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contents WOODamagazine October2002,lssue144 10 flush-trimmingrouterfence 12 safestoragefor chisels 14 turnedsalt and peppershakers I kid-friendlybunUtwinbeds 58 matchingchild'soak drcsser U storagecarouselfor tools and bits 68 contemporarypicturc frames 72 mobilelumberstorage 82 flag case pushsticks (seepatterninsert) BONUS: ' Seematchrngdres-err,'ptgq': 42 raised-paneldoors madeeasy Seehow a three-router-bit set can helpyou elevateyourcabinetmaking and savetime. 70 workingwith plastics Learnhowto cut,drill,andfinishacrylic, polycabonate, and phenoliclaminate. 80 bandsawtune-up programto keepyour Followthis 1O-step bandsawin tip{op shape. n bird's-mouthrouterbits cylinders andcurvedlids Createmultisided with this newbreedof cutters. 74 mid-pricedbandsaws Wecompared sevenpopularniodelsunder $900,focusingon powerandperformance. 92 shop-provenproducts Check out the hot new woodworkingtools. 24 guidelinesfor child-safebunk beds n wood anecdote:bamboo MartyBaldwin CoverPhotograph: grass,thiswood-likeplanthas Considered becomeall the ragein the flooringindustry. 86 whole-shopheatingsystems Decidewhichof the fiveapproaches makes the mostsensefor yourworkshop. 97 bidhouse/bid feedercontest 6 8 re 30 38 n 112 editor'sangle soundingboard short cuts shoptips askWOOD at your service what'saheadin our next issue Visit our Web site at rnnnnnr.rnroodonline.corn for free rryoodrruorking plans, tips, shop tours, and more. editOrtsanste If,lhat Itd like you to lenow aborrt us Intoday'sbusiness worldof multi-national conglomerates andventurepartnerships, it's gettingharderto knowjust whostandsbehindthe productsyou buy everyday.But there'sno mysteryaboutthe publisher of WOODmagazine: Meredith Corporation. lt'sa big company for sure,but onewith a woodworker as chairmanof its executive committee. During a recent visit to Ted Meredith's workshop, I had a chance to look over a large platter Ted fashioned from a box elder burl. ave vou wonderedwhy the II Il Beuer Homesand Garderzsbrand appearsabove WOOD on our cover?Or how our parentcompany, MeredithCorporation,got its start? We include the BH&G brdrnd abovethe WOOD logo because of the recognitionand trust it carriesfor new readerswho may not be as familiar with us as long-timesubscribers.BF1&Gis the largestof many otherpublications aboutfamily life and improving homes producedby Meredith Corporation,a mediacompanythat alsoowns TV stations. So why am I telling you this?I thought you might be curious,but alsoI want to let you in on an importantanniversarythat we're celebrating. It was 100yearsago when E.T. Meredithfoundedhis publishingcompany with the first issueof SuccessfulFarming magazine(which is still publishedtoday). The next magazinein the Meredith stable camealongin 1922with the publication of Fruit, Gardenand Home (which becameBetterHomes and Gardensin 1924). Today,E.T.'s grandson,Ted Meredith, who I am happy to tell you is a dedicatedwoodworker, servesthe companyas Chairmanof the Executive Committee.Ted hasbuilt some ambitiousprojectsin his gara;ge workshop over the years,including a biplaneand two boats.His currentprojectis the restorationof a l930s-vintageplane,a task with no shortageof woodworking challenges,judging by the curvedand veneeredinstrumentpanelson Ted's workbench. As we mark this anniversary,it is my sincerewish that we continueto serve your needsfor many yearsto come. 0ctober 2002. vol.19,No.6 0 lssue No.144 Editor-in-Chief Bltt KRIER Executive Editor JIMHARR0LD Managing Editor MARLEN KEMMET Features EditorDAVID STONE Products EditorDAVE CAMPBEIL Projects EditorJANHALE SVEC Projects Editor0WEN DUVATL Technioues Editor JIMP0IL0CK Senior Design Editor KEVIN B0YLE Design Editor JEFF MERIZ Master Craftsman l. HEDLUND CHARIES Production/Office Manager MARGARET CI0SNER Administrative Assistant MUNYON SHERYT Photographer MARTY BALDWIN Illustrators L0R1{A J0H1'|S0N, R0XANNE LeM0ll{E, TIMCAHILL, MIKE MITTERMEIER Technical Consultants RICH BRIGHT, JEFF HAtt, PHILLIP GO(|DWIII, GARRY SMITH Contributing Craftsman JIMHEAVEY Proofreaders JIMSANDERS. BARBARA KLEIN ArtDirector KARL EHLERS Assistant ArtDirectorCHERYI A. CIBUIA Publisher MARK HAGEII Advertising 0ffice:333 N.Michigan Ave., 1500, Suite Chicago, lL60601 Phone:312853-2890 Fax312580-7906 Sales andMarketing Assistant IARAKALTAL MailResponse Manager CAR0LYN DAI(IS Account Executive R(lNGOLMINAS Account Executive NEIIKIRBY Account Executive TH0RNBURGH JOHN Detroit, Phone: 2481356-11 49 Fax: 248/356-8930 Account Executive PAT T0MLINSON -7043Fax:2121551 -7192 Northeast, Phone: 212/551 Southeast: Lagomarsino, Dempsey & Dennis, Inc. 2951Piedmont Rd.,NE,Suite100,Atlanta, GA30305 -5400Fax4041261 -5404 Phone: 404/261 Marketing Group Director CATHY E.SMITH Senior Marketing Services Manager ALEXAI{DER D.CIARKS0N -7090Fax: Phone: 212/551 2121551-7192 Senior Promotion Desioner SARAH DIBEILA GroupPublisher STEPHEN B.IEVINS0N Associate Business Director CRAIG FEAR Senior Product Manager RICK GR0W Advertising Operations Manager PATHEN DERSH0fi Consumer Marketing Director JULIE MARTlil Consumer Marketing Manager DAVE HONOLD VicePresidenUPublishing DirectorWlLtlAMR.REED MEREDITH PUBLISHII{G GROUP President STEPHE]'| M.LACY Magazine Group President JERBY KAPLAI{ Grouo Sales MICHAEL BR0WNSTEIN Creative Services ELLEN DELATHOUDER Business Development TlllAGE0RGE0U Manufacturing BRUCE HEST0N Consumer Marketing KARLA JEFFRIES Finance andAdministration MAXRUNCIMAI{ /Uleredfth I coaeoaerron WltLlAMT. KERR, Chairman andChiefExecutive Ofticer E.T.MEREDITH lll, Chairman of theExecutive Committee oCopyrightMeredithCorporation2002 All rights reserved.Printedin the U.S.A. Better Homes and Gardensa WOODa magazine (ISSN-0743894X) is publishedseventimes a year in March, May, June/July, September,October, November, and December by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and additional mailing offices. Better Homes and Gardenstrademarkregistered in Canadaand Australia. Marca Registradaen M6xico. ONEYEAR SUBSCRIPTION pnlCeS: U.S. and its possessions, $28; Canada, $41; other countries, $49. Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Asreement No. 40069223. canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. ennnnnN RETURN ADDRESS: Better Homes and Gardens WOOD magazine, 2744 Edna Street, Windsor, Ontario, N8Y lV2. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Better Homes and Gardens WOOD magazine,P.O. Box37439, Boone, IA 50037-0439. ^lp^t $ \IIOOD rnagazine October 2002 soundin board 0urbulletin boardforletters, comments, andtimelyupdates f|ag cases torrc,fr recipients and fruifders I am a subscriberto your magazine, and havebuiltmanyof your featured projects.Littledid I knowwhat was in storefor me when I receivedthe April 2002 issue.My rollercoasterof emotions beganwhenthe magazinearrived. In that issue,you featuredan article (page 14) on WoodworkersUnitedFor America(WUFA).This groupformed with the purposeof providingflag cases to any familymemberof those who perished as a result of terroristactivitieson Se pt em ber11,2001 . I contactedMr. GeorgeDubois,the NationalDirectorof WUFA and expressedmy desireto builda couple of flag cases.Georgeassignedme the privilegeof makingflag casesfor the A new I I woodr torking Reader Ed Sallee (back /efi) was honored to build flag cases in memory of Gaptain Victor Saracini, and proud to present them to Ellen Saracini and daughters Kirsten and Brielle. A plaque in the upper left portion of each case bears a memorial and pilot's wings. family of Captain Victor Saracini: his . wife, Ellen;two daughters,Kirstenand Brielle;and his mother,Anne. Captain Saraciniwas the pilotof UnitedAirlines Flight175, the secondplaneto hit the WorldTrade Center. i this past spring(see the photo,above). i She and her daughterswere wonderful. I'd liketo thankeveryonewho helped i i me with the cases.And thanksto my I delivered the cases to Mrs. Saracini employer, McOollister's Transportation I can'tbeginto tellyouhowhonoredI i Systems, Inc.of Burlington, New wasto sharemy loveof woodworking in , Jersey,fortransporting casesto New sucha manner. Thankyoufor bringing i YorkfromvariousWUFAchapters. -Edward Sallee,Burlington, program thiswonderful to my attention. N.J. contest thatts literatly 3'For the Bitdstt Here'syourchanceto wingreatprizes : ingplan,or comeup withsomething anddo a goodturnforyourfine-feathered we'llofferprizesfor i entirelyoriginal, friendsas well.WOOb magazine has bothtypesof projects. lncludean entry teamedupwithChevrolet andotherprize formwitheachbirdhouse or birdfeeder sponsors to hostourfirst-ever (youcansubmitup to seventotal birdproviding house/bird feedercontest, entries)andmailitto WOODmagazine's"Forthe Birds"contestbeforethe $8,000in totalprizes,with to February 1, 2003deadline. $5,000beingawarded theGrandPrizeWinner. Afterwe judgethe entriesandaward To enter,simply the prizes,we'llauctionthebirdhouses builda birdhouseor andbirdfeedersandturnthe proceeds bird feederthat fits overto the National WildlifeFederation's one of the seven Backyard WildlifeHabitatprogram. prize categories Since1973,thisprogramhashelped peoplegardenforwildlife. explainedwith our Theprogram entry form on page encourageseveryone-homeowners 92. Choose a favoriteexistandcommunity leaders alike-to plan Tool-test update .StowableSawhorses(issue 142,p.72): TheWebsiteforTheStanley Works iswww.stanleyworks.com. Article information online Doyouhavea question ona project? You'll finda complete listing, fromissue1 through today, of allknown updates to pastW00Dmaguineprojects onourWebsiteat wunr.woodmagazine.com. JustclickonW00D magazine ontheleftsideofthescreen. ThenselectEditorial Extras fromtheoptions onthenextscreen. their landscapingwith the needsof wildlifein mind,whileofferingabundant help in how to do it. The NWF ranksas the nation's largestmember-supportedconservation group,unitingindividuals, organizations, businesses,and governmentto protect wildlife,wild places,and the environment.For more on the NWF and its programs,visit its Web site at http://www.nwf.org. Write Us! Doyouhavecomments, criticisms, suggestions, or maybe evena compliment specifically relatingto an articlethat appearedin W00Damagazine? Please writeto: SoundingBoard W00Dmagazine 1716LocustSt.,GA-310 Des Moines,lA 5GXl9-3023 or,if youprefefsendusane-mailmessage at [email protected]. Dueto the volumeof lettersande-mailswe receive,wecanrespondto andpublishonly thoseof thegreatestinterestto ourreaders. great ideas for your shop flrrshferilce A simple router-table setup for putting a finished edge on plywood panels. fenceface flush with the bit's pilot bearing, and clamp the fence down. Hold the edgedplywood firrnly againstthe fence as you make eachpass,and the edging comesout perfectly flush every time. al 1f,|H*;i1tlffii?i:i::'"". had to do a lot of flush trimming on the solid-woodedgingthat dressesup the plywood panels.He neededa foolproof way to get the job done. A handheldrouter with a flush-trim bit works, but it's easyto accidentallytip the router and gougethe edgingand plywood. Chuck solvedthe problem with the router-table-mounted fenceshownin the photo,aboveright. Made of 3/q"plywood, the fencesits perpendicularto the table,as shownat right. The lower edgeof the fenceis mountedl" abovethe router-tablesurface,so it accommodatesedgingtp to 3/+"thick. To build the project,cut its identically sizedfenceand baseto ll3/q" wide. Measureyour router table to determinethe length. Then cut matching notchesin the baseand fence,positionedto align with the bit hole in your table.Two triangular braceshold the baseand fence together. The cleatsat eachend help positionthe assemblyon your routertable. Chuck also addeda supportpanelto the bracesthat stiffensthe entire assembly.A hole cut into the supportacceptsa shopvacuumhoseto collect chips. To usethe fence,install a flush-trim bit in your table-mountedrouter.Align the 10 Written by David Stone Projectdesign:Charles l. Hedlund lllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine Photograph:Mafi Baldwin * All stock 7+"plywood I I 11e/q" lnsidewidth matcheslong leg of triangularbrace. #8 x 11/z'F.H. wood screws 1 x 1" notches, centered V+x 1/z x 16" Cleat sits flushwith front edge of base. WOOD magazine October 2002 workshop savvy safie stonge for cfrisels Create a custom insert to protect sharp edges. Keep your chisels safe from damage, well organized,and looking good with a simple series of felt-lined dadoes. Using a bit of the samediameteras the femrle (we useda 32" Forstner),drill a hole at eachline on the femrle support stock.To do this, clamp a fenceon your drill-presstableto keepthe holeslined up, and locatethe fenceso that the holeswill hold the femrlesat the desiredheight.(In our case.we centeredthe holes Vz"from the edgeto leave Vs"of wood undereach femrle.) After drilling the holes,sandboth faces.Rip the stockthroughthe centerof the holesto leavea seriesof notches. W;irt :h;'".. the drawerbottomswith felt. Here's how to add extra protectionfor a setof chisels. Plan the layorrt Add up the handlediametersof the chisels you want to store,and subtractthe total from the insidewidth of the drawer. Divide that numberby the spacesthat you'll needto get an approximatespacing distance.Our setincludesl0 chisels,so we neededto accountfor l1 spaces.You can vary the spacingby making the end spacesbigger or smallerthan the others. Make the srrpporils Add finish and felt Apply a stainor clearfinish to matchthe tool chestor storageunit. Coat the top and sidesof the femrle support,but only the front edgeof the bladesupport. Cut an oversizedpieceof felt from the fabric store.Mask the edgesof the blade supportwith tape,then sprayadhesiveon the top and ends.Removethe tape,and apply the felt, fitting it tightly into the dadoesand aroundthe ends.After the Placeyour longestchiselwith the handle flat on your workbench,and measurethe gapsbeneaththe femrle and the blade. Also measurethe lengthof the blade. Now, makebladeand femrle supportsto matchthosedimensions. For the bladesupport,planea boardto 7s" thickness,rip itto 43/4",then cut it to a length t/r0"lessthan the width of the drawer. For the femrle support,rip a strip l" wide.Planeitto t/z"thickness,andcut it to the width of the drawer.Mark the handlecenterpoints on the edgeof each support.Extendthe points acrossthe ferrule support. Dado=widthof Make a customizedrecessfor eachchisel chiselbfade+ V.ra"'lK j/+" deep_-----\ by marking on the edgeof the bladesupDistancetrom/ port the width of eachbladeplus %e", chiselbladeto ferrule centeredon the previouslymarkedpoints. At your tablesaw,seta dadobladeto cut V+"deep,and cut a dadobetweeneachset of marks.Use the appropriatechisel and a scrapof felt to testfor a snugfit. adhesivesets,tum the supportupsidedown, and trim the felt along the edges and the endswith a knife. If your drawerbottom is unlined,cut a pieceof posterboard %" smallerin length and width than the insidedimensionsof the drawer.Apply double-facedtapeto the bottom of the posterboardaroundits perimeter.Cut felt 2" largerin length and width than the posterboard.Centerthe posterboard,top down, on the felt, trim off the cornersof the felt, and fold it onto the tape.Flip the posterboardover, and pressit into the drawer. Placestripsof cloth-backed,doublefacedtapeon the bladesupportbottom, and pressit into the drawer.Finally, apply double-facedtapeto the bottom of the ferrule support,and pressit into place.Q Lengthof ;llongest chiselblade Bladesupport Lengthof longest chiselblade Ferrule Widthof drawer I support 1/z' Center diameters with center of dadoes Photograph:Mafi Baldwin lllustration:Roxanne LeMoine WOOD magazine October 2002 re *h* W % A guick tr:rn-aror-rnd project... sdt ,-pepper ]AI3EJS Dust off your lathe, choose any wood-ordinary you'll have this set finished in an afternoon. _'!' : Ambrosia-bounty '' t't - ',;* '" l:.." l-::r to woodtur ners W e m a d e t h e s e s h a k e r sf r o m a m b r o s i am a p l e . N o t h i n gm o r e t h a n s o f t m a p l e ,t h i s w o o d d e r i v e si t s c o l o r a n d n a m e f r o m t h e a m b r o s i ab e e t l e ,a w o o d b o r i n g i n s e c t .T h e b e e t l e i n t u r n t a k e s i t s n a m e f r o m i t s f a v o r i t ef o o d : a m b r o s i a f u n o u s . T h e a m b r o s i ab e e t l e ,o n l y a b o u t 1 / 4 l"o n g , b o r e s p i n - h o l et u n n e l si n t o d y i n g trees and freshlycut logs and lumber.lt does not consume the wood. lnstead, i t i n t r o d u c e st w o t y p e s o f f u n g u s .O n e , t h e a m b r o s i af u n g u s ,g r o w s i n t h e t u n n e l s a n d i s e a t e n b y t h e b e e t l e .T h e o t h e r ,a s t a i n i n gf u n g u s ,g i v e s t h e w o o d i t s d i s t i n c t i v eg r e e n i s h - g r a tyo b l u i s h - b l a c ks w i r l i n gb a n d s . B e c a u s e i t n e e d s t h e m o i s t u r e i n g r e e n w o o d t o s u r v i v e ,y o u w o n ' t h a v e t o w o r r y a b o u t b e e t l e sl i v i n gi n y o u r d r i e d t u r n i n gs q u a r e . to exotic-and clclsonre spice to rlcaltinres witlt t h i s p l e a s i n u l v p l L r n t l - rt r , r l n c c l s h a k c r : , c t . A l l r o u n e e c li s u l a t h c .a c o u p l co 1 ' F o r s t n cbr i t s .l n c l l r a s i e t u r n i n s s k i l l s t r i t i r l n t t h e s e a t t l ' a c t ic\ clining acccssoriesin a claslr.Wc tLrrrrccl this set llonr an LrnLrsual tv1-lcof' nraplc (scc tlrc srclcbar.ft,/i). but an1, s1-rccics rvill ckr. F o r t h e i t e m s n e e d e dt o b u i l d t h i s p r o j e c t ,s e e T o o l s a n d A c c e s s o r i e s a n d t h e B u y i n gG u i d e o n p a g e 1 8 . ( . r t r t t i r t t t c t tl t r t 1 t u , q cl ( t 14 WOOD rnagazine C:ill ,i'r..i,lf: salt & pepper shakers Bore the blanks. and make a jarnchrick I Bore the charnbers IFrom a 3x3x8" tuming square,cut two 33/e"-Iong on shakerblanks.Findthecentersby drawingdiagonals both endsof eachblank. Chuck a I3/8" Forstner bit in your drill press. Holding the blanks in a handscrew clamp, drill centeredVz"-deepcounQ o ri l ttn e terboresin their bottoms. counterboreChangeto a 1" Forstner with a 1-3le" Forstner bit, and set the depth bit. stop to drill within 3/e"of the bottom of each blank. Centeringthe bit in the counterbores. drill the chambers. &*:,sl* Turn the shakers the ternplate I Make I trrtakea copy of the shakertemplatefull-size patternon the insert.Use sprayadhesiveto adherethe patWOOD PATTERNS@ tern to a Vax2v4x4"piece of temperedhardboard.Bandsawand sandthe templateto the patternline. the blanks ) T-ue Cr Mount the first blank on thejam chuck.Make surethe blank sitscompletelyflat on the chuck.Engagethe tailstockcenter.Use your 3/e"bowl gougeto shapethe blank into a 3"-diametercylinder. Tools:Bowlgouge Toolrest: Belowcenter Speed:600-800 rpm r--| @Ct""n up the entirelengthof the blank. Tools:Drillpress, 1" and1sle" Forstner bits Speed:500rpmforthe 1" bit bit,250rpmforthe 1-3le" Tailstockcenter f grru"the blankto 3" diameter. a iarn chrrck ) Eabticate Er Laminate two z/qx3/zx3Vz"pieces of hardwood scrapto makealVz"-thick jam-chuckblank.Centeryour 3" faceplateon the blank, trace around it, and bandsaw to the line. Drill pilot holes,and screwthe faceplateto the blank. The screwsshouldpenetrateno more than Vz" into the jam-chuck blank. Mount the faceplateon your lathe. Using your parting tool, make a gaugingcut at the blank's edge,turning a %" shoulderthat fits tightly into the shaker blank's counterbore.Making overlapping cuts with your parting tool, widen the shoulderto 1/r0", maintaininga snugfit in the blank's counterbore. Tools:Partingtool Tool rest: Center Speed:800-1,200rpm Screws penetrate no more than t/2". _-) "'' QU fitl[:[i,nnn?