PW 2002 126

3 GREAT JIGS FOR PERFECT CLAMPING
NOW MORE PROJECTS, TECHNIQUES, REVIEWS

FEBRUARY 2002
Popular ISSUE #126
Woodworking
CLASH OF THE
TABLE SAWS
• Who makes the BEST MACHINE
• Learn the BEST TECHNIQUES
• Build SUPER-SMART
OUTFEED TABLES
8 DO-OR-DIE
lessons in
wood movement
PLUS CANADA’S
• Shaker Candlestand MAG
RUFFMAN
• Sliding Bench Deadman TV’s first woman
• Rehandle your Chisels of woodworking
builds projects
using off-the-rack
www.popwood.com
$4.99 U.S. $7.99 CAN materials
0 2>
0 71486 01355 6
Actor Dan Haggerty
with Ben, Stars of
“Grizzly Adams” PURVEYORS OF FINE MACHINERY™ – SINCE 1983
MODEL G8794 MODEL G1021Z MODEL G1033
1
12 ⁄2" Portable Planer 15" Planer w/ CABINET Stand 20" Planer
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• 2 H.P., 110V • PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON BED • TABLE IS PRECISION-GROUND TO A MIRROR-LIKE FINISH
MOTOR, 15 AMPS • CUTTERHEAD SPEED: 5000 R.P.M. • CUTTERHEAD SPEED: 4833 R.P.M.
• CUTTERHEAD SPEED: • RATE OF FEED: 16 F.P.M. & 20 F.P.M. • RATE OF FEED: 16 F.P.M. & 20 F.P.M.
8,540 R.P.M. • MAX. CUTTING WIDTH: 147⁄8" • MAX. CUTTING DEPTH: 1⁄8" • MAX. CUTTING WIDTH: 20" • HEAVY-DUTY CAST IRON
• FEED RATE: • MAX. CUTTING HEIGHT: 61⁄8" • NUMBER OF KNIVES: 3
Actor 25 F.P.M.
• MAX. CUTTING HEIGHT: 85⁄8" CONSTRUCTION
Dan Haggerty • ALL BALL BEARING • MAX. CUTTING DEPTH: 1⁄8" • APPROX. SHIPPING
• NUMBER OF PUTS PER CONSTRUCTION • NUMBER OF KNIVES: 4 H.S.S. WEIGHT: 785 LBS.
INCH: 57 • APPROX. SHIPPING
• MIN. BOARD WEIGHT 540 LBS. 4 BLADE
THICKNESS: 3⁄16" CUTTERHEAD!
• MAX. CUTTING
WIDTH: 121⁄2" 1999
• MAX. CUTTING HEIGHT: 6"

• MAX. CUTTING DEPTH: 1⁄16"
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products and stand
behind everything 6" x 47" Jointer 6" x 47" Heavy-Duty 8" x 65" SUPER
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• 1 H.P., SINGLE-PHASE, 110/220V MOTOR (PRE-WIRED TO 110 V) • 1 H.P., SINGLE-PHASE, 110/220V MOTOR (PRE-WIRED TO 110 V) • 3-KNIFE CUTTERHEAD IS 3" IN DIA. AND RUNS IN
• HEAVY-DUTY ONE PIECE STEEL STAND W/BUILT IN CHIP CHUTE • HEAVY-DUTY ONE PIECE STEEL STAND W/BUILT IN CHIP CHUTE SHIELDED, PRE-LUBRICATED BALL BEARINGS
• PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON BED • PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON BED • POWERFUL 11⁄2 H.P., 220V SINGLE PHASE MOTOR
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STOPS @ 45º & 90º • 3 KNIFE BALL BEARING CUTTERHEAD
• TABLE SIZE: 6" X 47" • 1⁄2" RABBETING CAPACITY
• 3 KNIFE BALL BEARING CUTTERHEAD • TABLE SIZE: 6" X 47"
• 1⁄2" RABBETING CAPACITY
• MAXIMUM DEPTH OF CUT IS 1⁄2" AND
INFEED TABLE HAS RABBETING LEDGE
FREE
PAIR OF SAFETY
• APPROX. SHIP. WEIGHT: 215 LBS. • APPROX. SHIPPING • SUPER HEAVY-DUTY CAST IRON BED PUSH BLOCKS
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MODEL G1035 MODEL G1026 MODEL G1019Z

1
1 ⁄2 H.P. Shaper 3 H.P. Shaper 14" BANDSAW
• 2 INTERCHANGEABLE SPINDLES: 1⁄2" AND 3⁄4" • 3 INTERCHANGEABLE SPINDLES: 1⁄2", 3⁄4" AND 1" • CUTTING CAPACITY/THROAT: 141⁄4"
• HEAVY-DUTY 11⁄2 H.P., 110/220V MOTOR • 3" SPINDLE TRAVEL • MAXIMUM CUTTING HEIGHT: 63⁄8"
“Please, can we buy • TWO SPINDLE SPEEDS: 7,000 AND 10,000 R.P.M. • HEAVY-DUTY 3 H.P., SINGLE-PHASE, 220V MOTOR WITH • OVERALL SIZE: 66"H X 26"W X 22"D
• SPINDLE OPENINGS: 11⁄4", 31⁄2", AND 5" REVERSING SWITCH • TABLE HEIGHT ABOVE FLOOR: 421⁄2"
it, honey?” • PRECISION-GROUND CAST IRON TABLE • 3" SPINDLE TRAVEL • TWO SPINDLE SPEEDS: 7,000 AND 10,000 R.P.M. • TABLE TILT: 45° RIGHT, 10° LEFT
• TABLE SIZE: 201⁄4" X 18" • SPINDLE OPENINGS: 13⁄8", 23⁄4", 4", AND 51⁄2" • WHEELS: FULLY BALANCED CAST
• FLOOR-TO-TABLE HEIGHT: 331⁄2" • PRECISION-GROUND CAST IRON TABLE ALUMINUM WITH RUBBER TIRES
• ALL BALL BEARING CONSTRUCTION • TABLE SIZE WITH STANDARD • MOTOR: 1 H.P., TEFC,
• MAX. CUTTER DIAMETER: 5" WING ATTACHED: 301⁄2" X 281⁄4" 110V / 220V SINGLE PHASE
• APPROX. SHIPPING • FLOOR-TO-TABLE • AMPS: 12@110V / 6@220V
WEIGHT: 220 LBS. HEIGHT: 34" • BLADE SPEEDS: 2500 & 3350
• APPROX. SHIPPING F.P.M.
G1706 WEIGHT: 353 LBS. • BLADE SIZE: 98" (1⁄8" TO 3⁄4"
EXTENSION WING SHOWN WIDE)
NOT INCLUDED • APPROX. SHIP. WT. 165 LBS.
ONLY ONLY ONLY

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CALL TODAY FOR YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE:

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NEW TABLE SAWS FOR 2002!
MODEL G1022SM
MODEL G1022PRO MODEL G1023SL
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with Shop fox classic fence HEAVY-DUTY TABLE SAW • RAIL DIMENSIONS: 44" X 13⁄8" • MAX. RIPPING CAPACITY: 24"
• 2 H.P. MOTOR • PRECISION SHOP FOX® FENCE • CUTTING CAPACITY AT 90˚: 31⁄8" • CUTTING CAPACITY AT 45˚: 21⁄8" • 11⁄2
• PRECISION GROUND TABLE & WINGS • CAST IRON MITER GAUGE ADJUSTS TO • 3 H.P. SINGLE-PHASE, 220V MOTOR • MAXIMUM DEPTH OF CUT @ 90°: 3"
• SOLID CAST IRON TABLE • MAXIMUM DEPTH OF CUT @ 45°: 21⁄8" H.P., SINGLE-PHASE, 110/220V MOTOR (PRE-WIRED TO 110V)
• WIDE & STABLE STAND ELIMINATE ANY PLAY IN MITER SLOT • APPROX. SHIPPING WEIGHT: 220 LBS. • PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON
• 5
⁄8" X 11⁄4" BALL BEARING ARBOR • MACHINED STEEL PULLEYS • TABLE HAS T-SLOTS SO YOUR MITER • 5⁄8" DIAMETER ARBOR IS LONG ENOUGH
GAUGE WILL NOT FALL OFF THE TABLE TO ACCEPT DADO BLADES UP TO 13⁄16"
TABLE
• 37" TABLE HEIGHT • POWER TWIST® DRIVE BELT
• 31⁄8" CUTTING CAPACITY AT 90°, • 4" DUST PORT • 25" RIP CAPACITY WHEN RETRACTED • ONE-PIECE STEEL CABINET-TYPE STAND
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• SEE THRU BLADE GUARD • SHIPPING WEIGHT APPROX.: 290 LBS. WINGS ATTACHED) IS 401⁄8" X 27" • ALL SEALED BALL BEARING CONSTRUCTION
• TABLE HAS BEVELED EDGE & T-SLOTS • EXTRA-LARGE HANDWHEELS • TRIPLE V-BELT DRIVE
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CLASSIC
FENCE! ONLY
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FULLY
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MITER GAUGE
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$
$
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89500 MODEL G7947
12 Speed 17"
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floor Drill Press
• 1 H.P., SINGLE PHASE, 110V/220V MOTOR
• 12 SPEEDS: 210-3300 RPM
MODEL G1066 MODEL G9983 • OVERALL HEIGHT: 641⁄2" • SWING: 17"
24" Drum Sander 15" wide-belt sander • DRILL CHUCK: 5⁄8" • DRILLING CAPACITY: 1" STEEL
• SPINDLE TAPER: MT #3 • SPINDLE TRAVEL: 43⁄4"
• 5 H.P., 220V DRUM MOTOR DRIVES 2 ALUMINUM SANDING DRUMS
• 1⁄4 H.P. CONVEYOR MOTOR GIVES AN 11 FPM RATE OF FEED
(open end) • TABLE SIZE: 135⁄8" SQ.
• PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON TABLE
• 2 BUILT-IN 4" DUST PORTS FOR EASY HOOK-UP TO COLLECTION SYSTEM • OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 613⁄4"H X • TABLE TILT: 90˚ IN BOTH DIRECTIONS
• ALL STEEL AND BALL BEARING CONSTRUCTION 321⁄2"D X 35"W • APPROX. SHIPPING WEIGHT: 275 LBS.
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BUILT-IN LIGHT! (BULB NOT INCLUDED)
• BELT FEED MOTOR: 1⁄4 H.P.

• SANDING BELT MOTOR: 5 H.P. ONLY
$ 00
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• INCLUDES EXTENDED SUPPORT
375
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R.P.M.: 3450
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• PORTABLE BASE SIZE: 211⁄2" X 331⁄2"
• AIR SUCTION CAPACITY: 1550 C.F.M.
• STATIC PRESSURE: 12.3"
MODEL G9922 MODEL G1071 • APPROX. SHIPPING WEIGHT: 130 LBS.
Oscillating Spindle Sander Oscillating Spindle Sander 1997
• 1
⁄2 H.P., SINGLE PHASE, 4.6 AMP, TEFC MOTOR • 1 H.P., SINGLE PHASE, 110/220V, TEFC MOTOR
• GROUND CAST IRON 141⁄2" X 141⁄2" TABLE TILTS TO 45° • PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON 25" X 25" TABLE TILTS TO 45°
• STROKE LENGTH: 1" • BUILT-IN 2" DUST COLLECTION PORT • STROKE LENGTH: 11⁄2" • FLOOR-TO-TABLE HEIGHT: 351⁄2"
• BUILT-IN 4" DUST COLLECTION PORT FREE CYCLONE SEPARATOR!
• FLOOR-TO-TABLE HEIGHT: 391⁄2" • 3450 R.P.M. SPINDLE SPEED
• 1725 R.P.M. SPINDLE SPEED
• SPINDLE OSCILLATES AT
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64 STROKES-PER-MINUTE
$ 95
• SHIELDED & PERMANENTLY
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• INCLUDES 80 GRIT SLEEVE
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• PERMANENTLY LUBRICATED
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249
• INCLUDES 100 GRIT SLEEVE FOR $55 SHIPPING
FOR SPINDLE, MITER GAUGE ANYWHERE IN LOWER 48 STATES
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contents
TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
16 Turn Your Moto-Tool Into a Plunge Trimmer
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Build a spring-loaded base to turn your Dremel or other moto-tool into a plunge trimmer — the per-
fect tool for inlay and small-scale work. Also, add storage and dust collection beneath your contractor
saw with one piece of plywood and learn the trick to setting your hand plane blades square.
18 New Professional-Quality Sanders from Makita

TOOL TEST
Makita has introduced two new random-orbit sanders for the industrial market that home woodwork-
20 ers should take a serious look at. Also, we shoot a bunch of brads with the new nailer from DeWalt
and run down a bunch of rough stock with the new two-speed 13" planer from Delta.
20 Ridgid EB4424 Oscillating Belt/Spindle Sander

ENDURANCE TEST
Most of us would like to have an oscillating spindle sander, an edge sander and a 3,000-square-foot shop.
Ridgid helps you with those first two wishes with its EB4424, a benchtop machine that does the job of
both. We’ve been using this machine for more than two years and are ready to tell you how it fared.
22 Clamp Assist
INGENIOUS JIGS
These three simple clamping jigs make difficult tasks easy — especially for those of us who don’t have
a wall of clamps. Nick Engler’s three jigs will help make your projects perfectly square, help you clamp
to the middle of a panel and put pressure in odd spots.
22 By Nick Engler
36 Clash of the Contractor Saws

Selecting a table saw is one of the most important (and sometimes agonizing) decisions for a wood-
worker. So we got down and dirty with nine premium contractor saws to find out who is making the
best machine. And once you buy the right saw, we’ll show you the correct and practical way to make
difficult rips and crosscuts without getting hurt.
50 Ultrafast Frame and Panel

Building a frame-and-panel door can seem daunting to beginning woodworkers. Spend a day in a
commercial shop learning to build traditional doors with a minimum of fuss and tooling.
By Troy Sexton
84
68 Dealing With Wood Movement
The trick to mastering wood movement is to plan for it when you design your projects. Here are eight
time-tested (though not always obvious) ways to ensure your projects expand and contract with the
seasons without self-destructing.
By Lonnie Bird
84 Making Your Own Chisel Handles

Buying chisels is a compromise between good steel and a comfortable handle. Here’s a tip: Buy the
chisel with the best steel and make your own handle. It’s easy and can be done with or without a lathe.
By Roger Holmes
94 Caring for Furniture

FLEXNER ON FINISHING
After a piece of furniture leaves your shop, its new owners want to take care of it. But here’s the prob-
lem: some claims made by furniture-care products are misleading or just wrong. Find out the truth
36 about these products and what they’re actually good for.
By Bob Flexner continued on page 4
www.popwood.com 3
PROJECTS
30 Classic Shaker
46 Candlestand
This traditional form requires a little turn-
ON THE COVER ing, a little joinery and a little finesse.
Cabinetmaker Malcolm Huey shows you
To make nice projects, all three in our plans for this beautiful
you don’t have to have tiger maple table.
By Malcolm Huey
a production shop in
your basement. Mag
Ruffman shows you
46 Contractor Saw
how to build this shelf Outfeed Tables
unit using handheld For years, our editor has relied on these
power tools and com- two simple tables to catch long rips, sup-
port long crosscuts and generally serve as
mon materials from
assembly tables. Build them this weekend
your local home center.
and they’ll serve you for decades to come. 30
Cover photo by Al Parrish
56 Tank Heaven
Mag Ruffman’s show on Canadian TV, “Anything I Can Do,” is hands-down the funniest woodworking
show we’ve seen. (Well, OK, it’s the funniest show that is supposed to be funny.) We’ve smuggled Mag
across the border so you can enjoy her brand of humor and build this useful over-the-potty cabinet.
By Mag Ruffman
IN EVERY ISSUE 63 Inlay Door with a Router

SECOND OF TWO PARTS
8 Out on a Limb Last issue we showed you how to build the carcase of this 18th-century Pennsylvania spice box. This
issue we make the inlay door using your band saw, router and our specially designed templates. Even if
A Better Magazine
you’ve never inlaid a single piece of wood, you can make this door with our drawings and instructions.
10 Letters By Glen Huey
Mail from readers
72 Asian Bedside Table
12 Q&A This frame-and-panel case piece features sliding
We answer readers’ doors with a traditional Tansu touch, a shelf for
most difficult questions
your nightly reading material and a top reminiscent
of a pagoda.
27 American
Woodshops
Scott Phillips gives you
78 A Lamp Called Wanda
an inside look at Kelly This fish-shaped lamp is the latest creature to crawl
Mehler’s shop. from the dark recesses of John Hutchinson’s mind.
With our scaled drawings and step photos, you’ll
83 Projects find this cheery lamp a breeze to build.
from the Past By John W. Hutchinson
Pier cabinet
89 Bench Deadman
91 Caption Working on the edge of a long board or a big panel
the Cartoon is a clamping nightmare. For less than $10, you can
Win a Freud rig your bench with this traditional fixture that will
FJ85 jigsaw make difficult clamping chores easier.
96 Out of the Popular Woodworking (ISSN 0884-8823, USPS 752-250) is published six times a year in February,
Woodwork April, June, August, October and December by F&W Publications, Inc. Editorial and advertising offices
are located at 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207; tel.: (513) 531-2222. Unsolicited manuscripts,
Sacrificial Scraps
photographs and artwork should include ample postage on a self-addressed, stamped envelope
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$24.96; outside of U.S add $7/year ■ Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40025316. Canadian
return address: 2744 Edna St., Windsor, ON N8Y 1V2 ■ Copyright ©2001 by Popular Woodworking.
Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all
62 address changes to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 5369, Harlan, IA 51593 Canada GST Reg. #
R122594716 ■ Produced and printed in the U.S.A. Ride-along enclosed in polybag version 52000.
4 POPULAR WOODWORKING
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Circle #105 on Reader Service Reply Card Circle #xxx on Resource Directory Coupon
T H E S TA N D A R D I N S A N D E R S
®
Clayton Spindle Sanders are built in the
USA with precision balanced spindles,
oversized bearings, and a premium February 2002, Vol. 22, No. 1
Baldor Induction Motor. www.popularwoodworking.com
• Benchtop and • Large table surface
full-sized, professional • Built-in dust port
models • Quick-change drums
Editor & Publisher Steve Shanesy
Clayton tackles the toughest sanding jobs...smoothly. Art Director Tricia Barlow
FREE COLOR CATALOG, call: 1-800-971-5050 Senior Editors David Thiel,
Christopher Schwarz
Project Illustrator John W. Hutchinson
CLAYTON MACHINE CORP. ROYAL OAK , MI 48068-0520
Photographer Al Parrish
Circle #102 on Reader Service Reply Card Contributing Editors
Nick Engler
Bob Flexner
Glen Huey
Scott Phillips
Troy Sexton
Technical Advisers:
Bill Austin • Makita USA. Inc.
Scott Box • Delta International
Chris Carlson • S-B Power Tool
Bill Crofutt • Grizzly Industrial
Dale Zimmerman • Franklin International
Senior Vice President David Lewis
Editorial Director David Fryxell
CIRCULATION
David Lee, Vice President
Lynn Kruetzkamp, Group Manager
PRODUCTION
Barbara Schmitz, Vice President
Heather Griffin, Production Coordinator
HIGH PERFORMANCE MOBILIZATION
ADVERTISING
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Don Schroder
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Tel. (610) 821-4425; Fax (610) 821-7884
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[email protected]
Advertising Production Coordinator
Debbie Thomas, Tel. (513) 531-2690, ext. 219
[email protected]
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Subscription inquiries,

orders and address changes can be made at
www.popwood.com (click on Subscriber Services).
Or by mail: Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 5369,
Harlan, IA 51593 or call (515) 280-1721.
Include your address with all inquiries.
HTC Mobile Bases give you convenient Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.
NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Curtis Circulation Co.,
shop clean-up, make moving, using and storage 730 River Rd., New Milford, NJ 07646,
(201) 634-7400, fax (201) 634-7499
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© HTC Products, Inc. 2001
Circle #107 on Reader Service Reply Card 6 POPULAR WOODWORKING February 2002
It’s here!
The new high-performance
production router from Fein.
Powerful. FEIN’s new 31⁄4 horsepower plunge router will cut production time and give you a
superior finish.
Smooth. Thanks to an advanced electronic feedback circuit and soft start, this state-of-the-
art router operates at a consistent torque and speed for smooth operation and a cleaner edge.
Lightweight for greater control. The RT-1800 is two pounds lighter than others in its class,
and has a wider range of speeds. Includes dust collection port, and QC spindle.
Learn more. Call 1-800-441-9878 for more information and a dealer near you, or visit us
on the web at www.feinus.com.
Finishing is just the beginning
Fein Power Tools, Inc. 1030 Alcon St. Pittsburgh, PA 15220
1-800-441-9878 www.feinus.com
Fein
OUT ON A LIMB CONTACT
INFORMATION
A Better Magazine Steve Shanesy

Editor & Publisher
Specialties: Projects,
new products and tools,
tricks of the trade
We’ve added more pages, writers and a beefier cover. 513-531-2690 ext. 238
[email protected]
I f you read this column with any regulari- dreds of woodworking questions from read-
ty you know I don’t waste this space by ers that come in on the phone, in the mail
telling you what you’re going to find in this and in our e-mail. We’re publishing the best
David Thiel
Senior Editor
Specialties: Projects,
new products and tools,
issue. I’m confident you’ll find it in the table questions in this new column, and some re- tricks of the trade
of contents without any help from me. I pre- ally good answers, too. 513-531-2690 ext. 255
fer to write about something that I hope you More good news is the quality of the mag- [email protected]
will conclude has some value. azine you are holding in your hands. We’ve
This time around, however, I do want to been working hard to bring you quality proj- Christopher Schwarz
share with you some goings-on with your ects, technique stories and tool reviews. But Senior Editor
magazine that happen to begin in this issue. now we are bringing you a higher quality Specialties: Author
liaison, website, projects,
And besides, a little good news is a nice break manufactured product, too. For example, hand tools
from the stretch of bad this issue is 100 pages 513-531-2690 ext. 407
news we’ve been get- long. Last year, this issue [email protected]
ting lately. SAWSTOP UPDATE was about 90 pages. Your
Perhaps most im- In last month’s column I invited you to weigh extra pages are being Tricia Barlow
portant to you is the ad- in on a new product called SawStop. It’s a used for more articles, Art Director
passive safety device which, if it is found to Specialties: Magazine
dition of Lonnie Bird I should add, not more
be effective in the long term, could save and cover design,
as a regular contribu- many woodworkers’ fingers. Many of you advertising. photo direction
tor. Of Lonnie’s many visited our website and cast your votes, for You might notice the 513-531-2690 ext. 599
skills, I’m not sure which I thank you. So far, more than 1,300 paper on the cover is [email protected]
which to rate as his readers have voted with nearly 75 percent heavier, too. We know
saying they’d pay $150 extra to have such a
strongest — wood- many of you save your
device on their table saw. In the next issue, Got Questions or Problems
working or teaching. I’ll give you the final results and some issues, sometimes for
His mastery of the craft reaction from machinery manufacturers. years, and this better With Your Subscription?
ranks him up there as paper will help preserve To report problems with your subscription visit
one of the best in the your magazines for years our website at popwood.com, call our subscrip-
tion offices at 515-280-1721, or write to Popular
United States, especially when it comes to to come. And it also will take more abuse as
Woodworking, P.O. Box 5369, Harlan, IA 51593.
traditional furniture styles. But Lonnie has your issue travels through the postal system.
been teaching woodworking for years to stu- This issue is also wider than what you are
Our Privacy Promise to You
dents who went on to become full-time ca- accustomed to receiving. The extra width
We make portions of our customer list available
reer woodworkers. This combination — his will allow us to present photos and drawings
to carefully screened companies that offer
deep knowledge of the craft and his keen more clearly. It’s not a huge difference, but products and services we believe you may enjoy.
ability to share that knowledge and make it it helps. I think you’ll notice that there’s a If you do not want to receive those offers and/or
understandable — even to beginners, is a different look and feel to this issue compared information, please let us know by contacting us
true gift. to those in the recent past. at: List Manager, F & W Publications, 1507 Dana
Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207
In Lonnie’s first article, he explains why All these changes add up to our deter-
wood expands and contracts and how to deal mination to produce a better magazine in
with it. You might have read about this sub- every way. Over the years we’ve been build- SAFETY NOTE
ject before, but I promise that reading Lonnie’s ing a team of top-drawer contributors. I’m
Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers
take on it will surely teach you something proud of the fine work they regularly pro- place safety devices on their equipment for a
you didn’t know before. Next issue, he’ll ex- duce for you. It pleases me greatly to now reason. In many photos you see in Popular
plain how to use a cutting list. Believe me, bring more of that work to you in a better Woodworking, these have been removed to
there’s more to it than meets the eye. quality magazine. PW provide clarity. In some cases we’ll use an
awkward body position so you can better
We’re also starting a new column in this
see what’s being demonstrated. Don’t copy
issue called “Q&A.” I think you’ll find it us. Think about each procedure you’re going
helpful because it is somewhat like “Tricks to perform beforehand. Safety First!
of the Trade.” Each month we answer hun-
8 POPULAR WOODWORKING February 2002

LETTERS
Lock Your Mortiser’s

Holddown Forever
Off-the-Rack Hardware Solves could have come up with this list. Some do
Machine’s Most Nagging Problem have merit, but when you listed the Craftsman
I solved my holddown problem on my Fisch Laser Miter Saw, all interest in your selec-
mortiser by replacing the post that the forked tions was lost.
holddown rides on with a 14mm bolt (ap- The laser you speak of will, in my opin-
proximately the same diameter as the hold- ion, eventually be the cause of many wood-
down shaft) that I bought from the hardware working accidents. The laser works using
store. centrifugal force. So the saw must be run-
I cut off the bolt’s head, ground a flat sur- ning in order to align the cut mark with the
face on one side of the bolt along the thread- laser. Moving your hands under a turning
ed end and then ground a notch at the other blade is a bit like the “Perils of Pauline.”
end as suggested in your article (“A New Manual With the many upgrades and improved
for Mortisers” August 2001, issue #123). technology in 2001, this in my opinion should
I installed the bolt in the hole in the fence be on a list of the 15 worst of 2001. Many
and rotated the bolt so that the flat aligned woodworkers would love a quality laser miter
with the set screw on the forked hold-down. saw, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend
I put the holddown on the bolt, then put a this one.
washer on top of that and threaded a nut Al Berube
onto the top of the bolt. Salisbury, Massachusetts
One could also include a lock nut, but
this has not proven to be necessary. Editor’s note: You bring up a good point about
Floyd B. Carothers safety concerning the use of miter saws, but I’m
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania afraid we have to disagree with you about the
safety of this particular tool. In general, many
Editor’s note: Well Floyd, you seem to have sim- miter saw users have developed the habit of low-
ply solved the problem that has dogged a lot of ering the blade to the workpiece (without the saw
us for years. If you didn’t read the original ar- running) to allow the guard to retract and align
ticle in the August issue, the “notch” Floyd refers the blade with the cut mark. If this is a habit they
to is simply ground into your holddown’s post at are unable to break, then this is not the saw for
the point where the setscrew contacts the post. them. But as the saw is designed, the laser func-
Make the notch about 1⁄ 8" deep by using your tions through the guard with the blade arm in the
grinder. The notch prevents the post from com-
ing out of its socket in the fence, and Floyd’s so- WRITE TO US
lution prevents the forked holddown from com-
Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from
ing loose during use. Together, these two simple
readers with questions or comments about the
modifications make your holddown far superi- magazine or woodworking in general. We try to
or to the factory equipment. respond to all correspondence. Published letters
— Christopher Schwarz, senior editor may be edited for length or style. All letters
become the property of Popular Woodworking.
How to send your letter:
Best New Tool of 2001 Could Turn Out
• E-mail: [email protected]
to Be a Finger-Slicing Machine • Fax: 513-531-0919
I’ve received my December 2001 issue of • Mail carrier:
Popular Woodworking, and after looking at Letters • Popular Woodworking
your list of the Best New Tools of 2001, I 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207
have to wonder how, by any standard, you

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if you still need to lower the blade to the work
and aren’t comfortable relying on the laser, then
please choose another saw that won’t provide an
1-800-542-91 15
incentive to unsafe shop practices. Thanks for www.woodcraft.com
w.woodcraft.com Call 1-800-TACKCLOTH
keeping safety in our minds. 560 Airport Ind. Park, Dept. 02PW01T
PO Box 1686, Parkersburg, WV 26102-1686 or order online at www.tackcloth.com
— David Thiel, senior editor
Circle #114 on Reader Service Reply Card Circle #103 on Reader Service Reply Card
Where Do I Find Glaze for

the Morris Chair Project?
I recently read your article on building a
Morris chair (June 2000, issue #115) and
would like to find out more information on
Lilly’s warm brown glaze. If you could pro-
vide me with a website address, phone num-
ber or a company that sells it, it would be
most appreciated.
David Smith
Ocean City, New Jersey
Editor’s note: We’ve had more than 100 requests

from people looking to find a good source for Lilly’s
glaze. The fastest way is to check with your local You’re beyond simple yellow glues and you don’t want
paint store, especially one that caters to profes- a different bottle of glue for every project. You want
sional painters. If that doesn’t work, I recom-
Gorilla Glue.® Bonds wood, stone, metal, ceramic, plas-
mend you go to woodfinishingsupplies.com. PW
— Christopher Schwarz, senior editor tics and more. Incredibly strong and 100% water-
proof. Don’t monkey around with other glues.
CORRECTIONS For retailer near you, call

& CLARIFICATIONS 800-966-3458 or visit
In our article on cryogenics in the December 2001 www.gorillaglue.com.
issue, we inadvertently left out one of the labs that
you can send your tooling to. Performance
Cryogenics has offices in Cleveland, Ga., and
Mooresville, N.C. You can reach the company by
calling 877-219-3556 or at www.percryo.com.
In our special Outdoor Furniture issue, which was
available only on the newsstands, there are two
corrections to the Outdoor Morris chair article. The
four rear leg pieces should be 201⁄ 8" long instead
of 21". Also, in the drawing labeled “profile,” the
front leg dimension is called out at 21⁄ 4". It should
be 23⁄ 4", as stated in the cutting list.
In the Tractor-Trailer Toy Box (December 2001,
#125), there is a correction to the drawing labeled
“Trailer box assembly plan.” The hole for the hitch
platform dowel should be 11⁄ 8" instead of 1⁄ 8".
In our 2002 Tool Buying Guide (#124), the key to
the chart on page 80 was inadvertently omitted.
DB=dust bag, DC=dust canister, VP=vacuum port,
OPT=optional. for retailers near you:
www.gorillaglue.com
1-800-966-3458
www.popwood.com 11 Circle #127 on Reader Service Reply Card

Q&A
Advanced router table

engineering made simple
for your workshop!
Cabinet Scrapers
Save Your Thumbs
Routers mount easily through
an opening in the tabletop
No more fumbling underneath the
table. Install your router thru the
11 3/8-in. x 9-in. opening on top.
Mounting plate is keyed to ensure
proper installation.
Illustration by Hayes Shanesy.

