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Table Saw Tricks for
Cutting Plywood
Avoid These 5
Drill Press Mistakes
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Projects
weekend project
Unique Routed Bowl Jig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Want to make a bowl but dont have a lathe? No problem. By
building a simple router jig and templates, you can accurately 36
shape the inside and outside curves of a solid-wood bowl.
shop project
Ultimate Outfeed Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Breaking down sheet goods is a challenge. This mobile table saw
lift minimizes the hassle by making it a snap to do it quickly and
safely. Plus, it provides storage and an extra worksurface.
designer project
Knock-Down Shelving System . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Contrasting materials and a stylish design give this shelving
system a great look. But the hardware-free, knock-down design
means you can easily move it and set it up in minutes.
shop project
Heavy-Duty Shop Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . .36
No matter what the task at hand is, this workstation can be
set up or taken down in minutes. Optional accessories provide
expanded capability to make it even more versatile.
heirloom project
Classic Card Catalog Cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
The classic appearance of a card catalog is unmistakable.
While this one looks traditional, theres a secret extra-wide 42
drawers that provide more useful storage to meet your needs.
Woodsmith.com 3
woodworking technique
Pocket Hole Joinery Basics . . . . . . 52
in the shop
Our Favorite Cordless Tools . . . . . 58
woodworking essentials
Brushing on a Finish . . . . . . . . . . 60
mastering the table saw
14 Cutting Sheet Goods. . . . . . . . . . 62
tips from our shop
Shop Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
questions & answers
Choosing the Right Bit . . . . . . . . 66
60
52
4 Woodsmith / No. 229
Tips &
Techniques
Double-Duty Drawers
Large, deep drawers in cabinets seem to
waste a lot of space. In the past, I would
just dump loosely associated tools into
a. TOP VIEW
one of these drawers, only to spend time
rooting around in the drawer looking !/4
for the item I needed later. That item, of !/4
course, was underneath everything else.
It occurred to me that I could reclaim
some of this dead space by adding a pair Notch in drawer side
Drawer slide provides clearance for
of slide-out trays to the top of the exist- tray and slides
ing drawer box. As the photo shows, this
TRAY SIDE
is done by flipping the direction of these TRAY
BACK
additional trays and slides. Base drawer
I started by cutting a pair of notches
in the sides of the drawer and sanding
b. SIDE VIEW
the opening smooth. Then, as the draw-
TRAY Size the tray to
ings show, I built a pair of trays that open BOTTOM allow for drawer slide
to the sides. This gives you maximum
control over the space you have avail-
able. When sizing the parts of each tray, TRAY Drawer slide
FRONT
remember to account for the thickness of
#/4"-rad.
the drawer slides. NOTE: Tray
bottom is !/4"
Fred Adams hardboard. Other
parts are #/4" plywood NOTE: Tray width and depth
Henderson, New York will vary depending upon
TRAY SIDE your needs and space available
Woodsmith.com 5
QUICK TIPS
Peg Hook Extensions. Jerry Renken of Spokane, WA, Precise Epoxy Mixing. Phil Huber of Urbandale, IA, uses
prevents his long pegboard hooks from lifting out by first graph paper to measure his epoxy. Matching the volume of
placing an aluminum tube (316" x .014") over the center resin and hardener is just a matter of matching the size of
peg. This gives the hook enough length that a peg lock the puddles of each. The graph paper gives a good visual
strap can be used to keep everything in place. reference and can be used multiple times.
Woodsmith.com
and click on,
Woodsmith eTips
Youll receive one of our favorite tips
{ As long as tearout is not an issue, you can take some pretty deep passes in the early by email each and every week.
stages of planing. Take lighter passes when you get closer to the finished size.
Woodsmith.com 7
#8 x 3" Fh
TOP woodscrew
NOTE: Rabbet door 3%/8 !/4
and cabinet sides !/16"
to install hinge
#/4 14!/2 14
NOTE: Panel on door unit Continuous #/4 1#/4
is centered front to back. hinge
Back panel on the wall unit !/2 SMALL SPACER 2!/2
is inset #/4" from the back edge 14!/2
!/4 (6"-dia.)
!/2"-13 x 3!/4" &/8" 6!/4
threaded rod centered hole 5#/4
DOOR PANEL WALL CLEATS
SIDE #8 x 1!/4"
3 Fh woodscrew
2!/2
16!/2 !/2" -13 x 2!/2"
!/2" wing nut carriage bolt
and washer 2!/4"
#/4 L-hook
LARGE SPACERS 29!/2 !/2" wing 28!/2
(8"-dia.) !/2"-13 x 3!/4" nut and NOTE: Lower
threaded rod 5 cleat secured to
washer
wall. Upper
SIDE cleat is screwed
#/4 to panel
#/8"
-rad. 2!/8 BACK 14
PANEL
6
!/4 14!/2
b. DOOR UNIT !/2" nut !/2 3
SECTION VIEW
WALL BRACE
3%/8
SHELF
!/2"-dia.
NOTE: All dadoes counterbore,
are !/4" deep #/8" deep
Spacers NOTE: Spacers
#4 x !/2" NOTE: Cabinet BASE are !/2" plywood.
Fh woodscrew top and base are 3 All other parts are
w/ !/2" washer mirror images #/8" rare-earth magnet w/!/2" #/4" plywood
cup and #4 x !/2" Fh woodscrew
QUICK TIPS
Sock for Safety Glasses Storage. John Doyle from Benchtop Hand Sander Block. Scott Johnson of Pacific
Ankeny, IA, has found a way to keep his shop glasses from Grove, CA, takes small parts to the sanding block, not the
getting dusty. He stores them in an old (but clean) sock. other way around. He made a simple MDF block and cleat
This has the added benefit of protecting the glasses from that has a hardwood dowel in the underside to lock it in
being scratched if they get knocked off the workbench. place. Then he sticks his sandpaper of choice to the block.
Bucket Recycling. Seeing an opportunity, James Bradley Sander Rest. Dan Martin of Appleton, WI, has a simple
of Oceanside, CA, made use of an old five-gallon bucket solution for an ongoing problem. Instead of waiting for
for different tasks. Cutting just below the top structural rib his random orbit sander to stop, he sets it on a face-up
leaves the bucket and handle intact. The remaining lid and piece of the same sandpaper. While the sander slows, the
cut section can be used as a basin to clean saw blades. soft loop side of the paper wont harm the benchtop.
Woodsmith.com 9
cabinet door
Latches & Catches
Hardware selection is probably one for your specific need. You just need
of the most important aspects of any to know what each individual piece
furniture project. But, when build- is designed to accomplish.
ing a cabinet with a door, its easy to Here, Ill take a look at seven
get overwhelmed by the number of latches and catches that Ive used a
latches and catches that are available. number of times over the years in
As it turns out, its not as hard as you my shop. Ive grouped them into
might think to get the right hardware two categories visible and hid-
den hardware. Check out Sources
on page 67 to find out where you
can buy any of these items.
VISIBLE LATCHES
The first group is the visible { Attractive and simple to operate, the bar latch
hardware category. These pieces of is best used for light-duty applications. Theyre
hardware can be used on cabinets easy to mount on several types of doors.
that have inset doors and are easy
to install on the surface of the door and than blend in. And even though theyre
the face frame stile. all different, they all consist of similar
Since this type of hardware often parts: A receiver mounted on one side,
becomes a focal point on a project, and a latch component on the other side.
{ An icebox latch is most commonly theyre available in many decorative CUPBOARD LATCH. The cupboard latch
mounted to the doors frame, while the styles that are designed to enhance is probably one of the most common
catch is mounted to the cases stile. the look of the door or cabinet rather latches available (main photo above),
{ The double-ball catch is the perfect option for holding inset doors { The bullet catch gets mounted in a hole in the bottom of the door.
closed. Adjusting the spring pressure of the bearings is as simple The collar can be left proud (left photo) or recessed so its flush
as turning the screws on either side of the latch. with the door. The strike plate gets attached to the case frame.
