GUILD  EDITION

Woodsmith.com Vol. 40 / No. 237

RUSTIC BARN-DOOR
CABINET

No-Nonsense
Drawer Joinery
The Best Bits for
Your Palm Router
Keeping Tabs on
Your Tools & Supplies

+ Must-Have
Workbench Accessories

WS237_001.indd 1 4/4/2018 7:52:42 AM

 ®

EDITOR Vincent Ancona

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Phil Huber
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Robert Kemp
ASSISTANT EDITORS Erich Lage, Logan Wittmer
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bryan Nelson, Randall A. Maxey
from the editor
Sawdust
EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth
SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS Harlan V. Clark,
Dirk Ver Steeg, Peter J. Larson
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bob Zimmerman
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Becky Kralicek

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chris Fitch

If you watch any home improvement shows, you probably already
PROJECT DESIGNERS Dennis Volz, Dillon Baker
PROJECT DESIGNER/BUILDER John Doyle know how popular barn-style doors have become in interior design. They’re
CAD SPECIALIST Steve Johnson showing up everywhere, from closets to dining rooms and even office build-
SHOP CRAFTSMAN Dana Myers
ings. Of course, not everyone has the space for adding such a large feature to a
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Crayola England
room. So we decided to create a project that included a scaled-down version of
ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham
SENIOR ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke barn doors. Coming up with a design for the project was the easy part. Finding
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Minniette Johnson the hardware proved to be the real challenge. There were actually two issues at
FOUNDING EDITOR Donald B. Peschke hand here. First, most of the commercially available hardware is designed for
MANAGING DIRECTOR CLIENT SOLUTIONS Dean Horowitz
large doors. And second, it tends to be pretty expensive.
PUBLISHER Steven M. Nordmeyer
VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL MANAGER Peter H. Miller, Hon. AIA Instead of using commercial hardware, John Doyle, one of our project
Woodsmith® (ISSN 0164-4114) is published bimonthly by designers, spent some time in the shop experimenting with a method for making
Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., 2143 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312.
Woodsmith® is a registered trademark of Cruz Bay Publishing. your own barn-door hardware out of nothing more than steel bar stock, some
Copyright© 2018 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Subscriptions: Single copy: $6.95.
pulleys, and a handful of fasteners. As you can see in the photos on the cover
Canadian Subscriptions: Canada Post Agreement No. 40038201. Send change of
address information to PO Box 881, Station Main, Markham, ON L3P 8M6.
and at the bottom of the next page, the results look fantastic. And after spending
Canada BN 82564 2911
Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, IA, and at additional offices.
quite a bit of time playing with the doors by sliding them back and forth (while
Printed in U.S.A. no one was watching), I can tell you that they work as good as they look.
WoodsmithCustomerService.com Naturally, a cabinet with barn doors deserves a suitable finish to match. In this
case, we went with a distressed, rustic-looking finish that was achieved through
ONLINE SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
a combination of milk paint and glaze. Creating the look you see is a multi-step
• VIEW your account information
• RENEW your subscription process, but the results are definitely worth the effort.
• CHECK on a subscription payment You can read about the finishing technique and making the hardware in the
• PAY your bill
• CHANGE your mailing or e-mail address article on page 44. But to give you an even better look at these two aspects of
• VIEW/RENEW your gift subscriptions this project, we’ve created a couple of Online Extra videos that you can view
• TELL US if you’ve missed an issue
CUSTOMER SERVICE Phone: 800-333-5075 weekdays
on our website at Woodsmith.com. Sometimes it helps to actually be able to see
SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITORIAL someone doing something rather than just reading about it.
Customer Service Woodsmith Magazine
P.O. Box 842 2143 Grand Avenue As a side note, both of these videos are taken from the Woodsmith Video Edi-
Des Moines, IA 50304-9961 Des Moines, IA 50312
[email protected] [email protected] tion. They’ll give you a taste of the kinds of videos you can see each week as
a subscriber to the Woodsmith Video Edition. You can find out more about it at
WoodsmithVideoEdition.com.

PRESIDENT & CEO Andrew W. Clurman

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TREASURER & CFO Michael Henry
CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER Jonathan Dorn
VICE PRESIDENT, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Tom Masterson
VICE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE & PLACES JoAnn Thomas
AIM BOARD CHAIR Efrem Zimbalist III Follow us:

2 • Woodsmith / No. 237 WoodsmithMagazine @WoodsmithMagazine @WoodsmithMag

WS237_002.indd 2 4/10/2018 2:43:35 PM

 contentsNo. 237 June/July 2018

30

18

Projects
weekend project
Magnetic Knife Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Unlike a conventional knife block, this weekend project stores
the knives on the outside — where you can easily see them. It
uses concealed rare-earth magnets to hold the knives in place.

shop project
Auxiliary Router Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
This trio of shop-built auxiliary router bases will expand the
capabilities of your hand-held router. You can build one or all
36 three, depending on the type of work you do.

designer project
Floating Wall Shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Without any visible wall fasteners, these shelves seem to be
magically suspended from the wall. The design allows you to
customize the layout to suit your wall space for a unique look.

shop project
Multifunction Clamping Station . . . . . . . . . . .36
Whether you need to assemble a project or just hold a piece
firmly in place while working on it, this mobile clamping sta-
tion fills the bill. It’s a must-have for any shop.

heirloom project
Barn-Door Cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
The rolling barn doors and distressed, rustic finish give this
project a country feel. But the ample storage space will be a
44 welcome addition to any home.

Woodsmith.com • 3

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 12

Departments

from our readers

Tips & Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
all about 14
Aniline Dyes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
router workshop
Best Bits for Palm Routers . . . . . 12
great gear
Dog Hole Accessories . . . . . . . . . 14

woodworking technique
Working with Acrylic . . . . . . . . . . 16

working with tools

Choosing a Band Saw . . . . . . . . . 56
in the shop
Shop Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
mastering the table saw
Locking Rabbet Joinery . . . . . . . 62
tips from our shop 62
Shop Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

4 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 ur
from o
readers

Tips &
Techniques
Dust-Proof Charging Station
One day, while blowing the sawdust off
my cordless tool chargers, I decided I
needed to come up with a charging sta- a. BACK VIEW #/4
tion that would organize the chargers 4!/2
as well as keep the dust off of them. My 2!/4
Back
solution is a simple box that mounts to
the underside of any shelf or cabinet. NOTE: All parts
made from !/2" 2!/4
The back of the case is hinged to allow 1#/8"-dia.
NOTE: Eye screw plywood
the box to drop down (photo at right). attached to cabinet
for latch 19!/2 9" chain
HANGING BOX. The charging station
parts are joined together with a series 9 19" continuous
hinge Access hole
of rabbets. A continuous hinge con- for power strip cord
nects the back to the bottom and the NOTE: Sides are BACK 5 !/2
SIDE
mirror images
back closes into rabbets on the sides.
The back of the case is fastened to the !/2
underside of a cabinet with pocket !/4 BOTTOM 5!/2
screws. A hook and eye latch holds the SIDE
charging station closed (inset photo). FRONT 19!/2 9
A small chain attached to the inside Hook
of the station and the cabinet supports latch !/2
5!/2
NOTE: Attach chain
the station when it’s opened. 20 to cabinet and side
Ron Diermeier using !/2" screws
Neenah, Wisconsin

Win This Forrest Blade

Simply send us your favorite
shop tips. If your tip or technique The Winner!
is selected as the featured Congratulations to
reader’s tip, you’ll win a Forrest Ron Diermeier, the winner of
Woodworker II blade. To submit this Forrest Woodworker II.
your tip or technique, go to To find out how you can win
SubmitWoodsmithT ips.com. this blade, check out the
There you can upload your tips information at left.
and photos for consideration.

Illustrator: Becky Kralicek Woodsmith.com • 5

WS237_004.indd 5 4/3/2018 9:20:23 AM

 SUPPORT #8 x 1!/4" Fh
4 woodscrew
!/2"-rad. 8 FENCE

FENCE BASE
8 2#/8
2#/8 8
SIDE SECTION VIEW a.
8 30 1 2
Router insert
plate 1 1!/8
1!/2
4 Support
2

#8 x 1!/4" Fh
woodscrew
1#/4 1!/4 #/8

30 !/8"chamfer 24 NOTE: Holes

drilled in top
to hang for
storage
TOP #/4"-rad.
!/8"chamfer
NOTE: All parts made
from #/4" plywood. Top
is two layers of #/4" plywood
CLAMP
BLOCK 7
b. BOTTOM VIEW
Stud spacing

8 Top
1!/2
#8 x 1!/4" Fh woodscrew 8!/2 T-nut for
Fold-Away Router Table 1"-dia. attaching insert
In my shop, floor space is always at a To make the fence, I simply connected
1 Clamp
premium. One day, I had the idea to strips of plywood with screws and added block
build a router top for my Workmate to some supports to keep the fence square.
help save on real estate. A notch in both the fence base and the
!/2 1
TOP CONSTRUCTION. I built the top of the fence provides an opening for the router
router table using two layers of 3⁄4" ply- bit. A clamp on each end holds the fence
wood. This ensured that the top was to the table (main photo). insert out and store it in the cabinet. The
sturdy and it wouldn’t warp over time. FOLDABLE BASE. To grip the top in the top can be hung on a wall using a pair of
Instead of attaching the router to the top, Workmate base, I attached a pair of holes drilled to match stud spacing. The
I chose to cut an opening for a router clamp blocks wider than my router on Workmate can then be folded for storage.
insert plate. This allows me to remove the underside of the top. When I’m done Adam Petersen
the router and plate for storage. working with the router top, I pull the Sioux Falls, South Dakota

QUICK TIPS

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

6 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 { Slots in the back allow the jig to be moved
up and down for working on different
thickness of materials.

Circular Router Guide

I make a lot of wood toys. This fre- The V-notch and the hole provide that you’ll be routing. The width of the
quently requires routing profiles on clearance for the router bit. A pair of V-notch can be customized for the diameter
small round parts. To safely work threaded knobs and economy T-nuts of workpieces that you usually work with.
with these parts at the router table, I are mounted in slots on the back and Dan Martin
made the guide shown here. attach the guide to the router fence. Galena, Ohio
This guide serves as a fence for the The polycarbonate guard is attached
parts and helps keep my fingers away
from the spinning bit. The polycarbon-
with two panhead screws.
To use the guide, the economy T-nuts DIGITAL WOODSMITH
ate guard offers a clear view of the bit. are slid into the T-track in the fence and
V-NOTCH. The guide is made of ply- the knobs tightened down. The fence SUBMIT TIPS ONLINE
LINE
wood. The base has a V-notch cut in can then be adjusted to position the If you have an original shop
op
it which intersects an elongated hole. guide for the diameter of the workpiece tip, we would like to hearr
from you and consider
!/4"-20 studded knob
Economy NOTE: Back and publishing your tip in onee
T-nut #6 x %/8"
Ph screw base are or more of our publications.
ns.
8 #/4" plywood
Jump online and go to:
GUARD
BACK SubmitWoodsmithTips.com
om
5 2&/8 !/4 You’ll be able to tell us all
about your tip and upload your
BASE photos and drawings. You can also
mail your tips to “Woodsmith th Tips”
!/4" fender
washer at the editorial address shown on
#/4
page 2. We will pay up to $200 if
#8 x 1!/4" Fh woodscrew #/4
we publish your tip.
NOTE: Guard is 1!/2"-dia.
!/4" polycarbonate
5 RECEIVE FREE ETIPS
a. b. %/16 BY EMAIL
Back Now you can have the best time-saving
(/16 secrets, solutions, and techniques sent
2 directly to your email inbox. Just go to:
1 Back
#/8
3&/8 Woodsmith.com
#/4
1!/16
and click on,
45˚
TOP VIEW “Woodsmith eTips”
#/8 You’ll receive one of our favorite tips
Base #/4
BACK VIEW by email each and every week.

Illustrations: Becky Kralicek Woodsmith.com • 7

WS237_006.indd 7 4/4/2018 7:19:30 AM

 Band Clamp Corner Guards
When gluing up a drawer, I needed corner protectors that
were larger than the ones that came with my band clamp. So,
I decided to make my own. The solution ended up being a
section of PVC pipe that was left over from a plumbing project.
After cutting the pipe into four pieces, I cut a 1"-wide slot
along the length of each piece. The slot allows the PVC to fit
over the corners of the project without damaging them. For
clamping pressure, I used a standard band clamp.
The large diameter of the PVC allows me to stand the corner
pieces on end and use both hands to center the strap. The slot
in the PVC makes it easy to reach a tape measure to the corners
of your project and measure for square (inset photo).
Wilbur Carruth
Eagle Lake, Florida

QUICK TIPS

Locating the Off Switch. Jason Adler of Richland, WA, Sawdust Collection. William Aulick of Cincinnati, OH,
found himself searching for the power switch on his table makes his own wood filler using sawdust mixed with glue.
saw, particularly when cutting large workpieces. To help To collect sawdust, William uses his lathe to turn a scrap of
quickly find the switch, he marks its location with a piece of wood. With coarse grit sandpaper and a sheet of paper to
bright tape on top of his fence rail. catch the dust, WIlliam can quickly collect all he needs.

Painter Glue Points. John Doyle of Ankeny, IA, uses old Makeshift Rasp. Dennis Vertress of Elizabethtown, KY,
glue bottle caps as painters points. By using the caps, he came up with an innovative solution when he needed a
can easily lift his workpiece off the surface and avoids the rasp but didn’t have one that was long enough. With his
edges sticking to the bench. The small surface area of the workpiece clamped in a vise, he found a piece of all-
caps leave no marks and the wide base keeps them stable. thread served as a great makeshift rasp.

8 • Woodsmith / No. 237

WS237_008.indd 8 4/3/2018 10:06:31 AM

 Drill Press Table Jack
My drill press doesn’t have a crank to
raise and lower the table. So moving
the table on my drill press can be a
pain. Not only is it heavy, but it’s hard
to get a good grip to both lift and lock
it in place. I decided to tackle this prob-
lem by building the jack shown here.
JACK IT UP. The drill press table jack
uses a mechanical advantage to allow
me to easily raise or lower the table
with one hand. I can simply move
the arm to the closest set of notches,
loosen the table, and lift (or lower).
My other hand is free to lock the table
in place. The arm can then be stored
next to the table.
The jack consists of a wide base
with two uprights. The uprights have
a series of notches along the front edge.
The long lift arm has a notch on the
back end to fit over a dowel. Every-
thing is attached to the bench so it
doesn’t tip over while in use. To make
this sturdy, all the parts are glued up
from two layers of plywood.
Dan Martin
Galena, Ohio

a.
SIDE VIEW 1!/2"-rad.

1!/4
Lift arm #/4"-rad. 3
1#/4"-rad.
3!/4
3
5
{ By moving the dowel up or down in the
uprights, the jack can cover a range of
height adjustments.

b.
SIDE SECTION VIEW
NOTE: All parts are
made from two #/4"-rad. 3%/16
layers of #/4"Baltic 14!/2
birch plywood
32
UPRIGHT
8 Upright
85˚

1!/2"dowel BASE
3#/8

1!/2 #/4"-rad.
LIFT ARM %/16" washer

!/4"chamfer 10 3!/2
NOTE: Space 10 2
uprights 1!/2" apart so
!/4"-rad. arm fits between them
%/8"-rad.
NOTE: Base is 9
attached to worksurface #8 x 2!/2"
with lag screws Fh woodscrews 1

Woodsmith.com • 9

WS237_008.indd 9 4/3/2018 10:07:10 AM

 all
about

Adding color with

Aniline Dyes
As woodworkers, I believe each of us add a hint of color to a project without Since the pigment dissolves, the dye
has an affinity for the natural beauty of hiding the grain or figure with a stain, soaks deeper into the wood fibers.
wood. Sure, it’s occasionally nice to have that’s when I reach for an aniline dye. Because of this, dyes don’t obscure the
a project that you can breeze through COLORFUL & CLEAR. Before talking about wood grain as a stain would. This soak-
because it’s going to be painted. But for the uses of dye, it’s important to explain ing action also helps maintain even color
me at least, those tend to be few and far the difference between a dye and a stain. on highly figured woods or species that
between. My go-to finish for years has Almost everyone is familiar with a can don’t take stain well, such as curly maple
been a wipe-on varnish that lets the of stain. These are nothing more than a (middle photo, opposite page).
wood shine. However, when I want to pigment that’s suspended in a binder. POWDER VS. LIQUID. Traditionally, dyes
The binder acts like glue and holds the were available as a powder and dis-
pigment primarily on top of the surface. solved in alcohol. Today, both liquid
A dye, however, is a ground natural and powder dyes are available (bottom
pigment that is dissolved in a solvent. left photo). Both types can be dissolved

< Both powdered

dye and liquid dyee
concentrates can be
dissolved in water.r.

{ Dyes are available in a variety of shades,

ranging from wood tones to vibrant colors.

10 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Logan Wittmer

WS237_010.indd 10 4/3/2018 3:00:10 PM

 { Powdered dyes require straining after mixing into a solvent to remove any
sediment that has not fully dissolved (photo, left). The transparency of dye allows
the color to be built up gradually, or thinned out using additional solvent.

in water, denatured alcohol, or oil. MIXING DYE. Preparing dye does involve
Water is the most forgiving to apply, so a little more work than opening a can of
it tends to be my first choice when mix- stain. When using a liquid dye, I start
ing a dye, as shown in the main photo with a half cup of hot water and just
on the previous page. a few drops of dye, but manufacturers
Alcohol and oil can both be used to will give you instructions for a good
cut a dye into a finish such as lacquer starting point for both powder and
or varnish. There are few differences liquid dyes. With dye, you can always
between powder and liquid dyes, the add additional layers to create a more
main one being that powdered dyes vibrant color (upper right photo). So I
need to be strained after initial mixing to keep my mixes on the lighter side and
remove any sediment (upper left photo). always write the mixture on the out-
COLORS. While stain manufacturers all side of the container.
have a standard palette of wood tones, APPLICATION. Application of dye depends
dyes tend to be a little different. Dyes on what solvent you use, as shown in { Traditional stain (left) tends to blotch and
are available in various colors, ranging the photos below. A water-based dye obscure figured grain, while dye (right)
from reddish brown to yellow, purple, will raise the grain, so pre-dampen your highlights grain and stays uniform.
and beyond, as shown in the bottom workpiece and sand down any raised
right photo on the previous page. fibers. Then, you can either brush, For dyes that are dissolved in alco-
Can’t find a shade you like? Try a cus- wipe, or spray on the water-based dye. hol, brushing tends to cause lap marks
tom mix adding different shades of If brushing or wiping, keep a wet edge due to alcohols quick drying time. In
pigment into a solvent. to avoid any lap marks. this case, I like to mix the tinted alco-
hol with a finish such as shellac
or lacquer. The dye and alcohol
will thin the finish and tint it with
your dye color. Then, I apply the
finish as usual, which is normally
by spraying.
With any method of dye applica-
tion, it‘s imperative to allow ample
drying time before applying a final
topcoat. Because dye is not as light-
fast as a stain, I prefer to topcoat
with a UV inhibitor finish.
Whether you have some figured
wood you want to show off, or
you’re looking for a little more con-
{ Dye can be applied using many traditional methods. For water-based dye, brushing and wiping trol than a stain can offer, the
work well. For dye dissolved in alcohol, mixing the dye into a finish such as shellac or lacquer versatility of dye can’t be beat. W
and spraying is the preferred method of application.

