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JULY/AUGUST 2000. Vol.17,l{0.5 . lssue No.125 EditorLARRY CLAYIO]I Managing Editor JIMHABB0LD Assistant Managing Editor/Features PETER J. STEPHAIIO Projects EditorBILLI(RIEB Projects Editor JAl{HALE SVEC Products EditorDAVE CAMPBEII Techniques Editor JIMPOLLOCK Senior Design Editor JAMES R.D0Wlllilc Project Builder/Supervisor CHARTES L HEDtUl{D Senior Associate ArtDirector PERRY A.McFARLII{ Assistant ArtDirector CHERYT A.CIBULA Production/0ffice Manager MARGARET CIOSI{EB Administrative Assistant SHERYL MUllY0l{ ArtBusiness Office Secretary BABBARA HETPS Reader-Contact Specialist BEl{V0llRUDEll Contributing EditorsKIMDOWillNG, t0R1{A J0HNS01|, ROXANNE LeMOII{E, CARSOI{ ODE, 8OBMcFAB[I1{, DAVE HENDERSOII Contributing Craftsman JIMHEAVEY
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'u" got to be honest with you. When I was I Inamed Editor-In-Chiefof WOODomagazinein the springof 1984,it becameclearto me in a hurry that to keep readerssubscribingto this publication over the long haul, the staff and I neededto keep the magazinefresh and exciting. And more than once,I caughtmyself wondering,"Can we make magazinesissueafter issuethat our readersjust can't live without. Will we run out of greatideasafter a few issues?" Well, herewe areat issue#125 and going greatguns. And insteadof runningout of greatideasto sharewith you, we havemore than ever.The only problemwe haveis getting them all in the magazine. You only needto take a look at this issueto seethat the excitementcontinues.On page 44,you'll find a piece titled, "The Adventurersof an Exotic-WoodBuyer." It chroniclesan excursionthat Keith Stephens,the owner of WoodworkersSourcein Phoenix, Aizona, recently took to Paraguayin searchof someof the world's most beautiful hardwoods. And if you've beenon the lookout for a nicely designedbutcher-blockwork centerfor the kitchen,you'll want to look at page 50. This beautyis rock solid and ready for a lifetime of hard use. Speakingof beautiful projects,why not add to your summertimeenjoymentwith our "Setteefor Two" on page 70.It took a long time to get this designjust right, but after considerabletweaking,we think we havea winner. Looking for a greatshopproject?On page 41 you'll find instructionsfor building a Collector's-Editionwoodenblock plane, our first attemptat this type of project. We're impressedwith the way it shaveswood and handlesend grain. And for all of you who have at one time or another dreamedof making your own woodworking lumber from logs, be sureto read our article about transportable sawmills.We field-testedfive of them,and cameup with findings that could influenceyour buying decision.i
Customer Service Information: For service on your subscription, including change of address,contact www.woodmagazine.com/service or call Efi)/374-9663. Subscription mailing address: Biner Homes and Gardens WOOD magazine,_P.O.Box 37439, Boone, IA 50037-0439. Please enclose your address label from a recent issue.Edijorial mailing addrtss: The Editor, WOQD magazine, 1716 Locust Street, GA3l0, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. For questions for our editorial staff, questions about how to reach an advertiser, or to place an advertisement in our magarin" call 800/374-9663. To order back issues call 800/346-9663. For article r-eprints, wrire to editorial addreis and enclose $5 per article.
WOOD magazine August 2000
Publisher MARKHAGEN Advertising Director WILLMURPHY Ancillary SalesandlntemetManagerMARLEN KEMMET Advertising Office:333 N.Michigan Ave,,Suite1500, Chicago, lL60601 Phone: 3128512890 FM:31258O7906 Advertising Manager JAMES N,FORD Direct Response Adveilising CAROLYN DAKIS Account Executive YUWEI LEE Account Executive RONGOLMINAS Marketing Manager GERALLIE LEGASPI SalesAssistant MARGARET TRAVIS PublishingDirectorWILLIAM R.REED Advertising Services Manager PATHENDERSHOTT Consumer Marketing Director LIZBREDESON Associate Consumer Marketing DirectorKATHIPRIEN Assislant Consumer Marketing ManagerDAVEHONOLD Business Manager CRAIG FEAR Senior Product Manager RICKGROW MEREIXIH PUBUSHING GROUP President CHRISTOPHER M.LITTLE VicePresident Publishing DirectorJERRYWARD Creative ServicesELLENDELATHOUDER Manufac'turing BRUCE HESION Consumer Marketing KARLAJEFFRIES Group SalesJERRY KAPI-AN Operations DEANPIETERS Finance andAdminisffiion MAXRUN0MAN
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WILLIAM T. KERR,President andChiefExecutive Otlicer E. T. MEREDITHlll, Chairmanol the ExecutiveCommittee @CopyrightMeredithCorporation2000 All rightsreserved.hinted in the U.S.A. Better Homes and Gardensa WOOD@magazine(ISSN-0743894X) is publishednine times a year in February,March, April, May/June, July/August, September,October, November, and December by Meredith Corporation, l716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023.Periodicalspostagepaid at Des Moines, Iowa, and additional mailins offices. Better Homes and GardenstrademarkresisterediiCanada and Australia. Marca Registradaen M6xic-o.OM-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: U.S. and its possessions, $27; Canada,$39; other countries, $47. Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product A g r e e m e n tN o . 1 3 6 9 3 5 0 .C a n a d i a nB N 1 2 3 4 8 2 8 8 7 R T . CANADIAN RETURN ADDRESS: Beuer Homesand Gardens WOOD magazine, 2744 Edna Street, Windsor, Ontario, N8Y lV2. POSTMASTER: ASTER: Send addresschansesto Better Homes and GardensWOOD \OOD magazine, masazine,P.O. Box 37439, 3J439.
Boone,IA 50037-0439.
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WOOD@magazine
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August2000lssue125
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18 whatwoodworkers needto know Get the lowdown on how to bleach color out of wood for a completely novel look.
20 hot otf the internet
1/+"washer and wingnut
Tune into our online woodworking discussionsabout antique scrollsaws, cutting wood plugs, planing with a router, working with ash, and defining whitewood.
28 tips fromyourshop(andours) 84 ask t/yOOD 9ll thefurniturerepairshop Have an appraiservalue your antiques with these guidelines.
features 3
the editor'sangle
t 0 talkingback t 6 WOODONLINEo 37 the storyof wood See what insects could eat your wood for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Ul
the adventures of an exotic-woodbuyer Travel with Keith Stephens,the president of the Woodworker's Source, as he visits the Yaguarete Forest in Paraguayto strike a deal on a container of tropical hardwoods.
56 amazingminiatures Discover how Georgian Paul Hamler fashions his unique line of functional, scaled-down, antique hand tools.
87 woodanecdote
page56
Find out why the American chestnut disappeared.
lll4 finishingtouches page44 Continued on page 6
WOOD magazine August 2000
this issue's
highlights
WOODo mdgdzine
Continued frompage 4
August2000 lssue125
www.woodmagazine.com
woedw-orking
proiects l4
adobephotoframe project. Display three photos in this Southwestern-style Use our full-size patternsfor guaranteedsuccess.
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greatideasfor yourshop Make a mini router table for your high-speedrotary tool.
4l
handcraftedplane This eye-catchingtool will fit comfortably in the palm of your hand while renderingyearsof quality service.
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table kitchenbutcher-block Ever think about owning a solid maple table like the one at fighfl Make one with the completeinstnrctionsinside. Our designfeaturesa handy towel bar and knife drawer.
00 showstandsfor smallstuff Small accent pieces sometimesneed help drawing attention. The four display standsin this collectiondo just that.
page50
66 turnedfloralflask pot that combinesboth Fashiona handsomecanteen-shape solid stock and beautifulty figured veneer.
70 setteefor two Perk up your outdoor spaceswith seatingthat suits the environment.Our cedartwo-seaterfeaturesfresh looks and ample comfort, in addition to sturdy construction.
page70
toolsP
ffii&ials
22 productsthat perform 64 what'swhatin oil finishes Before you tackle your next project, study up on the varieties and merits of oil finishes. They apply easily, while offering a rich, natural appearance.
70 sawmillshowdown Harvest your own lumber with one of the five models in our field test. You'll find out why owning a mill makes good economicsense for somewoodworkers.
page22 page22 WOODmagazine August2000
yourcomments, Wewelcome criticisms, TalkingBack, andyes,even compliments.WOODalilagazine, suggestions, 1716LocustSt.,GA310, Weselect ofthe andpublish onlyletters lA 50309-3023 DesMoines, greatest Write to: toourreaders. benefit
Air cleaning system
: Apoth ecary's Friend
In Issue120,Winter l999,page70, you : Two drawings,the PartsView drawing insertand describehow to makea whole-shopair ; on the WOOD PATTERNSo cleaningsystem.The basicideais a good : the Divider detailon page53 in the one,but you overlookedan important l Apothecary'sFriendin Issue120,Winter t, 1999,showdifferentlocationsfor the feature-an accessdoor. -John R.Bergman, Milton,Wis.' samepocketholes.Seethe drawing belowfor the correctionto the divider on ,, You're right, John,you do needaccessto the PartsView drawine. the insideof the cabinet.That'sbecause , t1;l t, -----\ P you needto oil the bearingsin some ;@1 tI'4'=t blowermotors,and checkthe drive belt ,, = ) tensionperiodically. Toprovide access, i replacethescrewsthatfastentheside(E) ', 5" on thepulley sideof theblowerwith hnng- ' er boltsandwing nuts.Locatetheswitch : or junction box in oneof theotherpanels. I 1,
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Drawing1.In theBill of Materialson page64 and the Drawer drawing on page66, the length of the drawer sides (N) shouldbe lUVz",asshownon Drawing 2.
Bill of Materials Ftntsneo!'tze
Part N drawer
DRAWER
UNITMOUNTING DRAWING1 DETAIL
Do you own an l8-volt DeWalt cordlesstool? If so,you'll be interestedto know that DeWalt is offering a free repairkit for DW9095 18volt batterypackssoldbetweenMay 1997andJune1998(datecodes between9719 and9810).The clips on the batterypack may fail to fully engagethe tool, causingthe battery pack to fall off. Call DeWalt toll-free at 8771457-0478 between8:00a.m. and 4:30 p.m. easterntime, Monday throughFriday.
ilot sure of Shaker saw blade
Bighting the writing desk A phonecall from a readeralertedus to a coupleof errorsin the Drop-Front Writing Deskprojectin Issue120,Winter 1999.The Drawer Unit Mounting detail on page63 is drawn incorrectly.When the drop leaf panel(Q) is closed,its outside surfaceis flush with the slopededge of the sidepanels(C), as shownon
DeWalt | 8-uolt batlery packs recalled
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I've beenan amateurwoodworkerall my life, anda historicinterpreterin the carpentershopat Shakertownin Pleasant Hill, Harroldsburg,Kentucky,for the past 10 years.I readwith interest"The bestof Shaker"entry in "12top vacation stopsfor adventurous woodworkers"in Issue120.Not to detractfrom Tabbatha Babbit's 1810contributionof thecircularsawblade,our researchshowsthatcircular sawswereusedby British RoyalNavy shipbuildersasearly asthe 1790s. -LawrenceRay,Jr.,Harroldsburg, Ky. We can't find referenceto agree or disagree with your saw-bladeresearch, Larry. PerhapsSisterBabbit brought the circular-saw blade ideafrom England with her and adaptedit. AIso, Spring Hill, as mentionedin thepiece, should have beenPleasantHill.
Continued on page I2
10
WOODmagazine August 2000
tmfikfrg'?S:;;,1;t'.iu. ContinueclJ'rornpage l0
S e c u r i n g a p o w e r c o r d , Make a stronger with a sweatband could : column mount : WhenI built the Drill-PressDust be trouble I'm writing becauseof someserious safetyconcernswith a tip presented in Issuel2l's "TIPSfrom your shop(and ours)"on page3 1.It suggests usingan athleticsweatband to securea portable powertool's cord to your arm while usingthetool. Havingbeenan emergencyroom nursefor l0 yearsprior to startingmy own woodworkingbusiness, I've seen hundredsof tool-relatedinjuries.Every victim wasamazedat the speedin which the accidentoccurred.With the sweatband securingthe cord,a tool would swinginto the userif it were dropped.If the useraccidentallyfell, the securedtool would be pulleddown onto the body. I like theideaof keepingthecordvisible andout of theway with a sweatband, but here'sa safermodification:Attacha smallpieceof Velcroto the sweatband andthe matingpieceto the cord with glueor tape.Then,thecordwill easily separate if a fall or drop happens.And if you needto put downthetool to pick up glueor changea bit, the cordremoves easilywithoutunpluggingit. -MitchellNeal,Dayton,0hio :
drawing right.) Drill the e/n" hole completely through the support. While still set up on the drill press, drill a 2e/oq"hole /2" deep on the outside of the same piece. Epoxy a t/+" nvt to one end of the Vq" threaded
threaded knob
t/+"threaded rod
Collectorshownin issue#119. COLUMN the threadedrod on thecolumn mountpulledout asI tightened the MOUNT knob.But here'sa way thatI foundto modify your designfor a securecolumn i mountthatwon't twist either.(See :
ORIGINAL #8 x 2" F.H. wood screw
1/qx 4" threaded rod with t/+" hex nut
epoxiedto end insertedinto ColumnMount hex nut zs/aq"hole
t/2"deep to secure /+" hex nut IMPROVED
rod and insert the other end of the rod into the hole from the outside. Next, put a washer and t/q" nut on the threaded rod and tighten the nut down to the wood with a wrench. This pulls the expoxied nut into the hole, preventing
the threadedrod from pulling out when you later tightenit with the knob. -Phillip Watkins, Blowing Rock,N.C.
Router-table twin Thank you for testing router tablesin issue#122.To setthe recordstraight, readersshouldknow that BenchDog, Inc. manufacturesCMT's Industrio router-tables.We also market these router-tablesand other tools under our
own name.If you are interestedin our productsyou can call us at 800/7868902 or surf our site at www.benchdog.com. -NorstonFontaine, Bench Dog,lnc, Minneapolis, MN
Shimmed finger wonrt snap off In the Not Sucha Nutty Ideaproject published in issue#l 18,you advise forming the t/q"stoppedgrooves/+" deepon the insidefaceof the sidesand ends(partsA, B) with a router and W" slotcutter. I've foundthatwhenyou cut thatclose to the ends(%e"),the fingerscan't withstandthe torqueof the routerand they sometimes snapoff. But if you cut matchingfingerjoints in two piecesof scrap,slidethemhorizontallyinto the fingersof the sidesandends,thentape themin place[asshownrightl, you can
12
=sl+x3 x lB" stock
Redondo Beach, Continuedon page 33
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Thebest gets Jpst better 16-32@ Pr-us Package includes: ,.
TenryuGoldMedal'10 x 40t and Rapid-Cut10"x 50t blades give you splrnter-free cuts in all woods-even chip-freecuts in melamine.Bothfeatureextrahard carbideteeththat stay sharplonger,evenwhen cuttingabrasivematerials,
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O l l ' c r g o o d t h r o u g hJ u l y 3 l . 2 ( X X )
CircleNo. 78
-€#rem Continuedfrom pttge 3l
Automotive paint process inspires HVLP impnovement I love applyingfinish with my HVLP pressure-feeding sprayer,but I found it frustratingalways having to keep the gun upright.And as the finish got lower in the pot, the lessI could tip it and still apply an even coat. After studyingthe fi n is h applic at or sa t th e a u to m o ti v e plant where I work, I went home and modifiedmy sprayer. I boughtsomeV+"plastrctubing,hose, fittings, and a regulatorand valve, and assembledthem as shown below. To
i keep everything together,I mounted , them on the outsideof a small wooden ' Uo* that was large enoughto hold my i finish pot. , To use my modifiedsprayer,I fill the : pot with finish and adjustthe regulator , to a ro u nd5 psi . B ecausethe pot stays , upright,and only the spraygun tips, I , can now spray vertical and horizontal , surfaces-even the undersidesof pro, jects-in one session. -RobeftWilson, t. Lawrenceburg, Ky.
Everythingyou do with a drill is now done faster with the Graftsman@ Speed-Lok'" drilldriving system
Plugsiphon{ube conneclron on gun.