#J'nn in the blank's counterbore. IYIake garrging crrts Lay the template on the blank, aligning the bottom of 'shaker profile with the the blank's bottom edge. Mark _6 the locations of the critical diameters. Using a parting tool and outside calipers, make gauging cuts in the blank to the diametersindicated on the template, as shown in the photo, right. Tools: Partingtool, calipers Tool rest: Center Speed:800-1,200 rpm Q H4arfthe locationsof Ine cflilcatorameters. _T I Frictionfit in blank's1ele" counterbore I :,, rfi lt- @ Cut to the diametershownon the template. the shoulder. 16 Corttinued on page IB WOOD magazine October 2002 salt & pepper shakers Forrn the side profile Using a 3/s"spindlegouge,form the sideprofile on the shaker's lower section.Cut away the jam chuck, where shown, to provide clearancefor your tuming tool, and later for checking the profile with the pattern. Tool: Spindlegouge Tool rest: Slightlybelow center Speed:1,200-1,600rpm Finishingup holes Dritl the shaker 1 I With the lathe running,use a pencil to mark the center and a s/s"-diarnetercircle centeredon the dome top. Stop the lathe.Using your toolrestas a straightedge,mark 90o "crosshairs" through the centerpoint to locate the holes for the salt shaker. (Draw a single straight line through the center for the pepper shaker.) Remove the shaker from the jam chuck. To keep the drill bit from wandering on the curved surface, mark hole locations with an awl at the center and where the lines intersect the circle.Chuck aVr6"bit in your drill pressand drill the holes through the dome into the chamber. HOLELAYOUTS ii \=zi _ 't _ _ _ _ _ { _ _ _ _ _ _ _j_:____-___________ _ f \@ rormthesideprofile. n_ O crt 1"r chuck. "*"y Roll the beads Roll the beads with your parting tool. Switch to yout 3/+"skew chisel, and form the domed top, cutting as close to the tailstock center as possible. Disengage the tailstock, and finish the top of the dome. Form a slight V-groove at the baseof the lower bead, as shownin the photo,left. Check your profile with the template. Tools:Partingtool, skewchisel Tool rest: Slightlyabove center Speed:800-1,200rpm @ Porr a shallowV-groove. @ Oisengagethe tailstock, and finishthe top of the dome. ilw D Apply the finish Cr Remount the shaker on the jam chuck. Sand the shakerwith a progressionof 120- 220- 320-grit sandpapers. Apply a clear finish. We used Mylands Friction Polish, following the directionson the bottle. When the finish dries, clear the shaker holes by twisting a Vrs" drill bit through them. Repeatthe turning and finishing stepswith the other shakerblank. For quick recognition, stain the peppershakerbefore applying the clear finish. We usedZAR no. 113 Fruitwood stain.To absorbthe latentmoisturein the wood and keep the salt and pepper dry, add a teaspoonof dry rice grains to the shakers when filling them. Push the rubber bungs into the bottoms of the chambers.See the Buying Guide for our sourcefor the finish, bungs,and turning blank. lF gouge, parting tool, Tools andAccessories: 3"faceplate, %"bowl %"spinForstner skew outside calipers, and1"and17s" bits. dlegouge,3/" chisel, Buying Guide (4-ounce Build Friction Polish Finish andbungs. Mylands High bottle) ppd,; (2),kitno.923-0148, forl" holes rubber bungs no,949-4000, $5.50 ppd. Available fromsource listed belorv. $9.99 plusthe3x3x8" listed. Finish,bungs, andwood.ltems above turning square -8700, ppd.;maple no,901-8701 walnut no. Ashno.901 $13.99 , $13.99ppd.; ppd. ppd., Prices ambrosia maple no,901-8703, 901-8702, $15,99 $15.99 reflect to W00Do magazine readers. CraftSupplies a 10percent discount USA, Call800/551-8876, orgotowww.woodturnerscatalog.com. 0 O Formthedome,working as closeas possible to the tailstockcenter. 18 Written by Jan Svec with Phil Brennion and Jeff Mertz Projectdesign: Kevin Boyle lllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson Photographs:Marty Baldwin WOOD magazine October2002 blades and bits ftirdrs-rnou frits Making cones, columns, or cylinders is a barrel of fun and requires little monkeying around when you use one of these unique cutters. wd"Hl+5#::,#lv booms.We landlubberscan take advanjoint, tageof this sffongedge-to-edge shownattop right, when making cylindrical objects,suchas columns,archedchest lids. or turnedvessels. The bird's-mouthjoint tops a miter joint for a numberof reasons:First, introducing the cutaway "mouth" createsmore gluing surface.Secondly,the mouth cradles the mating workpiece, making it nearly impossiblefor the joint to slip out of alignment during a glue-up. Finally, you cut only one sideof thejoint, so you reduceyour machining time-and chancefor error-by half. A rorrter bit rnakes the ioint foolproof Leave a small, flat bearing surface above (or below) the cutter for the workpiece to ride against the outfeed fence. This "rib" can be sanded or hand-planed away after assembly, or left intact for a decorative effect. 20 Boatbuildersmakethe bird'smouth joint on very long pieces using a tablesaw.As with any multi-faceted project, though, a tiny error in the cutting angle can becomehuge when compoundedat eachjoint. You'll reduceyour error rate to near nil, however, when you machineyour workpieceswith a bird's-mouthrouterbit (Ire Valley Tools, www.leevalley.com,or By foing the cut800/871-8158). ting angle at the factory, thesebits virtually guaranteeyour success when making 6-, 8-, I2-, ot 16sidedcylinders. So, how many sidesdo you need?That dependsultimately on the natureof the project. The more sidesin your cylinder, the smoother the curve. If you plan to turn the cylinder blank round, more sides alsomeanlesswaste,becauseyou can use thinner stock to constructthe blank. On the other hand, if you want the cylinder to have an angular,facetedlook, usefewer sides. For a simplecolumn, settingup to use the bit is as simpleas thejoint is sffong.In your router table, install the proper bit for the numberof sides(or staves)in your cylinder. Set the bit's cutting height to leavea small (say, Vzz"),flat bearingsurface on the workpiece,as shownin the photo at left. After routing all the stavesfor the cylinder, apply glue to the routededges,stand the staveson end, and clamp them together with bandclamps.If you havea lot of sidesto assemble,a pair of scrapwood discs that fit inside the cylinder will help keepit round. Think orrtside the cylinder Want to be a little more creative?You can use the joint to decorateand "break" the edgesof a caseor chest,as shownin the photo on page 22. Or, if you're up for a challenge,usebird's-mouthbits to create taperedcylinders or cones,like the ones illusfratedonpage 22. Things start to get a little tricky here, though, as the number of stavesin the conedoesn'tnecessarilymatchthe number of the cutter. (For example,the l2-side cuttercan be usedto cut cones with 3-12 staves.)The fewer the staves, Continuedonpage22 WOOD rnagazine October 2002 wIN FLOOR SEATS AND BEAUTIFUL WOODFLOORSCOURTESY OF VARATHANE.'' ano t h c l ' l u t t c rl l t c c o n c l r I : r t l c t l eo n e l t r o l ' : I t k c i t s r l L u r s h cpt lr n r n r i t l .r i h i l c l r n I I s i t l c t le o n c i s n c i r r l i l e r i i n t l - ' r '\.' o L r u i l l n c c c lt o r l o : o r r r c l ' i r L r r i r i rt o r l c t c l n t i n ct l t c c L r t t i n tl n S l c s l i r r t l r c s t r r \c \ . I ) c t l u l c r l i n s t r u c t i o n sl r r t t l. i n t l r l c l i r l n r L r l r rl .i ,r r n l r l . i n g t l t c e l L l c i r l l r t i ( )r r' (\ ) n r -u i t l r t l t c h i t s I J c l i r r cr r i t t l r t t r . \ \ c c n c ( ) u r i r ! a\ ( ) u l ( ) r i c u t l r c i r r s t l t rtei o n n t t r r r r r l(r)l n I . e c Now y ou c an ac hie v e b e a u ti fu l l y re fi n i shed wood f loo rs b y y o u rs e l f w i th V ar at hane@ Di a mo n d W o o d . i th Fi n i sh pr em ium polyu re th a n e sW Varathanethe result is a professional fi n i sh wit h long las ti n g d u ra b i l i ty . And noq Varathaneis giving you the opportunity to see your favorite pro basket ball play er s i n a c ti o n . T h e America's Most Flawed Floor Contest w i fl awar d one Gra n d Pri z e w i n ner wit h ev er y t h i n g n e e d e d to re fi n i sh t heir wood f l o o rs , i n c l u d i n g Vara thane Diam ond Wo o d F i n i s h pro duc t s , as well as tw o fl o o r s e a t ti cke ts t o t he m os t s ta r-p a c k e d professional basketball game of the ye ar (tr av elandhot el in c l u d e d ). V l l l c r ' s \ \ c b s i t c . . \ t \ l ( r c r r el t . t l r c s c t h r c c b r t s ( o r . t cl o r l i . o n c l i r r l 6 - . l r n t l o r r e l i r r '( r - l n r l I l - s i t l c c l e r l i n t l c r ' r) l r c n ' t h r r t l t c t l r t ' c l r l ' , c t 'hst.t t r o r r ' I l \ \ ; . r i r t1 ( )l n t r l \ c \ u l ' c r o u g c t t h c r i g l r l l r i t l i r r r o L r r ' p r t r j c cltF. , W r i t t e n b y D a v e C a m p b e l l r , L ' t l J. e f f M e r t z Photographs:Marty Baldwin l l u s t r a t i o n :T i m C a h i l l f,-tr-*;,.: i,, Use a bird's-mouth bit to soften (or highlight) the corner joints of a large project, such as an entertainment center" B I R D ' S - M O U TBHI T SC A N M A K E T H E S ES H A P E SA N D M O R E 8 sides 12-side cutter Chest lid 16-sidecutter 6 sides 6-side cutter +-€,$,.$$tn-, ':ri: , ::-..' : Floons rHrsBEAUTTFUL H A V E N E V E RB E E N S O E A S Y . Contestis open August I - November30, 2002 to adultsagesI 8 andover.Enteronlineat varathane.com, or mail entries,includingfirst and last name,date of birth, address(includingzip code),telephonenumber, color photographof your wood floor and a description in I OOwordsor lessof whyyour woodfloors needto be refinished. Mail entry in a stamped envelope to: America's Most Flawed Floor Contest, ZOO E. RandolphDr, 63rd Floor,Chicago,lL 60601. Entries mustbepostmarkedbySaturday, November3O,2OO2. No purchasenecessary.Void where prohibited.For officialcontestrulesvisit varathane.com www.varathane.com @20O2 Rust-OleumCorporation 1 5s i d e s 1 6 - s i d ec u t t e r 22 1 1s i d e s 1 2 - s i d ec u t t e r WOOD rnag,azine project designer'snotebook c,frifd-safie frdbeds Bunk beds save space-a welcome feature for a youngf, growing family. Equally important is that they are designed with safety in mind. Here's what you need to know before you plan your own bunk beds or modify existing plans. afety standardsfor bunk bedswereadoptedby theU.S. ConsumerProductsSafety in 1999.These Commission standards applyto any bed havingthe undersideof its foundationmorethan30" abovethe floor. For the completetext of the standards, includingmethodsof testing for compliance,go to the CPSCWeb site at www.cpsc.gov. Click on search,and type in "bunk bed standards." Click on "SafetyStandardfor Bunk Beds." You'll needAdobeAcrobatto view the document. To makeit easierto understand these standards, we'veboiledthemdownto ninekey points: accidentaldislodging or intentional removal by a child. guardrailsare required. ftf*o \!-/tf a ladderis attachedto one side. the guardrailon the othersidemust be continuous. gapbetweenthecontinuous lfifne V nuutdrailandthe end structures aunnofa*a eed7,/tz" . must top of the guardrails fflrn. \Ybe a[ least5" abovethe top of the mattress. upperedgeof the upperbunk fflrh. mustbe at least5" Y/end structures abovethe top of the mattressfor at least 50 percentof the distancebetweenthe cornerposts. 24 themattress removed,any flwith V-/op.ning in theseareason both side of the upperbunk andboth end structures mustbe smallenoughto preventthe passage rigid sphere. of a 3t/2"-diameter mattress removed,any the f$wirn Vopening in thisareaof theend structuresof the lower bunk mustbe of a smallenoughto preventthe passage rigid sphereor large 3t/2"-diameter of a enoughto allow the passage 9"-diameterrigid sphere. the mattress removed,any fi)witfr \9opening in thisareaof theend structuresof the lower bunk largeenough to allow the passage of a 9"-diameter rigid spheremustbe configuredto avoid the entrapmentof a child's neck.i l,,lote:Whilenot a requirementof the screwinR CPSCstandard,we recomnxend the mattressplaforms to the bedrails. @;rul:rT one suardrail is allowed for ladder access. must be attachedto the (/)Guardrails \-7bed in a manner that prevents lllustration: Roxanne LeMoine. Lorna Johnson WOOD rnagazine October 2002 short cuts Newsandnotesfromthewoodworking world Dowuharrcaven for yesterday'sioots? Your father gaveyou an old wooden molding plane;your great-uncleleft you a century-oldhandsaw.At a garagesale down the steet, you boughtup a pair of woodenhandscrewsfor next to nothing. Somewherealong the way you caughtthe antique{ool-collectingbug, but wheredo you go from here?Try the Mid-West Tool CollectorsAssociation. Begunin Chicagoin 1968with just 16 members,the M-WTCA hassinceblossomedinto an organizationof 4,(X)0. But dontt let the name fool you: Membershipspansall50 states and six counfries. According to the mission statemenlthe M-WTCA dedicatesitself 'to the study, preservation,and understandingof the early tools, implements,and devicesused by our ancestorsin their liomes, shops,on the farms, and on the seaS,and to a better perceptionof the indusftiesand crafu in which thesetools were used."That means more thanjust woodworking tools, though thesetools play a significantpart. A membershipfee of $25 per year ($33 for Canadaand $40 for other counfries) entitlesyou to severalworthwhile benefits. You get a subscriptiontoTHB GNSTMIIL, a quarterly magazinecontaining educationalarticleson tool collecting.You receivereprintsof out-of-print tool-related literature,ffade manuals,and catalogs. And, finally, you can affendthe area meetingsheld in any of the 18 geographic locations,or the biannual nationalmeetings. Thesemeetingsinclude toursto museumsand restorations,lecfures,seminars,and films and demonsfrationsof early crafts.They alsoprovide spacewherememberscan display their specialcollections,and bring along antiquetools for saleand tade. For an applicationform, or more information on M-WTCA, write to Mid-West Tool CollectorsAssociation,Inc., P.O. Box 8016,Berkeley,CA9n07, USA, or go to theirWeb siteat www.mwtca.org and seetheir home page. Photograph by John G. Wells As a member of the M-WTCA, not only can you research antique tools, such as these, you develop friendships with like-minded collectors that can last a lifetime. 26 Circle No. 50 WOOD magazine October 2002 A, nrut,hgft? wood anecdote t0Ht855.Bdoo The "wood" that comes from grass YOUCANgivegouroutdoor metal furniture andarressories atrulg distinilive lookwithFust-0leum paints. Stops'Fust aerosol Therhip gou've resistanre andcolorretention tometoexpert fromFust-0leum are nowavailable inexciting finishes surh asMetallir, Hammered,Satin and Textured. 0on'tneed torepaintthe furniture? Trgit onoutdoorlightfixtures. Infart,Bust-0leum workswonders onwood,ronrrete ormasonrg. And paints remember, Fust-0leum are proieils, alwags athome oninterior too. .+ painted HOW T0 paintpreviouslg partiallg metaland/or rusted surfares: 1. Sand orwirebrush toremove all paint. loose rustand/or rhipping 2. Finse anddrgthoroughlg. A rlean, drgsurface isessential. 3. Prime rusted areas with Rust-0leum' FustgMetalPrimer. prime Forallotherareas, with Hust-0leum' fleanMetalPrimer. Forlightlgrusted gouran areas, useFust-[Jleum FustReformer' whichneutralizes rustandcreates asurface thatcanbetopcoated. 4. Paint, andtakeprideingour improvement! Visitwww.rustoleum.rom for information onthe entireportfolio paints of Fust-0leum top-qualitg andsurfare roatings. nusr*terEux BRANDS i:i ew Westerners think of bambooasanything but a houseplant, gardenaccent,or snackfor a panda.But throughoutmuch of the world, bambooprovides durablebuildingmaterial.Soon, , more of us in the United States may find bambooright underour feet, literally, as bambooflooring , is a hot new trend. Surprisingly,bambooisn't even ,; Natural wood-it's grass,and an amazing l Bamboo'snaturalcolor grassat that. Theseprolific, treeis lighttan. Heatingthe stalks"carbonizes" and darkensthem. like plants(hundredsof varietiesexist) Theflooringcross-sections, top,show grow incredibly fast. Plantsreachharvest"vertical"planks(left)and "horizontal" (right).Planksmeasure37ex36". ing size(around20') in 3-5 years,then regrowaftercutting. Bambooflooring,above,consistsof wide are laminatedin two-or threelayers. stalks(calledculms)cut into strips,planed In "vertical" planks,the stripsare faceto about3Ad"thick,andgluedinto planks. glued,which exposesthe culms' edges. In the "horizontal" Planksjoin usingtonguesand grooves. style,stripsabout1" The result is a beautiful,even-toned floor without knots or wild grain.Instead, just thin, straightlines remain,intemrpted only by subtlemarkingsat the culmjoints. More surprisingthanbamboo'slooksis its strength.A bamboofloor provides50 percentmore dimensionalstability than red oak, and rivals maplein hardness. Bamboohasa lieht hue.but takeson a carameltone when the stalksare heated and "carbonized."The color runs throughout,eliminatingthe needfor stain. Not all flooring retailersstockbamboo, but it is gettingmore common.Pricing comparesto maple,at $5-$7 per square foot, uninstalled. As bamboogainspopularity,look for After harvest, more productsmadefrom theseversatile bamboo plants regeneratefrom plants,suchasdoor panels,veneered plythe existing wood, andevenlaminated"boards"for stalks. This furniture.JF accelerates new growth and eliminatesthe need for replanting. Written by David Stone with Peter J. Stephano Photographs:Marty Baldwin s t o p p i n gr u s t i s i u s t t h e s t a r t l " WOOD magazine October 2002 sho ti \ nnner youworkfaster, andsafer smarter, Helping Sander swings into action, swirrels to stotv a benchtoppowertool,such Sometimes facas a drumsander,storesefficiently ing one direction,but mustbe rotatedto go to work.Othertimes,suchas with a belVdiscsander,thereare two working positions. I solvedtheseproblemsby creatinga benchtopplatformthat rotates on a lazy-Susan bearing.Here'show you can,too. Cut the platformttom 3/q"plywood.Drill holesthroughit for the mountingbolts, and installT-nutson the undersideof the platform.Test-fitthe tool,making certainthatthe boltsdon'tprotrude morethan 1/q", or theywill dragon the bench.lf theydo, buy shorterboltsor hacksawthemto length. Removethe tool,and screwthe lazySusanbearingto the bottomof the platfo rm,D ri ll1" accesshol esthroughthe platform,and screwthe assemblyto your bench.Mountthe tool,and rotateit