Woodsmith.com • 11

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 router
p
worksho

Best bits for

Palm Routers
For years, my only router was a mid-size However, I’ve since added a smaller palm point in paying for long cutting edges
Porter-Cable 690. It’s a solid, powerful router and have been surprised at how that you won’t use.
tool. Since it came with a 1⁄2" collet, most powerful and capable it is. This machine ROUNDOVER BIT. Roundovers are the
of the bits I bought have 1⁄2" shanks. only accepts 1⁄4" shank bits, so I needed other easing profile you’ll often turn to.
to add some bits to my kit (never a bad Keep in mind that for softening edges,
!/4" roundover
thing). Here are the bits I use most often. smaller radii are better. Start with a 1⁄4"
45° chamfer bit and 3⁄8" bit. The nice thing is these can
bit
EASED EDGES be formed in a single pass.
T first job many folk think of with
The You don’t need to go crazy and get a
small
sm routers is easing edges — the role lot of different-sized roundover bits. If
even
ev smaller “laminate trimmers” play. you need a specific size down the road,
The
T trio to the left is a good place to start you can pick it up at that time.
when
w talking about a set of bits. Another reason to keep the bit sizes
CHAMFER BIT. A routed chamfer creates small is the relatively small footprint of
a facet that catches light (and your eye) a palm router. Using smaller bits means
in addition to softening the edge. A 45° the router is more stable and better bal-
#/8"
" roundover
roundove
er
bit chamfer bit is essential. But what you
ch anced on a workpiece.
may not realize is that they come in sev-
m
{ Simple, small profile bits are just the eral sizes. For this kind of work, opt for SHAPING KIT
starting point of assembling a set of bits a smaller bit since the chamfers you’ll Routers excel at creating shaped details
for versatile palm routers. be creating tend to be small. There’s no and profiles. So with a palm router,

12 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Phil Huber

WS237_012.indd 12 4/6/2018 7:19:02 AM

 Cove &
bead bit
!/4" cove #/8" cove
bit bit
!/2" core #/4" core
box bit box bit

Ogee bit

{ Cove bits team up with chamfers and roundovers to create custom

tom molding profiles.
Core box bits form elegant flutes (photo at right). Find a dedicated profile bit (or
two) that you like to create the profiles you use most often.

it pays to work to those strengths. These can be used on small projects, or smooth mortises much faster than the
Paired with the previous set of bits, the in combination with the other profiles, drill-and-chop method.
general-purpose bits shown above allow as a built-up profile. Here again, be A smattering of other inexpensive
you to create a wide range of profiles. mindful of the cutting diameter, which straight bit sizes (3⁄8" and 3⁄4" to start)
COVE BITS. The starting point is getting makes it trickier to support the router. allow you to tackle grooves, dadoes, and
a pair of cove bits. These bits create Larger bits can cause the motor to bog rabbets (with your stock edge guide).
the opposite profile as a roundover bit. down unless you make several passes. PATTERN BIT. Instead of a standard 1⁄2"
When used on its own, a cove routed straight bit, I chose a pattern bit. This
on the underside of a tabletop visu- JOINERY POWERHOUSE “two-fer” solution works as a standard
ally lightens the look. However, a cove I bought my first router thinking it would straight bit, but can also follow a tem-
plays nicely with roundover bits to cre- be a profile-making machine. The reality plate to create identical parts.
ate complex, or built-up profiles. is I use the router for cutting joinery at DOVETAIL BIT. The final bit is a dovetail
CORE BOX BITS. Core box bits may seem least as often. The bits shown below are bit. It may seem odd, but a palm router
too similar to cove bits to be worth an array of mostly straight-cutting bits. is beefy enough to power a dovetail
purchasing. But having a couple of The bits I’m listing are shown in stan- bit using a jig (lower left photo). As a
these bits frees you from only routing dard sizes, but you may want to get a bonus, the smaller base gives you much
the edges of a workpiece. You can cre- set of “plywood” sized bits if you work better vision over the process to boot.
ate flutes, as shown in the upper right with that material often. In some cases, I ended up buying bits
photo, or other rounded details. SPIRAL BIT. Many palm routers come as I already had in 1⁄2" shank. But consider-
SPECIALTY PROFILE. I also suggest add- a kit that includes a plunge base. Paired ing the palm router’s ease of use, it was
ing a specialty profile bit to your mix. with a 1⁄4" spiral bit, a palm router cuts worth the extra expense. W
!/4" spiral #/8" #/4" !/2" pattern
upcut bit straight straight bit
bit bit

Dovetail
bit

{ Straight
aight bits allow
low you to tackle all
al kinds of joi
joinery
oinnery with a ppalm
router. A pattern bit serves double duty for using templates.
Don’t forget a dovetail bit if you have a dovetail jig.

Woodsmith.com • 13

WS237_012.indd 13 4/6/2018 7:20:03 AM

 great
gear

Beyond
Bench Dogs
Woodworking often requires a focused look at and each has its own merits and The Kreg clamp has an auto-adjust
effort of controlled strength in a small works in a slightly different way. mechanism that lets you dial in your
area — with sharp tools. And it goes HOLD-DOWNS. The first option to con- clamping pressure. After you’ve set the
without saying that these tasks need to sider is an adjustable clamping setup pressure the first time, it will maintain
be done accurately and safely. So here’s like you see in the photo below. The that pressure regardless of how thick
a quick look at some of the allies you hold-downs are a combination of a Kreg your workpiece is.
have at the workbench when you’re try- bench clamp, attached to a clamp plate The only downside with this tool is
ing to accomplish that. and post. This combo is available from that the tongue of the clamp that’s press-
The common trait among the tools I’m Lee Valley and has a lot going for it. ing the board against the table can be in
looking at here is that they all fit in a 3⁄4" The long post that the clamp is
dog hole. There are four devices I took a attached to has fine ridges that give it
a non-slip grip, as you see in the photo
Kreg 6” at right. The length of the post lets you
bench clamp
raise the clamp to accommodate
different thicknesses of
workpieces.
Kreg 3”
bench clamp

Clamp plate and

10” post

Don’t Move. The clamp and post

combo lets you lock your workpiece
Clamp plate
and 5” post where you want it on your workbench.

14 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Erich Lage

WS237_014.indd 14 4/9/2018 7:17:40 AM

 the way at times. So next up are a few
devices that hold things from the edges.
BENCH BLADES. There are times when you
find yourself needing unobstructed
access to the surface of a workpiece.
But you still want it held firmly in
place, such as when doing relief carv-
ing like you see in the far right photo. 5° cant

The Veritas Bench Blade is the accessory

for this situation. This sleek, low-pro-
file clamp shines when it comes to Low Profile. The inward cant in the Firm Grip. The adjustable cam and
staying out of your way and keeping face of the Bench Blade from Veritas pivoting head on each Bench Blade
delicate workpieces in place. holds thin material firmly in place. provide flexible clamping options.
To start, it sits barely 1⁄4" above the
surface of the workbench. The jaw of PLANE STOPS. Often, I don’t need a Moving the bar itself while the pegs
the clamp rotates and has a 5° cant that workpiece clamped; I just don’t want are held in place has an advantage when
pinches firmly against the workpiece it sliding around when I’m working on working on different sized pieces.
(left photo above). The jaw is moved it. An example is when I’m planing or One more thing I want to show you is
into place by a cam that has two posi- scraping a board, like in the photo at left. what’s in the box below. Bench Cookies
tive stops and a throw range up to a 1⁄4". The plane stops from Veritas are a have been around for a while, but there’s
So using a pair of the blades gives you low-profile option to keep workpieces an upgrade worth looking at. There’s no
plenty of room for adjustment. from sliding, with the added benefit of doubt that all of these accessories will
being very adjustable. The setup serve you well at the workbench. W
starts with 3⁄4" pegs that have an
O-ring in a machined notch at the
top of the peg. That notch travels
in a groove on the underside of the
long aluminum bar.
In the past, when I’ve made jigs
that incorporate the dog holes in
my workbench the dowels I used
had to be spaced perfectly to those
holes. With the plane stops, the
Plane Stops. This simple bar and pegs fit the distance between dog holes is of
bill in many tasks at the workbench. They’re no consequence since they move { The pegs for the plane stop slide in a
ideal for planing or scraping boards. freely in the bar. groove on the bottom face of the bar.

Bench Cookies: WORKING ABOVE THE FRAY

Now for a product that takes you above and beyond the dog hole, but is anchored
by it — Rockler’s Bench Cookie Plus. The bench cookie is a round disc with a very
aggressive gripper pad on either side. Setting your workpiece on these cookies
prevents the board from moving around while you’re working on it.
Rockler has upped the ante by adding a threaded insert on one side of the
cookie that lets you attach risers to the cookie. These risers are 3⁄4" diameter and
come in two heights, standard and XL. The photo to the left shows one variation
of how the XL riser can be attached to a cookie.
I used the XL riser to increase the distance of
th workpiece from the worksurface, as the left
the
photo shows. With the standard riser, you
ph
can lock a cookie in place in the dog holes.
ca
Above it All. The bench cookies with Or, you can tie two cookies together. The
O
the XL risers provide enough clearance
e Bench Cookie Plus Master Kit is available
B
from the bench for jig saw operations. from Rockler, (56071) for $59.99.
fr

Woodsmith.com • 15

WS237_014.indd 15 4/9/2018 7:18:22 AM

 orking
woodwnique
tech

7 Tips for
working with Acrylic
When I build jigs and fixtures, I often main parts. Acrylic makes it easier to see all my machining tasks, it protects the
make them out of the same materials I the work as you’re routing. And since it’s surfaces from the inevitable scratches
use on my project — hardwoods and ply- not affected by humidity, I know it will and marks that often result as you work.
wood. But for the router baseplates on stay flat and hold up over time.
page 24, we decided to use acrylic for the What’s nice is you can use your basic [2] Punch It
woodworking tools to cut and The layout marks on the protective wrap
shape acrylic. The following work great when you’re cutting to a line.
tips and tricks will help you get But when it comes to drilling acrylic, I like
the best results as you work. to make sure the bit is going to enter right
at the mark. Small diameter bits have a
[1] Layout tendency to skate on the smooth surface,
One of the key challenges resulting in a slightly off-center hole.
when working with acrylic is So once I’ve made my layout marks,
making accurate layout marks I use a spring-loaded punch to create
on the smooth, clear surface. a small dimple (near left photo). Then,
The solution is simple — hold when I’m ready to drill the hole, the bit
off on removing the protective centers itself right where I want it to.
wrap material from those sur-
faces (far left photo). [3] Choosing Blades
By leaving it in place, it’s easy As I mentioned, basic woodworking
{ Layout is made easy by leaving the protective wrap to make accurate layout marks, tools like your table saw or band saw
in place (left). A spring-loaded punch ensures an whether the wrap is paper or work fine for cutting and shaping acrylic.
accurate hole location for drilling (right). plastic. And while I complete The challenge is that acrylic can heat up

16 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Bryan Nelson

WS237_016.indd 16 4/9/2018 12:16:52 PM

 and melt as it’s cut, besides possibly chip-
ping out along the edges.
Most table saws come with a carbide-
tipped saw blade and that works well
in most cases. But for the best results,
choose a blade with a triple-chip grind
and 80-teeth. For cuts at the band saw, I
typically use a 1⁄4"-wide blade. It has more
teeth per inch for taking smaller “bites.”
Regardless of the blade you use on
either tool, keep the feed rate steady as
you make the cut. This minimizes the
chance for the acrylic to melt and create { A carbide-tipped saw blade, hardboard { To minimize melting and plastic build up
a gummy mess along the cut line. backer, and a steady feed rate provide the on the bottom face, a backer is especially
smoothest cuts. important at the band saw.
[4] Use a Backer
Whether you’re making a cut at the table the plastic simply curls away from the bit [7] Finishing Edges
saw or band saw, one of the best things as you drill the hole. (I drill at the lowest No matter how careful you are, the odds
you can do is add a piece of hardboard speed on my drill press.) are that some of the cut edges will show
under the workpiece (upper right pho- For the baseplates, I needed more than some saw marks. Files, sandpaper, and a
tos). The hardboard acts as a backer to just through holes, though. As you can scraper (photo below) are really all you
support thin material and helps prevent see in the center photo below, I tapped a need to create smooth edges.
chipout along the cutline. I find it best to few of the holes to accept fasteners. After But if you want to remove most of the
use double-sided tape to attach the hard- drilling the appropriate size clearance work of smoothing an edge, you may
board right along the cut lines. hole, you’re ready to create threads by want to try out a flush-trim bit mounted
running a tap through the hole. in a router table. To do this, I spend my
[5] Drilling & Tapping time up front shaping a piece of hard-
Drilling holes is probably the most chal- [6] Keep It Lubed board to match the shape I want.
lenging task with acrylic. Most drill bits When you work with metal, it’s impor- Then, I use that as a template to lay out
tend to dig into the material and grab, tant to provide lubrication as you drill the profile on a piece of acrylic. After cut-
which often results in cracks and chipout. a hole or tap threads. That’s just as true ting the acrylic slightly oversized (1⁄16" all
There are specialized bits for drilling for acrylic. The nice thing is, however, around), I join them with double-sided
plastic. And if you have to drill a lot of you don’t need to use messy cutting tape and rout the edges flush (main
holes, that’s the best solution. But for fluids or oils for the job. photo, opposite page). The bit leaves a
just a few holes, you can take an ordi- I just mix up a solution of water and smooth, finished edge.
nary twist bit and modify it by grinding a little dishwashing soap. A few squirts The next time you work with acrylic,
small flats on the flutes (photo at lower from a bottle as you work keeps things give these tricks a try. I’m sure you’ll find
left). This turns the bit into a scraper, so cool and improves the overall result. the end results are just what you need. W
Grind flat

{ A modified twist bit (left) ensures the bit { Acrylic can be tapped just like metal. After { To smooth out any rough edges or saw
doesn’t grab. It also creates tight, curly drilling an undersized through hole to marks after making a cut, take a few
shavings as you drill the hole. match the tap, cut the threads. passes with an ordinary card scraper.

Woodsmith.com • 17

WS237_016.indd 17 4/9/2018 12:17:47 PM

 ee ken d
Weekend
WProject
Project

Revolving
Knife
Block
This knife block is not
only a great way to show
off your knives, but to
store them also. The
built-in handle makes it
easy to move the block
from counter to cabinet.

When I recently decided to replace my

worn-out knife set, I bought a set of
high-quality knives. The knives didn’t
come with a knife block, however. So I
decided to build one.
DESIGN DETAILS. The first thing you’ll
notice about this knife block is its
shape. Instead of a typical “square”
knife block, this one is an octagon. The
shape is accomplished with the help of
a unique bit at the router table.
This knife block keeps all of your
knives in one place, and it also shows handle and also creates two storage before the base is added. The first order
them off. That’s because of how the areas for other kitchen tools. The best of business is to cut the staves to size and
block holds the knives. Instead of slip- feature of the block, however? That cut the joinery to assemble the canister.
ping into slots, the knives are held to the may be its small size. And the fact that CANISTER PARTS. The staves get cut to
block with the use of hidden magnets. it’s packed with woodworking tech- size at the table saw. Then using a
A lazy Susan bearing allows the canister niques, but goes together in a weekend. dado blade, cut a centered groove on
to spin for easy access to each knife, no two staves to accept the divider that’s
matter where they are on the block. STAVES added later. The details of the groove
After the canister is assembled, a The knife block consists of just a few are shown in Figure 1 on the next page.
figured veneer is added to cover the parts. A series of staves form a canister Figure 2 shows the location for the
recessed magnets. A divider acts as a that captures the bottom and the divider dado cut near the bottom of each stave.

18 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Logan Wittmer; Project design: Dennis Volz

WS237_018.indd 18 4/11/2018 10:32:13 AM

 a. TOP VIEW

NOTE: Staves A
are #/4"-thick
hardwood. A
Bottom is &/32 A !/4
#/8"-thick A A A 1!/8
hardwood

A (/16
A
B
A

5 b. FRONT VIEW
!/2"-dia., !/8" deep
B
BOTTOM 5 A 1

!!/16
A 1!#/16 2 A
Waste
A Recesses A
to accept
magnets 1!/4

c. SIDE SECTION VIEW

STAVE 8!/4
A A A A A A

!/4 B
NOTE: See Shop Notes
NOTE: Magnet on page 64 for information #/8
recesses are on cutting bottom
!/8"-deep
!/4
2!/2

This dado holds the bottom. Before I bird’s mouth router bit to cut a notch in setup instructions. Figure 3 below shows
cut the joinery to connect the staves, I one edge. Detail ‘a’ above shows how how to make this cut at the router table.
drilled shallow holes on each outside the staves fit together with this type Before moving on to assembling the can-
face to accept the magnets. The dimen- of joint. The bird’s mouth bit makes ister, you’ll want to make sure to cut the
sions can be found in detail ‘b’ above. clamping the canister together simple. bottom to size. Details for both laying
BIRD’S MOUTH. Instead of mitering the However, the setup for this type of bit out and cutting the octagonal bottom
staves to create the canister, I used a is critical, so follow the manufacturer’s can be found in Shop Notes on page 64.

How-To: CUT & SHAPE THE STAVES

Push
1 2 3 block
Aux. miter
Push fence
block
A
A

A
a. END VIEW a. END VIEW a. END VIEW
!/4 Bird's (/16
!/4 #/8
1!/8 #/8" dado mouth &/32
&/32
!/4 blade bit A
A !/4 A NOTE:
See Sources
!/4" dado for where to
blade find router bit

Grooves for Divider. At the table Dadoes for Bottom. Stay at the Rout Glue Joint. Use a bird’s mouth bit to
saw, cut a centered groove in two table saw to cut a dado on each rout the glue joint on each stave. Set up the bit
staves to hold the divider. stave to accept the bottom. exactly per the manufacturer’s directions.

Illustrations: Peter J. Larson Woodsmith.com • 19

WS237_018.indd 19 4/11/2018 10:14:57 AM

 PATTERN CLAMPING FORM (Enlarge 400%)
Wedges for
clamping pressure
%/16"-dia. 3%/16"-rad.

Clamping
8 forms
8
NOTE: Clamping
forms are made
from #/4" plywood

#/4
NOTE: See Shop Notes
on page 64 for
clamping instructions
For full-size
pattern, go to
Woodsmith.com
NOTE: Glue up

Assemble the CANISTER using hide glue

for longer open time

With the staves cut and the joinery even clamping pressure on each stave. CHAMFER. After the glue is dry, it’s time to
complete, it’s time to assemble the can- The solution is the clamping forms that head back to the table saw to cut a cham-
ister. With miters, clamping the canister are shown above. Figures 1 and 2 below fer around the top edge of the canister.
together would be a long process, mak- show the process for making the clamp- The chamfer not only dresses up the fin-
ing sure nothing has slipped out of place. ing forms. You’ll need to make two of ished block, but it also helps lessen the
With the bird’s mouth joint, each stave fits them, one for the top and bottom of the chance that the top of the block will get
into a mating angled rabbet. This creates canister. Once the clamping forms are dinged with use. Cutting the bevel is as
a positive reference when gluing the can- cut, check out Shop Notes on page 64 simple as tilting the blade 22.5° and sup-
ister and makes assembly a snap. for the rest of the glue up details. Don’t porting the canister with a miter gauge
CLAMPING FORM. Even though the bird’s forget to put the bottom into the canis- and a tall auxiliary fence (Figure 3). A
mouth joint makes assembling the can- ter before gluing in all of the staves and stop block on the miter fence will ensure
ister easier, it can still be difficult to get seating the clamping forms. that each facet is consistent.

How-To: CREATE THE CLAMPING FORMS & CHAMFER THE TOP

1 2 Jig saw 3
%/16"
brad Blank
point bit clamped to Stop
worksurface block

a. END
VIEW
!/8
Tilt
blade
22!/2° Auxiliary
Pattern applied miter fence
to plywood blank

Drill Corners. Define the corner points Form Opening. Use a jig saw to Chamfer Canister. Use a tall auxiliary
of the clamping form with a drill bit to carefully remove the waste from the miter fence to support the canister
avoid damaging stave corners. clamping form, keeping cuts straight. while chamfering the top edge.

