WORKSHOP

by NEAL BARRETT

Folding Room Divider

Tame an open floor plan to add privacy

T oday’s popular residential floor plans empha- because oak still is America’s most popular resi-
size larger rooms and more open space. While dential wood for natural trim, floors and cabi-
these barrier-free designs are liberating, they can netry. However, you could use any hardwood
complicate furniture placement and make distin- and achieve the same beautiful results.
guishing spaces for particular functions difficult.
This folding room divider project provides a sim- Making the parts
ple yet elegant solution. I started with 6/4 stock and planed it to a uni-
When American How-To asked me to design a form 1-1/4-in. thickness. This stock is readily
divider that would work within various types of available from lumberyards that sell hardwoods.
homes — contemporary, traditional, eclectic — I Begin by ripping the 1-1/4-in. stock to width
turned to the Arts and Crafts period for inspira- for the rails and stiles using your table saw and
tion. As for my choice of woods, I used red oak fence. Then crosscut both the rails and stiles to
Simple lines and keen
length using the saw’s
attention to detail miter gauge, or use a
make this oak divider miter box.
a welcome addition to To keep this project
any room. Coordinate uncomplicated, I joined
the removable screen- the rails and stiles with
ing fabric panel with 1/2-in.-dia. dowels.
your own upholstery Although dowel joints are
for a truly custom look. simple, aligning dowels
properly can be difficult
unless you use an accu-
rate doweling jig. For this
project, I chose to make
my own simple tandem
jig (see drawing) because
the spacing between
dowel holes is the same
for all the parts.
To ensure jig accura-
cy, I made it from the
same 1-1/4-in. stock as
the rails and stiles. I
bored the holes using a
PHOTOS BY STAFF AND SCOTT JACOBSON

brad-point bit mounted

in a drill press. Then I
attached the 1/4-in. ply-
wood sides to the jig with
glue and small nails.
Lay out and mark the
position of the rails on
the stiles. Use these
marks to correctly locate
the doweling jig. Secure

10 American How-To
 ROOM 1/2" dia. x 2" fluted 1/2" 1-3/4" 1/2"

DIVIDER
dowel (typ.)

B
Notch both ends 1/4"
1/2"
GRID MEMBERS F AND G
2-1/4" B 1-1/4"

H
Stops
B

Grid

Screen Grid
42-1/2
fabric G F A

No. 4
x 3/4"
brass
fhws

A F A
1/2" Stops Set in 1/8"

2-1/4" C 1-1/4" A

Screen Grid
1/4" fabric
I H
Stops
G
No. 4 x 1"
brass fhws A
16" E

1/4 " C
E

3" D 1-1/4"
E 1/4"
7/8"
A
SECTION VIEW E

1/4 x 2-1/4 x 3-1/4" 1-1/4 x 2"

plywood (2 req'd.) double-
action
hinge E A
(6 req'd.)
1/2" dia.
through
1/4" holes
1/4" D D
1-1/4"
5"
1-1/4 x 1-3/4 x
2-1/4" hardwood
Bore 1/2" dia. x 1-1/16"-
DOWELING JIG deep dowel holes (typical) FRONT VIEW DETAILS