Innovative 3-piece fence adjusts,
allowing you complete flexibility
The fence opening can be adjusted
to match the varying diameters of
your router bits. What’s the
Difference Between a especially effective in smoothing
Scraper and a Cabinet Scraper? highly figured wood like burls and
Isn’t a scraper and cabinet scraper the same is also effective on delicate veneers.
thing, just different names for the same tool? One big advantage a cabinet scraper
And if not, what is the difference? has over a scraper blade is ease of use. The user’s
hands don’t fatigue nearly as fast as compared
There’s often confusion when woodworking with the scraper blade.
Unique offset joining system on the terms are used incorrectly or interchangeably. — Steve Shanesy, editor and publisher
fence helps make work edges true
By adjusting the fence, you can offset One case in point is the scraper vs. a cabinet
the outfeed fence so the workpiece is scraper. Although each puts a fine finish on a Dealing With Unusual Miter Slots
supported for joining cuts.
board, they are different tools. The scraper, or I’m a beginning woodworker looking at buy-
more accurately scraper blade, is either a rec- ing the Delta 34-183 tenoning jig, and it
tangular piece of steel or is rounded and called (along with several other manufacturer’s jigs)
a gooseneck scraper. It is is used for smoothing requires a 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 4" miter slot. I own a bare-
the inside radii of mouldings and such. The cab-
inet scraper, on the other hand, uses a scraper
blade that is held in a cast-iron body that has a WRITE TO US
Includes three table inserts milled bottom where the blade protrudes slight- Every day we get questions from readers on all
The varying size inserts provide you ly, much like a plane iron in a hand plane. subjects about their woodworking. Some are
with additional workpiece support and
proper bit clearance. Scraper blades are versatile and can be used letters, many are e-mail messages. We are more
for rough or fine work, from scraping glue to than happy to share our woodworking experience
with you by answering your questions or adding
Available at Sears, Sears Hardware, final smoothing for the truly practiced. What’s some clarity to whatever aspect of your craft you
and the Craftsman Catalog
at 800-437-9686 an anomaly about this whole “name” question are unsure about. In addition to the hundreds we
is that if properly sharpened with a correct hook, answer privately every month, we want to share
scrapers don’t scrape at all. They actually cut the best questions here with readers.
the wood fibers cleanly without tearing or pulling. Send your questions via e-mail to
[email protected]. Or send us a note by
The cabinet scraper also has many uses. It mail to: Popular Woodworking, Q&A, 1507 Dana
can remove an old finish or prepare a wood sur- Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207.
face before sanding. A cabinet scraper can be

YOUR NEW ROUTE TO
PRECISE WOODWORKING!
THE ULTIMATE
IN CRAFTSMAN
ROUTER TABLES
IS NOW HERE!
Making precise cuts with
confidence just became
much easier. A 486 sq.in.
die-cast worksurface can
handle projects both large
and small. Easy-to-read
reference scales help you
place the fence with great
accuracy. Our innovative
drop-in mounting plate lets
you mount your router easily
from the top. A clear, anti-
friction coating helps prevent
scratching or discoloring of the
workpiece. In addition to providing
valuable storage, the heavy-duty
workstand places the router tabletop
at an optimal 39-in. work height. Just
the right size for expanding your
woodworking horizons. Visit your nearest
Sears or Sears Hardware store.
© 2001 Sears, Roebuck and Co.

How to Heat Water… Q&A
1. Heat it Efficiently bones Skil table saw. I took a look at my miter

Bosch AquaStar heats water only when hot water is
slots, and they’re each about 3⁄ 32" narrower
used, so you save up to 50% on energy bills.
than 3⁄ 4", and a tad shallower than 3⁄ 8". Is this
2. Heat it Instantly a problem? Or is this simply another con-
You’ll never run out of hot water since Bosch AquaStar fusing woodworking term (e.g., when 2x4s
heats water instantly for as long as it’s needed. really don’t measure 2" x 4"), and can I be
assured that the jig will fit my saw?
3. Heat it Inconspicuously Brint Keyes
Bosch AquaStar is small enough to hang in a closet. via the internet
Power vented models let you vent the unit horizontally.
Since you are a beginning woodworker, I’ll give
4. Heat it for the Long Term you both an answer and some other thoughts on
The Bosch reputation for quality is backed
table saws. The depth of the slot on your saw
by a 15-year warranty.*
* when installed professionally
may not matter, but the width sure will. As
shipped from the factory, the guide bar on the
tenoning jig just won’t fit in the slot. Your best
Bosch AquaStar tankless
water heaters provide bet is to remove the bar from your saw’s miter
instant and efficient hot gauge and see if you can mill a few holes in it
water for the whole house. To see which to attach it to the tenoning jig. You also can make
Bosch AquaStar is right for you, call us a wooden guide bar for the commercial jig.
or visit our Web site.
But let me pose another question. Why in-
vest in rather expensive jigs? There are lots of
apww0102
CONTROLLED ENERGY CORPORATION ways to cut tenons without them, and I don’t
WAITSFIELD, VERMONT www.ControlledEnergy.com/pw | 800-642-3199 mean by hand.
Also, lots of folks start woodworking with a
benchtop table saw and quickly run afoul of their
limitations. Unfortunately, you should get a dif-
ferent table saw. If you haven’t already, you will
Bird’s-Mouth Router Bits outgrow the benchtop saw soon. Take the money
you would have spent on the jigs, combine that
with what you can get from selling your bench-
top saw, and buy a 11⁄ 2-horsepower contractor
style saw that’s equipped with an induction (not
universal) type motor. You’ll use it for years and
enjoy your woodworking more. It’s unlikely
you’ll ever outgrow it. You can buy a contrac-
tor-style saw for little more than $300, better
ones for about $700. Trust me, this isn’t about
tool snobbery, just the facts of woodworking.
— Steve Shanesy, editor and publisher
Can You Thin Water-based

Polyurethane?
In reference to the technique of thinning
Bird’s-mouth 6 or 12 Bird’s-mouth 16 Bird’s-mouth 8
polyurethane with mineral spirits and wip-
A bird's-mouth joint (traditionally used in making masts, booms and spars) ing it on with a rag, do you know if that will
vastly simplifies making multi-sided items such as columns, buckets and work with water-based poly as well?
planters – in both tapered and parallel-sided forms. $26.50 each Ralph L Hardison
To see a selection of project ideas and tips on how to use these bits, visit our via the internet
Web site and look at our 14-page instruction booklet for this product.
I’m sure your question arises from contributor
1-800-871-8158 or [email protected] Scott Phillips’ comments about his favorite
Shipping and N.Y. sales tax extra.
finish technique, applying oil-based polyurethane
Shop online: with a rag after thinning with mineral spirits at
Lee Valley Tools Ltd., 12 East River St., Ogdensburg, N.Y. 13669

a ratio of three parts mineral spirits to one part
polyurethane. We asked our finishing expert and
contributing editor Bob Flexner for his advice:
“You can thin it with water. The problem
with doing this is that you reach a point where
there aren’t enough emulsifiers to combine the
added water with the resin, and the finish sep-
arates or beads. Brands are different. You just
have to try different mixture ratios. If it works,
great. If the finish separates, thin with less water
until it works. The first coat will probably be
fine no matter how much you thin it because it
soaks into the wood. It’s the next coats that will
separate if there’s too much water.”
Should I be Worried About

My Tabletop Warping?
I want to build a kitchen table using 3⁄ 4"-
thick oak. The dimensions are not final (about
36" x 96"). Can I make this size tabletop
by edge-gluing boards without a big concern
of warpage? Should I put cross pieces on the
bottom to keep it from warping?
Rob Doty
via the internet
There are concerns, but if you’ve done your prep

work correctly you should be in good shape. First,
use quartersawn lumber, which has less risk of
cupping and warping. Make sure the wood is
dried correctly by checking the moisture content
(around 7 percent is preferred). If you have the
opportunity, run the boards to thickness and
allow them to sit for a day or so. If any of them
warp, set them aside in your scrap pile. Lastly,
remember to attach the top in a way to allow the
wood to expand and contract during changes in
humidity. (For more information on this sub-
ject, see Lonnie Bird’s article in this issue re-
garding wood movement.)
— David Thiel, senior editor
Why Oval Holes to Attach a Top?

In the $175 Workbench (February 2001,
issue #120) you attached the bench’s top
to the base through cleats. Why did you make
the screw holes in the cleats oval shaped?
Ralph Knox
via the internet
The top expands and contracts more than 1⁄ 8" a

year. The oval-shaped holes prevent the screws
from snapping as the top moves. PW
— Christopher Schwarz, senior editor

www.popwood.com 15
When It Comes To DH Kilns, Illustrations by John McCormick
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
There’s
Only
One Introducing the Plunge
Original.
Drying your own
Kilns from 300 to 350,000 BF Trimmer for Inlay
lumber is easy and Nyle DH Kilns THE WINNER:
profitable with an Use 50% to 60% less
energy than conven- Turn your Dremel or other moto tool into a plunge trimmer using shop scraps and some off-
energy efficient Nyle
tional kilns the-rack hardware. I built mine with an adjustable compass point in the base so I can
kiln. They cost less
to install and deliver Provide outstanding rout semi-circular recesses for inlay. (Editor’s note: see the stringing on the “Inlay Door With
drying performance
superior quality over a Router” for an example of this). The backbone of the tool is a piece of wood 3⁄ 4" x 31⁄ 2" x 9".
Give you unbeatable To make the channel that the plunging mechanism rides in, glue and screw 1⁄ 8" x 2" x 9"
conventional steam quality and reliability
kilns. strips to the edges of the backbone. Then glue 1⁄ 2" x 1⁄ 2" x 81⁄ 4" strips to the inside of the 1⁄ 8"
When you want to add value to strips. The plunging mechanism is an “L”-shape. One wing of the “L” (3⁄ 4" x 31⁄ 2" x 31⁄ 2")
wood, you want to work with Nyle. holds the Dremel, the other rides in the channel. The Dremel is held in place in a 17⁄ 8" hole
For more information about the ben- lined with a piece of leather. The Dremel is held fast by cutting a kerf in the wing that in-
efits of Nyle DH Systems, go to tersects the hole for the Dremel. Then drill a hole through the wing and insert a 4" stove
www.nyle.com. bolt and put a wing nut on the end. Tighten the wing nut, and the bolt closes the kerf. Like
a plunge router, you need a return spring to lift the tool out of a cut. Rout a groove through
the backbone. Screw one end of a spring to the backbone and the other to the plunging
mechanism, which is attached through your groove.
P.O. Box 1107 Bangor, Maine 04402-1107 The depth stop is a piece of wood that rides in the channel and is held in place by a wing
1-800-777-6953 (207) 989-4335 nut and bolt that also ride in the groove in the backbone.
FAX (207) 989-1101 www.nyle.com Finally, make the adjustable compass by first routing a 5⁄ 8" x 5⁄ 8" groove in the 3⁄ 4" x 31⁄ 2"
x 5" base). Rout a groove through a piece of wood 1⁄ 2" x 5⁄ 8" x 3". Drive a brad through
one end as a pivot point. Attach the com-
pass to the base with a flat-head screw.
TM William Adsit
L
LTD., LP. Milford, Illinois
CUSTOM
COMPONENTS
MADE TO YOUR
SPECIFICATIONS
WE WILL MAKE PRODUCTION RUNS OF YOUR PART
–OR–
YOU CAN ORDER FROM OUR CATALOG OF STOCK ITEMS
CHAIR LEGS
AMD08
ACR08
913
LEGS BUN LEGS FR STYLE
QUEEN ANNE
CASH AND PRIZES FOR YOUR TRICKS AND TIPS!
LEGS
Each issue we publish woodworking tips and tricks from our readers that we
think are useful. We want to encourage you to share with your fellow
woodworkers, as well as reward the most useful and original con-
A0556 cepts. Delta has agreed to lend us a hand with that, and the author
FINIALS of this issue’s winning trick receives the new 22-580 two-speed
portable thickness finisher (shown at left). The other trick’s authors
receive $75.
To submit your tip or trick, e-mail it along with a daytime
phone number to [email protected] or mail it to:
113 A0851
REEDED Tricks of the Trade • Popular Woodworking
BASE 404 1507 Dana Ave.
W/206 LEG CHAIR
KITS Cincinnati, OH 45207.
P.O. Box 728, Dept. PW16

Morristown, TN 37815-0728
FREE
Phone 423-587-2942 • Fax 423-586-2188 COLOR
www.adamswoodproducts.com CATALOG
Circle #100 on Reader Service Reply Card 16 POPULAR WOODWORKING February 2002
Add Dust Collection and a Handy Shelf
to Your Contractor Saw With Scraps
Here is a simple solution to two issues: the need for a con-
venient place to put the rip fence and miter gauge when not
being used (as well as push sticks, featherboards, etc.), and
a way to close off the underside of a contractor table saw to provide
a surface to mount a dust port. I used a piece of 3⁄ 4" medium-density
fiberboard (MDF) cut to 32" x 24". Unbolt the saw from the stand
and raise it about 1" using sawhorses and shims. Slide the MDF between
the saw and the stand and mark the location of the mounting holes through
the stand. Remove the MDF and drill slightly oversized mounting holes at the
marked locations. Cut a hole for the dust collection port at this time. Now
slide the MDF in place and bolt the saw to the stand. Longer mounting bolts
may be necessary. Fasten 1⁄ 4" x 1" strips to the edge of the MDF to provide a
lip to help prevent items from sliding off. Finally, screw the dust collection
port to the underside of the MDF.
Thomas Sage
Waukegan, Illinois
Even Better Homemade Wood Putty

I make my own wood putty by emptying my sanding bag into a con- the putty into the holes so the wood isn’t marred. Let it dry, then
tainer. When I am ready to fill the holes, I mix sanding sealer with sand it and apply the same sealer to your whole project. The nice
the sawdust. Here’s how: Pour some sealer into a small container — thing about this filler is you don’t have to worry about different
just the amount you think you’ll need to fill the holes — then add shades, it’s real wood and it doesn’t make any difference if the
sawdust until you have a nice wood filler consistency. Stir the sealer spreads over the hole because you’re going to use the same
sawdust into the sealer until it is well mixed. Use some compressed sealer to complete the project anyway.
air to blow out the spaces to be filled so they are clean of any dust Terry Campbell
and the filler will adhere well. I use a Teflon putty knife to compress El Cajon, California
Paper is the Key to Paper-Thin

Shavings With Your Bench Plane
I’ve always had a real tough time adjusting the blade
on my small bench plane so it’s square to the
mouth. Setting the blade depth and keeping
it parallel to the mouth was always a challenge.
I came up with a simple way to fix the prob-
lem for free. First loosen the blade enough
to easily adjust it. Place the sole of the
plane on a flat surface. Slide two pieces
of paper under the sole. One in front
of the mouth; one behind it. Gently
apply a small amount of downward pres-
sure on the blade. Put the cap iron in place
and tighten. The blade will be square to the
mouth and the depth of cut will be close to
where it should be. PW
Arnie Frand
Mesa, Arizona
www.popwood.com 17
TOOL TEST
The Newest
and Best Sanders
from Makita
W e’ve rated Makita’s BO5010 palm grip
random orbit sander our favorite model
for a couple years now, so when company of-
in this mode.
As with the 6030, the
ergonomic design of the
ficials said they had a couple of new random- housing makes it pleasant BO6040
orbit models, we were all ears. We weren’t to use and the tool has a rub-
disappointed. Both the new in-line BO6030 berized palm grip for com- SPECIFICATIONS
and the right-angle BO6040 are impres- fort. An optional side han- Makita BO6030/BO6040
sive sanding tools. dle is available. Street price: $180/$370
The in-line BO6030 is designed as a fine Dust collection on this Motor: 2.7amp/6.6amp
finishing sander and performs well in that unit is also through the pad. OPM: 4K-10K/1.6K-5.8K
role. The 6" pad provides superior perform- With both of these 6" units Orbit diameter: 1⁄ 8"/7⁄ 32"
Weight: 5.1 lbs./5.9 lbs.
ance on larger surfaces, while the variable- Makita has relocated the
speed control offers easily adjusted sanding collection holes in the pad
Pad size: 6"/6" BO6030
Decibels @3': 88-90/89-98
aggressiveness. more toward the edges of Performance: BO6030 ●●●●❍
The sander has low vibration during the pad, where most of the BO6040●●●●❍
use and is remarkably quiet. The two-han- dust is created. This proves Value: BO6030 ●●●●❍ duct tape to hook up our vac-
BO6040 ●●●●❍
dle design with rubberized rear handle damp- to be a good strategy, though Makita: 800-4-MAKITA, or
uum for testing.
ens vibration even further and makes the you need to buy new Makita www.makitatools.com Both of these sanders are
sander comfortable to use for long stretch- sanding discs to take full ad- a pleasure to use and are
es. Though quiet, the 2.7-amp motor pro- vantage of the redesign. The pads do include strong performers. We would prefer that the
vides ample power to remove material at a a second set of six holes toward the center right-angle model come complete with the
moderate pace. of the pad for other manufacturers’ sand- dust collection attachments and the handle,
Dust is collected through the pad and paper. though. In particular we found the BO6040
trapped in a standard cloth dust bag, or the On the 6040, the through-the-pad dust to be a powerful and impressive tool, and
sander can be hooked directly to a vacuum collection is designed to be used with a vac- though priced higher than some right-angle
for improved collection. uum, and this system proved effective. models, it’s not out of line for the sanding
The larger right-angle BO6040 is another Unfortunately, the sander is not sold with the performance you get.
animal altogether. Where the 6030 seems a dust collection connections and we had to use For more information, circle #152 on Reader Service Card.
very refined but capable sander, the 6040 is
an aggressive and powerful industrial-feel-
ing tool with the highest amperage rating in HOW WE RATE TOOLS
its class (though it is still a quiet tool). Also At Popular Woodworking we test new tools and products with an honest, real-world workout. We check for
with a 6" pad, the sander operates at a lower ease of assembly and determine how clear and complete the manuals are. Then we use the tool in our shop
to build projects that appear in the magazine. Each issue, the magazine’s editorial staff shares its results and
orbits-per-minute than the 6030, but it of-
experiences with the tools, rating each for performance and value.
fers two operating modes. In the random- We use a one-to-five scale, with “five” in performance indicating that we consider it to be the leader in
orbit mode the sander operates as a fine fin- its category. For value, “five” means the tool is a great deal for the money, while “one” means we consider it
ishing sander. When switched (either on the pricey. However, a tool with a low value rating may be worth the high price.
fly, or while stopped) to the “random orbit If our tool reviews don’t answer all your questions, e-mail me at [email protected] or call me at
513-531-2690, ext. 255. If we haven’t reviewed the tool you’re considering, there’s a good chance I’ve used
with rotation mode,” the tool steps down
the tool, but simply haven’t had a chance to write a review. Give me a call and see if I can help. You can also
the pad speed to between 180 and 670 rpm visit our website www.popwood.com to check out our past published tool reviews and sign up for our free
and the sander removes material very ag- e-mail newsletter (focusing on tools) that’s sent out every other week. —David Thiel, senior editor
gressively. It also can be used for polishing

TOOL SCOOP
New Cutting Gauge
is Extremely Precise
New DeWalt Brad Nailer
Mixes Features with Style
DeWalt has branched into the world of air tools with a
new line of compressors from Emglo and a full set of nail
guns. We tested the D51238K 18-gauge brad nailer and
were impressed with the tool’s details. First off, it comes
with cool safety glasses. OK, get over that and let’s look
In the world of marking wood, a cutting gauge
at the tool. The skin is smartly designed with a moderate- beats the pants off a marking gauge everyday.
weight, all-aluminum body and a glass-filled nylon maga- Instead of scratching the wood with a pin, the
zine. There’s an overmolded rubber grip for comfort. Out of gauge’s wheel slices your mark and is less likely to
the box, the nailer is set up for “bump-firing,” which means follow the grain. Glen-Drake Toolworks has now
that with the trigger depressed, the gun will fire every vastly improved on standard cutting gauge designs
and made the tool easier to adjust and use.
time the nose is pressed to your work. The tool comes SPECIFICATIONS The Tite-Mark gauge has two spring-loaded
with a sequential-fire trigger that is fairly easy to install. DeWalt D51238K locking knobs instead of one. The rearmost knob
We really like the depth-of-drive adjustment, which Street price: $145
locks the head where you want it. Then you fine
operates by pressing a release button and sliding a lever tune your setting by turning the knurled barrel
Brad sizes: 18 gauge, 5⁄ 8" - 2"
and lock that setting in with the front knob. All
to another notch. It’s the easiest depth adjustment we’ve Magazine capacity: 110 brads
these operations can be done with one hand. This
seen, and there’s even a scale so you’ll always know where Trigger style: Bump or sequential
well-manufactured tool surpassed every expecta-
you are. Other features include an adjustable exhaust, Weight: 2.8 lbs.
tion. Of course, quality has a price. The Tite-Mark
Performance: ●●●●❍
visible reload indicator, tool-free nose door for clear- Value: ●●❍❍❍
costs $79 plus shipping.
ing jams and a rear-mounted nose safety for better view- For information on ordering, phone 707-961-
DeWalt: 800-4DeWalt,
1569 or visit www.glen-drake.com. The Tite-Mark
ing and easier access to corners. DeWalt has entered the or www.dewalt.com
is also available from Lie-Nielsen Toolworks 800-
race with a good tool with smart options. 327-2520.
For more information, circle #153 on Reader Service Card.
Arrow Brad Nailers

Delta Offers the First SPECIFICATIONS In our 2002 Tool Buying Guide we offered infor-
Two-Speed Benchtop Planer Delta 22-580
mation and advice on buying 18-gauge brad
nailers. But we were being a little myopic, think-
After reviewing all the benchtop planers a few issues ago Street price: $450 ing only in terms of pneumatic brad nailers. So to
we thought we’d seen everything in this category. Then Max material width: 13" correct that oversight we’re happy to include
Delta surprised us by showing us the new 22-580 13", Table size: 13" x 35" information here about two electric 18-gauge
Weight: 97 lbs. brad nailers from Arrow. The ET100 is a 10-amp
two-speed planer/finisher. Delta calls it a planer/finish- tool firing three nail sizes (5⁄ 8", 3⁄ 4" and 1") priced
Blades: two double-edged
er because officials say the slower feed speed offers a planed disposable, .062" x 1⁄ 2" at around $40. The ET125 (shown) is a 14-amp
surface that is near finished quality. I still think I’ll do a Feed rates: slow speed gives 90 tool firing four nail
little sanding, but it is a nice surface. Along with the ob- cuts per inch at 14.8 feet per sizes (5⁄ 8", 3⁄ 4", 1"
vious advantage of an improved surface finish offered by minute; fast speed gives 60 cuts per and 11⁄ 4") priced at
inch at 22.4 feet per minute around $115.
the slower speed and increased number of cuts-per-inch, Features on both
dB no load/load: 92/96
the 22-580 has all the finer features available on today’s Amps, no load: 7.3 tools include non-
new planers: a head lock for reduced snipe, a full-range Amps, load: 8.3 slip cushioned
depth stop across the entire height range, a zero RPM, no load: 9,766 grips, solid state
indicator for setting the planer up for the RPM, load (fast/slow): circuitry and
6,734/7,181 both a trigger
first pass and a well-located and eas- and nose safety.
Lateral blade
ily read material removal scale. adjustment: 1⁄ 8" For information
The 22-580 also makes blade Performance: visit www.arrow
changes a snap, with removable ●●●●● fastener.com.
upper covers for easy access, Value:
on-board tools and locating pins for ●●●❍❍
Delta:
adjustment-free installation. This 800-438-2486,
is a well-equipped and versatile www.deltawoodwork-
planer that is priced a little high, ing.com
but offers a lot for the money. PW
For more information, circle #154
on Reader Service Card.
www.popwood.com 19
ENDURANCE TEST
Ridgid EB4424 Oscillating

Belt/Spindle Sander
This unique tool sands
both curves and flat areas.
W hen the Ridgid line of woodworking

tools was introduced three years ago,
we were aware of how Ridgid’s parent com-
pany (Emerson Electric) had made tools for
Craftsman for years. So we were anxious to
see the new line. Of the many innovations in
the Ridgid tool line, the EB4424 caught our
eye. It’s a sanding machine with two heads.
One head is a traditional round spindle that
oscillates up and down (shown in the photo).
The other head is more like a 4" belt sander
turned on its side. It also oscillates. After test-
Photo by Al Parrish.
ing the unit for more than two years, we’ve
made a permanent place for it in our shop.
Here’s why.
To be honest, the specifications of this
combination unit aren’t as good as that on a spindle must be aligned properly in the edge SPECIFICATIONS
large stand-alone oscillating spindle sander sanding unit, but once in place it’s no problem. Ridgid EB4424 Oscillating
or an edge-sanding machine. The oscillation The spindle sander also comes with four throat Belt/Spindle Sander
stroke (up and down) is slightly shorter than plates to accommodate the different spindle
average, and the belt surface capacity is sig- sizes and is also a quick change. New sand- Street price: $239
Motor: 4.6 amp induction (3⁄ 8 hp)
nificantly less than on most edge sanders. paper sleeves can be slipped over the rubber RPM: 1,725
But having both functions in one unit for drums with little fuss. Oscillations per minute: 60
under $250 makes great sense for a home One of the primary concerns in either a Stroke length: 3⁄ 4"
woodworker. Two independent units would spindle or edge sander is retaining a square re- Drum length: 41⁄ 2"
cost more than $600. Add to that the fact lationship to the table. In testing, the drive Table stops: 45°, 30°, 221⁄ 2°, 15°
Dust port: 21⁄ 2"
that the edge sander also oscillates and you’ve shaft flexed at the top of the spindle in either Spindles: 1⁄ 2", 3⁄ 4", 1", 11⁄ 2", 2"
improved not only the sanding ability, but mode. This flex may be about 1⁄16" and occurs Weight: 39 lbs.
by not running pieces over the same spot on under significant pressure. That said, we Belt size: 4" x 24"
the belt, the sandpaper lasts longer. Belt track- haven’t noticed the flex adversely affecting Nice features:Tilting table, easy changeover
ing adjustment on the sander is fairly easy the performance of the tool. between sanding modes, great value for com-
bined abilities.
and holds track well. Changing the belt it- Though provided with a dust collection Recommended modifications: Improve rigidity
self is also user friendly. port, we found that dust removal was far from of drive spindle to reduce flex, increase available
The table tilts easily to four preset angles, perfect and required cleaning during heavy work surface in edge-sanding mode.
or it can be locked down anywhere within a use. But it is sanding and we should expect Available at: Home Depot. Ridgid: 800-4RIDGID
45° arc. The preset detents can be adjusted to some dust. or www.ridgidwoodworking.com
square them perfectly. The table itself is of We continue to enjoy using this tool in ABOUT OUR ENDURANCE TESTS Every tool
good cast aluminum construction and offers our shop. It isn’t what we would recommend featured in our Endurance Test column has
a groove for use with a miter gauge. for a production cabinet shop, but the per- survived at least two years of heavy use in our
Ease of changing from spindle to edge formance and versatility for the price makes shop here at Popular Woodworking.
sander is a matter of unscrewing one knob it a strong option for the home workshop. PW
and trading out the sanding heads. The drive — David Thiel

www.osbornewood.com
Wood Products, Inc.