20 • Woodsmith / No. 237

WS237_020.indd 20 4/10/2018 9:29:39 AM

 a. TOP VIEW Veneer NOTE: Veneer
sheet Canister applied with cold
assembly press veneer glue
!/2"-dia.
rare-earth
magnets
Canister
assembly

Veneer Waste

b. SIDE SECTION VIEW

8!/8

Waste
Canister
assembly

Sand veneer
flush with chamfer

Veneer
NOTE: Magnets
installed with epoxy
2!/2

VENEERING THE CANISTER to the block. In this case, 1⁄2"-diameter below outlines the steps of applying and
Now that the canister is close to its final magnets that are 1⁄8"-thick worked trimming the veneer.
form, it’s nearly time for the veneer. well. Secure the magnets into each of Because of the angles of the staves,
One final detail to take care of first is the holes using epoxy and allow them each face of veneer needs the edge planed
to install the magnets that will hold the to dry before adding the veneer. to match the angle of the next stave. That
knives to the block. VENEER. To cover the magnets, I used a way, when the next piece of veneer is
EPOXY MAGNETS. To hold the knives in mahogany veneer. The key to applying applied, it will lay flat on top of the previ-
place, I used three rare-earth magnets veneer is using an even spread of glue ous veneer face. Detail ‘a’ shows how the
on each face. The sizing of these are and even clamping pressure. Speaking veneer overlaps. Sand the top edge of the
important. If the magnets are too strong, of glue, I used a cold press veneer glue veneer to match the chamfer on the top
the knives will be hard to remove. to prevent the adhesive from bleeding on the canister (detail ‘b’). You’re aiming
Too weak, and the knives won’t hold through the veneer. The How-To box for a smooth transition here.

How-To: APPLY VENEER TO STAVES

Trim
1 Caul 2 Block plane 3 trailing
edge
Waxed
paper

a. a.

Veneer Caul provides even

clamping pressure

Glue Veneer. Apply the first panel of Bevel Veneer. Bevel the edge of each Trim Overlapped Veneer. Trim the
veneer using veneer glue and a caul to piece of veneer to match the next stave overlapping veneer pieces with a block
ensure even clamping pressure. before applying the next veneer panel. plane to soften the trailing edge.

Woodsmith.com • 21

WS237_020.indd 21 4/11/2018 10:14:26 AM

 Adding the 45° D
4!/16

5!/16

DIVIDER & BASE SCALE

D
45°

Waste
!!/16

With the veneer attached to the canister a. TOP VIEW

and trimmed to size, you’re in the home

stretch. The last few things to add are a Waste
divider and base. As I mentioned before, D
C

the divider serves a couple of purposes.

NOTE: Divider 67!/2°
First, it offers a handle for carrying the is made from C

block. Second, it breaks up the open !/4"-thick hardwood. DIVIDER D

Scales are made from
space inside the canister so you can #/8"-thick hardwood
store long-handled kitchen tools. 10!/4
DIVIDER FIRST. The divider is made of
1
⁄4"-thick mahogany. It has a hand hole
b. SIDE
cut near the top that’s layered with a SECTION c. FRONT SECTION VIEW
pair of scales to form a handle. The VIEW
1#/16
divider starts as a blank that’s planed
D D D
down to final thickness and cut to size 1#/16
on the table saw. Creating the hand
hole is a straightforward process. 1!/2 2
C !/8" 1"-dia.
Figure 1 below outlines cutting the roundover
opening in the divider. C

A pair of scales are attached to both

sides of the divider, flush with the top
of the opening, to provide a comfort-
able grip. To create the scales, start
with an oversized blank planed to final COMPOUND BEVELS. To lighten the look of Not to worry, Figures 2 through 4
thickness and cut to width. Rout a 1⁄8" the divider, the top corners are beveled, below guide you through the pro-
roundover on both long edges (detail along with the ends of the scales. After cess. Simply use a miter gauge at the
‘b’). After the roundover is done, the the bevel is cut, the end of each scale table saw and keep a spacer handy to
scales can be cut to rough length and is then chamfered at 221⁄2° to achieve support the divider and keep it level.
glued onto the divider blank above a compound angle that flows nicely. With all the bevels cut, you can set the
the handle opening. It’s okay if they’re Looking at the angles, it can be easy divider off to the side. Don’t install it
a little long, as you’ll trim them next. to get confused on how to cut them. until after the finish is applied.

How-To: MAKE THE DIVIDER & THE BASE

1 2 3 D 4
Jig saw Set
D Tilt Set
miter gauge miter gauge
to 45° blade
22!/2° to 45°
C
D
C
C
C
a.
D
END #/8"-thick
VIEW C
#/8"-thick
spacer Tilt spacer
#/8"-thick Spacer blade
spacer 22!/2°

Divider Opening. Use a Cut Corners. Cut the corners Chamfer Scales. Tilt the Bevel Back Side. Set the miter
Forstner bit and a jig saw to of the divider assembly using blade 221⁄2° to chamfer the gauge at the opposing 45° angle
cut the opening in the divider. the miter gauge for support. end of the scales. to cut the remaining chamfers.

22 • Woodsmith / No. 237

WS237_022.indd 22 4/10/2018 9:48:46 AM

 #8 x !/4" Ph
BASE 3" sheet metal screw
E lazy Susan
bearing Canister assembly

b. BOTTOM VIEW

Access hole
in base to
attach bearing
to canister
!/2"-dia.
1!#/16

a. FRONT SECTION VIEW !/4 E

NOTE: Base E
is #/4"-thick !/4
hardwood 45° chamfer 7

FINAL DETAILS DYE. To highlight the figure of the to put everything together. I started by
The final bits of construction to take veneer, I chose to use a water-based dye. first marking the center on the top of
care of before finishing are to add the If you’ve never worked with dye before, the base and positioning the lazy Susan
base to the knife block. The base not the article on page 10 will give you a lit- bearing over it. An oversized access
only makes the block more stable, but tle bit more information on selecting a hole in the base will allow screws to be
it also allows the canister to rotate to dye that’s right for you. driven into the canister bottom. See the
easily access the knives. Before dying the project, I lightly main drawing above.
The base is an octagon, like the can- raised the grain on all of the parts The bearing is first mounted to the
ister, only slightly larger. The same using a damp sponge. The grain was base. Then, the canister is flipped over
process used to cut the bottom from then knocked back down using 400-grit to locate the base on the bottom of the
Shop Notes on page 64 was used here, sandpaper. The edge of the divider and canister. Position the access hole to drive
also. After the base was cut, I used a the inside of the groove for the divider the first screw into the canister. Continue
router bit to form a chamfer along the were taped off to avoid getting any fin- to rotate the base and use the access hole
top side of the base, as shown in Figure ish on the glue surface. for all four screws.
5 below. Don’t attach the base yet, how- I used Transtint “reddish brown” dye The divider receives a few small dabs
ever, you’ll want to apply finish first. dissolved in water to add color to all of of glue along the edges after the tape is
the parts. The water-based dye brushes removed. Then, simply slide it into the
on smoothly with little worry of brush grooves in the canister, making sure to
marks. After the dye was dry, the knife wipe away any excess glue.
block was finished with multiple coats of With the base attached, you can load
5 satin lacquer, sanding in between coats. the middle up with kitchen tools and
ATTACH DIVIDER & BEARING. With the finish stick the knives to the outside. It’s sure
E
applied to the knife block, it was time to look sharp on any counter. W

45° Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram

chamfer 3⁄
bit A Staves (8) 4x 21⁄2 - 81⁄4 • (1) 3" Lazy Susan Bearing
B Bottom (1) 3⁄ x 5 - 5 • (8) #8 x 1⁄4" Sheet Metal Screws
8
a. !/4 END VIEW 1⁄ x 51⁄ - 101⁄
C Divider (1) 4 16 4 • (24) 1⁄2"-dia. x 1⁄8" Rare-Earth Magnets
D Scales (2) 3⁄ x 11⁄ - 41⁄ • (1) 2 Sq. Ft. Veneer
!/4 E 8 16 16
E Base (1) 3⁄ x 7 - 7
4

#/4"x 7!/2" - 60" Mahogany (3.1 Bd. Ft.)

Chamfer Base. Chamfer the top edges A A A A
C B
E A A A A
of the base at the router table using a
45° chamfer bit.
D

Woodsmith.com • 23

WS237_022.indd 23 4/10/2018 9:50:30 AM

 e e k e n d
W Shop
Prroojjeecctt
P

Auxiliary
Router
Bases MORTISING FLUSH-TRIMMING

A handheld router is an incredibly adaptive tool. Increase that versatility

by building this trio of accessories to get even more out of yours.
The router is the go-to tool for making FEARSOME THREESOME. The first accessory mortises in the thinnest of material, all
a multitude of profiles and a host of is a bridge, shown above. Coupled the way up to 31⁄4"-thick stock.
joinery operations. The key to success with a pair of hardwood rails, it’s the The last accessory is perhaps the most
when using a router is having it set up perfect way to plane large sections of versatile. It begins with an oversized
properly to ensure reliable and repeat- rough stock that can’t be flattened in a acrylic base that can be used alone, or
able cuts. Here, we showcase a few of traditional manner (main photo). with two hardwood feet for flattening
the shop-made accessories that we turn Next, is an adjustable mortising jig smaller surfaces (right photo above).
to quite often to guarantee success and (left photo above). This jig, paired with There’s even an option for attaching a
add to the range of this dynamic tool. a plunge router, allows you to turn out vacuum hose for collecting debris.

24 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Robert Kemp; Project design: Chris Fitch

WS237_024.indd 24 4/9/2018 12:01:56 PM

 a. END NOTE: Base is !/2" acrylic.
SECTION Base extensions are
C !/2" plywood. Sides are
VIEW
1"-thick hardwood
Hole to hang
up bridge for
!/2 A B storage
32 BASE
!/2 A

C 8
SIDE
C
NOTE: To attach router,
drill holes in base that
match your router
7

2 12 B
b. BOTTOM VIEW
BASE
EXTENSION
#8 x 1!/4" Fh !/4 1 3 3 1
woodscrew
C
1 B A
#/8"-dia.
B
C
2"-dia.

Router BRIDGE Locate center the hole for the router bit
opening and drill it at the drill press
plywood that comes as close as possi-
ble to the same thickness as the acrylic,
(slightly undersized here). I then made a so the bottom surface is flush.
All three of the router accessories template from a piece of hardboard that’s SIDES & ASSEMBLE. The sides have a rab-
are pretty straightforward to make. I the size of the finished base. It’s attached bet that wraps the base and extensions
decided to start with the bridge. No to the acrylic with double-sided tape. A (Figure 3). You can then assemble the
matter which one you build first, you’ll flush-trim bit loaded in the router table bridge using screws in the base and
notice that all of them use a piece of is used to clean up the edges. This leaves glue between the extensions and sides.
thick acrylic where the router’s base is an amazingly smooth edge that requires
attached. If you’ve never worked with no sanding. Figures 1 and 2 below show
this material before, don’t worry. It’s this process in detail. Materials & Supplies
very easy to machine, and I’ll show BASE EXTENSIONS. The two base exten- A Base (1) 1⁄ acrylic - 7 x 8
2
a method for cleaning the edges that sions are simply pieces of plywood cut B Base Extensions (2) 1⁄2 ply. - 7 x 12
leaves them as smooth as glass. to size, but I will mention one thing. C Sides (2) 1 x 2 - 32
ACRYLIC BASE. Start by cutting a piece Since plywood thickness can vary by • (6) #8 x 11⁄4" Fh Woodscrews
of acrylic slightly oversize for the base. manufacturer and region, try to find

How-To: CUT & SHAPE THE BRIDGE PARTS

1 2 Rotate 3
workpiece in
1#/4"-dia. clockwise direction
hole saw Aux. rip C
Flush-trim bit
fence

a. END VIEW
C
A
!/2

Dado !/2
Template A blade

Drill Center Hole in Acrylic Base. Drill Trim Base. Attach a hardboard tem- Rabbet Sides. Move over to the table
an undersized hole in the center of the plate with double-sided tape to trim the saw loaded with a dado blade to cut
base for the router bit opening. acrylic base to final size. the rabbets in the sides.

Illustrations: Peter J. Larson Woodsmith.com • 25

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 Mortising BASE
Like a lot of things in woodworking,
there are typically several ways to
get the same end result using differ-
ent methods. This is certainly the case
when making mortises.
You could turn to a dedicated mor-
tising machine, or a drill press loaded
with a mortising attachment. Then
there’s the alternative of cutting a mor-
tise by hand using a chisel and mallet.
But my favorite option for quick mor-
tises is using a handheld router. A basic
straight bit leaves smooth side walls,
and you’re only left with squaring the
ends of the mortise with a chisel.
Which brings us to the next router
accessory in our trio — the adjustable
mortising base shown at right. This
base attaches to the plunge base of a
router and has two fences that can be
snugged up against a workpiece to
guide the router. This set up allows for
consistent results when you need to
crank out a lot of mortises. { The acrylic baseplate on this adjustable mortising base makes it easy to see your work. The
WORK THE ACRYLIC. Like the router bridge, adjustable fences can accommodate a 31⁄4"-wide workpiece.
the mortising base uses a thick piece
of acrylic for its baseplate. And like create room for chips and debris to exit Be sure to make multiple passes, rais-
the bridge, I used the same method to the mortise opening. ing the bit after each.
cut the acrylic base to size — a hard- Figures 1 and 2 below show the FENCE FRAMES. The two plywood fence
board template. One difference from method I used for creating the slot. frames provide the adjustability for
the bridge, however, is the need for a You’ll define the ends of the slot at the this base, as well as a place to mount
slot in the center for the bit opening. I drill press before moving to the router the hardwood fences. I started by cut-
went with a slot on this particular jig to table to remove the rest of the waste. ting two rectangular blanks to size

How-To: MAKE THE PARTS FOR THE MORTISING BASE

1 2 3
Stop
block
!/2" 1!/2"
Forstner Forstner
bit bit

!/2" Fence
straight bit frame blank

Define Ends of Slot. Use the drill press Remove the Slot Waste. Head back to Shape Fence Frames. Drill four holes
to locate the ends of the center slot on the router table to finish the slot. A stop in the fence frame to define the radius
the acrylic baseplate. block clamped to the fence is helpful. of the inside corners.

26 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 !/4"-20
star knob a. TOP VIEW
!/4"
washer
A
For full-sized %/16"-dia.
patterns, go to #/8"-rad.
Woodsmith.com
!/2"-dia.
A
BASEPLATE 2!/2 4#/4

12 8
NOTE: Baseplate is !/2" acrylic. 2!/4
Fence frames are !/2" plywood.
Fences are #/4"-thick hardwood 1!/8

b. END SECTION VIEW

A
12
3 !/2
C
12 B !/2 B

C C
C
1!/4
FENCE !/4"roundover

B PATTERN (Enlarge 400%) #/4"-rad.

FENCE
FRAME !/4"washer

!/4"toothed !/4"-20 x 1!/2"

lock washer hex bolt #/8"-dia. #/4"-rad.

for the frames. The pattern shown at inside curves of the frames, as shown rabbet the inside edge at the table saw,
right can be copied and attached to in Figure 3 on the previous page. Then as shown in Figure 5. I eased the edges
the blanks to help with the rest of the move to the band saw to remove the on these pieces as in detail ‘b’ before
shaping. Cut the two adjustment slots rest of the waste (Figure 4) and sand the gluing them to the frames.
first. You can use the same method here frames smooth with a sanding drum. SETTING UP FOR MORTISING. Using the mor-
as you did for the acrylic base. I then TWO FENCES. To finish up the mortis- tising base couldn’t be much easier.
drilled four large holes to establish the ing base, cut the two fences to size and With the mortise location marked on
the workpiece, clamp it securely in
a vise. Set the mortising base (with
router attached) on the workpiece
and center the bit between the layout
4 5 marks (for a centered mortise). Slide
one fence up to the workpiece and
Push
block tighten it. Then snug the other fence to
the side of the workpiece and tighten.
B Aux. rip C
You’re now ready to make the mortise.
fence

a. END VIEW Materials & Supplies

A Baseplate (1) 1⁄ acrylic - 8 x 12
!/2 C
2
B Fence Frames (2) 1⁄ ply. - 3 x 12
2
Waste !/2 C Fences (2) 3⁄ x 11⁄ - 12
Dado 4 4
blade
• (4) 1⁄4" Toothed Lock Washers
Finish Up Fence Frames. Use a band Rabbet Fences. A quick trip to the • (4) 1⁄4"- 20 Star Knobs
saw to finish cutting out the frames. table saw completes the rabbets in the • (4) 1⁄4"- 20 x 11⁄2" Hex Bolts
Sand them smooth when done. fences before assembling. • (8) 1⁄4" Washers

Woodsmith.com • 27

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 Multi-Use
OVERSIZED
BASE
The final router accessory is perhaps the
most versatile of the bunch, and quite
possibly the one you’ll be reaching for
the most. As the photos here show, this
router base starts out as an oversized
acrylic base that can be used as a stand-
alone fixture, or with the two “feet”
that raise the base off the worksurface.
This turns it into a compact version of
our bridge for flattening surfaces on a
smaller scale, like the through tenons
shown in the upper photo.
Add a couple of other pieces and
the oversized base can be attached
to a dust collection system for edge
routing (left inset photo). Or, if work-
ing in the middle of a large surface,
mount the dust port to the top of the
base (right inset photo). A pair of tall,
comfortable handles makes this base
easy to maneuver, however it’s used.
FAMILIAR CONSTRUCTION. Building this { This one router base accessory can be configured in several different ways to help you get the
oversized base accessory follows a most from your handheld router. A pair of tall handles make it incredibly stable.
similar route as the previous bases.
But instead of just cutting the acrylic right margin on the next page can be router table to flush-trim them to their
parts oversize and using a flush-trim used to make a hardboard template final size (Figure 2).
router bit to clean up the edges, I also for each base part. SIZE DUST PORT. The one part you’ll need
made the hardwood parts using the Now, cut all of the parts slightly over- to customize on this base is the hole
same method. The patterns in the sized (Figure 1) and then head to the in the acrylic dust collection cap to fit

How-To: SHAPE THE ACRYLIC FOR THE BASE

1 2 3 1!/4"
Forstner
bit
Flush-trim bit

Dust
collection Template
cap blank
D

Rough Out the Acrylic Parts. The Flush-Trim to Size. As before, use a Dust Collection Hole. Match the size
band saw works just fine to cut out the flush-trim bit in the router table to bring of the dust collection hole to the hose
curved portions of the acrylic parts. the acrylic parts to their final shape. that you will be using.

28 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 PATTERNS (Enlarge 400%)
%/16"-18 x 2!/4" Fh NOTE: Baseplate and dust
a. END machine screw collection cap are !/2" acrylic.
SECTION Dust collection wall is
A VIEW B
1!/4"-thick hardwood. !/2"-rad.
1%/16 Flush trim feet are 2#/4"-rad. 3
DUST 1"-thick hardwood 3!/2
COLLECTION %/16"-dia. 4!/2
B CAP Tall
D handle DUST
COLLECTION
WALL !/4"-rad.
C 1%/16
b. FLUSH-TRIM MODE

A
Tall
handle !/2"-rad.
%/16"-dia. 3
3!/2
B B
Countersink
!/2 3
A A
c. EDGE-ROUTING MODE BASEPLATE !/4"-dia. hole,
tapped %/16"-18
A 1%/16

C D 6 2"-dia. 13
Dust collection
B
wall & cap in
3 lower position FLUSH TRIM
FOOT
8
d. SURFACE-ROUTING MODE
%/16"-18 x 1!/2" Fh
D
A Dust collection machine screw
wall & cap in
upper position %/16"-dia.
2#/4"-rad.
C

!/2 %/16"-18 x 1!/2" Fh 1#/4 1%/16

machine screw B #/4

your vacuum hose. Make the hole in machine screws to be moved around
your template this same size for flush- for switching between the different 3!/2
%/16"-dia. 3
trimming, as shown in Figure 3. configurations. This can be done with
C
DRILL & TAP HOLES. Finally, you can drill a standard metal tap, as shown in Fig-
the necessary holes for joining the ure 5, below. All that’s left is adding 1%/16
parts together (Figure 4). You’ll notice the handles and deciding which of Countersink
that four holes in the baseplate have your new router accessories you’re D
2%/8"-
threads cut into them to allow the going to put to work first. W rad.
5!/4
3!/2
1#/4 %/16"-dia. 3
1!/4"-dia.

