Innehållsförteckning för Jun/Jul 2018 från Woodsmith

For years, my only router was a mid-size Porter-Cable 690. It’s a solid, powerful tool. Since it came with a 1/2" collet, most of the bits I bought have 1/2" shanks. However, I’ve since added a smaller palm router and have been surprised at how powerful and capable it is. This machine only accepts 1/4" shank bits, so I needed to add some bits to my kit (never a bad thing). Here are the bits I use most often. EASED EDGES The first job many folk think of with small routers is easing edges — the role even smaller “laminate trimmers” play. The trio to the left is a good place to start when talking about a set of bits. CHAMFER BIT. A routed chamfer creates a facet that catches…

When I build jigs and fixtures, I often make them out of the same materials I use on my project — hardwoods and plywood. But for the router baseplates on page 24, we decided to use acrylic for the main parts. Acrylic makes it easier to see the work as you’re routing. And since it’s not affected by humidity, I know it will stay flat and hold up over time. What’s nice is you can use your basic woodworking tools to cut and shape acrylic. The following tips and tricks will help you get the best results as you work. [1] Layout One of the key challenges when working with acrylic is making accurate layout marks on the smooth, clear surface. The solution is simple — hold off on removing…

Define Ends of Slot. Use the drill press to locate the ends of the center slot on the acrylic baseplate. Remove the Slot Waste. Head back to the router table to finish the slot. A stop block clamped to the fence is helpful. Shape Fence Frames. Drill four holes in the fence frame to define the radius of the inside corners. Finish Up Fence Frames. Use a band saw to finish cutting out the frames. Sand them smooth when done. Rabbet Fences. A quick trip to the table saw completes the rabbets in the fences before assembling.…

One of the constant complaints I hear from woodworkers is about shop space — the lack of it, that is. The lament is mostly along the lines of how space is gobbled up during the various phases of building a project. Solving that problem is where this clamping station shines. That’s because this top has three distinct worksurfaces. To change the work-surface, just back out the studded knobs that hold the top in place. The top pivots on a central bolt to the opposite side. As you see in the photo above, one face is designed to hold things in place while you work on them. This is accomplished in two ways. First, there’s a crosshatch pattern of dovetail grooves that are cut into the surface. These grooves hold a…

A band saw can be one of the most versatile tools in the workshop. From cutting joinery and curves to ripping and resawing, it can see a lot of use. With all this practicality, you may be considering adding a band saw to your shop. As you can see on the left, there are many options available, so it can be difficult to make the right choice. I’ll point out a few things to consider. PRIMARY USES The first thing you need to consider when shopping for a band saw is how it will be used. What cutting tasks will you be expecting to perform with the saw? Does your work involve ripping stock to width or resawing thin veneer from thicker stock, as in the main photo? Are you…

A spreadsheet keeps track of the key information related to all your shop equipment. But most tools come with an instruction manual, warranty information, and a parts list. And the sales receipt shows not only what you paid, but also exactly when and where you made the purchase. It’s a good idea to scan this information and include it on your thumb drive as well. But I also like to keep a hard copy on hand in the shop for reference. Storing this material so it’s accessible and easy to find can be a challenge. To solve the problem, I bought a few three-ring binders and some plastic insert sleeves. Each sleeve holds all the info associated with a specific tool, making it easy to find exactly what I’m looking…

Octagonal Canister Glue-up Creating an octagonal canister, such as the knife block on page 18, is straightforward using a bird’s mouth router bit. Clamping a multi-sided project, however, can be a more difficult task. By using the clamping forms shown on page 20, that task is made easier. But a specific assembly order will make it go smoothly. SMOOTH GLUE UP. In addition to using the clamping forms and wedges, I found a key to a successful glue up on the canister is to use a glue with a long open time, such as slow-set epoxy or liquid hide glue. These glues provide enough open time to position everything in place before the glue sets up. BOTTOM WEDGES FIRST. To assemble the canister, start by making sure the bottom is…

