance, but this simply "constructed wall bat kd | mounted unit can store an assortment i ‘of 90 clamps. Made from inexpensive - pine, it offers shelves and doviels for ‘xganizing anything from pine clamps to «eshand bar clamps to spring clamps. To build ust follow the drawing dimen- sions below whnen cutting the pieces then, assemble the unit with glue and screws 0% if you wish alter the design to better suit your own clamp collection. Secure i to wal studs with screws or hang it with a cleat system Project dein: Rod Cox, St. Pal, tows ‘ 4 8x3 FH intowatstud_-"| va Max Note: No ound-over on Inside edges of topand bottom, ‘a shankghole, ‘countersunk 44x 114 x37" mounting cleats| —_— . wx tiene mote spaeroas RAIMA iK/ #8 11 FH, wood srews woodmagazine.com 8Angle-iron Clamp rack Own a welder? Or know someone who does? Then try this, Js mobile clamp rack is made almost entirely of 114° angle iron, ‘except for the upper clamp guide, which is 1" angle iron (to allow clearance space for the clamps’ bars). Clamps are secured by 124" chain links cut in half and then welded to the angle irons on 1%" centers to serve as clamp guides. Project design: Mike Connolly, Concord, N. Upper lamp guide "ange ron PN. cain links ‘extinhal welded imelace won center QUICK TIP: PREVENTIN MP. [always worry about marzng the wood with my clamps during dry assembly or glue-up of aproject. Rather than buying the costly custom pads available tofit my lamps, | purchased some har felt chair 3. They have sett adhesive backing and come in various sizes and shapes so I's easy to find some just the right size for your lamps. —Sonny Rains, Carbondale, Colo. qT Note: Rack made from 1%" angle iron, seater except upper clamp guide 82 101+ Best Ever Workshop Projects 2009Double-duty TV shelf/clamp rack “What's on TV tonight?” In this shop, it’s an organized set of clamps. very now and then he besid plans Eorecirceer ie secce pore ick When Randy Znernan bulk te comer set fo: is shop itandon as tous tt to ald 9 por tau Late however, he discovered that hd allowed enough of an edie tot hs damps oul simply gr the ont al td support eats One the Tae Knedragecerter proved ts met he ded a stand se f Cleats into the cor net below tne TV shel or ven more Garp storage, Project design: Randy Zimmerman, Crease ans aa “To keep clamps from marring project surfaces, use the plastic caps found on milkjugs 35 pads. Hold a pa of the caps, which normally aren recycled with used juos, Locate screws over studs In place with few dabs of hotmelt glue were possible Jerry Pasley Raleigh, N.C. woodmagazine.com 83Drop-down drying rack A great space-saving solution for small shops. Cts of finishing to do but limited on space? Try this multilevel drying rack The removable PVC pipes allow you to create “shelves” for supporting cabinet doors and other workpieces while they dy. To build the rack, cut the front and back from "plywood, Mark the hole Centerpoints where dimensioned on one (of the two pieces. Stick the pieces together with double faced tape, with the edges and ends flush. Use a 134’ Forsiner bit or Circle cutter to bore holes through both pieces of stock at the same time. Back the stock to prevent chip-out. Next, cut the two sides and three dividers to size from 4" stock. Radius the top end. of each sidepiece and bore a 1” hole to house the hanging dowel. Drill all the ‘mounting holes and assemble the unit in ‘the configuration shown at right, checking for square. A screw driven into the top. radiused end of each sidepiece secures the 1" dowel in place. To mount the rack to the ceiling, drill the four mounting holes, and thread pairs (of bike hooks and screw eyes into the pilot holes, where shown on the drawing. Add utility chain to the screw eyes. Finally, crosscut numerous pieces of 1/e" PVC pipe to length, When not needed, simply remove the PVC pipes from the rack. Then, lift the bot. tom end of the rack tothe ceiling, securing the spring snaps to the utility chain, as shown in the inset photo above. Store the pipes in a $-gallon bucket. Project design: Tom Carrel, Metropol. Find tips and ideas for all ‘your finishing needs at: ‘woodmagazine.com/finishing * 84 Bhke hook