#/4

4 5

Tap For full-sized patterns,

%/16" -18 go to Woodsmith.com
threads

D
A
Materials & Supplies
A Baseplate (1) 1⁄ acrylic - 8 x 13
2
B Flush Trim Feet (2) 1 x 41⁄2 - 8
Countersink
bit C Dust Collect. Wall (1) 1 ⁄4 x 51⁄4 - 8
1

D Dust Collect. Cap (1) ⁄2 acrylic - 51⁄4 x 8

1

Mounting Holes. Locate and drill the Tap the Threads. Use a standard • (6) 5⁄16"-18 x 11⁄2" Machine Screws
countersunk mounting holes in the metal tap to make the threaded holes • (2) 5⁄16"-18 Tall Handles
acrylic and hardwood parts. in the baseplate. • (2) 5⁄16"-18 x 21⁄4" Machine Screws

Woodsmith.com • 29

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 e e k e n dr
W
De soigjence
PPrrojectt

Floating
Display Shelves
This shelf system can snake its way across your wall in any path your
heart desires. Hidden fasteners anchor the shelves securely to the wall.
You’ve heard the phrase, “greater than hardwood edging. These components HARDWARE. As for the hardware that
the sum of its parts.” Well, that senti- are connected by some cherry corner holds the shelves on the wall, there’s
ment applies here. This display shelf is blocks. The corner blocks add a nice not much to that either. Mounting pins
made of three parts that link together in contrasting element to the look of the are attached to wall studs and seat into
any configuration you like. You’re only unit. But they’re integral to how the holes in the shelves for a hidden sup-
limited by your imagination and the shelf comes together. port system. The pins take a little focus
available wall space. The corner blocks are glued to the to install, but it’s worth the effort.
PERFECTLY SIMPLE. There’s nothing fancy shelves using simple but strong tongue If your wall is big enough, you could
about the parts. For starters, there is and groove joinery. A pair of connec- just build the shelf configuration the way
series of horizontal shelves and vertical tor bolts passes through each of the it’s shown here. But regardless of the
uprights. These are made of two layers corner blocks and into threaded inserts configuration, the shelf can be custom-
of maple plywood and trimmed with installed in the uprights. ized to suit your available wall space.

30 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Erich Lage; Project design: Chris Fitch

WS237_030.indd 30 4/9/2018 12:14:54 PM

 Construction Overview / OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 111 ⁄ "W x 49"H x 10"D (Horizontal) 1
4
OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 381⁄2"W x 551⁄2"H x 10"D (Vertical)

HORIZONTAL CONFIGURATION
SHELF
D
CAP TERMINAL NOTE: Determine desired
BLOCK UPRIGHT shelf configuration before
A J you begin building project

H
A F
TERMINAL CONNECTING
UPRIGHT CONNECTING
UPRIGHT UPRIGHT
I
SHELF
C BASE SHELF C E
A
SHELF
NOTE: Corner blocks are
attached to ends of
shelves with tongue
and groove joints NOTE: Shelves
and uprights G
SHELF
TERMINAL are glued up CONNECTING E
UPRIGHT from two UPRIGHT
layers of
I
NOTE: Edging covers plywood
front edge of shelves
and uprights
Uprights are H
bolted to shelves EDGING NOTE: Length of shelves and uprights
K can be modified to fit your space CONNECTING
through corner blocks UPRIGHT

A CORNER BLOCK
B
BASE SHELF
Wall pin
VERTICAL CONFIGURATION
Set screw

< The
h steel
e moun
mounting
n hardware Stud
Shelf pin comes
o inn two pparts. The wall
pin i has a narrow
narroo rod and wide
flflange
ange.
a The
T rodd on the shelf pin is
thicker
h aand longer.
long
n Stud

NOTE: When designing your own shelf

system, make sure the base shelf is
attached to at least two studs

Stud

BASE SHELF

< Once the wall pin is installed and the shelf pin is
attached to it and adjusted, just slide the shelf in place.
A groove along the back of the shelf hides the bracket.

Illustrations: Harlan Clark Woodsmith.com • 31

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 10
#/8
A 9#/4 a. TOP
10!/8 SECTION
CAP
9 VIEW
BLOCK A #/8
A (through
1!/4 corner block)
&/8
I
10#/8 #//8 !/2
#/8
#/
10 TERMINAL
UPRIGHT 1 1!/4 K

#/8 !/2 H b. BACK VIEW

CONNECTING 10
A
UPRIGHT
CORNER
BLOCK B #/4 !/8
&/8 !/4" - 20 A
BASE SHELF threaded
9#/4 insert
%/8
Groove along back
F edge of each shelf

G c. #/8
!/4 2
H I 2 !/4
#/8"-dia A
18 through !/4"-20 x 2
J K EDGING connector !/2
14 hole
10 10#/8 bolt Shelf
5#/8 NOTE: Shelves are made A
from two layers of !/2" plywood. Upright
UPRIGHTS Edging is !/4"-thick hardwood. d. FRONT
Corner blocks are made A SECTION
E from 1!/4"-thick hardwood VIEW
18#/4 Cap block,
no connector
D
24#/4 FRONT e.
SECTION I J !/4" x 20
C FRONT
36#/4 VIEW threaded
SECTION insert
B VIEW
90#/4
A
SHELVES !/4"-20 x 2
connector
bolt

Making the SHELF PARTS

If you’re building the same unit that is CORNER & CAP BLOCKS. The corner and At this point, I set aside the cap blocks
shown on page 30, the main drawing cap blocks tie the shelves and uprights that will attach to the terminal uprights
above gives the length of the shelves together. Each has a stopped groove to and turned my attention to the corner
and uprights that you’ll need. Regard- attach it to a shelf or terminal upright. blocks. As you can see in the main draw-
less of the configuration, it’s best to start Figure 1 below gives you the details for ing above, each has two through holes
by making the corner blocks. routing the corner and cap blocks. drilled in them (Figure 2). These let

How-To: MAKE THE CORNER BLOCKS

1 Fence 2 3
A
Rout part A
!/2"
to line 8#/4 straight #/8" brad A
bit point bit Fence

a. END VIEW a. a.
END VIEW
This line Stop
aligns with END block !/8" !/8
front of bit !/2 VIEW roundover
bit
!/8
#/8
%/8

Grooves First. A straight bit in the Drill for Connectors. Drill two holes Ease the Edges. To provide a smooth
router table is the easiest way to make in each corner block for the bolts that transition between the corner blocks
the stopped grooves for the mortise. connect the shelves to the uprights. and shelves, ease the edges and ends.

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 How-To: MAKE THE SHELVES & UPRIGHTS
you tie the shelves to the uprights with
connector bolts. To dress up the corner 1 2
blocks, I used an 1⁄8" roundover bit and
eased all the edges (Figure 3). Shelf and upright
Waste
Rip 9#/4 blank
fence
SHELVES & UPRIGHTS
The shelves and uprights are next up on
the to-do list. As you can see in the main a. END VIEW Flush
drawing on the previous page, they’re Outfeed trim
support bit
made up of two layers of plywood that Edging
are glued together and have tongues cut Waste
Shelf and
on the ends. More on that in a bit, first upright blank
up is to size the parts.
ROUGH SIZES. The easiest way to go Rip Parts to Width. After the glue is Flush-Trim Edging. Use a router with
about this is to rip enough plywood to dry, rip all the shelves and uprights to a flush trim bit to finish the edging on
make all the shelves and uprights for their final width at the table saw. the shelves and uprights.
your configuration. To make the glueup
manageable, cut the parts slightly 3 4
larger in width and length. This leaves
you with a little wiggle room when glu-
ing each section together. #/8"
FINAL SIZES. When the glue is dry, rip the rabbeting
Aux. miter bit
shelves and uprights to final width (Fig. fence Edging

1). This is an opportune time to glue the Shelf and a. END SECT. VIEW
upright blank
hardwood edging to the fronts of all the NOTE: Cut to length !/4 Trim end of
parts. Figure 2 shows how to the trim for all parts !/2 tongue with
hand saw
the edging flush with a router. Back at after
#/8 routing
the table saw, it’s time to trim all the
parts to their final length (Figure 3).
MAKE THE TONGUES. For me, the quickest Cross Cut to Length. With a board Rout the Tongues. A rabbeting bit is
way to make the tongues on the end of attached to your miter gauge, trim used to cut the tongues on the ends
each shelf was to chuck a 3⁄8" rabbet bit shelves and uprights to final length. of the shelves and terminal uprights.
into my router (Figure 4). The tongues
!/2" brad
are only on the shelves and tops of the 5 6 point
Drilling jig,
(see page 65)
terminal uprights. I set aside the con- bit
necting uprights to avoid any confusion
Tall aux. Shelf
during this machining step. When the rip
routing is done, there’s a little work left fence a.
with a hand saw to trim back the shoul-
END
ders of the tongues at the front. a. !/8 END VIEW
VIEW
GROOVE THE SHELVES. With the tongues #/4
#/4" dado 1
complete, set the uprights aside for blade %/8 Upright
now and cut a groove in the back of
Outfeed !/2
the shelves, as detailed in Figure 5. This support
groove serves two purposes. First, it
creates a channel for the flanges of the Groove in Shelves. A dado blade and Drill Holes in Uprights. To keep the
mounting hardware. Second, the two a tall auxiliary fence is the safest way to holes in the uprights square, use a jig
thin edges that the groove leaves on the cut the grooves in the shelves. that’s clamped to the upright.
top and bottom of the shelf are easier to
cut or sand to shape if the shelves need
to be scribed to an irregular wall shape. the holes for these inserts, I made the STAIN AND FINISH THE PARTS. Before glu-
DRILL ENDS OF UPRIGHTS. It’s time to do jig you see in Figure 6. This will guide ing the corner blocks in place, I used
some work on the uprights. As you can the drill bit squarely into the upright at a cherry stain on them. Once dry, and
see in the main drawing on the previous the appropriate distance from the back the parts are glued together, I sprayed
page, each connecting upright has two edge. It’s just as critical to install the everything with two coats of lacquer.
threaded inserts in each end. To drill inserts square as well. Now it’s time to install the shelf.

Woodsmith.com • 33

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 NOTE: The best way to attach the display shelf to the wall a. SIDE SECTION
is one shelf at a time. This will ensure that each remaining VIEW
upright and shelf will be plumb and level to the Wall pin Drywall
previous part.

Stud Shelf pin

Wall pin
b. TOP
SECTION
Stud VIEW

Shelf pin Wall pin Shelf pin

c. NOTE: Shelf supports used in every other stud

NOTE: Install will work for most situations. If you're planning
a pin in the on placing heavy objects on the shelves, install
last stud the more supports in that location.
shelf is
mounted
over

Now what you want to do is drill a

hole dead center in the wall studs you’ve

Installing the SHELF UNIT

chosen for pins, as shown in Figure 2.
It’s important to drill these holes for
the wall pins perpendicular to the wall
The sleek look of the wall shelf is I want to mention here that it’s better and with the proper size drill bit. Then
enhanced by the hardware that’s used to proceed one shelf at a time. If you try slide the wall pins in place and anchor
to attach it to the wall. This hardware to layout and drill all the holes for the them to the wall through the flanges, as
consists of two pieces. One support (wall wall pins at the same time you run the detailed in Figure 3.
pin) is anchored to the wall by drilling risk of being off your mark. HOLES IN THE SHELF. The next task is to
a hole in the center of a wall stud. The WALL PINS FIRST. The first order of busi- transfer the wall pin locations to the
other support (shelf pin) is housed in a ness is to install the wall pins. This starts base shelf. You might have to call upon
hole in the shelf. They’re both hidden in by locating the studs in your wall and a friend to hold the shelf while you
the groove in the back of the shelf and laying out the locations for each shelf mark the locations (Figure 1 on the next
attached together with screws through (Figure 1). Take the time to make sure page). After transferring the mark to the
matching flanges (detail ‘a’ and ‘b’). the layout lines are level and plumb. center of the groove on the back of the

How-To: LOCATE & INSTALL BASE SHELF WALL PINS

1 NOTE: Mark the stud 2 3 Screw into
wall anchor
locations for the other Stud
shelves. But don't drill
for them until you
are installing them. %/16"
Vertical drill bit
Use masking tape layout line
to avoid marking
up wall

90°
90°
Horizontal
layout line
NOTE: The flanges for the wall
and shelf pin are hidden in
the groove in the back of the shelf.

Base Shelf First. Although you’re only Drill Wall Studs. When drilling Wall Pins. Since all the weight of the
working on the base shelf now, you can the holes for the wall pins, drill shelf is on the rods, screws and wall
draw plumb lines for the shelves above. perpendicular to the wall. anchors will hold the flange in place.

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 shelf with a square, I traced that mark
How-To: INSTALL BASE SHELF & UPRIGHTS
to the face of the shelf. Then I used the
guide block you see in Figure 2 to start 1 2 (/16"
drill
the holes for the shelf pins. bit
INSTALL BASE SHELF. As I mentioned ear-
lier, the shelf pins support the shelves.
They’re attached to the wall pins through Shelf
Square
the flanges. There are also set screws NOTE: Square Line up
in the flange that let you fine-tune the helps to accurately layout lines See details for
locate hole for
angle of the shelf pins to level the shelf shelf pin
making this
guide block on
if needed (Figure 3). When the pins are page 65
aligned properly, just slide the base shelf
onto the pins. Now you can start assem- Base Shelf Pin Holes. With a helper, Drill Shelf Pin Holes. A simple guide
bling the rest of the display shelf. This use a square to mark the location of block starts the hole square. Remove it
starts with attaching an upright to the the pins in the groove in the shelf. and finish drilling to the proper depth.
base shelf you just installed.
BOLT ON UPRIGHT. Figure 4 shows how 3 Shelf pin
Wall pin 4
to attach an upright to the base shelf. Mounting
This is a straightforward affair that screw
involves joining the upright to the shelf
NOTE: Threaded
with a pair of connector bolts into the Connector bolts insert
threaded inserts in the upright. When hold upright
If needed, in place
the bottom connection is secure, you adjust angle of Connector
shelf pin with bolt
can focus on the next shelf. set screws
ONWARD & UPWARD. Installing the next
shelf starts with loosely attaching it to
the upright and cutting a spacer to hold Attach the Shelf Pin. The shelf pin Bolt on Upright. Connector bolts
it level in place (Figure 5). This frees attaches to the wall pin. Set screws through the corner blocks tie the
your hands so you can dial in the exact allow you to adjust the angle. uprights to the shelves.
location of the wall pins for this shelf.
When you’re confident about this mark, 5 Stud location for
support pins 6 Connector bolt
remove the shelf and drill the holes for
the wall pins like you did when work- Mark for
shelf pin
ing on the base shelf.
After installing the wall pin, set the
shelf and spacer back in place. Now NOTE: Spacer
NOTE: Leave
spacers
draw a line on the shelf where the hole holds shelf in place until
level and steady display shelf
for the shelf pin needs to go. Drill the
is completely
hole in the shelf with the guide block like installed
before. Then back at the wall, attach the
shelf pin to the wall pin at the flanges
and slide the shelf in place. (Although Next Shelf. Loosely attach the next Install Shelf. Tighten the connector
the pins are holding the shelf at this time, shelf to the upright. Then repeat the bolts in the first upright before moving
I left the spacers in place for the whole wall and shelf pin installation. on to the rest of the display shelf.
installation process.) Now tighten the
connector bolts (Figure 6).
REPEAT. Okay, you’ve completed the Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram (Horizontal Display)
cycle of installing a shelf, an upright, A Crnr./Cap Blocks (16) 11⁄4 x 11⁄4 - 101⁄8 I Term. Uprights (2) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 103⁄8
and another shelf. So you’re back to B Base Shelf (1) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 903⁄4 J Term. Uprights (2) 1 ply. - x 93⁄4 x 53⁄8
installing the next upright. All you have C Shelves (2) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 363⁄4 K Edging (2) 1
⁄4 x 1- 294 rgh.
to do is repeat the same steps for the D Shelf (1) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 243⁄4 • (12) Wall Pin Sets
remaining parts. E Shelves (2) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 183⁄4 • (24) 1⁄4"-20 x 2" Connector Bolts
This process may seem a little tedious, F Conn. Upright (1) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 18 • (24) 1⁄4"-20 Threaded Inserts
but it’s worth the effort. Your reward G Conn. Upright (1) 1 ply. - 93⁄4 x 14 • (24) Wall Anchors
will be that you have a display shelf that H Conn. Uprights (2) 1 ply. - x 93⁄4 x 10 ALSO NEEDED: Three 48" x 96" sheets
of !/2"birch plywood
seems to float effortlessly on the wall. W

Woodsmith.com • 35

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 e e k e n d
W Shop
Prroojjeecctt
P

Mobile
Clamping Station
This clamping station is a great multitasker. One side of the top
hosts an array of hold-downs. The other supports your pipe clamps.
One of the constant complaints I hear As you see in the photo above, one face If you flip the top to the other face,
from woodworkers is about shop space is designed to hold things in place while you’ll find a clamping grid. The open
— the lack of it, that is. The lament is you work on them. This is accomplished grid is made of plywood pieces notched
mostly along the lines of how space is in two ways. First, there’s a crosshatch to cradle pipe clamps.
gobbled up during the various phases of pattern of dovetail grooves that are cut WAIT, THERE’S MORE. To complete the tri-
building a project. Solving that problem into the surface. These grooves hold a fecta of utility, there’s one more surface
is where this clamping station shines. clamp called the Matchfit dovetail clamp. that’s available. The front and back
That’s because this top has three dis- Then, centered inside each square is a edges of the top have a T-track installed
tinct worksurfaces. To change the work- common 3⁄4" dog hole. There’s a wide to give you the ability to clamp work-
surface, just back out the studded knobs array of accessories that you can use pieces in a vertical orientation. (More
that hold the top in place. The top pivots here. The article on page 14 gives you a on that later). Turn to the next page and
on a central bolt to the opposite side. starting list of things to consider. let’s get started with the base assembly.

36 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Erich Lage, Project design: Dillon Baker

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 Construction Overview / OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 51 ⁄ "W x 36 ⁄ "H x 30"D 1
8
1
4

Long-lasting
plastic laminate Thick, plywood top
surface is easy works well with
to maintain hold-downs and
other clamping tools

Notches in the grid side of the

top cradle pipe clamps

Studded knobs
lock the top in place

T-track in the
side of the top The top
gives you more pivots
clamping options on strong
hardware
A storage box
conveniently holds
needed assembly
tools close
at hand

NOTE: Page 67 has Two layers

the details for the hardware of plywood used
used on the clamping station for the bottom
and sides make for
Large locking a strong base
casters make it
easy to move
the station around

< Woodsmith photo caption

{ The top is locked firmly in place with four { The Matchfit dovetail clamp slides into { The flip side of the table is a gridwork that’s
knobs that thread into inserts installed in any position on the top by following the perfect for keeping pipe clamps in place
the ends of the rotating top. dovetail grooves that cover the surface. while gluing up a project.