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INGENIOUS JIGS
Clamp
Assist
Simple solutions
to three perplexing
assembly problems.
M ost woodworkers operate under the

theory that you can’t have too many
clamps and stock them by the dozens, even
the hundreds. I’m one of those, I admit. My
clamp inventory takes up a whole corner
of my shop — when my shop is straightened
up, that is. On most days, my clamp collec-
tion is spread out over the entire shop so I
can enjoy it properly.
For all my clamps, however, I frequent-
ly run across assembly tasks that I can’t do
properly with store-bought clamping equip-
ment alone. For these tasks, I’ve developed
several simple “clamp assists” that extend
the capabilities of ordinary clamps to help
accomplish extraordinary clamping jobs.
Holding Assembled Parts Square
When assembling projects, you frequently
need to hold the parts square to one an-
other. Miter clamps have their place, but
they aren’t as versatile or as easy to use as
corner squares. These simple jigs are trian- When using the corner squares, clamp the cleats to the parts
gular pieces of plywood with cleats along the of the assembly. You can make fine adjustments by loosening
a clamp until it’s just snug and tapping the clamped part with
edges at right angles to one another. You a mallet until it shifts a fraction of an inch. At right, I’m
clamp the cleats to the trimming the corner square on the saw.
parts you are assembling
3/4"
and the corner squares 3/4"
hold them at 90°.
3/4"
To make the corner
squares, first cut right
triangles from 3⁄4"-inch
plywood. Note that I put a lit-
tle notch in the right corner. When 6"
1" 1"
Illustrations by Mary Jane Favorite.
you glue the parts together, sometimes a lit-

tle glue squeezes out of the joint. The notch
Corner Square
prevents the glue from sticking the jig to the These jigs are useful for dozens of shop
assembly. Attach cleats to the right sides, chores. They also will hold temporary as-
then trim the cleats on a table saw to make semblies together while you test the fit of the
sure the outside edges are precisely 90° from parts. They hold boards together while you
one another. drill holes for fasteners, or hold the parts of

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INGENIOUS JIGS
For the crowned bars to work properly, the assembly

must rest on a flat, rigid surface such as a workbench.
Be careful not to over-tighten the clamps. If the middle
of a bar lifts off the assembly, the clamps are too tight.
a frame or a box square to one another while stack of concrete blocks outside the shop. crowned only slightly, about 1⁄16" to 1⁄8" wider
the glue dries. I have even used them to hold When I needed pressure in the center of a in the center than it is at the ends. I cut a
large boards — too large to fit in a vise — wide assembly, I stacked blocks on it. It works, crown by raising the outfeed table of my join-
while I worked the ends or edges. but it’s inconvenient and somewhat limit- ter a few thousandths of an inch above the
ed. knives and jointing the edge. You can also
Clamping Face-to-Face A better solution is to make a set of crowned create a crown with a band saw, hand plane
Occasionally, I need to clamp two boards bars. These are hardwood bars, 24" to 36" or a disc sander.
face to face. This is a simple chore when the long, with one convex edge. This edge is To use the crowned bars, lay the assem-
boards are narrow, but it becomes more
difficult as the boards grow wider. Even deep- Grooved wedges are useful
not only for putting
throated clamps have a limited capacity that projects together but also
may not reach to the center of wide boards. for taking them apart. Here
Consequently you won’t get an even clamp- I’m using the wedges to pop
the joints of a wobbly chair
ing pressure all across the width, and the as- as I prepare to restore it.
sembly will be weak in the center. You run
into a similar problem when trying to attach
veneer or marquetry to a wide panel. How
do you clamp the center area?
For years, I solved
the problem by
keeping a 10"
1/8" wide
x 3/16" deep
grooves
1 1/4"
24" - 36"
1 1/2"
1/8"
1 3/8"
thick x 3/8" wide approximate
spline
Grooved Wedges Crowned Bar

1 1/2"

bly on a flat workbench and lay the bars across
the assembly with the crowned edge down.
er than that, you run the risk of the wedges
slipping when you use them. Make grooves
FREE!
WOODWORKING CATALOG
(I label the opposite edge with the word “Up” in the sloping edges by cutting shallow saw Go to
to help me orient the bars properly.) Then kerfs down the center. Finally, make a spline rockler.com/go/v1383
clamp the ends of the bars to the workbench. to fit the kerfs. The spline should be as thick
and order your
The bars will flex slightly, evenly distribut- as the kerf is wide and twice as wide as the
ing the pressure from the middle out to the kerf is deep. FREEcatalog today!
edges of the assembly. To use the wedges, position them slope- Or call
to-slope with the spline in the grooves. Use 1-800-403-9736
Applying Tension a bar clamp to slide the wedges together so
Clamps are designed, by and large, to gen- each wedge climbs the other’s slope. As this Check out our complete
erate compression to squeeze two boards to- happens, the outside edges of the wedges will
EXCLUSIVE line of jigs
gether. But every now and then, you need push against the parts of the assembly, ap-
and shop tables for your
some tension either to pull an assembled plying tension. PW
band saw, drill press and
joint apart or to clamp a part inside a larg-
er assembly. When I need a little tension, I
router. PLUS thousands of
rely on a set of grooved wedges. Nick Engler is the author of over 50 books on woodwork- other great products!
ing, plus countless articles and project plans. Currently,
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slope of about 10°. If the slope is any steep- replica of the first true airplane, the 1903 Wright Flyer.
R
WOODWORKING AND HARDWARE
CENTENNIAL FLYER UPDATE Code 11505 The NEW name for... R
The ribs of the 1903 Centennial Flyer continue to come in from all over the world — one from as far away as
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helping hundreds of young people all over this continent — and beyond — to participate in this once-in-a- 1-800-403-9736 1-877-ROCKLER www.rockler.com
lifetime project.
The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co. took a short hiatus from constructing the 1903 Flyer in September
and October to travel to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and fly our replica of the 1901 Wright Glider that we
just completed. We had some very good winds and made some surprisingly decent flights, although we
found as the Wright brothers did that the 1901 glider design was lacking in lift and control.
While we were on the Carolina Outerbanks, we worked with two Wright “re-enactors,” Tom Cherry
(Wilbur) and David Thompson (Orville) to recreate scenes from the Wright brothers’ work for a PBS docu- You’ll appreciate our difference.
mentary scheduled for release during the Centennial of Flight in 2003. Both Tom and Dave were delighted to Prepaid Freight • Surfaced • Bundled
hear news of our Centennial Flyer, and we invited them to attend our unveiling. You can see Tom and Dave Shrink Wrapped • Guaranteed
flying the 1901 glider on our web site at www.wright-brothers.org. • All lumber is Select and better grade, 4" and wider, averaging
6"-7" in width, lengths are 6'-8'. All stock meets or exceeds
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• All domestic lumber is Northern Appalachian grown, exhibiting
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the Wright brothers’ experiments.
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Call for free catalog and pricing.

TOLL FREE (888) 636-WOOD (9663)
www.popwood.com 25
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2 H.P. D UST C OLLECTOR

Features the patent pending
QUICK BLADE TENSION LEVER
♦ MOTOR SIZE: 2 H.P., 110/220V,
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16" B ANDSAW ♦ MOTOR AMP DRAW: 18/9
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♦ MOTOR SIZE: 11⁄2 H.P. 110/220V
WITH (2) 4" OPENINGS
♦ MAX. CUTTING WIDTH: 151⁄2"
♦ PORTABLE BASE SIZE: 211⁄2" X 331⁄2"
♦ MAX. CUTTING HEIGHT: 81⁄2"
♦ BAG VOLUME: 5.4 CUBIC FEET
♦ TABLE SIZE: 16" X 16"
♦ HEIGHT (WITH BAGS INFLATED): 78"
♦ TABLE HEIGHT: 42"
♦ BAG SIZE (DIA. X DEPTH): 19" X 33" (2)
♦ BLADE SIZE RANGE: 1⁄4" - 11⁄4"
♦ AIR SUCTION CAPACITY: 1550 C.F.M.
♦ BLADE LENGTH: 115"
♦ STATIC PRESSURE: 12.3"
♦ BLADE SPEEDS: 2300/3300 F.P.M.
♦ STANDARD BAG FILTRATION: 30 MICRON
♦ WEIGHT: 250 LBS.
♦ WEIGHT: 130 LBS.
W1673 W1666 Shop Fox®
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AMERICAN WOODSHOPS
Kelly Mehler: Table Saw

Whiz in the Bluegrass State
Scott Phillips, host of TV’s ‘American Woodshop,’ visits Mehler’s shop
and finds — of all things — an automotive showroom filled with table saws.
ing wood fills that space, and its aroma makes
all woodworkers feel right at home.
When I walked through the 24"-wide
door into the garage-turned-woodshop I got
a little envious. Natural light from the south-
ern exposure streamed in on his vintage ma-
chines. Fifteen-foot-high, well-insulated ceil-
ings lift the eyes to explore every nook and
cranny.
His shop space totals about 3,000 square
feet. This includes a small entrance show-
room that features graceful furniture accented
by beautifully figured wood that Mehler builds
from select logs. When asked to describe his
design style, he smiles because most folks see
a unique furniture form.
It all is solid, beautifully selected and
matched-grain native woods that blend the
best of Shaker, traditional and contempo-
rary forms. Mehler says he buys rare logs,
then has them sawn so he can use matching
boards for every piece he makes. He says
Photo by Christopher Schwarz.
he air-dries most of his own lumber because

of the rich colors this technique produces.
After more than 30 years in the business
he has amassed a small fortune in special
wood. But don’t even think about offering
to buy some of it. My guess is that in the back
Kelly Mehler: Best known for his landmark “The Table Saw Book,” first published in 1993, Mehler also is a of his mind he has plans for every board.
frequent lecturer on The Woodworking Shows circuit and an instructor at the Marc Adams School of Mehler’s latest project is updating his
Woodworking. Mehler works only with solid wood and is known for his grain-matching talents.
well-known “The Table Saw Book” (Taunton
T he lifeline of Berea, Ky., is Chestnut

Street. It takes every visitor to the heart
of Berea College. This school has been teach-
thor books, articles and videos, teach class-
es at Marc Adams School of Woodworking,
give seminars at The Woodworking Shows,
Press), so his shop is temporarily loaded with
about every table saw on earth. It was inter-
esting to see “all” table saws at once. It re-
ing progressive concepts for over a century, and to host many workshops across America minded me that most saws are copies of a few
programs to keep inspired individuals pros- every year. basic designs.
pering. This atmosphere touches everyone The first thing that is striking about his So which saw does he like for the home
in Berea, or maybe the people of Berea just place is that Mehler converted a vintage au- woodworker? Mehler says he’s kind of par-
are independently unique. Either way, Kelly tomotive dealership into his wood shop. tial to the new DeWalt DW746. Mostly,
Mehler’s shop on Chestnut Street fits this Aged brick walls frame huge banks of win- though, Mehler warns woodworkers away
place like a glove. dows that light up his shop. Years ago, cars from buying a saw based only on price.
Mehler’s first passion is custom wood- probably occupied every inch of both the “We spend $2,000 on a computer that
working. But on the side he finds time to au- showroom and the “garage.” Today air-dry- lasts about five or six years,” he says. “Yet
www.popwood.com 27
AMERICAN WOODSHOPS
often we try to pinch pennies when we buy

tools that last a lifetime.”
I couldn’t agree more. Spend the extra
dollars for quality, and you’ll always be happy.
Just don’t tell everyone at home about your
purchase. And get rid of the box before
you take it home. Wives are cagey about
empty, expensive-looking packaging. Don’t
Photos by David Thiel.

tell anyone I told you this.
When Mehler is done with all of these
saws, you can bet he’ll stick with his 5-horse-
power Austrian-made Felder combination
machine (they cost between $5,000 and During my visit to Mehler’s shop in Berea, Ky., nearly Mehler’s band of heavy-metal machines includes this
$15,000 and can be set up to do just about every square foot of floor space was occupied by a massive planer. My only question is: Where is its
table saw. Every place there wasn’t a table saw, there mobile base?
every machining job in a wood shop). It oc- were huge racks of wood.
cupies the center of the shop and maybe
Mehler’s heart. side to minimize shop cleanup time and max- man has carefully grown his shop with just
Another interesting part of Mehler’s shop imize woodworking time. His industrial-grade the right tools for his needs. So passionate
is his vintage heavy-duty machinery that he spray booth is tucked in a far corner be- is Mehler about tools that he’s lately been
has purchased wisely (and inexpensively) hind his clamp rack. getting involved in the debate about safety
over many years and after a little horse trad- Perhaps his favorite “tool” is his German- and guards in the U.S. market. Mehler con-
ing. I covet his 36" 1910 Oliver band saw, style European workbench that looks loaded sults for many different companies regard-
which he uses primarily for resawing. His 24" with great stories. This well-worn bench is ing shop safety and design. He is a member
Crescent planer looks as big as the rock of where Mehler uses hand tools to cut dovetails, of an Underwriters Laboratories Inc. advi-
Gibraltar. It also was interesting to see that fit joints, and make the wood just about sing. sory council and focuses on improving power
his dust collection system ducts directly out- Everywhere you look you’ll see that this tool safety.
It’s The World’s Only Cordless Brad Nailer

That’s Also Pneumatic.
Cordless. Pneumatic. Our new cordless brad nailer gives you the option of both,
using exclusive TPS Technology™ (Twin Power Source System). It’s cordless,
thanks to a mini-compressor powered by our rechargeable,
interchangeable 12-volt battery. It’s also pneumatic,
courtesy of a 1/4" valve that allows you to use it with traditional
compressors. To get one of your own, visit your Porter-Cable dealer or call 1-800-487-8665
(519-836-2840 in Canada).
When asked what is the most important
piece of safety equipment on a table saw, the
splitter comes to the top of Mehler’s list.
Why? Because, he maintains, the splitter re-
duces the risk of a kickback dramatically. He
also says that European manufacturers can
teach American tool companies many great
ideas on improving tool guards.
For example, he showed me how the Felder
table saw’s splitter actually was designed to
move up and down with the saw blade. The
splitter can be used for non-through groove
and shoulder cuts because of this feature Mehler (center) demonstrates his Felder combination machine. It’s amazing how the splitter moves up and
— again, minimizing the risk of kickback. down with the blade. Why can’t we have this on all U.S.- and Taiwanese-made saws?
Also, European guards on jointers make it
hard to even get your hands near the cut- working on a tiger maple chest, a rift-sawn AMERICAN
terhead while jointing a board. The guard is red oak hope or blanket chest (with hand- WOODSHOPS
positioned to make a woodworker raise his cut dovetails) and a large case-on-case piece.
Woodworkers love to see the
or her hand over the danger zone. Very smart He probably works 60 hours a week and shops of other woodworkers. And
design! And by the way, Mehler practices clearly loves what he does. I bet if he had to few people see as many amazing
what he preaches. Even his old 12" Oliver just do one thing it would be to teach woodshops as Scott Phillips, host of
jointer was set up with a great guard. working to as many folks as possible. If you PBS’ “The American Woodshop.” Every issue, Phillips
Mehler’s portfolio of furniture is exten- have an opportunity to work with him, don’t takes us inside the shops of some of the finest crafts-
men (and women) in America. You can see more about
sive, and it’s obvious he specializes in match- pass it up. You will find your time well spent Kelly Mehler’s shop by tuning in to “The American
ing and coordinating the grain in a piece with this American master. PW Woodshop” on your local PBS affiliate in spring 2002.
of furniture. When I visited, Mehler was —Scott Phillips, contributing editor Check your local listings for airtimes and dates.
It’s The World’s Only Pneumatic Brad Nailer

That’s Also Cordless.
Pneumatic. Cordless. Our new cordless brad nailer gives you the option
of both, using exclusive TPS Technology™ (Twin Power Source System).
It’s pneumatic, courtesy of a 1/4" valve that allows you to use it with traditional
compressors. It’s also cordless, thanks to a mini-compressor powered by our
rechargeable, interchangeable 12-volt battery. To get one of your own,visit your
Porter-Cable dealer or call 1-800-487-8665 (519-836-2840 in Canada).

classic shaker
CANDLESTAND
While this is one of the most traditional
furniture forms, building one of these small tables
is not all that complicated.
uilt by members of the terns for both the the pedestal all along its dimensions to match that differ-
B Mount Lebanon com-

munity in New York dur-
ing the first half of the 19th cen-
pedestal and the legs
on this table, the
form is actual-
length. While the turn-
ing skills required for
the piece aren’t tax-
ence. Turn the rest of the pedestal
according to the pattern, leaving
a 1"-diameter x 3⁄ 4"-long stub on
tury, this recognizable Shaker ly forgiving. If ing, it also isn’t some- both ends.
form is actually their stylish in- your turning thing to attempt your When you’re done with the
terpretation of earlier forms. The ends up a lit- first time at the lathe. pedestal, the next step is to cut
legs are a derivation of a Sheraton tle thinner in Some basic knowl- the three sliding dovetail grooves
design. The Shakers referred to one area, or the legs end up a hair edge of turning is re- for the legs on the base of the
the leg design as “umbrella” or thinner at the bottom, it’s OK. quired. Start with pedestal. The legs are oriented at
“spider feet.” I first found this table It’s a nice-looking project that a 12/4 maple turn- 120° around the base of the
in John Kassay’s “The Book of will allow you to practice your ing blank that is about pedestal. You need to mark the
Shaker Furniture.” The original skills and end up with a great- 20" long. Turn the entire piece locations accurately, but to cut
shown in the book is part of the looking table. to round, finishing out at about the grooves themselves I’ve bor-
J.J.G. McCue collection, and re- Everything about the table 27⁄ 8". That is the largest diame- rowed from a few different books
sides in the Museum of Fine Arts connects to the pedestal, so let’s ter dimension used on the pat- to make a router jig that makes
in Boston. A very similar cher- begin there. I’ve included a pattern, but if you end up with less it nearly foolproof. The jig is made
ry table is also in the collection tern that gives the diameter of than that, adjust the rest of the from shop scraps and holds the
of the Metropolitan Museum of two stubs of the pedestal in place
Art in New York City. by Malcolm Huey and uses a screw to hold the
Malcolm Huey has been building reproductions and adaptations
pedestal oriented correctly to cut
Forgiving Form of 18th and 19th century furniture for more than 30 years. each groove. Use two different
While I’ve included detailed pat- His company, Malcolm L. Huey & Sons, is located in Middletown, Ohio. bits to cut the grooves. Start with

The dovetailing jig
makes it fairly simple
to place the leg, run
the groove, then
rotate the leg to the
next position.
Note the screw
in the diagram and
photo that’s used to
hold the pedestal in
the appropriate
position.
Turning the pedestal is a great way to practice your lathe skills. While there is a
pattern to follow, the lines are fluid enough to allow for personalization, slight
miscalculations or both.
a 1⁄ 2" straight bit to remove most ier to cut the dovetail pin first.
of the wood, then follow up with Set up your dovetail bit in a
an 8° dovetail bit. Stop the groove router table. Attach an auxiliary finish shaping the legs to
at the shoulder, 31⁄ 2" up from the fence to allow you to hold the leg finished size. On the orig-
base of the pedestal. upright against the fence. Run inal Shaker piece, the
The next step is to rough out a test piece on some scrap to see legs are also tapered
the legs by milling three pieces if your offset is correct. You want slightly in thickness down
to 7⁄ 8" x 4" x 15". Then use the the fit to be tight at this point. to the feet. You can
provided scaled pattern to lay out You’ll hand-fit each joint later. achieve this authentic
the shape of the legs in pencil on When the test piece fits to your look with a bench plane
the pieces. Make sure the grain satisfaction, run each side of the and some care.
runs the length of the leg, or your leg past the bit, shaping the pins. The next step is to fit each leg place with a snug fit.
legs could snap. Determine the With this important joint com- to the pedestal. I re-use part of Once satisfied, trim the lower
location of the dovetail pin on plete on all three leg pieces, head my router jig as a stop on my bench stub off the pedestal, finish sand
each leg and cut the corner from for the band saw and rough cut to hold the pedestal in place while the legs and post, and glue the
the leg blank at that point. Before the legs to shape. Then use a spin- I carefully pare away material with legs in place. If your joint is well-
shaping the rest of the leg, it’s eas- dle sander (or spokeshave) and a chisel until each leg slides in made, you shouldn’t need any
SHAKER CANDLESTAND
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) M AT E R I A L
T W L
❏ 1 Top 3⁄
4 197⁄ 8 dia. Maple
❏ 1 Mounting plate 3⁄ 4 5 133⁄ 4 Maple
❏ 3 Legs 7⁄
8 3 16 145⁄ 8
9⁄
Maple
❏ 1 Pedestal 3 dia. 20 Maple
❏ 4 Wood screws #9 11⁄ 4 FH Steel
8º x 11/16"
large diameter
Taper both ends dovetail mortise
3/4" to 1/4"
3 3/8 " 1" dia.

hole
1/
7" 2"
3 3/8 " 5/
8"
13 3/4 " 120º

45º chamfer 5"
both sides 7/
8"
Mounting plate
Mounting plate
to
Leg to To cut the mating pins for the sliding dovetails, a router table works best. By using
pedestal dovetails
pedestal dovetails an auxiliary fence clamped above the table, first one side of the leg is run (left), then
the leg is turned around and the opposite side is run (right).

27 3/4 "
Router Jig for Leg 14 "
1x2 router
guides
3/ "
4 8"
Bit slot
11 1/2 "
4"
Varies - Stop block Removable
measure router L-bracket
base plate
Plan
Base plate
radius
1x2 router
guides Stop block
1" dia. hole
/2 "
Removable
4"
1
1" dia. L-bracket

hole
/4 "
4"
/4 "
3
Indexing
3
/4 "
screw
4
3
3/ " 3/ "
End elevation Section
4 4
clamping pressure. The Shakers

used metal plates across the base 10"
of the pedestal to hold the legs in 5/
8"
place, but our glues are more re- Dashed lines - 3/
final shape 8"
liable. Allow the glue to cure and
move on to the top.
You now have a table base.
1
The last two parts are actually

the easiest. If you can find a piece
2
of maple that is 20" wide, use it

for the top. That’s what the
3
Shakers did, and it looks great. If

4
you can’t find a board that wide,

look for a thicker piece, cut it
5
6
7
135º 15"
8
9
10
The leg shape is created by making a 2"

11
full-size template from the included

scaled pattern, then transferring that to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
the leg blanks. A band saw makes quick 2"
work of the roughed-out shapes. Leg pattern
www.popwood.com 33
1"
/4"
1 3/4"
1
1 1/4"
2
1"
3
15 / "
A spindle sander makes what could be 16
4
a daunting task reasonably painless. By
using double-sided tape to hold the 7/ "
8
5
legs together, all three can be sanded at
the same time, reducing work and 29 / "
ensuring uniform shapes. 32
6
1 1/16"
7
in half along the width on your
No matter how accurate your machining, there needs to be some
band saw and make the top book- hand-fitting to make the legs just right. A sharp chisel can make 1 1/8"
14 3/8"
8
matched. While you’re scroung- a big difference here. Don’t make the joint too tight, but not too
loose, either.
ing for wood, grab a piece that’s 1 1/4"
9
5" x 133⁄ 4" to use as the mount-
19 3/8"
1 7/16"
10
ing plate.
To shape the top, I use a sim-
1 7/8"
11
ple circle-cutting jig that mounts
to my router. With the center
2 5/16 "
12
of the jig attached to the un-
derside of the top, cut the 197⁄ 8"-
2 5/8 "
13
diameter shape using a spiral bit,
taking the cut in three or four
2 7/8 "
14
passes. When the top is round,
chuck a 1⁄2" roundover bit in your A circle-cutting jig attached to my router lets me make a true 2 13 /16"
router and round over the bot- circle. Take increasingly deeper passes around the perimeter of 15
the top to complete the cut.
tom edge of the top. Then do the 2 3/4 "
16
same to the top edge with a 1⁄ 16" except that to keep it like the orig- To attach the
3 1/2"
roundover bit (or break the edge inal, both ends of the plate taper base to the
17
with sandpaper). to 1⁄ 4" thick within the first 33⁄ 8" mounting plate, 2 1/2 "
18
The mounting plate is simple, of each end. There are a couple cut a saw kerf
of ways to do this, but I still across the width
19
think the safest way is to of the top stub on

3
/4"
use a band saw to cut the the pedestal, run- 1"

20
taper, then use a sander to ning the kerf with 1 2 3 4

clean up the surface. the grain. Slip the
Pedestal turning
Pedestal turning
With the plate tapered, mounting plate
& dovetail
& dovetail mortise
mortise
cut a 3⁄16" roundover on all over the top of the
four edges and drill a 1"- stub, then add
diameter hole in the cen- glue and drive a wedge into the manufacturer recommends. Be
ter of the plate. Then drill saw kerf to lock the plate in place. sure to make some sample boards
a few more mounting holes When the glue is dry, cut the tenon to find a color that you like. Next,
for attaching the top. and stub flush to the top of the I follow that with a couple coats
You’re now ready to fin- mounting plate. of orange shellac. I level that with
ish sand the piece. All that’s left is to attach the 360-grit sandpaper and then apply
top and add the finish. I use a a brown glazing stain over the
It’s a good idea to drill water-based aniline dye made by shellac. After I allow that to dry
clearance holes in the Moser that’s available from overnight, a few coats of lacquer
mounting plate before gluing Woodworker’s Supply (800-645- finish the job. PW
the mounting plate to the
base. It screws on much easier 9292). Traditionally, in my shop
the second time. we dilute the dye more than the

Hardware
with HEFT
Art Deco
Coat Hook Elegant and
$2.50 Detailed Web
Bracket $8.50
Attractive
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Lag Hook
$6.50
Scroll
Handrail
Card Frame Bracket
$1.75 $6.50
These lost-wax cast-steel

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TSC-10C Table Saw– BW-6R Jointer

with features such as a large working surface, powerful American made Acclaimed a “best buy” among 6” Jointers
motor and sturdy construction you’ll see we didn’t spare quality to make by a professional woodworking publication
an economical table saw • 3-knife cutterhead • Jackscrew knife adjustment
• Miter gauge with T-slot groove • Cast iron extension wings • New fence tilts both ways, quick and easy adjustment.
• Magnetic switch • Quick release plug connection on motor 3 positive stops • Enclosed stand • 1 HP motor • Rabbeting
• 4” dust collection hook up • Large 27” x 40” table table and ledge • Surface ground tables • Pushbutton switch
• Beveled front table edge for smooth miter gauge operation • Cast iron wheels
• 1 1/2 HP American made motor
• Comes with VEGA® U-26 fence (shown)
BW-002A
Dust Collector
portable, compact unit can solve your dust
collection problems at a very low cost
BW-15P FEATURES: Metal impeller (not plastic) • Two HP, single phase motor
BW-15BS Bandsaw– • Bag attached with quick release metal straps • 1059 CFM
don’t let its low price fool you, Planer
economically priced • 43.5 gal. collection bag • One 5” or two 4” dia. hose inlets • 1 micron filter bag
this amazing bandsaw is designed and
built to provide trouble free operation cut yet built like big professional planers,
it offers absolutely vibration free finishes QUALITY MACHINERY • PARTS • SERVICE • GREAT LEASE PLANS
after cut.
• Heavily ribbed, cast iron c-frame • 3 HP motor • 3 v-belt drive from motor to cut-
• Cast aluminum wheels with rubber tires terhead • Table moves up and down –
• Non-rocking steel floor stand cutterhead stationary for smoother cuts
• Miter gauge • Motor mounted directly • Sturdy 4 leg non-rocking stand • Extended
to cast iron frame for smooth operation stock support rollers • Anti-kickback fingers
• 3/4 HP motor across entire width • 3 spring chip breaker
• Two blade speeds: 2000 or 2600 SFM • Heavy cast iron construction • Magnetic switch
• Jackscrew knife adjustment