Woodsmith.com 11
the bit into the workpiece with the great- intersect and overlap give the work a After completing the cuts, raise the
est control. What youre looking for is a sense of unity, as well. workpiece upright. With a raking light
gently tapered cut. In order to create a Making cuts freehand puts you well from the side, gauge your progress. If
continuous, flowing pattern, I start at on the way to a random look. You can necessary, go back over areas that either
one end of the panel and work side-to- help things along by altering the length look too bare or too uniform.
side down its length. and depth of cuts. My cuts are usually SECOND ROUND. I use a smaller diameter
A VARIED LOOK. In practice, there are only 2"-3" long. Some cuts run nearly the bit to vary the look and to blend heavier
a few other details to consider when full depth of the exposed bit while some cuts into a more unified pattern. Like
creating the textured pattern. For start- merely skim along the surface. before, I set the bit for a shallow cut (a
ers, vary the space between the first set For the most part, the cuts I make little more than 18") and work from one
of cuts with the larger bit. That leaves follow the grain direction. Cross-grain end of the panel to the other.
room for filling in with the smaller bit cuts open the possibility for tearing and In this round, youre working to
later on. All the same, having cuts that a rough surface finish. That being said, remove the remaining flat portions of
you can angle cuts slightly left or right. the surface. Although a few small, flat
As you work, take care to avoid rows portions will look just fine.
of cuts that begin or end at the same There are two ways to do this. The first
place. If you see that happen, feel free method is to start the cut with the bit
to go back and extend some of the cuts. inside a larger cut and work out. This
EDGES & ENDS. The ends and edges of the gives the first cut a smoother transition.
panel deserve special attention. Theres The second approach is to make a
a balance here between an edge that light overlapping pass that traces along-
looks too square or too muddled. side a larger one. In this way you sculpt
Along the edges of the panel, I like and reshape the edge of the first cut.
to run some cuts off the edge. In other After this round of cuts, the panel is
places, start with the bit away from the complete. The texture really comes to life
{ The smaller bit follows the larger bit to edge of the panel and merge into it. A once you apply a coat of finish. Then fit
blend the cuts into a flowing pattern of third technique is to skim the edge, as the panel into the frame and admire
ripples and contours. shown in the bottom photo. your custom work and new skills. W
Woodsmith.com 13
all-new
Powermatic
Tenoning Jig
For my money, it doesnt get much is deciding on the best method to use comes with a few drawbacks. For
better than a mortise and tenon joint. to create the tenons. one, weighing in at 25 lbs., it can be a
This non-mechanical joint is a main- When I have a lot of tenons to cut, Ill struggle just to lift the jig out of storage
stay in traditional woodworking. But often pull out my dedicated tenoning and carry it to the table saw. And Ive
a rather big challenge (at least for me) jig. But this method for making tenons always been frustrated with the length
of time it takes to set up a tenoning jig
before you can start cutting.
F-style clamp NEW STYLE. Tenoning jigs for the table
saw have been around for a number of
years, and, with the exception of minor
Micro-adjustment differences here and there, theyre mostly
knob
the same design across brands. So when
Powermatics new PM-TJ tenoning jig
showed up in the shop with a very dif-
ferent look from most of the others, I was
Work intrigued to find out if theyd found a
stop
way to build a better mouse trap.
jig in place on the table saw and align it lock knob and slide the fence against the 3
to your blade. But before jumping into saw blade. Move the jig side to side until
the setup procedure, let me touch on a both the front and rear teeth are touch-
few things about this jig that jumped ing the fence (photo 1), then tighten the
out at me right away. guide bar screw. This also establishes the
LIGHTER WEIGHT. The first thing I noticed zeroed-out location of the fence.
is that this jigs footprint is rather sub- Now youre ready to set the jig to
stantial compared to other tenoning make tenons. And this is where the
jigs Ive used (main photo, previous Powermatic jig forges its own path.
page). But despite this obvious size dif- Instead of a trial and error method
ference, the extruded aluminum body common for setting other tenoning jigs, { Move the fence forward so its out of the way.
of the Powermatic jig means that it only this jig is quick to set up for just about After placing the mortise chisel between
weighs 17 lbs. This made it quite a bit any size tenon. Simply use a spacer stops #1 and #2, lock down stop #2.
easier to move on and off the table saw. the same thickness as your desired
COMFORTABLE. Another feature that really tenon and the workpiece itself (photos 4
made this jig a pleasure to use is the 2 through 4). If youre using a mortis-
placement of the handles. Unlike most ing machine to cut the mortises, you
tenoning jigs that use screw-in, verti- can even use the mortise chisel as the
cal posts as handles, the Powermatic spacer (refer to photo 3 at right).
jig incorporates two extruded handles READY TO USE. With the jig properly set
that run horizontal to the saw surface. up, youre ready to clamp the workpiece
These ergonomically shaped and placed in place and make the first pass over
handles felt very natural in use. the saw blade (main photo on previous
UNIQUE DESIGN. But in my book, what set page). After that, simply flip the piece
this tenoning jig apart from the rest is the around and complete the tenon cheek { Set the workpiece against stop #2, pull
creative design of the jig base. It actually on the other side, as shown in photo 5. the handle back until the rear face is just
consists of two separate parts (one black, This will result in a perfectly centered touching it, and tighten the lock knob.
one silver) that interlock using a slid- tenon on the end of the workpiece.
ing taper design. These two parts glide MICRO-TUNING. If you need to fine-tune 5
effortlessly against each other. And since the tenon thickness or create offset
the fence is attached to the black section tenons, the procedure isnt difficult. A
of the base, positioning the fence is a micro-adjustment knob at the back of
breeze since there is very little resistance. the jig makes it easy to move the fence
The base, along with some other key fea- position in very fine increments.
tures of this jig, are shown in the photos While some folks may balk at the
at the bottom of the previous page. almost $300 price tag of the Powermatic
jig, if you have to create a lot of tenons,
INTUITIVE SETUP youll find this jig almost indispensable.
Aligning the guide bar on the bottom The flexibility it provides to change { After making the first pass (main photo,
of the jig to the saw blade took me less tenon sizes quickly and accurately will previous page), flip the workpiece around
than a minute. Simply loosen the fence be a marked advantage in any shop. W and make the second cheek cut.
Woodsmith.com 15
Cup
Hand Plane
Like many home shops, mine is on a faces parallel and make a board a con-
budget of both money and space. This sistent thickness.
juggling act works itself out in many PLANE FACTS. A quick and efficient rem-
ways. One compromise was going edy for this is flattening the first face
with a 6" jointer. Instead of a larger 8" with a hand plane. Im not talking about
Indicated by machine, I chose to spend my cash on a creating a perfect, glass-smooth surface.
a hollow center section
higher-quality planer. The goal is simply to knock down the
Bow Most of the time, Im completely high spots of the board so you can run
happy with this decision. Theres only it through a planer. And using the right
one time this sacrifice shows up pre- strategy, its not a difficult process.
paring stock thats wider than 6" CONSIDER THE BOARD. Before you start
The tried-and-true method for getting planing one face of a board, however,
Indicated by wood flat and square goes like this: Flat- you need to know what kind of prob-
a hollow ten one face of the stock on the jointer. lem youre dealing with. The approach
middle section
Then use the planer to surface the oppo- will vary based on the problem at hand.
site face. Then, back at the jointer, true You have two things to consider when
Twist
an edge and youre set to go. But when troubleshooting lumber.