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_.-.|.] i-."i ll]t
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3/e"coupler 1/+"hose barb
Spraygun
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A i r hosefrom a i r compressor
Woodenbox to house paintpot and attach pressuregauge _Qu --\ ick-connectf itting I\ i \
Air hoseto g (lengthto fit)
Tighten& loosenbolts
Drill a conduitopening
1/q"20 psi pressurereliefvalve Continuedon page 34
WOODmagazine August 2000
33
MAKES
ANYTHING
PoSsIBLE"-
O 2000 Sears.Roebuckand Co.
tipsixffi H'ilI'*J,"*"* Continuedfrom page 33
Hand screw holds while drill pness makes holes In my furniture-makingbusiness,I often need to drill holes in the edgeof small, unusually shapedpieces. Rather than make a work-holdingjig for eachshape, I clamp the piece into a handscrewand drill the hole on my drill pressas shown below. The clamp keeps my hands out of dangerand securesthe workpiece for a nice,cleanhole. Wash. &obJay,PortOrchard,
THClffiTanffigl,g
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$upnLtcglt z4-HourShopping Over25,000Tools& Accessories SpecialSales& Offers ToolComparison Charts FreeSeminars
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34
WOODmagazine August2000
l^l
\-,layton Spindle Sanders are built in the USA with precision balanced spindles, oversized bearings, and a premium Baldor Induction Motor.
Bandsaw blade storage: Zip tem up, clip tem up Insteadof tying up my bandsawblades with stringor a twist-tie,I placeeachin a one-gallonzipper-type freezerbag. Squeezing mostof the air out before sealingthebagreducesthe likelihoodof trappingmoisturein thebag. I thenlabeleachbagwith the thickness andtooth-count, but you alsocould includesuchinformationastheproper tensionsettingfor thatblade.To keep my bandsawbladeshandy,I mounted severalof thosepotato-chip bagclipsto thewall right nextto my saw,andhang thebladesasshownbelow.
. Benchtop and r Large table surface full.sized, professional r Built.in dust port r Quick.change drums models
Clay ton tackle s the toughest s anding jobs. . . smoothly. FREECOLOR CATALOG, call: 1.800-971-5050
SGtAYT0I{ -ffi
-John Tappan,Chattanooga, Tenn. Drillaccesshole for screwdriver
'f;::,;;'I J]jtftP.):ry Mountclip with
Scfew and washer
til, naarlart\
One-gallon zippered freezerbag Bladeidentification
Afewmoretipsfromour pros woodworking .Need round legsfor a project but you don't have a lathe?Seeour router jig on pages54-55for the perfect solution. .Wiping on an oil finish can often be the simplestway to complete your project. To avoid the few pitfalls of such a finish, check out our batch of tips at the bottomof pages 64-65.t|
WOODmagazine August 2000
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ROYALOAK , MI 48068-0s20
the story of wood ffi
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Water,fungi, oxidation,enzymestain, an decay all cause wood to deteriorate. thereare insects,plentyof them. Insectsrecycledead,down, and wou ed trees into fertilesoil and plant n Unfortunately,these little recyclersdon observe"off limit"signs.They'lleat d e s t i n e df o r y o u r s h o p ( o r t h e w o o d alreadythere)as well as what loggers leave behind.Here'sa roundupof those that maketheir mark.
Some insectsfocus onlv on living trees and green ldgs /nsect species in this category actually number in the thousands. Buf woodworkers usually never see fhese culprits, only the resu/ts of their activity.
Fly larvae create distinctive marks The dark, thin streaksof varying length running with the grain that you'll often spot on basswood, birch, cherry, maple, and willow boards were made by fly larvae. down through the cambium layer of the livins tree toward the sround. The wound heals
Horntailsand others do boring work Some insectsbore into trees,logs, and freshly sawn lumber to simply feast.The most common are the pine sawyersand the horntails.The -%"to I " grub holes they leave behind indicate their past presence.You'll find their tracks in hardwoodsand softwoods,and in sapwoodas well as heartwood.Kiln drying k i l l s t h e i r l a r v a e . B u t i f t h e i r a c t i v i t y w a s e x t e n s i v e ,t h e lumber is weakenedand its appearancedowngraded.
Termitesand carpenterants These tough guys like wood and damp feet
i rfte rth e l a rv a epass.but the tissueturns dark. The pith flecks don't weaken the wood. It only looks bad.
Bark beetles engrave as they go Many insects attack the inner bark of trees (mostly conit-ers)and fieshly cut logs. As they excavatearound the trunk, they leave a telltale trail. Visible entranceholes with expelled frass (fecal matter, bark, and wood powder) indicatetheir work. Because these beetleslive on fresh logs and living trees,they perish with the later processingof the wood.
While common termites and carpenter ants-both social enough to live in colonies-can and will tear through your woodworking stock, it's unlikely. That's becausethey both prefer moisture. So unlessyou store wood where it's damp, or where termites can tunnel their way to it from moist ground, you're not likely to encounterthesecritters. Continued
WOODmagazine August 2000
37
the story of wood Otherbuqs eat seasoned wood and even-kiln-dried Beet/es in this category prove numerous as well as aggressive. They're Enemy Number One for woodworkers.
Ambrosia beetlesdamage hardwoods and softwoods The pin holes up to %" in diameter often seen in oak and other woods are signs left by the ambrosiabeetle or other anobiid beetles.No tree speciesis immune to them becausethey primarily attack the sapwood of green wood and that being air-dried. Once the wood dries there's no threat. The holes they've mined usually don't weaken the wood, yet a fungus they carry severely stains it. The holes and the frass coming from them give away their presence.
Powder-post beetles like hardwood sapwood best for hardwoods.powder-postbeetlesgo With a strong pref-erence and even kiln-dried lumber. of seasoned sapwood after the in the wood pores.only Becausethe adultsdeposittheir e-e-es speciesthat have sufficientlylar-eeporesget their attention.In in ash. the United States,you'll find powder-postbeetledama-ee too, hickory, and oak, althoughotlier speciesare susceptible. includingblack walnut. When adultselnergefl'orllthe wood, usuallyin splin-uand summer.they leave %:" to t/to"diarneterholes. Fine, powdery tiass near the holesmarks their ongoingaction,which can eventually renderstock useless.
Critter-contain ment tactics The necessarymeasuresto kill insecfsand control or contain insecf infestationin wood vary with the type of insect.
For insects that only chew green wood, take away moisture With insectsthat love green wood, the best protection is getting the wood dry as quickly as possiblewithout degrading it. Always stack wood for 4y-{ying with stickersof dry,
betweenthe uninfestedwood. The stickersallow air to circr,rlate It's also a boardsand more quickly dry the exposedsurf'aces. good idea to remove all bark (wane) fl'orn board edgesbefbre seasoningor storing.And kiln-drying over l30o nortnallykills most insectsthat like their wood moist
Insects living 9ff dry hardwoods require special measures Although the primary culprit in this categoryis the powder-post beetle,there are others.Preventionand eradicationrnethods remain the same.however. Becausepowder-postbeetlesinvadeonly hardwoodsapwood, buy boardswith the srnallestamount(or rip it off) if you plan to store the wood fbr zinylength of tirne in a place where the bu-esrnay enter.That coLrldbe a shedor other building subject to the elements. Pretreatingwood surfaceswith a boratecompound-boron Mixed in a and oxygen-protects againstbeetleinf'estation. l0 percentsolutionwith water.the borateshouldbe sprayed or brusheddirectly on and into the holesof unfinishedwood. In inf-estedwood. the lalvae and the adult beetlesdie afier digestingthe treatedboards.(One product.Termite Pruf'e, you'll find at major hardwarestoresor call 805/565-1566.) treatmentsincludefumigation.heatOther post-inf'estation in-e.and freezin,e(-40 F for days). But for the niajority of home woodworkers,they're all relativelyinipractical.lP l l l u s t r a t i o n sB: r i a n J e n s e n WOOD magazine
August 2000
l
First, let's fabricate the parts J Cut a m apleb l a n k to l 3 A x L t/z x l 4 " l l e n o u g h m a t e r i a lf o r t w o b l o c k planes,uni long enoughto run through a t hic k nes splane r).If y o u d o n ' t h a v e 1/+"-thickmaple (8/4 stock),laminate the blankfrom thinnerpiecesof maple. Preparean identicalsizedscrapblank. f)Plane both blanks to ltVrc" thick, {-keeping all sides of each blank squareto eachother.Set asidethe scrap blank for now.
WOODmagazine August 2000
QC ro sscut the mapl e bl ank to 61/2" \ , l l o n g . a n d a d h e r et h e F r o n t C o r e Blank,h.u, Core Blank, and Wedge Bl o c k ful l -si ze patternsfound i n the WOOD PATTERNSo insert to the top face with spray adhesive or rubber cement.Cut the core blanks(A and B). andthe wedgeblock(C) to shapewith a bandsaw,stayingjust outsidethe lines. Sandthe partsto shapeusing a stationary sandingbelt or disc set absolutely
squareto i ts tabl e.On you r t ablesaw, trim the wedgeblock (C) to l7s" thick. Setit asidefor now. t/t" padauk,cut t wo plane f From 'tsides (D) to 2th.x61/2". Cut the side ful l -si ze patternfound i n t he WO O D PATTERNS insertalongits bottomedge and adhereit to one of the side pieces, being carefulto preciselyalign the bottom edgeof the patternwith the bottom edgeof the sidepiece' Crntittuetr
41
Time to shape up the body
BODY ASSEMBLY
J Us ingt he B o d y A s s e m b l yd ra w i n g I as a guide,positionpartsA, B, and D on a flat surfacesuch as the top of y o u r t a b l e s a w .P l a c e w a x e d p a p e r underneath the parts. f)Glue and clamp the front and rear Lcore blanks(A andB) to the side(D) with the applied pattern.Be careful to align the part bottoms,and leave a t/ro" spacebetweenthe front and rear core blanks.After the glue dries, glue and clampthe othersideto the coreblanks. QCut the scrapblank to 5" long and LJinsert this piece (unglued)into the open throat of the plane assembly.It shouldfit snugly,but looselyenoughso you can removeit later. The scrap servesas a chip breakerfor the cutting anddrilling thatfollows. , { Nex t , c ut t h e a s s e mb l yto l e n g th , --f using the Side full-size patternas a guide. Cut the curved portionswith a bandsaw.Sandthe edges,ends,andbottom with 1OO-grit abrasive.Take care now to keep the bottom flat and square to the sides.
A few final touches and you'll be planing
Pfacea t/+"bit in your drill press,and I set its table squareto the bit. Drill the t/q" hole at the location marked on the Side full-size patternthrough the assembly.(Seephoto at right.) Drill the t]/o+"hole$ where shown on the pattern, throughthe assembly.Removethe pattem andscrapblank. -)Cut five piecesof t/a"-diameter brass 4-rod to 23/re"long. Near the ends of one of the brassrods,reducethe diamet e r j u s t s l i g h t l y( b y a b o u t 7 o + " w ) ith light sanding.Insertthis rod into the /+" hole, withdraw it about t/2",applyepoxy to both rod ends,and reinsert.Apply epoxy to the remainingholesand insert the other brassrods. The rods should pr ot r udeev en l y o n b o th s i d e so f th e plane.After the epoxy cures,use a stationarysanderto makeflush the endsof the brassrodswith the planesides. lh" core-boxbit in a router Q Set up a L,ltable, as shown in the Router-Table SetupFor FingerRecessdrawing.Place t h e b o t t o m o f t h e p l a n e a g a i n s tt h e I
42
routerfencewith eitherend againstthe right-sidestopblock.Lower the plane onto the spinningbit, holding it firmly againstthe fenceandtable,and slidethe p l a ne to the l eft unti l i t contactsthe other stopblock.Lift the plane straight up and off the bit. Rotatethe planeend for end and repeatthis routing procedure to cut a finger recessin the other sideof the plane. / Roundthe edgesof the wedgeblock and the pl anesi des(D ) w i th a ttC l %" round-overbit, whereindicatedon t h e E x p l o d e dV i e w d r a w i n g . S a n d smooththe areasyou just routedin the lasttwo steps. fi F i n al -sand the enti repl ane w i th a r . - l s u c c e s s i oonf 1 5 0 - a n d 2 2 0 - g r i t a b r a s i v e sW . e a p p l i e dt w o c o a t s o f OlympicInteriorAntiqueOil Finish.JF
The scrap blank prevents the side stock from tearing out when you drill the lq" hole for the brass rod.
WOODmagazine August 2000
-1
ROUTER.TABLE SETUP FORFINGERRECESS
SIDE VIEW
3/q"core-box bit set t/e"above routertable
Fingerrecess, routedwith a 7+"core-boxbit 1/8"deep
\)x--3'zo"
Y""n?t
--t''
;f,--\
EXPLODED VIEW
I
stopoloJt
round-overs
A* rearcoreblank 11%0"11/z'37/a' M B- front core blank
@ WEDGEBLOCK
111/16tt17A6"21/16t1
C- wedgeblock
1Ve' 1%0"315/ro"M
D sides
1/4'
21/a' 6u
-Cutpartsmarked wilhan- oversized. Trimto finishedsizeaccording to theinstruclions. Materials Key:M-maple,P-padauk. Supplies: /+"brassrod12"long,epoxy,oilfinish.
N
round-over BLADE
t/+"brassrods2sl0"long 1 7 o a h" o l e s , d r i l l e d
afterassembly /)-
@ r REAR CORE BLANK
BuyingGuide: Planebfade.Hockls/ex4t/z" blade,item04835,$26.99 plusshipping. Woodcraft, 560AirportIndustrial Park, P.0.Box1686.Parkersburo. WV26102-1686. Orcall 800/225-1 153to order. 1/4" padauk,111A6' Woodandbrassrod.Enough maple,%"brassrod,andscrapto makeoneplane, item130981 fromWoodcraft at , $9.99plusshipping, address above.
t/q"hole, drilled after assembly
S ee the WOOD PATTERNSoinsert for ful l -si zepatter ns. Fingerrecess No round-over t/a"brass rod 2sAa"long
@ FRONTCORE BLANK t/e"round-overs, outsideedgeonly 170+" holes,drilledafterassembly
wwrrv.wood ma g azi n e. c o m
Writtenby Bill Krier withJames Downing ProjectDesign:Paul Hamler Photographs:Baldwin Photography lllustrations: Kim Downing; Lorna Johnson
43
,t
1
F
s I ')
V(i
--.
tU
t,,#J*-***qrallu" ..: A 26.HOURFLIGHT
.,!\it-
7,586 air I Keith'stripcovered I miles,fromhomebasein to Dallas, Texas, I Rtroenix finalPaolo, Brazil, and, Sao i ly,Asuncion, Paraguay. I
eithStephenslivesa woodworker's of dream.Firstof all,as president Woodworkers Source,in Phoenix, \
Arizona,he presides overa candystoreof tools, finishes, accessories, andmorethan100exotic
Asun*ion ** €
\ .."L
woods,rangingfromandiroba to zebrawood. And if thatisn'tfunenough,he alsotravelsa coupleof timesa yearto remoteforeststhroughout SouthAmericain searchof prizelumberto addto his200,000-board-foot stock. When Keith told us he was planning a trip to the YaguareteForesr ru easternParaguaylast fall, we wer e int r igued ut th e p ro s p e c to f l e a rn i n g mo re a boutt he ex ot ic wu o d b u s i n e s sA . n d to g i v e y o u (and us) a flavor .,'t what things look like down in t r o p i c a l P a r a g u a y ,w e d i s p a t c h e dp h o t o g r a p h e r Marcial Barni to documentKeith's trek. As you'll see, get t ing ex or ic w o o d s fro m S o u th A m e ri c a n foreststo your wurkshopis a complex undertaking that requires? glcar dealof dedicationand stamina.
It's a long way from day care to Paraguay Until 1984, Keittr headed a chain of child day-care centers ln the Southwest. But when Gerber bought out his operation, he capitalized on .r long-standing interest in woodworking by developing a haldwood lumber and woodworking supply business.It didn r raKeKeith long to fall in love with exotic
Y E SI'. LLTA K ETH A TON E ! Abovenghf:Eachtreeis numbered, then intoa "log"book,alongwithits entered dimensions andthenumber of cubic meters of lumberit willvield.
wood species (thu'c harvested outside the United States). And today, Wouuworkers Source features the broadest selection of exoLrc" in the United States. Keith stresses, though, that seltrrrg these woods from far-away places is "fun but not very profitable." He told us that in 1999, exotics accountecifur only about 97o of sales.
NOTEXACTLY INTERSTATE 80 Above: Tractors skidoutlogsalongsmall roadscutintothejungle.Afteranareais logged,theseroadsgrowoverin six monthsto a year.
Cortinuetl
WOODmagazine August 2000
45
the adventures of an
HOW'S THISFORA WHOPPER OFA LOG? Above:Keithtakesa closelookat a peroba rosalog,whichis roseredwhenfreshly cut,sometimes streakedwith purple,yellow,or orange. ALLINA DAY'SWORK Right:Aftera treeis felled,workers removeits limbsandclearvinesand debris.Thetrunkof this lapachomeasured 18feetlong.
ttHey Keith, Itve always wondered...tt journeys, Whenyoudealin unfamiliar woodsandtakemysterious too,youattractall kindsof attention fromotherwoodworkers. Keithtellsusthatpeople seemfascinated byexoticwoods, and they're forever asking himabout histravels. Here aresome ofthe questions, mostfrequently asked along withKeith's answers: Q. How much do you pay for a board foot of lumber? Keith:I havepaidanywhere from$.50to $20.00 forkiln-dried, (l oncepaid$50.00 rough-surfaced, usually 414stock. forsome pinkivory,oneof therarestwoodsin theworld.)Freight, unloading,andsurfacing canaddupto another dollarperboardfoot.We sellexotics for double ourcost,with20%discounts for 20 or moreboard feet.