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO
table sawsWe test 9 popular contractor-style saws to find out

who makes the finest machine. While we’re at it, we also show
you how to make difficult cuts easily and safely.
uring a tool demonstra- safety tips, the advice doesn’t al- chine — saws with a circular blade the saw, rather than risk an in-
D tion a while back our

staff was honestly a lit-
tle scared and concerned to see
ways sink in — sometimes with
disastrous results.
For the new woodworker, it’s
are the No. 1 cause of accidents
in U.S. woodshops. For those who
have been using table saws for
jury.
Entire books have been writ-
ten on setting up and using the
an “experienced” woodworker imperative to learn the correct, years, it’s best to stop and think table saw, so we can’t tell you
rip a board by standing to the side safe way to use this dangerous ma- about the way you’re now using everything about using a saw here.
of the saw and pushing the board But we will give you the basics
through sideways. We realized by David Thiel on safety, and ripping and cross-
that while the manuals included Questions or comments? You can contact David at 513-531-2690 ext.255 cutting both plywood and solid
with table saws give you basic or at [email protected]. wood. Once the basics are in place,

we encourage you to take a look
at some of the books available to SOURCES
make sure you’re getting the most AFTERMARKET GUARDS
out of your table saw.
Excalibur/Sommerville,
800-357-4118
Groan - Safety! excalibur-tools.com
OK, no one wants to read a long
Biesemeyer, 800-782-1831
discourse on table saw safety, but biesemeyer.com
is your safety worth a couple of
minutes? You bet it is. Let’s start ROLLER STANDS
with a quick list of rules you should Delta, 800-438-2486
follow whenever you use your deltawoodworking.com
table saw. Fisch, 724-663-9072
fisch-woodworking.com
1. Follow the setup instructions HTC, 800-624-2027
as described here, and from
the manufacturer. Record, 937-382-3811
recordtool.com
2. Set the blade to the proper
If this photo doesn’t make your stomach turn a bit, you probably need to examine
height for each cut. Rousseau, 800-635-3416
the way you use a saw. The blade is too high, the hands are too close to the blade.
3. Stand in the proper place at rousseauco.com
The wrong type of blade is installed and you never make a cut freehand.
the saw to provide support Shop Fox, 360-734-3482
and to keep you safe. Most combination guards are dif- You also need to check the woodstockinternational.com
4. Keep your fingers clear of the ficult to adjust and keep adjust- blade and rip fence to make sure Triton, 888-874-8661
insert plate zone when the ed, and perhaps half of the cuts they are parallel to the miter gauge multi-stand.com
saw is operating. In fact we that can be made on a table saw slots. Again, your owner’s man-
like to paint our inserts red (if can’t be made with the factory ual provides most of the infor-
they aren’t already) to remind guard in place. We know. But if mation necessary for this step.
us where that zone is. you can use a guard during an op- My dad, God bless him, used
5. Keep scraps, tools and loose eration, please do so. If you can to have a saying in the shop, “It’s
objects off the saw during afford to upgrade your saw to a carbide, it doesn’t need sharpen-
operation. more user-friendly aftermarket ing yet!” Well, I think we all know
6. Unplug the saw every time guard (see the “Getting Started” that a sharp blade cuts more eas-
you change the blade. article on the next page) it’s a
7. Make sure that the insert plate great idea. In addition to guards, A good example of the right
and wrong way to use a saw is
and any table additions are we feel strongly about using safe-
what is known as the “the
level to the saw table surface. ty glasses, hearing protection, invisible arrow.” When cutting
When your blade is spinning push sticks and splitters. rabbets, the cut can be made
in the middle of a cut, it’s a Before making your first cut two ways: the correct way is to
bad time to find your piece is on a new saw (or if it’s been a make your first cut with the
piece flat on the table, then
Photos by Al Parrish.
hung up on something. while since you tuned up your

make the second cut with the
8. If you’re ripping material less saw) do these simple checks on piece on edge. This allows the
than 4" wide, use a push the saw to make sure everything waste to fall to the outfeed
stick. Period. is ready to run. Check the blade side of the blade. If done in the
9. No loose clothing or jewelry for square to the tabletop. We opposite order, the waste piece
becomes trapped between the
near the saw. keep a fairly inexpensive metal
blade and the fence and is
10. Work with help handy. If you machinist’s square near the saw launched at some 40 miles an
get into trouble, can you call at all times. When you first square hour. If you’re standing in the
invisible
for assistance? the blade, the set screws are ad- wrong position behind the
fence (like me in the photo at arrow
justed to allow you to return to
right) you can get a nasty
What about guards? OK, we’ll square easily. But with use, this
surprise just a little south of
admit that most guards provid- adjustment can change, and it the breadbasket. Knowing
ed with saws (a combination split- should be checked periodically. where to stand and the proper
ter/pawl/shield)meet the bare Your owner’s manual will show steps to cut a piece can make
minimums to be called a guard. you how to adjust this setting. all the difference.
www.pop- 37
ily than a dull one. Make sure GETTING STARTED — SAFETY AND ALIGNMENT
your blade is in good shape, and
Beyond the stock guards
sharp, so you don’t end up trying
provided with most table saws,
to force wood past it. That’s a sure more convenient and user-
way to get hurt. friendly aftermarket guards are
So you’re ready to available, but at some cost. The
raise the blade and Excalibur overarm guard (left)
allows the guard to be
make a cut. But
lifted away from the
how high should blade for “through” cuts
you raise the impossible with a
blade? For standard guard, though
the most ef- you’re still limited in
height. This guard should
ficient (and
be used with a
safest) cut, splitter/pawl attachment.
the blade should The Biesemeyer version
be about 1⁄ 8 " to 1⁄ 4 " (right) simply snaps into place and
higher than the thickness of the requires no tools for removal. An absolutely necessary safety
tool is a push stick. Two homemade versions are shown at
piece you’re cutting. This allows
right. We generally prefer the “shoe” style (the one on top) for
the teeth to clear the cut (for more added support. You’ll also note the homemade throat insert,
efficient performance) but keeps providing zero clearance spacing around the blade. It’s a must
the blade low enough to be less to stop small scraps from slipping through the plate and
of a hazard. getting tossed back.
The proper place to stand while
using your saw will depend on
The first step in making sure your table saw is safe is to
what cut you’re making. We’ve make sure the blade and fence are parallel to one
outlined the basic “moves” later another. (We’ll assume you’ve already aligned the blade
in the article. But in general, to the miter slot as instructed by your owner’s manual.)
standing directly behind the blade Simply set the fence to any reasonable distance (9" in
our photo, left) and check the distance between the
is the more hazardous location.
fence and blade both at the front and rear of the blade.
Speaking of standing, there If the measurements are not equal, adjust your fence
are a few operations on a table until correct. If this setup isn’t done correctly, your
saw that benefit greatly from an material can become pinched between the fence and
extra pair of hands or roller stands. blade (or splitter guard) and either violently be kicked
back at you, or make it too hard to push the piece all the
To be honest, while an extra pair
way through. If you have to force a piece through a cut,
of hands can be useful, it takes you’re doing something wrong. If the fence is out of
a skilled and knowledgeable pair parallel in the other direction, you may not get hurt, but
of hands to assist, rather than hin- you’ll have a hard time making square cuts.
der, during a cut. You’re likely
better off to look to any num-
ber of roller stands available on When crosscutting narrow pieces on the table saw,
you will eventually encounter the situation where
the market, or build an outfeed
the falloff pieces are small enough to not move out
table that suits your type of wood- of the way on each cut, and they will begin to
working. accumulate to the outfeed side of the blade. This
Finally, before you do any- doesn’t automatically create a dangerous situation,
thing on the table saw, be rest- but one of the pieces could be pushed against the
outfeed side of the blade and be thrown back at
ed, unhurried and think carefully
you. Even with the guard in place, a piece can be
about the cut before you make small enough to be kicked around between the
it. If something feels wrong or guard and blade, or tossed back. Optimally, you
makes you nervous, there’s prob- should stop the saw and wait until the blade has
ably a better (and safer) way to stopped spinning, then remove the offending
chunks. More likely than not, it will be inconvenient
do it. Listen to the voices in your
to keep turning off the saw. In that case, stand out
head and your gut, and you’ll of the kickback line of fire and use a scrap piece of
enjoy woodworking for many wood or your push stick to nudge the pieces out of
years to come. the way (right). Don’t use your fingers! You can
always make a new push stick.
38 POPULAR WOODWORKING
RIPPING A BOARD CROSSCUTTING A BOARD
Ripping a piece of solid lumber is simpler than When crosscutting a board,the substantially thinner
1 ripping plywood, but there is more potential for
danger because the stress in a solid wood board
1 width of the piece (and not enough width to ride ade-
quately against the fence) causes us to use a miter gauge
can pinch the blade when it is ripped. Roller stands rather than the fence. You may note the gauge in our photos
are recommended (you can’t see mine in the pho- is not standard equipment. We recommend either adding a
tos) and should be positioned to support both pieces backing board at least 24" long to your miter gauge, or
coming off the saw. To start the cut, you should be purchase an aftermarket gauge.
positioned at the rear corner of the board as in the Start by checking to make sure your miter gauge is
photo, supporting the back end with your right hand. square to the blade. Then align your cut and support the
Your left hand (at the center of the board) provides board against the gauge with one hand on the gauge
pressure against the fence, keeping it and the other stretching across the piece to hold it in
flush to the fence. The tightly against the gauge. If your piece is too wide to
arrows indicate the reach across, it’s smart to clamp the piece against the
direction I’m applying gauge during the cut.
pressure.
Walk the board slowly into the blade, keeping the

2 edge flush along the length of the fence. When your
left hand reaches the edge of the saw, allow it to slide
backward along the length of the board, maintain-
ing pressure against the fence. Maintain this Guide the gauge and board into
support until the back end of the board reaches the
edge of the saw table.
2 and past the blade.
Grab your push stick and place it on the back edge of Once the board is cut through, allow the fall-off
3 the piece between the blade and fence. Apply
pressure forward, and slightly toward the fence
3 piece (to the left in the photo) to lie in place. With
your left hand, push the board away from the
with the push stick as you continue the cut. Your blade,sliding it along the gauge. Then turn the saw
left hand should only be used to apply minimal off. Once the blade stops spinning, pull the fall-off
guiding pressure on the fall-off piece until the piece away from the blade.
piece is separated, then
move your left hand
out of the way. Once
the keeper board is
clear of the blade
and guard, turn
your attention to
the fall-off piece
and push it safely forward, again using the
push stick.
www.popwood.com 39
CROSSCUTTING PLYWOOD
Crosscutting a sheet of plywood on a contractor saw is a task safely accomplished with the use of roller stands. Though plywood is bulky, you don’t have to worry as much
about the board pinching the blade in the cut because plywood doesn’t have a grain direction like solid wood.
Here you see one stand positioned to one side of Maintain the center position as you push the board Once the board has cleared the blade, let the fall-
1 the table saw, and another positioned at the
outfeed side. When using the rip fence, do not crosscut
2 through the blade. Keep your eye on the fence! 3 off piece lay where it is, and carefully push the
piece between the fence and blade past the blade and
a piece less than 18" wide and over 48" long. There is onto the roller stand. Keep the piece flush against the
too much chance of the board shifting and becoming fence until the piece is clear. Then lift the fall-off piece
pinched. Start the crosscut by standing in the center of out of the way
the board to support the length. Keep your eye on the
fence and keep the board tight against it. Again, arrows
indicate where my hands are applying pressure.
RIPPING PLYWOOD
As you move forward, keep your eye on the fence As you reach the end of the cut, allow the outfeed
1 Ripping a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on a contractor
saw is possible, but delicate. Roller stands are a 2 to keep the sheet flush along the fence. As the
balance of the weight of the sheet is transferred to the
3 piece (under my left hand) to come to a rest and
transfer your attention to the piece between the fence
must, and they should be positioned to support the
largest piece coming off the saw, or preferably both saw table you can shift your position to the rear of the and blade. Push this piece clear of the blade, careful
pieces. To start the cut, you should be positioned near sheet, supporting from the back, but still maintaining not to extend your reach over the blade. Once clear of
the rear corner of the sheet as in the photo, supporting pressure against the fence with your left hand. the blade and guard, lift the piece up and over the
the back end of the sheet with your right hand, while Continue to push the sheet forward, paying attention fence and bring it to rest to the side of the fence
your left hand provides pressure against the fence and to the point when the sheet contacts your roller stand opposite the blade. Don’t try to drag the piece back
aligns the sheet flush to the fence. With the piece (to make sure it’s riding on the stand, not pushing it toward you over the guard. With that piece safe,
pushed nearly up to the blade, check the fit against the over), then continue the cut. My roller stand is not continue to push the waste piece forward and away
fence again, then slowly walk the sheet into the blade. shown in the photos. from the blade until it clears the blade and guard. PW

CHOOSING A CONTRACTOR
Table Saw
Today’s contractor saws offer performance and quality
at a price that makes woodworking possible for all.
ecently a subscriber asked saw according to the manufac-
R us to simplify our tool

reviews and recommend
only one tool as the “Editor’s
turers’ instructions (whether good
or bad). We set the blades and
fences square and parallel. We
Choice.” While that might seem then checked each machine for
to make things easier for our tool- noise, vibration, ergonomics and
buying readers, it isn’t the right fence accuracy.
thing to do. Our test of premium Next we tested the motors. To
contractor saws is a prime exam- level the playing field, all nine
ple of why. saws were equipped with a new
Of the nine saws we tested in Freud 40-tooth Teflon-coated fin-
our shop, all performed the rou- ishing blade — an excellent car-
tine woodworking tasks assigned bide blade. All the saws were wired
to them. Certainly some machines for 110-volt operation. Using a
Photos by Tim Grondin.
were a little easier to use and some Grizzly power feeder (shown at
performed a bit better. But they left), we ran 7⁄ 8 "-thick poplar
are all pretty good saws and a few boards through each saw at a speed
of them are simply excellent ma- slightly above standard hand feed-
chines. It’s a pretty unusual sight to see a monster power feeder on a contractor ing. We then observed how much
Another complication is de- saw. But that’s the machine we chose to feed boards through each of the more amperage the motor pulled
termining the saw that’s the “Best nine saws we tested. The power feeder ensured that all the boards were fed from the wall and how much the
at the same speed and with the same pressure.
Value.” With some tools, the low- motor’s rpm decreased under that
price leader isn’t worth buying perform what would be consid- to the table and parallel to the load. All of these statistics are
no matter what the price. ered normal operations. That’s miter slot. Some saws make it dif- listed on the accompanying chart.
However, with better manufac- not to say it won’t bog down in ficult to calibrate the fence. All
turing overseas and increased 8/4 hard maple — most contrac- three “Editor’s Choice” saws have Niceties and Oddities
competition there are now lower- tor saws will. The saw also must very simple and intuitive fence Aside from the motor and fence,
priced tools available that can be equipped with a fence system adjustments. Beyond the fence we also noted differences in the
save you hundreds of dollars with- that allows easily repeated, ac- and motor, everything else is gravy. other features on these saws. First,
out sacrificing enough perform- curate set-ups without a lot of I like gravy, but sometimes a pad the miter gauges are frequently
ance or convenience to outweigh fuss. And it must be easily ad- of butter is enough. not worth keeping. Of all the
the bargain. justable so you can set it at 90° For the test, we assembled each gauges, only those on the General
and Grizzly were pretty good.
Motors and Fences by David Thiel On the subject of blade guards,
A table saw needs to do two things Questions or comments? You can contact David at 513-531-2690 ext.255 most of them are a hindrance
well. First, it needs the guts to or at [email protected]. to woodworking. But there have
www.popwood.com 41
been improvements. Ridgid’s ally a joke on contractor saws — tilt saw and the Powermatic is a When it comes to value, it was
guard is easily slipped on and really works well on the Ridgid, left-tilt. While we think left-tilt a tough call. The Grizzly and
off its post without tools, making Craftsman and DeWalt units. machines are safer; this is a per- Bridgewood were tight competi-
it more likely to be used. Other sonal preference and either of tors for this honor. Both required
guards worth mentioning are Winners these saws is a good choice. some extra set-up and patience
DeWalt’s, which has a smaller In the end, we decided on more The Delta saw is different in during assembly. But once that’s
splitter (that actually reduces than one winner. Three equally many ways and outperformed the done, both are good performers
binding rather than promotes it) priced saws take top honors: the other saws in the most categories. for the price, but the Bridgewood
and the Powermatic guard has in- Delta, Jet and Powermatic. The Unifence system is equal in pulls ahead with at least one solid-
dependent side shields that do The Jet and Powermatic are accuracy and reliability to the T- cast iron wing (and the extra legs
a better job of keeping the blade nearly identical (Jet owns style fence offered on the Jet and thrown in), the left-tilt motor
covered during crosscutting. Powermatic), with the major dif- Powermatic units, and does a lot and a slightly better quality rip
And dust collection — usu- ference being the Jet is a right- of extra tricks, too. fence. PW
Best Value DELTA 36-426

The word “Delta” means “saws” to a good many
woodworkers, and the 36-426 supports that image.
BRIDGEWOOD TSC-10CL
The saw arrived nicely packaged with all the compo-
The Bridgewood TSC-10CL is the least expensive saw nents well protected by lots of cardboard. The instruc-
in the test, but it offers good power, a good T-style tions were good, illustrated with photos, and actually
fence system and a left-tilt mechanism, which we tell you how to remove the goopy protective coating
CRAFTSMAN 22859
prefer. The rip fence offers aluminum faces on both on the metal surfaces. The three-piece stamped steel
sides that have T-slots for attaching stops or fixtures. The 22859 was one of the nicest saws to assemble. The base (as well as the “slide-on” rails) proved for quick,
To square the fence to the table, you need to shim a instructions are excellent and there were many small simple assembly ... until we got to the side table/leg
pad underneath the fence. The solid cast wing is nice, details that made assembly a joy. The 22859 was assembly. This proved over-complicated, though
though a second wing would have been better. The nicely packaged, with individually labeled hardware ultimately the legs add stability. The Unifence is a
saw is currently sold with a free leg set (not shown) — bags. The fence rails slide onto square-head bolts in versatile, precise and reliable system that is a strong
and a laminate-covered table board is available for an place on the tables, and the switch location is ad- competitor to the T-style clones. The fence moved
extra $70. The blade height and tilt adjustments justable. When assembled, the fit and finish of the tool smoothly, the scale is readable, and the ease of
operated smoothly with positive stops. The saw is scored very well. Operating vibration was better than adjustability proved superior to all others tested. While
shipped without a blade, and if that keeps the price average and the handles were comfortable to use and not a determining factor in the results, we were
low, we’re OK with that. In general most of the fea- easy to reach. Unfortunately the rest of the testing pleased with the 50-tooth combination blade includ-
tures were average. Again, if it keeps the price low, OK. didn’t fare as well. Though the saw offers a micro- ed. With the extended table board, the Delta offered a
Downside? Assembly took more work than with other adjustable fence (which can be helpful), we needed to full 5" more working surface than any other saw
saws. It was necessary to shim the fence's infeed bar shim the mechanism with six washers to align it tested. Also, the Delta is one of two saws tested that
with washers to raise the fence to a workable height. correctly with its toothed gear. There are no positive offered a two-wrench blade changing feature, improv-
Also, some masking tape was needed on the fence to stops on the blade beveling mechanism, causing a ing ease of use even further. Not everything was
square it with the tabletop. But even with these mushy feeling and the need to rely on the bevel perfect, though. The height and beveling handles are
complications and the less-than-pristine fit and finish indicator, which no manufacturer does correctly. undersized and feel of lesser quality than those on
of the machine, it’s a sweet saw at a great price. And Though the fence moves smoothly, it cannot be other saws. The blade guard cannot be raised com-
so we gave the Bridgewood Best Value honors on the adjusted square to the table without shimming. pletely out of way when in use and uses a safety
strength of the better quality rip fence, left-tilt capabil- Adjusting the fence parallel to the blade is very feature to keep it from locking open at all unless the
ity and the solid cast-iron wing. difficult, and the fence’s scale is only in 1⁄ 16" incre- throat plate is in place. In the end, the benefits offered
www.wilkemach.com/800-235-2100 ments and not easy to read. The motor performed by the Unifence system, overall quality of the assem-
acceptably, but on the whole the saw was ultimately bly, fit and finish, and the quiet and capable motor
not worth the $800 price. made us choose the Delta as an Editor’s Choice.
www.craftsman.com/800-377-7414 www.deltawoodworking.com/800-438-2486

adjust the fence square
to the tabletop using a
screwdriver here
adjust the
fence parallel Locks the Bevel
to the miter Both the Craftsman and Ridgid (shown
slot and blade right) saws employ a blade bevel lock, but
by turning not a height adjustment lock. Our initial
this nut with concerns were that while the bevel lock
your arbor could prove useful, would the blade creep
wrench down during dado operations without a
height lock? After testing we found that
no creep occurred. Likely the fine thread
A Class by Itself
adjustment requiring 35 revolutions to
The Delta Unifence (above) offers both parallel and square adjustment
raise and lower the blade made these
to the table without lifting the fence from the saw. Though you may
saws less susceptible to height creep.
only have to adjust the fence once a year, it’s very convenient to have
Though we appreciate that improvement,
all the adjustments easily accessible. Also note the unique aluminum
we didn’t enjoy the extra revolutions nec-
fence face that can be oriented in either a high or low height arrange-
essary to adjust the blade height.
ment on either side of the fence rail, and can be slid forward or back for
improved support. This fence offers great versatility for the user.
DeWALT DW746
The DeWalt DW746 was one of the easiest saws to
assemble (arriving mostly assembled), with most of
GRIZZLY G1022Pro
our assembly time spent being impressed by the
design features on the model. This saw is unlike the The G1022Pro is new to the Grizzly family for 2002,
other machines in this test because it has an internally but it looks familiar. The machine is essentially the
mounted motor and a blade beveling wheel mounted G1022ZFX with the Shop Fox Classic fence added.
on the left of the saw.We found the saw’s instructions That’s a good thing. Assembly was of average com-
to be less than thorough, but adequate to the setup plexity, and not always explained well in the instruc-
task. As mentioned before, the dust collection shroud tions. Once assembled, the Grizzly performed well in a
around the blade works extremely well. The fence GENERAL 50-185 number of categories, not least of which was the
system is also different; it’s a T-style fence that locks performance of its 2hp-rated motor (make sure your
both at the front and rear. We found the fence to be The General contractor saw is a fine and capable saw shop circuit can handle this motor). Strong features
smooth operating, accurate, easy to read and general- with a decent instruction manual and a fair assembly. include a Powertwist link belt to reduce vibration,
ly easy to set up and adjust. The aluminum fence face Its strong points are its well-placed and manufactured good cast iron miter gauge and a fence system that
offers forward and back adjustment similar to the handles, a good quality cast iron miter gauge, and an operated well (though less smoothly than some other
Delta Unifence, which is an asset in a number of easy-to-use and read T-style fence system. The saw is T-style clones tested in this review). The scale on the
situations. The DeWalt is one of two models tested also offered in either a right- or left-tilt version, (the fence was a tie for best readability, and the vibration
that offer a two-wrench blade change system. The only model tested that is), so if the tilt direction is during operation was very low. The saw arrived in our
motor performed well, and the vibration is pleasantly important to you, General can help you either way. shop with the blade mounted 1⁄ 16" off parallel to the
low.We rated the DeWalt as having the best height Overall the General motor performed capably and the miter slots (a quick fix) and there were sharp or rough
and tilt adjustments with convenient handles that use of the fence system and all adjustments worked spots on the machine to be filed or sanded. The open
operated smoothly and positively. Even though the smoothly and accurately. If you want to adjust the cast wings are a bit of a compromise, and we’d prefer
wings are of sheet metal construction, the heavy fence square to the table, you need to shim a pad solid cast wings instead, but priced at $550 it’s an
gauge of the metal makes these lighter-weight wings beneath the fence. There’s no real nice way to say this, extremely affordable package. When compared to the
accurate and sturdy. The DeWalt finished very well in but the General is a very capable, but average saw. It lower-priced Bridgewood, the Grizzly offers two cast
our testing, and was only edged out for Editor’s Choice doesn’t excel beyond the other tested models in any iron wings and a beefier motor for an extra $50. This
recognition due to the higher price. You may be able to significant category, but has features that make it a saw is a great deal, and was only beat out for Best
argue that the price is justified if the option of adding very workable tool. The pricing is comfortably below Value honors by the Bridgewood by a whisker.
the sliding table (another $400) is important to your the highest price, but is also not low enough to make www.grizzly.com/800-523-4777
style of work. this saw a true bargain.
www.dewalt.com/800-433-9258 www.general.ca/819-472-1161
www.popwood.com 43
RIDGID TS2424
JET JWTS-10PF We found the packaging on this saw to be quite impres-
sive. Packaged to fit in two economically sized boxes,
Our test of the JWTS-10PF started off a little rocky. the parts were nested within each other throughout,
While the assembly was generally user-friendly, we but all parts were well protected and well labeled to
ended up having to do some extra drilling to align the make assembly smooth. Even the motor was boxed, and
POWERMATIC 64A
holes on the fence rails. The bevel pointer was bent out the box itself offered a handle to help lift the motor
of orientation during shipping, and the instruction One of the first affordable contractor saws offered with conveniently, which is usually like wrestling a greased
manual could have done with some better photogra- a T-style fence and a left-tilt design, the 64A has seen hog.The TS2424 comes standard with a mobile base
phy. But after the assembly was complete, the strong some upgrades since Powermatic was purchased by that is a little fussy to set up, but a welcome accessory.
points of the saw became obvious. Motor performance the Jet Group. Though still very similar to the Jet saw in Interestingly the open cast wings (though not our
proved to be excellent, while offering extremely low features and design, assembly proved easier on the personal favorite due to finger injuries) were the only
vibration. The fence system, the reliable T-square clone Powermatic with improved imagery in the instructions wings attached using bolts and nuts, rather than
design, proved accurate, easy to read and easy to use. as well. The Powermatic has a somewhat less efficient machine bolts threaded into the main table.The fence
With the two solid cast iron wings and a table board motor than the Jet, but still very respectable and a rail attaches using slip-over T-bolts, making assembly
the work surface is a very ample 561⁄ 4" wide. The fit significant nine decibels quieter motor than the Jet. But efficient and quick.The fence system also employs a
and finish on the tool was very good, with little room for the paint color, the fence systems on the two saws micro-adjust feature like the Craftsman, but the Ridgid’s
for complaint. This saw is extremely close in design to are nearly identical, though the lever on the relies on friction against the rail, rather than a toothed
the Powermatic 64A, with the major differences being Powermatic’s fence was beefier. We did encounter gear.To adjust the fence square to the table you’ll need
the right-tilt design and a noisier (though better more vibration from the Powermatic unit, but to to shim underneath pads below the fence.The saw is
performing) motor on the Jet. In deciding which tools counter that the blade guard on the Powermatic is of a shipped with a decent dust collection box mounted
to award Editor’s Choice to, we decided that ultimately superior design for ease of use, and they’ve added under the saw and includes a hose hookup and hose.
it was more important how the tool continued to some plastic caps on the fence rail (for appearance) The motor mounting and pulley guard were simple to
operate, rather than what it took to set it up the first and added leveling feet on the base. Both saws are attach and user-friendly. For all the nice touches and
time and felt it appropriate to recognize the Jet, as priced the same, so picking between the two was user-friendly features on this saw, it still comes down to
well as the Powermatic. tough. So we decided to let you decide. If you prefer a using it on a day-to-day basis.While the saw tied for
www.jettools.com/800-274-6848 left-tilt machine with a quieter motor, the Powermatic least vibration and quietest of those tested, we found
is for you. (Mobile base in photo not included.) the motor capable, but not stellar and the fence lacking
www.powermatic.com/800-248-0144 in ease of use and scale readability, leaving the Ridgid
model in the middle of the pack.
www.ridgidwoodworking.com/800-474-3443
Small Refinements How About a

Are Nice
While it may not seem to be Cabinet Saw?
important, the redesign of
If you’re planning on spending $850 on a
the pulley guard (left) on the
nice contractor saw, you might want to
Craftsman and Ridgid saws
think about a cabinet saw instead.
made mounting the motor
Amazingly, Grizzly Industrial offers the G1023S, a
and adjusting or replacing
3 hp, 220-volt cabinet saw for less than $800.
the belt simpler. The more
This saw includes the T-style design Shop Fox Classic
traditional metal guard
rip fence. Cabinet saws have more power, less
requires two or three hands
vibration (the trunnions are mounted to the cabinet,
to mount the motor and
not the top), and a more stable working platform. Grizzly
more often than not a wing
also offers a left-tilt version (shown above) for $895 and a version with a
nut ended up in the sawdust
smaller motor than runs on 110 power. We’ve had the G1023S in our shop for
during the struggle.
two years and find it an excellent option (if you can get 220 power in your shop)
to a contractor saw — at the same price!