I have a board thats wider than I can As the drawings to the left show,
work with at my jointer, the challenge there are three common surface prob-
is getting that first face flat. lems to contend with. Cupped and
It would be nice to use the planer, but bowed boards are pretty straightfor-
Indicated
by opposite when it comes to dealing with unruly ward. Twists, on the other hand, can be
elevated corners boards like the ones shown at left, the trouble. But if the board has the look
planer wont do. A planer isnt designed youre after, it may be worth the effort.
to flatten a board. Its job is to make the As for grain direction, you can make a
Waste
Waste
Waste
Scribe
line Waste
Shim
quick survey by looking at the edges of PLAN OF ATTACK. With all that in place, A quick way to check your progress is
the boards. A consistent grain direction its time to go to work. Regardless of to flip the board over and see how much
makes for easier planing. the type of grain terrain youre dealing it rocks on the bench surface. Or you can
GET A GRIP. Planing a board is a kinetic with, its best to remove the wood in use a simple set of winding sticks that
activity, to say the least. Even a board light, modest cuts. Since you wont be are featured in the box below.
that requires a light touch with the shaving a lot of wood at first, set your BACK ON TRACK. Once the surface is
plane needs to be firmly held in place. plane for a medium cut and start at the reasonably flat, you can resume the
The drawings above show how using highest point of the board. traditional steps of stock preparation.
bench dogs and shims fit the bill. These first light passes will help you Start by running the board through
But before the shavings begin to get a feel for the grain, as well. To avoid the planer with the flattened face
fly, take a little time to map out your tearout, its important to plane with down. Then flip the board over and
plan of attack on the surface of the the grain direction. This might require plane the opposite face.
board. As all three examples above planing diagonally across the board. Remember, its important to remove
show, you can start by scribing a line The whole process is a matter of trial thin layers of material evenly from both
where needed around the edges of and error. With that in mind, I usually sides of the board until you come to your
the board. From there, with a fairly aim to remove the stock in three or so final thickness. If you hog all the material
soft-leaded pencil (this will leave levels, kind of like the topography off one side, theres a good chance you
a darker, more noticeable mark), rings on a map. As you proceed, if the will stress the board and find yourself
you can highlight all the areas to be cut seems a little aggressive, you can right back where you started, dealing
removed on the surface of the board. adjust the blade depth as needed. with a another warped surface. W
END VIEW
Offset
Winding stick stand-in indicates
(using aluminum angle) twist
Woodsmith.com 17
OUTSIDE
TEMPLATE #8 x 1!/2" Fh
B woodscrew 1!/8
12
SIDE SECTION VIEW
A C
SUPPORT
PLATFORM
A
INSIDE TEMPLATE 6
24
29!/2
NOTE: Make one platform
and switch out templates in use
16
B
TEMPLATES
glued up from three
layers of #/4" MDF.
Templates are #/4" MDF 4#/4
Sculpting a bowl with a router requires Use the drawings below to lay out the the router technique in the photo below
a certain amount of prep work. To make profile of the template on a blank. Then and on page 65 to make a copy.
controlled, consistent cuts, templates cut most of the waste away using a band SUPPORT PLATFORM. The bowl blank gets
are used to guide the router. One pair of saw. (A jig saw is another good option.) attached to a thick support platform
templates are used to make the cuts that You want to stay just to the waste side (drawing above). The platform also
form the inside of the bowl. Another pair of the line when cutting. This saves time serves as a mounting point for the tem-
help shape the outside. when removing the blade marks and plates during each part of the process.
The templates shown here are used to allows you to shape an even profile with The platform raises the bowl blank
make the painted bowl shown on pages files and sandpaper. When youre satis- above the benchtop to provide clearance
18 and 23. To make different shapes, you fied with the shape of the template, use for the bit when shaping the outside.
need to make new templates (two other
shapes are shown in the online extras). 12#/16
SHAPING TEMPLATES. I made the templates Inside Template
from MDF because its inexpensive and
fairly easy to shape. Although a pair of
templates are required for each part of 10"-rad.
the bowl-making process, I focused on 10
making just one for each pair.
6 A
B 6 4#/4
14"-rad.
{ Making multiples doesnt have to be 8
twice the work. Turn to page 65 to see Outside Template
11!/2 Woodsmith.com 19
%/16"-18 E E
star knob
D D
8
MOUNTING
BLOCK
NOTE: Mounting block E
is glued up from three %/16"-18 x 6!/2" SIDE
layers of #/4" plywood F carriage bolt SECTION VIEW
CLEAT
b.
F
1%/8
2!/4 E 1
F
D
6!/2
2!/2 FRONT
VIEW
D 36
F
c. %/16"-18
D
star knob %/16"-18 x 5"
RAIL NOTE: Use holes in rails
3!/2 carriage bolt
as a guide to drill
holes in mounting
block blank F
SIDE
F
The templates guide the path of the router, and keep it moving in a straight
but you need a way to support the router line along each of the templates.
above the workpiece and guide it along LONG RAILS. I made the two rails
the templates. Thats where the carriage from maple for stiffness. Besides cut- MOUNTING BLOCKS. The router motor body
shown above comes in. The router is ting them to size, you need to drill a set is captured by a pair of thick mounting
captured between two mounting blocks of mounting holes, as shown in detail blocks. Its important that the mounting
attached to two long rails. b. These are used to secure the router blocks have a tight grip on the motor
The rails ride along the top of the tem- and a couple of mounting blocks to the body. For this to happen, I started with
plates, guiding the bit in and out of the rails. The additional pairs of holes give a single glued-up blank and drew a
cut. A pair of cleats at each end of the car- you more flexibility for setting the cut- circle that matched the diameter of the
riage serve as stops to position the router ting depth of the bit. router motor housing.
Split the Block. After marking for Smooth Curve. With a 14"-wide Registration Dadoes. Space the
the router motor body and drilling the blade, cut out the waste in the blocks dadoes so the cleats will slide smoothly
mounting holes, cut the block in half. to accept the router motor. on the rails with the router in place.
F Cleats (4) 3 x 1 5 - 8
4 8
G Base (1) 34 MDF - 10 - 20
Sanding 3 MDF - 33 - 10
drum H Sides (2) 4 4
I Backer (1) 3 4 MDF - 312 x 16
Pattern 3 MDF - 12 rgh. x 4 rgh.
blank J Pattern (1) 4
1
(16) #8 x 1 2" Fh Woodscrews
J Auxiliary drill
press table (2) 516"-18 x 612" Carriage Bolts
(2) 516"-18 x 5" Carriage Bolts
(4) 516"-18 Star Knobs
Cutting Curves. To ease the cleanup, Speed Sanding. Smooth the inner
cut the curves in a single pass while curve with a sanding drum. Take light ALSO NEEDED: 2.6 bd. ft. of hard maple and
staying to the outside of the lines. passes to work to the layout line. one 48" x 96" sheet of #/4" MDF
Woodsmith.com 21
BOWL
Support
platform Pattern and backer
Secure the Blank. Drive long The Setup. With the carriage on the First Cuts. Place the carriage on the templates
screws through the corners of setup gauge, use the stops to position the with the bit away from the blank. Turn the
the blank. These holes will be router just off center. Set the bit depth router on and make a pass through the blank.
cut away later on. and make a cut through the backer. Flip the carriage around for a second pass.
4 5 Carriage
6 Lower router
in carriage as needed
Work from the Move to
center down and lower holes
to the edge for deeper cuts
Pattern Bowl and
tray bit
Setup Cut through Vertical panel
gauge backer with raising bit
each pass
to track your Backer
progress
Repeated Passes. Using the setup gauge as Smooth Sides. Switch to a vertical Bottom Cuts. For shaping the bot-
a guide, reset the position of the router by panel raising bit to trim along the tom, install a bowl and tray bit. Its
adjusting the stops and bit depth to clear out sides. Making fine adjustments flatter profile helps to remove the
the waste in multiple passes. leaves a smoother surface. steps left by the straight bit.
Trim the Ends. To provide clearance Cut to Rough Shape. Using the inside Flip the Setup Gauge. Turn the
for the router and carriage to shape of the bowl as a guide, draw a line for backer and pattern over and use the
the outside, bevel the ends of the bowl the outside rim and cut the bowl to same process as before to begin
blank with a handsaw. rough shape at the band saw. shaping the outside of the bowl.
Outside Templates. Secure the bowl blank to Shape the Outside. After Smoothing. Rasps and files make
the platform by gluing it down with a layer of removing most of the waste, use quick work of the outside. On the
kraft paper between the bowl and platform. This a bowl and tray bit, along with a inside, a curved scraper quickly
creates a secure but easy-to-separate bond. core box bit, to refine the shape. removes ridges prior to sanding.
Woodsmith.com 23
Ultimate
Outfeed Table
This shop upgrade has it all a large worksurface, ample storage, and a
unique sheet goods lifting system. Plus, its easy to roll-around the shop.
Outfeed support is essential when cut- Below the table, two heavy-duty other sheet goods lifting them up to
ting long boards or large sheets of ply- shelves add some much-appreciated the saw table. In the left photo on the next
wood at the table saw. But what if the storage space. Casters on the table, and a page, you can see how the cradles carry
support could offer a helping hand at mobile base on the table saw, allow you the lions share of the weight. You just
other times, too? That question was the to arrange the shop space for any task. need to tilt the sheet back, and it rocks
spark that led to the table you see here. Shop-built levelers let you lock the table onto the saw table with a lot less effort.