intoits workingposition. D ri l la s/0"hol enearone cornerof the baseand intoyour benchto accepta bolt that keeps the platformfromturning w hi l eyou' rew orki ng. -Ken Prill, Falls,Wis. Chippewa You might think a guy who designs and builds high-endcustomfurniture for a living learnedhis art at the side of a mastercraftsman.But Ken Prill learnedit all by reading."I'll bet I have 500 books andmagazineson woodworking," our Top ShopTip winner says. Ken often adornshis work with hand-carved features.And business must be good becausehe haslittle time to pursuecarvingfor pleasure,as with the elk relief he startedthreeyearsago (shownabove).We're gladhe took the time to sendin the Top ShopTip, at left, andwe think you will be too. For sending this issue'sTop ShopTip,we're sending Ken Prill an HTC Multi-Fence 50" #,--l tablesaw fence system. Attaboy, Ken! Tell us how you've solveda workshop dilemma,andwe'll sendyou $75 if we print your solution.And, if we name your tip asthe Top ShopTip, you'll alsowin a tool worth at least$250. Sendyour besttips, along with photos or illustrationsand your daytime telephonenumber,to: Shop Tips, WOODaMagazine,IT16 Locust St., GA-310,Des Moines,IA 503093023. You can alsoe-mail tips to [email protected],or post them on our Top ShopTip forum at www.woodonline.com. Becausewe try to publish only original tips,pleasesendyour tips only to WOOD magazine.Sorry, but we can't return your materials. Continuecl on page 32 WOOD magazine October 2002 shop tips Foolproof hanging rnlith keyhole slots p.ll r'i;;:l:,::;:l Keyholeslotsare a greatway to affix woodenhangings,suchas a shelfor picture,to a wall.But if the mounting screwsaren'tperfectlylevel,or spaced exactlythe same as the slots,the job can becomea nightmare. Here'sa solution that worksgreat. I attachshortpiecesof maskingtape to the top of my leveland, usingthe keyholeslotsthemselves,I markthe locationsof the slotson the tape,as shownin Step 1. lf I wantto centerthe wall hangingbetweentwo objects,I also makea third mark.centeredbetween the two marks. Afterfindingthe mountinglocationfor the shelf,I markthe centerof the shelf at the correctheight.I placethe level's centermarkon that mark,makecertain it's level,then markthe screwlocations usingthe othertwo marks,as shownin Step2. Finally,I drivethe mounting screwson thosemarks.My hangings are alwaysrighton the moneyand level. -Bill Vanderhoot Hanover, Pa. SmallArchDoorSet.ltem# 800.524.11 Sometimes the littlethingsmakethe biggestdifference,and when it comesto finefurniture,the detail that makesthe most lastingimpressionis the constructionof the doors.Designedfor CMTby masterwoodworkerLonnieBird,our Divided Light Door Setand SmallArch Door Set let you createbeautifullycrafteddoorsthat will speakof your dedicationand craftsmanship for generations to come. @ Mark centerline and keyhole-slot locations on masking tape affixed to level. joints Eachset includesthree1/2"shankrouterbitsthat delivercleancuts,rock-solid and elegantdetail.And everyCMTbit featuresthe fineststeeland micrograincarbide, anti-kickback designand our trademark orange*nonstickcoating.Forthe perfectfinishingtouch on your next projectlook to CMT,wheretwo generationsof toolmaking expertisearethe perfectmatchfor your heirloomqualitywork. \/ cfttil VisityourCMTDistributor forthefinestrouterbits, sawblades, shaper cutters, accessories andmore! rk r,^qO?ANQE,*,, For a distributorin your area call: 888-268-2487, or visit our websiteat: www.cmtusa.com Continued on page j4 WOOD magazine October 2002 Your Hands. Your Tools. Your Fcmily's Comforl. You con put it oll togetherwith o RodiontFloorComponyunderfloor heotingsystem. ond We giveyou oll the informotion work WITH you to our technicions to suityour needs. designo system monuolis pocked Our instollotion with dozensof loborsovingtips. woterheoter Forusewith q domestic or boiler. Coll for o freequote. We tokethe mysteryout of Rodiqnt Heot. Visitourwebsiteondseehowsimple ond offordobleit con be. www. rod io ntcompq ny.com Toll Frce |.865-WAR h-TOES r-86-927-6863 . r -802-525-1132 GAS, PROPANE,SOIAR, OIL, WOOD, EIECTRIC,GEOTHER'iAAI Toll free customerossistonce. Free Design Service . Free Brochure' Low Prices shop tips Pine plrrgs solve prr-zlet parilicleboard wasfacedwithinstalling I recently hingeson the lidof a toy boxmadeof particleboard-amaterialnotorious for notholdingscrewswell.Afterpuzzling to overit for awhile,I finallydecided givethescrewssomething moresubstantial to biteinto. I Aftermarking thehingelocations, bitto bore7e"holesat useda Forstner justdeepenough eachscrewlocation, pine tapered, to accept%" flat-top, plugsat eachlocation. (Plugsworkbetwithdowels, terthandowelsbecause, you'rescrewing intoendgrain.) I gluedtheplugsin placeandtapped marked themflush,thenimmediately anddrilledpilotholesforthescrews, the hinges,As I drovethe andinstalled theyspreadtheplugsjust screws, enoughto forma tightbondwiththe particleboard. I expectthesejointswill outlastthe toy boxitself! -Jon Murphy, Auburn, Wash., viaW00D ONLINE@ IlIFORMATIOil WORTH WRITITIG FOR A fflomentat Yaepr Tirnefsr a Wealthof {fiterffiatian' Top-quality catalogsandbrochures from the nation'sleadingwoodworkingcompanies; the easyway for thosewho enioywoodworhing to exploreproductsand services that will enhancethe entire experience. Beforeyou start your nextproiect,turnto thebackof this magazine, complete theordercard andreceive a wealthof.,. ilFonmAn0il w0HrH WRMilGFOR tuHgPtlw 100s8 l0nont0lncrl$stom (ompony, Wl Tool [L(r Horiton, Journeymon r llSHIHIStm7,033 Allll6,1 | 6,S26 34 Made infteUSA WOOD magazine October 2002 prevents Gard trick dents harnrnef plastic WheneverI get an unsolicited card in the mail,I saveit, sometimes r r g l u eo r s p a c k usi ngit as a s pr ead efo l i n g.B ut m y f av or iteu s e i s a s a n a i l i n g r e n tso n sh ieldt o or ev entha m m e d woodsurfaces. Preparing a cardfor useis easy:Simply drillor punchholeslargerthanthefinishingnailsor bradsyou'lldrive.Afterdriving flushwiththe card,usea nail thefastener setto slightlyburythe head. A securitynote:Old phonecardsand membership cardsare goodcandidates but creditcards for thisapplication, destroyed, shouldbe completely -Joe Carlino,Plainfield, lll. steps up to lend Fixtrrre I madea sim- r To supportworkpieces, ple T-shapedfixturethat securesto my i portableclampingworkstation. By i adjustingthe heightof the fixture,I can : useit withvarioustools,suchas my table- , saw,routertable,etc, , saw,radial-arm To instantlyadjustto the proper , heightfor each tool, I addedhardboard : a hand "steps,"as shownbelow.Eachstep setsthe correctheightfor a different tool.Now when I needto supporta long or wideworkpiece,I simplyclampthe fixturebetweenthe jaws of the workstation, restingit on the appropriatesteps, and the heightis spot-oneverytime. -Al Finch, Md. Baltimore, 2x4 support,30" long "r-T o',.ffii 1 .*{) | \ 3/a" "iF 3/ax 13/ax 14" cleats screwed to PlYwood illit;?';dppori /+" hardboard steps, 2" wide 7+" plywood, 10"wide 11/z"hanging hole @ G -@ -N \\r \\ Continued on page .J6 vvwur.woodonline. com 35 shop tips Ghrrte sarrdirrg drrst riglrt into vac hose Graba scrappieceof 2x10andmakea drill-press accessory thathelpsmake drum-sanding a lessdustyoperation. Usea holesaw to drillthecentered 3" hole,andcutthechutewithyourbandsaworjigsaw,Then,clampthejig to yourdrill-press table.Aircurrents created bythespinning drumdirectdustinto thechute,andthevacuum system takes overfromthere. -Ernest Peters,Brighton,)ntario BulldaPlctule Frene upholrtor ac[alr @ + Ere M M lnstalllnsulation ryn"ffflP & 5,/8'Dred lalls,bo. There ares0many iobstheuersatile ARROW TsO'PBil Staple+Nail Guncando. It shoob6 differentsizestaples andalsodrives a 5/8"bradnail.Thanks to its"EasySqueeze Double leverage Mechanism" andcushioned grip,thistool isa breeze to use. And,because of itsall-steel construction with carbonhardened steelworkingparts,the rugged T5O'PBN willbea reliable member of yourtoolboxfor manyyearsto come. Ann(Mfuqlsanil sapplies areavailable at hone centers, Iunberyards andfiardwarestores. U.S.A.: Arrow FastenerCompany,Inc.,27t MayhillStreet,Saddle Brook,N.J.07663 United Kingdom: Arrow Fastener tU.K.lLtd., t4 BarclayRoad,Croydon,SurreyCRotJN Canada:JardelDistributoF,lnc.,6505Metropolitan Blvd.East,Montreal, euebecH1plX9 *For 1%" vacuum hose O 2OO1ARROWFASTENER CO,. INC. 36 WOOD magazine October 2002 Lav it on the line for precise crrtoffs Simplymarkthe boardwhereyou want to cut it, positionthe stopagainstthe and alignthe edgeof yourworkpiece, Takea few minutesto buildthis cut-off jig in yourshop,and you'lltake accuracy end of the jig withthe markedcutline. withyou anywhere.The jig, shownin the P u s hy oursaw acrossthe j i g,and you' l l slicethe boardrighton the money. fopdrawing,was designedfor 6" deck Maine Rose. Durham. Richard boards,but you can easilyscalethe conceptto any size-or any miter angle-you need. t he j i g a Af t erbuilding littleoversized, use your circularsaw againstthe fenceto trim the end of the jig t o f inalleng th . The end now represents the cut that particular sawwillm ak e. ] t - Post rrotes on proiect rrpdates arild hints An issueor two aftera projectappears you'll magazine, in a woodworking from readsometimesreadsuggestions ers who havebuiltit. WhenI run across theseitems,I jot themon self-adhesive notepaperand stickthe noteson the firstpageof the originalarticle.Or, if there'san accompanying drawing,I photocopythe magazineupdateand tape thatto the originalarticle.Thatway, if I www.woodonline.com buildthe projectlater,l'll havethe benrightat hand. efitof others'experience -Mike Brenton, Chemainos, 8.C., viaW00D ONLINE Get a new Shop Tip every weekday when you log on to our Web site at www.woodonline.com. Just clickon "ShopTip of the Day"to work smarter,not harder. 37 The BestPlaceto askwood B*y Over 700 DeltaTools Online Answers t0 yourquestions fromletters, e-mails, andW00D ONL|NEo at the loutestprices guaranteei \rwdr Istxsr ! l*':ligr!J' **;;l ;i;..'l tw r;FI ffi* #rl-2ee I4" BrtndSaw I Mate.lring aged cfrerty can be the pits I knowcherrydarkensas it n ages, but I'mwondering howto \| copewiththatfactin two differentsituations:lf youaddcabinets alongside builtand somethatwererecently installed, willthecolordifference even out?Andwhataboutplacingnewcabinetsnextto somethatwerebuiltback in the 1970s? and now the owner of the Irion Lumber Co. in Pennsylvania,points out that cheny darkens beneath the surface over the years. As for darkening new boards. Lou news, Don. Cherry starts to darken immediately after it's surfacedand exposedto light. br"rtnew projects should "catch up" to projectsthat have been fin- the stain would cover up the natural look of the wood. That would defeat the pur- ished within the past year or so. That's assumingthat the lumber used in both projects was the same shade to begin Of course,there's anotherway to get old and new to match perlectly. You could remove the face frames.doors. and drawers fiorn your old cabinets.and build has tried some chemical aging methods, but hasn't been satisifedwith the lesults. That leavesyou with the possibility of staining.But if you stain the new wood to the perfect color, the look will chan-qeas -Don Borden, vraW00D0NLINE years go by. And if you set out to stain both new and old wood to a matching We have good news and bad color. "You would have to go so dark that E with. and finished the same way. Now. the bad news.It's not likely that new chery will ever match cherry that has been darkening for 20 or 30 years.Your pose of using an inherently beautiful wood like cherry," Lou says. replacementsfrom the same batch of cherry yoll use for the new cabinets. -W00Do magazine best bet is to flnd some aged cheny, and build with that. Other optionsinclude some big chal- rt #28- I 50 r 9" Br,rrh Brzndsaw ('t , Jhop at tutrtu), amazon,com/ delta h-fo"-. g/$., *\W u,ill natc/.t otr cornperirors prirc pltrs beat ir b_yt0o/o of tlr di.ff retttt. i:ittd orrt tunz0)t.L'urtt/pri* - t tr,rtt l'. ttto)'ei t r(u' tt,.,t Callfor your FREE TootCribcatalog 1-8oo-6lS-St4o Toor-s & HnnowARE ffiE lenges. You can't lightenup the woodin old projects by sanding: Lou lrion, lon_e- i ,;ri tirne builder of period furniture You might be able to match this raw cherry board with this finished drawer, which has aged for a year. But, the older the original piece,the harder it is to match it. amazoll.com" 38 WOOD rnagazine October 2002 For the rorrter tlratts lost its grip I'vebeenusingmy faithful f| routerfor over20 years.but Y nowthe bits arestartingto work loose. Withthe routermountedin a table,the bit graduallyrisesup andbitesdeeper intothe woodas I work.Canthis problembefixed? -James Peterson. A4ron, 0hio Jim, you probablycan solve it by replacingor cleaningthe collet. To removethe collet for examination. turn the locknut as usual,but keep turning until it comesfree of the router and releasesthe collet. Use a round brush with fine bristlesmadeof brassor copper to clean dirt and rust from the inside of the collet, then sprayon a light coat of WD-40 or other light oil to protect againstfuture rusting.Wipe off any excesswith a rag or papertowel. The variation in oak grain really encourages a small drill bit to wander off course. Mark the spot with a sharp awl, and insert the bit deep into the chuck. Tarnirrcl a ltit thatts born td ttlander I needto drill several3/sz" holes 1|f in the of a disc, but can't edge Y keepthe drill bit fromwandering. I knowa brad-point bit wouldhelp,but I don'tknowif theymakeonethatsmall. Anyotherideas? -Steye,vaW00D ONL|NEo Keepyour routercolletscleanso that they'llkeepa firm grip on your bits.We wentto a gun shop to find a bristle brushthat fits this t/c"collet. Reinstallthe collet and do somerouting. If the slippagecontinues,you might need a new collet. Checkwith your dealeror call Tools On Sale.a divisionof Seven CornersHardware,at 800/328-0457. They carry colletsfor most brandsand models. A final tip: Get in the habit of removing the bit after completingeachrouteroperation. That helpsto keepthe collet flexible. _{IVOODo magazine www.woodonline.corn Woodworker'sSupply carriesa t/tz" brad-point bit with a hex shank,Steve.Call 800/645-9292and order item number 824-192for $7.99. They also have Vs"and rAa"brad-points. In most cases,however,you shouldbe able to keep almostany drill bit where you want it by marking the hole location with a sharpawl beforeyou drill. When bit, placeit deep using a straight-shank into the chuck to keep it from wobbling. -1ff00Dmagazine Got a qrrestion? lf you're looking forananswer toa woodworking question, writetoAskW00D,1716 Locust St., lA50309-3(I|3 GA-310, DesMoines, orsendus ane-mailat [email protected]. Forimmedipost fromyourfellowwoodworkers, atefeedback yourquestion forums 0noneofourwoodworking atwww.woodonline.com. 39 at your S@FViCe Help in a h for your woodworking or WOOD' magazine-related guestions. o Woodvvorking advice 24/,7 available questions to Postyour mostpelplexin-e eagerto help thousands of woodworkers you in oneof the20+ onlineforumsat orums. talk.woodmasazine.com/f For article by callin-e8001346-9663. reprints,send$5 per article(no phoneorders),includin-s issueand nameof article.to WOODArticle o Proiect rrpdates ReprintService,P.O.Box 349,Kalona,IA to previouslypub52241,checkor moneyordermadepayable For a list of changes articles,go to lishedWOOD magazine to WOODrnagazine. woodmagazine.com/updates. o Help finding o Srrbscription assistarrce past articles o Send corrrrrrents to or othersubscripchanges onlineindex For address SearchWOOD magazine's visit us onlineat the editors tion services. at woodmagazine.com/index. calI 800/ Sende-mailto [email protected], woodma-eazine.com/service, o Need a back issrre and pressoption2, or call 800/374-9663 374-9663and pressoption I , or write to write: Editor-in-Chief P.O.Box 31439, WOOD ma-eazine. or article? , WOOD magazine, t t . ,G A - 3 1 0 D , e sM o i n e s , Pleaseenclose l 7 l 6 L o c u sS Limitedsuppliesof somebackissuesare Boone.lA 50037-0439. your address rA 50309-3023.+ labelfrom a recentissue. or availableat woodstore.woodmall.com 40 WOOD rnagazine M3 Morepowffir. ;"" l-{ l-l l-{ C) _c) l- :: $ -t -, F CircleNo. 1953 October 2002 &'p,*14 .*9j +. 1/t, f; 1::#-*-"a$/*1 'fl aised-paneldoors are a hallmark of quality cabinetsand furniture, I Land thev're not difficult to make. If you have a variable-speed,l Vz-hpor bigger router and a router table,you need only buy a setof threerouterbits designed for the task. The bits couldcostwell over$100.Still, if you plan to make or remodel several cabinets,or constructa specialpiece of furniture featuringraised-paneldoors,we K 42 think they're worth the investment.Of course,you could chooseto cut raised panelson the tablesawinstead,but we've found that routerbits savelots of time and add quality with their smoothcutting and profiles. well-designed We used a horizontalpanel-raisingbit that cuts with the workpiecelying flat on the routertable.You alsocanbuy vertical router bits, which cost less and demand less power. However, they don't allow you to raisea panelwith a curvededge,as the horizontalcutterdoes. In this article, we'll guide you through the processof making a door for a typical cabinet. The same techniquesapply to building a door or panelfor a pieceof furniture, or traditional wall panels.Along the way, we'll point out a few detailsthat have nothing to do with router bits, but everything to do with getting the most striking results. WOOD rnagazine October2002 Two bits foi the door furrre A set of door-makingrouterbits makesit easyto build professional-quality cabinetdoors. One bit cuts the copedshapeat the ends of the rails; one cuts the stickingshapeto match;and one cuts a raisedfield on the panel. Ghoose a cool profile We chosea rail, stile, and panel set from Freud,item number97-102.You can buy it from www.toolcrib.amazon.comfor $144.99,and from other sourcesas well. This set containsa coping bit to cut the ends of the rails, a sticking bit to cut a matching profile and panel-holding grooveon the insideedgeof eachrail and stile, and a3Vz"-diarneterbit that "raises" the panel with a gently sweepingcove. ... iilrild a tlrird for the panel The bits have V2" shanks, which we sftongly recommendfor this operation. See Photos A, B, and C for the shapes made by our rail-and-stile cutters, and how the results mate together. Photo D showsone of the many panel-raisingbit profiles available from Freud and other manufacturers.Choose the one you like best, or the one that matchesthe style of your home's existingcabineflry. This large-diameter bit cuts the cove profilethat "raises"the panel. Once you've found a good board,don't just chop it into convenientlengths.Take one more big step toward master craftsmanship by cutting each individual piece with the straightest grain possible, as shownin Photo F. Straight-grainrails and stiles seem to flow naturally around a door. We recommend snaight grain for ihe panels,too. It lends an architectural-qdalitylook. We usedred oak for this article because it's a popularcabinetchoiceandits prominent grain lines emphasizethe difference in appearancebetween straight grain and random "cathedral" gruin. Check out the two versionsin Photo G. When you go to a retail outlet to look at oak cabinets,you seelots of figure, and maybe you prefer it that way. The choiceis yours. In a piece of cardboard, cut out a "window" the same size as the part you need to make. When you see the grain you want, mark the outline with chalk. Select the best stock A great door depends on great lumber. You want wood that shrinls and swells as little aspossible,andresistswarping.Riftsawn or quartersawnlumber fills the bill. Go through the stack of boards at your lumber supplier, and look at the end grain on each one. Select the ones with grain lines running straight from face to face, not from edgeto edgeor in a semi-circle. These prime boards also feature sraight face grain, which played an important role in our door, as you'll see. You might find quite a bit of variation in one wide board, as shown in Photo E. In that case, elevate your work above the ordinary by selecting the sfaight grain lines for your doors. The cathedralgrain won't go to waste;use it for less visible cabinetpartsor otherprojects. Here you see rift grain and flat grain within one 18" board. Plan to use the rift grain for visible parts and the flat grain elsewhere wrrw. rroo donline. corn Two variations on red oak: The panel on the left was made with well-matched straight grain; the one on the right offers a more common appearance. 