BRIDGEWOOD CRAFTSMAN DELTA DEWALT GENERAL GRIZZLY JET POWERMATIC RIDGID
TSC-10CL 22859 36-426 DW746 50-185 G1022PRO JWTS-10PF 64A TS2424
Street price 499 800 850 900 730 550 850 850 600
GENERAL
Ease of height/tilt adjustments 4 3 3 4 5 3 3 3 3
Overall vibration 5 2 3 4 3 4 5 3 5
Initial trunnion alignment 5 5 5 5 4 3 5 5 5
Max. blade height 31⁄ 8" 33⁄ 8" 31⁄ 8" 31⁄ 8" 3" 31⁄ 8" 31⁄ 8" 31⁄ 4" 33⁄ 8"
Blade guard quality 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4
Miter gauge quality 3 2 3 3 4 4 3 3 3
Total weight 242 lbs 265 lbs 295 lbs 254 lbs 300 lbs 290 lbs 300 lbs 310 lbs 244 lbs
Handle comfort 3 4 3 4 5 3 3 3 5
Turns to max. blade height 12 36 12 22 12 14 13 12 35
Turns to max. blade bevel 30 30 29 22 31 29 29 30 29
Adjustable feet? No Yes No No Yes No No Yes Yes
Fit and finish 3 4 4 5 3 3 4 4 4
Ease of assembly 3 5 4 5 3 3 4 4 4
Type of blade supplied None 40T-ATB 50T-ATB 30T-ATB None None 28T-ATB 40T-ATB 40T-ATB
MOTOR
Listed amp. rating 16amp 13amp 12.8amp 15amp 15amp 26amp 18amp 18amp 13amp
Amp draw with no load 10.2 4.7 3.9 4.7 6.3 18 10.4 10.2 5.6
Amp draw under load 20 13.3 13.4 16.5 19 25.8 19 20 14.3
Percentage amp increase 96% 183% 244% 251% 202% 43% 83% 96% 155%
RPM with no load 3,586 3,585 3,588 3,583 3,583 3,580 3,575 3,585 3,589
RPM under load 3,442 3,484 3,507 3,496 3,434 3,478 3,471 3,433 3,447
Percentage RPM decrease 4% 2.8% 2.3% 2.4% 4.2% 2.8% 2.9% 4.2% 4%
Noise level (dB)* 84 81 78 79 86 88 85 76 76
TABLE
Material CI CI CI CI CI CI CI CI CI
#/Type of wings 2/SCI 1/SCI 1/SCI 2/SM 2/SCI 2/OCI 2/SCI 2/SCI 2/OCI
Table size (inches) 27x301⁄ 4 27x531⁄ 2 27x62 27x403⁄ 4 27x401⁄ 4 271⁄ 8x405⁄ 8 27x561⁄ 4 27x57 27x44
Table height 361⁄ 2" 361⁄ 2" 341⁄ 4" 341⁄ 4" 343⁄ 4" 37" 341⁄ 2" 35" 36"
Rip capacity/left of blade 12" 24" 12" 16" 12" 12" 12" 12" 24"
Rip capacity/right of blade 30" 30" 30" 30" 30" 25" 30" 30" 24"
Blade tilt left/right Left Left Right Left Left/Right Right Right Left Right
Table flatness 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 5 5
Throat width 31⁄ 2" 33⁄ 4" 33⁄ 4" 33⁄ 4" 31⁄ 2" 33⁄ 4" 31⁄ 2" 31⁄ 2" 33⁄ 4 "
FENCE
Design T-Square Rail F&B T-Square Rail F&B T-Square T-Square T-Square T-Square Rail F&B
1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄ 1⁄
Scale accuracy 6ths 6ths 32nds 32nds 32nds 32nds 32nds 32nds 32nds
Scale readability 3 3 4 4 4 5 4 4 3
Ease of aligning fence to miter slot 3 3 5 4 3 3 4 4 3
Ease of use 3 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 3
Ease of adjusting square to table 3 1 5 3 3 3 3 3 3
BRIDGEWOOD CRAFTSMAN DELTA DEWALT GENERAL GRIZZLY JET POWERMATIC RIDGID
TSC-10CL 22859 36-426 DW746 50-185 G1022PRO JWTS-10PF 64A TS2424
KEY
Ratings are based on a 1-5 scale with “1” being “poor” and “5” being “excellent.” Trunnion alignment is how the machine was shipped, either in alignment, or out of parallel to the miter
slot. *Noise level was tested with the blade set a 1” height above the table and the level was taken with a decibel meter held at head height. Table flatness was measured using a straight-
edge and feeler gauges - any gap less that .005” was considered acceptable. Fence alignment refers to the ease of fence adjustment parallel to the miter slot. Vibration was measured with
the saw on a level surface using a dial indicator. CI=cast iron; SM=sheet metal; SCI=solid cast iron; OCI=open cast iron.
www.popwood.com 45
TA B L E S AW
Outfeed Tables Don’t let the simplicity

ou can find all sorts of
of these tables fool you. constructed entirely using biscuit
Y devices for sale to sup-

port your stock as you
feed it over your table saw. Some
When used together they make
many operations easier and serve
joints and screws and are no worse
for the heavy service they have
seen. If you don’t use mortises,
sport rolling pin-style rollers, some many other tasks that remember to deduct the length
have a series of roller balls. Some of the tenons from the parts list.
attach directly to your saw, oth- aren’t immediately obvious. I used stout white oak for the
ers offer micro-adjustment to level bases because I had some 8/4 stock
it to the precise plane of your saw ing stock while I’m planing or level around the saw. What can on hand. But since I finished it
table. jointing it. Sometimes I finish make these tables useless is if they out to 11⁄ 2" thickness, you might
My humble outfeed table of- projects on them. And because are even a bit higher than the saw want to consider using ordinary
fering has no such features. In they are also the same height as table. In my book, being slightly 2 x 4s. Just don’t use twisted ones.
fact, they are about as “plain Jane” my regular assembly table, I can under doesn’t matter. Follow the diagrams and cut-
as you can get. Remove them from put larger objects on both. And if you wonder why I did- ting list to prepare your stock in
the shop and no one would take I arrived at the trestle-style n’t use levelers, I’ll tell you. It’s the correct sizes, making any al-
them for anything other than design because it’s not only stout just not worth the hassle of ad- lowance for a difference in table
what they are — a pair of tres- and material-efficient, but it keeps justing them every time you move saw height in the leg parts.
tle tables. the base enough “inboard” so that a table, let alone two of them. Next take the feet, top rails
So what’s the big deal? Well, you’re not bumping table legs And you’d have to do this every and legs for Table 1 and lay out
if you operate in a small shop with your feet. It also keeps the time, owing to variations in the the mortise locations as shown
space, say a garage or basement, weight down and makes them floor or the fact that most screw- in the diagram. All tenons are 1⁄2"
these tables will serve so many easy to slide on your shop floor. adjustable levelers will wind or thick by 11⁄ 4" wide by 11⁄ 4" long.
useful purposes you’ll wonder how unwind just by dragging the table Make the mortises the same di-
you ever did without them. Getting Set for Building across a floor. When maintaining mensions except in depth. Make
Photo by Tim Grondin.

I’ve been using a pair of tables Before you start construction, a plane in critical work, perhaps them 1⁄ 16" deeper so the tenons
just like these in my basement measure the distance from the with a miter saw, shims or wedges don’t bottom out before they seat
shop for the past five years. They floor to the top of your table saw. are quick and easy. home.
surround my table saw and can There can be as much as an inch
be easily repositioned for ripping or two variance in heights. The Construction Details Layout Trick: Work
long stock, crosscutting a full sheet plans given here are for a saw that I built these tables using both From the Center Out
of plywood and supporting long is just over 34" high. You should mortise-and-tenon joints and When I do layout work I often
crosscuts using my table saw’s sled make your tables’ height 1⁄ 8" less dowel joints. You could use only find it handy to use a couple
(and they give me a place to hang than your saw’s height and reduce dowels if your shop isn’t set up tricks.Take the top rails and feet
the sled when it’s not in use). But the height by as much as anoth- with mortising equipment. And of Table 2, for example. It’s re-
wait, there’s more. er 1⁄ 8" if your shop floor isn’t very in fact, my original tables were ally important that the mortises
These tables also serve as stock and dowel joints line up perfect-
support for both sides of my com- by Steve Shanesy ly for the legs. To pull this off, I
pound miter saw. I use them as Comments or questions? Contact Steve at 513-531-2690 ext. 238 or group all the parts together so
smaller assembly tables, for stack- [email protected] their ends align perfectly. You can

even throw a square on the group Now take a square you know to sistent measuring on common saw for this job, setting up the
to make sure they aren’t creep- be true and transfer these lines to parts. The beauty of this method saw using scraps of fall-off from
ing out of alignment. Clamp them the other parts. For the top rail, is that even if you are off slight- the actual parts so their dimen-
so they can’t move. use the same lines to align your ly, everything remains off con- sions are consistent with the ma-
Next, locate and mark from doweling jig. Later, you can trans- sistently. After laying out the mor- terials I’m working with.
each end the center of the leg lo- fer these lines onto the leg parts tises, cut them all. I cut the cheeks using the table
cations (71⁄8") on one of the parts. for identical jig alignment. saw’s fence, standing the parts on
Since the feet get mortises that Grouping parts and measuring Cut the Tenons end to run them over the blade.
are 11⁄ 4" wide, measure out 5⁄ 8" from the center out cuts down on Next cut the tenons, fitting them Use a back-up block to support
from each side of the center lines. simple errors of missed or incon- to the mortises. I use the table the tall stock when making these
www.popwood.com 47
16"
3/4"
48" O.A.
A 14"
1 1/2" 4"
1 1/2"
2 1/4"
A
3/4"
B 5"
2 1/4"
7/16" 7/16"
C B
D
D 2 1/4"
Table 1
28"
34"
37" spreader
1 1/2"
2 1/4"
3/8" 3/8"
C It may take a little “persuading” to seat
2 1/4"
the tenons in their mortises, but if proper-
ly fit should only require tapping in place.
8"
8"
cuts. To finish the tenons I band

E 5" saw off most of the waste from the
E
3"
cheek cut. I then set the table saw

1 1/2"
fence to establish the final length
3"
of the tenon. With the stock on
R2
Table 1 3 3/4"
"
14" its side and guided by a slot miter

gauge, trim the remainder of the
cheek waste. Then turn the part
to the other side and make the
26"
shoulder cut.
In this project, since there
48" O.A.
20" weren’t a lot of tenons, I just made
1 F
4" 1 /2" F a series of passes over the rest of
1 1/2"
the shoulder to cut away the waste.

3/4"
Otherwise, I would have set up a

2 1/4"
2 1/4"
G 5" dado stack to do the work more

quickly.
1/2" 1/2"
G H Before you make the final
shapes on the top rails and feet,
lay out and drill for the pair of
J
J
2" 3 3/4" 2" Table 2 When gluing up, assemble the ends
first and let them dry before completing
34"
the table base assembly by gluing the

28"
37" shelf stretchers to the ends.
K 16 1/2"
3/4"
3/4"
K
8"
8"
L 5"
L
3"
1 1/2"
3"
R2
Table 2 3 3/4"
"
20"

Joining the top stretcher to the top rail and the leg to the top rail on
Table 1 requires the dowel placement to straddle the mortise.
The top rails are

joined to the
legs using two
1⁄
2” dowels for
each leg while
the bottom uses
a mortise and
tenon. Other
joinery options
include dowels
only, mortises
only or biscuits.
dowels at the top of the leg-to- clamp the leg/rail end sections. given, then glue and
rail joint on Table 1. Position Once those are dry, glue the tack on 3⁄4"- x 1⁄2"-wide
them so they straddle the mor- stretchers to the ends. Although solid edging. Tack
tise in the rail as shown in the di- this takes a bit longer, it allows below the center point
agram. you to make sure your glue ups so you can rout a 1⁄ 4"
Next make the angle cuts on are square and flat. A twist in a radius profile on the
the rails and feet, and the cutout table base is a real pain. top edges. This detail
on the bottom of the feet. Follow Once the base is completely isn’t optional; the
the layout in the diagram, then assembled, you can call it done rounded edge helps prevent stock back of your contractor saw.
band saw out the waste. Smooth or rout a 3⁄ 8" radius profile on all from catching on the edge when And by the way, if you are al-
the rough band-sawn edges. the edges except where the feet the tables are in use. ready set up and happy with an
Before gluing up, make a dry- meet the floor and the top rail Before attaching the shelf on outfeed system for your shop, re-
run assembly to make sure every- and stretcher attaches to the top. the larger table, sand the base and member that you can always
thing is right before you get to I did this on my tables and think tops to your satisfaction. I didn’t change the height of these tables
that panic glue-up stage. After it makes them appear more “fin- bother with a finish on my tables. and use the design and joinery
making any adjustments, start ished.” These are for the shop, after all. for any number of other trestle-
gluing up, but don’t try to do every- The tops and shelf are straight- To attach the shelf, use cor- style tables. PW
thing at once. First glue up and forward. Cut plywood to the sizes ner braces at each of the four legs.
If you change the height of the
shelf forTable 1 - just make
any reason,
OUTFEED TABLES rail, leg
sure it won’t interfere& with your
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES)
T W L
M AT E R I A L
stretcher
table saw’s motor hanging out the
TA B L E 1
junction
❏ 1 Top (A)* 3⁄
4 15 47 birch plywood
❏ 2 Top rails (B) 11⁄ 2 21⁄ 4 14 white oak
Cutaway view -
❏ 2 Top-Bot stret (C) 11⁄ 2 21⁄ 4 391⁄ 2 white oak
top rail 1/2" x 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
❏ 2 Legs (D) 11⁄ 2 21⁄ 4 291⁄ 4 white oak
❏ 2 Feet (E) 11⁄ 2 3 14 white oak typical all tenons
❏ 2 Solid edging 3⁄
4
1⁄
2 48 any hardwood
❏ 2 Solid edging 3⁄
4
1⁄
2 15 any hardwood
TA B L E 2
❏ 1 Top (F)* 3⁄
4 25 47 birch plywood
❏ 2 Top rails (G) 11⁄ 2 21⁄ 4 20 white oak
❏ 1 Top stret (H) 11⁄ 2 21⁄ 4 391⁄ 2 white oak
❏ 4 Legs (J) 11⁄ 2 2 291⁄ 4 white oak
❏ 1 Shelf (K)* 3⁄
4 151⁄ 2 36 birch plywood
❏ 2 Solid edging top 3⁄ 4 1⁄
2 48 any hardwood
1/2" x 2" dowels
❏ 2 Solid edging top 3⁄ 4 1⁄
2 25 any hardwood
Stretcher
❏ 2 Solid edging shelf 3⁄ 4 1⁄
2 37 any hardwood
❏ 2 Solid edging shelf 3⁄ 4 1⁄
2 151⁄ 2 any hardwood Table 1 - rail, leg &
stretcher junction Cutaway view - leg
*Dimension given does not include 1⁄ 2”-thick solid edging to be added.
www.popwood.com 49
ULTRAFAST
Frame&
Pane Build traditional doors of other ways it will be useful in your shop. If
you don’t have a hollow chisel mortiser, it
using modern tools. would be nice to get one of these, too. A de-
cent benchtop model will cost $250, or you
When you’ve got it down, try your hand can buy an attachment for your drill press
for $75. Mortising equipment will change your
at this simple cherry stepback. woodworking. Suddenly it’s child’s play to
make everything as stout as a mule. If you don’t
ithout a doubt, mortise-and-tenon want a hollow chisel mortiser, you can cut
W joints make the strongest frame-

and-panel doors. But this tradi-
tional joint strikes fear into the hearts of be-
these mortises by chain-drilling overlapping
holes using a Forstner bit in your drill press.
Finally, to make the raised panel you can use
ginning woodworkers because it requires ei- a raised-panel bit in your router table or shaper,
ther precision with a hand saw and chisel or or you can raise the panel on your table saw
a deep wallet to buy some serious machinery. using a rip blade.
After 17 years of building doors, I’ve found a I design my inset doors (as I did for this
method that is fast enough for a professional project) so they’re exactly the same dimen-
cabinetshop but uses tools you’d find in a home sion as the door opening. Then I trim them
workshop. down on my jointer to get a perfect 1⁄ 16" gap
Essentially, you cut your tenons with a dado all around. Begin building your doors by milling
stack in your table saw. You cut your mortises out your stock to the proper thickness. Doors
with a hollow chisel mortiser, mortising at- are made up of stiles (the vertical pieces), rails
tachment for your drill press or Forstner bit. (the horizontal pieces) and the panel. Make
And you make your raised panels using a router your rails and stiles 3⁄ 4" thick and your panel
5⁄
table, table saw or even a shaper. 8" thick. Cut your rails and stiles to size but
Now before you start thinking that this leave the panel oversized until assembly.
sounds really expensive, let’s take a minute to
do the math. You probably already have an 8" Cutting Tenons
dado stack. If not buy one for $85. There’s lots I like to cut the tenons first because it is faster.
Illustration by Mary Jane Favorite.
by Troy Sexton
Troy Sexton designs and builds custom furniture
in Sunbury, Ohio, for his company, Sexton Classic American Furniture.
Troy is a contributing editor for Popular Woodworking.

l
rish.
Photo by Al Par
SUPPLIES
Rockler • 800-279-4441
Non-mortising hinges
Here’s why: Your #31300 • $5.79 a pair. and ending point I cut my tenons on the table that the distance from the left-
mortising bit (or 2 wooden knobs of the mortise. saw using a dado stack. Here’s most tooth to the fence is 1". Get
Forstner) makes a This procedure how. First get a piece of scrap. Go out your miter gauge and make
slot of a consistent saves you a step be- to your mortiser or drill press and sure it’s set perfectly square. Put
width (unlike when you make a cause you don’t have to get out make a long mortise in that scrap your rail flat down on the table
mortise using a chisel and mal- your combination square to fig- using a 3⁄ 8" bit. You use this piece of the saw. Define each side of the
let). That means you can depend ure out where your shoulders will of scrap to check the thickness tenon in two or three passes as
on every mortise to be exactly as go on the stiles. of your tenons. Make the mortise shown in the photos.
wide as your first one. So if you For most cabinet doors I like in the scrap about 1 1⁄ 16" deep. Hold the work firmly and keep
cut your tenons on the rails first to cut tenons that are 1" long and Install your dado stack in your your fingers away from the blade.
(with the help of a piece of scrap have 1⁄ 2" shoulders. The rule of saw. The number of chippers isn’t Flip the rail over and repeat these
with a mortise in it), you can sim- thumb is to make your tenons critical. Make the stack 5⁄ 8"- or cuts on the other side. If you have
3⁄
ply lay the tenon on the stile where one-half the thickness of your 4"-wide. Now raise the dado stack trouble with tearout, try making
it needs to go and use the tenon stock. So for 3⁄4" stock your tenons so it’s 3⁄ 16" high. the first cut on the tenon with
like a ruler to mark the starting should be 3⁄ 8" thick. Set your table saw’s fence so the tenon against the fence. It
Face frame Case 1/2" 12" Face frame

dimensions dimensions 3/4" dimensions
Top nailed into 1/4" x 3/4" dado 10 3/4"
1/2" 1/2" 1/2"
4" 3/4" 3/4"
47 1/4" 47 1/4"
44"
80 1/2" 80 1/2"
3/4"
3/4" 3/4"
1 1/2"
2 1/2"
18 1/2" 26" 26"
3 1/2"
3/4" 3/4"
1 7/8"
1/2" 4 1/2" 4 1/2"
6" 3 3/8"
3" radius
3/4"
Illustrations by Jim Stuard.
12 1/2" 12 1/2" 3/4"

2 1/2" 2 1/2" Face frame
1/2" 16 3/4" 3/4"
2 1/2"
3/4" 38 1/2" 3/4" dimensions 18 3/4"
Case 41 1/2"
dimensions
Elevation Profile

To cut the haunch, keep the same setup on your table I use a dado stack in my table saw to cut the 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8"
saw and merely add a 3⁄ 8"-thick spacer to your fence. groove on the inside of the rails and stiles. Take care
Run the rail on edge and your haunch is cut. that you center the groove.
Here I’m
can help.
cutting the thick scrap from your als. First, don’t cut the holes so your work with a chisel.
N on
tenons o w fence and cut the shoul- they overlap. You want to make
the rails.the
raise Use ders on the other edge. a hole, skip a small space and then The Panel
the fence to
dado stack
limit the Lay out the locations of make your next hole. Then come To fit the panels, the first step is to
1⁄
to
length2"of
because it’s time to cut the
the tenon. all the mortises using the tenons back and clean out the waste be- cut the 3⁄8" x 3⁄8" groove on the in-
shoulders and the haunch. What’s you just cut. tween the holes. side edges of the rails and stiles
a haunch? It’s an uncut part of This prevents your mortising to hold the panel. I use a dado stack
the tenon that fills the 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8" Machining Mortises chisel from deflecting or even in my table saw to accomplish this
groove you’ll soon make for the Mortising is the most straight- breaking during a plunge cut. quick chore. Adjust the height of
panel in both the rails and stiles. forward part. You want your mor- Second rule: after you make the blade until your haunch fits
To cut the haunch you could tises to be centered on your stock the mortise, go back and clean into the groove snugly.
readjust the fence and perhaps and about 11⁄ 16" deep. The little out the bottom. I do this by re- Now dry-assemble the stiles
take a couple chippers out of your extra depth ensures your tenons peatedly plunging the mortising and rails and measure the open-
stack. What a pain. Instead, I take won’t bottom out in your mor- bit to the bottom of the mortise ing for the panel. Add 1⁄ 2" to the
piece of 3⁄ 8"-thick scrap and at- tises and makes a place for the in short strokes while moving the height and width and that’s the
tach it to my fence. Then I run excess glue to go. stile in small increments. This finished size of your panel. Cut
the rails on edge on one side (see When you use a mortising ma- will get rid of most of the junk at your panel to finished size on your
photo). Instant and perfect chine, here are a couple of good the bottom of a mortise and pre- table saw. If you want a flat panel
haunch. Now remove the 3⁄ 8"- rules that aren’t in most manu- vent you from having to clean up door without a raised detail, sim-
CHERRY STEPBACK
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) M AT E R I A L
T W L
❏ 2 Sides 3⁄
4 171⁄ 4 80 Cherry Haunch
❏ 1 Top 3⁄
4 111⁄ 4 39 Cherry Groove
❏ 1 Bottom 3⁄
4 171⁄ 4 39 Cherry Door
❏ 1 Countertop 3⁄
4 181⁄ 4 411⁄ 2 Cherry rail
❏ 3 Shelves* 3⁄
4 103⁄ 4 381⁄ 2 Cherry Tenon
❏ 1 Top FF rail 3⁄
4 4 37 Cherry
❏ 1 Mid FF rail 3⁄
4 11⁄ 2 37 Cherry
❏ 1 Lower FF rail 3⁄
4 17⁄ 8 37 Cherry Door
❏ 2 Top stiles 3⁄
4 21⁄ 2 48 Cherry stile Tenon Groove
❏ 2 Lower stiles 3⁄
4 21⁄ 2 311⁄ 4 Cherry shoulder
❏ 2 Door top rails 3⁄
4 21⁄ 2 141⁄ 2 Cherry Rabbet
❏ 2 Door bot rails 3⁄
4 31⁄ 2 141⁄ 2 Cherry
❏ 4 Door stiles 3⁄
4 21⁄ 2 241⁄ 2 Cherry
❏ 2 Door panels 5⁄
8 13 19 Cherry
Flat
❏ Bot moulding 3⁄
4 51⁄ 4 84 Cherry
panel
❏ Top cap 1⁄
2 3 90 Cherry
❏ Back boards 1⁄
2 391⁄ 2 76 Cherry
* shelves have a dropped edge on the front.
www.popwood.com 53
the clamps; you can easily twist
the door. When the glue is dry,
sand the rest of the door.
Because the panel will expand
and contract with the seasons, I
like to add a bit of insurance to
the door to make sure the panel
won’t slide around too much when
it shrinks. The insurance is two
brad nails. I nail the panel to the
rails through the groove at two
I like to cut most of the bevel on the locations on the back of the door.
raised panel on my table saw (left).
Then I use a vertical raised panel bit in One nail goes at the center of the
my 11⁄ 2 hp shaper to cut the profile in top rail and one nail in the cen-
one pass (above). ter of the bottom rail. This will
still allow the panel to expand
and contract, but it will keep it
ply cut a 1⁄ 4" x 1⁄ 4" rabbet on the from the fence (you might have sure everything goes together. centered. PW
backside of the panel (as shown to move your table saw’s fence to Before you glue up the door, sand
in the drawing on the previous the other side of the blade to ac- the bevel. I use a random-orbit
page) and move on to assembly. complish this). Now move the sander with great care. You can
If, however, you want that fence up to the blade and make hand-sand the bevel, but it will
beveled edge on your panel to add several test cuts on a piece of scrap take considerably more time.
a shadow line, you need to do a until you’ve nibbled away just Finish-sand the back-
little more fiddling. The end re- enough so the bevel fits in the sides of the panels all the
sult is to create a bevel on the groove. way to your final grit.
panel that is about 11⁄ 2" wide, at You want the bevel to snug- Assembly
about a 12° angle and that fits gle into that groove so there’s a The trick here is to glue
1⁄
snugly into the groove you cut in 8" gap between the edge of the only the mortise-and-
the rails and stiles. panel and the bottom of the tenon joints, not the
If you’ve got a shaper or a router groove. This will give your panel panel. Put glue in the
table with a big variable-speed room to expand and contract. mortises and clamp the
router, you can buy a panel-rais- Dry-fit your doors to make door. Don’t overtighten
ing bit for just this purpose. When
you cut the bevel on the edge,
don’t do it all in one pass. Instead, BUILDING THE STEPBACK:
take several passes to get you where A PLAN OF PROCEDURE
you want to be. Or, better yet, cut 1. Cut all your stock to size; glue up any panels you might need. When
most of the meat off using your gluing up panels for the sides, use one board that is 111⁄ 4" wide and
table saw, then make the bevel 80" long, and one board that is 6" wide and 311⁄ 4" long. Glued togeth- To save time and effort, I glue up the panel for
cut in one pass on your shaper or er on edge, these form the corner where the countertop goes. Use the the countertop from two boards so it will fit
same procedure for the countertop. perfectly into the dadoes in the sides.
router table. When making the
cut on the router or shaper, cut 2. Build your face frames for the upper and lower cabinet using mortise-and-tenon joinery.
the profile on the top and bottom 3. Build your doors using mortise-and-tenon joinery.
of the panel first, which is where
you’re most likely to have the 4. Cut 1⁄ 4"-deep dadoes in the sides to hold the bottom, top and countertop. Cut a 1⁄ 2" x 1⁄ 2" rabbet on the back of the sides
for the back pieces. Drill holes for the adjustable shelf pins.
ends blow out. Then follow up
by cutting the profile on the sides. 5. Nail and glue the top and bottom pieces between the sides. Nail the face frames to the case. Slide the countertop in place
This should clean up any tear-out and glue and nail.
from the first two cuts. 6. Cut solid wood pieces for the shiplapped back. Finish sand all pieces.
If you want to raise the panel 7. Hang the doors. Nail commercially available crown moulding in place. Add a 1⁄ 2" cap on top. Stain or dye all the parts then
using your rip blade in your table add three coats of a clear finish.
saw, set the blade’s height for 11⁄2"
8. Nail the shiplapped back in place.
and tilt the blade about 12° away

KREG JIG
PAGEMAKER FILE
T H E W O R L D ’ S B E S T R O U T E R J O I N E R Y J I G S B Y L E I G H
The Rout Stuff.