For starters, the outfeed table has a in place with a few turns of the knobs. Before getting started, theres one item
large, flat top so its ideal for outfeed The two curved extensions in the to note: I sized the height of the table
purposes. But its also plain to see how photo above are sure to catch your eye. (and the cradles) to match the height of
this table might be used as an assembly These removable cradles are a back- my saw. Double-check your table saw,
table, finishing station, auxiliary work- saving solution for one of the most chal- so you can make any modifications to
surface you get the idea. lenging parts of cutting plywood and the plans as you go along.
Two sturdy
shelves offer
ample storage
Shop-made levelers
make it easy to
account for
uneven floors Swivel casters make
moving the table a breeze
Cradles fit into
pockets in end assemblies
when in use
Removable cradles ease
the burden of
lifting sheet materials
onto saw table
{ The curved cradles carry the weight of a sheet of { To save space, the cradles tuck away on the top
plywood to make it easy to tilt it up onto the table. shelf of the table when you arent using them.
Then just slide it over to the table saw to make a cut. Handholds make them easy to grab.
Woodsmith.com 25
Strong, sturdy
B
FILLER 32
B
A
END ASSEMBLIES 32
A
G
K Cradles (2) 4 ply. - 32 x 3378
L Cleats (2) 3 x 11 - 291
4 4 2 #/4"x 6!/2" - 96" Hard Maple (4.3 Bd. Ft.)
M Cradle Shelf (1) 3 4 ply. - 2912 x 3912 B B C
(28) #8 x 114" Fh Woodscrews
(98) #8 x 112" Fh Woodscrews 1!/2"x 3!/2 " - 96" Hard Maple (Two boards @ 4.7 Bd. Ft. each)
(24) #12 x 3" Fh Woodscrews E E E
(4) 3" Swivel Casters 1#/4"x 3" - 48" Hard Maple (2.0 Bd. Ft.) J ALSO NEEDED: Five 48" x 96" sheets of
(16) #12 x 58" Ph Woodscrews I I I I birch plywood. One 48" x 60" sheet
of plastic laminate
(4) 12"-13 T-Nuts NOTE: Parts 'I' planed to 1!/2"thick. Parts 'J' planed to 1%/8" thick
(4) 12"-13 Swivel Mounts
36 D 3 SIDE
RAIL SECTION
E 48 E #8 x 1!/2" Fh VIEW
D woodscrew E
G
36!/2 BRACE 4!/4
D
APRON
30
b. D E
SHELF
F H
31!/2
D NOTE: Aprons and
brace are #/4"-thick 2!/4 4!/4
13 E hardwood. Rails are
39!/2 1!/2"-thick hardwood.
Shelves and top TOP VIEW !/2"-rad.
F are #/4" plywood
E c.
D 3!/2 F
End
assembly
Drive screws into #12 x 3" Fh
fillers when securing woodscrew
shelf and top E
assemblies to ends
D
3" swivel casters
large worksurface of the table, as illus- with #12 x %/8"
Ph woodscrews 1!/2 FRONT
trated in the drawing above.
SECTION VIEW
HARDWOOD FRAMES. The hardwood
frames that support the plywood Once the frames are complete,
shelves come first. Each frame consists glue and screw the plywood shelf to the additional support for the worksurface.
of a pair of aprons and a pair of rails. top. Working from the bottom up, join Its screwed into the rails.
Here again, glue and screws take care the shelf assembly to the two end assem- The top is a large piece of plywood
of the joinery, as shown in detail a. I blies. (The shelves are centered side to that overhangs the frame on all sides.
used two different thicknesses for the side.) Locate the holes for the screws for This maximizes the work area and makes
aprons and rails. Since the assemblies the upper shelf so they anchor into the it easy to clamp workpieces to the top.
are screwed to the ends through the vertical fillers, as in detail a. I covered the top with plastic laminate
rails, thicker material creates a stiffer TOP FRAME. The frame that supports the for a durable, smooth surface. The lami-
connection, as you can see in detail c. top includes a centered brace to provide nate reduces friction when the table is
used for outfeed support. When pressed
Woodsmith.com 27
!/8 1!/2
Casters are great for rolling a large table !/8
like this around the shop. But when you !/2"-rad.
want to use it as an outfeed table, the
LEVELER
casters may lead to the table shifting. BASE NOTE: Bases are
I 1!/2"-thick hardwood.
Also, if your shop is anything like mine, Supports are
the floor is uneven. That can cause prob- 1%/8"-thick hardwood
lems when trying to align the outfeed !/2"-13 T-nut
table with the top of your saw table. #/8" x 5!/2"
lag screw and washer
Whats needed is a way to park the
table securely and easily level it with !/2"-13 swivel mount b. 2!/4
your table saw. There are commercial
levelers available, but considering the a.
SIDE J
weight of the table and any workpieces VIEW
on it, those solutions just wouldnt work. 5 I !/8
J
Instead, I came up with a shop-built
!/2
leveler that combines two stout wood I
blocks with heavy-duty hardware. The FRONT
result is an easy-to-adjust system thats 1!/8
SECTION
VIEW &/8
also strong and stable.
6 2!/2
HARDWOOD BLOCKS. Building the levelers
begins with the two hardwood pieces
the base and support. Since the level- a length of threaded rod, as you can see look at Figure 2 to see how to extend the
ers are attached to the ends of the table, in detail b and Figure 1 below. hole through the support block.
its a good idea to round the corners of The second hardwood piece reinforces SOME HARDWARE. Now its time to add
the base to ease the sharp edge. the base to keep it from flexing under the hardware. First, a T-nut is tapped
The base has a pair of mounting holes the weight of the table, as in detail a. into the counterbore. The adjustable
drilled into the edge. While youre at the The upper surface is beveled to provide portion of the leveler consists of a piece
drill press, you can drill the counterbore clearance, as shown in detail b. After of threaded rod, a large knob, and a
and through hole to accept a T-nut and gluing the two blocks together, take a swivel mount. The size of the knob
makes positioning the leveler much
CRADLES
I
Auxiliary drill press table The feature that sets this project apart
from an ordinary outfeed table is the
(/16" brad
point bit system that helps you lift heavy sheets
of plywood or MDF onto your table saw
Drill It. Drill the counterbore for the Support Hole. After gluing up the with less effort. The surprising solution
T-nut first, then use the centerpoint to base and support, use the existing comes in the form of two cradles shown
drill the through hole. hole as a guide to complete the hole. in the drawing on the next page. The
cradles slip into the pockets in the ends.
3#/4
1 2 76
#/4
4
SECOND: 12!#/16"-rad.
Cut away
K the waste 2!/2
with a
jig saw
FRONT VIEW
13
K
FIRST: THIRD: 2!/8
Drill out Clean up
ends with 1!/2" 90
edges with files 4
Forstner bit and sandpaper 2!/2
1!/4
Cut Out Handholds. A Forstner bit creates smooth curves 7!/4 %/8"-rad.
at each end of the handholds and provides access for a jig 2#/4 4!/4
saw blade to cut away the waste.
7
Woodsmith.com 29
Knock-down
Shelving System
This set of shelves uses a clever design of
interlocking notches and keys that make it a snap to
set up or take down. Its sure to be a fun weekend build.
Big, towering, and ornate bookcases this setup. A set of four frames provide keys into grooves at the ends of the
and shelving units certainly have their the basic structure, while shelves that planks spreads them apart. Notches
place in the woodworking pantheon. are each made from two thick maple cut in the outside edges engage with
But every once in awhile, you just need planks pass between the frames. the frame stiles to lock it all together.
something simple and useful. This lit- FASTENER-FREE ASSEMBLY. But the unique If you ever need to take the shelv-
tle knock-down shelving system was part of the system is how its assem- ing system apart to move it, you can
designed and built with exactly that bled. When theyre butted together, simply tap out the keys, remove the
sentiment in mind. the shelf planks are narrower than the shelves, and it all breaks down neatly
SIMPLE DESIGN. As you can see, there openings in the frame and pass through into a tidy stack of frames and boards
isnt a whole lot in the way of parts to them easily. Then, driving hardwood for storage or transport.