nist. a" shankghole with 2%" plot hole thce "deep in dowel faa ‘oe "hain dowel Texan i Last chin ee woos vane / ue ¥ Love . vaxine a = wea 2 whole oer front = va plotted ene w wesemisccanen Ne ee ote: “eean of ie hoksand sr es Rul bandte terion apna soap 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Space-saving tool cabinet Sliding doors add an additional layer of storage in a single, smart-looking unit. Jerforated hardboard is a mainstay for tool storage in most shops. By adding more tothe siding doors of this cabinet, the material increases storage capacity considerably The too! storage cabinet has a row of three individual perforated hardboard panels in back, plus two more panels that function as sliding doors on the front [Prawing 1]. When one door is moved, it reveals another tool-aden panel. The doors are mounted on wheels that roll along a ste! rail, similar to those sed on siding glass patio doors [Drawing 2 Project esi: Dale Melsinger, Orcas sland, Wath. TOON ee a NTE Elsie section Dera woodmagazine.com 85Contoured tool holders For hand tools or power tools, these custom holders are a perfect fit. % A: rabbeted hardwood cleats mounted onto the backs of ‘melamine-coated particleboard, Leland Frerichs created a tool-hanging system that's every bit as good-looking as IR is functional, Use the drawings on the next two pages to make a similar system. for your shop. Note: To fashion these hand:-tool holders, lay each tool on wood, carefully trace around the perimeter, and cut outa left-hand and right- hand side for each tool. The sightest amount ‘of space keeps them snug. Prec design: Leland Frerchs, Longview, Wash, 86 ‘ft Spocergluedand 33 aed to backer Vg Le “Ub tne ig Z ores Hes ADJUSTABLE-WRENCH HOLDER From the simplest hand tools to the ‘most sophisticated shop machinery, read the latest reviews at: woodmagazine.com/toolreviews ® 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Power-tool and accessory holders Although they're generally lager than the holders for hand tools, the versions showin a let for power tools are feshioned in exactiy the same manner. For most hand:-ool holdes, a single hanging cleat attached t the upper back wil do the thts But for heavier power tools, consider attaching a second set of mounting cess (Ie that shown below) tothe hanging cleat onthe lower back to beter di- trite the weight ofthe tool ‘Traced outing of plier handles ‘t 27 wt om yt depending on greimest PLIER HOLDER — Length to suit ath osu - Traced outine LOCKING-PLIER HOLDER ‘woodmagazine.com a7Edge-protecting Chisel rack Keep chisels handy, and their tips shielded whole (Hole sed co fhisel erie) Ww abbets ‘wceep Jo keep chisels sharp and easy to T find, keep them in this basic storage rack. Cut the front, back, sides, shelf, and spacer to the sizes shown on the drawing. Locate and bore the hanger holes. in the back and the chisel holes in the shelf. (You may have to adjust the hole size in the shelf to fit your chisels,) Now, saw aS Ae one sax vs FH, Wood Serews sie shank hole countersunk on back face ‘out the waste between the front edge of the shelf and the chisel holes. Chamfer the shelf edges and rabbet the front where shown, To finish, drill tne mounting holes, and glue and screw the rack together, Project design: Kevin Boyle, Senor Design Editor, W000" Magazine Pencil box win sharpener support Some shop accessories should go together, and this project sees to it. “shank, counters on bad face ie rabbets ‘a deee 88 build this handy holder, cut the | front, back, sides, bottom, and spacer to the sizes shown on the drawing from 4" stock. Drill the mounting holes and rabbet the front as shown. Glue ‘and screw the parts together. Complete the project by attaching a pencil sharpener to the bottom, Project dein: Kevin Boye, Senlor Design Editor, Woooe Magazine 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2003Built-to-ft sandpaper holder This organizer stores abrasives close at hand and keeps them tightly rolled till ready for use cause theyre desgne to mount Borie ese est stored roled up nt need Tera sae for anor ft in he bse Ore Sum Sonar show tg, hs puneras sal compare eee thesanpape sip