D4 Dovetail Features:
• Infinite spacing of pins and tails
• Through dovetails up to 11⁄4" thick
• Half-blind dovetails up to 11⁄2" thick
• Sliding dovetails up to 11⁄ 2" thick
• All three can be cut in boards
up to 24" wide
• Imperial or metric measurement scales
Comes standard with:
• Two cutters for 1 ⁄ 2" to 3 ⁄4" through dovetails Router not included
• 168-page fully illustrated User Guide
• D4 Dovetail Jig Instructional Video
• Cam-Action Speed-Clamps
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Tank eaven
End bathroom clutter
and elude the annoying plop of destiny.
A
t least once a year I make it a jigsaw. They generate about
knock something off as much noise as a sewing machine, so
the bathroom counter, they’re soothing to use, plus they per-
right into the toilet. It’s usually a high- form almost every kind of cut, from
ly non-disposable item, like my fa- straight to swoopy. I recently got
vorite hairbrush. There follows the rooms to the cordless purse model so I’m
humbling act of fishing the item out contain all ready to jig anytime, anywhere.
of the bowl. Then the challenge of the tools families And while we’re talking
cleaning it off. The dishwasher is require for personal about tools; for sheer tingle
tempting, unless you live with nosy grooming. Many families factor, whenever you have a
people who’d want to know why your have an arsenal of products perched birthday or anniversary coming
hairbrush is in the cutlery rack on around the sink, the edges of the tub, up, ask for clamps. You just can’t have
Sani-cycle. and atop the toilet tank. too many clamps. You’ll need at least
I don’t blame myself for knocking Society gave us this clutter. But one pair of clamps for this project with
stuff into the toilet, because it’s soci- God gave us elbows. So on a bad day, a minimum span of 20". If you don’t
ety’s fault. In the old days, a single bar one of those personal grooming prod- have clamps, you’re going to have to
of soap served as shampoo, shaving ucts is going for a swim. engage a helper. Clamps are more use-
foam, skin care regimen and deodor- My answer to society and my el- ful than most helpers, unless the helper
ant. Washing was a once-a-week propo- bows was to build a pine tanktop shelf- brings beer.
sition. People smelled a bit but they unit. It hangs in the unused space And finally, to make your shelves
spent most of the day behind a horse above my toilet tank, holding every look especially perky, consider buy-
who didn’t seem to mind. Folks got pomade, soap and lotion I’ve accu- ing a plug-cutter bit. This is a cool lit-
cleaned up on Saturday night to pre- mulated in years of smelling nice. tle device that fits in your drill just
pare for the next morning, when being This unit is a great beginner’s proj- like a regular bit. It cuts tiny cylin-
crammed into a church pew was the ect with some easy options for making drical wood plugs that camouflage the
social event of the week. it look professionally hand-crafted. To screw heads, so the finished project
In contrast, today’s society is a teem- build it you’ll need only a few basic looks tidy and sleek.
ing 24/7 press of bodies, with people tools, my favorite being the jigsaw.
crushed together in buses, offices, restau- Cut it Out
rants and movie theaters. We don’t do Tool’s Errand Lumber is personality-related, so know
much of anything alone and we can’t If you’re new to woodworking and yourself. Clear pine is slick and co-
Photo by Christine Polomsky.
afford to smell like it. you’re only planning to get one saw, operative, but the knotty stuff has
And here’s my huge, more character. Also,
salient point: there just by Mag Ruffman if you have a low irri-
isn’t adequate surface Mag Ruffman’s how-to TV series “Anything I Can Do” airs in Canada, the U.K., tation threshold, avoid
area in modern bath- Europe and Asia. For more project instructions, visit www.anythingicando.com. boards that are twist-

would make a standard blade buck.
Once you’ve cut out all your
pieces, “round over” the sharp
edges with sandpaper so they’re
soft and aged-looking. If you find
sanding unfulfilling, either lower
your expectations or use a cor-
nering tool to ease all the straight
edges. Cornering is a hugely sat-
Photos by Al Parrish.
isfying activity, producing love-

ly curly shavings that can be used
later for homemade potpourri.
When you’re riding your jigsaw around the curves, A Veritas cornering tool makes short work of softening the edges of
guide the blade smoothly so you don't create bumps pine. It acts as a miniature plane, leaving a smooth radius in its path. Shellac Luster
and dings that you’ll have to sand out later. Many If the blade chips or binds, then you’re working against the grain. Try After all that sanding you’re going
jigsaws have a dial that allows you to adjust the stroke pulling from the opposite end of the board. Grain lines always get to want some instant gratifica-
of the blade to be either gentle or aggressive, depend- wonky around knots, so you may have to change direction several
ing on the wood you’re manipulating and the mood times, but it’s still faster than sanding. tion. It’s tempting to screw the
you’re in. whole unit together right here,
right now. But do yourself a giant
ed, cupped (the ends of the board next board. out and trace it onto one half of favor and put the stain, paint or
are crescent-shaped), split, or Once you’ve got the boards cut the 18"-long board. Then flip the clear-coat on the individual pieces
sporting “pitch pockets,” dark to length, decide on a profile for cardboard over and trace the de- before you go any further. It is SO
spots that ooze sap and defile your the side pieces. If you’re feeling sign onto the other half of the MUCH EASIER than having to
work surface, tools and mood. jaunty and self-assured, mark the board. Repeat the process for the cover all the multiple surfaces of
Take your time in the lumber shape directly onto the board and bottom border, varying the de- the shelf-unit after it’s assembled.
aisle and use the “eyeballing” cut it out with your jigsaw. If you’ve sign a bit so it isn’t exactly the Besides that, glue squeeze-out will
technique: Pull a board off the gotten into trouble this way in the same shape as the top. glom on to bare wood during the
rack and put one end of it on the past, draw the shape on cardboard If you have an earnest rever- assembly process, but if your boards
floor. Then, holding the other first and cut it out to be sure it looks ence for our outhouse heritage, already sport a coat of finish, the
end at eye level, scrutinize your OK. Some people like to construct you may have the urge to add a glue can be easily wiped off.
subject for twists, warps and wows. entire mockups in cardboard just crescent-moon somewhere on My favorite finish is shellac.
Flip it authoritatively, glaring to test the dimensions. I prefer to your unit. Draw the shape where It’s made from the excretions of
down the length of each surface wing it and live with my mistakes, you want it and drill a generous “lac” bugs that live in trees in
of the board in turn. If the board which explains my van, but that’s hole in the middle of the moon. India and Indonesia, and if that’s
is clean and straight, put it on another story. Insert your jigsaw blade into that not a great conversation starter
your cart. If it isn’t, set it aside Next, draw the wavy shapes hole, and proceed to cut out the I don’t know what is. This bug
and move on to infor the 18"-long top and bottom moon. You should definitely use residue is scraped off the trees,
specting the rails. To achieve symmetry in your a scrolling blade for this purpose. and then cleaned, filtered and
design, take a 9"-wide piece of A scrolling blade is more delicate mixed with denatured alcohol to
paper or cardboard and draw a than a regular jigsaw blade, and make one of most interesting and
curvy line on it. Cut the design can handle tight corners that least noxious finishes I know of.
There are two ways to buy shel-
lac: pre-mixed or dry form. The
TANK TOP pre-mixed stuff has a limited shelf
NO. L E T. ITEM D I M E N S I O N S ( I N C H E S ) M AT. life, so you usually end up having
T W L
❏ 2 A Sides 3⁄
4 61⁄ 2 32 Pine
to throw a lot of it out. I prefer to
❏ 1 B Top rail 3⁄
4 91⁄ 2 18 Pine buy dry shellac flakes and mix
❏ 1 C Top shelf 3⁄
4 51⁄ 2 18 Pine them with high-quality shellac
❏ 2 D Mid & bot shelves 3⁄ 4 51⁄ 4 18 Pine thinner. “Super Blonde” shellac
❏ 1 E Bottom rail 3⁄
4 7 18 Pine from Lee Valley Tools is brilliantly
❏ 1 F Towel bar 5⁄
8 dia. 18 Dowel clear, plus it’s de-waxed, which
Other materials: Carpenter’s glue, 11⁄ 2” #8 wood means it doesn’t water-stain.
screws, shellac, paint, stain or urethane. Cornering tools Even if you don’t work with
and plug cutters are available from Lee Valley Tools, shellac as your final finish, at least
800-871-8158 or www.leevalley.com.

18"
4"
B Moon cutout
5 1 /2 "
5 1 /2 "
B
3 /4 "
Top rail
C
8"
5 1 /2 "
C
D
Top shelf
3 /4 "
32"
A
5 1 /4 "
D
11 1 /4 "
Middle & bottom shelves
F
5 /8 "
D Dowel towel bar

3 /4 "
5"
5"
F
E
E
2"
one square=1" Bottom rail
www.popwood.com 59
Shellac has to be applied with a patient, steady hand in smooth, long strokes
that don't overlap. Because it’s alcohol-based, it dries extremely fast, so
there’s little downtime. If you’re mixing your own shellac, use a good solvent
procured from a reliable woodworking supply place.
plugs, use a knife or screw- sanded, touch up the plugs and

driver to pop each plug out sides of your shelf-unit with shel-
of its little hole. They’ll pop lac or whatever finish you’re using.
easier if you lever the knife
perpendicular to the grain. Mount ’Em
TIP: As an alternative to Now it’s time to mount your unit
brush a couple of quick dabs of screw-holes, drill larger holes to cutting your own plugs, you can on the wall. My favorite mount-
shellac on any knots. This will seal a depth of 3⁄ 8" to make a cavity buy pre-cut hardwood plugs at ing technique is to screw two 2"-
the knots and prevent sap from for the plugs that will hide the the hardware store, but hardwood long strips of metal plumber’s tape
oozing up under your chosen fin- screw heads. To avoid drilling the looks funny when used with a soft (which has prepunched holes) on
ish. In fact, shellac is a great primer plug holes too deep, it’s a good wood like pine; the color of the the back of the shelf-unit, and
coat for pretty much any finish ex- idea to wrap a piece of masking wood doesn’t match, plus hard- then lift the unit onto waiting nails
cept stain, so don’t resist using this tape around your drill bit 3⁄8" from wood isn’t as absorbent as pine anchored in studs above the toi-
fine gift from the bug world. the end so you know when to stop. so the plugs take finish differently let. Finding the studs is a matter
Now for the wet fit. Take all and refuse to blend in. of importance, because you don’t
Fit to be Tried the pieces apart and apply a mod- Before inserting each plug into want your unit crashing down on
Now you’re ready to dry fit the est bead of glue along the edges its pre-drilled hole, place a drop you while you’re otherwise occu-
whole unit. Lay it all out with the of the shelves and borders, plus a of glue on the bottom of each plug pied with a good magazine.
sides, shelves and borders in place. dab on each end of the towel bar. and smear it around a bit. Also, it’s vital to leave enough
This is your opportunity to iden- Reassemble and clamp everything When you have your unit room between the toilet tank lid
tify the tallest spray cans in your together, and drive those screws. plugged, wait 20 minutes for the and the shelf-unit. If the toilet
battery of personal care products. Use a damp rag to wipe away any glue to set up. Then use a flush- floods, you need maneuvering
Space the shelves accordingly, so oozing glue around the joints. cut saw to cut each plug flush with room to whip the lid off, plunge
everything fits nicely on the unit the surface of the cabinet. If you your hand into the dank tank and
when you’re done. Clamp every- Just Say ‘Yes’ to Plugs don’t have a flush-cut saw, you slap the flapper back down. You’ll
thing together lightly, and then Once your screws are in place, can take the plugs down fairly remember this ritual from the first
square the shelves using a speed- fire up the plug-cutter and cut the quickly using a sander loaded with time you knocked something into
square. Now reef on those clamps plugs in a scrap piece of pine. 80-grit sandpaper. the toilet, and tried to quietly
so they’re nice and tight. Use a Once you’ve cut about 30 Once the plugs are cut and flush it away. PW
pencil to mark a light line on the
When drilling the countersinks for the plugs, keep your drill as
side pieces under each of the perpendicular to the surface as possible to prevent the plugs from
shelves for reference later when going in at an angle. I went through a troubled phase of having a
you’re doing the final assembly fish-eye level stuck on the heel of my drill, but it was just distracting.
under the duress of knowing that
the glue is starting to set up.
While all the clamps are in
place, pre-drill pilot holes for your
screws so you don’t split the shelves
when you drive the screws. Then,
right on top of the pre-drilled
Plug-cutters come in different sizes and

varieties. I used a 1⁄ 2" tapered bit to cut my
plugs.The resulting plugs are slightly
narrower at one end, which makes them
easier to push into the hole later. One
safety tip:To prevent the plug-cutter bit
from bucking and skating on the wood, set
the teeth of the bit in the wood by leaning
heavily on your drill before you begin.
Then keep some weight on the drill as you
start the motor.

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The included 54-562 radius backcutter gives a double-sided

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WITH A RO U T E R
T H E S E C O N D O F T WO PA RT S
In our last issue we gave you plans for the case of this spice box,
now we show you how to make the amazing inlay door
using your router and band saw.
I
’d never tried anything like inlay when I came across the image The first inlay to make is the
of a great-looking 18th century spice box. The image struck me
1 outer frame. Start by gluing
up eight 35⁄ 64" wide x 3⁄ 4"-
and I stopped to consider the skill required to make the piece.
thick strips, angling the glue-
When I started thinking harder I realized that the inlay was almost up to anticipate the 45° cuts
entirely designed with geometric shapes. While I’m no artist, I can which will follow. When the
glue dries, cut a 45° miter on
handle math and geometry. The more I thought about it, the more
one end, then set your table
I realized it was within my grasp. saw to cut 5⁄ 16"-wide strips.
In the December 2001 issue (#125) we published the first in- Be careful and use a push
stick.
stallment that shows how to build the basic cabinet and a frame-and-
panel door for the piece. This time I’m going to show you how to
tackle inlay with some jigs, some patience and tools you likely al-
ready have in your shop. To form the chevron banding, glue
the previously cut strips together, 2
Which Comes First: The Inlay or the Recesses? alternating the color pattern. At the
same time, glue the 1⁄ 16" outer
I debated whether it made more sense to cut the 1⁄ 8"-deep recess- striping in place to the outer edges.
es in the door first and then fit the inlay in place, or to start by This will bring the finished pattern to
making the inlay. In practicing on a piece of inlay I realized that the final 3⁄ 4" width. I ripped the
striping off a 3⁄ 4"-thick, 4"-wide
even though I was working toward achieving a specific width, it block on the table saw, allowing the
wasn’t easy to end up at the size I’d planned. So I decided to make 1⁄
16" piece to be the fall-off of the cut
all the inlay parts first, then cut the recesses to match. for safety. Some sanding on the
mating faces (and using only the
The pictures on this and the following pages provide most of the amount of glue necessary) will keep
instruction for this project, but there are some general observations the glue line as small as possible.
that will prove useful. One of the steps toward a good-looking piece
Photo by Al Parrish. Special thanks to Sharon Woods for use of location.
of inlay is to have the different wood types butt against each other
with a nearly invisible gap. Because of this, fitting individual pieces After the glue-up is dry, head to the
by careful hand sanding is critical. That’s where the patience comes 3 band saw and set up a fence to make
in. a resaw cut, slightly thicker than 1⁄ 8".
I started with both outside faces of
A light touch proves beneficial when gluing the banding together. the inlay sanded flat and cut the two
If too much glue is applied and left in place, your inlay will show dark outside surfaces from the block. I
glue lines when finished. Take it easy with the glue. It’s only hold- then resanded the faces of the piece
that was left, then made two more
ing an 1⁄ 8" piece of wood in place, and it doesn’t take much. cuts. Each piece should yield four
lengths of banding. The smooth face
on each length is the side that I
by Glen Huey glued down to the panel.
Glen Huey builds custom furniture in his shop in Middletown, Ohio, for Malcolm
Huey & Sons and is a contributing editor for Popular Woodworking.
www.popwood.com 63
The inlay pieces are made using
cherry, tiger maple and walnut.
Straight-grain pieces are easier
to work with, especially with the
vining patterns, but the tiger
maple pattern can also be very
attractive in some areas. And
in the chevron pattern, I used
quarter-sawn grain (or side grain
on a flat sawn board) to make the
inlay more dramatic. Just choose
your wood carefully. And make 4 5
a few extra pieces, just in case.
To form the inner circular inlay, I started with alternating After the wedge blank is dry, use the pattern at the end of this
The door itself is a 3⁄ 4" x 121⁄ 2" walnut, maple and cherry 3⁄ 4"-thick wedges cut at 22.5° article to make a circle-cutting jig for your band saw. The jig is
x 133⁄ 4" walnut panel. Start with angles on both sides. Glue up enough wedges to make a little for a one-time use and will be cut with the blank. Pre-drill a
an oversized piece because you’ll over 1⁄ 3 of a circle. To make the glue-up easy, I first put wax center hole in the jig. In the plywood support board attached
paper on a piece of plywood, then arranged and glued the to the band saw, mark three points (49⁄ 16", 41⁄ 16"and 39⁄ 16") in
be nailing guides to the edges. pattern. I then nailed the two outer wedges (at the inner a line from the edge of the blade. Start with a nail in the
Wood moves with changes in point) to the plywood to keep the pattern from shifting. I then farthest hole as a pivot for the template. The wedge pattern
humidity. After finishing this used a band clamp to pull the shape together. Only one blank can be attached to the jig using the same nail locations
section is necessary to complete the pattern. used during the glue-up. Make the first cut, then relocate the
door, it would be a crime to have nail in the lower board and continue.
7 8
With the first band cut, the center nail is again Glue the two strips together, again alternating the
moved to the closest nail hole in the platform and color pattern. The seam should be fairly close, but a
the inner band is separated from the blank. little sanding may improve the seam to make the
joint as thin as possible. Squeeze clamps will
provide adequate pressure for the glue-up.
6 9 10
1⁄
Using the circle jig, I first cut the outer arc on the blank, Next, cut 16" striping for the chevron banding, Then it’s back to the band saw for resawing to
trimming the square ends of the wedge to a smooth arc. I and add it to the inner and outer surfaces of the complete the four sections. Just as with the
then moved the jig to the second center hole in the platform arc, finishing out at 1" wide. I used the fall-off chevron banding, sand flats on the outside sur-
and cut the first strip from the blank. from the circle cuts on the band saw as clamping faces, resaw from each side to 1⁄ 8", then sand new
cauls for this step. flats on the remaining piece and resaw again.

35/64"
Door edge
1/16"
3/4" 5/16"
5/16"
3/8" o.d.
1/16"
berry cutouts
3/4" router bit passes
for 1" ring cutout
Arc
Template
#1
R 4"
"
1 /4
R4
1/16" router bit w/

5/16" o.d. template
guide -
use for all arc
cutouts
Pattern center
1"
Arc 1/16"
Template 7/16"
7/16"
#2 1/16"
Full-scale plan of door and templates (shown in red).

www.popwood.com 65
it warp or twist and mess up the
design. Because of this I decided
to cut the panel into 2" widths
and reglue it together. Of course,
you could also make your own
solid walnut plywood from three
1⁄
4"-thick panels, but because of
all the inlay you don’t really no-
tice the grain pattern on the panel
itself, so I was comfortable with
just ripping and regluing.
I’m happy to say I was able to
figure out how to use my beloved
power tools for almost every step
of this project. Sure, there’s a cer- 13
tain amount of hand sanding, and
I did have to use a corner chis-
el, but most of the work was done
with the table saw, band saw and
routers. I will recommend that
you take a few minutes to tune
up your band saw before the proj-
ect. You’ll be resawing 1⁄ 8"-thick
small pieces on that machine and 11 12
you want that puppy cutting
With the inlays made, lay out the pattern on the door front. For the next step I chose to make a simple 2x4 frame and used
straight, square and smooth. The first step is to cut the circle pattern. I used a shop-made a bit with a top-mounted bearing to create the outer border
Finally, I didn’t take any pic- circle-cutting jig (though you can also purchase one), making recess. This ensures that the corners will meet accurately. I
tures of the final sanding process. the 1"-wide recess 1⁄ 8" deep in two overlapping passes using used a 3⁄ 4"-wide straight bit to make the cut with a single
a 3⁄ 4" straight bit. Start with the outside dimension, then pass. After the cut, use a chisel to square out the corners.
Once you get all the inlay pieces adjust the jig inward to the inner diameter.
in place in the door it looks like
a little topographical map with
bumps and ridges all over the
place. When you get ready to
sand, take it easy. If you start in
with too aggressive a grit you will
leave sanding marks in some of
the delicate, cross-grain inlay
pieces and you could pull some-
thing loose. Start with a fine grit
sandpaper. I used a random-orbit
sander to level the door, but be
patient.
If you didn’t build the spice
cabinet from the last issue (or per-
haps didn’t even purchase the last
issue), you can buy issue #125
(December 2001) from our web-
site at www.popularwoodwork-
ing.com. It’s a great project with
16 17 18
either door, but don’t be afraid of To make the banding for the corner arcs, set your table saw to For the “berry” designs, I used a 3⁄ 8" plug cutter to make a
the inlay. Heck, I did it! PW once again slice 1⁄ 16" strips from a larger piece. Then carefully number of 1⁄ 8"-thick dots. Carefully glue these in place. The
slice the strip to a little over 1⁄ 8" thick. A straight edge and berries in the center of the pattern are created in the same
utility knife will serve well here. Then add a little glue and way.
press them into the recess. Make some extra strips in case
some snap. I used tiger maple, which is pretty brittle. Holly
would have been easier to work with.

14 15
To make the mating arc inlays in the The center mating arcs are made using the same bit and With all the recesses cut, it’s time to start putting the inlay in
corners I used a template guide and template guide, but a new plywood jig. Note that I used place. I started with the outer chevron banding. Above, I’m
trim router with a 1⁄ 16"-wide bit. I made center lines struck on the door front to orient my template jig. marking the center of each run to reverse the direction of the
the template from a 1⁄ 2" piece of scrap chevrons. This actually makes the pattern easier to glue in.
plywood. The inlay runs out from the
outer banding. Use the diagram on a
previous page to make your own
template so that your cut will start right
at the corner. The notches at the ends of
the arc will help you start and stop your
cuts.
22 1/2
Cut paths
7/ 7/
16" 16"
Registration lines
3 2 1
to center
4 9/16" Blade entry

cutout
Circle-
(Half scale)
Cutting
Finally (though I’m working across the
Jig
pattern in the photo above) glue the
center ring inlay in place. The trick here is
getting the four quarter-circle pieces to
the correct lengths to mate exactly with
almost no visible joint.
www.popwood.com 67
Dealing with
Wood Movement
Eight ways to ensure the
furniture you build will tenons on the ends
are slightly narrower
last several lifetimes. than their mortises
apply glue
only to the
center tenon
elongated holes
for seasonal
movement
wooden pins
keep joints closed
few years ago I built a new evaporated and the top re-
A
Rule 6:
kitchen table for our home. turned to its former flatness. Breadboard ends are a good
It was a classic design — a To prevent a repeat of the sce- way to keep your tabletops
flat and to hide end grain.
richly figured curly maple top sup- nario, I quickly applied a cou-
ported by a stretcher base with ple of coats of shellac to seal
turned legs. In my rush to com- the surface.
plete the project I forgot to fin- It’s a fact of life that all joints and other prob-
ish the underside of the top. woodworkers must face: Wood lem, wood only lems associated with sea-
The next day the relative hu- expands and contracts with moves across the grain. sonal wood movement. Let’s take
midity rose dramatically as a storm changes in seasonal humidity. (Although technically speaking a quick run through each of them.
front approached; I entered the That’s because wood is hygro- it does expand lengthwise with
shop to find the top severely scopic. What’s hygroscopic? Simply upswings in humidity, the amount 1 Begin With
cupped, in spite of the stiff bread- a technical term for the concept is so minimal that you can safe- Dry Lumber
board ends added to keep the top that the wood’s cell structure is ly ignore it.) So when you join You’ll avoid many of the poten-
flat. In fact, the breadboard ends similar to a bundle of straws, ready two pieces of wood at a right angle, tial problems associated with wood
were warped, too. to draw moisture from the sur- there’s potential for problems be- movement if you use properly
Fortunately, I knew what to rounding air. As the relative hu- cause seasonal movement occurs dried lumber. That’s because as
do. The moment the sun came midity goes up, wood absorbs the in opposite directions. And be- lumber dries, it also contracts
out I placed the top outside with water vapor and expands. Days cause wood surfaces absorb and or shrinks. Obviously it’s best if
the unfinished convex side fac- (or even weeks) later, it contracts release moisture at different rates, it does most of the shrinking be-
ing up. After an hour or so out in as the relative humidity drops. a board will usually warp as it’s fore you construct that chest of
the warm sunshine, the moisture To further complicate the prob- exposed to changes in humidity. drawers for your wife’s anniver-
Fortunately, there are a number sary present. Think Levis jeans:
by Lonnie Bird
of steps you can take to minimize They’re pre-shrunk to avoid more
Lonnie Bird ([email protected]) builds period furniture and conducts the cracking, warping, opened shrinking during laundry cycles.
woodworking seminars in Dandridge, Tennessee.

In the same way, dried lumber 4 Wide Boards
is pre-shrunk so that it won’t later Look Best
contract and cause you grief. My old high school woodwork-
So…how dry should the lum- ing textbook said to never use
ber be? The best moisture con- boards over 6" wide. Wide boards,
tent (commonly referred to as the author stated, would have a
MC) is one that places the lum- greater tendency to warp. But
ber in equilibrium with your wide boards have continuity of
home’s environment. Having the grain, figure and color that can’t
lumber in balance with the rela- be matched by gluing several
tive humidity of your home will boards together. Drawer fronts,
dramatically reduce the amount desk lids, door panels and small
the contraction (or expansion) tabletops will all turn more heads
that occurs. Want a hard num- Quarter Sawn Flat Sawn when constructed from one wide
ber for moisture content? In most board. In fact, I commonly use
areas of the United States this remains in the rack for more dry- wood moves different amounts boards up to 24" wide. So, how
equates to a 6 to 8 percent mois- ing time. in relationship to the annual rings, do I keep them flat and prevent
ture content. its tendency to move depends on surface cracks during the dry win-
A common misconception 2 Buying Dry Lumber how it is sawn from the log. Sort ter months?
floating around is that only kiln- If you typically buy your lumber through a stack of boards and note I begin by allowing them to dry
dried lumber is suitable for fine from a dealer, make certain that the orientation of the annual rings (pre-shrink) and warp before I use
woodworking. But the process it is dry. Although most com- on the ends. On most boards the them. Afterwards, I flatten them
used to dry the lumber is not as mercially available lumber is kiln rings form arcs that are tangent to remove the warp before plan-
important as the final moisture dried, it may not be in the 6 to to the board’s face. This is called ing them to thickness. Then I use
content of the wood. In fact, I dry 8 percent MC range that is re- tangentially sawn lumber (also construction techniques that allow
most of the lumber I use without quired to limit wood movement called flat sawn). Lumber with for inevitable wood movement.
using a kiln or other sophisticat- problems. Why? Most storage rings that are roughly 90° to the Another old saw from wood-
ed machines. Here’s how I do sheds at lumber yards are not heat- board’s face is referred to as radi- working textbooks is to alternate
it: I usually buy my lumber as a ed. So if kiln-dried lumber has ally sawn (often called quarter- the annual rings when gluing up
great-looking log directly from a been stored in the shed for more sawn). a tabletop. That is, put one board
commercial logger. Buying the than a few weeks, it’s likely to ab- Radial lumber is much more with the rings facing up, the next
log allows me to get wide and sorb water vapor from the warm, stable than tangential. Because with the rings facing down and
thick boards that would cost a moist, outside air. (Remember, of this it’s sometimes the best so on. This does little good. You’re
fortune and cost me hours of wood is hygroscopic and it seeks choice for broad, flat surfaces. For better off finding the best face of
scrounging around a lumberyard. equilibrium with its environ- example, acoustical guitar bod- each board and choosing that side
I have it custom-cut to my spec- ment.) ies are made from radial-sawn for the top.
ifications, seal the ends of the So how can you avoid using lumber. However, radial lumber
boards, and stack them in a shed lumber with a high MC? Always is usually more expensive when 5 Constructing for
for drying. To promote drying, check it first with a moisture meter; and if you can find it. Also, most Movement
the boards are separated with for an accurate reading, also check people find the flame figure in flat- One of the best ways for deal-
sticks during the stacking. This the inside by sawing off a few inch- sawn lumber to be more attrac- ing with seasonal wood move-
allows air to circulate around the es from one end. Additionally, tive than the straight grain found ment is to use construction meth-
boards. After the lumber has dried it’s a good idea to always store in quartersawn boards. ods that allow for seasonal di-
in the shed to 15 percent MC (in lumber in your shop for a few
equilibrium with outside relative weeks before working it. This al-
humidity in my area), I store it lows it to acclimate to the envi- MOISTURE METER
on a rack in my shop to further ronment in your shop and avoid
dry it. Before using the lumber I potential movement problems. Few woodworkers own moisture
meters, a tool that can save you from an
always check the MC with a mois- occasional disaster. With this particular
ture meter. This small electron- 3 Lumber Selection model, you merely set the meter on
ic device works by measuring the Another way to minimize the nat- your wood to get a reading. Less
electrical resistance and con- ural contraction and expansion expensive models have pins that you
verting it to MC. Lumber meas- of wood is to select lumber that insert into the wood you’re checking.
uring higher than 8 percent MC is naturally more stable. Because
www.popwood.com 69
mensional changes. Probably the along the inside edges. Where open joints. So I attach the bread- Seasonal movement
best known example is frame- the moulding intersects in the board ends to the top with an odd
and-panel construction. A flat corners it can be either mitered number of mortise-and-tenon Top
panel is trapped within a groove or coped. Coping works best to joints. By making the outer tenons
in a stile-and-rail framework. hide seasonal movement that oc- slightly smaller in width than
Because the groove is deeper than curs in wide rails. The panel can their corresponding mortises, the
the panel’s width, the panel is free be flat, beveled (also called raised) design allows the tenons to slide
to expand as the relative humid- or arched. I often use the panel inside the mortises when the rel-
ity climbs. As an added advan- as a place to show off wide, dra- ative humidity changes. Also, I Kerf
tage, the thick frame prevents the matically figured wood, such as don’t use glue in the joints be- Apron
wide, yet thinner, panel from crotch grain. cause glue would restrict move-
warping. ment. So to keep the joints tight-
Because of its ability to span 6 Breadboard Ends ly closed I secure them with a
broad areas while providing di- Breadboard ends are another time- wooden pin driven through the
Z-clip
mensional stability, frame-and- tested construction method for joint. I elongate the pin hole in
panel construction has been pop- keeping a large panel flat, while the tenon, which allows the tenon three construction methods you
ular for centuries. It’s been used still allowing for seasonal move- to slide around the pin during hu- can use to deal with wood move-
for doors, wall paneling and even ment. (You’ll still have to finish midity changes. During final as- ment; each time you encounter
casework. In fact, roll-top desks both faces of the panel — more sembly I apply glue only to the cross-grain construction it pres-
are constructed entirely from on that in a minute.) Breadboard center joint; this forces the sea- ents a new challenge.
frame-and-panel assemblies. end construction is used on lids sonal movement to occur equal- A final note on construction.
And the frame-and-panel as- for desks and chests and wide ly on both edges. Don’t mill large, flat panels until
sembly can be adapted to fit with- tabletops. you’re ready to shape them.
in the design parameters of most It works like this: Strips of 7 Attaching Tabletops Otherwise they may warp slight-
any furniture design. For exam- wood are attached cross-grain to Like other instances of cross-grain ly, making shaping and cutting
ple, the frame can be dressed up the ends of a wide panel. During construction, tabletops must be joints difficult. For example, make
with a simple moulding profile normal seasonal humidity changes, firmly attached to the framework the framework of a door first and
the breadboard ends pre- of the base while allowing for sea- dry assemble it to check for fit.
Rail vent the panel from sonal movement. The most com- Afterwards, cut the panel to size,
cupping because wood mon method is to use pocket shape it, and immediately fit it
has greater stiffness screws. into the frame to keep it flat.
along the grain than A series of screws are driven As an added precaution I’ll
Stile across the grain. through the edges of the aprons wrap an assembly in plastic to
Although the bread- into the underside of the top. To prevent moisture exchange until
board ends solve the cup- hide the screws, they are driven time for finishing. I use the rolls
ping problem, they can at a slight angle and the screw- of plastic available in hardware
potentially create a new head fits within a pocket on the stores and home centers.
problem — restriction of inside of the rail. To allow for
seasonal expansion and movement, the screw holes in the 8 Seal the Wood
contraction — in the rails are elongated for a sloppy fit. Sealing the surfaces of a board
panel. Other common methods to with a finish greatly limits the ex-
The key is to allow the attach tabletops to bases include change of moisture. It’s impor-
panel to “float” within the z-shaped clips that slide into a tant, though, to seal all surfaces.
ends. Anytime you en- groove in the table’s apron and Leaving a surface unfinished, like
counter cross-grain con- screw to the underside of the top I did with my tabletop, can cause
struction you must allow for and shop-made wooden buttons warping. This occurs because one
movement. Restricting that do the same thing. face absorbs moisture at a much
wood’s natural movement will Frame-and-panel, breadboard higher rate than the opposite face.
usually result in split boards and ends and pocket screws are just Finally, once the furniture is
Panel in the house, don’t set it direct-
ly over a heating duct. Despite all
Frame
Frame your efforts, the continuous blast
&& of hot, dry air can create serious
Panel
Panel wood movement problems. PW
Expansion gap
P l