Dust-Proof Charging Station One day, while blowing the sawdust off my cordless tool chargers, I decided I needed to come up with a charging station that would organize the chargers as well as keep the dust off of them. My solution is a simple box that mounts to the underside of any shelf or cabinet. The back of the case is hinged to allow the box to drop down (photo at right). HANGING BOX. The charging station parts are joined together with a series of rabbets. A continuous hinge connects the back to the bottom and the back closes into rabbets on the sides. The back of the case is fastened to the underside of a cabinet with pocket screws. A hook and eye latch holds the charging station closed…

Locating the Off Switch. Jason Adler of Richland, WA, found himself searching for the power switch on his table saw, particularly when cutting large workpieces. To help quickly find the switch, he marks its location with a piece of bright tape on top of his fence rail. Sawdust Collection. William Aulick of Cincinnati, OH, makes his own wood filler using sawdust mixed with glue. To collect sawdust, William uses his lathe to turn a scrap of wood. With coarse grit sandpaper and a sheet of paper to catch the dust, WIlliam can quickly collect all he needs. Painter Glue Points. John Doyle of Ankeny, IA, uses old glue bottle caps as painters points. By using the caps, he can easily lift his workpiece off the surface and…

Woodworking often requires a focused effort of controlled strength in a small area — with sharp tools. And it goes without saying that these tasks need to be done accurately and safely. So here’s a quick look at some of the allies you have at the workbench when you’re trying to accomplish that. The common trait among the tools I’m looking at here is that they all fit in a 3/4" dog hole. There are four devices I took a look at and each has its own merits and works in a slightly different way. HOLD-DOWNS. The first option to consider is an adjustable clamping setup like you see in the photo below. The hold-downs are a combination of a Kreg bench clamp, attached to a clamp plate and post.…

Rough Out the Acrylic Parts. The band saw works just fine to cut out the curved portions of the acrylic parts. Flush-Trim to Size. As before, use a flush-trim bit in the router table to bring the acrylic parts to their final shape. Dust Collection Hole. Match the size of the dust collection hole to the hose that you will be using. Mounting Holes. Locate and drill the countersunk mounting holes in the acrylic and hardwood parts. Tap the Threads. Use a standard metal tap to make the threaded holes in the baseplate.…

Take a walk down the hardware aisle at your local home improvement store and you’re likely to come across several barn-door style mounting systems in various shapes and sizes. Their popularity for mounting interior doors has surged in the last several years. One of our designers took that idea and ran with it when designing the cabinet shown here. Instead of using commercially available hardware that, let’s face it, isn’t exactly inexpensive, we came up with a shop-made version that’s easy to make using commonly available parts. The result is a charming addition to an already stunning cabinet. ABOUT THAT CABINET. In order to match the rustic appeal of the hardware, the cabinet itself gets treated with a glazing and distressing process that gives it a well-worn look. If you’d…

I typically try not to overthink the process when building drawers for projects. Even though they’re almost like building mini projects inside of a larger build, the joinery is usually pretty straightforward. But there’s always an assuring sense of satisfaction when all of the parts come together nice and square. In order to keep my drawer construction easy, as well as rock-solid, I turn to a common joinery technique time and again — the locking rabbet — or some variation of it. WHY USE A LOCKING RABBET? Whether the drawers in your project have handles attached to the front, recessed pulls in the front face, or a handhold cutout along the top edge of the drawer, all of the force required to open a drawer happens along the front. The…

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. To drill the holes for the wall pins I used a 5/16" bit. For the shelf, I used a 9/16" bit. Long versions of both of these bits can be found at home centers or online. The corner blocks are stained with a mixture of three parts Zar cherry stain and one part Wood Kote Jel’d stain (cherry). Then, all the parts are sprayed with two coats of lacquer. ANILINE DYES • Rockler TransTint Dyes. . . . . .…

Laminate Spacer. Bill Ding of Birmingham, AL, uses laminate chip samples to prevent vise racking. The samples, available for free from home improvement stores, are held together with a bolt and nut. Bill can then swing them out to the same thickness as his workpiece. Check Misfires. Rob Mahan of Chelsea, MI, uses a simple trick for checking brad holes after his nailer misfires or runs out of brads. By holding a small magnet over the holes, Rob can confirm where nails have been driven and those locations where the nailer has misfired.…