46
WOOD magazine August 2000
r
.4"
'*
"i'(f
HOTWHEELS Localloggershavehauled withoxcartslikethis one,left Keithsusfor manycenturies. pectsthattheselogswill serveas firewood, WOODWORKING, PARAGUAYAN.STYLE Theback-to-basics open-air workshop,below,featuresa bandsaw, thewheelsof which arewoodendiscs,anda juryriggedlathewithan tailstockthat adjustable workupto accommodates about10feet.
Q. How much wood do you buy at a time? Keith: Typically a container loadat a time,whichfiguresoutto about8,000boardfeet. Q. How do you get the wood back to the States? Keith: Thecontainers aretruckedto the nearest seaport, then loadedon shipstraveling upthe eastor westcoastsof Southand NorthAmerica. lt costsabout$2,500to shipa container from Argentina or Chilito theU.S.,plus$1,000percontainer for handlingfees.Inland freightis additional. Q. How long doesit take a containerto get to Phoenix? Keith: I'vewaitedas longas 2 yearsfor someof it, At best,it takes about120days. Continued
www.woodmagazine.com
47
the adventures of an
Q. Why use exotic woods? Keith: Because of theircolorandfigure,theyaddflairand excitement to projects whenusedwithmorecommon woods. Q. Can the vivid colots of exotic woods be maintained? Keith: In a word,"N0."Butyoucanlessen thedamage caused bylightraysbyusingexterior finishes withUVblockers. Q. How many hardwood species are there? provide Keith: About10,000.0f these,3,000-4,000 usable lumber. Andabout300different hardwoods arein common use somewhere intheworld. Q. Why are exotic woods so expensive? Keith: Several reasons. Forexample, theycostmoreto bringto governments market, they'rescarce, some controlpricing, and there's a demand forpremium stock. Q. Doesn't using exotic woods contribute to rainforest desfruction? question, Keith: That'sa complicated butif the lumberis harvestedusingsoundforestrypractices, thereis negligible effect ontherainforest..l
I'M SUHEGLADWETRADEDIN THE OXENFORTHISFORKLIFT Above: Oncelogsreachthemain road,a forkliftscoopsthemup and loadsthemon a flatbedtruck. I CA N' TB E LI E VE I BOU GH T THEWHOLE LOAD Abovebottam:Here,Keithtakesa hands-on approach to inspecting a loadof exotic-wood timberthathas just beenharvested. "At theseprices, youwantto makesureyou'regetting thebestpossiblewood,"Keithsays.
Cancharana Deepred to maroonwith purplishmarkings. Lightweight,very easy to work,finishessmoothly, very stable.
Guatamba Also knownas ivorywood.Creamto lemon yellow.Generallystraight grainwithfine,uniform texture.An excellent turningwood.
48
Goncaio Alves Lightgoldenbrownto reddishbrownwith dark streaksproducinga beautifulstripedor mottledfigure.Hardand heavy.Finetexturetakes a glass-likefinish.
Olivebrownto blackish withexposureto sun, oftenwith lighteror darker striping.Usually straightgrained.Great strengthand durability. Excellentfor decking and othertypesof outdoor projects.
WOODmagazine August 2000
leff: lpelogsmove throughtheYaguarete An operator in sawmill. lhe boothcontrolsthe headrig. Below:Keithchecksthe tallyon a bundleof ipe lumberthat'skiln'dried andreadyfor shipping.
Do you want to talk exotic woods with Keith? If this article has gotten you excited about trying some exotic woods in your projects, here'show you can get in touch with Keith. If you live in or nearPhoenix,first call, then drop by 5402 South 40th Street,Phoenix,Arizona 85040. Or call him at 8001423-2450. He's got a website,too: www.woodworkerssource.com
Two excellent sources of information about the characteristics of exotic-wood species Woods of theWorldCDRom Forordering information, Woodworkers contact Source, orkeyin www.forestworld.com www.woodmagazine.com
WorldWoods ln Color A.Lincoln. ISBN: byWilliam 0941936201 Available through Woodworkers Source or at bookstores.
Written by Larry Clayton and Jim Hufnagalwith Keith Stephens Photographs:Marcial Barni
49
ffi,fl1;
tffiffiffi*i**,oo*.,
n*,,*,-
ffiffffi{,
Start with two edge-joinedlaminations It/q"-thick maple (commonly called 8/4 stock), cut the lamination strips (A, B, C) to the sizeslisted in the Bill of Materials and as shown on the Laminationsdrawing. /') Position the strips for Panels 1 and {- 2 in the confisurationshown on the Lam i n a ti o n s d r" a w i n g .N u m b e r the pieces to keep them in the correct order when edge-joiningthem. Q Edge-join the pieces to form the U two panels.Use a damp cloth to remove the excessglue. (To keep the laminationsmanageable,we glued and clampedjust half the pieces of each panel to start. Then, we glued the two halves together to form each panel.) Leave eachpanel clampedup overnight before machining. A Scrapethe excessglue off both sur-
ZV z" stri p (12 total ), w here di mens i o n e d o n t h e A s s e m b l i n gt h e T o p drawing. Note that for the end grain to face up, you'll need to cut these grooves in the face grain. J Cut the same-sizedgrooveson the I mating surfaceof each of the three 9" aprons and the 51/re"apron, where dimensionedon the drawing. t/qxttAaxl93A" splines(we Q Cut 16 LJ usedmasonite).
Assemble the laminated maple top { Positionthe 2Vz"-wtdestrips in the I confisuration shown on the Assemblfng the Top drawing. Take your time, as the pattern is crucial to the good looks of the top. With the correct layout determined,glue, spline, and clamp the piecesback together,as shown in Photo A. Use a framing squareto keep the endsperfectly flush; there's no extra to trim-off later. Wipe off the excessglue without forcing it into the end grain. Also, remove any glue from the groovethat wraps around the lamination. f) Dry-clamp the apronsto the center L lamination to check the fit. Cut the cornerpieces(D) to size. Q Glue, spline,and clamp the aprons u,l to the top center lamination, as shown tn Photo B. Be careful to join the apronsso the cornersare just touching at the inside corners for a tight fit of the cornerpieces(D).
q''r- r,, ,,n.,* *,fril#tTl,,".trlli.trr"il.l;l"li,ffi: avoid creating high or low spots. You'11need a pair of flat laminations for a gap-freebutcher-blocktop. Mark the panels 1 and 2 for easein referring to the drawings. f, Crosscutthe two panels into the t ,l leneths dimensioned on the Laminitions drawing. You'll need three apronsat 9" long each,one apron 57/rc"long, and one piece 3tAo"longfor the drawer front. (We used a cutoff shown in the April 1999 to reducechip-out.) grooves 3/t" deep,centered g each face and end of each
how to feed and care for
BUTCHER. BLOCK PROJECTS Youcanapplythefinish weused,orfora more traditional sealing of the unfinished butcher block, liberally applyseveral coats ofwarmed mineral oil. Alloweachcoatto soakin foraboutfiveminutes and Repeat wipeofftheexcess. process the untilthe projectwillnotabsorb any morefinish.Afterthat,a reoiling everymonthorso is necessary to keepthe surfaces sealed. It'sbestto docleanup witha dampclothand warmwaterimmediately afteruse. Toreplenish a boardwith lotsof cutmarks, sandthe surface smooth andre-oil asindicated above.
Continued
Spread an even coat of glue on all mating surfaces, then glue and clamp the top strips together, keeping the ends flush.
WOODmagazine August2000
Using splines and glue, clamp the aprons to the top center lamination.
51
Add a drawer to store your cutlery
LAMINATIONS
-,1 Cut the drawer front and back (E), I s i d e s( F ) , a n d b o t t o m ( G ) t o t h e sizeslisted in the Bill of Materialsand shown on the Drawer drawing. You'll use the 374e"-wide piece cut earlier from Panel2 for the drawer front. f) Using the drawing for reference, L cu a I " groove 3/e"deepalong the outsidelengthof the sides(F). Then,cut a 3/q"rabbet3/s"deep acrossthe inside front andback endsof eachdrawerside. Q Dr y - c lam p t h e d ra w e r to g e th e r, t - l c h e c k f o r s q u a r e ,a n d d r i l l t h e c o u n t e r s u n km o u n t i n gh o l e s .D o n ' t forget to mark and drill the pair of mounting holes on the inside face of the drawer front (E) for attaching the drawer front laminationlater. Remove the c lam ps , glue th e ma ti n g e d g e s , then glue and screw the drawer back together,checkingfor square. A Cut the drawer guides (H) to size. T They shouldslide easilv in the groovesin the drawer sideswithtut slop.
P A N E L1
P A N E L2
Laminatinq the leg blairks J Cut eight pieces of maple to I l%x3t/2x32" for the legs (I). Glue, face-to-face,two pieces to form the blanksfor eachof the four legs. f) Joint one laminatededge flush on I eachleg blank, and trim the opposi te edge f or a 3/ s " fi n i s h e d w i d th . Then, joint or plane equal amountsof the face-grainportion of each blank to k e e p t h e j o i n t l i n e c e n t e r e do n t h e blank. Next, crosscutthe ends of each blank for a 31:/a"finishedlength. Q Car ef ully dr a w d i a g o n a l so n th e L,l ends of each leg to locate the centerpoints.You'll need accuratecenterpoints later when machiningthe legs round. Drill a tk+" pilot hole I r/q" deep at eachmarkedcenterpoint. , { U s i n g a d a d o b l a d e m o u n t e dt o -T your tablesaw.cut a 63/s"rabbet Vz" deep on t wo adja c e n ts i d e s o f e a c h 3/s"-squareleg blank, where dimens i o n e do n t h e L e g s d r a w i n g . ( W e attacheda long piece of stock to our miter gauge for support when cutting the lar ge r abbet sfro m th e l o n g l e g blanks, making sure the miter gauge was squareto the blade.) Continued
1e/c'--i/
1
ASSEMBLINGTHE TOP 1/q"groove s/e"deep on all four aprons,
11/4" tromtop edge Apron panel
End grain facingup 1/q" gloove Apron 7e"deep, panel centered
Apron from panel
7
t/+"grooves e/a"deep, centered
ll
L._,-11/a"
)
?o+"pilothole 1r/q"deep Cutlinefor drawer ---=\21".
Apronfrom panel
o fl
s/q"hole t/2" deep
e/q"hole /2" deep with a Tez"shank hole centeredinside #B x 3" F.H.wood screw
52
WOODmagazine August 2000
A- strips B- strips C- strips D corners
1{c'
25/a' 36'
lVq'
33/e' 36'
lVt'
21/au 36'
llqo
13/q'
EXPLODED VIEW Note: Towel bar can be mountedon eitherside.
I
9',
E front& back Vt'
21/z' 14lqo M
F sides
{t'
21/z' 20V+' M
G bottom H guides
t2
r/q" deeo ' ) 2" lz" hole with a 7sz"shank hole centeredinside
No round-over
15' 2Wq' P 15/16"
l/2o
21'
-o l- legs
BAR IOIIUEL J supports K hanger
3%"
33/eu 3174" LM
l;i sr/t" 6' lrli 2 1"dia. 15' MD 1
Note:Cutoartslabeled wilhan'oversize. Materials Key:M-maple,P-plywood, LM-laminated maple, MD-maple dowel
1" hole
t/2" deep
/4" round-oversalongall outsideedges
-1/2"
7o+'pilot hole 11/2"deep
#8 x 1tA"F.H.wood screw
T"-
dowel yq" lono
\ #8 x 2" F.H.
7gz"shank hole.
countersunk 1 " h o l e% " d e e pw i t ha %" hole centeredinside Matingpilothole in end panel t/a"hole 17a"deep
Supplies:%" lagscrews4" longwithTe"flatwash(12),#8x1th woodscrews ers(14),#8x1"flathead llathead (16),#8x2"llathead woodscrews wood screws(6),#8x3'flathead woodscrews(14), 1/2"and3/c" birchdowelstockfor plugs,clearfinish.
7e"washer 7e"lag screw 4" long
No round-over BACK RIGHT LEG
tZ" round-overalong bottomedge
FRONT RIGHT LEG
S ee the WOAD PATTERNSc; insert for full-sizepatterns.
CUTTING DIAGRAM
\_>-
13/qx 51/zx 96" Maple
'ls/qx51/z x 96" Maple
\_>. 3/+x 51/zx 60" Maple
13/ax71/q x 72" Maple (2 needed)
.Planeor resawto thickness listedin the Billof Materials. 1 s / ax 7 1 / ax 9 6 " M a p l e
13/qx 51/zx 96" Maple
www.woodmagazine.com
1/zx 24 x 24" plywood
53
1."i l=q_: $-?ii,.i'"'* Machiningthe four legs to shape Note: To shapethe legs,you can either turn them to shapeon a lathe or rout them to shapeas describedbelow. J B uild t he r ou ti n gj i g a s s h o w n o n I the Routing Jig drawing. Clamp the jig to the router table as shown in Photo C. Fit your router with a 3/q"bowl bit with at least an overall bit length of 2s/s".(We usedan Amana #45984.) Cut t wo z / q x l " d i s c s to s h a p e , ) C- and screw to both ends of one of the legs ( I ) . Q Raisethe bit 1" abovethe surfaceof U , l t he jig t o m a k e th e fi rs t c u t, a s shown in the Shoulder Radius Routing detail on the oppositepage. To start the routing process,place -AT the bottom end of the leg/disc against the right stopblock of the jig. Rout the shoulder.which will be 103/s" from the top of the leg, as shown in the ShoulderRadiusR o u ti n g d e ta i l . 3A" fi Lower t he r o u te r b i t s o i t rs l-/ above the surfaceof the jig table, where shown on the Leg Routing detail. ft Clam p a V 4 "s p a c e r to th e ri g h t L,/ stopblockas shown in Photo C and the End of Leg detail. The spacerkeeps the bit from roughing up the shoulder formed by the first cut in Step3. J Remove stock from the shoulderto I the bottom of the leg by sliding the leg from the right stopblock to the left stopblock,as shown rn Photo C. When doing this, the router bit will cut 3/e" into the bottom leg end disc. Continue moving the leg from right to left, removinga small amountof stock with eac h pas s .Rot a te th e to p o f th e l e g toward you for each successivepass. After you have gone all the way around the leg, raise the bit Vq"and repeatthe processfor anotherseriesofcuts. Q Rais e t he bit to i ts fi n a l c u rti n g L/ depth of ltAo". The last cut should be very shallow (about rAe")to make the 2t/e"-diameterleg as smooth as possible. Repeatthe processfor all four legs.Finish-sandall four legssmooth. (l Move to your drill press,and drill V tn. .ount..runk bolt holes in the top, f lat s ur f ac e so f th e l e g s . N o te that the legs are mirrored right and left and that there are no lower holes in the front legs.
54
DRAWER
J
7sz"shankhole, countersunk
2t/z
3/q"tabbel 7e" deep
1" groove
ZOs/+"3/a"deep
lraoolr
-
# 8 x 1 1 / q "F . H . wood screw
7ee"shank hole.countersunk
# 8x 1 "F . H . woodscrew
Final assembling and,finishing Using the dimensions on the I Assembling the Top drawing, carefully mark the hole centerpointson each corner piece (D). Then, drill the 32" holes Vz" deepwhere marked.Next, drill a sAz" shank hole through the center of each3/q"hole. f) One at a time, dry-clamp the 1- corners(D) in place, and use the e x i s ti ng shank hol es j ust dri l l ed to drill mating pilot holes in the aprons. Now, glue and screw the corner pieces in place. Q With the top upside down, use the \,/ holes in the legs as guides to drill I
mating shankholes in the aprons. Mount the l egs to the t op wit h : 2" l ag screw s4" l ong. A Drill four countersunkmounting -t holes through each drawer guide (H ), w here show n on the Exploded View drawing. Attach eachguide to the inside face of the legs with screws. t/q"round-overson all outside fi Rout t ,/ edges of the butche r block t op, where shown on the Exploded View drawing.Finish-sandthe butcherblock table and drawer. GScrew the laminateddrawer front to L,lthe drawerbox front (E). J Using the full-size pattern on the I WOOD PATTERNSoinsert, trans-
Position the leg on the routing jig with the bottom end of the leg/disc against the right-hand stopblock. Then, rout the first past.