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A S I A N
Bedside Table
B
uilding cabinetry can give you a serious there for good. (You can easily make the doors
case of Zen Buddhism. In fact, the con- removable by deepening the grooves in the
tradictions in woodworking are some- top rail and increasing the width of the tongue
times amusing — if not enlightening. Cabinets, on the top of the doors.) To ensure the doors
for the most part, are more air than wood. slide smoothly for years to come, choose straight-
To build a piece of furniture is grained stock for the parts.
This frame- mostly a process of removing wood. The rails and stiles of the doors are joined
And to make a project look as using mortises and tenons. The plywood panel
and-panel simple and plain as this one does, rests in a rabbet cut in the back of the door,
it is quite a complicated process. and the slats are merely glued onto the panel.
project Now before you start worrying Begin by cutting your 1⁄ 4"-thick x 1"-long
that this simple bedside table is tenons on the rails. As you can see in the photo
is all about too much for your woodworking on the next page, the shoulders facing the out-
skills, remember my favorite side edges of the door are 1⁄ 2" bigger than the
grooves, Bulgarian proverb: “If you wish ones facing inside. This makes a cleaner-look-
to drown, do not torture yourself ing joint when you cut the tongue on the
tongues and with shallow water.” top and bottom of the door. Now cut the match-
ing mortises in the stiles. Glue
ancient Frames and Panels and clamp the doors. We shape clay
Except for two small pieces of ply- When the glue is dry, cut a
proverbs. wood in the sliding doors, this 1⁄ 3
4"-deep x ⁄ 8"-wide rabbet on the
into a pot,
project is made entirely out of backside of each door. Square the
solid wood. To account for the seasonal ex-
pansion and contraction of the material, the
corners with a chisel. Finish sand
the 1⁄ 4" birch plywood panel and
but it is the
table is built using a series of frame-and-panel
assemblies. In a nutshell, all of the frames are
then glue it in the rabbet. When
that glue is dry, glue the slats in
emptiness
connected using mortise-and-tenon joinery.
The panels all rest in 3⁄ 8"-wide x 3⁄ 8"-deep
place spaced 1" apart.
Finally, to complete the doors
inside that
grooves in the frames. After you have milled
all the parts using the cutting list and glued
cut a 1⁄ 4"-thick x 3⁄ 8"-long tongue
on the top and bottom edge of
holds whatever
up any panels you might need, I recommend
you begin by building the doors.
the backside of the doors. we want.
The Case — Lao Tzu, Zen saying
Lightweight but Solid Sliding Doors Begin work on the case by cut-
The sliding doors on this table run in 1⁄ 4"-wide ting 1⁄ 2"-thick x 1"-long tenons on all the rails
x 1⁄ 4"-deep grooves cut into the frame pieces. with a 1⁄ 4" shoulder all around. Now use your
Once this table is glued up, the doors are in tenons to lay out the locations of the mortis-
by Christopher Schwarz
Comments or questions? Contact Chris at 513-531-2690 ext. 407 or [email protected].
www.popwood.com 73
BEDSIDE TABLE
NO. ITEM D I M E N S I O N S ( I N C H E S ) M AT E R I A L
T W L
Top
❏ 2 Top stiles 13⁄ 4 13⁄ 4 30 Maple 3⁄ 3
8" x ⁄ 8" groove on inside edge
❏ 2 Top rails 13⁄ 4 13⁄ 4 18 Maple 1" TBE, 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8" groove on inside edge
❏ 1 Panel 3⁄
4 161⁄ 2 201⁄ 2 Maple in 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8" groove; 1⁄ 2" x 3⁄ 8" rabbet, all sides
Base
❏ 4 Legs 13⁄ 4 13⁄ 4 23 Maple 3⁄ 3
8" x ⁄ 8" groove for side & back panels
❏ 4 Rails for sides 1 11⁄ 2 14 Maple 1" TBE, 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8" groove for side panels
❏ 3 Rails frt & bk 1 11⁄ 2 22 Maple 1" TBE, 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8" groove for back panel
❏ 1 Front bottom rail 2 11⁄ 2 22 Maple 1" TBE
❏ 2 Top & bot panels 3⁄ 4 123⁄ 4 203⁄ 4 Maple 1⁄ 3 3 3
2" x ⁄ 8" rabbet on edges; rests in ⁄ 8" x ⁄ 8" groove
❏ 2 Side panels 3⁄
4 125⁄ 8 125⁄ 8 Maple 1⁄ 3 3 3
2" x ⁄ 8" rabbet on edges; rests in ⁄ 8" x ⁄ 8" groove
❏ 1 Back panel 3⁄
4 125⁄ 8 205⁄ 8 Maple 1⁄ 3⁄ 3⁄ 3
2" x 8" rabbet on edges; rests in 8" x ⁄ 8" groove
Doors
❏ 4 Stiles 1⁄
2 11⁄ 2 121⁄ 2 Maple
❏ 4 Rails 1⁄
2 13⁄ 4 91⁄ 2 Maple 1" TBE
❏ 2 Panels 1⁄
4 81⁄ 4 93⁄ 4 Ply in 1⁄ 4" x 3⁄ 8" rabbet on back of door
❏ 8 Slats 1⁄
8 1 71⁄ 2 Maple applied to panel
KEY: TBE= tenon on both ends.
es on the legs. You want all of your

move door in this direction rails to be set back 1⁄ 8" from the
outside edge of the legs.
The only anomaly comes when
laying out the mortises for the
beefy front bottom rail. Its mor-
tises run vertically instead of hor-
izontally.
Cut the 11⁄ 16"-deep mortises.
I used a hollow-chisel mortiser
equipped with a 1⁄ 2" bit. As you’ll
see when you get into it, cutting
these mortises is a bit different
than in most case work. You’ll
clamp your work to your mortis-
er’s fence and then move the fence
You can see the large shoulder on the door tenon here as I’m You know, I really should install a starting pin in my router in and out to cut the mortises (ex-
dry-fitting the door. The large shoulder makes for a cleaner- table for making cuts like these. If you take it slow and steady,
looking tongue. you shouldn’t have any problems. Just make sure you cut cept when cutting the mortises
against the rotation of the cutter. for the front bottom rail, which
On the door slats,
QUICK TIPS: STRATEGIES FOR I cheated. I didn’t
feel like mortising
RIDDING YOUR JOINTS OF GAPS the really thin
stock into the
When you do a lot of mortise-and-tenon work, one of the most frustrating aspects stiles. To ensure
of the joint is getting a seamless fit. Here are a few tricks to ensure fewer gaps. your spacing is
1. Pay attention to the edge of the board that the mortise is in. If you sand or correct, use a
couple of 1"-wide
plane this surface before assembly, chances are you’re going to change the
spacers to place
angle of the edge, which will give you a gap when you assemble the joint. your slats. A piece
Before I cut a mortise in an edge, I run it over my jointer slowly to remove any of tape on mine
saw marks. After the joint is glued and assembled, I go in and clean up the shimmed the
jointer marks with 120-grit sandpaper. spacers a bit to
ensure the slats
2. On highly visible joints, I’ll put the tenoned piece in my vise and go to work on
were equally
it with a chisel. Pare away at the shoulder area around and up to the tenon — spaced.
but stay away from the edge. You only need to remove 1⁄ 32" of material or so.
3. Make your mortises 1⁄16" deeper than your tenons are long.This stops your tenons
from bottoming out in the mortises and gives any excess glue a place to collect.

3 1/4" 1 3/4" 20" 1 3/4" 3 1/4"
1 1/2" 1 1/2"
8"
1 3 /4 "
7 1/2"
1 3 /4 "
3/
are cut conventionally). Finally,
miter the tenons so they fit in the
mortises without bumping into
12 1 /2 "
1 3 /4 " 1" spaces
each other.
19 1 /2 "
16"
Two Grooves for Every Rail
There are lots of grooves on the
rails and in the legs. One way
8"
101/2"
to cut them all is using a 3⁄ 8 "
3/
1 3 /4 "
straight bit and a router table Door elevation
setup. However, I like to see what’s
Plan 30"
1 3/4"
16"
1 3/4"
going on when I cut grooves like
these. So I used an aftermarket
1 3 /4 "
edge guide on my router. I prefer

the Micro Fence for work such as 20" 2" 12"
this because it allows me to sneak
6"
right up on the perfect measure-

1"
ment with its microadjustable

knob. Other edge guides are ca-
24 3 /4 "
pable of the job, however.
Set your 3⁄ 8" straight bit so it
12"
will make a 3⁄ 8"-deep cut and set

your fence so the bit is 3⁄ 16" from
the fence. Now, working from the
2" 2"
outside edges of the rails, cut the

3⁄ 3
8" x ⁄ 8" grooves on all the rails
that hold the panels (except for 10 1/2" 15 1/2"
the groove in the bottom front Elevation Profile
rail that holds the bottom panel). 1 3/4" 1 3/4" 1 3/4" 1 3/4"
20" 16"
To cut that groove, set the dis-
1 /2 "
tance between the fence and bit

to 7⁄16" and fire away. See the draw-
ings for more details. A 12"
A
Now cut the grooves in the 2 3/4" C
legs for the panels. Set your bit
1"
1"
so it’s 5⁄ 16" from the fence and es-

sentially connect the mortises. B B
Now it’s time to cut the two
9 3 /4 "
12"
12"
grooves in the two front rails that

the doors ride in. Chuck a 1⁄ 4" B B
straight bit in your router and cut
the grooves in the top and bot-
1"
2"
tom rails as shown in the draw-

ings at right. Section D Section
To make the panels fit in their 1/ 1/ 1/ 1/
8" 8" 23 1/2" 8" 8" 15 1/2"
grooves, cut a 3⁄8"-deep x 1⁄2"-long
rabbet on the underside of all the
panels. You’re going to have to 1 3/4" 1 1/2" 1 1/2" 3/ 5/
8" 16"
notch the corners of each panel
16 "
16 "
16 "
16 "
to fit around the legs. Cut the B C

3/
3/
3/
1"
1"
7/
1 3 /4 "
notches using a back saw. A

2"
Finish sand all the parts for D

3/ 3/ 5/
the case and get ready for assem- 16" 8" 16"
bly. Check the fit of the doors in Rail machining: large grooves 3/8" x 3/8", small grooves 1/4" x 1/4" 1 1/2"
www.popwood.com 75
Here’s where it all
comes together. You can
see the grooves for the
panels in the rails and
legs and the mitered tenons.
SUPPLIES
Rockler
www.rockler.com
800-279-4441
Desktop fasteners,
item # 21650, $3.99 for
a package of eight.
Micro Fence
www.microfence.com
1-800-480-6427
Again, when cutting the grooves, you want to move the router in the direction
opposite the rotation of the cutterhead. In this instance, this means moving the assemble the case. Apply glue in such as this, I can’t help but look
router from left to right. the mortises, slide the doors in askance at the tiny imperfections
place and clamp it up. Check the (unnoticeable to most people)
the grooves. A couple passes with the top recessed into the frame). case for square across the height that come from handwork. But
a shoulder plane on the tongues Set the depth of cut to 3⁄ 8" and and depth of the case. When the then I try to remember another
made my doors slide smoothly. cut the grooves in the rails and glue is dry, attach the top using Zen saying from Ts’ai Ken T’An
Once everything fits, glue the the stiles. desktop fasteners (sometimes that should comfort all wood-
side assemblies up. Put glue in the Cut the detail on the ends of commonly called “figure-8” fas- workers: “Water which is too pure
mortises, but not in the grooves. the stiles as shown in the draw- teners). With a 3⁄ 4" Forstner bit has no fish.” PW
You’ll want to finish everything ings. I cut it using my band saw chucked into your hand drill, cut
before final assembly, so set the and cleaned up the bevel using a a recess for the fastener in the top
side assemblies and the rest of the plane. Finally, cut a 3⁄ 8"-deep x of each leg. Screw the fasteners
1⁄
parts aside for later. 2"-long rabbet on the bottom to the legs. Then screw the case
side of your panel. Finish sand all to the underside of the top.
The Top: Still More Grooves the parts and glue up the top frame. Whenever I finish a project
The top is made much the same
as the sides. First cut the 1⁄2"-thick Finish and Fit My large shoulder
x 1"-long tenons on the ends of Before finishing, apply masking plane is probably one
of the most useful
the rails. Cut the mortises to match tape to all the tenons and plug tools in my shop. It
in the stiles. Get out your router the mortises with packing peanuts. trims tenons and
and your fence again, chuck the Apply three coats of a clear fin- deepens rabbets better
3⁄ than anything else out
8" straight bit in there and set ish, such as clear shellac or lac- there.The original
the distance between the bit and quer, and sand between each coat. Record 073 (now out
the fence to 3⁄ 16" (this will make When the finish has fully cured, of production) sells
used for several
hundred dollars. I
bought my Lie-Nielsen
BOOKSHELF version for $225.
Pricey? Yes, but well
If you’re interested in Asian furniture, tools and construction methods, I recom- worth it.When you
mend the following books available from The Japan Woodworker, 800-537-7820: trim the tongues on
the doors, make sure
“The Complete Japanese Joinery” by Hideo Sato, item # 03.241, $29.95 you have something
backing up your cut or
“The Art of Japanese Joinery” by Kiyosi Seike, item # 03.009, $16.95 you will blow out the
“Traditional Japanese Furniture” by Kazuko Koizumi, item # 03.195, $85 grain at the end.
“Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Spirit, Tradition and Use” by Toshio Odate,
item # 03.250.25, $24.95

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Circle #106 on Reader Service Reply Card Circle #104 on Reader Service Reply Card Circle #133 on Reader Service Reply Card
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND

CIRCULATION (required by Act of August 12, 1970: Section
3685, Title 39, United States Code). POPULAR WOOD-
WORKING is published six times a year at 1507 Dana Avenue,
ADVERTISER INDEX
READER SERVICE PAGE # READER SERVICE PAGE #
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207. The general business offices of the pub-
lisher and the editor are: Publisher and Editor, Stephen Shanesy, Adams Wood #100 16 Leigh Industries - 55
1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207. The owner is F&W Baker Products #149 92 Makita #128 Cvr 3
Publications, Inc.: Stephen J. Kent, President and CEO. Address:
Bench Dog #117 6 MLCS #109 71
1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207. The extent and
nature of circulation is: A. Total number of copies printed (Net Bunk Beds #141 92 Niagara Lumber #143 25
press run). Average number of copies each issue during preced- Clayton #102 6 Nyle Corporation #129 16
ing 12 months 237,572. Actual number of copies of single issue Controlled Energy #118 14 Oneida Air Systms #137 55
published nearest to filing date 228,200. B. Paid circulation. 1.
Country Crafts #142 92 Osborne Wood #110 21
Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter
sales. Average number of copies each issue during the preced- Craftsman #130 12,13 Packard Woodworks #144 92
ing 12 months 43,019. Actual number of copies of single issue Cupboard Distributing #152 92 Polymeric Systems #151 92
published nearest to filing date 49,415. 2. Mail subscriptions. Dakota Alert #138 92 Porter-Cable #116 28,29
Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months
Datco #103 11 Price Cutter #111 23
150,879. Actual number of copies of single issue published near-
est to filing date 136,994. C. Total paid circulation. Average num-
Delta #119 Cvr 4 Quick Grip #101 2
ber of copies each issue during preceding 12 months 193,898. Dover Publications #145 92 Rockler #112 25
Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to fil- Eagle America #104 77 Routerbits.com #148 92
ing date 186,409. D. Free distribution by mail, carrier or other Econ Abrasives #120 21 Smithy #113 10
means. Samples, complimentaries and other free copies. Average
number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months 239.
Emperor Clock #106 77 Suffolk Machinery #139 92
Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to fil- Fein Power Tools #121 7 U-Bild #146 92
ing date 230. E. Total distribution (Sum of C and D). Average Franklin Int’l #105 5 US Buildings #140 92
number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months 194,137. Freud, Inc. #122 61 West Penn - 25
Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to fil-
ing date 186,639. F. 1. Office use, leftover, unaccounted, spoiled
Gorilla Glue #127 11 Wilke Machinery #131 35
after printing. Average number of copies each issue during pre- Granbergs #150 92 Wood Wizard #132 21
ceding 12 months 3,151. Actual number of copies of single issue Grizzly Imports #123 Cvr2 Woodcraft Supply #114 11
published nearest to filing date 1,257. 2. Returns from news agents. Grizzly Imports #124 1 Woodcraftplans.com #147 92
Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months
40,284. Actual number of copies of single issue published near-
Heritage Building System - 92 Woodline Arizona #115 15
est to filing date 40,304. G. Total (Sum of E and F should equal HTC Products #107 6 Woodpeckers Inc. #133 77
net press run shown in A). Average number of copies of each JET Tools, Inc. #126 9 Woodpeckers Inc. #134 10
issue during preceding 12 months 237,572. Actual number of Klockit #108 35 Woodpeckers Inc #135 21
copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 228,200. I
certify that the statements made by me above are correct and
Kreg Jig #136 55 Woodstock International #125 26
complete. Filed October 1, 2001. Stephen Shanesy, Publisher. Lee Valley Tools - 14,35
A
LAMP
CALLED WANDA
Add another useful pet to your household
with this clever basket of a fish.
T
he tongue-twisting term biolumines- than-perfect joints. The fins, head and tail
cence translates to the production of will cover them.
light by living organisms. Biolumi-
nescent fish light up to lure prey, defend Ribs
themselves and attract other fish. The Apply two body patterns to 1⁄4" Finnish birch
majority of such fish are found in the deep- (Baltic birch or Appleply will also work) ply-
est regions of the ocean in a realm of wood. A 12" x 36" sheet will fill the bill. Drill
perpetual darkness. Wanda (genus Happy all the 3⁄ 16" dowel holes. With a scroll saw,
woodfishium), the glowing subject of this ar- play connect-the-dots and cut out the ribs
ticle, was unexpectedly hatched in broad and the outer oval. Nest the ribs and oval,
daylight at an altitude of 837 feet above keeping the original face-grain orientation.
sea level in the rolling hills of Delaware, Apply small tabs of electrical tape to the front
Ohio. Talk about a fish out of water. Although tops to keep it all sorted out. Glue the largest
relieved from the day-to-day lantern fish re- of the basket-like shapes to the backbone.
sponsibilities of luring, defending and at-
tracting, she stands ready to provide just the Dowels
right touch of mood lighting for the author Cut 96 (that’s right, 96) 3⁄ 4" lengths of 3⁄ 16"
and his family. dowel. Since it is important that the ends of
the dowels are square, I used a micro miter
Backbone box with a stop clamped in place.
As with any good vertebrate, a backbone is
the key to a successful Wanda. The pine back- Body Half Assembly
bone is the same shape as the first rib as shown On each rib, glue the dowels in the inner
in the drawing. All the drawings are half- notches. Make sure they are plumb and flush
scale. Enlarge them 200 percent to make with the bottom of the strip. Slide a small
them full size. Because I didn’t have stock rib down over the dowels on a larger rib
wide enough to create the required 9" x 12" until the top 1⁄ 4" of the dowels is exposed.
oval, I cut two 41⁄ 2" x 12" C-shapes from 1⁄ 2" With a small brush, apply glue to the inside
clear pine and glued them together with of the exposed dowels. Now pull the small
joints at the head and tail. Don’t sweat less- rib up until it is flush with the top of the
by John W. Hutchinson
After nearly exhausting the realm of land animals to depict in his wooden creations, Pillar coral
John has turned to the sea for inspiration. A Lamp Called Wanda will soon be followed (1 required)
by a wind-driven exercise in octopus behavior. We’ll give you a little shore leave to rest up for that one.
www.popwood.com 79
Enlarge the patterns to full size This small-size miter box
at your local copy store (yes, and the gent’s saw are
Copy Store person, you have available for sale at most
our permission to reproduce woodworking stores. They
this copyrighted material). are the key to cutting the
Adhere the patterns to your 96 dowels with square
plywood using a spray adhe- ends. I clamped a stop
sive or rubber cement and then block in the miter box to
drill all the 3⁄ 16" holes using ensure all the dowels were
your drill press.Then it’s just a the same length.
matter of connecting the holes
by cutting on the lines.
To assemble the basket sides, first glue one

of the two largest ribs to your backbone.
Glue the eight 3⁄ 4"-long dowels in notches in this
rib with 1⁄ 2" protruding from the rib.
Once the glue is dry, press-fit the
next larger rib into the dowels and push it
down so 1⁄ 4" of each dowel is exposed.
Using a brush, paint the inside face
of each dowel with yellow glue (right).
Now raise the rib into position (far right).
While waiting for this rib to dry, work on the rib on
the other side of the basket.
dowels. When this first sub- Base bit, drill the perimeter through- two outer disks. The cavities pro-
assembly has dried, slide it down While it would be easy to run out holes. After the drilling is com- vide a place for the wiring con-
and over the dowels protruding and purchase a gorgeous chunk plete, it’s again time to play connections. The smallest semicir-
from the next largest rib, apply of coral for the lamp base, doing nect-the-dots with the scroll saw. cle becomes the removable cap.
glue to the dowels and pull up. so would only hasten the demise Glue up the three-layer coral with Drill a small hole in the cap for
Continue this process until you’ve of one of Mother Nature’s treas- the help of 3⁄ 8" alignment dowels the lamp cord. Glue the larger
created two “baskets.” Work back ures. It’s satisfying, and a lot of inserted into a few of the cups. pieces together and attach the cap
and forth between the two body fun, to create your own under- The pillar coral and turtle grass with brass wood screws. Drill a 3⁄8"
halves, allowing the glue to dry water kingdom from scraps of are cut from a contrasting wood. hole through the large disk and
as you go. wood and dowel lying around the I used clear cedar. epoxy a length of copper pipe into
shop. For the mound of brain coral The brain coral is backed up the hole with 14" protruding. Drill
Appendages that anchors the lamp, I used 1x by three joined semicircles. Some a series of angled holes, again in
Laminate two layers of 1⁄ 4" ply- cherry. Apply three patterns for scrap 1x oak was the wood of the large disk, to house the 1⁄ 4"
wood to create 1⁄ 2" stock for the the successive layers to the stock. choice here since it added heft to dowel reeds. Finally, center and
head, fins and tail. Apply the pat- Bore the grid of 1⁄ 4"-deep “cups” the base. As shown in the pat- glue the semicircle assembly on
terns and cut them out on the with a 3⁄ 8" Forstner bit. terns, scroll saw the cen- the back of the brain coral.
scroll saw. Drill the eye sockets With the same ters out of the
and insert 3⁄ 8" walnut screw hole Lamp Holder
buttons. Glue the appendages to Cut out two lamp holder disks
the backbone. from 1⁄2" stock. Position cop-
3⁄
8”
diameter
through
and
stopped
holes
3-layer brain coral half-scale drawing

SUPPLIES
24" length of 3⁄ 8" o.d. copper tube,
two T-fittings, one tube cap
Two candelabra bulb sockets
Two candelabra base frosted bulbs,
30 watts or less
Lamp cord and plug
In-line lamp switch
Brass wood screws
3/ " o.d. eye socket
8
3/ " o.d. dowel holes

16
outline of
backbone
12 "
9"
Half-scale drawing; enlarge 200 percent for full-size

www.popwood.com 81
Making the “coral” base is mostly a matter of drilling Use 3⁄ 8" dowels to line up the pieces of coral when you glue
holes.Adhere the patterns to three pieces of wood and them up. Don’t use too much glue because it’s difficult to
chuck a 3⁄ 8" Forstner bit in your drill press.The holes on the clean up squeeze-out in these holes.
edges of the coral go all the way through the piece; the
holes in the middle are 1⁄ 4" deep.
The two wooden pieces of the lamp holder are joined by Here’s what the lamp assembly looks like.Though the
copper “tees” epoxied into holes drilled through the wiring is not difficult, I recommend you consult with an
wooden circles. electrician friend to ensure your lamp won’t accidentally
transform into a “Wanda flambe.”
per “tees” in the holes and glue center of the disks. Slide the upper epoxy them to the copper tees in tach the remaining body side to
with epoxy. Next, screw (or glue) and lower copper tubes through the lamp holder. Also epoxy the the backbone with brass wood
the lamp sockets in place on the the holes in the backbone and backbone to the tubes to keep screws.
the body from rotating. In other
words, glue everything to every- Let Her Shine
Hole for the
thing. With the guidance of some- Aside from a mild case of
copper tees
one versed in the ways of flowing Repetitive Motion Disorder
electrons, fish (great term here) brought on by all the cutting and
Outline of the electric cord up through the drilling, the pleasure derived from
bulb socket
lower copper tube and make con- adding Wanda to your household
nections at the socket terminals. will far outweigh the pain. PW
Screw in the light bulbs and at-
Lamp holder 3⁄
8”-diameter hole in large
(2 required) disk to internal cutout
Screw locations
on removable cap
Remove
hatched
area from
two larger
disks
Turtle grass
(2 required) 3-layer brain coral backup