Padauk filler
strips make
it easy to
position rails
and provide Notches in shelf
a nice contrast planks lock into
with the cherry frame the frame stiles
{ Hardwood keys are the secret to the shelving systems { Bookends help to make the unit quite useful as a
construction. They spread the shelf planks apart, locking bookshelf. They slide in the space between the planks
the notches on the shelf planks into the frame stiles. and lock down securely with threaded knobs.
Woodsmith.com 31
!/2
A
Spacer 5
D
!/4" dado A
a. Backer
blade C
#/8"
roundover END A
bit VIEW B
Featherboard
Centered Grooves. After the first Radius. Stacking the stiles and routing Install Fillers. A spacer block allows
pass, flip the stile end for end to cut a a roundover along the corners is an you to position the filler strips properly
centered groove in the piece. easy way to form all the radii. as you glue and clamp them in place.
a. E
END
Aux. VIEW
fence E
#/8 Backer
E
board
1"-thick
spacer
Stub Tenon Shoulders. Use the rip Stub Tenon Cheeks. This backer Frame Assembly. Spacers help to hold
fence to establish the position of the board (page 65) supports the rails the position of the rails as you glue and
tenon shoulders before cutting. vertically as you cut the tenon cheeks. clamp the frame together.
Woodsmith.com 33
G !/4
10 1!/2
SHELF PLANK
F
G
TOP
SECTION
63 F VIEW
34!/2
NOTE: Planks are
1"-thick hardwood.
Keys are #/8"-thick hardwood
1
4!/4
10#/4 1#/4
5!/2
1
With the frames assembled, you can NOTCHES. The next step is critical to notches a precise and efficient process.
turn your attention to the remainder how this shelving system is assembled, After cutting them all, I sanded a slight
of the parts that make up the shelving and thats the four notches formed on radius on the edge of each notch so that
system. Those include the shelf planks, the outside edge of each shelf plank. they would seat better against the stiles.
keys, and adjustable bookends. As youll recall, later on these will lock RADIUS. The last step to complete the
START WITH THE SHELVES. The four shelves against the inner edges of the frame planks is to form a radius along all the
are each formed from two maple stiles to hold the entire unit together. outside-facing corners. Here again, you
planks. After cutting them to size, I To cut the notches, I stood each plank can shape these in the same manner as
formed a groove along the inside edge on edge and passed it over a dado blade. you did for the stiles (refer to the lower
of each to accept the key later on. These Each notch is wider than the full width middle drawing on page 32).
grooves can be cut in the same manner of a dado blade, so cutting them required KEYS. Like the fillers in the frames, the
as those on the frame stiles, as shown in two passes each. I used the setup shown keys are made from the exotic wood
the lower left drawing on page 32. in Figure 1 below to make forming the padauk for a nice contrast with the
Aux. Spacer
fence 1!/2 1 !/2
Stop !/4"
block spacer
F b. END VIEW
Notches. An auxiliary miter fence with a stop block and Assembly. Its easiest to assemble the shelving system with the
spacer is the trick to cutting the 1"-wide notches. Remove frames positioned on edge. Carefully slide in the shelf planks and
the spacer after the first pass to complete the notch. align the notches with the stiles before driving in the keys.
1"x 6" - 72" Hard Maple (Eight boards @ 3.0 Bd. Ft. each) (2) 14"-20 Threaded Inserts
F (2) 14" Fender Washers
(2) 1"-dia. Knobs w/14"-20 x 1" stud
1"x 6!/2" - 96" Cherry (Two boards @ 4.3 Bd. Ft. each)
A E E E
E E E I H
A
A E E E E
Woodsmith.com 35
Multipurpose
Workstation
Rock-solid, practical, and inexpensive its
tough to beat this versatile workstation that
you can make from one sheet of plywood..
I dont think a woodworker can ever two heights. Use it in the low position
have enough work space. But building as an assembly or finishing table. Or
a permanent bench or table just makes for cutting sheets of plywood down to
the shop more crowded. Thats where size with your circular saw. At the high
this handy multipurpose workstation position, youll have another workbench
comes to the rescue. or miter saw station. Add the practical
This knock-down workstation can be accessories on the following pages, and
made in a few hours. Its simple, yet the you can set up shop almost anywhere.
strong design makes it useful around
the shop, house, or outdoors. You can > Interlocking notches between the
set up this workstation in almost no time rails and legs make this station a
at all. And it can be assembled to sit at snap to assemble or disassemble.
A height-adjustable STATION
Take a look at the drawings on this page, You can also change the length of to size. And youll also need a drill, a
and youll see how versatile this work- the rails if you desire. I made the long router, and a jig saw to shape the legs
station really is. The two rectangular rails shown above for mine, but itd be and make the notches in the legs and
legs are connected by rails that fit into simple to adjust their length to suit a rails. But the best part is, you can make
notches. The legs are notched on two smaller (or bigger) workspace. all the parts shown above using a single
sides to create two working heights. Building this workstation isnt dif- sheet of plywood and a couple of 2x4s.
And theyre laminated from two pieces ficult to do. Youll need a circular saw Youll see how all the pieces go together
of plywood for added strength. or a table saw to cut the plywood down starting on page 38.
Woodsmith.com 37
!/8" roundovers
The legs are each made up of two pieces on edges
of plywood (main drawing at right). To RAILS B
make the legs lighter and easier to clamp
during glue-up, I cut out the center
portion on the four pieces. To get good
5!/2
results, I drilled out the corners on one A
of the pieces of plywood, cut it to rough Holes are
drilled and
shape with a jig saw, and sanded the then slots are
opening smooth. Then I used that piece cut with jig saw
Rail
Cap and rail 80
are flush at END
VIEW Rail
both ends D
GUSSETS 2 FRONT VIEW
{ For a quick and easy finishing table or an extra { Cutting plywood with a circular saw can be a chore
workbench, a piece of plywood is all it takes. Cleats without proper support. Simple 2x4 supports turn
hold it in place, making for a sturdy worksurface. your workstation into a panel-cutting bench.
Woodsmith.com 39
{ A stable worksurface and outfeed support are { Portability and quick setup make this miter saw
necessities when using a portable planer. You get stand a must-have for the shop. A solid platform and
both with this easy-to-make accessory. outfeed supports make for accurate cuts.
PLATFORM
With this platform and outfeed table Use router base BLOCK
for my benchtop table saw, I can now as template for drilling S
mounting holes
use the saw just about anywhere. And
to make it even more useful, I mounted
V
a router to the outfeed support to create OUTFEED TOP
R
a compact, portable router table. (12 x 30!/2)
PLATFORM
TABLE SAW PLATFORM. The base for the (sized to fit saw)
benchtop table saw is just a piece of 34" W
plywood with cleats on the bottom, like
the other bases on page 40. Youll have
U
to size your platform 4" larger than the
BASE T
base of your saw to accommodate the (12 x 30!/2) Y
W
1"-rad.
SIDE PLATFORM
four L-shaped blocks in each corner 1"-rad. MOUNTING CLEAT
(9!/4 x 11!/4)
CLEAT
(refer to detail a at right). I rounded X (2 x 9!/4)
the corners of the blocks with a 1" OUTFEED b. #8 x 1!/2" Fh
FRONT
radius before screwing them in place. (6 x 11!/4) woodscrews
OUTFEED SUPPORT. The outfeed support V
shown on the right doubles as a handy NOTE: All Y
parts are Z #8 x 1!/4" Fh
router table. The important consid- #/4" plywood woodscrew
OUTFEED W
X
eration is to make the final height the CLEAT
same as the height of your saw table.
Detail b on the right shows how the
outfeed support is just a bottom and
#8 x 1!/2" Fh
top piece connected by a pair of front a. woodscrews
and side pieces. The top is covered 2 2
NOTE:
with laminate for smooth operation. Height of U
S outfeed table
To mount your router, use your rout- 5 should match
5 height of Z
ers baseplate as a template for locating saw table
the screw holes. W
{ A handy plywood platform makes it easy to outfit the { To maximize shop space, you can create a portable
workstation with a benchtop table saw. Added outfeed router table by mounting a router to the underside of
support increases the capability of the saw for cuts. the table saw outfeed support.