WOODmagazine August 2000
,
fer the pattern,and bandsawthe towel bar supports(J) to shape.Drill a pair of mountingholesin eachsupport. (K) to length Q Cut the hangerrod L/ from 1" dowel stock.Glue and clamp the hangerrod betweenthe supports.Finish-sandthe hangerassembly. Next, dry-clampthe hangerassembly againstthe top, where dimensionedon the ExplodedView drawing. Use the holes in the supports(J) as guidesto drill mating holesinto one of the aprons.Attach the towel bar assembly to an apron. Crosscut Vz" dowel stock to length,and plug the screwholes. /1 Cr os s c ut 7+ " d o w e l s to c kto th e \.,1 {/ appropriatelengths,and plug the lag bolt holes in the cornerpieces(D). Be carefulwhen cutting the dowel plugs to length. You don't want them too standto proud,as the end grain can burn easily when you sand the plugs flush with the surfacesof the corner piecesand aprons.Repeatthe process with /2" dowel stock to plug the holes in the supports(J). -lAApply a clear finish. Seethe f L,/tint block on page 5l or apply severalcoats of Behlens Salad Bowl F inis h. t F
7e" holes
,+fN
Note that there are no lower7a"holes in the front face of the front legs.
313/e"
)
2"
BACK RIGHT LEG
FRONT RIGHT LEG
ROUTINGTHE LEGS S H O U L D E RR A D I U S ROUTINGDETAIL t/a"round-over
- i'o;z';lo top_oJ_feg.
Writtenby Marlen Kemmet ProjectDesign:Dave Ashe Photographs:Hetherington Photography RoxanneLeMoine:Lorna Johnson lllustrations:
z\
n
1
'/+"bowlbii E#
T
/ gl+x 5" disc
ROUTINGJIG Markcenterpointbeforecuttingshoulders-
II
LEG ROUTING DETAIL
7o+"pilothole 1th" deep 7+x 5" disc
---"o-
7ez"shank hole, countersunk
--
-J
r
,/
3/q'
7+'bowlbii ffi
#8x2" F.H.woodscrew 3/qxG x 5T" plywood
Rightstopblock 1x6x6"stock s/q"bowl bit raised 1" from surfaceof the jig l/q x 6s/qx 57" plywood
(\
3/q" Left stopblock1 x 6 x 6" stock
www.woodmagazine.com
55
mlnlaturcs II
S i n c e t a k i n ge a r l yr e t i r e m e nitn 1 9 9 5 , PaulHamlerhasdonea lot of downsizing of his own, turninghis handmadescale modelsof rare and antiquehand tools intoa smallfortune.
ust down the road from Georgia's monolithic StoneMountain. the world's largestexposedpiece of granite, Paul Hamler removestiny, perfectly proportionedhand tools from a display case in his home. His Alabama-born drawl quickens,and he peppersthe conversation with such phrases as: "There's an interestingstory behind this onehere..." But Hamler's remarkablereproductions are more than mere eye-candy. Each tool functions in every way like i ts ful l -si ze counterpart .To dem onstrate, he draw s an i nch-long plane acrossthe edge of a Popsiclestick, creating a Tom Thumb-sizepile of long, curly shavings.
There's money in them thar miniatures
Toolmaker Paul Hamler casts brass for another miniature in his Sneltville,Georgia, shop. Shown in the foreground are his full-size and 7g-scalereproductions of a Stanley #81 scraper.
56
"That's the first miniature I made," he says of the S andusky co f f in plane, shownon the oppositepage."I carveda tenon into a piece of boxwood, melted down a few silver coins, and poured them into the tenon to make an ingot." Using a drill and needlefiles, the neophyte toolmakershapedthe body. After making and displaying his first miniaturesat an antique tool collectors show, word about the Lilliputian planes spreadlike kudzu in the rainy season. The first day of the show, he sold his entire stock of 20 (at $450 apiece)and
WOODmagazine August 2000
of linyJoglp ?-,Fawload gauge,3.S a r gent "Lady l . B ai l ey#11spokeshave,2. E ngl i sh-styl sl e otti ng plane,5. Charles Miller1872Mod50 #35transitional Bug"plane,4. Stanley ploughplane,8. Wescott plane,6. Tideybevelplane,7. Sandusky center-wheel level. 9. Marples brothers monkey wrench, Ultimatum brace,10. Stratton
took ordersfor 20 more. "I kind of got the idea there might be a market out therefor this kind of thing," he grins. Indeedthere is. Last summer,Paul decidedto craft full-size and miniature reproductions,shown on page 59, of a one-of-a-kindMoseley plough plane. "This was a s pe c i a li v o ry e d i ti o n o f John Moseley's wooden plough plane, hand-madefor the 1855 World's Fair in Paris."The original was discovered in 1980 tucked away in the drawer of an abandonedworkbench at RecordRidgeway in London, the ends of its arms sawedoff, apparentlyso it would fit in the drawer.The tool was put on To make the blade of his tiny Sandusky coffin plane, shown here on a Popsicle stick, Hamler cut and honed a small section of a hobby-knife blade. displayat the company'smain office. "This one employeegot fired from the scrapers,and cinatedwith spokeshaves, The tool-nut doesn't com panyand as h e l e ft, h e s to l e th e plane from the display case,"the toolall." Then, Paul confesses,his fascinafall far from the tree The son of a carpenterand cabinetmak- tion with hand tools turned a corner. makerintimates."He took a coupleof " I t ' s l i k e a n y t h i n gy o u c o l l e c t . I t photosof it andwasnegotiatingto sell it er, Paul himself took a shining to the b e c o m e sa d i s e a s e , "h e c h u c k l e s . to a c ollec t orin A m e ri c a ,b u t d i d n ' t trade,and as a teenbeganbuilding bil"After I got all the comrnon stuff, I know what it was worth. So this fella l i a rd tabl es i n the fami l y garage." I startedcol l ecti ngthe exo t ics.And I sentthe photosto a friend of mine for an didn't have much of a shop at the appraisal.He told my friend, 'I pinched time," he confides."I'd build a table, couldn't afford $300 or $400 for a genthis plane,andit's hiddenin my attic.' then sell it and use the money to buy uinecollectibleplow plane." "When my friend calledhim a couple more tools. It got to where the shop One day, w hi l e thumbi n gt hr ougha weekslater,he found out the guy had was so full of tools, I had to start setbook about reproductiontools. he stumbled upona sideprofile illustrationof an died. So to this day, the originaltool is ting up the pool tablesout there in the probablystill in that attic." Today,Paul living room." U l ti matum brace,draw n i n t / z scale. "And I thought,well heck,I'll just make The tools he gatheredat that point e s t i m a t e st h a t p l a n e w o u l d s e l l f o r me one. So I used the drawing in the $80, 000- $100, 0 0 0H. i s fi v e fu l l -s i z e w e re m ostl y out of necessi ty.W hi l e reproductions fetched$ 12,000each;the book as a referenceand made my first b u i l d i ng furni ture for the home he model." %-scale miniatures, shareswith his wife Gloria, "I got fas$3,000. Continued
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57
miniatures Today'stechnology; yesterday's tools To make the metal parts for his miniatures,Paul learnedthe art of investment (or "lost wax") casting,describedin the box below. He first tracesaround all of the individual parts of a full-size tool, then scansthe tracingsinto his computer, where he can quickly reduce them to 33Voof original size. Using those scaled-downdrawings, he builds a fully functional prototype from a lightweight, high-tech plastic.
"Anything you can do to wood or metal, you can do with this stuff," the toolmakermarvels."You can mill it, sand it, saw it, drill it, tap it, carve it, a n d t he detai l i s j ust phenomenal ." When he's satisfiedwith the function and appearanceof the prototype, he disassembles it and caststhe pieces.
A little help from his friends As you might imagine,producing tools much smaller than their intendedsize
ca$t creations
posessome l ogi sti calproblem s.For example,for Paul's miniature levels (including a Davis inclinometercomplete with its 360o-rotatingvial), he couldn't just order the spirit vials from the manufacturer'spartsdepartment. "That was a hard one," he saysof his researchto make the vials, "because nobody would share any information with me. Finally I found an older fella who'd worked in a factory that made them." The trick, he learned,was to heat a glass tube to just the right temperatureto draw the alcohol up into it, leavinga small bubble.If the glasswas too hot. it would shatter."Then I had to figure how to seal the other end of the tube without it becominga blowtorch," he laughs. While thinking through the unique three-leafhinge of a Tidey bevel plane, Paul was stumpedas how to roll each barrel of each leaf consistently:They all had to align perfectly to accept the hinge pin. "Believe it or not, one night, we were watching 'Schindler's List' on video, and there's a scenein a factory where they're making hinges." That scene showed one of the characters using a jig to curl the barrels,and within hours. Paul had made a miniature versionof thejig. Problemsolved.
He likes playing with big tools, too
Everymetalpart in PaulHamler's reproductiontools beginsits lifeas a block of space-agepaleyellowplastic shown at upper left. After carvingthe prototypepart (paint6dgrey in this photo),Hamlermolds it usinghightech room-temperature vulcanizing (RTV)rubber. After carefullyseparatingthe rubber mold from the prototypepaft, he injectsit with pink modelingwax. Whenthe wax cools and hardens,he has a disposablepart (shownin the mold)identicalto the original. He then "spruesup", or suspends the wax part with a stem of wax, called
58
a sprue,on the baseof a flask (shown lowerright in the photo).Next,he placesthe cylindricalflaskonto its baseand fills it with investment-a materialsimilarto plasterof paris. Oncethe plasterhas cured,Paul bakesit in an oven,meltingand drainingthe wax part and sprue,and leavinga pedect,part-shapedvoid, intowhichhe'llpourmoltenmetalto makethe finishedpart (shownin hand).ls thereany lossof detail?"l've sprued-upa bumblebee, burnedhim out and cast him in gold. Youcan see the veinsin his wings,so it's pretty darnedgood,"he grins.
A living room that once sportedPaul's handmade furniture now overflows with full-size treadle scrollsaws,some of which he already has reproducedin miniature. His "power" tool collection spills over into the family's two-car garage(which sheltersjust one vehicle: his Gold Wing motorcycle, still warm from the 3,000-mile road trip he took with his son,Jesse). He points to a dusty lathe in the corner. "That one there's a movie star," he gl ow s. In the openi ng s cene of t he 1999 TV movie "The Simple Life of N oah D earborn," S i dne y Poit ier is shown turning at the tool. Paul provided technical advice and more old tools to the film's producers. Next to the lathe stands an 1890svi ntage B arnes #4 treadle- power ed tablesaw."There's only four of these left in the countrv. The Smithsonian
WOODmagazine August2000
Mu s eum ' sgot one o f th e m, I' v e g o t two, and the fourth one is somewhere in Kansas,"he saysmatter-of-factly. Although every tool Hamler buys,he does so with the intentionof making it in miniature,the questionbegs to be asked:What will he do with his growing collection?"l'd like to build me a place up in the North Georgia mountains, and make it into a museumfor old tools." It had betterbe be a pretty big place.Or a very smallone.
Toolsmadeof Forthe Moseleyplanes, Paulourchasedcertified pre-banivoryfrom m u s e u m ss, o n o a n i m a l s were harmedin the makingof thesetools 'f&
Gotta have one of Paul'stools? Because each reproduction
tool he makes is a limited edition, most of the tools shown in this story have already sold out. But you can get on Paul Hamler's mailing list of u pc om ing of f eri n g s b y s e n d i n ga business-size self-addressed, stamped envelopeto Hamler Tools, 2632 Club Drive, Snellville,GA, 30078.Or, you ca n build a bloc k p l a n e o f H a ml e r' s design,startingon page 41.lF Writtenby DaveCampbell Photographs: EmilyMinton
f&t*rrrilfre hmoks
rc ||ilrr c,7 "J,15:l Full-size reproduction
*l'
Paul's reproductions of the Moseley plough plane are made of solid ivory with sterling-silverinlay.
for antiquetool collectors Patented Transitional andMetallicPlanes in I America 1827-1927, byRoger K.Smith, 336 pages, North Village Publishing, 1981. $75, hardcover. f
Transitional andMetallicPlanes in 6 Patented l America-Vol.ll,by Roger K.Smith,400 pages, North Village Publishing, 1982. $90, hardcover. QThe Aftof Finelools,bySandor tJ Nagyszalanczy, 240pages, Taunton Press, 1998.$37,hardcover. A Guideto theMakers ofAmerican Wooden 't1l P/anes. 3rdEdition. pages, byEmil&Martyl Pollak,462 Astragal Press, 1994.$35,softcover. Stanley Tools: Guide lAntique & Collectible r,f to ldentity & Value,2nd Edition, byJohn Walter, 885pages, ToolMerchant, 1996,$45, hardcover.
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59
howstands
I sffiil srufr
Furniture andotherbig projectshavea large enoughpresence to standon theirown,but how can you showoff smalleritemsthat tendto get lostvisuallyon a shelfor tabletop?We'vecomeup withfoureasy-to-build answersyou can scaleto suit your handiwork. You needn'tspenda bundleon materials, either.In fact, you probablycan makeeachfrom scrapslayingaroundyourshop.
put it on a
pedestal This one is simplicity itself. In fact, you'll likely spend more time waiting for the paint to dry than you will constructingthe pedestal. ProjectDesign:RobertWineland
60
one curvaceous t7
croorc
Give a lift to long, thin objects,like this spoon madeby Frank Wright, with this cradlestand.To m ak e it , all y ou n e e d i s a fe w m i n u te s w i th a scrollsawand router. Project Design: ErvRoberts
fuFl-dangle
You'll be a big hit with friendsand relatives w h e n y o u p r e s e n to n e o f t h e s ec l e v e r l y designed,easy-to-buildC-shapedstandsto t h e m . A s y o u c a n s e e , t h e s h a p eo f t h e standnot only is intriguing,it allowsyou to showcaseornamentsto greatadvantage. ProjectDesign: ErvRoberts
i tlt
a
starcway lo
I
0tspL0)) Want to amazeeveryonewith your creativit y a n d y o u r w o o d w o r k i n gs k i l l s ? T h e n stagea seriesof small projectson this fivetier stand.It's one of the niftiestscrapwood projectswe've seenin a long while. ProjectDesign: EruRoberts
Corttitruecl
61
-t
Showstands.for tt f t frott ct a 'p€rtestCIl 7t
1. Cut the top and feet lrom 3/q"stock. 2. Rout dadoesfor the feet, and glue t hemin pla c e . 3. S and,pr im e ,a n d p a i n t. ( W e s pr a y e d o n s e v e ra l c o a ts o f blac kenam e l .)Afte rth e fi n i s hd ri e s , glue f our 7 e " -d i a me tefer l t d i s c s to the bottomof the feet.
0I'l€
EXPLOD""I4
.TV
{'tfi-tYlce0Lts
crfidle EXPLODED VIEW 1. Scrollsawthe cradletrom 3/q"stock, us ingt he fu l l -s i z ep a tte rnto l a y i t out and gu i d ey o u rc u tti n g . 2. Scrollsawnotchesat both ends of the stock, as shown in the ExplodedView drawing. 3. For the base, cut a 2x3" oval, and routa cove aroundits top edge. 4. Sand the pieces,glue the cradleto t h e b a s e , a n d f i n i s hw i t h p a i n t o r c lears eale r.
62
WOODmagazine August 2000
fun-dangle1. Rip three1Aax3/q" strips.(We used maplefor the outer laminatesand walnut for the center.)
Cuta
3/q" dado
s/0"deep in each foot.
2. Bendthe stripsand clampthem together usingwhiteglue. 3. Cut a 1/'ra"nolch l/2" long in one end of the laminatedarch. 4. Make the feet trom 3/+ "dow el s, and dadothem as dimensioned on the Side View drawing. 5. Sand and finishthe parts,then glue on the feet.
Staffwfi, ,.
I
-
y^'
affipray
1. Transferthe full-sizepatternat leftto the end of a piece of 2x2x20" stock. (We usedbirch). 2. Bevel-ripthe blank.
EXPLODED VIEW
3. Crosscutthe blankto the lengthsshown in the ExplodedView drawing. 4. Gl ue the " steps"together,and sa nd them into a smootharc. 5. We paintedthe steps blackand protected the rest with clearfinish.Jl
NOTE:Turningsand carvings are not availableas projects
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63
Whatycu r-reed tc krrow
e lecently went shopping with one r n i s s i o ni n r n i n d : B u v e v e r v c l e a r finish with the word "oil" in its title. Our buying spree netted the l3 prodr-rctssl-rownhere. But as we discovered. these "oil" finishes were actually four d i l ' l ' e r e ntty p e s o f c o a t i n g s . It turns out thattsome of the finishes are pLlreoils. one is modified oil, some are oil/varnish blends, and some are w i p i n - uv a r n i s h e s A . n d a s y o u ' l l s e e ,w e fbund a lot of diffbrence in how they perfbnn. Here's a quick look at each:
oPure oil-strictlv for the patient woodfinishen "we fbund t w o p l l r e t u n - eo i l s : H o p e ' s l 0 0 o / c Tuns Oil and Behlen Master Pure Tung Oil. True to their names. t h e s e p r o d u c t sc o n t a i n only raw oil from the nLlts of tun-q trees. These oils take many days to dry cornpletely, Pure o i l f i n i s h e s so we rarely use them.