Illustrations: Harlan Clark Woodsmith.com • 37

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 (/16"- dia. hole 2!/2
through both
NOTE: All parts are layers of plywood 2
26 made from two
layers of #/4" plywood !/2"-dia. x 1"- a. FRONT
deep hole SECTION VIEW
4
B
#/8"-16 SIDE
B threaded
insert
B
Threaded
6!/2 29!/2 47#/4 insert
B

B A
BOTTOM A 1

b.
1!/2 NOTE: Glue plywood
layers together
then trim to size
B

2"-rad. 7!/4

A
8

A #/8
Round corner
with sandpaper 6!/2 #8 x 2!/4" Fh woodscrew
FRONT
SECTION VIEW

8 8

A sturdy BASE ASSEMBLY

It’s easy to hit the ground running on SHAPING THE PARTS. I started by cutting drawing above) is easy to lay out, as
this project, starting with the bottom and and gluing up oversized panels for the Figure 1 shows. Then with a jig saw, I
sides. These parts are made of two layers bottom and the sides. After the glue cut the arcs to the waste side of the line
of plywood sandwiched together with dried, I trimmed the pieces to their final (Figure 2). This will leave you with a
glue, trimmed to size, and finished off sizes. To provide some clearance when little sanding for cleanup.
with a little shaping and joinery at the standing at the station, I decided to cut I liked the look of the arc so much that
table saw. Later, I’ll make a storage box an arc on the front and back edges of I repeated it in the sides, as well. You’ll
to add to this base assembly. the bottom. This arc (below the main note in the detail to the left of the main

How-To: CUT THE ARCS & RABBETS

1 2 3 Side
Finish bottom
!/4" nail B
A hardboard Aux.
fence
6!/2 Cut to the
Spring A
waste side of
clamp layout line, then
sand smooth a. 1!/2
#/4" dado
blade
Waste END
VIEW
#/4

Lay Out the Arc. Lay out the arc on Cut the Arc. Use a jig saw and a sharp Rabbet in the Sides. The rabbet in the
the base pieces with two spring clamps blade and cut to the waste side of the sides are easily done at the table saw
and a length of hardboard. layout line. Then sand the arc smooth. with an auxiliary fence.

38 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 NOTE: All parts
BOX are made from
drawing on the previous page that this DIVIDER #/4" plywood
D
arc is tighter than the arc on the bottom
NOTE: Storage box
piece. With that done, I moved back over is centered on
bottom of cart
to the table saw and cut some rabbets
9!/4
along the bottom edge (Figure 3).
SIDE WORK. At the upper end of the
C
sides, there’s some work to do to D 1
7
accommodate the top that’s made later. 1
1!/2
As you can see in the main drawing on D

the previous page, there are three holes

you need to drill in both side pieces.
First, near the outer edges, there are
C
two oversized through holes for stud- #8 x 1!/2" 46!/4 BOX SIDE
ded knobs that lock the top in place. Fh woodscrew
7
The other hole is a centered, stopped #8 x 2!/4"
Fh woodscrew
hole that houses a threaded insert that
ties the top to the base assembly. You
want that hole, and the insert that it
holds (detail ‘a’ previous page), to be a. #/4" ply. #/8 b. c.
#/8
square in the sides of the base. I used C C TOP FRONT
SECTION SECTION
the drill press for this operation (Figure VIEW C VIEW
4). To finish up the base, I attached the
D
sides to the bottom with screws (detail D

‘b’ on the previous page) and turned my D

attention to one more assembly. C C

#/4"
TOP SECTION VIEW ply.
BUILD STORAGE BOX
It’s nice to have a place close at hand to
store the clamps, hold-downs, and other After sizing all the parts, I cut the into the sides. The main drawing above
accessories that are needed at a bench dadoes and rabbets in the box sides shows how this is done.
like this. So I added the storage box you to hold the dividers (Figures 5 and 6). FINISH THE BASE. To complete the base
see in the main drawing above. But this Assembling the box with screws is the assembly, I started with a light sand-
storage box serves another purpose, as next order of business (details ‘a’ and ing, knocking down any sharp edges. I
well. Once it’s screwed in place to the ‘b’). The final step to the building phase didn’t use any stain on this project, so
bottom and sides (details ‘b’ and ‘c’), it of the base assembly is to attach the all that was left was to spray two coats
adds rigidity to the base assembly. storage box up through the bottom and of lacquer. Then on to making the top.

How-To: FINISH THE SIDES & JOINERY FOR THE STORAGE BOX
4 (/16"-dia.
hole !/2" brad
5 6 Aux. miter
point bit fence
Aux. miter
C
fence
B Aux. rip
NOTE: Drill inside Make two fence
C
face of side passes
Top edge
a. against fence a. #/4" dado a. END VIEW
END END VIEW
VIEW blade

!/2" dado #/4" ply. #/4" ply.

1
blade
#/8 #/8
2

Drill the Pivot Hole. After drilling the Storage Box Dado. The dado for the Storage Box Rabbets. To get the exact
through holes in the sides, change the center divider is made with an auxiliary width needed for the dividers, bury the
bit and drill the stopped pivot hole. fence attached to your miter gauge. dado blade in an auxiliary rip fence.

Woodsmith.com • 39

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 4
a. TOP
Aluminum T-track 46 4 F SECTION G
(46" long) 1!/4
#/4"-dia. VIEW
hole
14!%/16 2!/2 !/4
H !/2"-dia.
6!/8 29 hole 6!/8
E
14!!/16
GRID E 15!/8 H
BACK 3(/16 H #/4" ply.
STRETCH
F
8
8
GRID H 4#/16 b.
END I !/2
G
F CENTER !/4 !/4
STRETCHER LONG
STRETCHER #/4" ply. H
H
STRETCHER #8 x 1!/4" Fh
woodscrew F G
8 E
GRID FRONT TOP VIEW

29 8 8 c.
d.
8
NOTE: All parts
2!/2 3 are made from
#/4" plywood E !/2"-rad.
4

FRONT VIEW TOP

SECTION E
VIEW

Assembling the GRID

With the base assembly off in the corner, framework with a series of half-circles the grid to their final size and laying out
it’s time to focus on the top assembly. to cradle pipe clamps. The other side is the location of the half circles, I moved
The top is unique in that you can use a sandwich of two pieces of plywood over to the drill press to make the half
each side for different tasks in the shop. with a plastic laminate top. (More on circles that will cradle the pipe clamps.
This works because the whole assembly that later.) The T-tracks that are installed The easiest way to make these notches
rotates on a pair of bolts that are fastened in the front and back sides of the grid is to clamp matching pairs of the grid
to the threaded inserts that you installed provide even more clamping options. together and drill the seam (Figure 1).
in the sides earlier. GRID FIRST. The grid is the foundation This works for all the grid parts except
One side of the top assembly is a for the top, so that’s where I started the single center stretcher. I made a sac-
clamping grid. It features an open building. After cutting all the pieces of rificial board to clamp to that workpiece.

How-To: CREATE THE GRID PIECES

1 1"
Forstner bit 2 3
Aux. miter
fence
Aux. rip E E
Aux. miter fence
fence
E F G

E
E
a. END VIEW Dado a. END VIEW
blade

Dado #/4" #/4"

blade ply. ply.
!/4 !/4

Notches in Grid. Clamp matching Cutting Dadoes. Using an auxiliary Cutting Rabbets. The ends of the grid
halves together to make the half circle miter fence, cut the dadoes in the front, front and back have a rabbet that mates
notches in the grid pieces. back, ends, and long stretchers. with the grid ends.

40 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 #8 x 1!/2" Fh woodscrews
GRID JOINERY. Taking all the grid parts NOTE: Transfer centerlines 30
of stretchers to the top
over to the table saw, I started the join- for screw location
J
ery work. First up is cutting the dadoes
TOP
needed in the front, back, ends, and LAYER
long stretchers. Figure 2 shows this. The 5!/2
rabbet in the sides is next (Figure 3). #/8"-16
T-TRACK GROOVES. Speaking of the grid threaded
insert 6%/8
front and back, the next job is to cut a 46
groove in these pieces to hold a length
of T-track. Figure 4 shows you how. All
that’s left before gluing up the grid is to #/4"O.D. x
#/8" I.D.,
drill some holes in the grid ends. #/4" nylon
HOLES. The grid end pieces have a set spacer

of holes similar to the ones you drilled

NOTE: Top layer is made
in the sides of the base assembly. The a. Chamfer from #/4" plywood
large center hole that’s drilled in Figure opening

5 will hold a bushing for the pivot bolt b. c. #/8

that ties the top to the base assembly. Add Nylon
some spacer J
The other two holes that you see being epoxy to
threaded #/8"-16
drilled in Figure 6 are for the inserts insert threaded
that the studded knobs thread into. Grid
Grid insert
end
INSTALL THE INSERTS. Before putting the TOP
end FRONT
TOP SECTION Grid SECTION
inserts in the end pieces, I chamfered SECTION
VIEW end VIEW
VIEW Grid front
the edges of the hole slightly. This keeps
sawdust and debris away from the
insert. Now you can install the inserts FIRST TOP LAYER Before attaching the first layer how-
the same way you installed them in the As I mentioned earlier, the top has two ever, I marked the center locations of the
base sides (details ‘a’ and ‘c’). layers of plywood. As shown in the stretchers on the faces of the grid front,
ASSEMBLE THE FRAME. Working on a flat drawing above, the first layer is fastened back, and ends.
surface, I applied glue to all the joints to the grid with glue and screws. The After attaching the top at the perim-
of the grid and clamped it up. Screws upper layer (and the plastic laminate), eter, transfer the marks to the top and
added at the corners secure the grid. has a lot of routing and drilling done install the rest of the screws. You can see
When the glue is dry, you can install the to it. To avoid hitting any screws with how this will look in the main drawing
T-tracks in the sides. After that, there’s a router bit, I’m going to glue that layer above. Next up is finishing what you’ve
one more thing to do. in place when the time comes. started on this side of the top.

#/4"
4 5 Forstner 6
bit !/2"
brad point
bit
E
Rip F
fence

F
F
#/4" dado a. END VIEW a.
blade 1 #/4
Stop
Drill block
through
#/8 both parts

Groove for T-track. Use the rip fence Hole For Pivot Bolt. Stack the grid end Inserts. A stop block clamped to the
to guide the grid front and back pieces pieces to ensure that the pivot holes line drill press fence positions the insert
while cutting the groove for the T-track. up in both pieces. holes the right distance from the ends.

Woodsmith.com • 41

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 #/4"-dia. chamfered
Plastic holes are centered a.
laminate on squares 30 #/16" J
46 FRONT chamfer
TOP VIEW
LAYER J
J Studded
knob
Side
Grid
side

b.
#/8" x 3" Side Grid
studded Apply end
knob thread lock
#/8" to bolt threads
#/8" washers prior to
washers
installation
#/8" -16 x 1#/4"
TOP Nylon
hex bolts c. Plastic laminate SECTION spacer
NOTE: Top layer !/4 VIEW
is made from
#/4" plywood #/8
!/2 d. TOP
SECTION
#/4"- dia. hole VIEW
with chamfer

FRONT SECTION VIEW

Side Grid
end
NOTE: Cut

Add the TOP & THE CASTERS

3" studded
knob
to length

With the first layer of the top installed centered within each square. This will LAMINATE. I like plastic laminate mainly
on the grid, I turned my attention to the give you maximum clamping options. because of its durability. Although
remaining steps that complete this side PLYWOOD TOP. Since the top is going to working with contact cement and the
of the worksurface. If you glance at the have a lot of routing and drilling done tools needed to do a successful lami-
main drawing above, you’ll see it begins to it, I decided to avoid screws and use nate installation is a bit of a tangent
with another layer of plywood, followed glue to attach it to the first layer. As from a normal shop routine, the low
by a layer of plastic laminate. you know, gluing large surfaces can be maintenance virtues of the product
To finish up the surface, I machined a a slippery affair, and this case was no makes it worth the effort.
grid of dovetail grooves for the Match- exception. The remedy was to make the As I described earlier, there’s going to
fit hold-downs that I mentioned earlier. top slightly oversized then flush trim it be a lot of routing and drilling on this
Follow this up by drilling dog holes with a router, as Figure 1 shows. top. To ensure the laminate stays put, I

How-To: ASSEMBLE THE TOP

1 2 J-roller 3
NOTE: Roll
laminate from
the center out
in both Chamfer
directions bit
of the top
Half-section a. J
J router shown
for clarity
#/16
J
!/2"
flush-trim !/16
bit END
J
VIEW

Trim Top to Size. After the glue dries Attach Laminate to Top. To firmly Chamfer the Edge. A chamfer bit
between the layers of the top, use a adhere the laminate to the top, use a eases all the edges of the top. File any
flush-trim bit to trim the top to size. J-roller, pressing from the center out. remaining sharp edges.

42 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 applied several coats of contact cement base assembly over and drilled pilot ott
o
to both surfaces of an oversized piece. holes to install the large panhead screws
Then I went over the top in multiple that hold them in place. All that’s left is
1
directions with a J-roller (Figure 2). I to bolt the top in place.
eased the edges of the top with a cham- ATTACH THE TOP. With the nylon spac-
fer bit, as Figure 3 shows. ers placed in the holes in the top, take 1#/4
HOLD-DOWN GROOVES. To create the dove- a moment to spread some thread lock
tailed grooves in the top, I started by on the threads of the mounting bolts.
laying out the centers of the grooves Have a friend help align the holes in the
in both directions across the top. The top to the threaded inserts in the base
grooves are created in two passes, using assembly, then install the pivot bolts
two separate routers. (If you don’t have (detail ‘b’ previous page).
a second router, you can do one groove The studded knobs that you see in the
#14 x 1!/4" Ph
at a time, switching bits, and complet- main drawing on the previous page, and woodscrew
ing each groove as you go.) in detail ‘d’ are fed through the holes in
The first pass is done with a straight the sides and lock the top in place. These
bit and a fence clamped to the table to knobs came longer than needed from the
remove the bulk of the waste (Figure 4). supplier. I cut the threads to a more man- 5" locking
The second pass completes the profile ageable length. With that, the clamping swivel
caster
and is done with the second router and station is fully operational and a great
a dovetail bit (Figure 5). addition to any shop. W
DOG HOLES. Next up is making the dog
holes. Figure 6 shows how to do this. Materials & Supplies
Notice in Figure 6a that I placed the
A Bottom (1) 11⁄2 ply. - 26 x 473⁄4 • (24) #8 x 21⁄4" Fh Woodscrews
top on a series of blocks taller than the
B Sides (2) 11⁄2 ply. - 26 x 291⁄2 • (28) #6 x 3⁄8" Fh Woodscrews
grid when drilling these holes. This is 3⁄ ply. - 7 x 461⁄
C Box Sides (2) 4 4 • (16) #14 x 11⁄4" Ph Woodscrews
to prevent blowout when the drill bit 3⁄ ply. - 7 x 91⁄
D Box Dividers (3) 4 4 • (2) 48" T-Track
breaks through the grid side of the 3⁄ ply. - 4 x 46
E Grid Sides (2) 4 • (6) 3⁄8"-16 Threaded Inserts
top. I swept away the shavings from 3⁄ ply. - 4 x 29
F Grid Front / Back (2) 4 • (2) 3⁄4" O.D. x 3⁄8" I.D.- 3⁄4" Nylon Spacers
that process and chamfered each of the 3⁄ ply. - 4 x 29
G Long Stretchers (2) 4 • (4) 3⁄8" x 3" Studded Knobs
holes on the laminate side of the top. 3⁄ ply. - 4 x 1411⁄
H Stretchers (4) 4 16 • (4) 3⁄8" Washers
Before attaching the top to the base, I 3⁄ ply. - 4 x 151⁄
I Center Stretcher (1) 4 8 • (2) 3⁄8"-16 x 11⁄2" Hex Bolts
added some casters. 3⁄ ply. - 30 x 46
J Top Layers (2) 4 • (4) 5" Locking Swivel Casters
INSTALL CASTERS. The large locking cast-
• (8) #8 x 11⁄4" Fh Woodscrews • (1) 48" x 48" Plastic Laminate
ers you see to the right are ideal for this
• (48) #8 x 11⁄2" Fh Woodscrews ALSO NEEDED: Five 48" x 96" sheets
project. To install them, I flipped the of 3⁄4" Baltic birch plywood

4 Straight-
edge
5 6
Layout
lines
!/4" #/4"
straight bit !/2" dovetail Forstner
Layout bit
lines bit (14°) a.
a. a.
J

SECTION
#/8 J
#/8 VIEW
!/4 !/2
Support block
END VIEW END VIEW prevents blowout

Rough Pass First. With a fence and Dovetail Profile. On the second pass, Dog Holes. When drilling the dog
a straight bit, make the first pass to use a 14° dovetail bit to create the holes, place a support block underneath
remove the majority of the waste. profile to match the Matchfit clamp. the hole locations to prevent blowout.

Woodsmith.com • 43

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 e e k en d
W
HePirrolo o m
ct
jjeect
Pr o

Barn-door Cabinet
Sliding, “barn-door” style hardware is all the rage in interior design.
Here, we shrink the concept for use in this rustic-looking cabinet.
Take a walk down the hardware aisle we came up with a shop-made version Beyond the clever hardware and
at your local home improvement store that’s easy to make using commonly paint, the true beauty of this cabinet
and you’re likely to come across several available parts. The result is a charming lies in its versatility. It would be equally
barn-door style mounting systems in addition to an already stunning cabinet. at home in a family room serving as
various shapes and sizes. Their popu- ABOUT THAT CABINET. In order to match an entertainment center or in a large
larity for mounting interior doors has the rustic appeal of the hardware, the kitchen to provide extra storage space.
surged in the last several years. cabinet itself gets treated with a glaz- Or it could serve as a dining room side-
One of our designers took that idea ing and distressing process that gives board, as we show above. The eight
and ran with it when designing the it a well-worn look. If you’d like to rep- spacious drawers and center shelves
cabinet shown here. Instead of using licate our cabinet, you can find more will hold all of your place settings and
commercially available hardware that, about the finishing technique in our dishes. So turn the page to get started
let’s face it, isn’t exactly inexpensive, online video found at Woodsmith.com. on this stylish piece of furniture.

44 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Robert Kemp; Project design: John Doyle

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 Construction Overview / OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 72"W x 31 ⁄ "H x 21"D 7
8

NOTE: Turn to Sources

on page 67 for
hardware information Thick, solid-wood
Eight spacious drawers top adds to
operate smoothly on the rustic look
full-extension
drawer slides Oversize screw holes
along front allow
for wood movement
in top
Shop-made barn-door
hardware rolls
effortlessly on two
steel runners

Hardwood face
frame covers
plywood edges

Stub tenon and groove

joinery secures the doors
and end panels
Plywood panels in the
ends and doors have
a simple beadboard
profile that adds
visual interest

Bullnose molding
caps the base
assembly
To view videos on how
Lipped locking to apply the finish to
rabbets at the the cabinet, or bend-
Simple cutouts front of the drawers Corner blocks in the
make the drawers ing the door glides, go
add strength, as well as base use splines for
easy to open a rock-solid foundation to Woodsmith.com
conceal the drawer slides

{ The shop-made barn-door hardware glides on a simple steel track { The two sliding doors can be positioned in front of the drawers
mounted above the doors. A couple of coats of black spray paint to display items on the center shelves, or slid to the middle of the
match the hardware to the finish on the cabinet. cabinet to access the drawers.