Woodsmith.com 41
Six double-wide
drawers maximize
the storage capacity
of the cabinet
Hardwood
edging covers
all of the exposed
plywood edges
Stand parts
connected with
mortise and tenon
joinery
{ The pull-out tray turns the card catalog cabinet into a { The generous cutouts on the drawer
writing desk. When done, simply push it back into the sides mimic the shape of the original
tray case for out of the way storage. card catalog drawers.
Woodsmith.com 43
!/2
2!/4 3
!/2 !/2
A 2
2
14
B
C
!/8" roundover !/4
on outer edge !/4 A
!/4 1!/4"-deep
A mortises
LEG
!/8" roundover b. %/8"-deep
on four edges LOWER mortise A
END RAIL 1!/4 1
NOTE: Legs C Leg
are mirror 2 taper
images !/4 1!/2
c. 1!/4
28 #/8
C
14 8!/4 !/4
!/4 1!/4"-deep
!/4
3 !/4 mortise
8 !/8" roundover on
A three outside edges
and on bottom
perimeter blanks from this stock, as well. Leave
FRONT the individual boards oversized and
VIEW NOTE: Legs are glued cut them to final size after the glue
1#/4 up from three layers
of #/4"-thick hardwood dries. Since the legs are mirror images,
its a good idea to label them now to
!/4"
brad point Leg
bit Use a wide blank
chisel for sides
a. of mortise
Cut to waste
1!/4 side of layout
line, then
sand smooth
Waste
END SECTION VIEW
Drill Mortises. Remove the bulk of Chisel Work. With most of the Taper Legs. The band saw makes
the waste for the mortises using a brad material removed, use a pair of chisels quick work of cutting the taper on the
point bit at the drill press. to clean up the walls of the mortises. lower portion of the legs.
How-To: CUT RAIL TENONS table. Ease all four edges on the stretcher,
but just the lower, outside edge on the
rails (details a and b above).
1 2 ASSEMBLE THE STAND. Just a quick point
before you bring the end assemblies
Aux. miter
NOTE: fence together. Its important that the stand
Rip fence Aux. sit flat on the floor to prevent rocking.
acts as miter
stop B D fence So after gluing the rails and stretcher in
Rip place and loosely applying the clamps,
B D
fence I positioned the stand on my flat work-
#/4" dado a.
blade a. END VIEW bench top and sat an oversized piece of
1!/4 END VIEW
1!/4
plywood across the top. Some weight on
#/4" dado blade
top of the plywood (I used a couple of
!/2 sandbags) keeps the whole thing stable
!/4
and all four legs flat on the workbench.
You can then tighten the clamps.
Tenon Cheeks. Use the rip fence Shoulder Cuts. Using the same dado Finally, screw the shelf brackets to the
to establish the length of the tenon blade and fence setup, flip the rails on inside face of the rails (detail a). These
as you cut the cheeks. edge and finish up the tenons. are used to secure the stand to the tray
case that sits on top.
Woodsmith.com 45
35!/4
EDGING
N
J I
1%/8 BACK TRAY
14!/2 EDGING 33!/4
2%/8 1 F 36#/8 34#/4
L TRAY
K
TRAY CASE M
BACK 13#/4 FRONT
!/2 2%/8 TRAY
EDGING
14!/2 Tray
2%/8 1 knob
G TRAY CASE SIDE 1
H N 14!/2
RUNNER SIDE TRAY NOTE: Add the
14!/2 EDGING knobs after the
!/2 finish is applied
a. #/16 b. SIDE c. d.
!/4 SECTION VIEW
SIDE SECTION VIEW FRONT VIEW
!/8" F I Tray knob
F F !/2 I
#/16 J roundover M
!/2
N 1 N Shelf Tray
#/16 N L L
bracket knob I M
H
!#/32 F !/4 F L F I #/4 6!!/16
G
J Tray case Tray case sides I
FRONT Shelf is flush !/8" are flush with
Leg SECTION VIEW Leg bracket with leg roundover stand legs
Form Tongues. Using a dado blade, cut Groove. Flip the side end for end after Tongue Grooves. Narrow
the rabbets on the ends of the case top and the first pass and make a second cut to grooves in the sides mate up
bottom to form an offset tongue. create the centered grooves. with the tongues on the panels.
Woodsmith.com 47
Rabbets. Use a dado blade to Panel Dadoes. The dadoes in the top Sides & Dividers. Change the dado blade
cut the rabbets on the panels and bottom can also be made at the table thickness and use the same technique to
that form the offset tongues. saw using the rip fence as a guide. cut dadoes in the sides and dividers.
How-To: CUT GROOVES & CHAMFER TOP EDGE all of the information youll need to
make the top and its necessary edg-
ing. The edging on the sides and back
1 2 is the same as the edging youve used
Case top throughout this project on the tray and
Push assembly
block Tall
case front. The piece on the front edge,
Rip Featherboard aux. however, is slightly different.
fence
fence It has a chamfer on its lower edge. I
Q
V found it easiest to glue all of the edging
a. END a. END to the top panel first, and then create the
%/16 VIEW VIEW
!/4"dado #/8 chamfer at the table saw, as shown in
!/4
blade Figure 2 at left. The last step is to round-
Tilt
#/16 blade 37 over all the edges. This includes easing
the edge underneath the chamfer.
Now position the top on the case and
Case Corners. The offset grooves in Chamfer Edging. Tilt the table saw mark the pilot hole locations on the
the case corners are made using a blade 37 to make the chamfer cut on underside of the top through the holes
dado blade in the table saw. the front edging piece. in the case top. After drilling the pilot
holes, screw the top in place.
Woodsmith.com 49
a. Template
Drawer side
blank
Waste
Drawer side
blank Template
Trace Template. Line up the ends and Rough It Out. Move to the band Trim. Use double-sided tape to attach
edges of the template with a side blank saw to rough cut the side blank. the template to the blank and clean up
and transfer the shape to the blank. Stay to the waste side of the line. the waste with a flush-trim bit.
M
!/2"x 5" - 96" Hard Maple (Two Boards @ 3.3 Sq Ft. Each)
Z Z Z Z Z Z
!/2"x 5" - 96" Hard Maple (Two Boards @ 3.3 Sq Ft. Each) N
Z Z Z AA AA AA BB BB
#/4"x 5" - 96" Red Oak (Two Boards @ 3.3 Bd. Ft. Each)
A A A
X
A A A
#/4"x 7" - 96" Red Oak (Two Boards @ 4.7 Bd. Ft. I J
W W W D B
C
Q
#/4"x 6" - 96" Red Oak (4.0 Bd. Ft.) V N R I
E
X
G G
ALSO NEEDED: One 48" x 48" sheet of !/4" oak plywood NOTE: Parts 'R' planed to %/8" thick
One 48" x 96" sheet of #/4" oak plywood
Woodsmith.com 51
a fresh look at
Pocket Hole Joinery
Whether Im building face frames or the various methods that I employ to to it. As you drive in the pocket screw, it
cabinets, I rely on pocket hole joinery join pieces of wood together, its prob- draws the two pieces together to create a
quite a bit. And with good reason: Few ably the easiest of all to accomplish. solid, strong joint (drawing below).
joinery solutions offer the combination POCKET SCREWS. As for the screws used
of strength and simplicity that comes OVERVIEW OF A POCKET HOLE JOINT in pocket hole joinery, theyre not your
from drilling an angled hole with a jig To create a pocket hole joint, you simply average woodscrews. Most have a
and then driving in a screw to connect drill an angled hole in one workpiece, washerhead that pulls the joint together
the two parts. In fact, I would say among and then butt and clamp the mating piece by seating fully in the pocket hole.
SECTION VIEW
Washer-
head
Pocket
screw
Pocket
hole
{ Pocket screws come in many lengths for different Basic Joint. The screw driven into the angled hole forms a strong
material thickness, as well as fine threads for mechanical connection between the two boards, while the
harder woods and coarse threads for softer woods. washerhead on the screw helps to lock the joint firmly together.
pocket hole jigs, including Craftsman, holes, you might want to look into a
Porter-Cable, General Tools, and others. pocket hole machine to speed up your
But Ive always gravitated toward Kregs work. Kreg makes one solution, the
offerings due to their ease of use and the Foreman, that is built and priced for Case Joinery. Pocket holes arent ideal
many types available. Their products consumers (below right). Refer to page for all casework, but they can speed up
are easy to find at many home centers. 67 for source information on these tools. jobs like making basic shop cabinets.