. Modified oil-added metals Speed drying. The only producrwe uncoveredin this categorywzrsKleanS t r i p B o i l e d L i n s e e dO i l . D e s p i t ei t s
How we tell one type of oil finish from another
#do
-{
To identifyeach of 13 differentoil finishes by type, we poured a puddle of each one onto a sheet of glass.
Here'sa simpleway to tell one type of "oil" finish from another.In a 60-80"F room,placea smallpuddleof finish on a n o n p o r o u ss u r f a c e ,s u c h a s g l a s s . Wait two days. A s show n bel ow , a wiping var nish w i l l b e d r y , s m o o t h .a n d h a r d . A n oil/varnishblend will be wrinkly and dried, but soft enou_eh to scratchwith your fingernail.Modified oils will be
_"__< ./ { 1
On this sheet of glass we applied small puddles of (from left): wiping varnish, oil/varnish blend, modified oil, and pure oil. (We turned the pane upright to show that the pure oil runs.)
64
WOOD magazine August 2000
nam e, th i s p ro d u c t i s n o t heatedto the point of boili n g . I n s t e a d ,t h e w o r d Modified "boiled" meansthat the lino i l f i n i s h seedoil, which comesfrom the seedsof the flax plant, is modified w i t h t h e a d d i t i o no f d r y i n g m e t a l s . Without thesemetals,raw linseedoil takesweeksor monthsto dry. Although a thin applicationof boiled linseedoil will dry in about a day, the r e s u l t i n gf i n i s h i s q u i t e s o f t , s o w e d o n ' t r e c o m m e n di t . Y o u c a n a d d boiledlinseedoil to oil-basedpaintsto improveflow and lessenbrushdrag.
oOillVarnish blends-iust right for a natursl-wood[ook.
By far the largestgroup of oil finishes availabletoday, theseproductscontain mostly linseedand tung oils modified with drying metals,somesolvents,and v a r n i s h .P r o d u c t si n t h i s c a t e g o r y include Deft Danish Oil Finish, GeneralFinishesDanishOil, Minwax Antique Oil Finish, Minwax Tung Oil Fi nis h, O ly m pic A n ti q u e Oi l F i n i s h , Watco Danish Oil Finish, and Watco Teak Oil Finish.(So called"teak" oils do not come from teak trees.This title only refers to the products' appropri-
wrinkly and extremely soft. Pure oils will still be liquid.
Some tips for using oil/varnish blends Although oil/varnish blends are a breezeto apply, they can create probl e m s f or t he unsu s p e c ti n gfi n i s h e r. Here's how we successfullyuse them in the WOOD magazineshop. 'Oil finishes do not hide sanding scratcheswell. So sandthe project surface to 320-grit before applying oil. 'Flood the first coat onto the project so a s m u c h o f i t s o a k si n a s p o s s i b l e . Check the surface after a few minutes and reapplythe oil to end grain or other areasthat have soakedup all of the oil. Wipe off all excessoil. .Oil finishes tend to bleed back out of porouswoods,suchas red oak (seethe photo at right). This bleedbackforms little puddlesthat you wipe away before they harden and form scabs.Check an oiled surfaceeverv 15 minutes after www.wogdmagazine.com
(usea damp towel or a mild soapif the dirt provesstubborn)and wipe on some new oil. Just keep in mind that oil/varnish finishesrequire a porous surface, so don't apply them over film-forming finishes. Oil/Varnishblends
atenessfor exterior surfaces,such as teak boat decks.The two Watco products are similar in composition,but the "teak" versioncontainsa fungicide.) Becausewe find much more use in the WOODo magazineshop for this type of oil finish than any of the others, w e ' l l d e v o t et h e l i o n ' s s h a r eo f t h i s a r t i c l e t o o i l / v a r n i s hb l e n d s .T h e s e p r o d u c t sg i v e a r i c h , n a t u r a l , a n d "uncoated" look and feel to wood becausethey penetratethe surface.But they provide little in the way of a protective film, so we reservethem for lightly handledprojects,suchas clocks, nonfunctionalturned vessels,models, and light-usefurniture.We don't apply t h e m t o t a b l e t o p s ,c h a i r s , s h e l v e s , floors,and otherhard-usesurfaces. Comparedto film-forming finishes, such as shellac,polyurethane,varnishes,or lacquer,oils are easyto renew or repair. You simply clean the surface
application,and wipe,away the bleedbackuntil it stops. . Allow the oil to dry overnight. Some dust may have floated out of the pores or settled on the surface.Knock down thesedust nibs with 320-grit sandpaper or an ultra-fine woven-plasticpad. If, despite your best efforts, you get b l e e d - b a c ks c a b s ,y o u u s u a l l y c a n eliminate them by "wet-sanding" the surfacewith more oil and an ultra-fine woven-plasticpad. If the scabsharden to the point where that doesn't work, you'll have to strip the finish.
Oil/varnish blends bleed back out of the pores of such woods as red oak. You need to wipe away these tiny puddles before they dry.
oWiping varnishes-for projectsthat needprotectior. These productsmay have "oil" in their titles, but they are mostly varnish,and they perform like varnish.Includedin this c a t e g o r ya r e F o r m b y ' s T r a d i t i o n a l T u n g O i l F i n i s h ,H o p e ' s T u n g O i l V a r n i s h , a n d M c C l o s k e yT u n g O i l . They are thinnedto the point that you can wipe them on, but they dry faster than an oi l /varni shbl end. Unlike oil finishes,with which you must wipe aw ay al l excessfi ni sh, you don't needto wipe away excessvarnish unlessit runs. You can build a protective finish with theseproducts,but it will require more applications than if you used a b r u s h e d - o nv a r n i s h .T h e s e productsprovide an easy,but time-consuming,way to build Wiping a p r o t e c t i v ec o a t i n g ,s o w e varnishes rarelyusethem in our shop.
.Apply two or three coats,depending o n w h e t h e r t h e w o o d c o n t i n u e st o absorb the oil. Applying more coats is counterproductivebecausenone of it w i l l soak i n, and you w i l l wipe of f everythingyou've applied.
A few words about using oil finishes safely One of the beautiesof oil finishes is that you only needa clean rag to apply them. But be warned that you must handle those rags with care after use. To prevent spontaneouscombustion (oils create lots of heat when exposed to oxygen),you needto sealthe rags in a water-filled metal can, or dry them properly. You can hang them on a line or lay them out on concrete;just make s u r e t h e i r s u r f a c e sd o n ' t o v e r l a p . That's where the heatbuilds up.al Written by Bill Krier with Jan Hale Svec Photographs:Baldwin Photography
65
vase.Andturningit'seasy, of thiscanteen-style evenwiththatterrific mock-inldd face. Select striking stock to start { Plane or sand the front I face of a 2x10x10" turning block flat and smooth. Ensure that the back face is flat and parallel to the front. Wood grain gives this vasevisual impact, so highly figured stock or a burl would be a good choice. Select a piece of figured or burl ! d- veneerfor the circular highlight on front. (The vase shown in the photo below combines buckeye burl veneer and a big leaf mapleblank.)
Q Cut the veneer to a squareabout \) V4" smaller all around than the blank. If you have a wavy piece of veneer, flatten it, following the stepsin the sidebar "Don't Let a Few Wrinkles Worry You", below.
Glue veneer to the blank Sand some scrapsof veneerto dust, I catchingthe dust on a clean sheetof paper. A sanding block with 80- or 100-grit paper will do the trick. /-) Mix enough epoxy to cover the (- back of the veneer. Slow-setting adhesi ve.often l abel ed as t wo- t on {
aoolvinq ueneer
don't let a few wrinklesworry you
Highlyfiguredandburlveneers-the mostdesirable choicesfor accenting yourvaseblank-rarelycometo you flat.Theunrulygrainthat givessuch woodits beaugalsoleadsto internal stresses that causewrinklingand warpingas the veneerdries.Before youcanglueoneof theseveneers to youmustpressoutthe a flatsurface; wrinkleswithoutcrumblingthe veneer. Here's how.
WOODmagazine August2000
epoxy, works better in this application than the five-minute variety; it will allow you longer working time. Q Stir enough veneer sanding dust U int o t he epox y to g i v e i t th e veneer'scolor. Spreadthe rnix on back of the veneer. A Center the veneer on the front sura face of the turning blank. Cover it with waxed paper; then lay a scrapwood caul on top, and clamp. Allow the epoxy to cure overnight. fi After unclamping, you'll find that r*,/ epoxy has squeezedthrough holes and cracks in the veneer. If any spots remain open, mix some more epoxy and sandingdust, and fill them. ft Scrape off the excess epoxy and \J smooth the veneer with a cabinet scraper, as shown in Photo 1 on the next page. Then lightly block-sandthe veneer with 220-grit sandpaper,taking care not to cut throughit.
Shape the edge and the front M ar k t he c ente r o n b a c k o f th e I veneeredblank. At the center, draw one circle the same diameter as vour {
3-4" lathe faceplateand anotherthat's the largestyou can fit on the blank. {) Bandsaw around the largest circle, (- protecting the veneered face with masking tape. Q Bandsaw a wasteblock the same \J diameter as your lathe faceplate from 1" scrapwood.Glue it to the back of the blank, inside the small circle. A Screw the faceplate to the waste-T block. Mount the faceplate and blank on the lathe. fi True the edge of the blank with a t,l bowl gouge, and turn the diameter down to slightly over the finished diameterof \Vq". ft Draw a referenceline centeredon \J the edge. You can do this by holding a pencil against the blank as it spins. Also draw a referenceline 1" in from the edge on each face. 7 With a gouge, round the edge I between the centerline and both faces. (You can photocopy the Radius Guide on page 69, glue the copy to light cardboard, and cut it out to gauge the curves.) Form a symmetrical curve from the back face around the edge onto the front face, blending smoothly
into the existing surfaces at the guidelines. The thin veneer doesn't allow much leeway for cutting into the front of the vase. Q C areful l y tri m the veneer t o a l) 6%"-diametercircle. The point of a skew makes the cut neatly, asihown in Photo 2. Cut in deeply enough to create a shallow V-groove around the veneer. Move outward about 3/ra", and cut anotherV-groove. fl Sand the curved edge with progresV sively finer grits from 100'-220.At this point, you can finish the front and edge with commercial French polish or homemade shellac/oil polish. (See WOOD@magazine, issue 120, page 8, for details on thesefinishes.) If you finish the front and edge now, you'll have to touch up the finish later, after you bore the vial hole and flatten part of the edge to form the base. If you prefer, you can wait and finish the completed vase later.
Turn it around to turn the back J Dismount the turning, and remove I the faceplatefrom the wasteblock. Continued
J Cut a pair of platens-pieces of | flat, smooth tA" -thick scrapwood sl ight ly lar ger th a n th e v e n e e r. Pl y wood, par t ic l e b o a rd , o r M D F would work well. t^) Soak the veneer (more than one {- piece, if you wish) in hot water until it's pliable. You could bathe it in a commercial veneer-flattening solution, too, or add some glycerine to the water if you wish. (Hot water worked fine for our small piece, destinedto be
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glued immediately onto a flat surface.) Q Stack several layers of \J clean, absorbentpaper on one platen. You could use kraft paper, paper towels, or unprinted newsprint. Don't put printed newspaper pages in contact with the wet veneer,however. A Lay the wet veneer on a th e paper stack, and cover it with more layers of paper, as shown in the photo at left. If you're flattening s e v e ra l pi eces of veneer, bui l d a Dagwood sandwich of alternating paper and veneer layers, finishing up with a paper layer. fi Place the other platen atop the \,1 stack, and clamp the two platens together to flatten the sandwich, as shown in the photo above right.
ft Unclamp the stack four hours \J later, and replace the paper with dry sheets.Reclamp. Changethe paper at four-hour intervals until the veneer dri es. Leave the stack clam ped overnight with dry paper. Store the veneer clamped between the platens with dry paper.
67
fipl
Scrape the veneer smooth after allowingthe glue to dry. That's olive as h bur l v enee r o n th i s H o n d u ra s mahoganyblank. jam chuck, like the one ! Construct a 4. shown in the Jam Chuck drawing. To build the chuck, bandsaw three l0Vz" -diameter discs from z/+"-thick particleboard or plywood. On one disc, draw a centered circle the diameter of the lathe faceplate; on the other two, lay out centered73/c"circles. Cut out the large center circles to make two rings. It's okay to bandsaw into the rings from the edge. Stack and glue the two rings to the solid disc, the faceplate outline on the opposite face. Offset the bandsawentry cuts. Bore the finger holes where shown. Attach the faceplate to the back, and mount the assembly on the lathe. True the outside edge. With the bowt gouge, turn the inside to accept the vase turning snugly jam chuck, Q Place the turning in the t-.J as shown in Photo 3. Ensure that the face of the turning lies flat against the back face inside the chuck. To secure the turning to the chuck, drive two screws into the edge of the chuck as setscrews,locating them so they'll contact the turning at the center 'of the edge. Position one screw where it will contact the turning at the point where the vial hole will be bored: the
68
Define the veneer panel on front as you shapethe edge.This turning features beautiful redwood burl veneeron a big leaf mapleburl blank. other, 180o away, in the area that will be cut away to form the flat base.Drive the screws only Va"or less into the turning itself. ,rl Install a rotating cone center in the A tailstock, and slide it up against the wasteblock for support. Then, part off the wasteblock.. ( Take a light clean-up cut acrossthe t .l back of the vase, as needed.Finishsandthe back ofthe vase.Ifyou put on a lathe-applied finish earlier, finish the back the sameway.
Flatten the base; bore a hole { Build a scrapwoodcutoff jig, shown I in the drawing on the oppositepage. f) Place the jig against your table{- saw's fence: then slide the fence over so the blaie will cut 3/s" off the e d g e of the turni ng w here show n. Elevate the blade to saw through the jig and the vase. Then, with the vase on the jig, make the cut. Q Bore a l" hole 4" deep,centeredon u) the edge opposite the flat. The vial fits into this hole; the completed vase looks best when the hole's centerline is perpendicularto the base and runs right through the vasecenter.
Insert the turning into a shop-made jam chuck for parting off the waste block and completingthe back of the flask. To bore the hole straight and true, chuck a 1" Forstner bit in your drill press. Position a fence on the drillpress table to center the edge of the turning under the bit. Then move the turning along the fence to aim the center point of the bit at the center of the vase. Clamp the vase to the fence, and bore the hole. / Sand a chamfer around the hole, al and sand the flat bottom as necessary. If you've been finishing the vase as you go, finish the bottom and the chamfered opening on top. Otherwise, apply a clear finish, such as spray lacquer, overall. After the finish dries, slide a vase vial into the hole to complete the vase.i
Buying guide Vase vials, burl blanks. Glass vial, t/ax33/q",with lipped rim, set of three, $9.25 ppd. in U.S. Additional vials, $1.50 each.Sendcheckor money order payable to: Warren Vienneau to Turned Works. Warren Vienneau, 146 Ridge Ave., Pittsfield,MA 01201. Call Warren at 4131443-2907 for price and availability of burl blanks and veneers.
WOOD magazine August 2000
lcx/+xBth'
1/tx9 x 9" base
Tablesaw
EXPLODEDVIEW 7/a'-dia. glass vial
Figuredturningbl 17a"thick
RADIUSGUIDE
ProjectDesign:Turned Works, Warren Vienneau lllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine; Loma Johnson Photographs:Hetherington fhotography
www.woodmagazine.com
69
L *
First, bring up the rear (legsl { Start by making photocopiesof the I patternsfor the rear legs (A) and the c s 4t er s u p p o rts(B ). Yo u ' ,l l fi n d th e originals in the WOOD PATTERNS' r t . Us e s p ra y a d h e s i v eto a tta c h to appropriate lengths of lt,/2"cedar.
1:.;*,;r r
w","'a&' li,{:.,
\
4 . . t . . .
+;4/.
Parts A and B both sharethe same curved top profile and nose shape. Make the cuts for the front seat slat notch before you saw the curved contours on thesepieces.To do this, stand eachpieceon end, and use a miter gauge and backing board to make the initial cut,PhotoA. Use the rip fenceto help guide this cut. Move the rip fence f o r t h e s e c o n dc u t a n d a d j u s t t h e blade to 90o,PhotoB. Q Next, use a bandsawor jigsaw to U cut the curved contoursin parts A and B. Cut in the wastearea,then sand to the outline on each piece. Finally, drill the 3/s"holes for the carriasebolts.
front rail piece of
metal or hardboardto trace the arc al ong i ts face, P hoto C on puge X X . Bandsaw and sand to the line. F i n a l l y , d r i l l c o u n t e r s u n kh o l e s f o r t h e e i g h t m o u n t i n gs c r e w s . Q Again using the PartsView draw\,t ing as a guide,lay out the contours for the rear crossmember(F) and the seatback support(G) on 2x6 stock. T h e n c u t a n d s a n d t h e c u r v e s .D r i l l holes for the carriagebolts and wood screw si n the rear crossmember, but leavethe seatbacksupportintact. y o u ' l l n e e da p a i r o f e n d A Next. -t wedges(H) and one centerwedge (I) that mount on the seatback support (seethe Partsdrawing).Use a bandsaw to cut the wedgesto shape,then glue themin place. E To locateand drill the bolt holesin r-,/ the seat back support,we used a simple guide block that hooks over the e n d w e d g e s .( S e e t h e D r i l l i n g t h e Armrest Hole detail and Guide Block drawingin the insert.) (J) ft Cut the tableframeuprights and L,l table frame cross rails (K) for t h e c e n t e rt a b l e , a n d d r i l l t h e b o l t a n d s c r e w h o l e s .( S e et h e C e n t e r Table ExplodedView and Parts V i ew draw i ngs.) (L), drill the J Cut the two cleats I screwholes, and screwthem to the inside face of the front rail. (See the S ecti onV i ew draw i ng.)
