Innehållsförteckning för Feb/Mar 2018 från Woodsmith

I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a lot of woodworkers over the years. During those conversations, I often get to hear the stories of how people first got into woodworking. And I’ve noticed a common theme among them. Most of these woodworkers will tell you about a special person in their life who introduced them to the hobby and helped them learn as they got started. In some cases, it’s a parent, grandparent, or other relative. Sometimes it’s a shop teacher. And other times, it’s a neighbor or a friend. But the story is usually the same — that person took them under their wing and not only helped them with the technical aspects of woodworking, but also provided inspiration. I think it’s that face-to-face, one-on-one connection that…

Achieving a straight, smooth edge on a workpiece is typically a critical step for a successful woodworking project. And while cutting a board with a quality rip blade at the table saw will generally accomplish the “straight” portion of the equation, it doesn’t always leave a smooth surface. You’re often left with blade marks on the edge, or worse, burn marks. Smoothing the edge by running the board through a dedicated jointer is the obvious solution. But for many woodworkers — especially those just starting out in the hobby — an expensive jointer may not be in the cards. Fortunately, there’s a foolproof way to get similar results at the router table. ALL IN THE FENCE. The trick to using the router table as an edge jointer lies in the…

It can take some back and forth to dial in the table saw to get perfectly fitting strips. Another solution is to cut the strips a hair thicker than what’s required and then sand them to fit. To do this, I use a sanding drum in the drill press. With a fence positioned just behind the drum, this setup acts as a thickness sander. Set the fence for a light cut and feed the strips from right to left. Make light passes, moving the fence closer to the drum, until you have a snug fit.…

Tool Stand (for one stand and one fence) A Outside Legs (4) 3/4 ply. - 3 x 33 1/2 B Inside Legs (4) 3/4 ply. - 3 3/4 x 33 1/2 C Side Panels (2) 3/4 ply. - 20 1/2 x 20 D Back Panel (1) 3/4 ply. - 20 x 24 1/2 E Shelf Rear Cleat (1) 3/4 ply. - 2 x 24 1/2 F Shelf Side Cleats (2) 3/4 ply. - 2 x 19 G Shelf (1) 3/4 ply. - 19 3/4 x 24 1/2 H Top Cleats (2) 3/4 ply. - 2 1/4 x 19 3/4 I Subtop (1) 3/4 ply. - 24 x 30 J Main Top (1) 3/4 ply. - 24 x 30 K Fence Front (1) 3/4 ply. - 4 x 30 L Fence…

A Headboard Legs (2) 1 1/2 x 5 - 56 B Headboard Bottom Rail (1) 1 x 4 - 58 7/8 C Headboard Mid/Top Rails (2) 1 x 3 - 58 7/8 D Headboard Outer Stiles (2)1 x 3 3/8 - 18 3/4 E Headboard Inner Stiles (3) 1 x 3 - 18 3/4 F Outer Blocks (2) 1 x 3 9/16 - 3 5/8 G Inner Blocks (8) 1 x 3 1/4 - 3 5/8 H Headboard Panels (4) 3/8 x 10 11/16 - 18 3/4 I Fillers (18) 3/8 x 9/16 - 2 1/2 J Caps (2) 1 x 3 - 67 3/4 K Footboard Legs (2) 1 1/2 x 5 - 32 L Footboard Bottom Rail (1) 1 x 6 - 58 7/8 M Footboard Top Rail…

I often get asked which hand tool I couldn’t live without in my shop. While that’s akin to asking which of my children I would give up, it’s a thought-provoking question. Although nearly every project I build gets extensive hand tool work, the router plane is the unsung hero of my shop. The router plane is a versatile tool that can be used to cut grooves, clean up dadoes, and fine-tune joinery for a fit that is hard to achieve with power tools. ROUTER THAT DOESN’T ROUT. If you’re unfamiliar with router planes, the name can be a little misleading. While a router plane won’t cut profiles and remove a lot of material like an electric router, there are some similarities. A router plane is similar to the base of…

The miter saw is a mainstay tool of trim carpenters, home builders, and remodelers alike. Its accuracy and portability make it a favorite, go-to tool for these professionals. While a miter saw may never replace your table saw and a quality miter gauge, it can be valuable. If you’re thinking of bringing one of these tools into the shop, here’s a rundown of things to consider. Broadly speaking there are three members in the miter saw family — the basic miter saw, compound saw, and sliding compound saw. MITER SAW. The classic “chop saw” has bounced around in trucks and on the jobsite for decades. This tool does just one thing, cuts basic miters, as shown in the left How-To box on the next page. But it does it quite…