Illustrations: Dirk Ver Steeg Woodsmith.com • 45

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 #8 x 1!/2"
Fh woodscrew

NOTE: Don't A
18 16!/8
permanently install CASE TOP
back panel until 67!/2
after the drawer
slides are installed
later on

BACK B
PANEL 23
C CASE SIDE
D 24
2
C

C
24
CASE
DIVIDER

B
18
1!/2
A
CASE 14!/4
C BOTTOM

SIDE
VIEW 5!/2 67 F
E
18!/4
LONG
FILLER E
STRIP
2
SHORT 68
F FILLER c.
STRIP A
NOTE: Back panel
is !/4" plywood.
All other parts are !/4
#/4" plywood #/4
#8 x 1!/2"
2 Fh woodscrews
C
FRONT
B
SECTION !/4
a. b. VIEW

C C C B A
(outer) (middle) (outer)
FRONT F
SECTION E D
VIEW d. SIDE SECTION
1 VIEW 1
Shelf #/8 NOTE: Use pin
pin nails to attach A
holes back to case
1"-dia. Countersunk
counterbore back hole for
!/4

Making the CASE

and %/16"-dia. #8 screw
clearance hole

At the heart of the barn-door cabinet is are either covered up later or painted, you want to place on the shelves to
a plywood case that acts as the founda- there’s no point in using premium ensure it fits. It’s better to make any
tion for the entire project. For the bulk plywood here. I opted for inexpensive necessary modifications now before
of this construction, I used simple, but birch plywood for this section. It takes you start cutting out parts.
strong, dado and rabbet joinery. Adding paint well and is typically void-free. EFFICIENT LAYOUT. I began the case by cut-
some strategically placed screws during And one other note before getting ting all of the parts (besides the back
assembly allows you to keep the build started. I had in mind that my barn- panel and filler strips) to the final sizes
process moving right along. door cabinet would be used in a dining shown above. Cutting them all up
But before getting too far ahead, just room. But if you’re building it to use as front lets you position them on your
a quick mention of the material I used an entertainment center, you may want plywood sheets in order to make the
for the case. Since all of the case parts to measure the electronic equipment most efficient use of your material.

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 Be sure to notice that the case sides How-To: CUT THE CASE JOINERY
are slightly wider than the other parts.
This extra width provides the room for 1 a.!/2"straight
a rabbet that the back panel fits into bit !/4
A
later on, as shown in detail ‘b’ on the
previous page. A
SIDE SECTION
DADO ALIGNMENT. With the main case VIEW
parts in hand, the next order of busi- FIRST: Clamp the guide
ness is to cut the dadoes in the case top against the layout marks
and make first pass SECOND: Move guide
and bottom. These dadoes hold the over and make second pass
case dividers and need to be aligned to sneak up on final
width of dado
with one another. To guarantee proper
positioning, I clamped the case top Straightedge Guide for Routing Dadoes. This straightedge guide is easy to
and bottom edge-to-edge and made build and simple to position for routing the dadoes. By clamping the case top
the simple straightedge guide shown and bottom edge-to-edge, you’ll be sure the dadoes line up perfectly.
in Figure 1 at right.
This straightedge guide is nothing
more than a strip of hardboard with a
2 3
narrow piece of hardwood attached on
top to act as a fence. With the router bit B
Aux. rip Aux. rip
you intend to use to make the dadoes B fence
fence
loaded in your router, run the edge of a. END VIEW a. END
#/4 !/4 VIEW
the router base along the hardwood
fence to trim the hardboard base to size. Dado Dado
blade !/4 blade !/2
Now you can simply line up the
edge of the guide with your layout
marks and clamp it in position. I opted
to use a 1⁄2"-diameter straight bit for Rabbet Case Sides. Form the rabbets Rabbet for Back Panel. Raise the
my dadoes. This allowed me to cut the on the case sides using a dado blade blade and reposition the fence for
dadoes in two passes, sneaking up on and auxiliary rip fence. the rabbet along the back edge.
the final width (Figure 1a).
NOW RABBETS. The rest of the joinery for
the case can be finished up at the table DRILLING HOLES. To ease the process of the middle divider and stopped holes in
saw. The rabbets at the top and bottom drilling the multiple holes in the divid- the two outer dividers. Detail ‘a’ on the
of the case sides (Figure 2) and the rab- ers for shelf pins, I made a hardboard previous page shows what I mean.
bets along their back edge (Figure 3) template, as shown in the box below. I also drilled the mounting holes
can be turned out in short order. Notice that you’ll drill through holes in in the underside of the case top for
attaching a solid wood top later on.

How-To: DRILL THE SHELF PIN HOLES You’ll notice in detail ‘d’ on the previ-
ous page that the holes drilled along
the front edge have oversized counter-
bores. This will allow room for the top
to expand and contract.
Fence At this point, I clamped my parts
2 !/4"brad together for a quick test fit. I also mea-
point bit sured the opening for the back panel
18
and cut it to size. Now assemble the
case with glue and screws. Use the back
NOTE:Use panel to keep everything square, but
1!/2 double-sided
tape to attach don’t fasten it in place just yet.
template
Finally, cut the filler strips to size and
5!/2 Shelf Pin Holes. Use a template attached to the dividers glue them to the bottom of the case. The
with double-sided tape to drill the shelf pin holes. The long filler strips overhang the edge of the
Bottom holes in the middle divider are through holes. bottom in the rear to create a rabbet for
the back panel (detail ‘b’).

Woodsmith.com • 47

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 a.
65 TOP
J SECTION
VIEW
3
G 1!/4" pocket
G
K screw
H INNER
UPPER FACE
OUTER FACE FRAME J H
G DRAWER
SLIDE FACE FRAME FRAME STILE
22!/2 STILE RAIL 1!/2
SPACER
J K
G
20!/8
c.
K
b. NOTE: Right
inner stile is
mirror of left
LOWER 1!/2
FACE FRAME H
J
RAIL K K
24#/4 I 3!/8
1!/2 1!/2
NOTE: Drawer slide
spacers are #/4" plywood. TOP SECTION VIEW
All other parts are
#/4"-thick hardwood

Adding the FACE FRAME & BASE

The basic plywood case provides a in position, flush with the outside edge ASSEMBLE THE BASE
solid framework for the cabinet. Now of the case. The upper and lower rails As the drawing on the next page shows,
it’s just a matter of building it up by can then be cut to fit between the stiles. the base assembly consists of mitered
adding the face frame to cover the ply- Be sure to note that the upper rail is corner blocks connected by four rails.
wood edges and the base to raise the wider than the lower rail to make room The molding fastened to the top of the
cabinet. But before starting on the face for adding the door hardware later rails has a bullnose profile along the
frame, I glued the four drawer slide on. Because of this extra width in the edge, as shown in detail ‘c’ on the next
spacers in place as shown in the draw- upper rail, I added a pocket screw at page. The front piece also houses the
ing and detail ‘a’ above. each end along the lower edge to keep lower runner that acts as the door track.
ADD THE FACE FRAME. There’s nothing com- the face flush with the stiles (details ‘a’ You’ll cut the kerf for this runner after
plicated about adding the face frame to and ‘b’). The three inner stiles wrap up making the molding.
the case either. I began by cutting the the frame. Detail ‘c’ shows the proper CORNER BLOCKS. The How-To box below
two outer stiles to size and gluing them alignment of these parts. shows the steps involved in making

How-To: BUILD THE BASE PARTS

1 2 3

Corner
block blank
L

a. a. END VIEW
END VIEW
!/2 #/8
4 Tilt NOTE: Cut to
blade Corner waste side
Tilt block
blade L 45° of line
blank
45°

Oversized Blank. Start with a long Spline Kerf. With the blade still tilted Tapered Profile. Head over to the band
blank and miter one edge to establish 45°, make the shallow cut on the saw to taper the inside edge of each
the corner of each block. mitered edge for the spline. block. Sand them smooth when done.

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 #8 x 1!/2"
Fh woodscrew
c.
20!/4
P
P O
END BASE
MOLDING
63!/4 Q
BASE 4 2!/8 2 M
FILLER
NOTE: Corner
blocks are L
made from
1"-thick !/4"
hardwood. overhang FRONT
Splines are L
SECTION
!/8" hardboard. VIEW
All other parts 61!/2 P 2#/4
are #/4" N 70
hardwood L L
LONG
M BASE CORNER d.
RAIL BLOCK
L
O

O
a. !/2 b. FRONT (/16
1 L
BASE
&/8 P %/8 MOLDING M 2 L
2 12 M &/8
Q
TOP SECTION P
!/4 VIEW 3#/8 (/16
O Spline
3#/8 !/2 FRONT
TOP SECTION N SECTION
4 #/4 VIEW SHORT VIEW
5 L BASE
L RAIL

the corner blocks. An oversized blank than the corner blocks, A two-pass method for routing the
makes it easy to miter one edge (Figure place a 1⁄4"-thick shim under bullnose profile along the edge of the
1) and cut the slot along that edge for a the rail when attaching the parts (Figure front and end moldings is shown in Fig-
spline (Figure 2). Then it’s just a matter 4). This difference in material thickness ure 6, below. After that, miter the ends
of cutting the blocks to size and taper- creates a shadow line when assembled. of the moldings to achieve the overhang
ing the inside edge at the band saw, as BULLNOSE MOLDING. Now cut the three shown in detail ‘c’ above. To avoid
shown in Figure 3. pieces for the base molding to size, but screw heads showing, be sure to only
After cutting the splines to size from leave the ends square at this point. Head use glue to attach the front molding to
hardboard, glue the four corner block over to the table saw and make the shal- the rail. The other molding pieces (and
assemblies together. To add the rails low groove along the top of the front the filler) can be attached using glue and
to the corner block assemblies, I used molding (Figure 5). This groove houses screws. The whole base assembly can
pocket screws on the back side. Because the steel bar that acts as the door runner. then be positioned and held to the bot-
the rails are made from thinner stock You’ll install the runner later on. tom of the case with glue and screws.

4 N
5 6 !/2" roundover
bit
O O
1!/4" pocket
screw

Corner a.
block a. @!/32
END VIEW
assembly
M
END
VIEW Position fence #/8
!/4 flush with
bearing
!/4" shim

Shim the Rails. Use a 1⁄4"-thick shim to Door Runner Groove. The groove Bullnose. Set the bit height as shown
support the rails when attaching them that holds the steel door runner can run in detail ‘a’ and make two passes to
to the corner block assemblies. from end-to-end of the front molding. form the profile on the molding.

Woodsmith.com • 49

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 a. !/4
!/4" shelf
pins
R V
1!/4
R SIDE !/2 W
V VIEW
#/4
R V R

V R V
R SHELF
W
W
SHELF
DRAWER 17%/8 EDGING
R BACK 16!/8
S
NOTE: Shelves are
18" full-extension made from #/4"
drawer slides plywood. Shelf
edging is #/4"-thick b.
4!%/16 hardwood
18
13%/8
T

15!/16
13%/8
4!%/16 17!/2
NOTE: Drawer
bottoms are made U SIDE SECTION
from !/4" plywood. DRAWER VIEW
Drawer fronts are BOTTOM 10!/16
#/4"-thick Douglas fir.
All other drawer DRAWER
parts are !/2"-thick SIDE
hardwood T R !/4
DRAWER
4!%/16 FRONT 5!/16
15
c. !/2

FRONT T
SECTION U
!/4
VIEW !/4
NOTE: The lipped edges
on the drawer fronts are
designed to conceal the d. Drawer
drawer slides slide
!/4 T
!/16

R #/4
!/16

Building DRAWERS & SHELVES

TOP SECTION VIEW
With all of the exposed screw heads, pieces to the final dimensions shown
the outside of the case may look more above. Be sure to note that the drawer
utilitarian than like a quality piece of fronts are thicker than the sides and construction using locking rabbets,
furniture. But that’ll be remedied soon backs, and are made from the same with or without lipped edges.
enough with the addition of the side species (Douglas fir) that you’ll use for RABBET JOINERY. The first step in mak-
panels and the solid wood top. the top later on. The sides and backs ing the locking rabbet joint is to cut a
For now though, you can concentrate are made from a 1⁄2"-thick secondary deep, centered groove on both ends
on finishing up the interior of the case by wood (maple in this case). of the drawer fronts (Figure 1 on the
adding the eight drawers and the four Because I’m using full-extension next page). The depth of this groove
shelves in the center. I started by build- drawer slides for smooth operation of is equal to the thickness of the drawer
ing and installing all of the drawers. the drawers, I made the drawer fronts side pieces (1⁄2"), plus a shade under
DRAWER FRONTS FIRST. Since there are with a lip along the edges to cover the 1⁄2"-thick drawer slide thickness.
eight drawers needed for the cabinet, the drawer slides when the drawer is This will allow for the overlap, yet still
I wanted to be as efficient as possible closed. Detail ‘d’ above shows what I leave a gap around the drawer front
when building them. I started by cut- mean. There’s also an article on page 62 and face frame. Figure 1a shows the
ting all of the fronts, backs, and side that delves a little further into drawer depth of the groove I made.

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 To complete the drawer front portion
of the locking rabbet joint, you’ll simply How-To: CUT THE DRAWER & SHELF JOINERY
clip off part of the tongue on the inside
face of the drawer front. Figure 2 at 1 2
right provides the details. This creates
the space for the drawer side to “lock” Aux. miter
R fence
in place with the front. Aux. rip
fence
DRAWER SIDE DADOES. With the same dado R

blade in the table saw, grab the drawer

Backer
sides and cut the shallow dadoes board
along the inside edge at the front and
R a. a. END VIEW
rear (Figure 3). To see if the rip fence
!/4" dado !/4 !/4 !/4 Dado !!/16
is positioned properly, cut a test piece blade blade
first and check it with a drawer front R
END !%/16
to ensure a good fit, then cut all the VIEW
rest of the side pieces.
While I still had a 1⁄4"-wide dado
blade in my saw, I cut the groove along Deep Groove. Use a tall auxiliary rip Clip the Tongue. Remove the tongue
the inside bottom edge on all of the fence to steady the workpiece when from the inside face of the drawer to
drawer parts. This groove holds the cutting the centered grooves. complete the locking rabbet.
plywood bottom.
DRAWER BACK RABBETS. Now, you’ll want
3 4
to switch to a wider dado for the next
Aux. miter
step. Here you need to cut a rabbet fence Aux. miter
fence
along the ends of the back pieces, as Aux. rip
shown in Figure 4. The tongue formed T fence
S
fits into the dadoes you just cut near
the rear of the sides.
HANDLE CUTOUT. One last thing you’ll a.
!/4 a. END
need to do before assembling the !/4 VIEW
drawers is to make a handhold cutout !/4" dado END Dado
blade VIEW T blade S
in the drawer fronts. Figure 5 provides
the details for this. The first step is to
simply drill a hole at each corner to !/4 !/4
define the cutout. Then, remove the
rest of the waste at the band saw. A Dado Sides. Using the rip fence as a Rabbet Drawer Backs. Bury a wide
little sanding finishes the job. Now stop, cut the dadoes at the front and dado blade in an auxiliary rip fence to
cut the plywood bottoms to size and rear of the side pieces. form the tongues on the drawer backs.
assemble the drawers.
Because there are quite a few full- 5 1!/4"
Forstner 6
extension drawer slides to install, I bit
Push
made a spacer from a piece of hardboard block
to simplify the process. Shop Notes on R
Shelf
page 66 provides all the information edging
you’ll need for installing the drawer Aux. blank
fence
slides in the case using this spacer. 1!/4 END a.
SHELVES & EDGING. To finish out the inte- a. 1#/8 VIEW
Dado !/2
rior of the case, I added four adjustable blade
1!/4 #/4
shelves. The shelves are pieces of ply- FRONT !/2
wood with hardwood edging along VIEW
R
the front to make them sturdy. Detail %/8"-rad. Waste
‘a’ on the previous page and Figure
6 at right provide all the information Handhold Cutout. Define the ends Shelf Edging. Make multiple pieces
you’ll need for making the edging. The of the cutout at the drill press, then of edging from an oversize blank. Rip
edging is simply glued and clamped to remove the waste at the band saw. them apart after cutting the groove.
the front of the shelves.

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 e. AA
!/4"x 1!/2"
lag screw Upper runner !/4"-20
(!/8" x 1"- 68" steel) nut
Door !/4" I.D. x
hanger !/2" O.D. - !/2"
(!/8" x 1" steel) nylon spacer AA
9!/2 #/4
!/4"-20 x 1#/4" TOP SECTION VIEW
hex head 15#/4
6 !/4"washer
bolts
Y BB
12!/4
2!/2
Y
!/4"-20 x %/8"
21(/16 hex head NOTE: End panel 15#/4
bolt assembly glued
to case flush to
Z !/4"-20 back edge
Z threaded 20!/2
DOOR insert
PANEL 24#/4
X
Lower runner
(!/8" x #/4" steel)
17%/16 cut to fit between
X CC
Y
end panel stiles
END
PANEL
X 2!/2 12!/4
X
DOOR NOTE: Lower
STILE runner fastened in
NOTE: Turn to Shop 2!/2 groove with epoxy
Notes on page 64 !/4"-20 x 1"
hex head BB
for information NOTE: Panels are bolt END
about bending the made from !/2" plywood. 2#/8 RAIL
steel bars to make DOOR All other parts are AA
END
Y STILE
the door hangers RAIL #/4"-thick hardwood

1!/4"O.D. d.
pulley !/4"-20
a. Z TOP VIEW b. X jam nut FRONT
SECTION VIEW
#/4
3
CC (/16 SIDE BB
1%/8 X
SECTION 2!/2
Lower VIEW
runner
3 3
1&/8 SIDE VIEW #/16

CC

Creating the DOORS & ENDS c. !/8

Now you’ll start to add the elements bend the hanger brackets to shape. in the face. I’ll explain how to get this
that really give this cabinet its unique There’s more information about this in look in a bit. But first, cut the panels
look. And that means it’s time to but- Shop Notes on page 64. to size and head back to the table saw
ton up the outside of the cabinet. You’ll ENDS & DOORS. Even though the doors to cut the rabbet around the perimeter
begin that process by building the end and end assemblies are different sizes, of each one to form a tongue (Figure
panel assemblies and the two doors I found it most efficient to build them 3). This tongue fits in the groove in
using stub tenon and groove joinery. at the same time. So cut the stiles and the stiles and rails.
While the end panels and the doors rails to size, keeping the size differ- MAKE THE GROOVES. You’ll notice in the
use the same joinery and building pro- ences in mind. And label all the parts drawings above that the spacing of the
cedure, you’ll notice that the end panel before moving on to the joinery. grooves is different between the end
assemblies are slightly taller and wider STUB TENON & GROOVE. Cutting the stub panels and the door panels. So you’ll
than the doors. You’ll need to keep that in tenon and groove joinery in the door want to set your router fence for doing
mind as you cut the parts to size shortly. parts is covered in Figures 1 and 2 one set first before doing the other
After the doors are complete, they’ll on the next page. These are pretty set of panels. To rout these shallow
get mounted to the cabinet. Here, you’ll straightforward cuts that you’ll knock grooves, I used an 1⁄8" radius bead-
do a little metalworking to create the out in no time at the table saw. board bit, as shown in Figure 4 at right.
barn-door brackets used to hang the GROOVED PANELS. The interior panels in ASSEMBLE. I assembled the doors first,
doors and mount the steel bars that act the doors and end assemblies appear being sure to keep them square as I
as runners. And don’t worry if you’ve to be made from individual boards. applied the clamps. For the ends, I dry-
never worked with metal before, there’s But in fact, they’re simply pieces of assembled these first and held them in
a simple shop-made jig you’ll use to plywood with decorative grooves cut place against the ends of the cabinet.