X American
12 AmericanHow-To
How-To
the jig to the stock with a C-clamp and
clamp the stock in your workbench vise
(see photos) before boring the holes.
Indicate the correct drilling depth by
wrapping masking tape around the
bit. It’s a good practice to drill about
1/16 in. deeper than necessary to be
sure the joint can close and to allow
room for excess glue.
Be sure to leave the jig and work-
pieces oriented in the same direction as
you bore the holes. Any minor inaccu-
racies in the jig will be magnified if you
change its relative position from one
workpiece to the next. Test fit each
joint with dowels before you glue (see
photo). If the dowels are too fat for the
holes, you can pare down the dowels
with a simple jig. Drill a 1/2-in.-dia. hole
through a 1/8- or 1/4-in. steel plate,
then drive the dowels through the hole
with a mallet.
SHOPPING LIST
25 bf 6/4 red oak
3/4 x 24 x 24 red oak plywood (1)
Double action hinges (six req’d.,
Rockler catalog No. 29041)
No. 4 x 3/4-in. brass flathead
wood screws
No. 4 x 1-in. brass flathead
wood screws
1/2-in.-dia. x 2-in. fluted dowels
Synskin fiberglass fabric
(2 yds.; see SOURCES)
MATERIALS AND CUTTING LIST
KEY NO DESCRIPTION
A 6 Stiles
B 3 Top rails
C 3 Mid rails
D 3 Bottom rails
E 3 Panels, oak plywood
F 18 Vertical grid/stop strips
G 12 Horizontal grid strips
H 6 Horizontal stop strips
I 3 Screen fabric
*Use the assembled grid as a template to trim to exact size; see
text and SOURCES.
DOWELING
To ensure that the joints fit well, keep the
jig and the workpieces oriented in the
same position relative to one another.
The plywood panel of each frame fits
into a 1/4 x 1/4-in. groove you cut in
the stiles and the bottom and middle
rails before assembly. Use a plunge Secure the workpiece in a bench vise and
router to cut the groove with a 1/4-in.- the jig to the work with a C-clamp. Mark
dia. straight bit and an edge guide. To the drilling depth on the bit with tape.
help support the router base, I clamp
another piece of stock in the bench vise
next to the stile (see photo).
To cut the tongues on the edges of
the plywood panels, use a router and
piloted rabbeting bit or make the cuts on
a table saw. If you set a 1/8-in.-kerf blade
1/8 in. from the fence and 1/4 in. high,
you can make all the rabbet cuts without
changing the fence position. Make the
Fit the frame parts together temporarily
first cuts with the panel face against the
and use a pencil to mark the location of
fence, then make the cuts with the panel the groove for the panel.
face down on the saw table.
hole. If you use polyurethane glue, as I
Assembling the frame did for more open time, apply glue only
To assemble a frame, apply and spread on the walls of the holes. Do not glue
glue on each dowel and in each dowel the panel; let it float free in the grooves.
Although there’s no danger of the ply-
wood panel expanding and contracting
like a solid wood panel, gluing it is
unnecessary and it can create a mess.
SIZE
Install the three rails in one stile;
1-1/4 x 1-3/4 x 66 in.
then slide the panel into position. Align
1-1-4 x 2-1/4 x 12 in.
the remaining stile over the dowels,
1-1/4 x 2-1/4 x 12 in.
then clamp. Compare diagonal measure-
1-1/4 x 3 x 12 in.
ments to be sure that the frame is
3/4 x 12-1/2 x 16-1/2 in.
square and adjust the clamps as needed.
1/2 x 1/2 x 42-1/2 in.
1/2 x 1/2 x 12 in.
Making the screens
1/2 x 1/2 x 11 in.
Although I made only one grid for each
14 x 44 in.*
divider section, you might want to make
two (so the fabric is sandwiched between
them) if you plan on using the divider in
a spot where both sides are visible.
September/October 1999 13
FRAME AND PANEL CONSTRUCTION
Edge guide
Extra stock
• clamps and check that the frame is square.
When routing the panel grooves, clamp an
extra piece of stock next to the work to
help stabilize the router.
Make stock by ripping 1/2-in.-sq.
strips on the table saw for the stops and
screen grid. Or, if you have a band saw
and a planer, rip oversize strips on the
band saw, then plane them to 1/2 in.
MAKING GRIDS
Screen
stops
Before screwing the stops to the frame, bore clearance
and pilot holes, then countersink.
Stop
•
14 American How-To
Attach the rails and panel to one stile; then add the second stile and clamp. Adjust the
Whether you use a table saw or a band
saw, be sure to use a pushstick and
keep your hands away from the blade.
Cut the stops to length for the back
of the screen. Drill pilot holes and
clearance holes in the stops, and fasten
them to the frame with 1-in. screws
(see photo).
Next, cut the strips to size for the
grids and mark the half-lap joint posi-
Assemble the
grid joints
with glue, tap
them together
lightly if
needed, then
secure with
spring clamps.
To cut the half-lap joints,
make a sliding table with
runners for both miter
gauge slots. Use a stop for
consistent cuts.
tions. Gang cut the joints on your table
saw using a stack-dado blade and a slid-
ing table (see photo). A wobble-dado
blade will produce a cut that’s too
coarse. The joints should fit snugly and
be flush on both sides. You’ll probably
need to make several test cuts before
the joints fit just right.
Dry-assemble each grid to check for
proper fit. For a fast set, apply yellow
glue to each joint and
clamp (see photos). When
the glue has dried, sand
each grid with 220-grit
sandpaper and apply a
clear finish, such as var-
nish or lacquer.
I used a translucent
fiberglass fabric common-
ly used as a shoji screen
material to cover the grid
(see SOURCES). Other
fabrics or rice paper would
also work. First cut a piece
of fabric slightly larger
than the grid; then fasten
it to the top, back edge of
the grid with 1/4-in. sta-
ples. Use a razor knife to
trim the fabric flush with
the edge of the grid. The
fabric is stiff enough to
stay put once you install
the grid against the stops.
Finishing up
To install the surface-
mounted hinges, clamp
adjoining frames together
 American How-To
O FFI CI AL PU BLI CATI O N OF THE HAN DYMAN CLU B OF AMERI CA
®

with 1/8-in. spacers between them (see

photo). Position the double-action
November/December Preview
hinges (see SOURCES) on the frame Customize Your Closets Build Your Own Sofa
edges, then mark and drill pilot holes for
the hinge screws (use the screws provid- Brighten Your Bath Tune Your Garage Door
ed). Check that the hinges work correct-
ly, then remove them for finishing. Banish Ice Dams Plus: Table Lamp Plans
Sand each frame section with
220-grit paper and dust thoroughly. I

1/8-in. spacers

To install the hinges, clamp the frames

with 1/8-in. spacers between them, then
mark and bore the screw holes.

applied two coats of satin polyurethane

varnish, but you can use any clear fin-
ish. Reinstall the hinges once the finish
has cured.
To complete the divider, drill and
counterbore pilot holes for screws in
the top and bottom faces of each grid.
Lay the divider on a padded table and
install the grid panels with brass flat-
head wood screws.

SOURCES
Abe Schuster Plastics, Oakland, CA
(510) 653-3588
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware,
Medina, MN, (800) 279-4441
www.rockler.com

Club member Neal Barrett is a profession-

al woodworker from Rochester, New York.

September/October 1999 15