{ A portable pocket hole jig like this Kreg Jig HD is a great solution { The Kreg Foreman is a consumer-priced pocket hole machine that drills
if youre working with big parts where you want to bring the jig a hole as you lower the machines handle. It can greatly pick up the
to the workpiece rather than the other way around. pace of your work if you drill a lot of pocket holes for your projects.
Woodsmith.com 53
Face
clamp Table fences
perpendicular
to one another
Adhesive-
backed
sandpaper
Clamp Across. For small assemblies, Face Clamps. A face clamp applied Assembly Table. A simple table with
simply clamping across them provides directly to the joint will also hold it well 90 fences provides clamping surfaces
enough support when driving screws. when adding the pocket screws. and keeps parts square for assembly.
Riser positions
frame rail
Stile
Spacers. For face frames, some simple plywood spacers Risers. When joining parts that have offset faces, you can
that match the widths of the openings will keep everything use a riser block with a thickness that matches the offset
positioned correctly as you drive in pocket screws. between the parts to keep them all aligned.
square to one another and give you some simple solutions you can employ as grain exposed on the surface. As a result
a clamping surface as you secure the you join your assemblies to make every- of this, I typically reserve these plugs for
joint. As you can see in the lower right thing go together smoothly. projects that I plan to paint.
drawing on the previous page, I like When assembling face frames, for Another option is the Custom Pocket
to put down a few pieces of adhesive- example, I like to cut plywood spacers Hole Plug Cutter kit from Kreg shown
backed sandpaper on the base of the to match the widths of the openings. below. The kit comes with a bit guide
table to provide grip and keep the Then I can use the spacers to square that fits in a Kreg pocket hole jig. It has
pieces from sliding around as I secure everything up while driving in the a special bit that allows you to cut plugs
the joints with pocket screws. screws (upper left drawing). to match the wood and the grain of your
Another issue where positioning the project parts. After making as many
ALIGNMENT ISSUES parts can come up is when the edges plugs as you need, you can cut them
One concern that often arises with pocket or faces are offset. Here again, using a free from the blank at the band saw.
hole joinery, particularly with project wood riser to position the mating parts At this point, the plugs are ready to
assemblies such as face frames, is that it properly can do the trick, as shown in use on your project.
can be difficult to align the parts prop- the upper right drawing. POCKET HOLE POSSIBILITIES. If you dont
erly prior to driving in the screws. Unlike already use a lot of pocket hole joinery
other types of woodworking joinery PLUGGING POCKET HOLES in your woodworking, then the method
like mortise and tenon joints or dadoes, If you want to use pocket hole joinery is certainly worth a closer look. By
the project parts with the pocket holes on a visible area of your project, then employing it in the right situations, you
dont have an automatic place to register plugging the holes is an option. You can simplify the construction of your
against the mating parts before you put can buy pocket hole plugs, but theyre projects in a manner that completely
them all together. Fortunately, there are made from dowels and leave the end hides the holes from view. W
{ The Kreg plug cutter kit comes { You make plugs with the guide { Making a simple cut at the { Each plug sits just above the
with a special bit guide and and bit, much like drilling band saw releases all of the project surface, so you can
the plug cutting drill bit. standard pocket holes. plugs from the blank. sand it smooth and flush.
Woodsmith.com 55
avoid these 5
Drill Press Mistakes
A drill press is a versatile addition to any run into. Thankfully, the remedies for 1,000 rpm). The idea here is that low
shop. I use mine on nearly every project. poor-quality performance are simple to speeds are low-risk. But this approach
Part of what makes it so handy is how achieve, and they wont cost you a dime. ignores the fact that a drill bit has an
simple of a machine it is. However, that optimum speed range based on its type
simplicity can lead to a casual attitude RAGGED OR BURNED HOLES and its diameter. When set too low or
just walk over to the drill press, turn Its tempting to have a set it and forget too high, the quality of the hole suffers.
it on and get started. That mindset often it attitude with the speed of your drill One good example is brad point bits.
leads to less than desirable results. Here press. Most of the time, I see drill presses These bits are designed to work their
are five common problems you may set to a medium to low speed (less than best at higher speeds (above 1,500 rpm).
At slow speeds, the spurs on the edge of
the bit may tear out soft or open-grained
wood like red oak.
The remedy is to match the speed of
the drill press to suit both the bit and the
material (photo at left). You may be think-
ing that the time it takes to change the
speed in order to drill a few holes doesnt
seem worthwhile. The truth is it really
Woodsmith.com 57
our favorite
Cordless Tools
Theres no question that cordless tools CIRCULAR SAW. Theres a tendency to
have come a long way since they first think of a circular saw as a construction
appeared on the scene. Todays cordless tool useful for crosscutting two-by
technology offers tools that are more framing lumber. But in my shop, I often
powerful, run longer, and weigh less use a circular saw to break down sheets
than those made just a few years ago. of plywood or MDF before cutting them
Improvements in battery technology to final size on my table saw. The issue
have even made tools like cordless table I have with a corded circular saw is that
saws and miter saws possible. the cord drags along behind the tool
This is great news if youre a con- and can snag on the edge of the sheet,
tractor or builder working on a jobsite resulting in an uneven cut.
where electrical power isnt always A cordless circular saw (photo above)
available or conveniently located. But does away with that distraction. In addi-
do cordless tools offer any advantages tion, most cordless saws are smaller in
to a home woodworker? Well, if youve size, making them a little easier to han-
ever used a cordless drill, you probably dle. Since I rarely use my circular saw
would say, Yes. However, drills arent for cutting anything thicker than 34", the
the only battery-powered tools that are smaller size is actually a benefit. And
{ One of the main benefits of using a handy to have in a home shop. Heres a because I typically use my circular saw
cordless brad nailer is that you can free quick look at five cordless tools that we for just a few cuts at a time, I find that a
yourself from the jarring sound of an air feel are worth considering even if you cordless version gives me all the power
compressor kicking on every few minutes. already own a corded version. I need for just about any project.
{ Impact drivers are generally lighter and smaller in size than { Its hard to beat the versatility of an oscillating multi-tool. They
cordless drills. But they provide more torque, making them a great can be used for sanding, cutting, scraping, and even removing tile
choice when you have a lot of screws to drive. grout. With a cordless version, you can use it anywhere.
Woodsmith.com 59
the basics of
Brushing an
Oil-Based Finish
Here in the Woodsmith shop, the shop see on an heirloom piece, then an oil- These brushes have soft bristles that
craftsman finishes almost all of our based finish is the way to go. are perfect for smoothly applying
projects by spraying on a couple of When it comes to brushing on an an oil-based finish. Plus, they hold a
protective coats of lacquer. However, oil-based finish smoothly, there is cer- large amount of finish and release it
in a home shop, setting up a dedi- tainly an art to it. By taking the right evenly on the surface.
cated spray booth for applying lacquer approach, from the brush you choose to GETTING STARTED. Once you have the
might not be a realistic option. And the sequence you use to apply the finish, right brush in hand, loading it prop-
that typically makes brushing on a you can achieve a smooth, flawless, and erly is step number one for getting
varnish, most commonly polyure- drip-free surface. Heres what to keep in good results. I typically dip just the
thane, your best bet for a protective mind as you get started.
coating for your project. CHOOSING YOUR TOOL. The first step in
Both oil-based and water-based poly- getting good results is pairing the
urethanes are available, and either one proper brush with the finish you plan
will offer protection to your woodwork- to use. For oil-based varnish or poly-
ing project. But if you want the warm, urethane, a white China bristle brush
amber tone that you typically expect to is your best bet (photo, below left).