A terrificwood for outdoor-proiects
Builderts Tips
Fora strongerfinishedproject,choosewiderandlonger boardsthanyouneedso you can workaraundthe knotsthatare typicalof lhis specr'es. 4/4cedarusuallycomes 7/o'thick,whicttgivesyoua chancetocleanupthe boardsto3/qo andremave surfacemars. Because thisweather-tough woodis fairtytightweight as go, usingit results softwaads in a projectthatis easyto movearound. Andbecause it is soft,be youdon'tovercarefulthat tightenscrews,youcanbury theheadsin thewaodeasily. Cltuck lfedlund. WOODmagazine's Project Builder
Continuecl
the pattern adhered to the leg blanks, cut the ends first. Note support fence and clamp used.
magazine August2000
To make the second cut, push the workpiece through the set up as shown. Stop the saw and remove the waste.
71
settee
ARMREST ASSEMBLY DETAIL Spacesplatss/ro"apart.
Gluewedqe utoct< @li placebefore
5/gz" shank holes. countersunk
SETTEE FRAME EXPLODEDVIEW
d r i l l i n g3 / a "h o l e .
#8 x 1t/2"deck screws
1tle"counterbore 3/ex 31/2"carriage bolt 7/at" pilol hole s/a"deep
#B x 3" deck
\
#8 x 2" deck screw
541/z'
t\
Dll
lca
tl
\*s\,
3/ax 4" carriage bolts 7e" holes
s/a"tlal washer 7e"nut
#8 x 3" deck screws
II \
7e"nuts and flat washers
-\
i/." hole
\
l
# 8 x 11/2" deck screw
\
3/ax 31/2"carriaoe bolt
s/sz"hole, countersunk on back side
A- rearlegs 1t/z' sqd' B* center supports 1Y2' 51/a' 23' C C. frontlegs 11/z' 31/z' 19Vt' C D* armrest supportsl\z' 3' E- frontrail 1Y2' 5' 55" C le€lf 5* '
crossmember 1Y2' SVz' 55'
Sg?tback n* u support
H- endwedges l- center wedge ,- tableframe " upriqhts
72
1lz'
C
51/zu611/z' C
2
frame o- table " cross rails L cleats
M N O P
armrests tablefrontslat tabletop slat tabletoo slats
nontor
1Y2'
23/q'
7/su
7/a'
19'
C
11/te" 51/2' 28'
C
35/e' 9Y4'
C
11/ta" 35/a' 27"
Ttu
C
11/ta" 35/a' 267/a'
C
Q seatbacksolats
Vqu 47Aa"261/q" C
R seatbacksolats
{c'
1Y2^ 31/z' 3V2" C
S seatbacksolats Vcu
1Y2' 31/2' 11a/e' C
T frontseatslat
11/z'
"
4sha"2511Aau C
4u 24Ys" C
1r/z' 31/z' 55"
seatslals
V rearseatslats W loonblank
Vt' t/z'
51/t' 22' C guc
Note:Partslabeled withan- getpainted, Material Key:C-cedar. 1t/q" Suppfies: deckscrews(2),11/!'deckscrews(62), 2" deckscrews(32),3" deckscrews(24),V8x31/2" cafiiage (6),%x4'caniage boltswithnutsandflatwashers boltswith (2),paint,waterrepellent nutsandflatwashers finish.
C
31/2' 121/2' C
WOODmagazine August 2000
-l
EXPLODEDVIEW
#8 x 11/q"deck screw (2 requiredto attachloon) #8 x 1't/z"deck screws 7sz"shank hole,countersunk
t/a"round-over alongtop and sides No round-overon bottomedge
S e et h e WOOD PATTERNSTo insert for parts view and f ull- s i z ep a tte rn s .
CUTTING DIAGRAM .Planeor resawto thicknesslistedin the Bill of Materials.
1 1 / 2 x 7 1 / q x 7 2 "C e d a r
1 t / z x S t / zx 9 6 " C e d a r
11/zx 91/qx72" Cedar
1 1 / zx 7 1 / ex 7 2 " C e d a r
1t/zx7thx72" Cedar
www.woodmagazine.com
1 1 A ax 7 1 / qx 7 2 " C e d a r
1 1 A a x 5 1 / 2 x 9 6 "C e d a r
3 / q x 9 1 / qx 9 6 " C e d a r
3/qx 91/+x 96" Cedar
3/qx91/+ x 96" Cedar
73
settee Note: Before proceeding any further, apply whatever paint, stain, or finish you've chosenfor theframe components. (Seethe Bill of Materials for information on whic h par t s g e t p a i n te d .) F o r o u r project we used a solid-color latex stain from Olympic. It's designedfor use on decks,so it will be plenty durablefor this f ur nit ur e pr oj e c t. (W e c h o s e a c o l o r called Faulkland,and applied two coats.)
Slats and splats-easier to make than to say I While the finish on the frame compoI nents is drying, start cutting the other parts-armrests (M); table front slats(N); the tabletop slats (O, P); the seat back splats(Q, R, S); and the front, center,and rear seat slats (T, U, V). (See the Parts View drawing as well as the dimensionsin the Bill of Materials.) /-) The profile of the front seat slat (T) I requires some creative work on the tablesaw.(Seethe Front SeatSlat ProfileCutting Sequencebelow.) Then, use a block plane to round over the ridges,followed by sandpaperto smooth the final surfaceto shape.
With end and center blocks temporarily fastened to the front rail with screws, bend a thin metal or hardboard strip to trace the arc.
Clamp temporary support legs at each end of the frame to position the seat back support and connecting chair parts.
FRONTSEAT SLAT PROFILE. CUTTINGSEQUENCE
74
WOODmagazine August 2000
Q Apply finish to all of the unpainted ft Cut a pair of temporary support r-/ parts after they are cut to size, L,l legs (each I93A" long) from a 2x6, sanded,and drilled for screws. and two short spacerblocks each 3Vq" N ot e: W e us ed W o l m a n R a i n c o a t@ wide. Clamp the spacerblocks and supWater Repellent (in Cedartone)for port legs to the rear legs; then clamp added protection for theseparts. It the seat back support to the temporary mimics a clear finish, but actually adds supportlegs, flush at the top, photo D. a more unifurm color. T h i s w i l l posi ti on the rai l correctl y while you install the armrests,the table Assemble a solid slats,and the seatsplats.
lower frame
J Start the frame assemblyby bolting I the rearlegs (A) to rhe front legs(C). f) Use #8x3" deck screwsto fasten L the front rail (E) and the rear crossmember(F) to the leg assemblies. Q Bolt and screw the centersupports \,, (B) in place as shown in the Settee FrameExplodedView. A Attach the cleats (L) to the inside -t face of the front rail, flush with the top edge.(SeeSectionView drawing.) f, A s s em blet he c e n te r ta b l e fra me \,/ ( J , K ; , and m a k e s u re i t fi ts i n betweenthe center supports(B). Then, fastenthe table front slats (N), and bolt the unit in place. We used 3/sx3Vz"carriagebolts.
Install the seat components J Then, working from the bottom side I o f th e seat back support,dri l l up through the 3/s"holes you drilled earlier and on through the armrests.Secure each armrest with a t/sx3Vz"carriage bolt. (See the SetteeFrame Exploded View drawing.) Fastenthe armreststo the front legs with 2" deck screws. p) Q Attach the tableropslats(O, with E- 2" deck screws.Use r/+"shims to spacetheseboards. Q Next. clamp a scrap board to the \,1 undersideof the rear crossmember (F), and arrangethe seat back splats (Q, R, S) in place, working from the
centerout. Place%0" shimsin between the splats,and fasten the splats with #8x1V z" deck screw s.W hen t hey'r e secured,you can remove the clamps and support boards,including the temporary supportlegs. 1\ Fastenthe front (full-lengrh) seat T slat (T), driving 2" screwsup throughthe cleats(L). fi Next, arrangethe center seat slats U (U) and the rear seatslats (V) on the rear legs and center supports.After positioningthe slats for uniform spacing betweenthem (about 3/a"),fasten them with #8xl Vz" deck screws.Now, do one final check to make sure all the bolts are tight, and the setteewill be ready for your patio or deck. If you'd like to add the loon to the front face of the center table, see the notes on the ful l -si ze patt er n in t he WOOD PATTERNS@ insert. Cenrerand fasten the loon to the center table front Vz" above (T) with #8xlVq" deck screwsdriven from behind.JF Projectdesign:James Downing Photographs:Baldwin Photography lllustrations: Kim Downing; Lorna Johnson
CENTER TABLE
EXPLODEDVIEW #8 x2"deckscrew------I
7se"shank hole, countersunk Space.boards1/a"apart.
9lge wedgeblock ( I )to seat back sU'pport @before screwtngcenter tabletopboardsin place.
7/aq"pilol hole 1 " deep
#8 x 2" deck screws
V;
Spaceboards t/q" apafl.
d{td
3/8"nut and flat washer
3/ex 31/2"carriage bolt
Centersupports@are screwedinto frame at this point. vvww.woodma gazi ne. co m
75
/-1ver the years, many WOODA magazine readers have told us that they'd like to saw their own stock. So we rounded up five U sawmills from their manufacturers and ran them through their pacesto learn firsthand just what's all involved in operating one.
Gan a sawmill pay ott? B u y i n g a t r a n s p o r t a b l es a w m i l l requiresa sizablefinancial investment a nd t im e c om m i tme n t.T h re e o f th e machineswe testedcarriedprice tags around$5.000:the othertwo weredouble that. Despitetheseprices,we believethat a sawmill can be a profitabletool. Our q u i c k c a l c u l a t i o ns u g g e s t st h a t t w o m o d e s td a y s o f c u s t o m s a w i n g p e r m o n t h ( 1 , 6 0 0b o a r d f e e t x . 2 0 p e r board foot = $320) should cover the a v er agem ont hl y p a y me n tso v e r th e length of a loan on one of the lowerpricedmachines. Beingableto obtainwood speciesnot c o m m o n l y a v a i l a b l ed r a w s m a n y w o o d w o r k e r si n t o t h e s a w y e rr o l e . Ownin-sa mill also can help you get consistentlybettergradesof wood for furnitureand otherprojects.And with a m ill, y ou' ll f ind y o u rs e l fc u tti n gl o g s for quartersawnand riftsawn boards that you can't get elsewhereexceptat high c os t .B es id e sa l l th o s ere w a rd s , it's flat-outfun!
What to consider before buying
A quick look at the less-expensivesawmills
Becausesawmillscosta bunch,you'll n e e d to di spensew i th a few maj or issuesbeforeyou startshopping. o Do you haveenoughaccessto trees? If you don't have a woodlot to supply you with logs, can you find enough sources?Check tree servicesand constructioncompaniesthat clearland. r F o r t u n a t e l y ,t h e s e s a w m i l l s a r e transportable.You can take them to the logging site. But do you have a enough spaceto do sawing on your property if need be? And what about noiseordinancesand neighbors? o Do you have secureindoor storage availablefor the machine?You'll need to protect it from foul weather, theft, and vandalism. o Where will you stack and store the w o o d ? Y ou can ai r-dry your green boardsoutside,but after that the materi a l m u st be stored properl y-prefe rra b l y i ndoors-to keep i t i n top condition.And that becomesmore of a factorif you havewood kiln-dried.
Of the five sawmills that we tested, three were bandsawmills (Norwood L u m b e r m a t eM a r k 4 , T i m b e r K i n g 1200, and W ood-Mi zer LTl5) and carried prices in the $5,000 range. By the time those three units were blocked and leveled,the working height from ground to bed averaged about 9". We quickly found that the lower a mill sits to the ground,the better, especiallyif you're loading logs without help from other equipment. With the above three sawmills (all bandsawmills), we loaded and turned the logs manually using cant hooks. Loading ramps come standardon the TimberKing, optional on the WoodMizer, and aren't available at all for the Norwood. If you plan to move your mill from si te to si te, you' l l w ant a t r anspor t package.TimberKing and Norwood offer optional trailer packages.All three of the less-costlybandsawmills offer optional bed extensionsthat add additionallength for sawinglong logs. The mills differ in the size of logs they can saw. The specificationschart on page 82 show s these values f or s t a n d a r dc o n f i g u r a t i o n s .I n s o m e i nstancesyou can saw a l o g lar ger than the stateddiameterby repeatedly sawingand turningit. We successfully worked a 40"-diameteroak log on a machinewith a 32" statedcapacity.
bandsaw AnatOmV Of a
I
typical bandsaw mill
With the horizontalbandsaw at one end of the frame, the sawyer rollsthe log up the loading rampsand onto the deck usinga cant hook or winch.He then centersthe log in the saw's throatwidth while placingit firmth.roat ly againstthe log rest. Finally,he width uojuit. the heighiof the bladeand makes the first cut. movinothe saw alongthe lengthof the log.
Two pricey machines We alsotestedtwo mills in the $10.000 price range-the Wood-Mrzer LT25 and the Lucas Model 6. While four of our test units were bandsawmills, the Lucas mi l l empl oyeda ci rcular saw blade.And with its circular blade,the Lucas can start cutti ng di m ensioned boardsout of a log in just two passes. With a bandsawmill, you can only do this after you have squaredthe log into a cant by slabbingoff the bark or wane, as the operatoris doing in the photo oppositepage. Continued
WOODmagazine August 200tl
77
-l
prosandcons A closerlook-the sawnnills' Mark4 NorwoodLumbermate This bandsawmill has featuresthe other two mills don't that really made it fun to operate.We liked the torsion spring/cablesystemfor lowering and raising the saw head. It was faster and easierto operatethan the winches used on the other machines.(See insetleft.) You've probably heardpros and cons about having to push and pull the blade through the log. Basedon our experiencewith the Norwood, we found this faster than the winch systems employedby the other bandsaw mills. On the Norwood, all the necessary controls are located on the same side, making them easy to reach and operate. We also appreciatedthat the sawdustand the engineexhaustexits the sideopposite the operatorand is directedaway.
The Norwood Lumbermate must be pushed and pulled manually through the log during the sawing operation. The sawmill ships unassembled.
lnsef. A torsion spring/cable system lowers and raises the saw head on the Norwood, making it faster and easier to operate than the winches on the others. And all of the necessary controls are located on the same side, making them easy to reach and operate.
TimberKing 1200 The welded bed on this mill proved to be very strong and rigid. Loading ramps and a cant hook come standard, and handledmost log loading. We got along pretty well with the transport package,too. To remove the axles, y6u lift and support the bed with the four screw jacks. We also liked the idea that the leveling screws were standard equipmenton the TimberKing. TimberKing's basic 12'-longlog capacity should be adequatefor anyone wanting to cut cabinet-gradematerial or trim stock. lts 28V2"throat also enables it to cut a wider slab than the Norwood. We downgraded the TimberKing, though, becauseits feed winch operates full time, making for slow carriage return. And the depth scale on this saw doesn't warn you when the blade may Manuallyloadinglogs and turning cants was part of the experiencewith the TimberKing contact the log rest or log dogs. The 1200and the othertwo lesser-pricedbandsawmills.
78
WOODmagazine August 2000
shorrvdown LT15 Wood-Mizer The Norwoodusesa centrifugalclutch so the blade only runs when the engine has been poweredup. This setupdoes take longerto stop the bladethan on the othermills. Of the three lesser-pricedmills, the Norwood has the smallestthroat opening. This limits the size of the quarter that canbe quartersawnto 19". We were disappointedthat the bed-leve l i ng gear on t he N o rw o o d w a s n o t includedas standardequipmentas with the other bandsawmills. We also think l o a d i n gr a m p s s h o u l db e a v a i l a b l e ; they're not evenan option. The Nor wood ar r i v e d o n a p a l l e t, unassembled. It took about 20 hours to assemblethe machine.However, once you've assembled it, you'll know exactly whereevery piece goes,what it does, andhow to later adjustit. The Norwood usesa lVq"-wide. 148"long blade.It costs$26.50(OEM) comparedto $18.50for the bladesused on the otherbandsawmills.
sheet-metaldepth indicator was harder to read than the plastic hairline indicators of the other mills, and we missed not having a blade-tensionindicator. While operating the saw, we discovered the separatethrottle and clutch controls were more troublesometo use than the integratedsystemon the WoodMizer. We also found the guide adjustment more difficult to reach and operate comparedto the others. The one-pieceblade guards, attached with threadedknobs, were a bit timeconsuming to remove when changing bl a des . T he s m all w a te r ta n k a l s o required more frequentfilling than those on the other machines. Blade-guide bearings are sealed but not enclosed like those on the WoodMizer. The infeed-sidebearingsdid lock up from sawdustand debris.