om oreting To mole coef our ov, ly measure tne sd 07 bse your sande and as the saving, bo, to match your ocines mers Project design. Tom Whalley, Urkandale, tows exe ) re ] — WB FHL woodscrem CU When cutting sandpaper into smaller pieces, you canbet several won't have the ‘gfitnumber on theback Before you cut the sheet, scribble ciasshatch pattern on the back witha colored marker Each cut plece then will have colored ines on the back. Use diferent color for exch att, and make 2 colo-key chart to keep withthe sandpaper. Then, youcan readily identify the grt 1s dadoes ‘e deeo, i Je ie sabe deep EE woodmagazine.com 89 —Daniel Anger, Orlando, Fa.Hang-and-go lathe-tool holder When you create a mountable chisel caddy, who says it has to stay in one place? is _quick-to-make project slides T between the sails in the lathe bed (known as the Ways) and cradles turning tools within arm's reach. When not in use, it hangs on the wall, out of the way. Feel free to customize it for the type ‘and number of turning tools you own. To size your too! holder, frst measure the overall length of your turning tools to determine the length for the backboard (A). The one here is 21, just a bit shorter than mostof the tools. Now, measure from the butt end of the handles to the ferrules. (the rings on the handles near the biades). ‘This determines the distance between the ‘upper rest (8) and base (D), as shown. Next, measure the diameter of each tool's ferrule and of each handle 2° from the butt end. Cut two 21024" plywood strips to make the upper rest (8) and lower rest (©), and mark lines 1%" from one edge. Lay out hole centerpoints along those lines, where dimensioned on part B, ‘below. Drill holes to match the ferrules in fone strip and to match the handles in the other. Rip the rests (B, C) to width and attach them to the backboard. Then, add the base (D). A screw in each edge of the backboard retains 9 10” miniature bungee ord that secures the tools BEOMOUNT ye Mount EF congas at owe ‘on backboard renner, rom top edge, Length of © termined by Mount H/ to wallby ving #8x3°FH, wood srews info 8 St WB FAL ‘wood screw fength of tots The cleat and retainer (E, F) are sized to fit most lathes, but check the distance between the ways on your lathe. The cleat rneeds about %" clearance to slide easy. ‘Make the wall-mount parts (H, 1) and secure this assembly to a wall stud Project cesign: off Mertz, Design Ealtor, WOODS Magazine laterials Li [A backboard 36 10M" 20" 8 Be upperret ae SOM BP Cloneriet iw 108 D base wz low et E dest we ow Pd F reine 4 1 G basebok 1 Hi hengerseip 6 2wt 9a | ranger cap xo “arsinialy cat verse Sete "cwallength determined nat of tos Matertals key: 6-bich plywood, P-pine Supplies: wi Yathens wood screws 0, Kx Fathead wood sews(2 8x3 fathead woodscrews 2) "6x roundheaa oodscrens 1" bungee ord, 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projeets 2009Swing-arm Chisel support Keep lathe tools close with a handy swing-out holder. Lild a holder as shown or customize it to fit your tool needs. Begin by measuring the distance between the lathe's ways to create the siding support shown in the End-View Detail [Drawing tal, Make the sliding support about 1" narrower than the opening between the ways, and the top edge of the support Ve" ‘ower than the top edge of the ways. The pivating arm shownin the Exploded ‘View (Drawing 1] measures 31/4, but you can shorten for fewer tools lthe-side. To create the holes forthe tool, measure the iameter of your lathetool ferrules and use Forster or spade bits to il holes Ys? larger than that mension. For skews, where the blade can be wider than the ferrule, measure the widest diameter of the tool handle and cri the hole %" smaller ‘Once assembled and attached to the lathe, the holder can stay put on your lathe stocked with turning tools. Or, remove the tools and slide off the holder, hanging it from a wal hook for later use. Project design: BI Aer, West Des Molnes, lows Find more shop organizer plans at: ‘woodmagazine.com/freeplans * EEbeno-view vera 64000 washer aoe A Eerie wis > by your lathe yes, Se aRack for Chisels and measuring tools This adaptable home for frequently used tools Creates a handsome display. 