43 raised-panel doors made easy I wercAl DtMENStoNS Plan and crrt carefrrlly We built an overlay door for a standard- accuracy before you cut the pieces to sized wall cabinet,a common situation. length,becausethe rails mustbe perfectly nl't/attV -__111/2'' We planed 4/4 stock to 3A" for our rails squarefor good results.Preventchip-out and stiles, and ripped them to 2Vq" in with an auxiliary fence on your miter width, a dimensionthat looks good,feels gauge,or a sacrificialpiece of straight solid, and allows enough room for any stock on the back fenceof your crosscut styleof hinge.You might choosea width sled.Cut an extrarail and an extrastile to anywherefrom 1V2"to 2V2". Pick stock usewhen settingbit heights. that's perfectlyflat for the rails and stiles. To make the panel, chooseboardswith The door itself should fall between9" compatiblecolor and figure, and plane and 18" in width. Too narrow,and it just themto a thicknessof Vz".Onceyou fit the won't look right.If you build it wider than panelinto place,its surfacewill sit flush 28" 18", you're more likely to have trouble with the front of the frame. with twisting. The door must be absoluteJoint the edgesof the boards,then glue ly flat to look goodwhenit's closed. and clamp them togetherto makea slighr An overlaydoor is typically usedon cab- ly oversizeblank.After the glue dries,cut inetswithout faceframes.Sizeeachdoor the panelto allow for a Ve"gap all around to nearly cover the cabinetbox, and plan as it sits in the groovesof the rails and for a Vs"gap betweenadjoiningdoors. stiles.This gapaccommodates the spacers The sampledoor in Drawing1 will help describedin "No-rattlepanels,"page 47, you keep track of the slots and copedrail bottom.If you choosenot to usespacers, endsasyou figure the dimensionsof your you still mustleavethe samegapto allow door. Check your crosscuttingsetup for for wood movement. STILE Align the pilot bearing and the fence before beginning to rout. This step ensures a smooth cut with no dips. Rorrt the rail ends With your router mounted in a table, install the coping bit. It's the bit with a pilot bearingsandwichedbetweenthe two cutters. Hold a straightedgeagainst the routertablefence,and slidethe fenceuntil the straightedgecontactsthe pilot bearing, as shownin PhotoH. Now makesurethe fence sits at a right angle to the miter gauge;butt a piece of scrap againstthe fence at one end, clamp it to your miter gauge,then slide the miter gauge along the fence.The scrapshouldmaintaincontact all along the lengthof the fence. Use your testrail to setthe height of the bit, as shown in Photo l. Placeyour test rail face sidedown on the table.one edse 44 For the rail-end cuts, set the height of the coping bit by eye. Place the top of its slotting cutter just proud of the workpiece. flat againstthe miter gaugeauxiliary fence and one end touching the router-tablefence. Hold the workpiecefirntly againstthe auxiliary fence and down on the table,and rout the profile. Checkthe test cut for a smooth. consistent shoulder about t/t6" thick on the face side of the rail. The rabbet on the opposite side will be aboutVe"deep.Run another test, if necessary,ffid when you're satisfied,make a set-up piece to keep for future projects. Keep the rail square to the router-tablefence with Now, rout both endsof eachrail, your miter gauge and auxiliaryfence. The auxilas shownin PhotoJ. iary fence also prevents chip-out. WOOD magazine October2002 Usethe copedend of a rail to set up the stickingcuts. Match the slotting cutterto the tongue,and if the curvedprofiles don't mate,re-shimthe bit. Make the long-grain cuts on all four frame pieces. Your fingers are close to the bit, so be sure to keep your right hand at the outside corner as you push. simultaneously cutting the groove to receive the panel. Use one of the rails that you just routed to set the height. Match the slot-cutterwith the tongue on the rail end, as shown in Photo K. Again, align the fence and pilot bearing with pilot the bearing of the sticking bit and Again, line up the a sftaightedge, as router table fence to ensure accuracy. shownin Photo L. Place your exffa stile face side down edges Now, the inside againstthe router tablefence, and make a Remove the coping bit and install the testcut, asshownin PhotoM. Checkits fit stickingbit (the one with the pilot bearing with the already routed rail. Place both on top) in your router. In one pass,this bit piecesflat on your workbenchor tablesaw makes the frame look better by rounding top, face sidesup, and check the resulting over the edge next to the panel, while I\llake your bits self-aligtitlg Wouldn'tit be niceto keepyour profilecutterspermarail-and-stile nentlyalignedwithoneanother, avoidingall thosetestcutsevery timeyou usethem?Ourmaster came craftsman, ChuckHedlund, up witha wayto do just that.. Slipa t/2"stopcollarontothe shankof eachbit, andtightenit in placeagainstthe cutterbody,as shownin the photoat right.Install the firstbit intoyour router,and proceedto findthe rightheight. Unplugthe router,loosenthe set screwon the collar,let it slidedown to the collet,pnd retightenthe set the router screw.Withoutchanging www.woodonline.com joint with your fingertips. You want a perfectly smoothjoint, becauseanything less meansa lot of sandingafter assembly.So do as many testsas it takesto get it right, and then cut a set-uppiece for future reference.Seethe ShopTip below for another way to saveyour settings. If you can't get a perfectfit wittr the rails and stiles,you may haveto adjustthe bits themselves with very thin, washer-like, metal shims.Shims allow you to fine-tune the height of the profile cuttersor the location of the tongue on the rail-end bit. Our bits came pre-shimmedfrom the factory, with exfta shims held under the nut at the end of each bit. Write down each step if you do any shimming, so you know the original arrangement as well as each adjusffnentthat you make.When your test joints are right, rout the inside edgeof all four frame pieces. height,do the same with the second cutter. The next time you use the cutters, use a saved set-up profile to set the router height for the first cutter, and the second cutter will match automatically. Look for stop collars at your horne center or hardwarestore, or buy a seven-pieceset that includesone Vz" collar from Woodcraft. Call to order item number 8001225-1153 142562for $7.99. For safety, Freud recommends that you place at least 80 percent of a routerbit's shank insidethe collet. We achievedthat with collars that are Vta"thick. 45 raised-panel doors made Tirne to raise tlre panel For the final step in the milling process, we useda panel-raisingbit that measures 3Vz" in diameter. The large diameter meansthat it cuts more wood per revolution than the averagebit, its outer edge travels faster than most, and it demands extraclearancein the table and fence. For safetyand efficiency,usea variablespeedrouter with at least lV, hp.That's enoughpower to do thejob, andrunningit at a low speedmakesthe operationsafer. Even if you havea split fencethat opens wide enoughto accommodate the bit, it's saferto shapea smalleropeningin an auxiliary fence.A wide gapcausesproblemsif the workpieceslipsinto it. To add an auxiliary wood fence, cut a piece of straight wood to size, and mark the shapeof the bit on it. Cut the opening on the bandsaw,and smoothit with sandpaper. Attach the auxiliary fence to the existingfence,andcheckthe bit clearance. Align the bearingand fence,and make a testcut. asshownin PhotoN. If the router bogs down, adjustthe fenceso that the bit cuts lessthan the full width of the profile ftlitlt easy tr Routertable auxiliary fence with zeroclgarance opening Panel fface oide down). Rememberthat the test pieces for this cut must be the same thickness as the panel. The tongue should fit snugly into the rail and stile grooves. on the first pass.Then realign the bearing and fence,and shapethe completeprofile in anotherpass. Test the fit of the panel tongue in the grooveof a rail or stile.It shouldslide in easily. If you have to force it into the groove,raisethe bit. If it rattlesinsidethe groove,lower the bit. When you find the right fit, rout the profile on the panel.Rout both endsfirst, then do the long sides;the long-graincutswill shave off any minor chip-out from the end-graincuts. Pressdownward on the workpiece as you rout, making sure that the shoulderaroundthe panel field maintainsa consistentdepth. rf Ghrc your router a break as you raise a panel Here'show readerRobertReed of RoamingShores, Ohio,minimizesthe amountof wood removedby his panel-raisingbit. Take a piece of scrapwood,and trace the profileof your panel'raising bit on it. Use a sliding bevel gauge to find an angle that cuts away most of the waste,withouttouchingthe desiredprofile.Set up your 46 tablesawwith the slidingbevel,and run each side and end of the panelthroughas shown.Now you have much less wood to rout. Note that you'll set the rip fence away from the tilt of the blade.You can add a tall fence to the rip fence to support the workpiecewhileyou machineit on edge. UIOOD magazine October 2002 Stain the panel With the door parts milled, you're ready to prepare for assembly.You allowedfor wood movementin the solid panel,during the planning phase. Carry through by installing spacers,as describedin "No-rattle panels," below, and by stainingthe panel, as in Photo O, if stain is part of your finishing plan. Stain the back first, then place it on a support while you stain the face. By staining the panel before assembly, you ensure that the stain completely coatsthe tongue of the panel. If you waited until after assembly, areas of the tongue might remain unstained, and could become visible when the panel shrinks in dry weather. Don't stain the rails and stiles just yet. If staingot onto the gluing surfaces,it could preventthe glue from adheringproperly. After the stain on the panel Whenyou cut the rail ends square,and,accu' dries, insert the spacers, and lf you plan to stain your cabinetdoor, do the ratelymatchthe copedand stickedprofiles, panelbeforeassembly.The cleartopcoat apply yellow glue to all of the tan wait until after asiembly. assemblybecomesalmostautomatic. surfaces that you milled on the clamps, slightly angle them to pull the sure acrossthe width of ttre door at each rail end. Use only a light coating near the frame into alignment, and retighten. Let end,as shownin PhotoP.,Measurediagoinside edge to keep squeeze-outaway the glue dry before staining the frame..l nally betrveenboth pairs of opposingcorfrom the panel; even a weak bond there ners, also shown in the photo, to make could causeproblems. with Charles l. Hedlund two measure- Written by Jim Pollock surethe door is square.-The Assemblethe door, and place it on two Photographs:Marty Baldwin ments should be equal. If not, loosen the bar or pipe clamps,locatedto apply preslllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine; Tim Cahill No-rattle panels Solid-woodpanelsmust have roomto move, as they absob moisturein humidweather, and loseit in dry times.But if you simply leavea gap, you wind up with a door that rattles and soundspoorlymade.You can use variouskindsof plasticfoam to fill that gap, but we like "SpaceBalls."Thesefirm rubberspheres,about t/+"in diameter,do the job quicklyand neatly.Woodcraftsellsa packageof 100for $4.99;call8OOl225-1153 to order item number142284.Use two SpaceBallson each side and each end of a smalldoor,or threepersideon a biggerone. They'llcompresswhenthe panelexpands, and returnto full sizeas the panelshrinks, holdingit tightlyin its groovesallthe while. Pushthe SpaceBalls into the groovesas far as you can with your finger. The panelwlll seatthem during assembly. www.wood.magazine. corn 47 kid-friendry Build them as bunks or twins. F #+-: Y { {, a" These traditionally styled bunks kick off our latest childrents bedroonr set. 48 Don't miss the matching dresser and desk. F &*$le lmmediatelyfollowing this article you'll find complete plans for a dresser that shares the style and straightforward construction methods used in the beds. Find complete plans for the matching desk shown above in the next issue. hildrenwill enjoy sweetslumber for years to come with this versatile design. In this article, you'll learn how to make a singlebedto build bunk beds, just make two of thesebeds, stack them one atop another with bed-joiningdowels,andaddthe ladder and guardrails as described.If the kids grow out of bunk bedsat somepoint, simply slip out the unglueddowels and, voild, you havea pair of twin beds. Staril rlrlith the legs tA"-thick stock, cut six headI From I boardleg parts(A) to 23/sx42"andsix footboard leg parts (B) to 2t/ex33".The legs are initially oversizedVa"rn width and2" in length.The edgesarejointed or ripped and the endsare trimmed after the legs are laminated, where shown on Drawing1. (A) )Cutthe notchesin two leg parts Eand two leg parts (B), where dimensioned,using a bandsaw or a tablesaw fitted with a 34" dado blade. The notches form mortises in the finishedlaminatedlegs. 2To assemblethe legs,first referto the tfShop Tip, page 50, bottom right. Then, apply glue and assemblethe legs (A, B) in the configuration shown on Drawing1, keeping the ends and edges flush. (We usedwhite glue, which has a longer working time, to assemble the legs.)Clamp the legs together,as shown in Photo A. Remove excessglue from the edgesand inside the mortises. Note: This bed design accommodatesa 39x75" twin mattress. You'll need to adjust bed dimensionsaccordinglyfor a dffirent-size mattress.If you make other modifications,be sure to see the article about designingsafe bunk beds on page24. For the items needed to build this project, see the Cutting Diagram and Materials List on page 55. Il uc ASSEMBLTES 'l,/ta" off edges after 2a/a"inilially,ltim laminatinglor Zt/q"finishedwidth Trimto finished *t \ 4" notch 1glro" deep initially, 1t/2"deep aftertrimming 4" notch 1sl0"deep initially, 1t/2"deep aftertrimming HEADBOARD LEG. FOOTBOARD LEG 33" ( 3 1 "f i n i s h e d length) T" notch 1glro" deep initially, 1t/2"deep aftertrimming 7" notch 1glre" deep initially, 1t/2"deep aftertrimming Trim bottomend after laminating. --->J I 23/a" wrvYr.woodonline.com 1e/ta" 42', I (40"finished length) 2e/a"(2tla"finished size) l- + (2%"finishedsize) 49 #8 x 11/t'F.H. wood screw 5/se" shank hole,countersunk \, POSTCAP& LEGDETAIL t/+"round-overs t/a"chamfers, both 3/qx2Ya" notch.all corners /q" lound- -K--^- ? /z" groove 1/2"deep, centered No-mortise bedrail fittings t/e"chamfers, both ends '-.,- /q" roundover No-mortise bedrail fitting #8 x 11/+" F.H. wood screw 81/2" -!t21/+"z/ac"oilolholes' il lz" deep I l' L'( 3" I I t #8 x 7a"F.H. wood screw No round-over t/a"round-over t/q"round-overs Vz"gloove \ r/2"deep,centered t/e"chamfers,both ends 73" tZ" round-overs (Round-oversstop 1" from ends, no round-overon bottominsideedge.) vrEW @ exeloDED No-mortisebedrailfittings #8 x 11/z'F.H. wood screw 't/2" hole 2" deep, centered (Forfootboard onlywhenjoiningbunkbeds.) t/ro" from two sides of 1ll loint or rip 'teach leg, where shown, for a 2V4"squarelamination.Then, trim the bottom of each leg 7Vz" below the 7" mortise. Now, cut the legs to the finished lengths by trimming the tops. Finally, rout V+" round-overson all edges,where shown on Drawing 2. I f Make the hole-drilling jig, shown on rJDrawing 3. Using the jig and a stopblock on your drill bit, as shown in Photo B, drill /2" holes2" deep,centered in the top of the legs, where shown on Drawing2a, to receivethe post-capdowels (O). Also, drill a V+"hole 7/s"deepto receivethe post-capalignmentpin (N). Note: For bunk beds,position thejig on the bottom of the legs and drill I/2" holes 2" deepto receivethe bed-joiningdowels (S), where shown on Drawing2. I An easy way to keep face-glued parts aligrned After laminating the legs, clamp them together with the mortises up, making sure that their top edges are flush. 50 Face-gluedparts,such as the laminatedlegs in this project,have a tendencyto slip out of position when you clamp them. To preventthis, cut the parts slightlyoversized(as you did for the legs), and drive a couple of nails throughthe waste area as you assemblethem. Keep the nails away from the cutlineso you won't hit them with your saw blade. WOOD magazine October 2002 s Jrc EHou-DRTLLTNG r/2" hole 13/q" rh" hole . --. n - 7 STOPS ll 4" I I L- 20" " chamfers.both ends # 8 x s / t "F . H . wood screw !:-e-nq'---------.