Most of the materials and supplies you’ll need to build the projects are available at hardware stores or home centers. For specific products or hard-to-find items, take a look at the sources listed here. You’ll find each part number listed by the company name. See the right margin for contact information. BED RAIL HARDWARE • Rockler 4" Bed Rail Fasteners . . . . 28589 Knock-Down Connectors . 37928 Surface Mount Fasteners . 30247 Bed Rail Hooks . . . . . . . . . 38606 SHOP APRONS • Lee Valley Veritas Apron . . . . . . . . 67K10.10 • Calavera Tool Works Leather Apron (Tobacco) . varies • Amazon Waxed Apron . . . . B071P9LM7P • Atlas 46 Cargo Apron . .A46-JXL-CP-COY • Rockler Broad Shoulder Apron . . .…

Hardware Sorting Tray Every woodworker has that can. You know, the one that sits on your shelf and collects miscellaneous hardware and fasteners. Inevitably, I end up dumping out the entire can to fish out the odd piece that I need for a project. It was during one of these “fishing trips” that I decided to build the tray you see above. This tray was inspired by a trip to the drugstore where I saw the pharmacist sorting pills on a similar tray. This allows me to easily sort through and pick out what I need. Best of all, the rest of the hardware can be then dumped back into the can using the “funnel” on the end. CONSTRUCTION. The construction of the tray is straightforward. The sides of the…

Sander Dust Collection. Charles Mak, of Calgary, Alberta upgraded the dust collection on his random orbit sander. Using a reducer, a coupling and a few hose clamps, he can now hook up his shop vacuum to the sander instead of using the original filter. Parts Keeper. Howard E. Moody from Upper Jay, NY has a useful trick for keeping parts in order while disassembling and cleaning tools. He simply reaches for a sheet of paper and folds it into an accordion. The folds keep the parts in order and allows them to dry after cleaning.…

Usually, the items on a serving tray grab your attention first — good food or a refreshing beverage. But when you carry this tray in, people will be just as likely to focus on the unique panel at the center of it all. At first glance, it looks like a glass panel resting on a wood lattice. A closer examination reveals that the lattice is inside the panel. Of course, there’s a trick involved. The latticework is built up from narrow strips. The assembled gridwork is then encased in epoxy. As you’ll see, the process is pretty straightforward and the results are dramatic. There’s more going on with the other parts of the project, too. The handle assemblies feature angled, half-lap joints. It sounds much harder than it actually is.…

When we featured the gentleman’s dresser in Woodsmith No. 219 (shown above), we had a feeling that it might be a popular project with our readers. But we had no idea just how popular it would be. So after numerous requests, we designed this Craftsman-style bed to match the dresser. TRADITIONAL JOINERY. Much like the dresser, the joinery used on the bed is easily manageable in your shop using basic power tools. The headboard and footboard have stiles and rails that are held together with mortise and tenon joinery. Solid panels are captured in shallow grooves in the stiles and rails. And in keeping with the design of the dresser, we mimicked the square openings in the doors in the headboard. KNOCK-DOWN ASSEMBLY. Of course, moving a bed around in…

Creating solid wood panels for a project is typically a pretty straightforward affair – you simply edge glue enough boards to achieve the width of the panels you need. It’s then just a matter of planing them to final thickness before cutting the panels to size. But when those panels need to be made from thinner material — say under 1/2" thick — a little forethought is needed to ensure good results. In the case of the Craftsman bed on page 46, I used 3/8"– thick panels in the headboard and footboard construction. To make the best use of my lumber, I began with thick stock and resawed these pieces at the band saw. PREPARE THICK STOCK. When selecting lumber for resawing, you’ll want to choose stock that is more…

Router planes are available in two configurations — open or closed throat. The throat refers to the space in front of the cutter. A closed throat offers more stability, but less visibility than an open throat. Most router planes have the capability to simply reverse the direction of the cutter to the opposite side of the column. This turns a closed-throat router plane into a bull-nosed, open-throat plane.…

Making bevel cuts in wood is not an exotic task. But it’s not one you do every day. In this instance, I’m talking about long bevels cut to create a mitered case. When you make this cut on mating pieces they can be brought together to form a miter, like the one you see in the photo below. Any time you make a bevel cut, you have to be focused. This need for being deliberate increases when the bevel cuts are long. Any slight variation or movement will telegraph and appear larger the longer that the cut is. You have two challenges that you’ll need to deal with. The first is making an exact 45° cut in the material. It might seem that “close enough” will do, but that’s not…

