Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2020 i Popular Woodworking

When there’s so much uncertainty in the world, it’s awfully nice to be able to put my hands on real, tangible things that give me comfort. Sharp tools, a pile of lumber and a project provide respite from the ills of the world. A few hours spent fitting doors and drawers is a few hours spent not worrying about things that are truly out of my control. It keeps my mind and body active when my time might otherwise be spent in front of a screen. Of course, retreating into the shop isn’t always recommended. It’s important to spend time with your loved ones and help your neighbors and your community. As woodworkers, we’re perhaps better prepared to pitch in with things that can make lives better or create items…

If you've labored over handcut through dovetails, you'll be amazed how much faster they can be cut on the bandsaw. You get all the benefits, including strong joints, classic appearance, the ability to use boards of any thickness and the freedom to size and space the pins and tails however you want. The only limiting factor is your bandsaw's throat capacity. My saw allows making joints up to 14" wide. That's wide enough for any drawer, but not for a blanket chest. As with any technique, mastering this one takes a little practice. You'll need a sharp blade for your bandsaw. I keep a chisel handy, too, for finetuning the fit. Make the Jig The jig is an angled sled. The slop angle you've chosen for the pins determines the…

During a half century in the shop, I’ve taught myself to use steam to inflate bumps on furniture parts, that even deep gashes in the wood can be removed with some clever work with a hand plane or a rasp and sandpaper, how to lengthen mitered parts with a hand plane (yes, it can be done), to use clamps to seat a set of dovetails so there are no gaps around the pins and tails. But most important I learned that sometimes a part or even an entire piece must be destroyed because a mistake has forced me into a corner where there are no good solutions. That’s a tough lesson, but one essential for anyone who wishes to ensure that only good work leaves his/her shop. But in the…

PROJECT #2007 Skill Level: Intermediate Time: 4 days Cost: $500 My home is a 150-year-old farmhouse situated in the middle of Cincinnati, Ohio. When it came time to tackle the renovation of the dining room, we decided on a dining table that fit the period and aesthetic of our home. As I started to research mid-19th-century dining tables, I came across an auction site with a pine Swedish trestle table with a style that was almost exactly what I was searching for. The table features two strong stretchers with tusk and tenon joinery. This enables the table to be knocked down for transportation and assembled again without tools. I also appreciated that the leg assemblies each have two legs that provide additional support for a huge tabletop (this stands in…

No Slip Clamp Guides Guide clamps make it easy to position a straightedge for sawing or routing, because they clamp to both ends of a workpiece. I made my own, using a 5" wide length of ¾" MDF, aluminum T-track, T-bolts, toggle clamps and large rubber bands. First, cut a pair of 2½" by 3" blocks from the MDF. Then rout or saw a groove in the remaining length and install the T-track. Drill two holes in each block and mount the T-bolts. Then attach the toggle clamps and install the rubber bands. That’s it! To use the guide clamp, tighten the Tbolts so when the blocks are installed in the T-track, they’re held flush against the MDF base, but still slide easily. The action of the toggle clamps—and the…

Metal and wood are the basic ingredients in most woodworking tools. As woodworkers, we're familiar with working wood, but what about metal? Actually, the level of metal woodworking required to make some woodworking tools is pretty basic. If you've never made your own tools, give this project a try. There's something enormously satisfying about a tool you made yourself. We chose the scratch awl for this article because it's an everyday tool that's easy to make. This project will teach you the basic principles of heat-treating steel and turning a wood handle with a metal ferrule. This awl will be the first milestone on your custom tool-making journey. Note: This project involves metal grinding and working with an open flame, be sure to follow these basic safety guidelines: • Thoroughly…