--------n I -1/2" r I TOP RAIL groove 1/2"deep, centered z/oa" pilot hole /z" deep 7sz"shank hole, countersunk I R= 551/2" Nert up: the headboard and footboard I Cut the top rails (C) and bottom rails I (D) for the headboardand footboard to the size listed in the Materials List. Then, cutaVz" groove Vz"deep,centered in the rails, to receivethe footboardpanel assemblies(E/G) and headboardpanel assemblies (F/H), where shown on Drawing 2. To easeinsertionof the rails into the legs and provide room for glue squeeze-out,rout %" chamfers on the endsof the rails.whereshown. Position the hole-drilling jig with the handle opposite the mortised side of the leg. Use the holes in the handle as guides for drilling. I 7" llr'23/+' 20" BOTTOM RAIL RATLS ANDFoorBoARD @ nenoeoARD Dl-uy out the arch on the top rails, Awhere shown on Drawing 4. To do this, first clamp two 3/qxlx2" stopblocks to a rail. one at eachend of the intended arch, with the stopblocks'bottoms positioned 4" from the bottom of the rail and their inside edgespositioned2" from the ends. Rip a %"-thick wood fairing strip 42" long. Placethe strip againstthe stopblocks. and flex it so its bottom is flush with the top edgeof the rail at its center. Mark the arch. Then, using a compass, mark the3Vz"radiusat the top of the rail, where dimensioned. Q Bandsaw the top of the rail to tl shape. Use a fence for the 2" straight cuts into the ends of the rail to ensurethe tenonsmake a good fit in the legs. Sandthe cut edgessmooth.Then, use this rail as a template to mark the contour on the other top rail. Now, cut and sandit to shape. ,/l Using the same processas for the tf top rails, lay out the arch on the bottom rails, where shown. Cut and sandto shape. f Rout the /c" stopped round-overs tf on the top and bottom rails, where I Round-over stops2" fromeachend. shown on Drawings 2 and 4. For an easy way to do this, first refer to the Shop Tip, below, to make a round-over stopblockjig. Then, with the applicable stopblock positioned on an end of a rail, as shown, easethe /+" round-over bit into an edge at the center of a rail and rout to the stopblock.Repeaton the opposite edge. Reposition the stopblock at the other end of the rail and repeat the process to complete the round-overs. f From /2" o*.plywood, cut the footlJboard panels (E) and the headboard panels(F) to size.From Vq"-thickoak,rip four %xllVz" blanks for the footboard edging (G) and four s/sx20%"blanks for the headboardedging (H). Glue the edging to the panelswith a t/to" overhangon each face. After the glue dries, trim the edging flush to the panels.(For an easy way to do this, make the flush-trimming fence,shownon page 10.) r]f Cut four spacers(I) and eight spacers I tll to size. Mark the center of the spacers(I) acrossthe grain on one of their faces.Also, mark a centerlineacrossthe grain on one face of eachrail. Now, glue ;(l .Esimple jig for forming stopped round-ouers We made the handy jigs, shown ight,to form the stoppedround-oversfor this project.To use one jig, clamp it to the end of a board, as shown far right. When routing,your bit's pilotbearingwillcontact the jig, stoppingthe round-overat the desired location.Note that the notch dimensionsdiffer slightlyfrom those shownon Drawings2,4 and 7 for stoppingthe round-overs.This is to compensate for the ditferencebetweenthe pilotbearingand bit diametersand the curuedsudaceson pads C and D.. Clamp the applicable round-over stopblock with the notch tight against the end of the board. Make sure the clamp will not interfere with the router. 51 (lFrom scrap, make two |lJ 37"-long spacers.Referring to Drawing 2, dry-assemble (no glue) the headboardmembers (A, ClI, DlI, F/H, J) with the spacers, as shown in Photo C. After verifying the fit of the assembly,glue and clamp the members together, checking for square. Following the same process, assemblethe footboard memAssemble the headboard and footboard with (B, Cll,Dll, E/G, J). bers 37"-long spacers to ensure exact leg positioning for bed alignment. (lCut the cleats(K) to size. r/Drill countersunkshank a spacerinto the grcove in eachtop and holes in each cleat, where shown. Position a cleat on the inside face of the bottom rail with the centerlines aligned, and clamp. footboard and headboard bottom rails, Note: For bunk bed"s,make four addi3" from the top and centered end to tional spacers (I) and eight additional end, where shown. Using the holes in spacers(J), and set asidefor assembling the cleats as guides, drill pilot holes in the guardrails laterthe rails; then screw the cleats in place. How to cut post caps in 4 quick steps Ilaslrion the post caps postcap From Vq"-thrckoak, cut the I I bases(L) to size.To form the caps (M), first laminate three t/q"-thrck piecesto form a2%x2%x18" blankthe same way you made the legs. Then, form the capsfrom the blank as shown in the sidebar,"How to cut post capsin four quick steps," below left. Make a few extra cap blanks in case any get damagedduring machining. !) Sand the edgesof the caps and the Et transitions from the V4" to t/2" round-overssmooth. Then, glue and clamp a base(L), centered,on the bottom of eachcap, jig QClamp a cap in the hole-drilling tfwith the base against the jig handle. Drill t/+"and %" holes %" deepin the cap to receive an alignment pin (N) and acap dowel (O), where shown on Drawing 2a. Repeatfor all caps. illFrom oak dowels,cut the Vq"-diametfter alignmentpins and Vz"-diameter cap dowels to the lengthslisted. Glue a pin in eachcap, using a vise or clamp to squeezethe pin into the hole. Then, glue a cap dowel in eachcap. Add the rnattress Ghuck a't/2" round-over bit in your tablemounted router. With your fence(s) flush with the bit's pilot bearing, round over all edges of the blank at both ends. Use a backer board to prevent tear-out. Gut a 1" length from each end of the blank to separatetwo post cap pieces. Use a gauge block for consistent cuts. Position the block behind the saw blade so the cap cannot become pinched. Without moving your router table fence, refit your router with a t/+"round-over bit. Now, with each cap vertical, round over its corners, again using a backer board for support and to prevent tear-out. Using the same router table setup, place each cap bottom face down on the table, and rout a'r/q" tound-over on its bottom edges. Repeat Steps 1-4 to shape additional caps. 52 bedrails and platforrn I Cut the bedrails(P) to size.Using a I stopblockwith a 1"-long notch,rout /+" stoppedround-overson all edgesof the bedrailsexceptfor the bottom inside edge,whereshownon Drawing 2. (Q) to size.Rout a /+" )Cut the cleats Etround-over on thebottominsideedge of the cleats,whereshown.Drill countersunk shank holes in the cleats for the mountingscrews,whereshown.Position a cleat on the inside face of a bedrail (P) with the bottom edgesflush and centered end to end.Using the holesin the cleatas guides,drill pilot holesin thebedrail,and drive in the screws.Assemblethe other cleatand bedrail. QPosition the bedrail fittings on the tJbedrails and less.wheredimensioned on Drawing S. Ceitering on the holesin thefittings,drill pilot holesin thebedrails andlegsto thedepthsshown,anddrive in the mountingscrews. A On a flat surface, assemble the ttbedrails to the headboardand footboard by engagingthe bedrail fittings. Now, cut the mattressplatform (R) to size, and lightly sand all edges.Cut a 3Ax2t/+"notch in eachcornerof the platform, where shownon Drawing 2. Drill WOOD magazine October 2002 -l z%+"pilot hole Ta" deep 7o+"pilothole 1t/z"deep Trim 1" off wholetop end afterlaminating. No-moftise bedrailfittings r/- I 173/4' (163/a" finished size) 143/a' ( 1 3 s / af"i n i s h e d s i z e ) Hfu It**In --- "<-1ffi" :ffi T <-*1 /t 2tla"notches 1sl0"deep initially,11/2"deeq aftertrimming // #8 x 7s"F.H. # 8 x 1 1 / z " F . H . wood screw wood screw , Smallend of slot down trim 2Te"initially, 1Aa"otl edges after laminatingfor 2t/a" finishedwidth LEG E cunnDRAtL FtrlNGS E eeonAL countersunkshankholesin the platfbrm, whereshown;then positionit on the cleats.Using the holesin the platform as guides,drill pilot holes in the cleatsto the depthshown,and drive in the screws.(You'll needto slightly angleyour drill to clear the bedrailwhen drilling the holes.) For brrnk beds, Trim 3/q"off bottomend after laminating. t/a"round-overs t/q"round-overs 1/z"groove t/2" deep, centered tnaLe dornrcls anrd guardmils I From %"-diameteroak dowel, dowels(S) to I cut thebed-joinin-e the lengthlisted.Sanda light chamfer on both endsof the dowelsto ease insertioninto the legs. j)From %"-thick stock.cut eight A2Yxxl7.7+"blanksfor theguardrail outsidelegs (T) and four 2t/sxl4t/+" blanksfor the insidelegs(U). QCut t he not c h e si n th e i n s i d e tJles s . wher e d i me n s i o n e do n orawing 6. Now, apply glue and assemblethe legs(T, U) in the configurationshown,keepingthe ends andedgesflush. As explainedin the Shop Tip on prge 50, nail only throughthe wasteat the top end as you assemblethe legs. Clamp the legs together,as in Photo A. When the glue is dry, joint or rip %0" of materialoff two edgesof each leg for a 2t/+"-squarelamination, and cut the I " of wasteoff the top. On the outside leg (T) of each le-e assemblythat will go inside the bed, trim 3A" off the bottom,where shown, to clear the mattressplatform. Rout /+" round-overson the edgesof the legs, where shown on Drawing7. Then,drill countersunk shankholesin the lower face of the shortened outside legs (T) for attachingthe legs to the bedrails. wrrwv.woodonline.com %" round-over tZ" round-over 1/2"groove 1/2"deep, centered LONG GUARDRAIL (lnsideface shown) /e" chamfers, both ends Round-over stops 2t/2" trom each end. 21/2"*- .., I fZ1/e" Cnamlers, >1 1 both ends 7 s e "s h a n k h o l e , countersunk # 8 x 1 1 / aF". H . wood screw (mountedintobedrail@) t/a"round-overs --r'r Round-overstoos 2t/2"from each end. 1/2"groove t/2" deep, centered t/+"round-overs #B x 11/q'F.H. wood screw (mountedintobedrail@) !F= 7sz"shankhole,countersunk t/z" groove t/2"deep,centered t/e"chamfers, both ends SHORTGUARDRAIL (Usedwith ladder,outsidefaceshown) t/a"round-over 53 llCut the long rails (V) and the short 'trails (W) to size. Cut a Vz" groove Vz"deep,centeredin the rails, to receive the long and short panels(X, Y), where shown. Now. rout %" chamferson the endsof the rails, where shown.Using a stopblock with a 2Vz"-longnotch, rout the V4" stopped round-overs on the edgesof the rails, where shown. t/2" oak plywood, cut the long fFrom tJpanels (X) andthe shortpanels(Y) to size. From Vq"-thick oak, rip eight s/tx6Vc"blanks for the edging (Z). Glue the edging to the endsof the panelswith a t/rc"overhangon eachface; then flushtrim the edging. (I, ftUsing the spacers J) that you set lf asideearlier, glue and assemblethe rails, panels, and legs to complete the long and short guardrails. Assemble these as you did the headboard and footboard,using a 68V+"-long spacerfor the long guardrail and a 53V+"-long spacerfor the short guardrail to set the leg spacings. To reach the upper brrnk, rnaLe a ladder I Cut the ladder sides (AA) to size; I then crosscut the bottom ends to form the 10' angle, where shown on Drawing8. On eachsidepiece,mark the dado locations for the steps, where shown. Referring to Drawing 8a, mark the 2Vs"radius at the top of each piece and the 10o angle on the back edge. Note that the sidesare mirror imagesof eachother. t)Using your tablesawfitted with a Erdado blade and a long auxiliary extensionattachedto your miter gauge, ctt3/c" dadoesV+"deepat a l0o anglein eachsidepiece,where marked.Bandsaw the radiusand angledback on eachpiece, and sandsmooth.Now, rout a Vc"roundover on all edgesof the sidesexcept for the angledback. QVart screw-holecenterpointson the tJoutside face of the sides,1" in from the outer edges and centered over the dadoes.Now, drill a /a" countetbore3/rd" deep with a 5Az" shank hole centered inside at eachlocation. zA"-thick stock, make four lllFrom a3rnxtq" blanks for the steps (BB). Bevel-ripthe front andback edgesof the blanks at 10o,leaving a finished width of 3tt/r0".Lightly sandthe edges.Then, dry-clamp the sides and stepstogether. Using the screw holes in the sides as guides, drill pilot holes in the stepsto the depth shown. Now, glue and screw the stepsin place. f From a scrappiece that matchesthe tJcolor and srain of the side members, cut sixteeln3/s"-diameterplugs r/+" long using a plug cutter.Glue the plugs into the counterbores in the sides, aligning the grain of the plugs with the laddersides;then sandflush. the spacer (CC) and catch fiCut ll| (DD) to size. Referring to Drawings8 and 8a, position the spacer on the back of the side members with the top edges flush. Drill pilot and countersunk shank holes through the spacer and into the sides, where shown.Then, glue and screwthe spacer in place.Now, position the catch on the spacer with the top edges flush. Drill holes,where shown,and glue and E uoorn Tse"shank hole, countersunkon back face screw the catch to the spacer.Rout /a" round-overson the edgesof the spacer and catch,where shown. Finishing and final assernlely I Remove the mattress platform and I bedrails. Finish-sand all parts, and removethe dust. D Appty a stain. (We used ZAR El Provincial stain.) Then, apply two coatsof a clear finish, sandingbetween coats to 320-grit. (We brushed on polyurethane.) With the finish dry, reassemblethe bed, and add a mattress. Setting up burrlr beds I Assemble the lower bed using I both headboard assemblies.and assemble the upper bed using both footboardassemblies. Round-overstopped 7+"from ends LF,u" #8 x 114'F.H. wood screw |.'--15 I 5" J No round-over 7ee"shank hole, countersunkon back face # 8 x 1 Y 2F ' .H. wood screw /+" round-overs 7+"dadoes t/+" deep 7e"counterbore g/0"deep with a 7sz"shank hole centeredinside 7ea"pilothole 1slo"deep 10'bevels #8 x 11/z'F.H.wood screw (,,. 7a"PfugtA" long ;{/ 113/a' t/a"round-over 54 WOOD magazine October 2002 on thebedrails f Positiontheguardrails Aof the upper bed with the shoft, drilled leg memberon the inside.(You can mount the long and short guardrails on either side of the bed to suit your needs.Also, you can positionthe short guardrailtoward either end of the bed, dependingon where you want the ladder.)Usingthe holesin the legs(Tfu) as guides,drill pilot holeson the insideface of the bedrails,and drive in the screws, shownon Drawing7. bect crlttir*g Qlnsert a bed-joiningdowel(S) in each tJof thelowerbed'slegs;then,with the aid of a helper,positionthe otherbed on top. Attach the ladderto the upper bed. Finally,addmattresses; thencall the kids and havethem try out the beds.JF rmaterials list Padsfor onetwin-sizebed 3/c' A- headboard legs B-footboard legs Written by Owen Duvall Projectdesign:Kevin Boyle Projectbuilder:Gharles l. Hedlund lllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson Photographs:Mafi Baldwin dialgrmmr tf4 40' UO zf4 31" UO 3/q' C toprails 40" 0 2 3/q' D bottom rails 40' 0 2 panels 1/z' 131/z'111/z'0P 2 E footboard F headboard oanels7a" 131/z'201/z'0P 2 G.footboardedging1/qu H-headboard edging t/+" 1/z' 111/z' 0 4 1/z' 20t/z' 0 4 1/zu Vz' 1/z' Vz' 4t/z' 0 8 K cleats 3/^', 3/q' 361/2' 0 2 15/s' 0 L bases 3/qx 71/+x 96" Oak .Plane or resawto the thicknesslistedin the Materia @le M caps 1 " 21/q' 21/q' L0 t/a"diam. 1s/a' 0D pins N alignment t/z"diam. 0 capdowels vi P bedrails 1/zx !8 x 48" Oak plywood 1/qx 36" Oak dowel l/a x 31/zx 48" Oak 3/qu Q cleats platform3/t' R mattress @ 4 02 02 1 3/q, 21/q' 16s/q" 0 8 3/+x71/q x 96" Oak T-outside legs legs U-inside 3/t, 21/q' 133/q" 0 4 V longrails 3/t' 21/q', 711/t', 0 2 W shortrails 3/q' 21/q', 0 2 cu*firrg 561/c' 4 l/zu 291/a' 61/4' 0P 2 1/z' 215/a" 61/q' 0P 2 t t l l f4 yi' 3/q, a t l l f2 61/+' 0 31/e' 583/t' 311/rc" Ail J 14' ' Fil IC 8 O 2 O 4 \J qn 1(n n 3h' DDcatch J tv v -Parts initially cutoversize. Seetheinstructions, (l)and24 make a totalof 12spacers tForbunkbeds, (J).Thisisenough spacers forbothbedsandincludes (J)fortheguardrails. (l)andeightspacers fourspacers plywood, Materials Key.O-oak, OP-oak LO-laminated oak,OD-oak dowel. $upplies: #Bx%", #Bx3/q", #8x11/r", and#8x1t/2" flathead glue; wood screws; white % hardboard. diagramr 3/q X 51/z X 3 / q x 5 1 / zx 9 6 " O a k Slades andBrts:Dado blade, chamfer bit,flushtrimbit,t/" round-over bit,%"round-over bit, % plugcutter. 3/qx 71/qx 96" Oak 3 / + x 5 1 / zx 9 6 " O a k l/q x 31/zx 24" Qak 33/q' 0D Y shortoanels Z- edging 3/qx 48 x 96" Oak plywood 1/z"diam. X longpanels CCspacer www.woodonline.corn IJ 70' 4 S bedjoining dowels AAsides BB-steps 1/zx 48 x 48" Oak plywood 6" 3u 4 4 3/qx71/q x 96" @ brrmle lred 23/q' 0D 381/z' 743/a' 0P Bunkbedpads 3/qx 31/zx 96" Oak 1/zx 36" Oak dowel 04 11spacers Jt spacers 1/zx 36" Oak dowel Suying $uide Na-mortise fittings" bedrail Setoffour(2setsneeded (perset)plusshipforbunkbeds), no.142496, $9.99 ping. fromWoodcraft, Order call800/225-1153 orgoto www.woodcraft.com. 55 7 4 : 'p i l o t h o l e 1" d e e p Forthe itemsneededto build thisproject,seethe Cutting Diagramand MaterialsListon page 63. - l-1 +tl -] - 21/4r- Start rrlith the legs t/2", I From/+"-thickstock,planedto I cut eisht l1Ax50s/s" blanks for the outside l*s (A). From /+"-thick stock, cut four blanks of the same size for the inside legs (B). All of the blanks are oversized t/s" in width and 2" in length. The edges are jointed or ripped and the ends are trimmed after the legs are laminated, where shown on Drawing 1. j)Cut the two notches in the inside where dimensioned, using a Alegs, bandsaw or a tablesaw fitted with a 7+" dado blade. The notches form mortises in the finished laminated legs. assemblethe legs, first refer to the 2fo tJShop Tip in the Bunk Beds project, page 50, for an easy way to keep the leg pieces aligned during lamination. Then, apply glue and assemblethe legs (A, B) in the configuration shown on Drawing 1, keeping the ends and edges flush. (We used white glue, which has a longer working time, to assemble the legs.) Clamp the four legs together, as shown in Photo A in the Bunk Beds project, page 50. Remove excess glue from the edges and inside the moftises. 1f Jornt or rip /ro" from two sides of Teach les. where shown. for a l7+"square lami'nation. Then, trim the bottom of each leg 2" below the lower mortise. Now, trim the top of each leg to the finished length of 48s/s". Finally. rout /+" round-overs on all edges except the top. the side-panel Gornplete parts, and assernJtle I Cut thetop rails(C) andthebottom I rails (D) to the size listedin the Materials List. Then, cut a t/2" groove t/2" deep, centered in the rails. to receive the panel assemblies(E/F), where shown on Drawing 1. To ease insertion of the rails into the legs and provide room for glue squeeze-out, rout %" chamfers on the ends of the rails, where shown. Dl-oy out the arch on the bottom rails, A where shown. To do this, first clamp two 3/+xlx2" stopblocks to a rail, one at each end of the intended arch, with the stopblocks' bottoms flush with the rail's bottom and their inside edges positioned urwur.woodonline. com ?l:."i3Y' slor DETATL l[ oesrroPFASTENER +) Ta" holes Trim to finishedlengthafter laminating and trimmingbottom. 21/c' 5" 5" notch1sl0"deepinitially, 1t/q"deepaftertrimming J 1/2"groove t/2"deep,centered 1'/ta"- E sroePANEL 5gs7s"(49/8" finished length) 5" notch 1slro" deepinitially, 1t/a"deep aftertrimming 1/z"}roova t/z" deep, centered Rrl I I 1 z l e "i n i t i a l l y , trim %0" off edges after laminating tor 13/q" finishedwidth. Trimbottomendafterlaminating. l/' 191/q' t/a"chamfers /+" round-overs l3/+" from the ends. Rip a t/s"-thick wood fairing strip 20" long. Place the fairing strip against the stopblocks, and flex it so that the center is lt/+" from the rail's bottom. Mark the arch; then bandsaw and sand smooth. Using this rail as a template, mark the arch on the other bottom rail. Now, cut and sand it to shape. a 3/r" Forstner bit, drill two QUsing tJholes /s" deep in the top edge of each of the top rails (C) for the desktopfasteners, where dimensionedon Drawings1 and 1a. Chisel out the cornersto allow the top (R) to move.Then, at the centerpoints of the -7+"holes, drill the pilot holesfor the mountingscrews. t/:" oak plywood, cut the pantflllFrom(E) to the size listed.From t/q"efs thick oak, rip four s/sx37sA"blanks for the edging (F). Glue the edging to the panelswith a t/ro"overhangon eachface. After the glue dries,trim the edgingflush to the panels.