At a Glance. Dennis Volz of Des Moines, IA uses dry erase tape and markers to quickly identify set-ups on certain tools. For example, Dennis marks his brad nailer with what length of brad is loaded, and also marks what grit of sandpaper is on his sander. Band Saw Stop Block. Roger Rayburn of Colorado Springs, CO uses a switched magnetic block on his band saw as a stop block. To quickly change the length of each cut, simply turn the switch to disengage the magnet and reposition. The block can be stored underneath the table for easy access.…

Beds are about as simple as furniture can get. Generally, a headboard and footboard are connected by a pair of rails. The only mechanical connection is between the bed rails and the headboard (or footboard). This connection is important for two reasons. First, it obviously holds the bed together. More importantly, it allows the bed to be taken apart. Beds are big. So having the ability to easily take them apart to move them is imperative. When you start looking at bed hardware, the choices can be overwhelming. But with a little research, you can select bed hardware that will meet your needs. RECESSED-BED RAIL FASTNERS. The first type of bed fastener that you may come across when looking at bed hardware is the recessed bed rail fasteners. (Left photo…

Frame and panel construction stands as a foundational woodworking technique. Besides offering a solid construction approach, it allows you use the panel to add some visual appeal. Solid wood raised panels or figured veneer panels are popular options. Another, less-travelled route you can take is to make a lattice panel. That’s what I chose for the serving tray on page 18. The geometric gridwork of interlocking strips creates a strong graphic element that’s sure to become the focal point of any project. MADE IN JAPAN. The origin of the pattern shown here comes from Japanese kumiko latticework. These sometimes elaborate, decorative patterns are used in room dividers, sliding doors, and above entryways. Traditionally, the pieces of wood that make up the patterns were joined individually by hand. And while there’s…

In the previous issue of Woodsmith, we built the first two pieces of our plywood shop. The first project was a stout workbench with a large worksurface. As a companion to the workbench, we added a wall-mounted shelf, complete with a tool rack. In this issue, we’ll further expand your shop’s capabilities with the remaining pieces of the plywood shop. The first component is a tool stand that can be used as a miter saw station or a router table. Next, a rolling cart serves as an assembly table, as well as storage. Finally, to complement the tool stand, we’ll build a pair of adjustable supports. These serve as outriggers all around the shop when working with long workpieces. After finishing these three projects, your shop will be well equipped…

Tenons on Rails. Use the rip fence as a stop to define the tenon shoulder. Then remove the rest of the waste Centered Grooves. Switch to a narrower dado blade to make the centered grooves along the edge. Stub Tenons. With a dado blade buried in an auxiliary rip fence, cut the stub tenons on the stiles. Tongues on Blocks. Using the same table saw setup, cut the rabbets that form the tongues on the blocks. Narrow Tongues. Move the rip fence to cut the narrow tongues on the blocks. Assembly. Start at one end and add the rails. Then slip the stiles and panels in place. Finally, slide in the blocks and add the other leg.…

Fasteners are a faithful ally in the shop and around the house. Screws make quick work of hanging doors, mounting drawers, and attaching sections of projects together. Brads and nails, used more commonly in construction, still show up in the shop now and then. On occasion, fasteners have to be removed from a piece of wood. If they’re damaged in some way, removing them becomes more complicated. Regardless of whether it’s a screw or nail, there are ways to navigate this frustrating moment with minimum wear and tear on your project and your nerves. We’ll start by dealing with the devils that have threads. MISTAKES HAPPEN. Often it’s not your fault, but there it is, larger than life. When trying to replace an old broken hinge, you strip out the…

Installing Bed Hardware The hidden hardware that connects the rails to the headboard and footboard on our Craftsman-style bed on page 46 is designed to be recessed in mortises. Creating these mortises is easy to do with the simple-to-build template shown above. MAKE THE TEMPLATE. The only critical dimension for the template is the opening in the middle. This should be sized to match the size of the bed hardware. I made the two center pieces of the template the same width as the actual fastener, and then sandwiched them between the outer pieces (Figure 2). For the mortises in the bed legs, you’ll only need the top portion of the template. When making the mortises in the ends of the bed rails, you’ll add a couple of cleats to…