Quality ferrule Natural, white
prevents loose bristles China bristles hold
a lot of finish
Contoured handle
improves comfort
first couple of inches into the finish called cross-brushing. Basically, what heavy coat, to get the smoothest, most
and then dab off the excess on the side you do is brush horizontally against even results without runs or drips. To
of the container. To make this easier, I the grain, working your way from the that end, even though the directions
transfer some finish from the can into bottom of the vertical surface to the on most cans of finish recommend two
a glass jar (lower right photo, previous top, as shown in the lower left photo. coats, I like to use three or more.
page). This way, I can see more clearly Then, once the finish is applied, you In addition, I sand lightly between
exactly how much finish I am loading tip off the entire surface by starting coats with 320-grit paper. Then I
onto my brush. Plus, its a lot easier at the bottom and working toward the thoroughly wipe off any dust before
to wipe off the excess cleanly on the top vertically (lower right photo). This applying subsequent coats.
inside surface of a jar than on the lip smooths everything out and prevents SMOOTH WITH A BRUSH. A flawless, glass-
of a full can of finish. any runs and drips from occurring. smooth finish is truly possible by
BRUSHING FLAT SURFACES. Probably the BRUSHING TIPS & TRICKS. Whichever type of taking your time and employing the
most common area youll need to fin- surface youre finishing, there are a few proper brushing techniques. Ater a
ish on your woodworking projects other things I keep in mind to improve little bit of practice, you might find
is a flat surface. To prevent runs and my results. In general, I like to apply fin- that your results may rival those of a
drips from spilling over the surface of ish in several light coats, rather than a sprayed-on finish. W
the panel and onto the edges, I like to
start slightly off the edge and back-
brush toward it (left photo above).
Then I brush with the grain across the
panel, holding the brush at 45 and
making slightly overlapping strokes
(upper middle photo).
For the smoothest finish possible,
theres one extra step youll want to
add to your brushing process, and
thats to tip off the finished sur-
face to make it completely smooth.
As you can see in the upper right
photo, youll hold the brush almost
completely vertical for this step.
VERTICAL SURFACES. If you have to brush
finish on a vertical surface, gravity
presents an additional challenge to
your progress. Obviously, these areas
are a lot more prone to runs and drips { An approach that works well for vertical surfaces is called cross-brushing. First, you brush
than horizontal ones. To avoid these back and forth across the grain, working from the bottom up (left photo). Now complete the
issues, one useful technique to try is coat by tipping off the surface vertically from the bottom to the top (right photo).
Woodsmith.com 61
strategies for
Cutting Sheet Goods
Here in the Woodsmith shop, we have a a snap. But like most people, I dont have those large sheets at the table saw. These
panel saw for cutting sheet goods. This that luxury when Im working in my cuts can be challenging. But with the
handy, wall-mounted tool makes posi- home shop. So I do what many people right setup and technique (and a little
tioning and breaking down large panels do and figure out how to break down help), youll have that panel of plywood
or MDF broken down into more manage-
FIRST: Assistant helps able pieces in no time.
Operator lift and position sheet
on the table saw SECOND: Assistant helps CLEAR SOME SPACE. As you can imagine,
square the sheet with
the fence as operator one of the first considerations when cut-
begins the feed ting full sheets at the table saw is making
sure you have enough space. In order to
Assistant rip a full sheet of plywood, youll need
THIRD: Assistant moves to the a full 96" both in front of and behind
outfeed side and supports the the saw. For crosscuts, it requires 48" of
pieces as they exit the cut
clearance in front and behind the saw, as
well as some space along the side.
In my garage shop, I have my table
saw on a mobile base. This allows me to
Two-Man move it out to the driveway if I need to
Operation break down sheet goods.
TWO-MAN TECHNIQUE
The reality of breaking down full sheets is
that its easier to do it with two people. So
if a friend is available to help out, I often
NOTE: Assistant ONLY supports opt for that method. The drawing on the
the pieces. He does not pull or guide left provides the basic overview of the
{ Inexpensive roller stands are readily { The Heavy-Duty Flexible Roller Stand from { Simple, shop-built solutions are also a
available at home centers and are easy to General International offers the ultimate good option for sheet good support, such
adjust for infeed, outfeed, or side support. in support (refer to Sources on page 67). as this adjustable-height sawhorse.
Woodsmith.com 63
Shop
Notes
1 2 3
Drawer
Drawer Fence side
front Fence Drawer
Fence Wide push
front
block
Wide push
#/8" block !/8"
Tall push straight straight
block bit bit
#/8"
straight
bit
a. #/4 a. !/4 a. !/8 END
END
#/8 VIEW VIEW
NOTE: Make !/8 END
multiple #/8
VIEW
passes,
raising the
bit after !/2 !/2
!/4
each pass
5!/2
Cut head
off bolt
and discard
Washer
the tenon shoulders with the workpiece face down on the
saw table. The second pass, however, required holding the
pieces vertically to cut the tenon cheeks. Fortunately, this
wasnt too difficult. I just made the simple backer board
Threaded
insert shown above. Paired with a tall auxiliary rip fence, it sup-
ports the rail as you pass it over the blade vertically.
Creating Duplicates
Whenever a project calls for making my attention on just one of the pieces. Figure 1. Then the next step is to remove
identical curved or irregular parts, I With an accurate layout, careful cutting, most of the waste using a jig saw or a
often use a technique that saves time and a little handwork, you end up with band saw, depending on the size of the
and ensures perfect copies. Thats the a pretty good match to the plan. workpiece (Figure 2). Aim to cut within
case for making the templates for the 1
MAKE IT A TEMPLATE. Rather than go through 16" of the pencil lines.
routed bowls (page 18), the cradles for all that effort for the other parts, use the With double-sided tape, secure the
the outfeed table (page 24), and the legs first part as a template to shape the next. completed part to the copy and use a
for the workstation (page 36). The drawings below show you the steps. flush-trim bit to remove the rest of the
Since its nearly impossible to shape Use the completed part as a pattern to waste (Figure 3). The result is a set of
each part perfectly on its own, I focus trace the shape on a blank, as shown in parts that match each other perfectly. W
1 2 3
Blank
Trace the shape
onto a blank Duplicate Completed
workpiece piece
Woodsmith.com 65
choosing
Drill Bits
I've noticed that you use a few is helpful in aligning the bit with the TWIST BITS. Brad point bits and Forst-
different styles of bits when drilling desired hole location on your work- ner bits are both designed for drilling
holes for projects in Woodsmith. How piece. Finally, they have a steep flute in wood or soft materials like plastic.
do you determine which type of bit to design to help eject chips efficiently. If you have occasion to drill holes in
use in a given application? FORSTNER BITS. When a project calls for metal, youll need yet another style of
C. J. Kingery a hole with a flat bottom (such as a bit a twist bit. These bits are ground
Spring Valley, California counterbore or mortise) well typically to drill clean holes in both ferrous and
use a Forstner bit. Like brad point bits, non-ferrous metals (lower right photo).
There are a number of factors that go Forstner bits score the edge of the hole Theyll work in wood, but they dont
into the decision of which type of drill as they cut, leaving a clean hole (center leave as clean of an edge as either brad
bit to use. The material youre drilling, photo below). But they remove most of point bits or Forstner bits.
the size of the hole, and even the number the waste with a pair of straight cutting However, theres one situation where
of holes you have to drill all play into edges that shave the wood similar to twist bits are useful in woodworking,
the equation. But most of the time, there a tiny hand plane. This creates a hole and thats when you need to drill an
are some pretty clear guidelines when it with an almost perfectly flat bottom. in-between size hole. Brad points and
comes to choosing a bit style. Ill try to The downside of Forstner bits is that Forstner bits are usually available only in
1
outline them here. they arent very good at chip ejection. 16" increments. So if I have to drill a 932"-
BRAD POINT BITS. For the lions share They have a tendency to clog when drill- dia. hole, for example, I turn to a twist bit.
of holes, we use brad point bits (left ing deep holes, which can possibly burn Although it may seem like you need
photo below). These bits are designed the wood or ruin the edge of the hole. So to outfit your shop with a lot of different
specifically for drilling in wood. They when using a Forstner bit, you need to bits, the good news is that you dont
feature spurs on the edges of the bit to feed slowly and lift the bit out of the hole need to buy them all at once. A good set
score the perimeter of the hole, leaving occasionally to clear it of shavings. If you of brad point bits will get you started,
a clean edge free of tearout. They also have a lot of holes to drill, this can really and then you can add additional bits or
have a long, sharp centerpoint, which add to your drilling time. sets of bits as you need them. W
{ For quickly drilling clean, tearout-free { A Forstner bit excels at drilling a flat- { For drilling holes in metal, a twist bit
holes in wood, its hard to beat a quality bottom hole. Since its guided by the rim is the correct choice. Theyre readily
set of brad point bits. of the bit, it can drill overlapping holes. available in a wide range of sizes.
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Woodsmith.com 67