1@ magnetic bar across the top of T this rack secures chisels and gadges vertically, while an added base beneath heavier chisels and turning tools supports the handles. The arrangement keeps all the sharp cutting edges in the ‘same part ofthe rack. Made from standard dimensional lumber with a ¥#'thick plywood back, adjust the overall size of the unit as well as the length and placement of the individual holders to suit your needs. Project design: Robert Burgoyne, Peyton, Colo. Wx FS Wood screw 92 101 est-Ever Workshop Projets 2009Hanging Forstner-bit holder A wall-mounted rack keeps all your bits organized. 2d tipped into. 16" strips forms eeiisresnerticies ach TH4"-wide stip has a shallow ‘dustrelie groove on the back side that allows any chips or debris that may and in anonoccupied hole to fallout the bottom. [AY spacer separates the dried strips, and a spacer block attached to the back side of the assembly angles the holder sight in relation to the wal, keeping the bits in place. Wile the holder shown here is made for use ona cleatbased hanging system it’s easly adaptable for diect wall mounting searoove deen ceeesen CART ~) mae fentae ‘rontface Sex 2a? spacer block Project design: Phil Bumbalough, Metamora Il. Wd 4W bacter Holes sized oft rhb shanks —y 2a - rex FH, wood se Mating . 4 cord access Music and news are always %*1*22%"seacersup 1 L é ie ZO at arm's reach. . wi os ys ne handy entertainment center SS Ce shown here is a mix of 4"-thick ‘Note: All 34" stock % mediumdensiy” fiberboard, py oN von an solsnood thm, but you can vse any avaible sock Ast placerent Of the cord access hole fo rach yout rad, With adinal wal cleat, you an hhave music anywhere in the shop. & Project cesgn: Chile Finnerty, Ashburn, Va. woodmagazine.com 93Hardware and Accessory Storage HER Small things, such as hardware and accessories, have just as as important a 2 rle i in the shop as machinery and lumber. Unfortunately, those little things can also lead to shop clutter. Here are 22 projects to keep it all under control. 101+ Best-ver Workshop Projects 2009 94Roling Storage cart This shop helper brings order to chaos. e design ofthis unit revolves around plastic storage tubs like those sold in home centers and large discount stores. Our version houses Rubbermaic Roughneck storage Tote 3-galon/11.3.ter Containers, but just about any kind will do. Just be sure to adjust the project dimensions to ft the tubs you select. The entire project, minus the optional shelves and cleats, is built from two sheets of medium-density berboard (MOF), but Yt birch plywood would also work wel Star by cutting the parts to size as noted in Drawing 1, See Drawing 2 for optimal sheet- goods usage. Rout a ie" round-over along (denims efSaz, a a ‘wood sey ‘ EXPLODED VIEW the one exposed edge of each 1x1" cleat and along the top edge of each ax!" cleat where shown. (The round-over on the interior cleats allowsthe tubs to side easier) ‘Then, dil the countersunk mounting holes through all parts where noted. Giue and Screw the dividers between the two sides. Next, attach the top, bottom, center parti- tions, and cleats. Mount the interior support cleats, allowing about an inch or two of clearance, from top to bottom, between containers. Attach the castes. ject design Bernard Monneau, Calgary, Alta yaxtincaame SUPPORT CLEATS, axes. 7 Binecaee) ension (le lend sponte yourtube wx Ba, center PARIITION wood stew cueat, Vex tian g2W {i round-over CUTTING DIAGRAM Center partition Divider i} Toprbotton | 5x49 97 Mesium density Roerboard (ODF @ needed) uside clea Se Pine (bd fe) eee tose cleats oxdts196"Pine bd Fe) Inside cleats Bex 3¥ 496 Pe 27 Bd) 95.Space-saving hardware bin storage Keep small parts stashed but easy to grab and go when needed. his hardware storage unit mates 2 T system of removabie plastic bins with enclosed storage cabinets, and perforated hardboard panels on each end that keep frequently used tools and acces. sories handy but out of the way. Although the unit shown at left measures 12" long, sizing one to fit your shop is easy. A pair of 50%'tall cabinets with adjust- able shelves flank the 120-hole hardware