We liked the LT15's strong,one-piece welded log deck and log rests. The closer center bolster and log rest spacing also allow logs shorterthan 4' to be worked safely. The winch-feed system functioned smoothly, and it disengagesfor a much faster head return. The combined headraising/loweringand feed-winch handle also simplifies machine control. The large throat allows cuts on cants up to 23" wide. The LT15 usesthe samesawbladesas its bigger brothers,so they're readily available. Blade changing was fast and simple, and the blade-tensionindicator performedadmirably. An electric starter comes as standard equipmenton this model and proved to be conve-
nient. However, there's no way to start the engine should the battery or starter fail. We also liked the combined throttle/clutch control. An integratedbrake quickly stopsthe blade. Raising and lowering the head on the LT15 mill was much slower than on the Norwood. Becauseof this factor, quarter-sawingwas slow, too. You can't buy a trailer packagefor the LTl5. To transportthis 826-poundunit meansloading it onto a pickup or trailer. The log ramps, although effective, are optional. We felt the short log dogs were harderto usethan thoseon the two other mills we tried. The sawdustexits at the operator'sfeet, and forces you to constantly walk in it. This becamemore than a bit annoying after a few hours of sawing.
With the Wood-Mizer LTl5, as with all bandsaw mills, you must first square the log into a cant before you can saw boards.
Continued
www.woodmagazine.com
79
nnachines in cur roundup Theexpensive LucasMillModel6
r*.ltth*
"ilo @
l?-
Above: The Lucas Mill can be carried and set up almost anywhere by one man in less than 30 minutes. The log does not have to be moved-just wedged or blocked. Left: The unique head design of the Lucas Mill enablesthe circular blade to cut in horizontal and vertical position. The head floats on an aluminumframe.
BO
We doubt you'll find a more transportable sawmill than this one. Its aluminum frame breaks down into I I pieces, with the heaviest weighing less than 100 pounds.You can carry it to the log, even in heavy timber and underbrush, or to difficult terrain where other mills cannot be hauled or towed. The p o w e r h e a d / c a r r i a g eu n i t r o l l s o n t w o wheels, much like a -tarden-varietytwowheel wheelbarrow. One man easily can set up the mill and start sawing in less than 30 minutes.The log does not have to be moved-just wedged or blocked to keep it from rolling over. T h e s a w ' s u n i q u e d e s i - g na l l o w s t h e blade to operate both horizontally and vertically. To saw. you push the head carriagealong the guide rails parallel to the log. At the end, swin-ethe blade 90o, then pull the saw back alon-ethe log to cornplete the cr"rtand free the board, as shown in the photo-uraphsbelow'le.fi. The Model 6 has a 6t,/t" cutting width limit. However. by manually turning the saw head 180'. it can rnake a doublewidth cut about 12" wide ( 17" on Model 8). The manufacturerdoes offer an optional slabbing attachmentfor cutting boards up to 7x50" boards. Quarter-sawingwith the Lucas was a b r e e z e .W i t h a l i t t l e p r a c t i c e , y o u c a n p r o d u c e c l o s e t o 1 0 0 7 aq L l a r t e r s a w n material fiorn aln-rostany log. The 17"-diameter.five-tooth carbidetipped blade stays sharp longer than b a n d s a w b l a d e s ,e s p e c i a l l yi f s a w i n g dense woods or dirty logs. A new blade currently costs $95. Blade repair, includin,s replacement of the five tips, cost us $20, about the price of a new bandsawblade. S a w i n g t h r o u g h - a n d - t h r o u g ho n a bandsaw rnill inevitably yields more lumber becauseit cuts a narrower kerf (%" compared to )lo" with the circular blade). For example, flat-sawing l"thick slabs fiom a 16" cant with a band blade should yield one more slab than will the circular blade. A band blade also leaves a bit smoother surface.
WOODmagazine August 2000
showdown Wood-MizerLT25 In one glance,you'Il seea rnachinewith more featuresand strongerconstruction than found on the other transportable bandsawmills we tested. Dependingon how the LT25 has beenoutfitted,it will weigh-in at between2,000 and 2,500 pounds.So moving it will require the optional-and complete-trailer package,which costsabout$1,000. We liked setting up the LT25. The standardleveling legs are easy to use, and the adjusting bar stows onboard. The log loading ramps also stow onboardwhen not in use. Our test unit came with an optional deck-upgradepackagethat includes a manual winch for log loading and for turning the logs on the bed. Front and rear screw-typetoe boardsthat level
taperedlogs also came as part of this upgrade.The winch makeslog loading and rotating considerablyeasier and much safer. The LT25's standard167/sx32"throat enablescant cuts up to 28" wide. The log-clamping systempermits cuts to within 1" of the bed. Oi l -b ath dri ve-w heelbeari ngsand large idle-wheelbearingsindicate that the mill has been designedfor heavyduty or continuousoperation.We found that the hydraulic blade-tensionsystem appliesgreatertensioneasierthan the manual systemsfound on the smaller mills. A gaugegives a direct readoutof bladetension. Raising and lowering the head was slow and got irritating when quarter-
sawing,though.Even cranking the head back to the top after fi ni shing a log becamebothersome. We really dislike the amountof sawdust the operatorhas to breat heand w ade i n, too. Most of the ti m e while sawing the dust chute sits betweenthe operator'sheadand waist. This createsa vi rtual bl i zzard of saw dus t ,wit h no option but to walk in it. We alleviated the problem somewhatby settingup the mill with the wind at our back. An optionallog rolleron the Wood-Mizer LT-25makesturning the log a simple, effortlesstask.
The manual winch (part of an optional package) on the Wood-Mizer LT25 makes loadonto the saw bed easv and safe.
Continued
www.woodmagazine.com
81
-.,|
here Aftersawingn areourthoughts Comparingthe small sawmills,we find i t t ough t o c h o o s e b e tw e e n th e Norwood and the Wood-Mizer LTl5. Based on our experiences,we think you'd be happywith eithermachine. In choosingbetweenthe two expensive machines,we feel that it primarily dependson what operating features appealmostto you. If you need somethinghighly flexible, mobile, and easy to set up, the Lucas wins handsdown. But if you want a super-ruggedbandsawmill the WoodMizer LT25 more than fills the bill for sawinglogs into lumber.l
WPE TOWAEtE ELEUATIOI'I HEAD HEAD LOCK OVERALT WIDTH
Baker 573/663-3133
Log-Master 800/820-9515
Bizzy Beaver 405/944-5100
Mighty Mite 503/288-5923
Cook's 800/473-4804
RipSaw 978/657-5636
Cutting Edge 888/222-6171
T.A. Schmid 888/858-8589
Enercraft 877/527-1100
Thomas 207/722-3505
Hud-son 800/765-7297
Timber Harvester 800/343-2969
Kasco 800/458-9129
Timberwolf 888/419-0558
NO
Yes(optional)
Torsion Spring
Winch
Winch
Winch
Yes
Yes- DiskBrake-
YeS-
Yes.
FourPosl
Two-Post Cant
Cantilevered
80"
6'3"
SteelTube
SteelTube
SteelTube
BoxTube
SteelBar
SingleBeam
JackScrews
JackScrews
StiffLegs
EndWinches N/A
84"
68"
Aluminum Beams
NUMBER OFLEVELERS HEIGHTFROMGROUND DRIVE CARRIAGE
NUMBER OFLOGRESTS EI{GIT{E HORSEPOWER
Norwood Wood-Mizer BLAOE BRAKE 800/567-0404 800/553-0182 www.noruoodindustries.com www.woodmizer.com TENSION WPE BLADE
Linn 541/367-6900
Yes(optional)
TRACK WPE
CLUTCH WPE
American 888t778-0014
Band
Yes(optional)
Aluminum Beams Debossed Beam
ETECTRIC START www,baileys-online.com www.timberking.com
Other Sawmills Not Tested
Band
No
FRAME GOIISTRUCTION
LEUETIT{G TYPE
Band
Circular
Tube Four-Post Cant CO}ISTRUCTIOI{ Aluminum CARRIAGE
NUMBER OFtOGDOGS
Sources for mills tested Lucas(Bailey's) TimberKing 800/322-4539 800/942-4406
WOOD-MIZER t{0RW00D TIMBERKING WOOD-MIZER tTl5 tT25 1200
LUCAS6
Anglelron
PostWinch
JackScrews (0ptional)
2
0ptional
Band
oo
o
8
4
N/A
8'
9"
9"
30tlz"
Push/Pull
Push/Pull
Winch
Winch
Winch
2
1
t
NR NR
3
I
3
4
4
15 hpGas
15hp Gas
20hpGas
z
18hpGas
13hpGas
Yes
Yes(0ptional)
Yes
Centrifugal
Centrilugal
Electromagnetic
Yes Mechanical
Yes Mechanical (Belt)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
NR
Spring
Screw
PolySpring
Hydraulic
TENSION INDICATOR
N/A
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
LOADIIIG RAMPS
N/A
NO
Yes
Yes(0ptional)
Yes
MAXIMUM tOGDIAMffER
54"
27^
29',
28',
32"
13'
12',4'
11
16',8"
26'.
28112"
Yes(Emergency)
MAXIMUM tOGIEI{GTH
20'
THROAT OPENING
N/A
1931t
28112"
HEIGHT THROAT
N/A
7tla'(bolt)
16',
MAXIMUM DECK TOBLADE MAXIMUM SLAB THICKNESS x WIDTH MAXIMUM SLAB8/4WIDTH
N/A
23',
9Uzx22'
15x 26'
193A"
281/2"
26^
28112'
1rltx144"
1rAx 158'
1 r l ax 1 5 8 "
1lLx 158"
$ 26.50
$ 18.50
$ 18.50
$ 18.50
N/A NR
lrxcettent @eooo lrtit
16x22'
12112'
EASE OFBLADE TEiISIOI{
WATER DRIPCONTROT
35"
71lzx193lt'
EASE OFLOGDOGS
BLADE CHAI{GE TIME
15'
27"
251|q'
61lqx121lz'
BLADE SIZE 3/rox 17" WIDTH T LEI{GTH / DIAMETER $ 94.95 BTADE COST OEM
EASE OFBTADE CHANGE
10112^
G
I
G
G 10Minutes
G
G 4 Minutes
8 Minutes
G
4 Minutes
6 Minutes
G
* Locks winchonly NiA= NotapplicableNR= Notrequired
Written by Charles Sommers with Dave Henderson Photographs:Baldwin Photography lllustration:Bdan Jensen
82
WOOD magazine August 2000
ffiffiM lf you'relookingfor an answerto a question thatyou thinkwouldinterestlotsof otherreaders,writeto: Ask WOODo,1716LocustSt.,GA310, DesMoines,lA 50309-3023.
Foran immediateanswerto yourquestion,get helpfromfellowwoodworkers by postingit on oneof our internetdiscussion groupsat: www.woodmagazine,com
Kiln- u$, air'drying wood LastspringI hadsomehickory ffi | andlast W I sawedinto 4|Alumber, fall I did thesamewithsomecherry, beech,maple,andash.Howlongwill thiswoodtaketo air-dry?Theends arepaintedto inhibitchecking. lt is all stickeredandstackedin a dry barn. Somearticlesl'vereadseemto sayit will air-dryin abouta year;otherssay lwill needto kiln-dryit to reducethe moisturecontentfromaround20%to
: : : , i i l :
the recommended 60lo. Myshopis locatedin northeastern Indiana, and our weatheris usuallyhumid.Also, hasanyonetriedbuildinga small solarkilnandhadgoodresultswith it? lf so,wherecouldI getplans?
And yes, you can get plans for it. Send your check or money order for $9.95 ppd. (U.S.) to Kiln Plans, WOOD magazine, 7716LocustStreet,GA3l0, Des Moines,IA 50309-3023.
Now back to your first question. [email protected] Unlessyou live in a desert,we doubt that you can ever air-dry green wood down to
: : ;
ffi ffi
| Let's answeryour secondquestion | first. Steve.In issue70 of WOOD
6-8%omoisture content, the preferred drynessfor stock destinedto becomefur-
magazine,we featured a solar kiln,
nitureor other indoor projects.That's
shown on pages 44-46, basedon a design
becausethe averagehumidity for most of
conceptoriginally createdby University
the U.S. hovers at about 657o-equiva-
of Wisconsin ExtensionforesterEugene
lent to l2%omoisture content in a board.
Wengert.We loadedit with 614 board
But, indoor humidity runs a lot less,so
feet of ash, cherry, and walnut, and
projects for use there should be built from
checked back about six weeks later. It
kiln-dried stock in the lower moisture-
worked like a charm, bringing the
contentrangeto avoid wood movement.
woods' moisturecontentdown to a bone-
(For outdoor projects,the wood with a
dry 67o, as reported in issue 74, page 48.
higher moisturecontentis okay.)
What's the best way to f i g u r e a n g l e s f o r t e n o n s h o u l d e r s ? I'm buildinga proiectwith to i : theresultwill be all but impossible fl% ==M6| | taperedlegsanddon'tknow : calibrateaccurately.Far better,in rq;*. howto computethe angleto which| : our opinion,is to throwout the I shouldset my mitergaugeto correct- , math and mark your cuts directly. ly markthe shouldersfor tenonsfor : the bottomrails.Thetaperis 13" : fong,starls al2x2" andtapersto i . Ix1". ls therea formulathatcan determine thisangle? i
Cut the stretcherpiece longer than required, clamp it in place on the dry-fit legs, and mark the shouldersdirectly on the stretcher,as shown below.
RobertBroome,Terrace,8.C., Canada :
ffi | fhere is a formula,Bob,andif ffw I we did our mathcorrectly,the answeris 4.3987degrees. The correct answer? Yes.Thebestsolution? We don'tthink so,andhere'swhy: (A) You couldgoof up a complicated geometric/algebraic calculation,and(B) Continued on page 86
84
WOODmagazine August 2000
#ffiH€ Cr,tntinued frorn page 84
How to successfully scrollsaw plastic? ffi | I'm tryingto cut acrylicplasticon my scrollsaw, results.At highspeedit W I withverydisappointing just melts;at lowspeedthe plasticchipsbadly.Canyou help? Glen Roach ([email protected])
scrollsawspecialist Rick Hutcheson recom& IWOODo #*& | mendsusingpackagingor maskingtapeon the top and bottom of the cut or leaving the paper covering on the plastic until you've cut it. Saw at a low speed,using a blade with only a few teeth per inch. Even with theseprecautions,"some types of plastic just won't cut right," Rick says.For more about cutting plastic, check out Rick's web site at http://www.scrollsaws.com.
Power-sawing compound miters usingthe ffe I Formanyyearst'vecutcrownmolding method in a miterboxwitha hand%d | "upside-down"
I
I
/r\
D I
saw.I feelsurethatthis couldbe donewiththe wood lyingflat on a radial-arm or compoundmitersaw. Canyou tellmehow?| can'tfigureoutwhatangleandbevelto use.
rlv^v{r t
William J. Setzer, Southampton, Pa.
GENUINE
OGAITY
(Swtetenia macrophglla) . South Amerlca Brown to rlch red. Exceptionallystable,works easily.Statns and finisheswell. Greatfurniture wood!Random4-12" wlde, 6-7'long, surfaced2 sides.TcrlceaduantogeoJthts spectal purchase and stock up nuo! SctlsJaction0uaranteedl
ffi ffi
cando thejob. Setthe | No problem.Bill. Bothmachines | miterangleat3l.62'-a positivestopon manycom-
pound mitersaws-and the bevel at 34".iF
4t4... saLE $s.99/bdft
Reg ,7'ee/bdJ, 20+$3.5gluart 100+$3.411n0rt
8t4... SALE $4.991na rt
Res$g'ee/bdJt 20+ $4.49lnort 100+$4,27nan
. 4l4!0mort.,, PACK UP$ $99,00 Dellvered Cont US
Place the bottom of the molding against the fence to cut the left piece of an outside corner, as shown. Then put the right piece with its top against the fence, again on the right side of the blade, and swing the saw to the opposite 31.62"setting.
lltr o Dl l[r]ll I{{l CircleNo. 598.2090
#tl
t4, 86
WOODmagazine August 2000
anH€fuclte
Arnerican
Chestnut
An ecological disaster wiped out this orrGe-Froudt ust a century 4go, you could find specimens of the magnificent American chestnut ( Castanea
dentata)practicallyeverywherein the easternpart of this nation.It thrivedin farmyards,town squares,andforestsfrom southernMaineto northernMississippi, Alabama,andinto Arkansas. Thesemightytreesstood60'to 100'tall, with trunksthat could measure10' and 12' in diameter.Becausethe Americanchestnut first branchedhorizontallyfrom its trunk, thenfannedout with ascending branches, it wasmuch-lovedfor shade. The beginningof the end for this magnificent speciescamein 1904,whentrees at the New York Zoological Park were strickenwith a fungusdiseasethat originatedin Asia. Spreadby wind-borne spores,the blight movedrapidly. Not
quite asfast as a forestfire, but equally devastating-throughNew Jerseyand into Pennsylvania'sgreatchestnutstands, thenon west.By the late 1930sthe noble Americanchestnutwaswiped out. Although the treecould sendout sprouts from its stump-and did after fire or logging-they only lived for a shorttime beforealsosuccumbingto the blight. Peoplemight rememberthe chestnutfor its tastynuts,but in its day the treehad lots of commercialuses.Its wood resembled oak. Thoughcoarser,lighter, and weaker,chestnutbetterresistedwooddestroyingfungi, which madeit a natural for fencepostsandrailway ties.Chestnut alsowasmadeinto furniture,interior trim, packingcases,andcrates.Tannic acid,for tanningleather,wasextracted from the bark andwood.l
I1\TERNATIONAL /\>
\ ^'.,)
Afterfelling,theAmerican chestnut sprouted fromtheremaining stump.Butit tooklitile time fortheblightto eventually kill eventhose valiantnewsprouts.