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 You’re looking for a flush fit along the rip fence at the table saw to support the
back and top edges. Along the front, doors while making this cut.
they overlap the face frame and cover I then headed to the drill press to drill
the ends of the groove that house the four holes in each door for threaded
lower runner. When you’re satisfied inserts, as you can see in Figure 5 below.
with the fit, glue the end assemblies These provide a mounting point for the
together and when they’re dry, glue door hanger brackets.
them to the case. ADD HARDWARE. The drawings on the
FINISH-UP DOORS. Just a couple more previous page provide all the informa-
things are needed to complete the doors. tion you’ll need for adding the steel
The first is to head to the table saw to cut runners. I sprayed all of my steel parts
a groove along the bottom edge of both (except the pulleys) with a coat of black
doors (details ‘b’ and ‘c’ on the previous paint before installing them. After mak-
page). This groove slips over the lower ing the hanger brackets (Shop Notes, { This shop-made, barn-door hardware works
runner to help guide the doors as they’re page 64), you’re ready to paint them as well as commercially available sets, at a
opened and closed. Be sure to use a tall and mount them to the doors (Figure 6). fraction of the cost.

How-To: CUT THE DOOR & END ASSEMBLY JOINERY

1 2 3 Aux. rip
fence
Aux. miter BB
fence AA
Y
Z
Aux. rip X CC
Y BB
fence

END VIEW a. END VIEW

a. a. !/4
Dado #/8 !/2
blade END
!/4" dado
blade
VIEW #/8 Dado
!/4
blade
!/4

Stub Tenons. Use a dado blade and an Long Grooves. To complete the door Rabbet the Plywood Panels. Use
auxiliary rip fence to cut the stub tenons and end assembly joinery, cut the a dado blade again to cut the rabbet
on the ends of all the rails. grooves on all of the stiles and rails. around the perimeter of all the panels.

4 5 6
Fence
#/8" brad
point bit
Z CC Door
!/8"-rad. hanger
beadboard
bit Fence

Front side
of door
a. END VIEW !/16 a. a. 2!/2 1#/4 %/8

%/8

#/4
SIDE SECTION VIEW SIDE SECTION VIEW

Groove the Panels. A small beadboard Holes for Inserts. Two holes in each Add the Hangers. Attach the
bit is used to create the shallow grooves door stile let you add the threaded assembled hangers to the doors with
in the door and end panels. inserts for mounting the hangers. two short hex head bolts.

Woodsmith.com • 53

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 #20
biscuit a.
2#/4
9#/8
9#/8
3#/16 1#/8
#8 x 1!/2"
Rh woodscrew
TOP w/washer #20 FRONT
72 SECTION
DD biscuit
#8 x 1!/2" VIEW
Fh woodscrew

b.
SIDE SECTION !/8"round-
VIEW over

DD DD

NOTE: Top is
made from
1#/8"-thick
Douglas fir

c.
SIDE SECTION VIEW
5!/4

Completing the CABINET DD

#20
The final piece to wrap up the barn-door each other when glued up, not only at biscuit
cabinet is the addition of a beefy, Doug- the ends, but also their surfaces. My
las fir top. It’s made up of thick planks solution was to use a healthy amount
edge-glued together. But instead of a of biscuits between them. Now, cut all of the biscuit slots, as
continuous surface, I wanted to create TOP ASSEMBLY. After selecting your shown in Figure 3. In order to avoid a lot
shadow lines between the boards to add boards, plane them to thickness and cut of glue squeezeout between the boards
to the rustic look. To get this look, I eased them to size as shown in the drawing on the top side, I put glue directly into
the edges of each board with a round- and detail ‘c’ above. Then head to the the biscuit slots and made sure to keep
over bit before gluing them together. router table to rout a slight roundover my glue bead below the centerline
Because of the roundovers on the on all of the edges (Figure 1, below). of the boards. If a little does squeeze
edges, all of the boards have to be Laying out the biscuit locations is out the top, a pointed scraper can be
planed to their final thickness before pretty straightforward, as well (Figure used to remove it. The top is fastened
assembly. So I had to take special care 2). If you don’t have a biscuit joiner, to the cabinet through the holes you
to ensure the boards stayed flush with dowels will work for this, also. drilled earlier in the case. Be sure to use

How-To: MAKE THE TOP

1 2 3

DD

END
a. VIEW
Biscuit
!/8"-rad. location Joiner
roundover bit NOTE: Use
DD
framing square
to align Biscuit
board ends slot

Round Over Edges. Ease all of the Layout for Biscuits. Position the Cut the Slots. Adjust the biscuit joiner
edges on each top piece at the router boards in their final order and mark the to cut slots centered on the edge of the
table before gluing them together. locations for the biscuit slots. board and make the cuts.

54 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 roundhead screws with washers along to give my cabinet an aged look — one and other assorted damage marks. All
the front edge holes to allow for any sea- lighter finish for the top and drawer fronts of this is done during the finishing pro-
sonal movement of the top (detail ‘b’). and another darker color for the rest of cess through the use of various items in
(I waited to fasten my top until after I the cabinet. I achieved this look through a the shop — a short chain to smack the
applied finish to the whole cabinet.) combination of milk paint and glaze. Our surface to create indents, and various
online video found at Woodsmith.com will files and gouges to leave marks.
DISTRESSED FINISH show you how to get this look. However you decide to finish this
As you can see in the photo on page 44, One other thing you’ll notice is that cabinet, you’re sure to have an heirloom
I actually used a two-tone finishing style the entire cabinet has nicks, gouges, quality piece of furniture. W

Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram

A Case Top/Bottom (2) 3⁄ ply. - 18 x 67 Q Base Filler (1) 3⁄ x 2 - 631⁄ • (18) #8 x 11⁄4" Pocket Screws
4 4 4
B Case Sides (2) 3 ⁄4 ply. - 181⁄4 x 24 R Drawer Fronts (8) 3 ⁄4 x 415⁄16 - 15 • (8 pr.) 18" Full-Extension Drawer Slides
C Case Dividers (3) 3⁄ ply. - 18 x 23 S Drawer Backs (8) 1⁄ x 415⁄ - 135⁄ • (2) 1⁄8" x 1" Steel Bars (6' long)
4 2 16 8
D Back Panel (1) 1⁄ ply. - 24 x 671⁄ T Drawer Sides (16) 1⁄ x 415⁄ - 18 • (1) 1⁄8" x 3⁄4" Steel Bar (6' long)
4 2 2 16
E Long Filler Strips (2) 3⁄ ply. - 2 x 68 U Drawer Bottoms (8) 1⁄4 ply. - 135⁄8 x 171⁄2 • (4) 11⁄4" O.D. Pulleys
4
F Short Filler Strips (2) 3⁄ ply. - 2 x 141⁄ V Shelves (4) 3⁄ ply. - 175⁄ x 161⁄ • (4) 1⁄4" x 1"- 20 Hex Bolts
4 4 4 8 8
G Drwr. Slide Spacers (4) 3⁄4 ply. - 3 x 221⁄2 W Shelf Edging (4) 3⁄ x 11⁄ - 161⁄
4 4 8 • (4) 1⁄4"- 20 Jam Nuts
H Upper Face Frame Rail (1) 3⁄4 x 31⁄8 - 65 X Door Stiles (4) 3⁄ x 21⁄ - 219⁄
4 2 16 • (28) 1⁄4" Washers
I Lower Face Frame Rail (1) 3⁄4 x 11⁄2 - 65 Y Door Rails (4) 3⁄ x 21⁄ - 121⁄
4 2 4 • (8) 1⁄4" x 5⁄8"- 20 Hex Bolts
J Outer Face Frame Stiles (2) 3⁄4 x 11⁄2 - 243⁄4 Z Door Panels (2) 1⁄ ply. - 121⁄ x 175⁄
2 4 16 • (8) 1⁄4"- 20 Threaded Inserts
K Inner Face Frame Stiles (3) 3⁄4 x 11⁄2 - 201⁄8 AA End Stiles (4) 3⁄ x 21⁄ - 243⁄
4 2 4 • (6) 1⁄4" x 13⁄4"- 20 Hex Bolts
L Corner Blocks (8) 1 x 4- 5 BB End Rails (4) 3⁄ x 21⁄ - 153⁄ • (6) 1⁄4"- 20 Hex Nuts
4 2 4
M Long Base Rails (2) 3 ⁄4 x 2 - 611⁄2 CC End Panels (2) 1⁄ ply. - 153⁄ x 201⁄ • (8) 1⁄4" I.D. x 1⁄2" O.D. x 1⁄2" Nylon Spacers
2 4 2
N Short Base Rails (2) 3⁄ x 2 - 12 DD Top (1) 13⁄8 x 21 - 72 • (2) 1⁄4" x 11⁄2" Lag Screws
4
O Front Base Molding (1) 3 ⁄4 x 33⁄8 - 70 • (56) #8 x 11⁄2" Fh Woodscrews • (24) #20 Biscuits
P End Base Moldings (2) 3⁄4 x 33⁄8 - 201⁄4 • (6) #8 x 11⁄2" Rh Woodscrews w/Washers • (16) 1⁄4" Shelf Pins

#/4"x 7" - 72" Poplar (3.5 Bd. Ft.)

M

ALSO NEEDED: Two - 48" x 96"

Q sheets of #/4" Birch plywood.
#/4"x 5!/2" - 96" Poplar (Two boards @ 3.7 Bd. Ft. each) Two - 48" x 96" sheets
AA X X of !/4" Birch plywood.
P One - 48" x 96" sheet
BB BB Y Y of !/2" Birch plywood
N
#/4"x 5!/2" - 96" Poplar (3.7 Bd. Ft.)
H AA

I
#/4"x 6" - 96" Poplar ( 4 Bd. Ft.)
O J
W

1"x 5" - 48" Poplar (2.1 Bd. Ft.) !/2"x 5!/2" - 84" Hard Maple (Four boards @ 3.2 Sq. Ft. each)
L L L L L L L L T T T T
tt

!/2"x 5!/2" - 60" Hard Maple (Two boards @ 2.3 Sq. Ft. each) #/4"x 5!/2" - 72" Douglas Fir (Two boards @ 2.8 Bd. Ft. each)

S S S S R R R R

1!/2"x 5!/2" - 84" Douglas Fir (Four boards @ 6.4 Bd. Ft. each)

DD

Woodsmith.com • 55

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 g
workin ls
with too

Shopping for a
Band Saw
A band saw can be one of the most
} Band saws are available in a variety versatile tools in the workshop. From
of sizes to fill most
st any need in the La
aguna 14"
Laguna cutting joinery and curves to ripping
woodworking shop. op. b
band saw and resawing, it can see a lot of use.
Powermatic
owermatic
With all this practicality, you may be
14"
" band saw considering adding a band saw to your
shop. As you can see on the left, there are
many options available, so it can be dif-
ficult to make the right choice. I’ll point
Ryobi 10"
out a few things to consider.
benchtop
band saw
PRIMARY USES
The first thing you need to consider
when shopping for a band saw is how it
will be used. What cutting tasks will you
be expecting to perform with the saw?
Does your work involve ripping stock
to width or resawing thin veneer from
thicker stock, as in the main photo? Are
you a modelmaker that works with
smaller workpieces? Or are you look-
ing for a mid-range band saw that can
handle a wide variety of common tasks

56 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written By: Randy Maxey

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 #/4"
blade
in the workshop? Answering these
questions can help narrow your selec-
tion to a saw that will satisfy your needs.
!/4"
!/2" blade
SPACE REQUIREMENTS blade
Another important factor is the available
shop space for the band saw. And I don’t
just mean the amount of floor space it
requires. You’ll want to know the foot-
print of the saw, but even its height can
play into your decision. 6" riser block
SIZE IT UP. Benchtop saws don’t take up
much space. But 14" saws and larger
can take up considerable floor real
estate. With any band saw, it’s impor-
tant to also take into account room for { Some cast iron band saws can { Larger band saws can accept wider
the largest workpiece you’re likely to accommodate a riser block that blades, which makes them more suitable
cut. You’ll need room to maneuver. provides more resaw capacity. for resawing lumber into thinner stock.
With saws larger than 14", you’ll also
need to make sure there’s enough head- WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN. When you
room to fit the taller saw. Some of the look at the sales information for
larger-capacity, steel-frame saws can band saws, you’ll see labels like
reach up to 80" tall or more. 14" Band Saw or 18" Band Saw.
You might be led to believe that
WHAT’S IN A NAME? this number is the maximum
By now you can imagine the possibili- width of cut or throat depth from
ties of what a band saw can do for you. the blade to the frame. And you’d
But when it comes to shopping, the mar- be close to being right.
keting terminology can get a little bit Band saws are typically clas-
confusing if you’re not familiar with it. sified according to their wheel
diameter. A 14" band saw will have
14"-diameter wheels. The throat
depth takes into account the frame { Traditional band saw construction uses cast iron
of the saw, so it’s always slightly frames (left photo). Steel frames offer larger
less than the wheel diameter. capacities with less weight (right photo).
RESAW HEIGHT. If you like to resaw
thick stock into thinner workpieces, with a cast iron frame. Over the years,
you’ll also be concerned with the manufacturers have migrated to steel-
overall resaw height. This is the dis- frame saws. The ease of manufacturing
tance from the table to the upper blade and shipping costs were a driving fac-
guides at their highest setting. tor. This means that saws much larger
A 9" band saw has a maximum cutting than 14" are more readily available.
height of about 31⁄2". With traditional, MOTOR SIZE. As you would expect,
cast-iron 14" band saws, the standard greater sawing capacities require more
6" resaw height can be extended to 12" horsepower. The larger saws can have
with a riser block. It fits between the 220v motors up to 5hp (photos at left)
lower and upper halves of the frame. and require a 220v electrical circuit.
See the upper left photo. Band saws BLADE CHOICES. The type of work you
with a steel frame have a fixed resaw want to do with your band saw plays
height. A 20" saw may have a resaw into the types of blades you can use
capacity of 16", for example. (upper right photo). Most saws can
BAND SAW CONSTRUCTION. I mentioned two accept 1⁄8"-wide blades for making
types of frame construction you’ll find intricate cuts. But every saw has a
{ Band saws with greater resaw capacities on band saws: Cast iron and tubular maximum blade width it can handle.
require more horsepower. Expect to find steel (refer to the middle right photos). It helps to make sure the blades that fit
220v motors up to 5hp or greater. For decades, 14" band saws were made your saw are easy to find.

Woodsmith.com • 57

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 { Sawdust can get packed between the blade and tires. Dust { The mass of a cast iron table (left) is beneficial for reducing
collection at the underside of the table is a minimum requirement. vibration which results in smoother cuts. Smaller saws may have a
An additional port near the bottom at the is a bonus. cast aluminum or stamped steel table (right).

OTHER FEATURE CONSIDERATIONS ALUMINUM OR STEEL. As you’re shopping BAND SAW FENCE. As I mentioned earlier,
In addition to the things I’ve already for saws, you may notice that some a band saw is ideal for resawing thick
mentioned, there are some other features benchtop saws feature a cast aluminum lumber into thinner stock or veneer.
you can look for in a band saw. Some of or stamped steel table. Larger saws And ripping stock to width is a safer
these you may find more important than usually have a cast iron table. Cast iron and more efficient operation on a band
others but are worth mentioning. has the advantage of adding mass to saw than it is on a table saw.
DUST COLLECTION. The blades and wheels help reduce vibration, as shown in the For both ripping and resawing, a fence
on a band saw are shrouded by an upper right photos. Benchtop saws can is one feature you’ll want to consider.
enclosure for safety. But this creates be securely mounted or clamped to a A band saw fence has some unique
areas where sawdust can build up on benchtop to reduce vibration. requirements. First, the angle of the
the tires and blade. REPLACEABLE INSERTS. While we’re on the fence relative to the blade should be
It’s important to have dust collection subject of tables, you’ll want to make adjustable. This way, the fence can be
ports on the saw. At a minimum, there sure it’s easy to purchase replacement set to match the drift angle of the blade.
should be a a hose attachment near the inserts (lower left photo). These are usu- It’s also a benefit to have a fence with a
blade on the underside of the table, as ally plastic or aluminum and can get tall face for resawing.
in the upper left photo. This grabs the chewed up over time, which is normal. Not all saws are supplied with a fence,
sawdust at its source. Some saws also This creates a larger opening around so you’ll want to know this up front. If
include a dust port near the bottom of the blade that can trap cutoffs. You can that’s the case, purchasing a third-party
the lower wheel, as you can see in the usually purchase inserts directly from fence is always an option (box on next
upper right photo on the next page. the manufacturer or retailer. page). As a matter of fact, after-market
fences may be of better quality with
more features than a stock fence.
BLADE TENSIONING. I briefly mentioned
band saw blades and how the size of the
saw determines the maximum width of
blade you can use. Regardless of the
blade, it’s important that it be tensioned
properly during use.
Band saws have a mechanism (usually
a knob) that effectively changes the dis-
tance between the wheels to change the
amount of tension on the blade. When
properly tensioned, there can be as much
as 30,000psi of tension on a blade. This
creates a lot of strain on the wheels’ bear-
{ Replaceable inserts create zero- { A quality band saw fence is an important ing and shaft assemblies.
clearance support around the consideration, particularly if you do a lot of ripping Rather than leave the blade tensioned
blade for cleaner, safer cuts. or resawing. Aftermarket fences are a good option. when not in use, some manufacturers

58 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 { A quick turn of the blade tension release lever makes it easy to relieve the { Just like your car or truck, pushing on a pedal
tension on the blade after using the band saw. This mechanism can be found engages a braking mechanism to slow the spinning
on newer saws and is also available as an aftermarket item for older saws. wheels and blade on some band saws.

have incorporated a tension-release The blade, as long as it’s still moving, When you step on a pedal, pads engage
mechanism into their saws (photo, has the potential to keep cutting. This a braking plate to stop the wheel.
above left). After using your saw, all it is particularly a concern on larger saws BUDGET. Of course, your hunt for a new
takes is a quick pull on the lever to relax with heavier wheels. band saw shouldn’t start without con-
the blade and release the tension. Many saws incorporate one of two sideration of your budget. Benchtop
PUT THE BRAKES ON. If you’ve ever used a types of brake mechanism. One type is saws can be purchased for around $100.
band saw, you may have noticed that built into the motor. When the power 14" band saws run from $500 to $1,000
the wheels and blade can keep spinning is shut off, an electromagnet stops the or more. From there, the price reaches
for several seconds to minutes after the rotation of the shaft. into the mid $1,500s and higher. If a
power is switched off. This is due to A mechanical brake is operated much new saw isn’t in your budget, consider
the momentum of the finely balanced like your automobile. This type of brake upgrading a used band saw with the
wheels. The problem is, it’s unsafe. is shown in the upper right photo. products shown below. W

Upgrades: SOUP UP AN OLD SAW

If a new band saw isn’t in your budget, there are some easy ways to < Phenolic Cool Blocks
add new life to an older used saw. The products shown here are easy from Olson replace
to find at retailers that specialize in woodworking supplies. These older metal or plastic
upgrades and accessories are easy to install, and you’re sure to see guide blocks.
better results. Refer to Sources on page 67.

{ Urethane tires replace worn, { Replace factory guide bearings with { After-market fences like this Kreg Precision Band Saw
cracked tires that have become these high-quality units from Carter. Fence are an easy upgrade that pays off with easier,
hard and caked with sawdust. You’ll get more accurate cuts. more accurate ripping and resawing cuts.

Woodsmith.com • 59

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 in the
shop

Shop
Inventory To download an inventory
spreadsheet, visit our website
at Woodsmith.com.