As woodworkers, I believe each of us has an affinity for the natural beauty of wood. Sure, it’s occasionally nice to have a project that you can breeze through because it’s going to be painted. But for me at least, those tend to be few and far between. My go-to finish for years has been a wipe-on varnish that lets the wood shine. However, when I want to add a hint of color to a project without hiding the grain or figure with a stain, that’s when I reach for an aniline dye. COLORFUL & CLEAR. Before talking about the uses of dye, it’s important to explain the difference between a dye and a stain. Almost everyone is familiar with a can of stain. These are nothing more than a…

The router is the go-to tool for making a multitude of profiles and a host of joinery operations. The key to success when using a router is having it set up properly to ensure reliable and repeatable cuts. Here, we showcase a few of the shop-made accessories that we turn to quite often to guarantee success and add to the range of this dynamic tool. FEARSOME THREESOME. The first accessory is a bridge, shown above. Coupled with a pair of hardwood rails, it’s the perfect way to plane large sections of rough stock that can’t be flattened in a traditional manner (main photo). Next, is an adjustable mortising jig (left photo above). This jig, paired with a plunge router, allows you to turn out mortises in the thinnest of material,…

You’ve heard the phrase, “greater than the sum of its parts.” Well, that sentiment applies here. This display shelf is made of three parts that link together in any configuration you like. You’re only limited by your imagination and the available wall space. PERFECTLY SIMPLE. There’s nothing fancy about the parts. For starters, there is series of horizontal shelves and vertical uprights. These are made of two layers of maple plywood and trimmed with hardwood edging. These components are connected by some cherry corner blocks. The corner blocks add a nice contrasting element to the look of the unit. But they’re integral to how the shelf comes together. The corner blocks are glued to the shelves using simple but strong tongue and groove joinery. A pair of connector bolts passes…

A Case Top/Bottom (2) 3/4 ply. - 18 x 67 B Case Sides (2) 3/4 ply. - 18 1/4 x 24 C Case Dividers (3) 3/4 ply. - 18 x 23 D Back Panel (1) 1/4 ply. - 24 x 67 1/2 E Long Filler Strips (2) 3/4 ply. - 2 x 68 F Short Filler Strips (2) 3/4 ply. - 2 x 14 1/4 G Drwr. Slide Spacers (4) 3/4 ply. - 3 x 22 1/2 H Upper Face Frame Rail (1) 3/4 x 3 1/8 - 65 I Lower Face Frame Rail (1) 3/4 x 1 1/2 - 65 J Outer Face Frame Stiles (2) 3/4 x 1 1/2 - 24 3/4 K Inner Face Frame Stiles (3) 3/4 x 1 1/2 - 20 1/8 L Corner Blocks…

Over time, most woodworkers build quite a collection of tools. And one thing we tend to neglect is keeping track of what we have. But if something unfortunate should happen, such as a fire or burglary, would you be able to accurately list what you had for insurance purposes? Even though such an event may be unlikely, I realized I’d be hard-pressed to come up with a complete list of all my tools. So I decided to create a detailed inventory — if for nothing more than peace of mind. GETTING STARTED My original method of “tracking” was to toss the manuals, receipts, and warranty info into a drawer. Of course, that was in the shop — so it wasn’t going to do much good if something bad happened. Realizing…

On some projects, simply overlapping the outside ends of the drawer front isn’t enough. Sometimes you want that overlay to extend around the entire outside edge of the drawer. This style of locking rabbet, shown at right, works great when installed in projects with a wide face frame. ONE EXTRA STEP. Creating this joint follows the same procedure as a regular locking rabbet joint with one extra step. You’ll cut a rabbet along the top and bottom edges of the drawer front to match the reveal along the edge. The side locks in place in the same fashion. Frame Pieces. The anatomy of the lipped locking rabbet is very similar to a standard locking rabbet.…