Findspecials such DA25o PoRItR+tRBlt 15 ga. 2 Vz" Angle F i n i s hN a i l e r l ( i t
$179.00
CORPORATION
ProFinish Kit
w $ffi
Hffii;i,!,t[?,li",W
N ai l er,9 boxesnai l case
Glickfor 100ns of onlinedeals!
$199.95
ffi
EYC003
GuaranteedLowest Prices! onmostorGrsorer$50.00 wlthinthecontlguous {8 statest
On the tinest quality industrial posrertools & machinery
12V S aw& 15.5V with 3 batteries, charger& case
$269.00
ffi
the fuqn[tufie
repair shop
the art of the r
aFFrAlsal
Howto makevaluejudgments
A writtenappraisaloffersone of the surestmeansof establishHere furniture. ingthevalueof antiqueor high-quality collectible aresometipson findingandworkingwithan appraiser. ack in the 1930sand 1940s, Roger Epperly's dad became interestedin antiques."He wasn't really a collector," the Ankeny, Iowa, resident recalls, "but when he saw something he liked, he would buy it." Among those purchaseswere several piecesof Eastlake-stylefurniture, including the secretaryat right. (See The Eastlake influence on page 92.) Roger had always thought his parents' collectionof Eastlake-stylefurniture might be valuable.When he inherited the piecesa few yearsago,he figured the secretarymight be worth as much as$1,500.To find out for sure,he turnedto an appraiser.And he found he had guessedlow.
Sometimes, price matters Putting a value on a family heirloom is just one reasonyou might want an appraisalon antiqueor high-quality collectible furniture. "Insurancecoverageis anotherimportant reason," accordingto Dennis Tesdell, an antique-furnitureappraiserand consultant in West Des Moines,Iowa. "Without a specific fine-art appraisal on file with your insurancecompany, your chancesoffair (or, perhaps,any) reimbursementin the event of fire, damage,or theft are slim." An appraisal also comesin handy if you donatean item to charity.
How to hire an appraiser You'll find appraiserslistedin the Yellow Pages.Look for one associated with a major professionalorganization for appraisersof antiques,fine art, and personalproperty,listed below. Or, call the organizationsfor appraisersnearyou. y'American Society of Appraisers, 80O/ASAVALU or 703| 478-2228 y'Appraisers Associationof America, 2r2t889-5404 ( InternationalSociety of Appraisers, 888| 472-4732 or 2061241-0359 When you contactan appraiser,itemize what you want appraisedand explain the reason-insurance, estate, or sale,for instance.This gives the appraiseran idea of how long the job will take, and verifies that the one you're talking to hasknowledgeof and experiencewith the artifactsyou want to havevalued. Appraisalsare not inexpensive. "Expect to pay from $75-250 per hour for a qualified appraiser'stime in your home," Dennis says.Travel time is often extra. "Don't deal with appraisers who basetheir fee on a percentageof the object's value or thosewho offer to buy the piece at their appraisedvalue," Denniswarns. Herets what to expect The appraiser will spend some time at your location inspecting the items
Roger Epperlyreviewsthe appraiser's val uati onof hi s E astl akesecr et ar y, w hi ch turned out to be two t o t hr ee times his own estimate.The reportdocumentsthe item'svaluefor insurance. and taking notes, perhaps even making sketches or taking photos. (You might take small things to the appraiser's office.) You won't be told a value yet, however. "Market research and pricing arc alwaysdone back at the appraiser's office, where reference books and catalogsare athand," Dennis points out. latet, you'll receive the appraiser's report, which should include y' a cover page, with your name and addressand the date, location, and purpose of the appraisal, y' a statement by the appraiser that he or she has no personal or financial interest in the subject items, y' a sufirmary of the appraiser's credentials and professional affiliations y' atypewitten appraisal report, signed and dated by the appraiser. Continued on page 92
90
WOODmagazine August2000
trffiffiffi$ffimfu*p puge 90 ContinueelJfunn
Some appraiserswill include photos of selecteditems, too. If not, it's a good idea to take your own photos to attach to the appraisalreport.
Carved decorations help identify this s e c r e t a r y a s a n E a s t l a k e - s t y l ep i e c e , dating from the 1880sor 1890s.
The Eastlake influence Englishman CharlesLockeEastlakedislikedornateVictorianfurniture.Evenmore, he despised"speedyfashionchanges," whichseemedto go handin glovewith Around1870, mechanizedmanufacturing. in hope of improvingpublictaste-particularlyamongAmericans-he espouseda furniturethat was stylefor machine-made Medieval English rootedin simple designs.lnsteadof elaboratecarving,he favoredinciseddecorationbasedon Gothicand Orientalthemes.as shownin the photo above. ManyAmericanfurnituremakers-seekfor the ing fashionable new temptations buyingpublic-broughtbroadinterpretationsof Eastlake'sideasto the market. far exceededthe Often,ornamentation simplicity the designerenvisioned. or Eastlakehimselfnevermanufactured marketedfurniture,but piecesreflecting his influenceare valuedfor representing a turningpointin designphilosophy.lF Writtenby: Larry Johnston with DenniesTesdell Photographs:HetheringtonPhotography
CircleNo. 2030
92
WOOD magazine August2000
How to prep a new
tutw#k ilmu?s Okay,you've built a great-lookingblock plane from the instructionson page 41. Now, you need to sharpenand sef fhe blade before putting it to use. Here's how. Hock-brand bladethat we sourced Jhe for use in the plane may feel sharp I when it arrives,but it requiresfurther sharpeningbefore you can effectively shavewood with it. To do this, we recommendyou usea honing guide (a wheeled carrierthatholdsthe bladeat a setangle) and a Japanesewater stoneor a diamond stonelike the one aboveight.yon cal. buy theseitems through any numberof woodworking catalogs.To our pleasant surprise-and you'll appreciaiethis,
: too-the Hock blade comeswith detailed, : : illustated sharpeninginsrucdons written : : : in ptain English. : : To Foperly setthe blade in the plane, : i withdraw the wedgeblock ard setthe : plane on a flat surface.Placethe blade in : : the planeandusethe flat surfaceto posi- i : tion the blade edgeflush and pamllel to : i the openingin the boftom of the plane. : place to lock the : ; Slide the wedgeinto i blade into position. Then, lift the plane : i i off the flat surfaceand give the back of
the wedgeblock one good rap with the heel of your hand.That shouldbe enough to make the bladejust barcly stick out of the plane's bottom (known asthe sole). The btadeshouldtake a light cut of consistentdepth.Expectto practicethis blade-setting techniquesome. The plane shouldmakepaper-thinshaving curls as you push it with moderate force over a workpiece.You'll find it comesin handyfor generaltdmming and for planing end grain.i
Buy Our Best Seller 10" x 40T onrv$107 o" $l0l orr 2ni bhde EXTRABONUS!3 AT $5 EACH! Buy a blade or dado and get $15 worth of sharpening discount coupons from Forrest, good on any make blade or dado set you own.The first 100 customers will receive a FREE Picnic Table Plan and Router poster!
ITIEOTIE BIAIIE TITAT I"EAI'ES A SMOOTH-AS-
sAilttEn Twiceoutpedormed 6 other prcmium blades,both forcign and domestic, WOODMagazine lest, Sept 198{3,W. 45; f WOODChart Febffi, lssue#121,p9.66.
DURALINE
HI A/T
\MOODWORKER
II
5tls" to 14" diameter available All-purpose-tablesaws and portable circular saws. Special'I0% Discount! Take 15% off second blade ofvour choice. Euton's CHorcE.rxo Tor Reuxc 'l ovEn l8 Colrprlr^*c Saw Bunrs. ht l()" r 10'l nrnul tht lililor': (.htia' ,{unrdfor thr lttstftn'lttrnunt n,grrrlh'st oJprin. SrAnrerican llboduorher, ,llril l99i:i.ltlr. 6,\ (tQ. Sale l0%Oft
150/oOff
PricelstBlade2nd
14"x 40T x 1" $74s $134 5127 14"x30Tx1" figt 125 118 116 11O 12"x40Tx1" tN 12"x30Tx1" .rrbJ 1O7 1C)1 1 0 " x 4 0 T x 1 / a " oJrl 3 # / a "1 O 7 1 0 1 10"x 30T x1ls" A9 84 or3lp" -*lg 98 93 9"x407 7H' a9 a4 9"x 307 -*J .811q"
x40f x3/?" -*J A9 84 7'/l' to 16" diameter available A9 84 8"x40Tx3/se" F Cus MELAMINE PERFECTLY. 220 mm & 3/a" aO 76 8" x 30T x -zf 300 mm available.Our bestPLYWOOD 71i+" x 30Tx 3/:2" 62 59 blade.8", 7'/q" & othersavailable -*6" x 40T x 3Az" ,E 76 aO -. ,J 10%otf 15%otf Sale t*-5%" x 40T x l0mm-lJ 76 AO Price lst Blade 2ndBlade 10"x 80T NEW for'Sears & Makita Table $t'g!t $143 $135 **Saw (1/s"or 3/32" K) Saws Boss "**Dewalt Cordless 12"x 80T 163 1 54 -#1 ( %" or t " hole,lie"K) 1 4 "x 8 0T 177 168 .s2 BI-ADE (1" hole) 4"...$21 STIFFENER 203 14"x1007 # 192 Make all your 5,'...$24 (1" hole) blades cut better 1 6 "x 1 0 0 T N 219 206 6,'...$25 and ouieter with a (1" hole) blade stiffener!
CHOPMASTER BI-ADE 6' 2" to 15" diameter available Specially designedfor sliding compound mitei mitdr-chop,and ra"dialsdws. Sale10%off 15%off Price1stBlade2ndBlade 6'/z"x 40T $84 $94 $49 Delta,Sidekick,& Others 9a 93 8'/r"x60T tN Sears,Delta,Ryobi 1O7 1O1 8'/z"x 60T Yg Hitachi,Dewalt,Ryobi,FreudTRl25 11O 9" x 80T 72Fr 116 Delta & Others 118 10"x 80T 72s 125 Delta,Bosch,Mitachi, Makita, Ryobi,AEG,& All 127 12"x80T 7*s 134 Dewalt, Hitachi, Makita, B+D,Sears, & All 161 14"x f 00T 7nr 17O Makita,Ryobi 179 169 15"x100T t*g Hitachi,Ryobi
WOODWORKER
I
7r .r" to 14" diameter available Designed for radial arm or tablesaws-fine crosscut. Sale10%Off1570Oft Price1stBlade 2ndBlade 8 " , 8 1 4 " , 7 1 4 " x 6 0 T $ t € 9$ 9 8 $ 9 3 1 1 6 11O 1 0 " x 6 0 T ( ' / e " h o l.er 1 d 1 2 " x 6 0 T ( 5 / g " o rJ1g"g) 1 2 5 1 1 8
o
o
o
CANADASALES:CMRRONCOLLIER 3644SCHUMANN RD.,BAYCITY, MI48706 Phone 800-229-4814. FM 517-684-0402
WESTEHil GANADA CALL FR E E S FIIP P In| C i t$275 on orrders ov€r sl{ARP'rEGH, lNC.: All Major Credit CardsAccepted Tbll-Fr.ee A27 - 22,e -O goa FL, NJ, NY Residents- Pleaseadd SalesTax MANT]EACTTIRING COMPAI{Y. INC. Fax 403-223-?767 YOURSATISFACTION GUAMNTEED! oRDEF EY [l|!: 4!r rfir.r rroad, C{tno||' aa, oiTota . EY PHo e 8OO-7aA-7111 0[ r*[ git8..r&q4t3l
SEE ouR lllTERlrlET STORE AT woodmall.com
Peels Plus 16 oz.can maybe purchased separalely ri Vsa+ $6sn ii
Select one of these items FREE wher.r placing an order for any sarvblade or dado purchase from this ad in WOOD magazine. Choose from the eight book tides shown, imprinted cap, or 16 oz. can ofspray blade cleaner. Hurrv! This special offer is limited, while supplies last.
FORREST DADO-KING Unmatched Precision on Every Dado Cut! The Forrest DadaKing gives you flat-bottomed grooves and no splintering-everr when crosscutting oak plys and melamine. This arvard-winning set comes with six ,l tooth chippers (inch.rding 3,/32" chipper), nvo 2.l-tooth ouLside blades plus shims. Cus l,/8" to 29l32"grooves, .ry. Sale 10%0ff 15%0ff G Price lstDado 2ndDado 5242 5229 6" Set$2€!' I I
*I
f
8 Set 2E!l
260
245
f.'f i, ffi A?et 3# "i
..I]ASY-FI],8,D"
STANDARD
DADO
(No For solid hnrd soli h'oods onlvl rnd Dlvs. no rrclanrircl) a D, \vith D.,srti!(.hool i.t rooth 6li(l(.s & '/r" ro tri(l( . 2 touth clriDncrs :uKl shiilrs, (ir6 "/r, 100/o l-tsilSA.LE 1 5-/o 96 a5 $1 91 $24€r s2i€!
. !v FAx: gzt-4tt-algt
oR stores.yahoo.com/forreatman
-l
fi nishin I - r'' ,
i
:
tropical-tnee investments I
EARNas theyGROW {
As he conducted business in
CostaRica for 20 years,Steve Brunnersawhillsidesgraduallybeing strippedof lushrainforest.Then,in 1991he laid out a planto startreplenishingthat lossandmakea profit, too. He andhis wife, Sherry,founded TropicalAmericanTreeFarms,a CostaRica-based managedforestry companythat contractsto grow selectedspeciesof tropicalhardwood treesfrom seedlings.The payoff for clientsbeginsat abouteight years afterplantingandendswhenall the contractedtreesareharvested.As the treesgrow, they accruedividendsof sizeandquality.Accordingto the Brunners,$3,400investedin 100 plantedteaktreesyieldsabout
woodtrucktruck A Al Gu.nther.a wOOtr magazinereaderfrom Bonita Springs,Florida,sentus this old photographic postcard. Takenin westernWashington in thelate 1930sor early 1940s(basedon the approximatevintageof thetrucks),it graphicallyportraysjust how hugeDouglasfir from oldgrowthforestswasbackthen. Basedon someadmittedly roughcalculations, Al guesses thateachlog might contain 28.000boardfeetof wood! We welcomeyour estimates.
HugeDouglas fir logsin convoy througha western Washington town drew littleapparent attention60 yearsago.
$100,000over25 years."The client SteveBrunner
canopt for the yieldedlumberandhaveit shippedafter
standsamongtwo-
eachcutting,"saysSteve."Whatevertheclientwants."
year-oldteaktrees on a Tropical
Besidesprovidinginvestmentfor profit, the annual
Canada's
CrownLands
AmericanTree
plantingof tropicaltreesreforestsabout4,000acres.And
Farms'plantation in
the Brunnershaveprotectednearly3,000acresof rainfor-
CostaRica.
eston their landsandhavesetasideto naturallyregenerate
landcompared t0the730million inthe acres
some1,200acres.They hopethat their operationservesas
private United States. Butwhile ownership
a positiveexampleof a for-profit solutionto the disap-
dominates intheU.S,, it'stheother way
pearingrainforest.For their efforts,TropicalAmerican
around north oftheborder. There, B0%is
TreeFarmswasgiven the Associationof Woodworking
provinces heldbythevarious Canadian and
andFurnishings Suppliers'1999environmental achievementaward.Call 800/788-491 8. Website:http://tropicalhardwoods.com; e-mailto [email protected].
Canada hasabout 1 billion acres offorest-
governarecalled Crown Lands. Thefederal ment holds another 11%,while individuals andcompanies owntherest.l
104
WOOD magazine August 2000