(For an easyway to do this, make the flush-trimming fence, shown onpage I0 .) 59 t/a"round-overs |--l-re,' /4" round-over t/e"round-over 7sz"shankhole,countersunk on bottomface Desktoofastener t,/q"leg reveal /+" grooves Te"deep 1/q"fromback edge 7ge"shankhole, on countersunk bottomface '1 #8 x 1/q"F.H. wooo screw 18" full-extension slide p exeloDED vrEW 485/a II 1/q" groove % a "p i l o t h o l b 1t/q" deep thxt/2X36"blank for the spacers(G); f Cut a tfthen cut them to size. Mark a centerline acrossthe grain on one face of eachtop and bottom rail. Mark a centerlinewith the grain on one face of each panel at the top and bottom. Assemblea bottom rail and a panel. and glue spacersin the groove in the rail, as shown in Photo A. Clamp the spacersto the rail, remove the panel,and set the rail aside.Repeatto install the spacersin the other rails. AAppty glue in the groovesin a top and bottom lfrail and in the mortisesin two leg assemblies. Assemblethe rails, a panel,and the legs.Clamp the assembly, and check for square. Remove excessglue,and setaside.Repeatto assemble the other sidepanel. 60 Te" deep 1/q"Itom back edge r | 19,/o" ) With the panel and rail centerlines aligned,glue and clamp spacers in place,tight to the panel and flush with the ends and top surface of the rail. WOOD magazine October 2002 for the Tirne carcase t/+" oak plyI From I wood. cut the carcase sides (H) and top and bottom (I) to size. j)From /+"-thick oak, Acut four 7/ex45v8" blanks for the side edging (J), and cut four 7/sx3l" blanks for the top and bottom edging (K). Glue edging (J) to the sides,and glue edging (K) to the top and bottom, and trim flush when dry. {f Cut aV+" groove3/s" tJdeep and V4" from the back edge in the sides (H) and top and bottom (I) to receive the Position the dividers in the carcase using lwo s/+xly2x8Vo back (L), where shown spacers. Clamp the carcase sides to snug the divider. Drill the holes and drive in the screws. on Drawing2. Then, cut Make two spacers for positioning the back and the dividers(M) to size. the dividers (M) in the carcase,as you square the help assemble and Afo 'lcarcase, shownin PhotoB. Staningat the bottom see the Shop Tip, below. Apply glue in the groovesin the sides, of the carcase,position the first divider on top of the spacers.Mark screw-hole top, and bottom, and assemblethe carcenterpointson the outside face of the case with the back located in the grooves. Drill pilot and countersunk side panels centeredover the divider, where dimensionedon Drawing2. Drill shank holes through the sides and into pilot and countersunkshankholes at the the top and bottom, where shown, and centerpoints, and drive in the screws. drive in the screws. ili(l Squaring bnc?s-speed carcase assemDly Here'san easyway to squarea carcaseduring assembly.Make four of the squaringbraces,shown on the drawing,fulow. Then,as you assemblethe panels,position a braeein each corner,and clamp it to the adjoiningpanelsto square them,as shown in the photo, rghf. Maskmatingglue-jointareasalongthe front and back edgesof the carcase sidesand on the insideof the side-panel painters'tape. legs with easy-release Then,applythe stain. Removethe spacers,set them on top of the divider, and install the next divider. Continue this process to install the remaining dividers. Qninistr-sand the carcaseand the sidelJpanel assembliesto 220 grit, and remove all dust. Mask mating l"-wide glue-joint areason the carcasesidesand side-panellegs,whereshownin PhotoG. Now, stain the inside of the side-panel assemblies;the outside of the carcase sidesand the back (L); the front edgesof the carcase;the dividers (M); and a 1"wide area around the inside of the carcase at the front edge. (We used ZAR Provincialstain.) Twith the stain dry, remove the tape. I Position the carcaseupside down on your workbench, and apply glue to the previously maskedareas.Now, mate the side-panelassembliesto the carcasewith the top edgesflush and a V+"leg reveal at the front and back. Then, clamp the assembly. Make v,':T*'"" r-I All vT/r" rvrvrv. wo o donline. 2u corn the drawers 3/+"-thickstockfor I Edge-join enough I the drawer sides (N) and fronts and backs(O). Planeto Vz"thick; then cut the parts to size. QCutaVq" dadoV+"deepand /+" from Erthe ends of the sides (N) on their insidefaces,whereshownon Drawing3. See Drawing 3a for the setup we used. 61 /q" dado l+" deep tA" ttom back edge t/+"groove t/q" deep 1/c"trom bottom edge t/+" grooves 't/q"deep rh" ttom bottom edge E onnwen I I ) 8" I ( +dge x11/2"machinescrew \ #8 x 1" P.H.screw 18" full-extension slide rA" rabbel/+" deep 7gz"shank hole with mating 7/ac"pilol hole t/2" deep 7ge"holes JorNT El onnwER 1tl+"-diam. knob Using the setup shown on Drawing 3b, cut a Vq"rabbet /+" deepalong the ends of the fronts and backs (O) on their outside faces.Finally, cut a V+" groove /+" deepand V+"from the bottom edgeof the sidesand the fronts and backsto receive the bottoms (P). Cut the bottoms to size. Now, glue, assemble, and clamp the drawers,and check for square. QPosition the fulI-extension slides on tfthe drawer sides, where shown in Photo D, and attach with the supplied screws.Then, disconnectthe larger cabinet-memberpart of the slides from the drawer member. ,llllnstall the cabinet-memberpart of Ethe slides in the carcase, working from top to bottom. To do this, first measure from the top surfaceof the carcase bottom (I) to the top of the upper divider (M). From 3/q"-thickscrap,cut a 2"-wide DADODETAIL spacer to your measured lengthplus %0". Also. make two lx2" spacers %0" thick from cardstock or plasticlaminate, and set one spacer aside. Position a slide in the carcase,where shown in Photo E. and drive in the screws.(Note that the phdto showsinstallation of a slide near the.bottomwith the wood spacer trimmed accordingly.) Repeatto install a slide on the opposite side. Then, repeatthe process,trimming the spacer as necessaryto install the remaining slides except for the bottom pair. For these,set them on the two r/re"thick spacers.Now, install the drawers. Place a slide on a drawer side flush with the bottom and front edges. You'll need to open the slide a little to drive in the screws. 62 @ onnwERJorNT RABBET DETAIL Auxiliary fence Inside face t, O--:v;"'*=--; ffi ffil5#:""'." )'o"ooffi. insert blade Edge-join enough 3/+"-thick stock for the drawer faces (Q). Then, cut the parts to size. Apply double-faced tape to the drawer fronts (O). Center each face in a carcase opening, and Locate the cabinet-member part of a slide sh" back from the front of the carcase while supported on the wood spacer at the rear and %e"-thickspacer at the front. WOOD magazine October 2002 press it onto the taped front. Now, carefully pull out a drawer and clamp the face and front. Drill holes from inside the drawer, whereshownon Drawing3, and drive the screws into the face. Then, drill two holes for the knob screws, where shown. Repeat for the remainingdrawers. Note: Wefound it easiestto stoin the drawer faces (Q) beforeinstallingthem. Planeor resawto the thickness listedin the MaterialsList. To1l it off 3/4"I Edge-join enough I thick stock for the top (R), and cut to size.Rout a /+" round-over on the top edgesand a %" round-over on the bottom edges,where shownon Drawing2. (S) )Cut the crest to size. A Mark the arch on the crest, where shown. (Use the techniquethat you used to mark the arch in the bottom rails, except you'll need a 4O"-longfairing strip.) Using a compass,mark the curve in the centerof the crest,where dimensioned.Bandsawthe top of the crest to shape,and sand to remove saw marks. Now, rovt Vq"round-oversalong the top edgesandends,whereshown. Q Positionthe crest on the top, where tJshown. Drill pilot and countersunk shank holes through the top into the crest,and drive in the screws. Note: Wefound it easiestto stain the top assembly(MS) beforeinstallingit. Screw the large end of the desktop 'f/ fastenersto the top rails (C) with #8x1" flatheadwood screws.Centerthe top assembly(R/S) on the dresser,and drive the #8x%" flathead wood screws through the small end of the fasteners into the bottom sideof the top. From the bottom of the carcasetop (I), drill a pilot and countersunkshank hole, where shown, and drive the #8x1Vc" flathead wood screwthroughthe carcasetop and into the top assembly. Final torrches any partsnot previously Finish-sand I I sandedto 220 grit. Removeall dust. Then, apply stain to theseparts and to the unfinished surfaces of the sidepanelassemblies. wunn woodonline.com o A 3/ax 51/zx 96" Oak l/qx 48 x 96" Oak plywood l)Finally, apply two coats of a clear Cr finish on all stainedareas,sanding between coats. (We brushed on polyurethane.)Then, install the drawer knobs with 1t/2"machinescrews.I 1/2' 13/q' 48Ve' 0 Vqu 13/q' 485/a' 0 191/a' 0 C toprails rails D bottom E panels 3/q' F-edging 1/q, 1/z' 375/e' 0 G-spacers 1/2, 1/2, 41/q' 0 5u Vq' 5" 191/q' 0 1/zu 101/t' 37s/s' 0P Vq' 191/q' 451/a' 0P H sides I topandbottom Vru 191/q"31' 0P J- sideedging K-topandbottom e0glng t/+u 3/t' 1/+' 3/cu L back Vqu 313/q'44Ve' OP 3/+u 11/z' 31' 0 M dividers N-sides 1/2u 8u 45YB' O 31', 0 Written by Owen Duvall Prolectdesign: Kevin Boyle Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson lllustrations: Photographs:Marty Baldwin 3/qu 8' R- top 2 2 2 1 Tq' 22Vq'38' E0 Vt' 3u 36' 0 S crest -Parlsinitially Seetheinstructions. cutoversize. plywood, Key Goak,OP-oak Materials oak, EO-edge-joined #8x1t/2", and#8x2" #8x1", #8x1t/n", #8x7e", $upplies: white screws; #8x1"panhead woodscrews; flathead painters' glue;easy-release tape. bit,%"Forstner chamfer blade, Blades andBits:Dado bit' bit,t/a"round-over bit,t/+"round-over bit,flush-trim Grricle Brrying (4); no.KV1547 fasteners, Desktop Hardurare. finish, withsatinchrome 1tlc"-diam. solidbrassknobs screws; #8'32x1t/z" machine no.A01950 G10(10)with BIB(5pr.)with no.KV8400 slides, 18"full-extension ppd., from kitno,K|T1002, screws.Order $76.95 orgoto Hardware. Call800/383-0130 Woodworke/s www.wwhardware.com. 19" E 0 10 O-frontsandbacks l/zn B" 29t/z' E0 1/qu 171/2,291/2',0P P bottoms Q-faces plywood tist rraaterials legs A-outside legs B"inside t/qx48x48" 307/s' E0 10 5 5 63 TT,?ffH:::gWF* ffi We packed all these tools and bits-135 pieces total-into an instant-accessstorageunit that takes up just 2x2' of walt space.Think of how it will help orltardze your shop! I fuE'ec\ \_/ I Proiects Editor ,iD,*'grr4r itt .,,/-***** ,/ n7- 1 185/a" I ,/r',,1= 3'/r>,I I 185/a" a I 'u.Lz "rr(< 1 t/z' vrEW I exeloDED # Bx 3 " F . H . wood screw # B x 2 1 / 2 "F . H . wood screw 4" heavyduty swivel lock caster to the uprights.Beforescrewingthe top four supports(E) in place,makesurethe top of the top shelfsitsflushwith the top ends of the upri-qhts(D). Trim the top four verticalsupportsif necessary. Cut the perforatedhardboard(F) to fit betweentwo uprightsfor additional storageon one or both endsof the tools,accesunit.Add hooksfor hangin-E sories,or supplies. Lay the unit on its sideand attach4" heavy-dutyswivel-lockcastersto the bottom if desired.Paint the completed projectif desired.dF One level at a time, glue and screw the 2x4 verticalsupports into position,and add a shelf assembly.Continuethe process to the top of the project. nnwvnwoodonline.com Project design: Charles l. Hedlund Photographs: Baldwin Photography lllustration: Roxanne LeMoine: Lorna Johnson 1 / e z "p i l o t h o l e materials list A horiz. front& backsupports 1Vz' 31/z^ 96" C B endsupports 11/2" 31/2', 207/a', c 1/zu 237/a' 96' PL C shelves 11/z' 31/z' 717/a" C D uprights E verlicalsupoorts 11/z' 31/z' 187s" C 1/t' 167/a',717/e', PH F endpanel 10 tt ofpineorfir2x4, lvlaterials Key:C-choice hardboard. PL-plywood, PH-perforated (16),4heavy-duty lagscrews 1%"long Supplies:%" panhead (a),#12x1" #8x3" screws, casters swivel-lock woodscrews, woodscrews, #8x21/z" flathead flathead woodscrews. #8x11/2" flathead 73 Honrmuch machine can you buy for $500to $900? Quiteabit, according to our tests. tf I To test cutting power, we mounted a stopwatch Io a pushblock and timed a 12"-long cut in 6"-wide red oak. # READERS'TOP 5 We surveyedwoodworkersat www.woodonline.com to find out what mattersmost in a bandsaw. Theytold us: l. Power 2. Resawing capacity 3. Blade-guide system 4. Blade-changing ease S.Table adjustntents We'll take a close look at each area in thisarticle. s",f; - dirh il he bandsawsin this test meet the requirements of most home woodworkers: Their throat (ripping) capacitiesrange from I3V4" to l6Vz"; all have enoughpower to handle most resawingtasks;and all but one of the models can be wired to a I l0- or 220-voltpower supply. Our first testing step was to assemble andalign the tools,accordingto the tuneup proceduredescribedon page 80, and make note of any problems out of the box. Using new 3-teeth-per-inch(tpi) Lenox carbon-steelbladesin each saw, tensionedidentically, we resawed 6"wide red oak,pushingeachsawhard,but not to the point of stalling.We averaged the resultsof threetests,as describedat left and shown in the Plowing Power chartbelow. Next, we resawedthe widest piece of red oak that would fit on eachsaw. (We installedriser blocks on the three saws that offer them as an option. See "What you needto know aboutriser blocks" on page 76.) With somepatience,all of the sawscouldresawtheir maximum. w' ":4q@Gai_ The Laguna LTl4's heavy cast-iron wheels (left) act like flywheels to muscle the blade through hard woods and difficult cuts faster than the typical cast-aluminum, spoked wheels (right). The top five bandsanlrl brrying points PLOWING POWER Resawinghardwoodis a good measureof bandsawpower. Usingthe resultsfrom the test shown at left,this chart shows how much 6" red oak we could resaw in one minutewith each machine*. Laguna LT14(95") Grizzly G10732(61" Delta28-293(60") (55") Jet JWBS-16 Ridgid 8S1400(48") Shop Fox W1673(48") Jet JWBS-14CS(44" *usingidentical 3tpi carbon-steel blades Power. The manufacturer-rated I horsepowerof the tested saws rangesfrom %hp to 2 hp, but those ratings don't necessarilymatch up with true cutting power. For example, the LagunaLTl4 hasonly a r/z-hpadvantage over the Jet JWBS-I4CS,but the LTl4 cut morethantwice asfastin our 6" resaw test.(Seethechartat left.)In additionto its stout, 22}-volt-only motor, the momentum of the LT14's massivecast-iron wheels, shown above, carry the blade throughtoughcutswithoutboggingdown. Resawing capacity. Two facfll 1/ tors contribute to a bandsaw's H resawing capacity: the distance between the table and the fully raised blade guides, and power. Maximum resawing capacity for the tested saws rangedfrom 6" to l2Va". (Seethe chart on pages 78-79.)Even with riser-blocks installed,we could resaw 12"-wideredoak stock at an acceptablerate for home woodworking (about 12" per minute). If you work under production conditions that require faster resaw speedsin wide stock, you may need a more powerful bandsawthan thosewe tested. Blade-guide system. Guide 6 (, blockskeepthebladefrom twisting and defleciing left or right, and a f, thrust bearingbacksup the blade to keep I 75 FOURTYPESOFGUIDES PROVIDE VARYING BLADE SUPPORT Laguna ceramrc guides Jet Round Euro-style guides Va"l3/e" 3/q" 1/2" BladeWidth it from bendingback while you cut. (See photo,below.)Both must be setprecisely for optimal performance, and microadjustmentknobs simplify the process. We gave high marks to those saws that havesuchadjusters.If the lower adjusters underthe tablearelocatedin a tight spot, we downgradedthe rating slightly. As for the guideblocksthemselves, the drawing and photo above, show how Laguna's ceramic guide blocks contact the blade at eight points-four on the upper guide and four on the lower Laguna'sceramic blade guides (lett photo) havetwo contact points that provide more effective support than solid blocks, but have less surfacearea so they run cooler. Disc-shaped Euro-styleguides (right photo) keep the blade on the straight and narrow on the Jet JWBS-16. guide-to provide excellent support acrossall blade widths. The Jet JWBS16's Euro-style guides, shown above right, are next best, excepton Vs"blades where squareguidesmake bettercontact. guide blocks actuGraphite-impregnated ally touch the blade when properly set, but self-lubricateto keep the blade cool and preventwear. Blade-changing ease. Here, we ratedall aspectsof bladechanging: releasing the tension, and removing, reinstalling,and retensioning theblade.Noneof thesawsin our testhaveknuckle-busting tensioningknobs:all clearthe top wheelhousingeasily.The ShopFox W1673 hasa nifty lever, shownon page 79, that relaxesblade tension instantly. It's not enoughto removethe blade,but it eliminates much of the cranking required by the othersaws. We preferto useas few tools as possible when swappingblades,and the Jet JWBS-14CSand Ridgid sawsrank high here,requiringonly a Phillips screwdriver. Someneedhexheadwrenchesand/or open-endwrenchesto move, or remove, guidesor guards. Table adjustments. All of the tables on the tested saws pivot \ ly smoothly on a pair of sturdy trunnions.All of them alsotilt 45" to the right and at least10oto the left (a must-havefor bandsawndovetails).However, only two saws-the Gizzly andLaguna-let you tilt thetableleft withoutresettingthe0o stop. what lrou needto lmorr aboutriser blocks To increasea bandsaw'sresawingcapacity,some manufacturers otfer an optional"riser-blocK'-acast-ironblockthat you bolt intothe middle of the saw'sframe.The extra4-S" can doublethe distancebetweenthe tableand bladeguides,addingenoughcapacityto makebook-matched 22'- lo 26"-widepanels,or roughout a deepbowlblankfor turning. A riser-blockkit typicallyincludesthe block,extendedbladeguards, and a longerguidepost.The Jet and Ridgidkitswe testedalso include a longer6-tpi,general-purpose blade.Installationtakes lessthan 30 minuteswitha helper. lf you thinkyou'lleventuallywant a riserblockfor your saw, consider buyinga kit whenyou buy the saw. (lt'll add $60-$90 to the price.)We knowmanywoodworkerswho waited,and now havebandsawblades too shortfor their riser-blockequippedsaws. RISERBLOCK A micro-adjustment knob, like this one on the Delta, moves the thrust bearing forward or backward for precise positioning behind the blade. The lower knob controls the location of the guide blocks. 76 REAR BTADE GUARD nreet the bandsavvsin our test Highpoints .j Vifiually fastest-cutting tiedassecond in thetest. bandsaw arecloseto underside t Lowerbladeguides support andreduced oftableforoutstanding bladedeflection, forlowerblade knobs f Micro-adjustment guides fromthefrontof easily access thetable. Lowpoints postcandropwhenloosened unless $ GuiOe supported. is smalland to adjust tracking O Thumbscrew to use. uncomfortable \ (shown with optional riser-blockkit) wrench to need ahexhead Sfi,f,8lt'rtyou provide guideblocks, thesetscrews secure (Seephoto viewof blade. anunobstructed at left.) r) InlateJune,Deltaintroduced the28-241, version ofthe28-293wetested. anupdated they've boosted According to a Deltaofficial, lo 11/z hpandfixedtheguidethepower postproblem. willsellfor Thenewmodel in anopenabout$700,andalsocomes (model 28-231) costing standversion $625, With no thumbscrews for the blade guides,the Delta 28-293provides a clear view to the cut line. ...t Highpoints forfrequent adjustments; C. Notoolsrequired requires onlya Phillips changing blades to remove rearbladeguard screwdriver Lowpoints to the1-hpmotorstruggled $ Whenresawing, we backed speed unless maintain constant offthefeedpressure. Morepoints it hasa isidentical, except $ TheJWBS-I40S lt sellsfor$530, motorandopenstand. 