Over time, most woodworkers build

quite a collection of tools. And one thing
we tend to neglect is keeping track of
what we have. But if something unfor-
tunate should happen, such as a fire or
burglary, would you be able to accu-
rately list what you had for insurance
purposes? Even though such an event
may be unlikely, I realized I’d be hard-
pressed to come up with a complete list
of all my tools. So I decided to create a
detailed inventory — if for nothing more
than peace of mind.
{ A spreadsheet program is a simple solution to keeping track of all the important details
GETTING STARTED related to your shop equipment and supplies. Besides being easy to fill in, it doesn’t take
My original method of “tracking” was to much to modify the setup to suit your specific needs.
toss the manuals, receipts, and warranty
info into a drawer. Of course, that was So I decided the easiest way would be to Starting with an empty spreadsheet,
in the shop — so it wasn’t going to do come up with my own digital solution. simply create separate columns for the
much good if something bad happened. SPREADSHEET. Don’t worry, what I’m types of information you’d like to keep
Realizing I needed a better method, I suggesting is something simple — a track of. That info is up to you, but if
looked for computer or phone applica- spreadsheet, like the one shown above. you want to get a quicker start, check
tions I could use, but didn’t find much My preferred choice is Excel since it’s out the online extra at Woodsmith.com
that suited the needs of a woodworker. something I’ve worked with for years. for a ready-to-go spreadsheet template.

60 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Bryan Nelson

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 START SMALL. Completing this process the next one, repeating the process
can seem overwhelming at first, espe- until I’ve inventoried the entire
cially if you have a large, extensive shop. And if you don’t have all
shop. So instead of focusing on your the information you need for each
entire shop, start with something small. item, record what you can and
Most shops have drawers or small fill in the blanks with additional
cabinets, so that’s a good place to begin. research as you track it down.
I’ll start by taking a photo of the con- OTHER ITEMS. One thing you’ll dis-
tents, spreading things out if necessary cover is some items don’t fit the
to make sure everything is shown (main “tool” category. I’ve built my own
photo, opposite page). For some tools, benches, jigs, and accessories. Plus, I
I’ll take a photo of the product label just keep lumber and consumables such { Model and serial numbers are key for documenting
to make sure there’s no doubt as to the as finishes, hardware, and glues in exactly what tool you have in your inventory for
model or serial number (photo at right). my shop. These things have value insurance purposes. Numbers are located on the tool.
With the photos in hand, it’s a simple and are important to record.
matter to enter information into the I created separate tabs in the spread- Of course, should something happen
spreadsheet. Since I’m already at my sheet for these items — one for things that requires filing an insurance claim,
computer, I can easily look up average I’ve built and another for consumable you’ll need to get that information
pricing, sources, and any other info I items. Don’t forget to add in the value to your insurance agent. That means
need. Once I have the contents of that of your labor on the things you’ve built. having it readily accessible — so don’t
drawer or cabinet detailed, I move on to VIDEO SUPPLEMENT. A detailed spreadsheet store it in the shop.
is a great solution for knowing exactly Sure, I keep a copy there for review
what you have along with photos. But and to easily update it. But back up the
there’s one more thing I like to do, and files to a couple of thumb drives, too
that’s make a video of my shop. (photo at left). I give one to a family
Using my cellphone, I walk through member and store one in my drawer
my shop, making sure everything I have at work. The “cloud” is a great option,
listed on the spreadsheet is captured in too. You simply need an accessible
the video. Open drawers and cabinet copy stored away from your shop.
doors and move things around if neces- The information I keep track of is
sary so nothing is hidden. based on discussions with my insur-
UPDATE & BACK UP. Once you have your ance agent. You’ll want to touch base
inventory completed, keeping it with your agent before you begin. After
{ Create multiple backups of your shop updated is easy. After any new pur- that talk, you can modify the spread-
inventory by copying the file to separate chase, it doesn’t take long to add the sheet to make sure you have exactly
thumb drives. information to your inventory. what you need. W

How-To: STORING MANUALS, WARRANTIES & RECEIPTS

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

Woodsmith.com • 61

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 ering the
mast saw
table

Locking rabbet
Drawer
Construction { A drawer front with a lipped locking
rabbet joint is perfect for concealing
full-extension drawer slides.

I typically try not to overthink the construction easy, as well as rock-solid, drawer, all of the force required to open
process when building drawers for I turn to a common joinery technique a drawer happens along the front. The
projects. Even though they’re almost time and again — the locking rabbet — locking rabbet joint does just what its
like building mini projects inside of or some variation of it. name implies — it locks the drawer
a larger build, the joinery is usually WHY USE A LOCKING RABBET? Whether the sides to the front to absorb the lat-
pretty straightforward. But there’s drawers in your project have han- eral energy created by pulling on the
always an assuring sense of satisfaction dles attached to the front, recessed drawer front. This means the joint, held
when all of the parts come together nice pulls in the front face, or a hand- together with only glue, will hold up to
and square. In order to keep my drawer hold cutout along the top edge of the years of opening and closing.

False front

Drawer front False front

Front & side

lock together
with addition
of false front

62 • Woodsmith / No. 237 Written by: Robert Kemp

WS237_062.indd 62 4/3/2018 10:26:16 AM

 1 2 3

{ The drawer front receives a centered { Clip off part of the tongue on the inside { A shallow dado in the drawer side forms
groove on both ends. Be sure to use a tall of the front. The remaining tongue locks a mating tongue that interlocks with the
backer board to hold the piece vertical. together with the side. groove cut in the drawer front.

TWO TYPES OF LOCKING RABBETS. The two lip on the outside edge of the drawer the thickness of the drawer side for a
basic types of locking rabbet joints that front and can be used to hide drawer flush outside edge. Or, when making
I turn to most often are shown in the slides (inset photo, previous page). a lip to hide drawer slides, the blade
illustrations at the bottom of the previ- Another option is to create that same height should be set at the thickness
ous page. The first is a standard locking lip around the entire perimeter of the of the side, plus the thickness of the
rabbet with a groove cut in the end of drawer front to overlap a face frame. drawer slide (typically 1⁄2"). Be sure to
the front and a dado in the side piece The box below talks more about this use a tall auxiliary fence and backer
that interlocks with the front. style of locking rabbet. board to hold the drawer front vertical.
The other type uses a false drawer But the thing I like most about locking With the same blade in the saw, lay
front that, when added to the drawer rabbet joinery is that it’s easy to setup the drawer front flat on the saw and
front, creates the locking rabbet joint. and cut. You can usually get by with one remove half of the inside facing tongue,
This is essentially just a tongue and dado blade thickness for all of the cuts. as shown in Photo 2. That finishes the
dado joint, but it functions just like a On a drawer with a 3⁄4"-thick front, a 1⁄4" drawer front portion of the joint.
locking rabbet. dado blade is ideal. This same setup will Finally, the depth of the shallow dado
ADDED BENEFITS. Besides the superior work even if your drawers have differ- in the drawer side piece should match
strength that the locking rabbet joint ent widths and heights. the thickness of the short tongue on the
provides, it also has other benefits. The MAKING THE CUTS. The grooves in the inside of the drawer front (Photo 3).
first is that the groove cut in the edge of ends of the drawer fronts are the best When complete, your pieces should lock
the drawer front can be cut deeper than place to start (Photo 1, above). Here, together with no gaps, forming a joint
the thickness of the side. This forms a the height of the blade should match that will last for generations. W

How-To: FULL-OVERLAY LOCKING RABBET

On some projects, simply overlapping Drawer front } A full lip around the perimeter of the
the outside ends of the drawer front drawer front allows it to overlap the
isn’t enough. Sometimes you want case or face frame.
that overlay to extend around the
entire outside edge of the drawer. This
style of locking rabbet, shown at right, Drawer Deep groove
works great when installed in projects side cut around
perimeter of
with a wide face frame. drawer front
ONE EXTRA STEP. Creating this joint fol- provides
overlapping lip
lows the same procedure as a regular TOP
locking rabbet joint with one extra VIEW
step. You’ll cut a rabbet along the top
and bottom edges of the drawer front Frame Pieces. The anatomy of the
to match the reveal along the edge. The lipped locking rabbet is very similar
side locks in place in the same fashion. to a standard locking rabbet.

Illustrations: Bob Zimmerman Woodsmith.com • 63

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 m
tips frop
our sho

Shop
Notes
Octagonal Canister Glue-up
Creating an octagonal canister, such as SMOOTH GLUE UP. In addition to using the BOTTOM WEDGES FIRST. To assemble the
the knife block on page 18, is straight- clamping forms and wedges, I found a canister, start by making sure the bot-
forward using a bird’s mouth router bit. key to a successful glue up on the can- tom is in place. Before placing one of
Clamping a multi-sided project, however, ister is to use a glue with a long open the clamping forms over the container,
can be a more difficult task. By using the time, such as slow-set epoxy or liquid use a rubber band to hold the wedges
clamping forms shown on page 20, that hide glue. These glues provide enough to the face of each stave, as shown in
task is made easier. But a specific assem- open time to position everything in Figure 1. Next, you can slide the lower
bly order will make it go smoothly. place before the glue sets up. clamping form over the canister and
seat it over the wedges. Press it down
1 2 firmly for a friction fit (Figure 2).
TOP FORM. With the bottom clamping
form in place, you can move to the
top half of the container. Here, you’ll
want to put the clamping form on
the canister first. Wedges can then be
Short
placed between the canister and the
wedges staves and tapped in place. Make sure
to place the wedges on opposing faces
to keep even pressure on the canister
until all of the wedges are in place.
Rubber
Then use a small mallet to tap all the
Press down firmly
band to seat clamping form wedges (both top and bottom) firmly
into place (main photo).

64 • Woodsmith / No. 237

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 Drilling Jig 1
The display shelf on page 30 uses con- NOTE: Glue guide !/2"
brad point
nector bolts and threaded inserts to link block to rear
bit
and side guides 8!/2
the shelves to the uprights. To ensure
this is a seamless transition, it’s critical 1!/4 6 NOTE: Align
2
that the inserts are installed squarely in 2 jig to back
of upright
the uprights. That starts with a hole in
the shelf that is perfectly plumb. How- GUIDE BLOCK Clamp holds jig
ever, drilling a plumb hole with a drill tightly to upright

can be tricky. The drilling jig you see to 6

SIDE
1 GUIDE
the right is the solution to this problem.
!/4"
DETAILS. To use the drilling jig, align it hardboard
to the back of the upright and clamp it
firmly against the guides. Then, drill NOTE: Guide block Upright
and rear guide are back
each hole the proper depth for the made from 1"-thick
REAR GUIDE hardwood
insert (Figure 1).

1
1 (/16"
Guide Block for Shelves
drill The beauty of the display shelf on page
bit
8 30 is its sleek, thin profile. This is accom-
plished in part by the concealed hard-
3 (/16"-dia. ware used to mount the unit to the wall.
hole
Registration The hardware consists of two long
line FIRST:Align
registration
steel pins. One goes in the wall stud. The
marks to start other goes into the shelf through a hole
GUIDE holes for shelf
BLOCK pin. in the back. To guarantee that the hole
!/8
in the shelf is drilled straight, I made the
SECOND: Remove guide block you see here.
#/4 guide block and
finish drilling hole It’s just a block of wood that is rab-
NOTE: Guide
block is 1"-thick to proper depth beted along two edges. This lets you set
hardwood %/8
the block in the shelf groove and align it
to the mark on the face of the shelf.

Cutting an Octagon
The bottom and base of the knife block mark the perimeter cut lines, along with CORNERS. To cut the waste from the four
on page 18 are octagonal in shape. Due the center point. Next, set a compass corners, set your table saw miter gauge
to their small size, cutting these parts on a from one corner to the center. Scribe an to 45° with an auxiliary fence. Line up
miter saw could be an unsafe operation. So arc from each corner to the perimeter the cut on your workpiece with the
it’s best to cut them at the table saw using a lines (Figure 1). At the table saw, trim the blade, and clamp a stop block in place.
miter gauge with an auxiliary fence. blank along the perimeter cut lines. Now, Now, it’s a simple matter of making the
OCTAGON WITH ARCS. To lay out each octa- connect the points where the arcs meet first cut and rotating the workpiece to
gon, start with an oversized blank and the perimeter edge (Figure 2). remove each corner (Figure 3).

1 Compass set
from corner 2 SECOND:
Connect arc ends 3
to center for corner cut lines Stop block
Perimeter
cut line
Waste

FIRST:
Cut blank Aux.
to size along miter
Oversized perimeter lines Set miter fence
Waste blank at the table saw Waste gauge to 45°

Woodsmith.com • 65

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 Installing Drawer Slides 1 2
The eight drawers in the barn-door cab-
inet on page 44 ride on full-extension
drawer slides. Installing these slides
without some kind of helper can be a NOTE: Install
all upper slides
tricky proposition. So what I did was using full-length
spacer
make a spacer from a piece of hard- 15!/16
board, as you see here. NOTE: Cut
spacer down 5"
MULTIPLE LEVELS. Starting with the spacer for next row 10!/16
a. of slides
cut to the length shown in Figure 1
!/8
allows you to install all of the upper
slides in the cabinet. When they’re
attached, simply cut the hardboard
spacer down for the slides just below,
as shown in Figure 2. The bottom slides
are 1⁄16" up from the bottom of the case.

Bending Brackets a.
The barn-door cabinet on page 44 has 9
four shop-made brackets for hanging
SIDE !/4"-
the doors. These brackets are nothing 1 SECTION
BASE rad. Base 1!/2
more than a piece of bent steel with a VIEW
pulley bolted in the middle. Getting a Guide
6 6
consistent bend in all four of the brack-
ets can be somewhat difficult. To ensure 4!/2 Stop
GUIDE
my brackets were all uniform, I made
the simple bending jig shown here.
PLYWOOD GUIDE. The jig is two pieces STOP b. TOP VIEW
of plywood sandwiched together. The 9 Guide !/8
#8 x #/4" NOTE: Guide and
guide has a rounded top edge to match base are made from
Fh woodscrew
the bend in the bracket (detail ‘a’). The !/2" plywood. Stop Base
!/2
is !/8" hardboard
base has a shallow dado that is the
same width as the steel I used to make
the brackets (1"). A thin, hardboard end of my steel bar (Figure 1). Then, pull it all the way down (Figure 2a).
stop glued in the dado ensures the with the bending jig clamped to a After cutting the bracket to length,
short arm of each bracket will be the bench, slip the rounded end of the steel head to the drill press to drill the
same length after they’re bent to shape. bar in the opening in the jig and bend mounting holes as shown in Figure 3.
ROUND OFF & SHAPE. Before bending the the bar over the top of the guide (Fig- Finally, round the long arm to match
first bracket though, I rounded one ure 2). A clamp can be used to help the roundover on the other end. W

SECOND: Bend the

1 2 bar over the top 3 Spacer
of the guide !/4" drill
bit
FIRST: Slip the
rounded end
of steel Hardboard
bar into Fence holds bracket
bending against fence
NOTE: Round one jig
end of an extra-long
steel bar for the short arm

a. a. a.

Spacer

%/8"-rad.

66 • Woodsmith / No. 237

WS237_066.indd 66 4/10/2018 12:06:36 PM

 hardware & supplies
Sources
Most of the materials and sup- To drill the holes for the wall pins BAND SAW (p.56)
plies you’ll need to build the I used a 5⁄16" bit. For the shelf, I • Rockler
MAIL
projects are available at hard- used a 9⁄16" bit. Long versions of Olson Cool Blocks . . . . . . 29699
ORDER
ware stores or home centers. For both of these bits can be found at Carter Bearing Guides . . . 39360
SOURCES
specific products or hard-to-find home centers or online. Urethane Tires . . . . . . . . . varies Project supplies may
items, take a look at the sources The corner blocks are stained Kreg Band Saw Fence . . . 26186 be ordered from the
following
listed here. You’ll find each part with a mixture of three parts Zar • Woodcraft companies:
number listed by the company cherry stain and one part Wood Carter Magfence II . . . . .153477
General Finishes
name. See the right margin for Kote Jel’d stain (cherry). Then, all Laguna DriftMaster . . . .848582 800-783-6050
contact information. the parts are sprayed with two • Infinity Cutting Tools generalfinishes.com
coats of lacquer. Magswitch Fence . . . . . . . varies Infinity Cutting Tools
ANILINE DYES (p.10) 877-872-2487
infinitytools.com
• Rockler CLAMPING STATION (p.36)
TransTint Dyes . . . . . . . . . Varies • Woodcraft Kreg Tool
T-Track . . . . . . . . . . . . KMS7509
The Complete 800-447-8638
kregtool.com
DOG HOLE ACCESSORIES (p.14) 3
⁄8"-16 Thrd. Inserts . . . . .159284 Woodsmith
• Lee Valley • McMaster-Carr Magazine Collection Lee Valley
800-871-8158
Small Kreg Clamp . . . . 25K59.12 3
⁄8" Nylon Spacers . . 94639A860 1979 to 2017 leevalley.com
3
Large Kreg Clamp . . . . 25K59.13 ⁄8" Studded Knobs . . . . 6091K54
 Access Every Issue, McMaster-Carr
10" Plate and Post . . . . 50F02.13 • Rockler 630-833-0300
Article, Photo, and Illus- mcmaster.com
5" Plate and Post . . . . . 50F02.12 5" Lock Swivel Casters. . . 37138
tration Ever Published!
Bench Blade . . . . . . . . . 05G22.10 • MicroJig MicroJig
93⁄4" Planing Stop . . . . 05G23.01 MATCHFIT Dovetail Clamps  Every Plan, Tip, and 855-747-7233
microjig.com
171⁄2" Planing Stop . . . 05G23.05 The base assembly and grid side Technique, Everything
• Rockler of the top are sprayed with a cou- You’ll Ever Need! MLCS
800-533-9298
Bench Cookie Plus Kit . . . 56071 ple coats of clear lacquer.  Instant Online Access on mlcswoodworking.com
Your Computer, Laptop,
Rockler
KNIFE BLOCK (p.18) BARN DOOR CABINET (p.44) Tablet, or Smartphone! 800-279-4441
rockler.com
• MLCS • Rockler
Bird's Mouth Bit . . . . . . . . 7839 1
⁄8" rad. Beadboard Bit . . . 33593 Woodcraft
800-225-1153
• Rockler • McMaster-Carr woodcraft.com
Dye "reddish brown" . . . . 27582 11⁄4" O.D. Pulley . . . . . 3434T23
3" Lazy Susan Bearing . . 28951 The two-tone finish on the barn-
door cabinet is achieved through
ROUTER BASES (p.24) a multi-step process. The fin-
• Rockler ishes used are General Finishes
Tall Jig Handles . . . . . . . . . 52360 Milk Paint in “antique white” Item #WL07U
and General Finishes Milk Paint
Woodsmith, The Complete
DISPLAY SHELF (p.30) in “lamp black” for the glazing
Magazine Collection
• Rockler effect. I also used General Finishes
1⁄ " -20 Thrd. Inserts . . . . 33183 Seal-a-Cell in “clear.” The online
on USB Flash Drive...$99
4
1⁄ " -20 Conn. Bolts . . . . . 46707 video found at Woodsmith.com
4
Blind Shelf Supports . . . . 59434 shows how to apply the finish.

Follow us on

Woodsmith.com • 67

WS237_066.indd 67 4/11/2018 10:33:06 AM

 looking inside
Final Details

{ Clamping Station. With a

reversible top and multiple
clamping options, this mobile Knife Block. Your kitchen knives >
station has your workholding will always be at the ready with
needs covered. Complete plans this rotating knife storage block.
start on page 36. Read more on how it’s made
beginning on page 18.

< Barn-Door Cabinet.

The focal point of this
rustic cabinet is a pair of
sliding barn doors. We’ll
walk you through each
step of the construction,
from building the cabinet
to making the hardware
for the doors. Turn to
page 44 to get started.

Floating Shelves. A modular design allows you to customize >

the configuration of these floating shelves to suit the wall
space that you have available. Plans begin on page 30.

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