Indholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2022 i Woodsmith

Few tools have fallen from favor over the years quite like the radial arm saw. Once touted as a jack-of-all-trades, necessary for every American home, it’s largely used to gather dust in most shops now. However, the radial arm saw still has some devout users. Many find it to be just as safe and more versatile than the table saw. Obviously a radial arm saw is good at crosscutting, but is it better than a sliding miter saw? While it may be able to rip, can it do so as well as a table saw? How versatile is the saw? And, as often discussed, is it safe? A SHORT HISTORY. The radial arm saw was invented in 1923 by Raymond DeWalt. At the time, cutting down long timbers had to…

Displaying the products of your green-thumb pride is easy to do with the plant stand you see here. This three-tiered stand provides generous space for your favorite flora. It’s the perfect display stand, whether it’s used in a sunny room or a porch that’s designed for three or four seasons. A combination of solid joinery and a few well-placed fasteners makes the stand strong enough to support many plants. The stand is made from poplar — a wood that is always a joy to work with. The slat and rail shelves are cradled between two sides that are tied together with base rails and dado and tongue joinery. Speaking of the shelves, they’re generously spaced apart to provide easy access and encourage plant growth. The slat shelves are designed to…

SHOP Two primary approaches to shop storage dominate project design: closed and open. This concept applies to everything from portable tool totes to full-on “one-wall workshop” systems. This project falls into the open concept. It follows the idea of “See it, use it, don’t lose it.” John Doyle, the designer, took inspiration from several sources. Woodsmith has featured several versions of wall-mounted shelves and organizers in the past. So he expanded on the idea to create a two-part combo unit. Stand back from the project a bit and you can see the other influence — a dining room hutch. Eye-level storage and display for smaller items, a small worksurface or staging area, and a bulk storage area down below. The key to making this all work is providing a lot…

Making boxes is a double delight. As a woodworker, I find the process a fun time in the shop. For the recipient of the box, there’s a joy in taking in the craftsmanship — then figuring out what to put inside. That task is a bit easier with this project. It’s ideal for the letter writer, journaler, or artist in your circle of friends and family. The box finds inspiration from a vintage pencil case Dillon Baker came across. A sliding lid acts as a lock and conceals a small ruler. Two layers of compartments hold the writing instruments of choice. A pocket on the end lets you keep a small sharpener within easy reach. On a project like this, I’ve found that if you’re gonna make one, might as…

The old saying goes “you can’t have too many clamps.” And it’s especially true in this day and age — there are a vast array of devices that will clamp, grab, grip, and hold down just about anything you want. Starting with the long clamps, lets look at how they’re made and what they do. The catch is that the term “bar clamp” encompasses a number of related clamps. They all work similarly — one jaw is fixed at the end of the bar while the second jaw slides along it to provide adjustability. But you’ll find that each style has its own unique features, pluses and minuses, and best uses. Here’s a brief rundown of the choices. PARALLEL JAW CLAMPS Parallel jaw clamps are a relative newcomer to the…

Self-Evident. Here are some accessories for your drill that really don’t need much of an introduction. So let’s not bother with that. All four of these products can be found online if not at your local hardware store or home center. With the exception of the two at the bottom of page 27, they’re available at LeeValley.com.…

HEIRLOOM The serpentine style has a nearly four-century-old history, dating back to one of the most immoderate periods of French design. A traditional serpentine chest often featured ornate trim and gaudy carvings, and would look far more at home in the Palace of Versailles than a 21st-century household. The form certainly gained modesty as the years passed and it spread across the world, but many of the examples you’ll find today would still stick out like a sore (though elegant) thumb in most modern homes. Our designer, Chris Fitch, wanted to make a serpentine chest that would fit with a variety of styles, from Craftsman to Modern. In doing so he trimmed the excesses, focused on flow, made it more efficient, cleaner, and sleeker, until he had the piece pictured…

Big panels can be a pain. Keeping all the pieces of a tabletop flush during a glueup can take almost every clamp in the shop. And if that surface doesn’t end up entirely smooth, a planer won’t solve the problem. The only option then is to break out the hand planes and get ready for a workout. There’s a simple solution I’ve found for these big panels: a reversible glue joint bit. The joint it leaves ensures the panels lock in place and remain flush.There are a couple types of glue joint bits, but the one we’re looking at here is a reversible glue joint bit. The name comes from how the joints go together: simply flip a piece and the edge fits right into its mating joint. WHY USE…