7+-hp (shown with optional riser-block kit) rvurw.woodonline.com Highpoints fastest-cutting tiedassecond t Viftually inthetest. bandsaw o Thelargetabletiltsleftwithoutresetting t 0" stop. ripfence a good-quality Priceincludes andmitergauge. Lowpoints youmust theripfence, O Toremove oneendofthefrontfencerail. disassemble offthepulleys i: fne thindrivebeltslipped ourtesting, twiceduring vibration, butset feethelped dampen O Rubber cuts. swaying duringheavy themachine Morepoints needa it'sheavy!You'll + At408pounds, the friend(ortwo)to helpyoumount strong sawto its base, (Gl073) sellsfor$625. version + 0pen-stand ') Thismachine but hasthreebladespeeds, to thelowerspeeds. wefoundnoadvantage .! New bandsavvs due in October iust as this issuewentto press, officialsfrom Delta and Grizzlytold us of new mid-pricedbandsawsthey're ' bringingto the market.Delta . announceda new lineof Asian-made saws modeledafterthe USA-made saws,describedal left,that also bladetensionincludea quick-release port.The er and a 4" dust-collection open-stand,s/q-hp28-276sellsfor -hp around$400;the closed-stand,1 28-2OGruns about$600. Meanwhile,Grizzlyintroducedtwo new mid-pricedsaws,the 14" G0555 and the 17" G0513(shownat right). bladeguides, Bothofferball-bearing extrudedaluminumfences,and miter gaugesas standardequipment.Like Delta'snew models,they too sport quick-releasebladetensionersand 4" dust ports. 1-hpG0555 The riser-block-ready, will sellfor $375,and the 2-hp,dualvoltage,G0513will go for $750. (Pricesdo not includeshipping whereapplicable.) oor,1u (@ : *I 77 iI m l_l Fl^ t' e- r i1 *l j I W I I , it Highpoints isthelargest in capacity f tts10"resawing going thetestwithout toa riser-block mooer' equrppeo Highpoints knobsandscrews havea t nt adjustment comfortable soft-grip coating. scaleeases setting tableangle. t Up-front sawwe t At$500,it'stheleast-expensive tested, anda goodvalue. ol*'.:1x;11;ru:i;.liiTffili''ascae aJ Offers dustcollection, including the excellent (0thers range the test il'illrlli:3'#:l Lowpoints pushthissawveryhardand O Wecouldn't getgoodresults. lt tookseveral cub before forthe wefoundtherightfeedpressure fastestresawing. provide goodsupport bladeguides L' Euro-style forblades 7+"orwider. Lowpoints bladeguides havemicro-adjust knobs, O Upper butlowerguides don't. to lowerblade-guide is assembly $ Access rather tight, bladeguardlimitsline-of-sight O Wraparound to thebladeandcutline. ',] Morepoints ri lt comes witha narrow sanding beltand platento turnyourbandsaw intoa stripsander. (shown with optional riser-block kit) Morepoints ') Tension adjustment is easyto reach, owing to itslocation belowthetopwheelhousing, twohandsto turnit because butwe needed wheel. ofthesizeoftheadjustment ri Themodel wetested wasa pre-production sample; Jetofficials expect thesawwillbe available laterthisfall. CAPACITY (rNcHES) /=q Highpoints fasterthanthenext f fne LT14cut50 percent fastest testedsaws. screws C fne largethroatplatehasleveling (similar forflushing to sometablesaws) the throatplateto thetabletop, having to reset f labtetilts15' leftwithout 0' stop. (seephoto ceramic bladeguides f Four-point onpage76) olferexcellent forall support blade widths. u <, F 9t ,ffi /s /f/t, FeY -""-l dt ffi 2,275 2,720 3,625 Lowpoints requires bladeguides andbearings O Adjusting threedifferent sizesof hexhead wrenches. slowing bladechanges. Morepoints -) Themotorrequires 220-volt electrical service. * A high-quality fencecomes withthissaw, partial butremoving it requires disassembly of frontfencerail. r) Afterwe madeanadapter fortheunusually sizedporl(3y8"), thedustcollection effectiveness wasexcel lent. a bandsaw forresawing, t lf you'rebuying theLT14is byfarthebestofthebunch. 78 NOTES: pre-wired 4. (.) 0" tablestopmust 1. Dual-voltage machines for 110voltsunlessotherwise noted. be resetto tilt tableleft. * Comespre-wired for 220volts. (c) 5. Ceramic (E) Euro-style 2. Distancebetweenbladeandframe. (GP) Graphite-impregnated 3. Distancebetweentableand plastic fully-raised bladeguard. (RS) Roundsteel (SS) Squaresteel WOOD magazine October2002 Ghoose the saw by how yorrtll use it Highpoints or at right)releases lever(shown f Tension the wrist. flick of with a tension blade applies gauge come standard. miter fence and Rip t Lowpoints base; $ Motoris hardto mountto closed to threadnutsonbolts anextrasetof hands ishelpful. a $ lt'stheonlytestedsawthatwon'taccept Shop Fox's tension %" blade. >i ,e lever rotates to adiust blade tension, then flips up to relax the tension for extended blade life. w* In this price range you won't find a bandsawwith more cutting powerthan ttre Laguna LIl4, so it's our first choicefor a resawingmachine.It does, however,require 220-volt service.The Delta 28-293 isn't as powerful as the Laguna, but it's more user-friendlY, runs on 110 volts, and costs about $115 less. If those machines make your pocketbookpucker and you don't plan to do a lot of resawing,Ridgid's 8S1400 is an excellentvalue at $5ffi. Morepoints performer fora f, A middle-of-the-pack price, premium clone O TheShopFoxW1672is a downsized Writtenby DaveCampbellwithJeff Hall 14"rip witha 1-hpmotor, ofthismachine Tim Gahill MartyBaldwin lllustration: Photographs: lt sells resawcapacity. and73/s" capacity, Talk about thesa tools tr our rpeciaf UnO""*s forum, o, noa for$595. : speclficadon3 on other types of tools, fy clit+ittg on the butwe hastwobladespeeds, 4 Thismachine "!bol' GgrrlFf,imns",tab at www.woodmall.c6cr. to thelowerspeed. foundnoadvantage i \vz ACCESSORIES REPORTCARD(7) PERFORMANCE I' /l8 q ld IF '/9 : /s" ./*%/tEt, /os /g rA."" l4 /l- /t t9 l<5 /^-e ls /q /\, o ly) (e) f/s / \ , l>l l8 // <\', ilo '/ I {ts ,/f/r ,/Fl i/F/ tst /s t-l 7St i /^.u A] L{ //'t, s/i FH iln F/J kt7; ffiffi!ff69/# _$A /{r/g s/ ,€ l#t '61 wl ct) #l, /q/ ul I ,rq/i d l t F, F / St-a / €' o'/o =='" /$ a q /t /s ll s/i r-q/ I ccrD) l ="s/r*- B,C,F,L,M,R NOTES: vacuumhose. 6. 21lq'portfits standard2112" z.lExcellent @ oooo EffiRverase is sawunderno load. 8. Firstmeasurement redoak. is whileresawing Secondmeasurement e. (B) Mobilebase guides (BG)Ball-bearing jig (c) Circle-cutting (F) Fence (FG)Fiberguides (L) Light (M) Mitergauge kit (R) Riser-block (SB) Sandingbeltandplaten (SK) Three-speed kit warranty against 10. (LIFE) Lifetime factorydefects. 11. (B) (C) (T) (U) Belgium China Taiwan UnitedStates 12. Pricescurrentat timeof article's production, anddo notinclude whereaPPlicable. shipping lO-st tool tune-up: IUne-upi :,'{'": furt as with your car.a few minutesof on your bandsau' J regularmaintenance can save you time and money over the long haul. The next time you change bladeson your saw (or right afteryou'\'e your new saw),taketen minassembled utesto ensureyour tool's in tip-topshape andrunningtrue.Here'show. Unplug the saw, then removethe I I blade as you normally would: I Releasebladetension,backout the blade guides and thrust bearings,and removeguardsif necessary. Removethe guideblocks,and cleanand squaretheir contactsurfaces.if necessarry. Clean the wheels. No matter horv effective the machine's dust collection. some debris always sets mashed between the blade and tire. Hold 100-grit sandpaperagainst the surface of the tire and rotate the wheel by hand until the tire is residue-free. Brush or vacuum accumulated dust from inside the wheel housinss. Installandtensionthe blade.If the blade is brand new, first wipe it with a paper towel or cloth to remove any oil. Although rnost bandsar,vs have a tension indicator, we've always had better luck tensionin-uby hand (or by ear-more on that in a moment). With the upper guard 6" above the tabletop and the guide blocks reinstalled.push on the side of the blade with your pinky finger about 3" above the table. If the blade deflects more than I/+" under moderate pressure,add more tension. Some woodworkers pluck the bandsaw blade like a guitar string to set the tension. To do this. increase tension and keep plucking until the tone tums from a dull buzz into a clear tone. If the tone begins to deaden again, you've oveftensioned the blade: Back it off until the blade sings again. Once satisfied rn'ith the tension, make an index mark somewhere on the bladetensioning mechanism. You want to be able to return to the same tension while you continue with your tune-Llp. (By the way, any time you don't plan to use the saw for a few days. relax the blade tension. That will help extend the lif-eof the wheels and wheel bearin-ss.) Nign the wheels. It's not enou-uh I t . for the wheels to be parallel: they = must also be on the same plane, a condition called "coplaner." To make them so, be-sin by removin_e the table from your saw (or at least tilting it as far WOOD rnagazine October 2002 ALIGNINGBANDSAWWHEETS #ir::,,:r flfffii ffi Top wheel right as it will go.) Open or remove the wheel coversand lay a long straightedge againstthe rims of the wheels,as shown aboveor in the photo opposite,stayingas close to the hubs as you can. If the straightedgetouchesall four edgesof the wheel rims, skip to Step 7. If not, you'll needto align the wheels,as describedin Steps5{. Start by making the wheels paralF Illel. With the straightedgeagainst wheels as in Step 4, tilt the Vbottr top wheel until the straightedgecontacts both rims of either wheel. (Follow the manufacturer's instructions for this adjustment.)Maintaining contact with that wheel, keep tilting tlle top wheel until the gap between the straightedge and the other wheel is parallel. If the straightedgeisn't touching all four rims at this point, you'll needto move one wheel in or out the distanceof the gap.Again, follow the manufacturer's instructions for this adjustment. Some bandsaws require adding or removing shims behind the wheel to make them coplaner.Ordinary washers work fine for these shims, or make your own from sheetmetal. If you had to remove the blade to shim the wheels,reinstalland retensionit. llf Now it's time to check the blade f tracking.If you've doneeverything properly so far,'little adjustment should be needed.Rotate the top wheel by hand,watchingtheblade'spositionon the tire surface.If the bladeworks its way to one edgeor the other.tweak the wheel- tilt slightly until it travels true. Don't worry aboutkeepingthe blade dead-center in thetire; it shouldjust find a line and stickto it. Replaceor closeandsecurethe wheelcovers. Got a dollar?It's the cheapestfeelf) gaugeyou'll find. Fold the bill, )(5"r lUplace it betweenthe upper thrust bearingandthebackedgeof theblade,as shown in the Photo A, and adjust the bearinglocationuntil it just holdsthe bill in place. Securethe bearing,and repeat for the lower thrust bearing. the upper guide-block f\Position so that the front edgeof $assembly lV the blocks are just a whisker behind the blade's gullets (the valleys betweenthe teeth).Repeatfor the lower guide-blockassembly. Placeone thicknessof your dollar-bill feeler gaugebetweenthe upperleft guide block and the blade,and adjustthe block so that it pinchesthe bill betweenblock and blade without deflectingthe blade. Securethe left block.With the bill still in place on the left, thread the other end between the right block and the blade, snug the right block up againstthe bill and blade (as shown in Photo B), and lock it into place. Now, repeat this processfor the lower guideblocks. I tl Reinstall the table. Raise the I I lupper blade-guideassemblyas as it will go, and use a lVhigh drafting triangleor combinationsquareto ensurethe table is perpendicularto the blade,as shownin Photo C. If not, adjust the table's 0" stop (usually a bolt under the table)in or out until it is. 'F A double thickness of paper currency provides proper clearancebetweenthe thrust bearing and the back edge of the blade. A dollar bill wrapped around the blade helps set the saw's guide blocks. With the bandsaw table's 0' stop set precisely, you're ready to begin cutting. llt llffii Straightedge Bottom wheel WHEELS NOT COPLANER OR PARALLEL tL/ll \ \ I ll Remove lpll -ii:;:'"","," il*#:1"r"i";'" u|rIm{ Nffi. WHEELS PARALLEL, BUT NOT COPLANER WHEELS COPLANER ) & 81 case ************ fi,tterctsmial esigned for a 5x9r/z' American flag, this case preserves the carefullyfolded symbol of our nation and honors the memory of a loved one.You c;ln set this case on a tabletop or shelf, or hang it on a wall courtesy of a clever pair of bevel-edge cleats. Making a flag case usually requires cutting long, narrow 22r/2" miters where the sides meet the base. By fitting the base between the sides, our design eliminates these difficutt cuts, leaving you with easy 45o miters all around. 82 WOOD rnagazine Oqtober2002 E uren DETATL CUTTINGTHESPLINEKERFS 1814" 2413/sz" Ftrst, rnake the triangrrlar frarne Plane a t/qx4x72" board to /2" thick for the sides(A) and the base(B). Cut thesepartsto the width and about 1" longerthan the lengthslisted in the Materials List. Savethe extra stock for testing the spline-kerf cuts later. Take care to plane your material accuratelv.It must be exactlv Vz"thick for all the frame dimensionsto work. )Vtiter-cut partsA and B to length, to the dimenEtsions shown on Drawing 1. Note that all the miters cuts are 45o and that the basefits between the sides.Miter the endsof your test piecefor use later when setting up your tablesawto cut the splinekerfs in the sides(A). QReferring to the three steps tfshown at right, cut the spline kerfs in the mitered ends of parts A and B. Use your testpieceto verify the accuracy of your saw setupsbefore cutting the kerfs in the parts. zAexl2". /_nip a Estrip of VB' hardboard. then crosscutthree 3t/a"-Iong splines. Test the fit of ttre splines in the kerfs. We had to lightly sandour splinesfor a good fit. Dry-assemblethe sidesand basewith the splinesto checkthe fit, then apply glue to the miters and splines,and clamp the frame together,as shown in PhotoA. I I Add the trirn, backn glassn and liners I From the edgeof azA"-thick,25"-longboard,rip six Vz"-widestripsfor I the side trim (C) and basetrim (D). Laying the strips on their 3/q"faces, plane them to s4" thick. Miter-cut two setsof trim to length, one set each for the frame's front and back. The trim miters match those of the frame. The outsideedgesof the trim and frame are flush, as shown on Drawing 2. )Glue and clamp one setof trim (C, D) to the frame's front edge.With Cr the glue dry, clamp (do not glue) the other setto the frame's back edge, www.woodonline.com Set the assembled frame on a flat surface, and draw its mitered corners together with a pair of bandclamps. flag case * a hero's memorial p clenrs #8 x 11/z'F.H.wood screw mountedto wall Iz', l<- 7i/4" --------------1 \Saw Miteredends _t # 8 x t / 2 "F . H . wood screw *ef 45" bevel _l 1674a 1/aXTAa X 33/a" 23114a 161/2" \ #4 x 1" brass F.H.wood screw 7o+"shank hole,countersunk on backside t-"( r-- _?31/.ra" glass Single-strength E sroesEcroNvrEW 2413/sz" #4 x 1" brass F.H.woodscrew Mitered ends Wall Mitered ends E exploDED vtEW and drill pilot and countersunkshankholes,where shown on Drawing3. Set the back trim aside. (E), placethe frame'sbacktop 90ocor?fo lay out the back lJner on the 90o cornerof a piece of W" hardboard.Trace a line onto the hardboardalong the insideedgeof the base(B). Bandsawandjoint to the line. Have a pieceof single-strength glasscut to fit insidethe frame,leavinga Vre"spaceall around. (You also can use clear acrylic sheet,and cut it with an 80tooth carbide-tippedblade.), ResawazAx3Vqx36"boardin half, andplaneit to r/+"thick 'l,,[ for the side liners (F) and baseliner (G). Cut theseparts about %" wider and t/2" longer than the dimensionslisted. Miter-cut the parts to fit inside the frame. The fit should be snug,but not tight. To determinethe exactwidth for the liners, place the frame facedown on your bench,and lay in the glass and back. Slide the liners into the frame, and mark their finishedwidth by striking a line even with the back edgesof the frame.Removethe liners,and trim them to width. f Planeat/qx2xl}" boardto3/s"thick to makea blank for the rJback cleat (H) and wall cleat (I). Make a 45" bevel rip along one edge,whereshownon Drawing4. Cut partsH and I from the blank wheredimentioned.Drill a countersunkhole in the wall cleat (I) for attachmentto the wall later. ftAssemble the glass, liners (F, G), and back (E) in the lJframe. Screw the back side trim (C) in place. Glue and clamp the back cleat(H) to the back with its 90' cornernested in the corner formed by the trim, and the bevel oriented as shownon Drawing2. With the glue dry, removethe back,drill a pilot and countersunkshank hole in the back and cleat, and drive in the screw. 84 #8 x 1/2"F.H. wood screw Drivethe screw into a stud or use a wall anchor. I ) #8 x 11/z'F.H. wood screw The mating cleat bevels provide concealed attachment. Level the wall cleat during installationto ensure a level-hangingcase. WOOD magazine October 2002 Aprrlv finish and a3Seinlele the case I Removethe linersandglass.Sandall I the parts, except the back, to 220 grit. Easeany sharpedgeswith a sanding block. Apply two coats of satin polyurethane,sanding lightly wrth 220grit sandpaperbetweencoats. rhe finish dry, lay the frame )Witn Erfacedown on vour workbench.Place the glass in the fiame, insert the liners, then the folded flag. Add the back, and screw the rear side and basetrim (C, D) in place. If you need to fold your flag to fit the case,seethe sidebar,"The correct way to fold the American flag" at right. (I) QFasten the wall cleat to the wall, tfeither screwins into a wall stud. or using a wall ancho-r.Check the cleat for level. Hang the case.Note how the back cleat (H) and the wall cleat (I) interlock in PhotoB and on Drawing2.al The correct wav- to fold the Arnerican flag Our flag case is shapedto hold a properly-folded 5x9t/z'Americanflag. Here'show it's done. Step I Foldthe flag in half. You now have open and closededges. Step 2 Fold in half againtoward the open edge. Step 3 A'sides B-base 1/z' C*sidetrim Ve' Vc' 181A' C D'base trim Vau Vc' 2311/te" C E back F*sideliners G*base liner V4u 167Aa"167Aa" H 1/cu 31Aa" 161/2' c th, 31/rc', 2211Aa,' C H-backcleat Va' 33/a' 18V4' C 1/z' 37e' 241Vsz" C 2u 4u C Foldthe closedcorner towardthe open edge, forminga triangle. Step 4 Foldthe pointof the triangletowardthe . b l u efi el d. 71/cu C l- wallcleat Vau 2u -Parts initially cutoversize, Seetheinstructions, Materials Key:C /t Screened exhaustcap Most direct-vent and separated-combustion heaters feature a 2-in-1 pipe that draws intake air and exhausts waste through a single opening in the wall. Ilbrced-air frrrnace sholr lreating H Locating the furnace in an adjoining, unheated room eliminates potential for a dust or fume explosion. A filtered cold-air return traps shop-generated dust. 87 whole-shop heating systems Radiant tube heaters, such as this Re-Verber-Rayunit, are available in several sizes, and can be configured in straight, "U" and "L" shapes to fit the space Just like the sun, radiant heaters warm the objects in the room, such as the floor or any pieces of equipment,which in turn radiate heat back out, warming the air. If you haveaccessto gas,but don't want forced-air heating, check out a ceilingmounted radiant tube heater, shown in the photo and illustration, above. Tube heatersburn LP or natural gas, which warms the air inside a long metal pipe. Heat radiatesdownward, warming objects it strikes. The system has no externalfan to stir up dust in the shop. concrete floor. Hot water pumped through the tubing heats the concrete, which actsas a giant radiator and warms everything aboveit. You can power a hydronic systemfor a two-car-garage-sized shop with a small water heater.