rack. Cubbyholes measure 4%4x6%c12" to accommodate the size of the plastic bins used hese, but adjust yours to match the bins you get. MBF or plywood works equally well for the cabinet: for the top, bottom, shelves, doors, and sides; ¥ scr the cap; and %" for the vertical dividers and the back. Projet cesign: Mike Connolly, Concord, NH Height depends on size of plastic Length fo suit thts bins plus learanee = A Le / Perforated hardboard NINN rvyvy ) ) VV ne ) ry " (WN mY ) iN \ Y CZ \ ( ur dadoes "deep 4x40¢12" haraboord igs y Openings sized 19 sheplaste bins used Plastic bin ‘ 96 101+ Best-tver Workshop Projects 2009Simple Screw-box shelves If screws come in good boxes, why toss those containers? Store them instead. € 1b boxes that many fasteners T ome in are almost alvays the same Sze, regarces ofthe rurnber o size of te fasteners they contain. This mates them easy-to-use, serviceable, prelabeled storage containers. Ths simple shel nit x hols the boxes for easy acces Itcorsssof three main components—a back and two sides of 24 stock with, SDE. ‘W'-deep saw kerfs at 2° intervals. Once you attach the two sides tothe back with Screws, jst side in some "4" hardboard Shelves to accommodate the boxes, Most common fastener boxes measure 14 3/64, 9 the dimensions shown in tne drawing at right should be Fe. But adjust your shelf unit as needed. BACK saxoneaii shee Projet design: Jett Feuerstein, Neenah, Wis, hardboard oH Mobile Scrap bin DE waateacngn Tempered hardboard Rall this easy-to-make cutoff catcher wherever you need it. is simple but handy scrap cart can T roll all over the shop. The sides and bottom are made of 34" MDF, but plywood works just as well. The removable. dividers are 4" tempered hardboard, A 24'-long triangular block giued into ‘each comer provides additional strength, Project design: Mike Connolly, Concord, N.H. Lock Taxa xa woodmagazine.com 97Options for wall storage Sometimes, the key to efficient shop organization is the wall surface itself. products you might not expect to see in a shop could help solve some of your storage issues. For the main wai, consider an exterior ¥4'-thick siding product called T-111, which has vertical grooves that hide lap joints and requires only painting for a finished look. More important, the thickness of the ‘wood siding makes it more durable than drywall, allowing you to drive screws anywhere without using stud finders or wall anchors, Most slat-wall systems use aluinum- reinforced horizontal sts in medium. density, fiberboard (MDF). Slat wall comes in 4x8 sheets, and securely holds numerous accessories on specialized hangers. Project sgn: Join Merboldshelmer, Elzabeth, Cole. _SLATWALL Curate WALL BRACKET Wiedging a tablesaw blade with piece ‘ofscrap when loosening (or tightening) the arbor nut doesn't always hold the blade immobile Instead, clamp a pair of locking pliers onto the blade near the ri, positioning the jaws to clear the teeth. Brace the pliers against the able. Now, when you apply the wrench tothe arbor rut, you won't lose your hold, orskin your fingers, on the blade. sim Prelesnik, Renton, Wash. 98 101+ Best-Ever Workshop Projects 2009Portable glue/towel center Ahelper that's equally at home on a wall or at arm's reach on your workbench. ang thishandy organizer on a cleat Fei eisoi erent move it wherever you're working to keep your glue and cleanup supplies close at hand. For this shop aid, cut parts ‘AD from 1/# plywood, part from Yt hhardboard, part F from Va" solid stock, and part G from "stock t the sizes noted on Drawing 1-Refer to Drawing a for machin- ing the cleat. Cut the dowel groove in the supports (D) to shape. Cut the dadoes, rabbets, and grooves, where illustrated, in parts A, 8, and F. Assemble the unit. Cut a»! dowe! to fit between the side pieces and in the dowel groove. Screw the cleat to the back (F) with the top edges of Fand G flush To learn more about this cleat system, Visit woodmagazine.cumicleatsystem Project desig: Kevin Boyt, Senor Design Eaton, wooDe magazine lcteat Detain "4s" bevel Ss shanichate, Countersunk on back ieabbet “e'deep . . secur, . \Woad sees——* ‘4 shankhole, Countersunk’ | 6 ‘woodmagazine.com 99)