DELTAGRAM
Pier Cabinet
with Shelves
and Storage
T his makes an attractive
piece in either walnut or
mahogany, and the construc-
tion is not at all difficult. There
is a closed compartment at the
bottom, and four adjustable
shelves, the shelves being sup-
ported by the conventional
shelf stops you can purchase at
any hardware store.
As can be seen in the draw-
ing, the construction follows
standard practice, with the back
rabbeted into the side pieces and the top and bottom screw-fastened into place.
Use dowels or mortise-and-tenon joinery when fitting the top of the compartment.
The work can be simplified by using metal angles on the underside as a means of
support. A pair of 11⁄ 2" by 1⁄ 2" brass butt hinges carry the door, which will also re-
quire a small friction catch to hold it in a closed position.
The main ornamentation is the pediment. This is made up in two parts, the
main body being 3⁄ 4" stock and the moulding somewhat heavier. The lighter
piece should be band sawed to shape first; then the mould can be sawn to the right
curve and later shaped on the drill press. The moulding is not shaped on the back
side, but is left flat to glue flush to the lower portion. The two rails butt against the
pediment, and are screwed in place about 7⁄ 16" from the edge of the top.
It is important that the holes for the shelf stops be in
exact alignment, and to that end it is advisable to use some
form of jig when boring these on the drill press. There are
22 stop positions, the centers being 13⁄ 8" apart and the same
distance in from the edge and back of the cabinet. The stops
should be purchased before drilling the holes since the size
varies from 3⁄ 16" up. There is a bit of turning to do — four
legs, a rosette for the pediment and a handle for the door.
All of these can be chucked quite nicely on a single screw
center. PW
From Vol. 4 January 1935

A nostalgic look back at plans published by
Delta Machinery during the mid-20th century.
www.popwood.com 83
making
your own CHISEL
HANDLES
You don’t have to own a lathe
to make replacement handles Ferrule
that will feel like an extension

of your hand. Tang
Bolster
few months ago I had to didn’t rate so high. Marples chis- Neck
A face the unpleasant truth

about my chisels. Given
to me years ago by my father, my
els,while not at the top of the
league performance ratings, were
a good value for money. But in- Blade
trusty old set of Marples bevel- stead of the leather-washered, on a lathe in a few min-
edge chisels had run out of steel. well proportioned ash handles utes. If you don’t have a lathe,
Ground and sharpened to stubs, of my old set, they come you can shape one with drawknife,
they had to be replaced. today with rather billy- spokeshave, plane or chisel al-
A little research into the chis- clubbish handles of most as quickly. Sounds simple.
el market revealed a surprisingly composite or And for the most part, it is. Most
large selection. The important ash. In the made bench chisels are attached to their
consideration, it seemed to me, a handle. handles by a tang, as shown in the
was performance — which blades Makes sense — drawing. The only real difficul-
would take the keenest edge and and if they made their ties in rehandling a chisel involve
hold it longest. But when I’d plowed own handle, it was cheap- making the pilot hole in the han-
through a stack of reviews (not er. Few, if any, tool merchants dle for the tang. The hole must
being a tool steel expert, I relied sell unhandled chisels today. But be sized to ensure a tight fit with-
on the tests and experience of oth- you can still get the best of both out splitting the handle. And it
ers) and narrowed the field, I found worlds. Ignore the handle and must align the handle and the
I’d overlooked a second impor- end, I found myself buying sev- buy the tool for its steel or its value blade on the same axis. So, before
tant consideration: handles. eral chisels as much for their han- for money or whatever else ap- you slice off the handles of your
No matter how marvelous the dles as for their steel. peals to you. Then cut off and re- favorite chisels for replacement,
Illustrations by Mary Jane Favorite.
cutting edge, if the tool feels like The more I thought about place the offending handle. rehandle a similar, but less val-
a billy club in your hand it’s of lit- it, the more this seemed an un- You can turn a chisel handle ued, chisel (or two) for practice.
tle use. Several of the top-per- happy compromise. It was once
forming chisels had clunky han- common practice to sell unhan- by Roger Holmes
dles, while the handles I liked dled chisels. Craftsmen bought Roger Holmes trained as a furniture maker in England and has been working wood
best were attached to chisels that the chisel blade then bought or professionally and for fun for 30 years. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Handle
Ferrule
seat
Saw off the top of the old

handle with a hacksaw—
you won’t damage the
ter the remainder of the han- saw teeth if you hit the
tang by mistake.
dle, which makes it easier to split.
Off with the Old Tang Types

Before you can put on a new han- Tangs on my old chisels are four-
dle, you have to get rid of the old sided and tapered to a point. Some
one. First, mark the estimated are irregular and bear the marks
length of the tang on the handle of forging. They are seated in the After making saw cuts at
— 2" or so should do — then cut handle in a stepped pilot hole, as the top of the ferrule in to
off the top of the handle above shown in the drawings on the fol- the tang, split a wooden
handle away from the
that point. I cut both compos- lowing pages. tang.
ite and wood handles with a hack- Tangs on some of my newer
saw. If I’ve miscalculated the tang chisels are cast, not forged. Those
length, I won’t ruin the teeth of for wooden handles are faceted
my nice backsaw. on four sides, but not tapered.
If you’re removing a wooden They seat in a single pilot hole.
handle and you want to reuse the The corners of tapered and faceted
ferrule, next make a few saw cuts tangs dig into the wood to make
just above the ferrule down to the a tight, torque-resistant fit. To remove a composite
tang. Then split away the re- Tangs for my composite han- handle, saw lengthwise
mainder of the handle, using an- dled chisels are cylindrical, with down to the tang in three
or four places, then split
other chisel as a wedge. You may small raised “fins” along their the remains of the handle
now be able to drive the ferrule length to key them into the com- from the tang.
off the tang with a hammer and posite material formed around
Step photos by Mike Farrell; illustrations by Mary Jane Favorite.
cold chisel. Or you may need to them. Driven into a wooden han-
bore out some of the wood from dle bored to the same diameter
inside the ferrule to loosen it. If as the tang (or slightly smaller),
you don’t want to keep the fer- the fins might be enough to en-
rule, just cut through its length sure a tight fit, particularly for a
with the hacksaw and pry it off light-duty chisel. I ground facets
the tang. on the tang and sized the pilot
The process is similar for a hole accordingly to be on the safe
composite handle, which is cast side.
in place around the tang. Using To ensure that the edges of the
the hacksaw, I cut off the end of tang dig into the wood, the pilot
the handle. Then I make length- hole should be smaller than the
wise cuts down to the tang to quar- tang. For a square-section tapered
www.popwood.com 85
The chisel blade in
the center has a forged,
four-sided tapered tang. The
other blades have cast tangs.
The left one, for a composite handle,
is cylindrical, with small “fins” along its
length. The right blade, for a wooden handle,
has four faceted faces but no taper.
You can make handles in a wide variety of shapes quickly and easily on a lathe.
tang, the larger of the stepped have less give and will split more precaution regardless of the tool’s posite handle, make sure there
pilot holes can be the same di- easily. intended use. Chisels and gouges will be enough wood inside the
ameter as the diagonal across the subjected to heavy banging are ferrule to accommodate the tang.
tang as measured about one quar- Ferrules often fitted with a metal hoop at In general, the diameter of the
ter the length of the tang from These short cylinders of brass the top of the chisel to prevent ferrule must be at least that of the
the bolster. (The bolster is the or copper bind the handle just splitting at that end. chisel’s bolster.
flared section between the chis- above the bolster of the chisel. The size of the tang and bol- If you don’t reuse a ferrule,
el’s narrow neck and the tang; The bolster and ferrule work to- ster largely determine the size of you can make your own from cop-
it seats against the end of the han- gether to prevent the handle from the ferrule. If you’re replacing a per tubing sold at hardware stores.
dle.) Take the measure for the splitting when the chisel is dri- wooden handle, you can reuse Or you can buy brass ferrules for
smaller hole about three-quar- ven by a mallet. Chisels and gouges the ferrule or use one the same a few cents apiece from Lee Valley
ters of the length of the tang from used only with hand pressure need size. If you want to fit a smaller Tools. These come in a wider
the bolster. For an untapered no ferrules. But most chisels have ferrule or you’re replacing a com- range of diameters than are avail-
faceted tang, make a single pilot ferrules even if they’re intended
hole of smaller diameter than the for fine paring work; some carv-
tang’s diagonal measure. The dif- ing tools do not. For many chis- Tang
ference in the size of the hole and els, the greatest risk of splitting
the tang can be larger in softer the handle comes when fitting Ferrule
woods than harder woods, which the handle, so a ferrule is a good
Second pilot hole
First pilot hole
Neck Second
pilot hole
First pilot hole
Tang
Bolster
Ferrule
Grind flat facets on a round cast tang made for a composite handle to ensure a tight
fit in the new wooden handle.

SUPPLIES
Lee Valley Tools
800-871-8158
www.leevalley.com
Octagonal Boxwood Chisel Handles

available in 51⁄ 4" lengths to 61⁄ 4"
lengths. Priced from $6.95 to $8.25
each.
Brass Ferrules available with

interior dimensions from .312" to
11⁄ 2". Prices range from 15 cents to
96 cents each.
a handle. Whatever shape you

choose, it is important to fit the
Bore the tang pilot hole on the lathe using a machinist’s drill mounted in a chuck on the ferrule snugly to one end. It need-
head stock. Feed the handle into the spinning bit with the feed wheel on the tail stock. n’t be a forced fit, but it should-
n’t rattle around on the wood, ei-
able in copper tube. You need to way, so I cut them out of a piece ther.
fit the handle to the ferrule, so of shoemaker’s sole leather and The great advantage of a lathe
Seat the tang in the handle by repeat-
always have the ferrule you in- put them on. edly striking the end of the handle is in boring the pilot hole for the
tend to use before you make the against an iron plate or machine table. tang. I mount a chuck and bit on
handle. Some chisels are fitted Making the Handle the head stock and feed the han-
with leather washers that slip This is the fun part. You can make handles with drawknife, spoke- dle onto the bit by turning the
over the tang and seat between any kind of handle you can imag- shave, plane or chisels takes longer, tailstock’s dead-center wheel.
the bolster and the end of the ine. Turning handles on a lathe but can produce handle shapes This bores a hole right on the
handle. I think they’re intend- is quick and easy—you can make — faceted or flattened for ex- handle’s axis, ensuring that the
ed somehow to cushion mallet and discard half a dozen before ample — that are unobtainable chisel blade and handle will be
blows, but I can’t say I feel a dif- you find the one you want and on a lathe. And you can combine properly aligned.
ference in use. I like them any- still be done in an hour. Shaping turning and hand-shaping. If you Use machinist’s bits — the
want to rehandle a chisel but don’t tapered nose makes a neater, eas-
want to make the handle, you can ier entry than a brad point or
Tang buy a classic boxwood pattern in other spur bit. Complete the han-
several sizes from Lee Valley. dle’s shape (and rub finish on the
Commercial handles are com- spinning handle with a cloth if
Ferrule monly made of ash, beech or box- you wish) before you bore the
wood. But any reasonably hard hole.
wood will do. I’m looking forward
Pilot hole
to making some handles of osage Assembly
orange, a native here in Nebraska To join chisel and handle, slip
that has tight grain, a lovely or- the ferrule in place on the end of
Neck ange color, and is tough as nails. the chisel handle, add a leather
Pilot hole
Tang Firewood suppliers are excellent washer if you want one and start
sources of ash, maple, birch and the tang in the pilot hole. You
other local woods that make fine can fix the chisel in a vise and
handles. If you can split handle drive the handle on. I prefer to
blanks from the log, you’ll ensure upend the chisel and handle and
that the grain will run parallel to bang the end of the handle on a
Bolster the handle’s length, the strongest machine table or other heavy
Ferrule
orientation. piece of iron. Done this way, the
blade’s own weight drives the tang
On the Lathe into the handle and I don’t have
Turning is the easiest way to make to worry about the blade slipping
www.popwood.com 87
After making cuts at the corner to
prevent splitting along the handle’s
entire length, form the ferrule seat with
a chisel (left).
If you’re uncertain about the alignment

of the tang pilot hole and handle, you
can assemble the blade to the handle
blank. Draw lines on the handle along
the axes of the blade. Shape the handle
parallel to the axes to ensure good
blade-handle alignment.
in the vise. It takes a while, but

unless you’ve badly underesti-
mated the size of the pilot hole,
the bolster will eventually seat
snugly against the end of the han-
dle. Even if the hole is a bit too
tight, splits are usually contained
by the ferrule.
Hand-shaping a Handle
If you don’t have a lathe, or you
want a faceted handle, it is easy
to shape one by hand. The tricky
part is boring the pilot hole in
the handle so that the blade and
handle will be aligned. A blade
that skews off the handle cen-
terline can be very awkward to
use. I think the easiest method
is to bore the hole in a square
handle blank before shaping the
handle. With a drill press the
hole can be bored very accurately.
Or the blank can be held firmly
in a vise for hand drilling. Set a
square or two up to gauge the an-
gles.
Next, form the seat for the
ferrule. Make saw cuts in at each
corner to prevent splitting be-
yond the ferrule seat. Then pare
carefully with a chisel until the about the orientation of the pilot center pilot hole.
ferrule fits the seat snugly. If you’re hole, you can assemble the han- Rehandling a chisel or gouge
confident that the pilot hole is dle and blade, then shape with is very satisfying. A homemade
well centered along the length drawknife and spokeshaves, as handle may not be stronger or
Different chisel handles as shown in of the blank, you can shape the shown in the photos. This can more durable than one from the
R.A. Salaman’s “Dictionary of handle, then assemble it with be a bit awkward in spots, but it factory. But it is certainly more
Woodworking Tools” (Astragal Press),
an excellent resource on the identifica- ferrule and blade as described allows you to make adjustments personal and is worth doing for
tion and history of hand tools. previously. If you’re uncertain in the handle to offset an off- that reason alone. PW

T
Bench
here are few clamping
jobs that are more diffi-
cult than trying to se-
cure something big so that you
can work on its edge. Mortising
a large door for a hinge is a com-
Deadman
mon situation. Cleaning up the
long edge of a board you just band
sawed is another.
These problems are quickly
and easily solved with $10 and
by taking a lesson from 18th-cen-
tury joiners. A common feature
on older benches is what’s called For less than $10, you can rig your workbench
a sliding deadman. This con-
traption works with your face vise to easily support and clamp large panels, doors and long boards.
to support work that is long, wide
or both long and wide. I adapted by Christopher Schwarz
mine from a sketch of a deadman Comments or questions? Contact Chris at 513-531-2690 ext. 407 or [email protected].
www.popwood.com 89
BENCH DEADMAN
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) M AT E R I A L NOTES
T W L
❏ 2 Rails 13⁄ 8 11⁄ 2 47 SYP Half-size plan of ledge
❏ 1 Deadman 13⁄ 8 7 195⁄ 8 SYP 1⁄
2" TBE
❏ 1 Ledge 3⁄
1 8 4 87⁄
71⁄ 2 SYP
❏ 1 Dowel 5⁄
8 dia. 5
TBE = TENON ON BOTH ENDS; SYP= SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE OR EQUIVALENT
Align top hole with Secure top rail to bottom

rails of your face vice of benchtop or top rail
of bench
1/ " x 1/ "
2 2 7" 1 3/8"
tenon 1 1/2"
/2"
1
1"
2"
2"
2"
2"
5 / "dowel
8
Your bench may vary
7/
8"
19 5/8"
19 "
1/ "
4 roundover
on long edges
of deadman
diameter holes through the part

for the ledge. I bored two stag-
Secure bottom rail to gered rows of holes; each hole is
bottom rail of bench 2" down from the one above it.
The topmost hole is located so
that when the ledge is in place in
1 1/2"
/2"
the deadman, it lines up with the

1
rails on my face vise.

2 1/2" 2" 2 1/2" Cut the 1⁄ 2"-long x 1⁄ 2"-thick
Elevation Section tenons on both ends of the dead-
man. The tenons are slightly thin-
ner than the width of the grooves
they ride in. Now cut the dead-
by Graham Blackburn that was you can easily cut the rails and wide groove in the center of a man to shape. The long edges are
featured in his excellent book the sliding deadman to fit your long edge of each rail. Use a dado curved in 7⁄ 8" so they are easy to
“Traditional Woodworking bench. stack in your table saw, a straight grasp when the deadman is rest-
Handtools” (The Lyons Press). After you determine the prop- bit in your router or a plough plane ing against your bench’s legs.
This particular version is sized to er dimensions for all your parts, to cut the groove. Round over the long edges of the
fit our “$175 Workbench” from begin by cutting your pieces to Before you cut the curves on deadman to make it friendly to
the February 2001 issue, though rough size. Cut a 3⁄ 8"-deep x 9⁄ 16"- the deadman itself, bore the 5⁄ 8"- grasp. I used a 1⁄ 4" roundover bit

Illustrated by Bob Rech
CAPTION THE CARTOON [email protected]
19 / 9/ 19 /
32 " 16 " 32 " #52
3
/8 "
1 1/2"
1 3/8"
Full-size section of rails

Submit your caption(s) for this issue’s cartoon on a
postcard to Popular Woodworking, Cartoon
Caption #52, 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH
45207 by February 14. Winners will be chosen
by the editorial staff.
in a router. The winner will receive the new Freud FJ85
Trim your rails to the proper Jigsaw with Electronic Cruise Control.This variable
length and install them. Screw speed, 6-amp, orbital jigsaw offers toolless
one rail to the bottom rail of your blade change and the cruise control keeps the
bench using four #8 x 2" screws. blade speed constant under different loads to
Don’t use glue; you want to be provide a finer, faster cut.The runners-up each win
able to remove the rail for later a one-year subscription to Popular Woodworking.
adjustments or repairs. Now put
the top rail and deadman in place #50
and line them up with the bot-
tom rail. Using screws, secure the
top rail to the underside of your
bench’s top, or to the top rail of
your bench — if you have one.
Wax the grooves in the rails. The
deadman should slide back and
forth with minimal effort.
Now make the ledge. You could
simply use a dowel. I chose to
make one a little fancier. Bore a
11⁄4"-deep hole in one end for the
5⁄
8" dowel and glue it in place,
again making sure that when the “Now that’s what I call ‘pressure-treated wood!’”
ledge is inserted into the top hole,
Brett Britton, of Crossville, Alabama, is the winner of our Cartoon Contest
it lines up with the rails on your
from the August issue and recipient of a fine set of Freud router bits. The follow-
face vise. You might need to sand
ing runners-up each receive a one-year subscription to Popular Woodworking:
your dowel to fit the holes in the
deadman. I used a 1⁄4" beading bit “I can actually see the syrup coming out of your maple bookcase.”
in a router to shape three edges Ryan Vogt, Urich, Missouri
of each side of the ledge. Finish
“Any more clamping pressure and we’ll be making diamonds!”
your deadman to match your
Larry Cramer, Brookings, South Dakota
bench. PW
“Hey Butch what’s under those clamps? Is it alive?”
Michael Collingsworth, Centerville, Ohio
www.popwood.com 91
CLASSIFIEDS
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For information about
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800-382-3180 Ext
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800/388-1820
Ad close for the May/June issue is February 27, 2002.
Reader Service #141 Reader Service #149

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www.popwood.com 93
FLEXNER ON FINISHING
Caring for Furniture

Do furniture care products really ‘moisturize’ your project or its finish?
Learn the truth about furniture cleaners and polishes.
F urniture care is a subject you’re probably

not very interested in, but it’s a pretty
sure bet that the people you give or sell your
projects to find it very interesting. In fact,
“How do I care for it?” is probably the first
question they ask you.
If you give them an intelligent answer,
their respect for you grows, but if you fum-
ble around and show you don’t really un-
derstand the subject, they may lose some
confidence in you. There’s no reason for this
to happen because there are really only two
things you need to know: the causes of dam-
age and how to avoid them, and which fur-
niture polish to recommend.
Causes of Damage
The two elements that cause the most dam-
age to furniture, especially to the finish, are
light and physical abuse. No one can keep
furniture totally away from light, but furni-
ture can be kept away from bright light near
windows, which causes finishes to deterio-
rate faster than they would otherwise. To see
what light does to finishes, compare the con-
dition of an old finish protected from light
under some hardware with the finish around
Photo by tim Grondin.

it. (See the photo on the next page.)
So the first instruction you should give
is, “If you want the finish to stay in good shape
for as long as possible, keep the furniture
away from bright light, especially direct sun-
Don’t go looking for these furniture-care products on your next trip overseas. For the most part, the United
light.” States is the only country that uses them. Why? Usually water cleans just as well.
The second is, “Discipline your children
and pets so they don’t abuse the furniture, Furniture-care products do five things isn’t wiped off). No furniture polish or wax
and use table cloths, place mats and coast- more or less well: does any harm to the wood or finish, either.
ers to protect the finish from scratches and • add shine to a dull surface. Furniture polishes and waxes are totally inert.
water rings.” • add scratch resistance. In fact, furniture-care products don’t
• aid in dusting. really do much at all, and the United States
Furniture-care Products • aid in cleaning. and, to a lesser extent, Canada, are the only
There’s more hype, myth and misinforma- • add a pleasant scent to a room. countries where these products are used to
tion about furniture polishes and waxes than No furniture polish or wax replaces nat- any great extent. Most people in Europe and
about any other product related to furniture. ural oil in the wood (only a few exotic woods Japan just wipe their furniture with a damp
Most of the problem is created by the sup- ever had it in the first place), feeds or mois- cloth when it gets dusty or dirty.
pliers themselves. turizes the wood, feeds or moisturizes the fin- So you could simply advise your family
Here are the facts. ish or builds up (unless, of course, the excess member, friend or customer, “You don’t need

to do anything at all except keep the furni- to improve cleaning abili-
ture clean by wiping it now and then with a ty. You can recognize these
damp cloth.” But this probably won’t work products by their milky-
because people are conditioned to want to white color (they are emul-
“use” something, to do something “good” for sifications like milk is an
their furniture. emulsification of water and
So, to understand the differences in the animal fat). Most are pack-
furniture-care products they could use, aged in aerosol-spray con-
let’s look at the ingredients in them and see tainers.
what each does. • Wax is a solid sub-
Besides the added scent, which does noth- stance at room temperature
ing for the furniture but rewards people for and is by far the most ef-
their dusting effort by making their house fective of the four ingredi-
smell nice, furniture-care products are com- ents at adding shine and
The furniture polishes that clean best are emulsifications of water and
posed of one or more of four basic ingredi- scratch protection over a petroleum-distillate solvent. These polishes are usually packaged in aerosol
ents: slow evaporating petroleum-distillate long period of time because spray cans and are always milky-white in color.
solvent, water, wax and silicone oil. it doesn’t evaporate. But
• Petroleum-distillate solvents used in wax is hard to apply (because of the effort the added difficulty they have refinishing
furniture polishes are essentially slow-evap- necessary to wipe off the excess) and there’s furniture treated with this oil. But consumers
orating paint thinner. This liquid adds shine no reason to apply it very often, so it’s not love silicone-oil polishes because they keep
and scratch resistance only until it evapo- effective for dusting, cleaning or adding scent. furniture looking good between polishings
rates (usually within a few hours), helps pick Sometimes wax is added to liquid pol- better than anything except wax, and they’re
up dust and cleans grease and wax. It has no ishes, and you can identify these by the easy to use.
cleaning effect on water-soluble dirt like settling that occurs over time – polishes con- Most polishes that contain silicone oil
sticky fingerprints or soft drink spills. taining wax have to be shaken before use. also contain petroleum distillates and water,
Most clear polishes on the market, those Clearly, these polishes will be more effective so they’re good cleaners.
commonly sold as lemon or some other nice- at adding long-lasting shine and scratch pro-
smelling oil and packaged in clear plastic tection than polishes that don’t contain wax, How to Choose
containers, are composed of this single in- but more effort will be required to remove So how do you make sense of this for the re-
gredient. the excess from the surface. cipients of your projects? Easy.
• Water evaporates too rapidly to be ef- • Silicone oil is a synthetic oil similar to If they just want something for dusting,
fective at adding shine or scratch resistance, mineral oil in the sense that it is totally inert choose any liquid furniture polish.
but it helps pick up dust, and it’s a great clean- and doesn’t evaporate, but silicone oil is slip- If they want something that will clean in
er for most types of dirt. In many liquid perier and bends light better than mineral addition to picking up dust, choose any milky-
and so-called “cream” furniture polishes, and oil. The first quality makes furniture polish- white furniture polish – virtually all polish-
in some liquid and paste waxes, water is added es that contain this oil extremely effective es in aerosol containers except Scott’s Liquid
at reducing scratches and Gold.
the second makes finished If they want maximum scratch resistance
wood appear richer and and richer depth without the work involved
deeper. with using paste wax, choose a polish that
Most aerosol-spray pol- contains silicone oil – virtually all polishes
ishes contain silicone oil, in aerosol-spray containers except Endust
though rarely is this ad- and Scott’s Liquid Gold.
mitted. Silicone oil has been If they want to add shine and protect
given a bad reputation by an old, deteriorated surface from abrasive
furniture refinishers and mu- damage, choose paste wax – because the other
seum conservators due to possibilities either evaporate too quickly (pe-
troleum distillate) or highlight the cracks in
Light is a prime cause of finish the finish (silicone oil). Dusting and clean-
deterioration. Here you can see ing will have to be done separately with a
that the finish protected under
damp cloth. PW
the hardware is in near-perfect
condition, while the finish
exposed to light for many Bob Flexner is author of “Understanding Wood Finishing”
decades is badly crazed. and a contributing editor to Popular Woodworking.
www.popwood.com 95
OUT OF THE WOODWORK
Sacrificial Scraps
On a cold winter night
I realize memories are
made of many things,
including cut-offs from
my shop’s scrap barrel.
I
have a small, galvanized trash can in my
workshop where I throw scraps of hard-
wood that are too small to put to use. It
sits near the outfeed side of my table saw where
it’s out of the way but easily reached by a short
toss from anywhere in the shop. Pieces of
white oak, maple, cherry, mahogany, black
walnut, rosewood and the occasional poplar
fragment eventually overflow the 3'-wide can
and have to be dealt with. Pine doesn’t make
the cut (if you’ll pardon the pun) because the
can is for wood that will end up in the fam-
ily fireplace. Pine burns too hot and coats the
flue with creosote, so it goes in the compost
heap along with my sawdust. But the hard-
wood scraps pile up and once each year they
warm the cold New England winter; usually
in late January or early February, and for some
reason that I can’t explain, always at night. lengths of wood have so many holes, mor- best thing.
The fire starts out with nondescript strips tises, rabbets, grooves and tenons that there And finally, at the bottom of the barrel,
of plywood for kindling. They’re light and is simply no surface left to cut. I can’t help I find pieces from what seems like long ago.
burn quickly. On top of that go thin lengths but feel a pang of regret when throwing these Some of the scraps reveal the progress that
of any wood that is unfit to use. Perhaps some hardworking helpers onto the fire. It seems I’ve made in the months since they were
strips of maple with ugly wane or lengths a shame to burn them, but they served their tossed out. Or a scrap might surprise me in
of glued-up end grain cut from squaring-up purpose and their time has come. that I don’t remember being able to perform
a tabletop. Thicker but shorter pieces fol- I give away most of what I build, so some a particular operation so long ago.
low. Lengths of picture frame that are just to scraps take me back to projects that I haven’t When there’s nothing left except saw-
small to eke out four more sides, or maybe seen in a while. I might pick out a piece and dust and slivers, the barrel goes back to its
some sections of trim from a large case piece. show it to my wife. We’ll discuss whatever humble position by the saw, ready to accept
The fire slowly builds and, with the help of it was that I was building then, or something a new lot of castoffs and scraps. Sitting there
a few logs, warms the house for hours. that happened in our lives at that time. It’s empty, it seems to invite me to get busy and
But it’s the process of feeding the blaze like getting a roll of film developed that has do some woodworking. Maybe this will be
that proves cathartic. Because the barrel fills been in the camera for a year. the year that I master hand-cut dovetails.
over the course of a year or more, pieces from There are pieces, though, that I have no Or perhaps I’ll tackle a particular project
past projects emerge and remind me of the compunction about burning. If a project was that may have intimidated me in the past.
different phases of my long apprenticeship ill conceived or poorly executed, I get a sense It’s funny, but that empty barrel seems to
with woodworking. Short cut-offs of prac- of finally being done with it once the last hold a lot of promise. PW
ticed hand-cut dovetails look rougher as they scraps meet their fiery demise. It’s not as if
emerge from deeper within the barrel. Pieces I burned the whole piece, but I might have Joe Pescatello works wood in Rye, New Hampshire. His
that were used for testing machine setup tell wanted to during construction. Throwing articles have appeared previously in Modern Drummer
of trial and error to get the perfect fit. Some the cutoffs into a roaring blaze is the next- and Home Office Computing magazines.

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36 Clash of the Contractor Saws

50 Ultrafast Frame and Panel

84 Making Your Own Chisel Handles

94 Caring for Furniture

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A Better Magazine Steve Shanesy

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Lock Your Mortiser’s

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Where Do I Find Glaze for

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1. Heat it Efficiently bones Skil table saw. I took a look at my miter

Can You Thin Water-based

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Should I be Worried About

There are concerns, but if you’ve done your prep

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Paper is the Key to Paper-Thin

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Arrow Brad Nailers

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