(If it's a gas unit, you still need to isolate the flame from shop air, of course.)You canbuild a "closed" system filled with antifreeze,or run a water supply to the shop and let the heating systemprovide hot water, as well. Heat rrnder Electric Trrrn on the trrbe feet options When building a new shop (oh yeah, it's Electricity has traditionally been an a "gatage," we won't tell), you might expensiveheat source.Even so,the setup considerhydronic, in-floor radiant heat- r costs with other systems may make it ing. These systemsare becoming more worth considering, especially if your affordable and increasingly popular in BTU needsare low or you spendlimited homes,shops,and buildingsof all types. time in the shop during cool seasons. As shown in the photo, bottom left, the Unlessyou're dedicatedto very tradiheart of a hydronic systemis a network tional woodworking, you already have of plastic tubes, usually imbedded in a electric serviceto your shop, so chances are you won't needanything more to run an electric heater.Units that run on 220 volts generallyproducemore heat. Electric heaters come in many sizes and styles, and it's easy to add more based on need. Portablesdon't require special insurance, and even permanent units seldomrequire a permit. Radiantpanels,suchas the onesshown below, from RadiantElectric Heat, Inc., pass electricity over a large metal plate to produce warmth. These heaters are fairly immune to dust and fume dangers. According to the manufacturer,heating with radiant electric panels costs about the sameas using a natural gas or LP forced-air system. Electricity costs more per BTU but, becauseradiant heating warms objects and not just the air, electricpanelsheatusing fewer BTUs Other electric options include in-floor, ceiling-mounted,and simple "plug-andplay" baseboardunits. Contined on page 90 In a radiant-slab floor, water flows through flexible plastic tubing that gets routed and secured before pouring concrete. Electric in-floor radiant systems exist, as well. 88 Cove heaters from Radiant Electric Heat. Inc. provide economical radiant heat without taking up much space. Heating large areas requires multiple units. WOOD magazine October 2002 whole-shop heating systems split firewood. Even with _qoodwood, an inexpensive stove can be hard to regulate, causing wide temperature swings. And unless you make special trips to stoke the fire, you'll lose your heat when not in the shop. Insurance companies may balk at a stove's open flame and hot surfaces. Also. some communities with strict air standards re_gulatethe use of woodburning stoves and fireplaces. A stove may look great in the shop, but isn't the safest heat source. JF Writtenby DavidStone lllustrations: Kim Downing;LornaJohnson; RoxanneLeMoine; Jim Stevenson Photographs: MartyBaldwin;Reznor,Inc.; RadiantElectricHeat,Inc.;RadiantFloorCo.; CraigCarpenter While a wood stove seems perfect for heatingshops, modern gas and electric systems are simpler and safer to use. Is r,vood good? A wood-burning stove seems like the ultin-rateromantic sollrce of shop heat for many woodworkers. Afier all, you're makin-e fuel all the tir-nein the form of scrapsand (heaven tbrbid) rnistakes.But wood stoves do have drawbacks. First, those kiln-dried scraps burn up pretty quickly. so you'll needa supply of Type Conventional forced-airfurnace Self-contained forced-airheater Overheadradiant tube heater Hydronicfloor heater Available BW range Foradditional helpwithsetting upa heating system inyour shop, contact a local heating contractor, ortakea lookatlhe products offered bythese companies: Detroit Radiant Products Co.ifie"Verber'Rayl radiant Overhead tubeheating systems 100/www. 8001222-1 reverberrarl.c0m Radiant Electric l"leat. lne. Radiant electric cove, wall-mounled, andbaseboard heating syslems. 4-4450 800 177 lwww.electricheat.com Floor Radiant Co. Hydronic floorheating systems 866/927-6863/www, radiantcompany.com Heznor, lnc. Ceiling-mounted, self-contained heating systems 800/6951901/www, reznoronline.com Unit Cost Installation Cost Lodmoderate 5,000-100,000Moderate/hioh ($3oo-$500.) ($9oo-$1,500)' -Not including concrete slab 90 Whatevertype of heatingsystemyou choose,answerthesequestionsbefore you shop.Discussthe answerswitha heatingcontractoror salespersonto ensurethat you selectthe size and type of systemthat bestsuitsyour needs. l. Doesyourshopstandaloneoris it attached toanother heated structure? 2. Howmanyexterior wallsdoesyourshop have,andaretheycunently insulated? 3. ls it a dedicated shop,ora spacealsoused fora garage orotherpurposes? 4. Whataretheshopdimensions? 5. Howhigharetheceilings? 6. Whatconstruction materials makeupyour shop(wood, brick,concrete block,etc.)? ?. Doyouknowtheinsulation values inthe wallsandceiling? 8. Howmanywindows doestheshophave,and aretheysingle-pane orhigh-efficiency units? 9. Howmanyexterior doorsarethere? 10.Doestheshophaveoverhead garage doors? lf so,aretheyinsulated? ll. Howmanyhoursperweekdoyouspendin theshopduring coldseasons? 12.Whennotintheshop,willyouheatit toat leastabove freezing? 13.Doyouhavea gaslinenearthebuilding, or willyouhavetorunone? OperatingCost Pros/Gons 25,000-100,000Moderate/hiohModerate/hiqh Low/moderate . Availablein a range of stylesand prices. ($1,500-$3,000) ($8oo-$1,500) . Requiresgas line,ducting,and venting. . Mav dry out shop air and stir up dust. . Requiresisolationof flamefrom shop air. r Ductingcan be usedfor air conditioning. Moderate 30,000-125,000 Moderate LoMmoderate . Availablein a wide rangeof sizes. ($800-$1,200) ($400-$800) . Requiresgas line and venting. . May dry out shop air and stir up dust. . Requiresisolationof flame from shop air. . Unitswith fans may be noisy. . Not distributedas widelyas othersystems. 25,000-50,000 Moderate Low/moderate Low ($750-$1,1 oo) ($250-$1,ooo) . Requiresgas lineand venting. . Can interferewith overheadgaragedoors. . Requiresceilingsat leastB'-high. . Not availablein low-BTUsizes. t Electricheater A heated debate: Deciding how many BTUs you should use 500-2,500 Low ($75-$500 Low ($o-$5oo) . Provideseven heatingthroughoutspace. . A small gas or electricwater heatercan power most shop-sizedsystems. . Can providehot water, if desired. . Requiresnew constructionor new floor. Moderate/high . Many stylesavailablein home centers. . EasVto install:plug in or hard-wire. . Poftablemodelscan be expensiveto operate. . Effectivein low-BTU-needregions. . Requiresgangingsmallindividualunits. Low WOOD magazine October 2002 "GIVINGAWAY'' WHY AREWE PRACTICALLY uit*' { r :'1 0urshoptrials warespassed woodworking These _{f,lp,p, 'P..'\ l!lt t DeWaltts i :"t.: # '* # -,,i^SF*H.up router rrTla-"t, ff405 Woodworl(ing Patternsfor Only 2c Each?" (By Frank K. Wood) FC&A, a Peachtree City, Georgia, publisher, announced today that it is practically "giving away" an all-new set of "405 Woodworking Patterns." o Welcome signs for every occasion. o Glider swing, adirondak table and chair. o Gardening grandparents and bunny. o Swinging scarecrow and a scarecrow on a fence. o Giant rocking horse, carousel and sea horse tables. o Potato bin chest and collapsible basket. o Birdhouses and birdfeeders in different styles. o Ye olde English carolers, Christmas yard ornaments. o Whizzing whirligigs like the rowing fisherman, flying eagle, flamingo, mallard duck and swimming fish. o Christmas mouse for your house, Christmas train in case of rain! o Santas galore. o Shelf sitter's see-sawcollection. o Kitty door stop and four seasonsperpetual calendar. o Comical clowns, napkin rings and shelf brackets. o Holstein cow - with udders that shudder and swinging tail too! o Southwestern cactus cactuscollection. collection. t* Southwestern t*. o Wooden toys for girls and boys. fu D _. : X;;*1.',1,tffi-J:Ti:0"" "t*k, tf '\ ffiff*td F-e4.:." - I products shop-ploven g"=i@r[F | ffi* Build all thesewoodenfavorites.Illustratedplans includeintricatelydetailedpatternsandcompleteinstructions.To ordera set,just retum this notice with your nameand addressand a checkfor $9.99 plus $3.00 shipping and handling,and we will send you "405 WoodworkingPatterns;'Or,for only $ 12.99plus$3.00shippingand handling,you cangetboth the basicsetandan extra100patterns. Plus,you'll alsoget a free previewof companionsetsof FC&A WoodworkingPatterns,abouteverytwo months,on a 30 day free trial. You can keeponly thosesetsyou want and cancelany time. Sendyour checkalong with your nameand addressto: FC&A, Dept. AWZ-10, 103Clover Green,PeachtreeCity, GA 30269. or yourmoneyback. of satisfaction Yougeta no-time-limitguarantee You must cut out and return this notice with your order. Copieswill not be accepted! IMPORTANT - FREE GIFT OFFER EXPIRES NOVEMBER 5, 2OO2 All orders mailed by November 5,2002, will receivea free giftr "50 Special,Seasonal,WoodworkingPatterns," guaranteed. oFC&A 2002 Order right away! rilrlti-base lcit gets it right I havea personalrule againstbuyingmultianythingtoolsbecause eachfunctiontypically the others. compromises DeWalt'snew DW6l SPK routerkit is an multi-base exceptionto the rule. The heartof the system DW618K, is thefixed-base boastingsoft-griphandles anda 2V+-hp,soft-start, electronicvariable-speed DeWaItDW6lBPK motor.That removable ***** Performance motor alsosnapsinto a kit) & plunge Price $250(fixed-base matchingplungebaseor $190(fixedbaserouteronly) D-handlebase.I cut baseonly) $80(D-handle somehefty mortises ***** usingthe plungebase orvisit at 800/433-9258, CallDeWalt www,dewalt.com. anddetectedno hint of strainfrom the machine. Insteadof rotatingthe motor in the fixed baseto adjustthe height,the DW6l8K's twist ring smoothlythreadsthe motorup anddown withoutrotatingit. That meansthe power switchstays in one place:within easyreachof your thumb.In a thoughtfulnod to left-handedusers,DeWaltengineersdesignedthemotorso you alsocanmountit with theswitchon theleft side. theDW6l8K's detachengineering, Speakingof user-friendly to the D-handlebasehasablepowercord makesthe changeover sle-free.Simply twist the baseof the cord to removeit from the motor,plug it into the baseon the handle,thenplug the D-handle's shoftcord into the motor,as shownabove. The truetestof a multi-basekit is its plungebase,andthis one provedfluid-smoothand steady.It alsohasthrough-the-plungepostdustcollection,whicheffectivelyclearedthe chipsfrom even deepmortises.My only gripe aboutthe plungebaseis thatthe beefydepth-stoprod hidesa fair amountof the depthscale. is the numberof Almost as impressiveasthe performance thatcomewith the DW6l8PK. In additionto thefixed accessories andplungebases,the $250kit includesa carying case,t/t" and (onethat collets,two clearLexansubbases %" self-releasing guidebushings,andone with a larger acceptsPorter-Cable-style 2t/2"bit opening),anda neatconcentricitytool-the cone-shaped gadgetin the foregroundof the photo-that centersthe subbase (or your routertableinsertplate)over the collet. The fixed-baserouteralsocomesin a 1%-hp,fixed-speedconfiguration(modelDW6l6K) for $30less.It's alsoavailablein kit form with plunge-andD-handlebases' -TestedbyGeorge Granseth Corttinued on Page 100 92 WOOD magazine October 2002 oFFEBs You MIBE,,, 00DL|'N'EUSA products shop-proven TIME I AllWoodline USAProducts Feature ToughMicroGrainCarbide Elirninate bandsaw tension headaches SET 6 PieceGABIIUEIDOORSF Inclu 1/2Shank RouterBils Bits 5Straight .2-pcRail (Roman &Stile Ogee). Drawer Lo* 6Roundovers .3 (Ogee). 1/4" DPanel Raiser Door Lip.Glue Joint Dovetails 3 wL-2020-1 $175VALUE Box 3Core oUR PRIGEOItltY$l I I set 3Cove Bits 2 Flush Trim, 1Panel Bit GABNET 2Roman 0gee, 2slotcutters, 1"V"Groove 5 Piece 1Chamferand 1BevelTrim Bil SUPER BUY vul-2noouR PRrcE omY$l O9 r* f 5 Piecell2" SHA]IIKSET 'i, Inclu< r Qhgrnfgy r Sgyg= 1/2'R,3/g'R,1/4'R . Roundover = 1/2'R,3/8'R, 1/4'R . Roman = 0gee 1/4"R . straighl Bits=3/4"R, 1/2"R, 1/4',R . 1/2"Dovetail .1/2"Roundover .1"CL . Rabbet FlushTrim Bit WL-20221or 112"or WL-2021for l/4"SHANK SET OURPRIGEOllfl,Y$59 eachset ffi 12'Shank RouterBits WL-2011$175VALUE 5 PieceDOUEIAIISET . 14"3/4". 14"5/8' ,8o112' , 14o112' . 14"3/8" 1/2Shank RouterBits OURPRIGE oIItY $99 set | 3 PieceDOUEIAIISET 1/2'Shank Router Bih .3 Straight Blh '10 DovetailBils wL-2017 $3()VALUE OURPRIGEOIUTY$l9 set :; wL-2014 $12s VALUE Bandsawmanufacturersrecommend relaxingthe tensionon your bandsaw bladebetweenjobs, but few of us do becauseit's a pain.Carter'sQuick Release BandsawBladeTensionToggleis just the tonic to relievethatpain. Fitting 14" bandsawsfrom Craftsman, Delta,Jet,andRidgid,a pull of the Quick Releaselever slackensall bladetension: pushingthe leverbackup instantly retensions the blade.Installationrequires disassembling the saw'stensioningmechanism,drilling mountingholeswith the bit that comeswith Quick Release,anri reassembling the tensioningmechanism. If you changebladesizes,you'll still haveto retensionfor the new blade.Quick Releasehelpshere,too. I found that I couldcenterthe new bladeon the wheels, temporarilytensionthe bladeby lifting (not locking) the lever,then spin the blade by handto checktracking. At a price of $150,Quick Releasemay not be for the economy-mindedwoodworker.But, if you havelimited hand strength,or want to maximizethe life of your bandsawandblades,you'll find it moneywell spent. -Tested by Jeff Hall bunpnrcEorrY$49 set PTIUREFRATESET 8 Piece great picture Perfecl formaking looking frames. Bits canbecombind f0brmofir$or ilIASTER 9 Piece DADO$ET '."'' Includes Undersize forPlywood, Standard lorHardwood and0versize forMelamine orVeneered Materials ln3fopular Sizes: 1A',1/2'and il4', ,w1.2030 iWVALUE OUnPnrcE Oilrv$49 set \\tr4 5 Piece GOUE SEl *Ez^Cr^' 1i2'Shank Router Bits .3/8"R . 1/2'H . 5/g'R.3/4.R 1/4'R WL.2O15 $99VALUE bun pnle oiltY $49 set wooDBtTs WOODLINEUS,T E-mail:[email protected] Visitus at ourWebsite:r*-tSlcg;,4 GREATROUTER BITSANDSHAPERCUTTERS BESTSELECTION / BESTPRICE! ORDERTOLL FREE f -800-472-6950 WOODLINE USA. PO.BOX298.TEMECULA. CA92593 Bandsaw Blade QuickRelease Tension Togqle Performance ***** $150 Value ***/iii CallCader Products toll{ree at888/622-7837, or visitwww.carterproducts.com. Continuedon page 110 100 WOOD magazine October 2002 shop-proven products Protnctor angles for position rryith precision I was skepticalwhen I saw Gizzly advertising a dial protractorfor only $40. That's why I was pleasantlysurprisedto find the angle-settinggaugedead-onaccurateat every angleI measuredwith a setof machinist'sprecisionangleblocks. You can usethe G9900Dial Protractor to measurean unknown angleby matching the beamand bladeto the workpiece and locking them in. Or, if you're brying to setup a machinefence,table,or blade to a specificangle,first lock in the angle on the protractorand setthe machineto matchit. The G9900Dial Protractor'slargeface is markedin 5-minute(t/n") graduations-plenty accuratefor any woodworking task.For measuringanglessmaller than 11o,an acuteangleattachment(not shown)attachesto the beam.al -TestedbyGarry Smith Grizzly DialProtractor G9900 Performance ***** $40 ***** lndustrial CallGrizzly aI8001523-4777, orvisit www.gnzzly.com. Aborrt orrr product testers GeorgeGranseftrunsffieachitecfural millwork prognmat a community nllege.Jeff Hallteaches woodworking andoffiertechnicalskillstohighschoalstudenfs. GarrySmih is a machinist. Nl areavidwoodworkerg 110 WOOD magazine October 2002 It'slourlurnIoExpt;rince lhe frr;volutionary llgw ll0I{A n[nf000 It's drivenlike nothingelsebeforeit, and it turns like nothingelseyou'veeverexperienced. ThenewNOVADVR3000 latheis builtaroundan exclusive beltlessmagneticpulsedrivemotorthat provides highertorque,lOOo/o energytransfer,and digitalspeed control- all housedcompletely in the headstock. lt actually sensesand respondsto yourturning. Experience the revolutionary newNOVADVR3000 lathe exclusively at yourlocalWoodcraft storeor see it on lineat www.woodcraft .com. NowGet 200U.S.Postage Stamps -up to 100yearsold! onty$z 200 historic United States postage stamps are yours for only $2. Hard to find and worth much more, this collection is a real value. Each cancelled stamp tells a piece of America's story - the Presidents,patriots and places that make our country the greatest. These stamps are history you hold in your hands, and up to 100 yearsold! Send today and also receive ffi^.\NTADDCRAFT" W:W \ry Dept.O2Wl10QD car, 1-800-542-gLLs or visit us on line www.woodcfaft.com 117 RosemarRoad, P.O.Box1686, Parkersburg,WV 26102-i:686 Circle No. 700 special collector's information and pricelists along with other interesting offers on approval. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. -----t r---! GiantGrabbagof U.S.StampsI senimetheGiantcrabuagof ! QYes! Please postallyusedUnitedStates stamps.Enclosed is i $2. My satisfaction is guaranteed. Limit one. i Citylstatelzip Pleasesend $2 with coupon to: I Mystic Stamp Company, Dept SA454 I 9700Mill Stree! Camden,iVy t33tO.OtOg I rrvhatts ahead peekattheNovember A sneak (onsaleOctober issue of W00D'magazine 15) Proiects for your horrren shopr and holiday gift giving Child'sdesk Fendulum dollcradle Here's theperfect complement tothebunkbeds Wanta bighugfromthatspeciallittlegirl anddresser found inthisissue. in yourlife?Here'sjusttheticket. One-day workbench Addstorage andworksurfaces toyourshopwitha minimal investmentintimeandmaterials. Hallbenchandcoatrack Buildoneorbothofthesematching traditionalhome accents. Festive decorations Adda craftsman's touchtoyourhome's holiday I- ^-- -il %# atmosphere withthiswinter SCene andornamenb. Arched candleholder Afewscraps ofwoodare allyouneed tobuild this classy centerpiece. Tools, Techniques & features Getyour money's wortr in a randomortit sander There's nosander moreuseful than onewithrandomorbitaction. We tested a baker's dozen to seewhich onesworlrbest. Rubotityourfinishing headaches Rough carpentry andprecision woodworking come together inthistime-honored home-building approach. Applyyourfavorite finish,thenusetheserubbingouttechniques withfineabrasives to remove impedections andachieve a dazzling sheen. WOOD nragazine October 2002